BackgroundCharacterizing and comparing the determinant of cotinine concentrations in different populations should facilitate a better understanding of smoking patterns and addiction....Full Text Available
To understand the molecular mechanisms of how 5^oC-incubation activates mRNA expression of Hsp70a and Samui genes in Bombyx mori diapause eggs, we first searched the 5'-upstream regions of the Hsp70a and Samui genes for heat shock elements (HSEs) and found two regions [Hsp70aHSE-1 (-95 to -58) and -2 (-145 to -121), and SamuiHSE-1 (-84 to -55) and -2 (-304 to -290)] corresponding to HSEs (repeats of nGAAn and/or nTTCn). We cloned four cDNAs encoding heat shock factor (HSF)-a2 (627 amino acids), -b (685 aa), -c (682 aa) and -d (705 aa), which were produced by alternative splicing. When we exposed diapause eggs to 5^oC beginning at 2 day post-oviposition to break diapause, HSFd mRNA only increased after chilling for 6-8 days, a pattern very similar to those of Hsp70a and Samui mRNAs. To exam...
The Meteorological Service of Canada has made weather datasets available in real-time on the Internet, for use by those with an interest in solar applications. Ensemble weather models can be used to produce medium range forecasts of weather events and to predict the likely available kilowatt-hours (kWhrs) of solar energy. As such, solar sites can maximize their harvest and use of solar energy. This presentation highlighted several different types of renewable energy forecasts obtained from weather models, including forecasts of expected kWhrs from solar panels and wind turbines, daily forecasts of expected solar heated water volumes and forecasts of water collection potential from impending precipitation events. The value of renewable energy forecasts in helping the solar energy sector monitor daily energy loads as well as daily and weekly solar energy supply was emphasized. It was suggested that renewable energy forecasts ...
Transmissions of sperm by unirradiated and irradiated cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, were studied by live dissection of females immediately after the initiation of mating. In cotton bollworm the sperm transfer was rather a complex process. In fact unirradiated males failed to transfer sperm in about 19% of their matings. When irradiated with 250 Gy and 400 Gy, aberrations of sperm transmission were about 21% and 50% respectively. The failure of spermatophore 'cap' location was an important reason of sperm transmission aberrations. When females mated to high-dose-irradiated males, their oviposition response appeared abnormal
New York City data indicate that seasonal and annual variations in dispersion-normalized air pollutant concentrations appear to accurately reflect changes in source emission patterns. The normalized concentrations make it possible to observe the impact of regulatory changes on ambient air quality without these impacts being obscured by meteorological fluctuations. It is found that numerical modeling techniques and regression analysis can be powerful tools for extracting information from large sets of air quality data. The use of differential, as opposed to absolute, pollutant concentration values will reduce artifact correlations caused by seasonal, weekly, or daily meteorological fluctuations and will permit more accurate estimation of the regression coefficients. This technique was successfully applied to a set of daily pollution measurements whose absolute concentrations were found not to yield a statistically ...
New York City data indicate that seasonal and annual variations in dispersion-normalized air pollutant concentrations appear to accurately reflect changes in source emission patterns. The normalized concentrations make it possible to observe the impact of regulatory changes on ambient air quality without these impacts being obscured by meteorological fluctuations. It is found that numerical modeling techniques and regression analysis can be powerful tools for extracting information from large sets of air quality data. The use of differential, as opposed to absolute, pollutant concentration values will reduce artifact correlations caused by seasonal, weekly, or daily meteorological fluctuations and will permit more accurate estimation of the regression coefficients. This technique was successfully applied to a set of daily pollution measurements whose absolute concentrations were found not to yield a statistically ...
Two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of nutrition and suckling patterns on the ovarian cyclicity of postpartum buffaloes. In Study 1, which was conducted on an institutional farm, two different diets were fed to 24 buffaloes during late gestation and postpartum period. Restricted (twice daily) suckling began on day 30 postpartum in half the animals on each diet. The body weight of both ad libitum suckled and twice daily suckled groups declined during the postpartum period, irrespective of the diet fed. Buffaloes subjected to restricted suckling lost less body weight and re-established ovarian cyclicity earlier than those suckled ad libitum. In Study 2, which was conducted under village conditions, temporary calf removal for 72 hours on days 91-93 postpartum in anoestrous buffaloes induced the re-establishment of ovarian cyclicity within 14 days. (author). 11 refs, 7 tabs.
Abstract Ovipositing females of the black swallowtail butterfly, Papilio polyxenes Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Papilioninae), have an innate response to contact chemical cues, but it was not known how naive females would respond to volatile host plant chemicals. Naive and experienced females were tested in a free-flight experiment using model plants and volatile extracts from two hosts, carrot [Daucus carota L. (Apiaceae)] and poison hemlock [Conium maculatum L. (Apiaceae)], and one non-host, fava bean [Vicia faba L. (Fabaceae)]. Naive females responded to both host plant extracts with more approaches and landings than to non-host extracts, with poison hemlock receiving more responses than carrot. Females experienced with one of the two host plants also approached and landed freq...
Culex mosquitoes introduce the pathogens responsible for filariasis, West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, and other diseases into humans. Currently, traps baited with oviposition semiochemicals play an important role in detection efforts and could provide an environmentally friendly approach to controlling their populations. The odorant binding proteins (OBPs) in the female's antenna play a crucial, if yet imperfectly understood, role in sensing oviposition cues. Here, we report the X-ray crystallography and NMR 3D structures of OBP1 for Culex quinquefasciatus (CquiOBP1) bound to an oviposition pheromone (5R,6S)-6-acetoxy-5-hexadecanolide (MOP). In both studies, CquiOBP1 had the same overall six-helix structure seen in other insect OBPs, but a detailed analysis revealed an important previously undescribed feature. There are two models for OBP-mediated signal transduction: (i) direct release of the pheromone ...
It has been previously stated that the minimum physiological recommendations for the indispensable amino acids in health adults, as proposed by FAO/WHO/UNU in 1985, are far too low, except for the methionine. An amino acid stable isotopic kinetic study was conducted to seek further experimental support to this hypothesis. Twenty healthy young men received an l-amino acid based diet, supplying 140 mg N.kg"-"1.d"-"1, patterned on egg protein for 1 week, then for 3 weeks either i) a pattern based on current international recommendations (FAO diet, n=7), ii) a the tentative Laboratory of Human Nutrition of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, new amino acid recommendation pattern (MIT diet, n=7) or iii) again the egg hen pattern (EGG diet, n=6). All subjects were again studied for one final, consecutive week of the egg diet. At the end of the initial week, at the first and third week with the three ...
Excessive physical activity plays an important role in the progression of anorexia nervosa (AN) by accelerating weight loss during dietary restriction. To search for mechanisms underlying this trait, a panel of mouse chromosome substitution strains derived from C57BL/6J and A/J strains was exposed to a scheduled feeding paradigm and to voluntary running wheel (RW) access. Here, we showed that A/J chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 contribute to the development of a disrupted RW activity in response to daily restricted feeding. This pattern is characterized by intense RW activity during the habitual rest phase and leads to accelerated body weight loss. Regions on mouse chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 display homology with regions on human chromosomes linked with anxiety and obsessionality in AN cohorts. The...
Abstract in english Odontopus brevirostris (Hustache, 1936) feeding on Annona squamosa L., A. cherimola Mill., A. glabra L., and A. muricata L. was observed. The last three host plants are recorded for the first time. The endophitic oviposition occurs in the veins of the ventral surface of the young leaves. The larvae, leaf miners, eat the parenchyma and the adults make small holes in the leaves. The pupation occurs in spherical cocoons protected by a sort of nest (pupation chamber) between the two epidermal layers.
A plethora of experimental studies use mtDNA as a marker of demographic processes without questioning the possibility that selection may bias their interpretations. We studied four lines of Drosophila melanogaster that have a standardized nuclear DNA but variable mtDNA. We completed the sequencing of the mitochondrial genomes (excluding the A+T rich region) and compiled the differences. We then assayed male influence on oviposition, starvation resistance, lipid proportion and physical activity. We discuss these results in terms of the known differences between the lines and conclude that naturally occurring mtDNA variants in D. melanogaster are expressed at the level of the organismal phenotype. PMID:21757031
Growing of PV for electricity generation is one of the highest in the field of the renewable energies and this tendency is expected to continue in the next years. Due to the various seasonal, hourly and daily changes in climate, it is relatively difficult to find a suitable analytic model for predicting the performance of a grid-connected photovoltaic (GCPV) plant. In this paper, an artificial neural network is used for modelling and predicting the power produced by a 20 kWp GCPV plant installed on the roof top of the municipality of Trieste (latitude 45 deg. 40'N, longitude 13 deg. 46'E), Italy. An experimental database of climate (irradiance and air temperature) and electrical (power delivered to the grid) data from January 29th to May 25th 2009 has been used. Two ANN models have been developed and implemented on experimental climate and electrical data. The first one is a multivariate model based on the solar irradiance and the air temperature, while the second ...
Energy study was conducted in an organic fertilizer production plant in Nigeria, to determine the energy consumption patterns and the associated costs for the production of both powdered and pelletised fertilizer. Analysis was conducted for a daily production of 9000 kg of the finished products. Eight and nine defined unit operations were required for production of powder and pellets, respectively. The electrical and manual energy required for the production of powder were 94.5 and 5.6% of the total energy, respectively, with corresponding 93.9 and 5.1% for the production of pellets. The respective average energy intensities were estimated as 0.28 and 0.35 MJ/kg for powder and pellets. The most energy intensive operation was identified as the pulverizing unit with energy intensity of 0.09 MJ/kg, accounting for respective proportions of 33.4 and 27.0% of the total energy for production of powder and pellets. The energy cost per unit production ...
Abstract Few butterflies are pests of economic significance, but some may be locally destructive, such as the papilionid Graphium agamemnon Linnaeus, which is known to feed on the commercially important soursop (Annona muricata Linnaeus) in Vietnam. This paper documents the life history and ecology ofG. agamemnon and investigates commonly used control measures in south-east Vietnam. A novel method of controlling G. agamemnon infestation is described. If soursop basal rootstock (Annona glabra Linnaeus) is encouraged to shoot during times of peak butterfly activity, ovipositing G. agamemnon females are preferentially attracted to the new growth where the resulting early stages may be easily detected and removed by hand.
BackgroundThe objective of this study was to develop and validate a daily electronic Endometriosis Pain and Bleeding Diary (EPBD) for assessing treatment-related changes in endometriosis...Full Text Available
The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between weather and outdoor physical activity (PA). An online weather source was used to obtain daily max temperature [DMT], precipitation, and...Full Text Available
Adaptive radiation therapy (ART) is the incorporation of daily images in the radiotherapy treatment process so that the treatment plan can be evaluated and modified to maximize the amount of radiation...Full Text Available
ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to describe the levels of daily spiritual experiences in community-dwelling older adults, to compare levels of spiritual...Full Text Available
Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) has been the predominant local treatment for Ewing's sarcoma of bone at the University of Florida. Twice-daily hyperfractionated RT was initiated in 1982 to improve local control and functional outcome. This retrospective review compares the results of once-daily vs. twice-daily RT in patients with primary Ewing's sarcoma of an extremity, with emphasis on functional outcome. Methods and Materials: Between June 1971 and January 1990, 37 patients were treated at the University of Florida for nonmetastatic Ewing's sarcoma of bone with a primary lesion in an extremity. Three patients underwent amputation. Of 34 patients treated with RT, 31 had RT alone and 3 had a combination of RT and local excision. Before 1982, 14 patients received once-daily RT; since 1982, 17 patients have received twice-daily RT. Doses of once-daily RT varied from 47 ...
The performance of five well-known photosynthesis-light equations is compared by presenting a wide range of solutions in the form of dimensionless nomographs for the case where photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) reduces exponentially down the water column and is distributed sinusoidally through the photoperiod. These provide a simple means of calculating daily photosynthesis at any depth (e.g. at a benthic layer), or through a water column, avoiding the need to perform complex integrations. An examination is made of the accuracy of common approximate methods for calculating daily photosynthesis, assuming constant PAR. For optically deep water a modification is proposed to Talling's planimetric solution, to enable daily photosynthesis to be calculated more accurately, yet simply, over the whole range of possible PAR values. The errors induced by approximating the daily PAR distribution ...
Metabolic profile is an important biological marker of neoplastic processes not only in the tumor itself but also in the host organism. The neuro-hormone melatonin has been implicated in the experiments as an oncostatic agent. Female Wistar:Han SPF rats (Velaz, Prague, Czech Republic) were irradiated continuously for 15 days using a daily gamma rays dose of 96 mGy. At the end of exposure one group of rats was administered 5 mg/kg b.w. of dimethylbenz/a/anthracene (DMBA) intragastrically. During the period of exposure to ionizing radiation a part of the animals was supplied with melatonin (M) at a concentration of 20 #mu#l/ml in drinking water. Selected parameters of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and levels of selected hormones were determined 2, 30 and 100 days post-irradiation. The irradiation itself caused only small changes in tissue lipids. The application of a single low dose (subthreshold from the point of view of induction of mammary tumors) of DMBA ...
The upper range of the requirement for methionine plus cystine in healthy adults was proposed in 1985 by FAO/WHO/UNU to be 13 mg.kg body wt-1.d-1. To explore the validity of this estimate, five healthy, young adult men were given for 7 d a diet based on an L-amino acid mixture supplying 13 mg methionine.kg-1.d-1 (87 mumol.kg-1.d-1) without cystine. Constant intravenous infusions of L-[2H3-methyl-1-13C]methionine were given on days 5 and 7 while subjects were in the fed and postabsorptive states, respectively. Estimates were made of methionine oxidation, and daily methionine balance was derived from the intake-oxidation data. For the five subjects, methionine balances were -0.9, +0.7, +3.5, -3.1, and -3.8 mg kg-1.d-1, or -6, +5, +23, -21, and -26 mumol.kg-1.d-1. These findings lead to the conclusion that the upper range of the requirement for methionine plus cystine probably exceeds 13 mg.kg-1.d-1 in healthy young adults. The implications of this conclusion for ...
The feasibility of using desferrioxamine (DF), an iron chelator, as a therapeutic agent against paraquat (PQ/sup + +/) toxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rats was explored, based on the rationale of limiting toxic hydroxyl radical production from hydrogen peroxide by removing redox-active iron. Body weights, mortality, and lung histopathology were followed for periods up to 14 days after intraperitoneal injection of PQ/sup + +/ (20 or 25 mg/kg body weight) with or without concurrent daily subcutaneous injections of DF (300 mg/day). Animals receiving PQ/sup + +/ showed the expected typical patterns of mortality and of lung histopathology, namely: marked edema, subpleural hemorrhage, acute inflammation, perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrates, sloughing of alveolar and bronchiolar lining cells, and diffuse interstitial fibrosis. Desferrioxamine alone was non-toxic. Surprisingly, results when both PQ/sup + +/ and DF were administered indicated a ...
The gender-specific expression pattern of aromatase and 5alpha-reductases (5alpha-R) during brain development provides neurons the right amount of estradiol and DHT to induce a dimorphic organization of the structure. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are endocrine disruptive pollutants; exposure to PCBs through placental transfer and breast-feeding may adversely affect the organizational action of sex steroid, resulting in long-term alteration of reproductive neuroendocrinology. The study was aimed at: a) evaluating the hypothalamic expression of aromatase, 5alpha-R1 and 5alpha-R2 in fetuses (GD20), infant (PN12), weaning (PN21) and young adult (PN60) male and female rats exposed to PCBs during development; b) correlating these parameters with the time of testicular descent, puberty onset, estrous cyclicity and copulatory behavior; c) evaluating possible alterations of some non reproductive behaviors (locomotion, learning and memory, depression/anxiety behavior). A ...
In Oslo, traffic has been one of the dominating sources of air pollution in the last decade. In one part of the city where most traffic collects, two tunnels were built. A series of before and after studies was carried out in connection with the tunnels in use. Dispersion models were used as a basis for estimating exposure to nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in two fractions. Exposure estimates were based on the results of the dispersion model providing estimates of outdoor pollutant concentrations on an hourly basis. The estimates represent concentrations in receptor points and in a square kilometre grid. The estimates were used to assess development of air pollution load in the areas, compliance with air quality guidelines, and to provide a basis for quantifying exposure-effect relationships in epidemiological studies. After both tunnels were taken in use, the pollution levels in the study areas were lower than when the traffic was on the surface (a drop from 50 to 40 {mu} gm ...
New comparative tests on two different types of solar collectors are presented in this paper. A standard glazed flat plate collector and an evacuated tube collector are installed in parallel and tested at the same working conditions; the evacuated collector is a direct flow through type with external compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) reflectors. Efficiency in steady-state and quasi-dynamic conditions is measured following the standard and it is compared with the input/output curves measured for the whole day. The first purpose of the present work is the comparison of results in steady-state and quasi-dynamic test methods both for flat plate and evacuated tube collectors. Besides this, the objective is to characterize and to compare the daily energy performance of these two types of collectors. An effective mean for describing and analyzing the daily performance is the so called input/output diagram, in which the collected solar energy is ...
We explore a possibility that the daily sea-level pressure (SLP) over South Korea responds to the high-speed solar wind event. This is of interest in two aspects: First, if there is a statistical association this can be another piece of evidence showing that various meteorological observables indeed respond to variations in the interplanetary environment. Second, this can be a very crucial observational constraint since most models proposed so far are expected to preferentially work in higher latitude regions than the low latitude region studied here. We have examined daily solar wind speed ${\\rm V}$, daily SLP difference ${\\rm \\Delta SLP}$, and daily ${\\rm \\log(BV^{2})}$ using the superposed epoch analysis in which the key date is set such that the daily solar wind speed exceeds 800 ${\\rm kms^{-1}}$. We find that the daily ${\\rm \\Delta SLP}$ averaged ...
Questionnaires and twice daily peak expiratory flow measurements were used to evaluate the effects of the menstrual cycle in asthmatic women. Forty per cent of women reported premenstrual deterioration...Full Text Available
Because the proportion of Hispanic patients is increasing rapidly, most physicians are now coming into daily contact with Hispanics. In addition to obvious difficulty with oral communication, Hispanics...Full Text Available
Nov 5, 2010 ... PEM. The Particle Environment Monitor measures the type, amount, energy, ... info, Daily PEM HEPS and MEPS data at the original sensor ...
Objectives: Evaluate the effect of diet, physical exercise, and a daily oral intake of a soy isoflavones extract (Fisiogen) contained 200mg of Glycine max, which corresponded to 80mg of isoflavone (60.8mg of genistein, 16mg of daidzein and 3.2mg of glicitein) on leptin and other adipokines plasma levels in healthy obese postmenopausal women. Methods: A multicentric randomized longitudinal prospective cohort study was conducted in a sample of 87 healthy obese postmenopausal women. Patients were randomly assigned to a 1200kcal diet and exercise group (control group) or a group of 1200kcal diet, exercise, and daily oral intake of daily oral intake of a soy isoflavones extract (Fisiogen) contained 200mg of Glycine max, which corresponded to 80mg of isoflavone (60.8mg of genistein, 16mg of daid...
Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined in birch leaves (Folium Betulae), dandelion roots (Radix Taraxacae), hawthorn blossom (Inflorescentia Crataegi) and their infusions by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) after microwave digestion of plant samples. Infusions were made from herbs according to prescription for patients, provided by the producer of medicine on the package. The results obtained were compared with daily requirements for each element. Results show high content of cadmium in the medicinal plants analyzed. The highest level in infusions was observed for Ni and Zn (over 90% of the total element concentration for Ni and in most cases over 50% for Zn), and the lowest for Cd and Pb. The calculated daily intake of majority of the analyzed elements was very low (under 1% of daily requirements)
This study focuses on comparing reports of nicotine withdrawal, craving, and depressive symptoms obtained using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system and several questionnaires. As part of a smoking cessation trial, daily reports of withdrawal, craving, and negative mood were collected using an IVR system for 7 days after participants attempted to quit smoking, and several pencil and paper questionnaires (i.e., the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale, the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression) were completed a week after the target quit date. The sample was composed of 378 daily smokers. Moderate to high correlations were found between the research questionnaires obtained at the end of the week and the corresponding daily IVR reports of ...
A new method for removing periodic background patterns from pictures is presented. The basic spatial frequency composition of the pattern is determined from an estimate of the power spectrum of the picture. A digital restoration filter is then created from a modified version of the power spectrum. The method is extremely effective and can be automated.
BackgroundFinasteride, a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor, is an established treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The recommended dosage is 5 mg a day, however case reports have...Full Text Available
Asymptomatic alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations have been detected with acetaminophen use at the maximum daily dose of 4 grams/day (g/d) for more than 3 consecutive days in subjects with...Full Text Available
PurposeAuto-propagation of anatomical region-of-interests (ROIs) from the planning CT to daily CT is an essential step in image-guided adaptive radiotherapy. The...Full Text Available
1. The LD50 of iodomethane orally administered to rats is 76mg./kg. body wt. but repeated daily doses of 30–50mg./kg. body wt. are without effect. 2. Oral doses of iodomethane to...Full Text Available
A Staphylococcus strain was inoculated on the top and cut surfaces of freshly baked Southern custard pies which were then packaged in a pasteboard carton and held at 30 C. Daily plate...Full Text Available
Available in vitro and animal studies have shown cancer protective effects of tea polyphenols. Recent study suggests a greater protective effect of green tea intake on breast cancer...Full Text Available
A publication on Norwegian gas and gas export. The content is wide spread from use of gas in daily life via sub sea pipeline repair systems to an overview over tomorrows gas fields. (AG)
Objective: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and clinical benefit of a once-daily formulation of trazodone (Trazodone Contramid® OAD) in the treatment of major depressive...Full Text Available
... were given daily i.p. injections of either sesame oil (2.5 ml/kg, vehicle control) or VCD dissolved in sesame oil (80 mg/kg, 0.57 mmol/kg) for ... ...
Several drugs are available for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. This may, in daily practice, confuse the clinician. This manuscript offers an evidence-based update of previous treatment...Full Text Available
To make the doubly labelled water method for determining energy expenditure more applicable in a free-living population, collection of a single daily urine or breath sample would have advantages compared to a 24-hr urine collection. Coward et al. reported the use of a single daily urine sample. In the previously described study, a single urine collection and a fasting morning breath sample were collected from four men during two 21-day periods (fall, F, spring, S) while maintaining their body wts. on controlled diets (20% calories from protein, 40% from fat, 60% from CHO [F]; 20% protein, 20% fat, 60% CHO [S]). Urine and breath samples were analyzed to determine disappearance rates of D and "1"8O for up to 21 days. Values were compared with metabolizable energy intake levels (EI), with or without corrections for estimated changes in body composition assessed by several methods. Preliminary evaluations suggest that the single ...
Choice procedures have indicated that the relative reinforcing effectiveness of opioid drugs increases during opioid withdrawal. The demand curve, an absolute measure of reinforcer value, has not been...Full Text Available
Molecular life science is one of the fastest-growing fields of scientific and technical innovation, and biotechnology has profound effects on many aspects of daily life—often with deep, ethical...Full Text Available
Cimetidine 1 g daily is often continued for a fixed period beyond the time of healing of duodenal ulcer on the assumption that it might reduce the subsequent relapse rate. To test this, 194 patients...Full Text Available
BackgroundThere is need for a cognitive test battery that can be easily used in clinical practice to detect or monitor cognitive performance in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)....Full Text Available
Premature circuit clotting is a major problem in daily practice of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), increasing blood loss, workload, and costs. Early clotting is related to bioincompatibility,...Full Text Available
Diel variations in rates of C export, sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SS) activity, and C reserves were investigated in Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) to elucidate the environmental...Full Text Available
Summary Purpose BMS-275183 is an oral C-4 methyl carbonate analogue of paclitaxel that has the same mechanism of action, stabilization of tubulin polymerization. The present study was designed to: (i) assess the safety and tolerability of BMS-275183, and (ii) determine a suitable Phase II dose of BMS-275183 when given on a continuous daily schedule to patients with advanced solid tumor(s). Methods This was a multi-institutional, open-label, Phase I, single-arm dose escalation study in which cohorts of eligible patients with advanced malignancies were treated with BMS-275183 orally on a continuous daily schedule. The starting dose level was 6?mg/m2/day administered once daily. Cohorts of 3 patients were treated at each dose level provided no dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were observed. Ea...
Selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) have revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. As an on-demand treatment, PDE5Is have excellent efficacy and safety in...Full Text Available
Authors obtained T1-weighted MRI images of the femoral head after fracture of the femoral neck and classified the signals into four patterns to investigate the sequential changes of the femoral head. The T1-weighted MRI images obtained initially after femoral neck fracture showed a normal pattern in 10 of the 15 hip joints studied. MRI images obtained subsequently still showed the normal signal pattern in eight of the 10 hip joints which had shown the normal pattern in the first MRI, while two of the 10 joints subsequently showed a band pattern. The joint with the homogeneous pattern in the first MRI subsequently showed a band pattern. Of the three joints with an inhomogeneous pattern in the first MRI, two joints showed a subsequent band pattern, and the other a normal pattern. ...
The interaction energies between the different types of bases of a single strand of DNA molecule have been calculated. Using these original values of energies the harmonic behavior of a number of base patterns of DNA has been studied. In view of the great interest aroused by the discovery of the role of the telomere segment of the DNA in the replication process and its possible link with the aging process, we have investigated, with simple models, the harmonic behavior of the telomeric pattern of bases as well as the thermodynamic response in the biological system. With these results a conclusion on the probable role of the telomeric pattern on aging has also been drawn. Here the calculated values of harmonic frequencies of the telomeric pattern of bases and of other possible patterns show that the telomeric pattern is associated with the highest vibrational ...
Results of monitoring milk and tap water in New York City are presented. The New York City sample is a monthly composite of pasteurized milk purchased daily at retail stores. The monthly "9"0Sr to calcium ratios for New York City since the inception of the sampling program in 1954 are presented. Samples of New York City tap water are taken daily, so that by the end of the month, approximately 100 liters have been collected. The available cesium-137 data expressed as the "1"3"7Cs to "9"0Sr ratio are also given.
Non-linear autoregressive Markov regime-switching models are intuitive. Time-series approaches for the modelling of electricity spot prices are frequently proposed. In this paper, such models are compared with an ordinary linear autoregressive model with regard to their forecast performances. The study is carried out using German daily spot-prices from the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig. Four non-linear models are used for the forecast study. The results of the study suggest that Markov regime-switching models provide better forecasts than linear models. (author)
Non-linear autoregressive Markov regime-switching models are intuitive. Time-series approaches for the modelling of electricity spot prices are frequently proposed. In this paper, such models are compared with an ordinary linear autoregressive model with regard to their forecast performances. The study is carried out using German daily spot-prices from the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig. Four non-linear models are used for the forecast study. The results of the study suggest that Markov regime-switching models provide better forecasts than linear models. (author)
Oryctes agamemnon (Burmeister 1847) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) was accidentally introduced in the southwestern oases of Tunisia (Tozeur) around 1980 and spread to the Rjim Maatoug region. In these areas O. agamemnon was specific to date palm trees causing severe damage that can result in potential danger due to collapse of the tree. This study was conducted from April 2004 to March 2006 in 4 sites in the region of Rjim Maatoug. Different levels of palm tree attack were determined, ovioposition sites were identified, and pest damage was described in detail to specify their relative importance and to indicate factors governing palm tree attack. Eggs were individually oviposited in the attacked parts. Dead parts of palm trees were the main target of O. agamemnon including the respiratory roots, tough, trunk bark, dry petiole and the periphery of the crown. The crown itself was not attacked. Feeding by larvae caused significant damage. The biggest danger occurred when ...
In the present study, a new measurement technique which uses a ultrasonic transmission signals in order to determine the vertical two phase flow pattern even under high pressure condition. The ultrasonic measurement system developed in the present study not only provides the measurement functions required for the determination of vertical two phase flow pattern but also makes the real time determination possible. The developed ultrasonic measurement system accurately determined the various vertical two phase flow patterns such as bubbly, slug, churn, annular flow etc. In addition to the determination of flow patterns, qualitative informations for each flow pattern can be obtained, which include void fraction in bubbly flow, length of slug bubble and liquid tail characteristics in slug flow, and stable or transient condition of flow pattern, etc. 13 refs., 24 ...
Purpose/Objective. Daily Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in room imaging is used to determine tumour shrinkage during a full radiotherapy (RT) course. In addition, relative interfractional tumour and lymph node motion is determined for each RT fraction. Material and methods. From November 2009 to March 2010, 20 consecutive lung cancer patients (14 NSCLC, 6 SCLC) were followed with daily CBCT during RT. The gross tumour volume for lung tumour (GTV-t) was visible in all daily CBCT scans and was delineated at the beginning, at the tenth and the 20th fraction, and at the end of treatment. Whenever visible, the gross tumour volume for lymph nodes (GTV-n) was also delineated. The GTV-t and GTV-n volumes were determined. All patients were setup according to an online bony anatomy match. Retrospectively, matching based on the internal target volume (ITV), the GTV-t or the GTV-n was performed. Results. In eight patients, we ...
Selenium and iodine are trace elements that play an important role in health of man and animals. Concerning supply of both elements it is important to meet nutritional needs. According to discoveries selenium is a part of an active group of glutathione peroxidase enzyme. It prevents necrotic changes in liver, muscle dystrophy and has impact on growth. Extensive studies on content of selenium in plant and animal origin products were started in the beginning of the seventies in Western Europe (Frankenberger, et al., 1998). The aim of our work was to determine selenium and iodine content in total diets of Slovene military. Slovene military nutrition is based on its own nutritional standards, which determine 200 #mu#g of iodine and 50 #mu#g of selenium in daily diet (Rep. Slovenija Ministrstvo za Obrambo, 1994). To determine if the amounts of both elements meet the standards we have analysed 20 total daily diets from four different barracks within ...
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of partially substituting cottonseed cake with graded levels of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) seed cake (BSC) on milk yield and quality in Guernsey cows. Sixteen cows in mid-lactation and in their third parity were allocated to diets containing 0% (control), 5%, 10%, and 15% BSC in a completely randomized design. Each cow was given a daily feed ration of 6?kg and a basal diet of soya bean stover ad libitum. There were no differences in daily feed intake (P?>?0.05), but basal intake differed among all treatment groups with cows on the control diet having the highest intake (30???0.34?kg/day). Mean daily milk yield differed (P?P?P?P?P?>?0.05). These results indicate that BSC can substitute soya bean cake in dairy diets, but milk produ...
A flow pattern or flow regime is the characteristics spatial distribution of the phases of fluid in a duct. Since heat transfer and pressure drop are dependent on the characteristic distribution of the phases, it is necessary to describe flow patterns in an appropriate manner so that a hydrodynamic or heat transfer theory applicable to that pattern can be chosen. The objective of the present analysis is to create a flow regime map based on physical modeling of vapor/liquid interaction phenomena in a microgravity environment. In the present work, four basic flow patterns are defined: dispersed flow, stratified flow, slug flow, and annular flow. Fluid properties, liquid and vapor flow rates, and pipe size were chosen as the principal parameters. It is assumed that a transition from one flow pattern to another will occur when there is a change in the dominant force which controls that ...
Contents include: index for 1970-1980; January 1981 data -- alert periods, daily solar indices, solar flares, solar radio emission, coronal holes, inferred interplanetary magnetic field polarities, mean solar magnetic field, spacecraft observations, December 1980 data -- daily solar-activity centers, sudden ionospheric disturbances, spacecraft observations, solar radio emission, cosmic rays, geomagnetic indices, radio-propagation indices; late data -- solar radio emission November, December 1980, spacecraft observations November 1980, cosmic rays, Huancayo Oct 1980 -- climax, alert, Deep River Nov 1980.
Summary Objective- To evaluate the role of prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) antibacterial prophylaxis in reducing morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected post-natal women in southern Africa. Methods- Double-blind placebo-controlled trial. HIV-infected women with WHO stage 2 or 3 HIV disease who had recently delivered in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia were randomised to receive daily co-trimoxazole (cotox) or matched placebo daily for the duration of the trial. Participants were followed up for a minimum of 1-year. Primary outcome measures were mortality from any cause or hospital admission and serious adverse events. Results- Of 600 women randomised, follow-up information was available from 355 (18...
Analysis of Sr-90 in milk and tap water has been conducted in New York City since 1954. The milk sample analyzed is a monthly composite of pasteurized milk purchased daily at retail stores. The monthly Sr-90 to calcium ratios for New York City since the inception of the sampling progam in 1954 through 1981 are tabulated. Samples of New York City tap water are taken daily so that by the end of the month, approximately 100 liters have been collected. Data on Sr-90 since the inception of the program are presented. The available Cs-137 data expressed as the Cs-137 to Sr-90 ratio are given. A graphical presentation of the New York City Sr-90 data is also shown.
Objectives To delineate the safety and tolerability profile of methylphenidate and atomoxetine in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) monitored for more than 1?year. Design A cohort study analyzing data from the national ADHD register on patients from the Lombardy Region treated with MPH or atomoxetine. Participants A total of 229 children (median age 11?years, range 6?17), enrolled in 15 regional centers between June 2007 and May 2010. Results The prevalence rate of pharmacological treatment for ADHD was 0.23%, whereas the estimated ADHD prevalence in the population was 0.95%. In total, 73.8% of patients had been treated with atomoxetine (10?90?mg daily) or MPH (10?75?mg daily); 22% of patients also received an additional psychotropic drug. Of the...
Even if there have been efforts to validate remote-sensing-based energy balance models, which provide evapotranspiration (ET) maps over a large spatial scale, few studies have been conducted to validate their performance in Korea. In this study, surface energy balance fluxes including ET were estimated and inter-compared with two different models using the Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) image over a watershed scale in Korea. While there were larger spatial discrepancies for net radiation, soil heat and sensible heat fluxes on a pixel-by-pixel basis between the two models, relatively smaller spatial discrepancies for the latent heat flux and daily ET were detected. The spatial discrepancies for the daily ET were larger in low topography and dense vegetation ranges. Despite the different par...
The biological half-life of "1"3"7Cs in the total body of human subjects was determined in 23 individuals of Japanese male adult in their normal works by measuring amount of "1"3"7Cs in both their total body and daily urine in the same period. For the group, the value was determined by averaging the half-lives for individuals, by comparing the mean body burden and the mean daily urinary excretion, or by applying a curve fitting method to the body burden estimate. The biological half-life averaged 86 days, ranging from 50 to 161 days. The averages of the biological half-lives for the group were 83, 87 and 82 days in the different periods of observation. By the curve fitting method, 85 days was found for the group. The biological half-life for the individuals depended on both body weight and age, to a lesser extent, of the subjects. (author).
Abstract Mammalian teeth exhibit incremental structures representing successive forming fronts of enamel at varying time scales, including a short daily increment called a cross striation and a long period called a stria of Retzius, the latter of which, in humans, occurs on average every 8-9 days. The number of daily increments between striae is called the repeat interval, which is the same period as that required to form one increment of bone, i.e. the lamella, the fundamental - if not archetypal - unit of bone. Lamellae of known formation time nevertheless vary in width, and thus their measures provide time-calibrated growth rate variability. We measured growth rate variability for as many as 6 years of continuously forming primary incremental lamellar bone from midshaft femur histologic...
Evidence for dietary/nutritional treatments of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) varies widely, from double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to anecdotal. In guiding patients, clinicians can apply the SECS versus RUDE rule: treatments that are Safe, Easy, Cheap, and Sensible (SECS) require less evidence than those that are Risky, Unrealistic, Difficult, or Expensive (RUDE). Two nutritional treatments appear worth general consideration: Recommended Daily Allowance/Reference Daily Intake multivitamin/mineral supplements as a pediatric health intervention not specific to ADHD and essential fatty acids, especially a mix of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and ?-linolenic acid as an ADHD-specific intervention. Controlled studies support the elimination of artificial fo...
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and increases the morbidity and cost. Amiodarone reduces AF after CABG. Ranolazine, an antianginal agent, also prolongs atrial refractoriness and inhibits after depolarizations and triggered activity; effects that could decrease AF after CABG. The present study compared amiodarone versus ranolazine for the prevention of AF after CABG. A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing CABG at Aspirus Hospital from June 2008 to April 2010. The patients received either amiodarone (400 mg preoperatively followed by 200 mg twice daily for 10 to 14 days) or ranolazine (1,500 mg preoperatively followed by 1,000 mg twice daily for 10 to 14 days). The primary end point was any identified AF after CABG. A total of 393 ...
Simultaneous exposures of rats and hamsters to inhaled radon daughters, with and without uranium ore dust, were performed daily for five months. Pulmonary pathology developing in 6 to 13 mo after cessation of daily exposures included interstitial fibrosis, emphysema, epithelial hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia, and malignant neoplasia. Rats showed a greater variety and more severe response to these uranium mine inhalation exposures than did hamsters. Inhalation of radon daughters with uranium ore dust displayed the site of greatest damage, including squamous carcinoma, from the nasopharynx to the lungs. Sixty percent of the rats exposed to radon daughters with ore dust developed primary pulmonary carcinomas, providing an appropriate short-term experimental animal model for investigation of respiratory tract carcinogenesis in uranium miners.
Purpose Nonpoint sources (NPS) pollution has been an important cause for water quality impairment worldwide. To take the temporal variations of both NPS pollution and in-stream attenuation into consideration, an inverse modeling approach and the load duration curve (LDC) method were combined for variable nutrient total maximum daily load (TMDL) development. Methods Water quality and hydrological parameters were monitored monthly along the ChangLe River system in 2004?2008. The catchment NPS export load (EL) and TMDL for total nitrogen (TN) were estimated by the inverse format of an existing stream nutrient transport equation. The LDC method was used to describe the variability of EL, TMDL, requiring load (RLR) and percent (the ratio between the RLR and the EL, RPR) reduction, and then to s...
We analyzed the effect of short-term water deficits at different periods of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) leaf development on the spatial and temporal patterns of tissue expansion...Full Text Available
Due to increased deployments with varied missions and new technologies/advanced threats against U.S. Soldiers, a clear need arose for developing camouflage pattern(s) to enhance the Warfighter's survivability' on the modern battlefield. Based on these tec...
In a cross-sectional study of the pattern of isolated sleep paralysis among the entire population of nursing students at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Abeokuta, Nigeria (consisting of 58 males and...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn many of the European countries affected by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), case clustering patterns have been observed. Most of these patterns have been interpreted...Full Text Available
The patterns of nitrate reductase activity (NRA) in the leaves (in vivo assay) and root nodule nitrogenase activity (C2H2 reduction) were investigated throughout...Full Text Available
It has been of interest whether and when the rearrangement of neuronal circuits can be induced after projection patterns are formed during development. Earlier studies using cats reported that the rearrangement...Full Text Available
The empirical evidence that human color categorization exhibits some universal patterns beyond superficial discrepancies across different cultures is a major breakthrough in cognitive science. As observed...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe proteomics approach termed proteome pattern analysis has been shown previously to have potential in the detection and classification of breast cancer. Here we aimed...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe genomes of prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes display a very strong 11 bp periodic bias in the distribution of their nucleotides. This bias is present throughout a given...Full Text Available
The “cloverleaf” base-pairing pattern was established as the structural paradigm of active tRNA species some 30 years ago. Nevertheless, this pattern does not accommodate the folding...Full Text Available
The pattern of biodegradation and the chemical changes occurring in the macromolecular fraction of domestic sludge during autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) was monitored and characterised...Full Text Available
A method of patterning n-type GaAs, InP, InGaAs, and InGaAsP by photoelectrochemical (PEC) etching in conjunction with a submicron focused ion beam (FIB) at low dose is described. The ion beam is used to produce damage in a desired pattern in the material. Subsequent PEC etching of the material reveals the ion induced features in relief. The procedure is highly sensitive, requiring a dose of only 5 x 10/sup 9/ ions/cm/sup 2/ for the differential etch to become apparent. The sensitivity allows rapid pattern generation in our FIB system.
Abstract: HARVEST was designed as a strategic research and planning tool, allowing assessment of the spatial pattern consequences of broad timber management ...
The Long Trace Profiler (Takacs et al.) is a slope-measuring instrument which was introduced several years ago. Development of this instrument continues at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in improving both hardware design and software algorithms for turning the raw interference data (a sequence of intensity patterns) into properly interpreted representations of surface slope and height. This report presents a mathematical model of the interference pattern and methods of extracting the slope and height profile from such patterns. 9 refs.
In this paper we study the enumeration and the construction, according to the number of ones, of particular binary words avoiding a fixed pattern. The growth of such words can be described by particular jumping and marked succession rules. This approach enables us to obtain an algorithm which constructs all binary words having a fixed number of ones and then kills those containing the forbidden pattern.
Gadolinium (Gd) based contrast agents (GBCAs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used in daily clinical practice and appear safe in most patients; however, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis...Full Text Available
The effective half-life based on urine bioassay results of Wolsung NPP's worker was calculated. The effective half-life for tritiated water vapour obtained was 5 {approx} 9 days. In comparison to 10 days reported for ICRP-30, it is lower than the corresponding half-life for Reference Man. Also, the half-life was calculated based on intake amount of daily water. According to this result, the metabolism was reviewed.
Crop water demand in the Okanagan Basin was determined for 1961 to 1990, 2010 to 2039, 2040 to 2069, and 2070 to 2099. Daily station temperature data were spatially interpolated to a 1 x 1 km grid and adjusted for elevation. Daily precipitation data were estimated across four climatic regions. Output from three global climate models (GCM), CGCM2, CSIROMk2 and HadCM3 was used to create future daily climate. Daily potential evapo-transpiration (grass reference) was estimated from an empirical relationship between Bellani-plate atmometer readings, temperature and extra-terrestrial solar radiation, and then modified by crop coefficients for all crops except pasture. Depending on GCM, projected water demand increased by 12-20% (2010 to 2039), 24-38% (2040 to 2069) and 40-61% (2070 to 2099). Possible elevated CO{sub 2} effects on stomatal conductance which may reduce water demand were not accounted for. ...
Daily exposures of adult beagle dogs to inhaled radon daughters plus uranium ore dust, with and without concurrent cigarette smoking, for 2 to 5-1/2 yr have produced massive pulmonary fibrosis and severe emphysema. The cumulative exposure doses are similar to those associated with a 5-fold or greater increase in death rate of uranium miners due to chronic respiratory insufficiency, including pneumoconiosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and emphysema.
Assisted users with expired passwords Closed 233 NCICB Support Wizard Accounts Tickets Set up Resource Accounts for individual developers to control and track access on QA Application servers Maintained daily account synchronization between GForge project developers and CVS write access accounts Created FTP and SFTP user accounts for TCGA test, analysis datasets downloads and analysis datasets management.
In the present study 12 diets, each one consisting of a pool of seven day diets, composed by four meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack, adequate in energy and macro nutrients according to the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) recommendations, were elaborated and offered to a group of 12 men (19-42 years). The diets were collected by duplicate portion technique and dried by two different processes: freeze drying and 60 deg C ventilated oven drying. In the total, 24 diets were analyzed. The content of some minerals and trace elements (Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Se and Zn) were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The validation of methodology was made by analysis of the reference materials Typical Diet (NIST SRM 1548"a), Orchard Leaves (NIST SRM 1541) and Peach Leaves (NIST SRM 1547). The results observed by two different drying processes used were statistically compared by test T of Student. It was possible to conclude that the concentration means ...
The levels of four different heavy metals [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu)] were determined in various vegetables [leek (Allium ampeloprasum), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), parsley (Petroselium cripsum), gardem cress (lepidium sativum) and tarragon (Artemisia dracuncullus)] cultivated around the Sanandaj city. (Author)
The levels of four different heavy metals [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu)] were determined in various vegetables [leek (Allium ampeloprasum), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), parsley (Petroselium cripsum), gardem cress (lepidium sativum) and tarragon (Artemisia dracuncullus)] cultivated around the Sanandaj city. (Author)
Rice, the world's major staple crop, is a poor source of essential micronutrients, including folates (vitamin B9). We report folate biofortification of rice seeds achieved by overexpressing two Arabidopsis thaliana genes of the pterin and para-aminobenzoate branches of the folate biosynthetic pathway from a single locus. We obtained a maximal enhancement as high as 100 times above wild type, with 100 g of polished raw grains containing up to four times the adult daily folate requirement.
Daily oral treatment with the cyclopentyl 2′-deoxyguanosine nucleoside BMS-200475 at doses ranging from 0.02 to 0.5 mg/kg of body weight for 1 to 3 months effectively reduced the level of woodchuck...Full Text Available
...Box Contains One Month Supply Dietary supplement with a premium patented formula of L-Arginine, Ginseng, Ginkgo plus 13 essential vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals to support male sexual function . ArginMax for Male Sexual Fitness is a patented combination of l-Arginine, Ginseng, Ginkgo, and 13 essential vitamins and ...
Daily exposures of adult beagle dogs to inhaled radon daughters and to uranium ore dust for 4-1/2 to 6 yr have produced respiratory tract carcinomas, at similar cumulative working level months (WLM) of exposures to those which induced carcinomas in uranium miners. Biological data from the beagle-dog experiments can therefore be used for prediction of carcinogenic risk under changing exposure conditions in future uranium miners.
After baseline studies, 21 patients with osteoporosis were treated with human parathyroid hormone fragment (PTH 1-34) given as once-daily subcutaneous injections for 6-24 months. The dose used did not...Full Text Available
The Bavarian Agency for Environmental Protection (LfU) is monitoring the air quality is several bavarian regions. The daily and monthly data of concentration ration of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone and other pollutants are published in yearly reports, most often as diagrams with further statistica information.
The study was conducted to determine potential target organ toxicity and its reversibility in hamsters following twice daily oral doses of NSC-D629243 for 28 consecutive days. Male and female hamsters were administered NSC-D629243 dissolved in sesame oil ...
We report the simultaneous formation of self-assembled surface ripples in Cd{sub 2}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 7} pyrochlore caused by focused ion beam (FIB) patterning and uniformly distributed metallic nanodots induced by phase decomposition under ion bombardment. The characteristic wavelength of the surface ripples is controllable from the nm to the sub-{micro}m scale. High-density Cd metallic nanoparticles, {approx} 5 nm, formed and the distribution of nanoparticles is consistent with the morphological characteristics of the ripple pattern. This approach provides a means of fabricating surface nanostructure with various patterns and a controllable particle size and distribution by combining ion beam-induced phase decomposition with high-precision FIB patterning.
Apparent evolution of relativistic flows as traced by radio emission results from a combination of several factors related to propagation of relativistic blobs or shocks, velocity, density and pressure stratification of the underlying flow, plasma instability and (possibly also) phase and time travel effect. This combination can create an intricate and chaotic patterns of the observed morphological changes in radio emission, which complicates the analysis and interpretation of kinematic and physical properties of the jet plasma. Recent studies have indicated that slow and quasi-stationary patterns in jets are most likely formed by plasma instabilities while faster, superluminally moving patterns are related to highly relativistic plasma condensations produced by the nuclear flares. Some of the stationary patterns may also be related to recollimation shocks or locations where strong non-thermal continuum ...
To document the range of activity and patterns of normal surface kinesiological electromyography in normal children, 87 children ranging from age 3 to 18 years who were developing normally were evaluated at free walking speed. Analysis was performed on 6307 gait cycles from 11 different muscles with custom software. We devised an algorithm to do a computer-based KEMG curve pattern analysis to sort out curves that did not match the physiologic muscle activity pattern, We also devised a combined preset amplitude and statistics-based criteria to satisfactorily determine the onset/cessation of KEMG activity. The measurements of timing and duration of activity, body height and weight, body mass index, cadence, stride length, and age were obtained for statistical analysis. From the pattern recog...
We evaluated the relation between the lipiodol accumulative pattern on CT 1 month after 1st Lp-TAE and the effect of Lp-TAE and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 70 cases undergoing Lp-TAE twice. The lipiodol accumulative pattern on CT can be classified into four types (I: homogeneous, II: defect, III: inhomogeneous, IV: no or slight). In the type I, recurrence of the main tumor was 26.7%, daughter was 73.7%, suggesting a good effect of Lp-TAE. In the types II, III and IV, recurrence of the main tumor was seen in 66.7%, 83.3% and 83.3%, respectively, suggesting that the effect of Lp-TAE was worse according to the lipiodol accumulative pattern on CT. The lipiodol accumulative pattern on CT is useful for the detection of recurrence and assessment of the effect of Lp-TAE. (author).
Purpose: The predictive potential of tumor cell kinetic parameters may be improved when they are studied in relation to other microenvironmental parameters. The purpose of this investigation was to quantitatively categorize human tumor samples according to proliferation patterns. Second, it was examined whether these characteristics are retained after xenotransplantation. Methods and Materials: Fifty tumor samples from head-and-neck cancer patients were immunohistochemically stained for Ki-67 and vessels. Also, parts of the samples were transplanted into nude mice. Tumors were categorized according to previously described patterns of proliferation. Vascular and proliferation patterns were analyzed using an image processing system. Results: The 50 tumors were categorized into four patterns of proliferation by visual assessment: marginal (6), intermediate (10), random (21), and mixed (12). One tumor could ...
For the last years, time-series mining has become a challenging issue for researchers. An important application lies in most monitoring purposes, which require analyzing large sets of time-series for learning usual patterns. Any deviation from this learned profile is then considered as an unexpected situation. Moreover, complex applications may involve the temporal study of several heterogeneous parameters. In that paper, we propose a method for mining heterogeneous multivariate time-series for learning meaningful patterns. The proposed approach allows for mixed time-series -- containing both pattern and non-pattern data -- such as for imprecise matches, outliers, stretching and global translating of patterns instances in time. We present the early results of our approach in the context of monitoring the health status of a person at home. The purpose is to build a behavioral profile ...
Mining patterns from multi-relational data is a problem attracting increasing interest within the data mining community. Traditional data mining approaches are typically developed for highly simplified types of data, such as an attribute-value table or a binary database, such that those methods are not directly applicable to multi-relational data. Nevertheless, multi-relational data is a more truthful and therefore often also a more powerful representation of reality. Mining patterns of a suitably expressive syntax directly from this representation, is thus a research problem of great importance. In this paper we introduce a novel approach to mining patterns in multi-relational data. We propose a new syntax for multi-relational patterns as complete connected subgraphs in a representation of the database as a K-partite graph. We show how this pattern syntax is generally applicable to ...
A method based on cluster analysis techniques is proposed in order to obtain representative local wind patterns. Modeling renewable energy systems, in an accurate way which strongly depends on wind loads, requires reliable data to analyze their response and evaluate their performance. Otherwise poor agreement with the models may be obtained. In a case study for La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, four different wind patterns were obtained from a one-year data set recorded at 10-min intervals. (author)
The paper reports extensive analyses of the fractal geometry of cellular dislocation structures observed in Cu deformed in multiple-slip orientation. Several methods presented for the determination of fractal dimensions are shown to give consistent results. Criteria are formulated which allow the distinguishing of fractal from non-fractal patterns, and implications of fractal dislocation patterning for quantitative metallography are discussed in detail. For an interpretation of the findings a theoretical model is outlined according to which dislocation cell formation is associated to a noise-induced structural transition far from equilibrium. This allows relating the observed fractal dimensions to the stochastic properties of deformation by collective dislocation glide.
A complete electron paramagnetic resonance power pattern characterization of Fe"3"+ in cubic sites in presented. A one-to-one correspondence among the peaks appearing in the powder pattern and the outer fine-structure transitions (Mnot = 1/2 ) observed in the single crystal along the , , and directions is shown. It is shown that the process of mechanically grinding the single crystal to a powder (particle size approx.1--10 #mu#) does not remove the cubic symmetry sites. No axial or lower symmetry sites which may be induced by lattice distortion of the crystallites due to strain have been observed.
The term biological motion is often used by researchers studying the patterns of movement generated by living forms and in sports. We studied a pattern recognition system of motion in sport using biological motion data. Biological motion data are acquired using a 3D motion capture system. However, 3D motion capture systems are very expensive. In this article, a biological motion capture system was built using acceleration sensors. Our proposed system uses the technique of Gaussian fitting and regression analysis. We tested our proposed system in pattern recognition of outdoor tennis and its evaluations.
Objective: The aim of this study was to compare symptoms and anterior segment tolerability with short-term (3-day) administration of once-daily timolol hemihydrate 0.5%, timolol maleate in sorbate 0.5%, and generic timolol maleate gel-forming solution 0.5% in the treatment of glaucoma and/or ocular hypertension. Methods: In this prospective, randomized, double-masked, active-controlled, 3-period crossover pilot study, eligible patients had primary open-angle, pigmentdispersion, or exfoliation glaucoma, and/or ocular hypertension in >=1 eye; had a best corrected visual acuity of 1.0 or better in each eye, as measured using the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity testing chart; were receiving 1 glaucoma medication; and had an untreated intraocular pressure (IOP) ...
The trade-off which must be established between the various functions of pumped-storage plants is examined. A compromise between supply security and economic planning can be found only by coordinated planning of pumped-storage units and thermal generation plants. A model used by Electricite de France (EDF) to ensure optimized daily planning of thermal and pumped-storage units is described. The model, called the DEMETER model, ensures the optimization of the daily planning of thermal and pumped-storage plants. The model iterates between two levels: coordination where the prices of the generated energy and the operating reserve are determined to adjust generation to load and keep a sufficient reserve; and decomposition where the schedule of each unit is optimized on the basis of the above prices and taking into account local constraints such as unavailability, and minimum shut down time. The role of EDF is to supply customers with energy while ...
This paper presents a Benders decomposition approach to determine the optimal day-ahead power scheduling in a pool-organized power system, taking into account dispatch, network and security constraints. The study model considers the daily market and the technical constraints resolution as two different and consecutive processes. The daily market is solved in a first stage subject to economical criteria exclusively and then, the constraints solution algorithm is applied to this initial dispatch through the redispatching method. The Benders partitioning algorithm is applied to this constraints solution process to obtain an optimal secure power scheduling. The constraints solution includes a full AC network and security model to incorporate voltages magnitudes as they are a critical factor in some real power systems. The algorithm determines the active power committed to each generator so as to minimize the energy redispatch cost subject to ...
Locomotive engineers (train drivers) on irregular work schedules reported a general coffee consumption rate higher than that reported by a comparison sample of permanent shift factory workers. The present study examines the impact of this consumption on workday and non-workday sleep behaviour and mood ratings. Twenty-seven engineers and their spouses each completed daily logs for 30 consecutive days. Daily logs were then sorted into workday and non-workday categories. Workday sleep length was significantly shorter than non-workday sleep length for both engineers and spouses. For the engineers only, coffee consumption on workdays was higher than on non-workdays. This increased coffee consumption was correlated with longer sleep latency, increased negative mood, and decreased positive mood on both work and non-workdays. This was not true for spouses. These results may be related to a days-off carry-over effect of caffeine or a general consumption ...
This double-blind, multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled study evaluated the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of nebivolol, a selective beta1-adrenoreceptor blocker with vasodilating effects, in patients with mild to moderate hypertension (sitting diastolic blood pressure [SiDBP] > or =95 mm Hg and < or =109 mm Hg). A total of 909 patients were randomized to receive placebo or nebivolol 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, or 40 mg once daily for up to 84 days. The primary end point was the change in trough SiDBP from baseline to study end. Nebivolol significantly reduced trough SiDBP (8.0-11.2 mm Hg compared with 2.9 mm Hg with placebo; P<.001) and trough sitting systolic blood pressure (a 4.4-9.5-mm Hg decrease compared with a 2.2-mm Hg increase [corrected] with placebo; P< or =.002). The overall adverse event experience was similar in the nebivolol (46.1%) and placebo (40.7%) groups (P=.273). Once-daily nebivolol is an effective ...
BACKGROUNDHirsutism is the presence of excess body or facial terminal (coarse) hair growth in females in a male-like pattern, affects 5–15% of women, and is an important...Full Text Available
Feb 25, 2008 ... In the two Landsat scenes shown above, the pattern of deforestation can be clearly discerned. Deep green in these images shows lush ...
BackgroundSister species divergence and reproductive isolation commonly results from ecological adaptation. In mimetic Heliconius butterflies, shifts in colour pattern...Full Text Available
Objective. To describe the diverse patterns observed with the use of autofluorescence fundus photography (FAF) in patients with Birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR). Methods....Full Text Available
The immediate early gene Arc is emerging as a versatile, finely tuned system capable of coupling changes in neuronal activity patterns to synaptic plasticity, thereby optimizing information...Full Text Available
... changes in the wing shock/ separation patterns throughout ... to Reynolds number and tunnel flow quality before ... AGARD Conference Proceedings No ...
This paper proposes a new approach based on missing value pattern discovery for classifying incomplete data. This approach is particularly designed for classification of datasets with a small...Full Text Available
Eukaryotic genomes are packaged in two basic forms, euchromatin and heterochromatin. We have examined the composition and organization of Drosophila melanogaster heterochromatin in...Full Text Available
A new technique to monitor light diffraction patterns electrically is applied to frog semitendinosus muscle fibers at various levels of stretch. The intensity of the diffraction lines, sarcomere length...Full Text Available
Metastable and somatically heritable patterns of DNA methylation provide an important level of genomic regulation. In this article, we review methods for analyzing these genome-wide epigenetic...Full Text Available
BackgroundMalaria is one of the most important tropical diseases that affects people globally. The influence of environmental conditions in the patterns of temporal distribution...Full Text Available
... preferentially settled in habitats with supplemental food, only male meadow voles showed a settlement pattern significantly different from that ... ...
The switching behavior of magnetic patterns prepared by ion irradiation was investigated. Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy and large out-of-plane coercivities 5-6 kOe were grown on electron transparent SiN windows. Regularly spaced 1 micron sized regions, were magnetically pattered via ion beam irradiation through a stencil mask. Lorentz TEM was used to observe in-situ magnetization reversal processes of irradiated regions under well-defined applied magnetic fields. When the in-plane field was increased, domain wall motion was observed, resulting in the alignment of the patterns with the direction of the applied field. The switching mechanism of the in-plane patterns was by domain wall motion.
Is global warming contributing to amphibian declines and extinctions by promoting outbreaks of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis? Analyzing patterns ... ...
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of moderate aerobic physical activity in water on fetal cardiotocography patterns in sedentary pregnant women.MethodIn...Full Text Available
Objective:To determine the pattern of executive dysfunction in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS) and to determine the brain areas associated with executive...Full Text Available
14C-dated Holocene coastal uplift, conventional and satellite geodetic measurements, and coseismic and aseismic fault slip reveal the pattern of distributed deformation at Taiwan resulting...Full Text Available
Lea, MN Micro Albertville, AL Micro Albuquerque, NM Metro Alexander City, AL Micro Alexandria, LA Metro Alexandria, MN Micro Alice, TX Micro Allegan, MI Micro...
For 170 years, scientists have attempted to explain why consistent temporal patterns of death are observed among individuals within populations. Historical efforts to identify a {open_quotes}law of mortality{close_quotes} from these patterns ended in 1935 when it was declared that such a law did not exist. These empirical tests for a law of mortality were constructed using mortality curves based on all causes of death. We predicted that patterns of mortality consistent with the historical concept of a law would be revealed if mortality curves for species were constructed using only senescent causes of death. Using data on senescent mortality for laboratory animals and humans, we demonstrate that patterns of mortality overlap when compared on a biologically comparable time scale. These results are consistent with the existence of a law of mortality following sexual maturity as asserted by Benjamin ...
for 170 years, scientists have attempted to explain why consistent temporal patterns of death are observed among individuals within populations. Historical efforts to identify a `law of mortality` from these patterns ended in 1935 when it was declared that such a law did not exist. These empirical tests for a law of mortality were constructed using mortality curves based on all causes of death. We predicted patterns of mortality consistent with the historical concept of a law would be revealed if mortality curves for species were constructed using only senescent causes of death. Using data on senescent mortality for laboratory animals and humans, we demonstrate patterns of mortality overlap when compared on a biologically comparable time scale. The results are consistent with the existence of a law of mortality following sexual maturity. The societal, medical, and research implications of such a law are ...
... 7 Page 11. Figure 5. Diffraction pattern shown a and ~ slip directions with the associated misalignment for single colonies of Ti6242 [2]. 8 Page 12. -- ...
The incidence of candidiasis in two groups of voluntary participants wearing tight and loose fitted dresses was investigated by both microscopic and cultural techniques for a period of two months....Full Text Available
The Wind2H2 system is fully functional and continues to gather performance data. In this report, specifications of the Wind2H2 equipment (electrolyzers, compressor, hydrogen storage tanks, and the hydrogen fueled generator) are summarized. System operational experience and lessons learned are discussed. Valuable operational experience is shared through running, testing, daily operations, and troubleshooting the Wind2H2 system and equipment errors are being logged to help evaluate the reliability of the system.
The mammalian circadian timing system is organized into hierarchical structures with a central clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and subsidiary peripheral oscillators. After the discovery of the local clockwork in peripheral organs and tissues, which have a molecular makeup similar to the central pacemaker SCN, uncovering the roles of the peripheral clock in the rhythmic physiology has been an emerging goal in chronobiology. Glucocorticoid (GC) is a multifunctional adrenal steroid hormone that shows a robust circadian rhythm. The daily GC rhythm has long been thought to be governed by the SCN via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal neuroendocrine axis. Recent findings, however, indicate that multiple regulatory mechanisms, including the adrenal intrinsic mechanism by the peripheral...
This short article discusses the results of a market survey on ventilation systems for residential buildings and the role played by ventilation systems in our daily lives. Problems incurred as a result of insufficient ventilation conditions such as the formation of mould in dwellings whose windows have been replaced with better seals are discussed, for example. The negative image of air-conditioning and its causes are examined. The need for action in this area is stressed. Further findings of the study are presented, including a detailed review of current equipment and scenarios on how these systems can develop in the future. The extension of the study to cover the situation in further European countries is mentioned.
The effects of a timolol maleate gel-forming solution (TMGS) on intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure (BP), and pupil size (PS) were evaluated in normotensive dogs. TMGS was administered once daily to six normotensive beagle dogs. TMGS administration reduced IOP and PS. The hypotensive effect persisted for 24 hr after the administration. The mean reduction in IOP was 5.3 mm Hg (P<0.01). The changes in BP and PS were not significant. These results suggest that TMGS can potentially be used in the treatments of glaucoma and ocular hypertension in dogs. PMID:16820724
What makes teamwork tick?. Cooperation matters, in daily life and in complex applications. After all, many tasks need more than a single agent to be effectively performed. Therefore, teamwork rules!. Teams are social groups of agents dedicated to the fulfilment of particular persistent tasks. In modern multiagent environments, heterogeneous teams often consist of autonomous software agents, various types of robots and human beings. Teamwork in Multi-agent Systems: A Formal Approach explains teamwork rules in terms of agents' attitudes and their complex interplay. It provides the first comprehe
The solar powered electric vehicle race began in Arlington, Texas on June 20, 1993 and finished 7 days later in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thirty four teams from Universities across the United States and Puerto Rico completed the race out of thirty six entries. The race demonstrated the viability of sunlight powered vehicles as the better average daily speeds were in excess of 50 miles an hour. Even in the rain, most average speeds were in excess of 15 miles an hour. Analyzed results, photographs, and project details are included. (GHH)
The objective of this work is a study for the application of a new technology that will be used in the engine management system in the vehicle; where the final consumer can opt for the inquiry performance or seeking an economy for the fuel consumption depending on its daily use and of the prices offered in the gas stations. Flexible Fuel is a technology in development for the automobile market that mixes the use of two fuels (gasoline and ethanol) and their mixtures in the internal combustion engine. (author)
We report a case of stress fracture of the clavicle associated with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis. A 60-year-old man sustained a stress fracture of the right clavicle with no history of trauma. On radiography, hyperostosis of the anterior chest wall and ankylosis of the sternoclavicular joint were evident in addition to the fracture. Fracture healing was uneventful after 2.5 months. Ankylosis of the sternoclavicular joint may have caused increased stress at the midshaft of the clavicle by daily activity or minor trauma. Such a fracture is a rare complication of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis. (orig.)
As the amount of urban and industrial wastes is increasing more and more, recycling is very necessary. Daily, there are many news about packing, even more since European Union is getting ready a Directive that will propose and will impose the reuse and recycling of the materials used to produce the packs. This Directive will be followed by different national laws of the countries members of EU. This paper describes the increasing use of aluminium for packing, and particularly its use for beverage cans, its characteristic and applications.
Radiotherapeutic results of the Ewing sarcoma of the long tubular bones in 140 pediatric patients aged 3-16 are analyzed with the respect to different methods of irradiation. Three-field irradiation, the fields being located at 120 deg to one another with daily irradiation of all three fields at a focal dose of 2 Gy, was found superior in treatment of primary neoplasm. It is stressed that the disease termination mainly depends on the efficiency of primary neoplasm treatment, as the neoplasm reccurence generally is followed by metastases. Radiation load is calculated for maximal irradiation area of soft tissues in children.
Control of human filarial infections currently depends on chemotherapeutic strategies predominantly directed at microfilariae. Doxycycline therapy in an extended daily dose regimen sterilizes and kills adult stages, but the utility of this drug for routine field use remains an issue of concern. No macrofilaricidal drugs with efficacy after one or two doses are available for use, delaying the achievement of the elimination or eradication of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. Moxidectin, a macrocyclic lactone, is currently in clinical trials for onchocerciasis. A few other drugs that have already been approved for use in veterinary practice or in human medicine for other indications are available for investigation. Early drug discovery pipelines are poorly populated and the process of ...
The Marine Technology Society 1994 conference was held in Washington, D.C., September 7-9, 1994. Titled Challenges and Opportunities in the Marine Environment, the conference offered a wide variety of presentations. State-of-the-art technology, government policies and regulations, and environmental concerns were addressed. Offshore mining, coastal zone management, marine engineering, oceanographic research, educational issues, and global climate change were also well represented in the presentations. The conference proceedings are organized around the daily sessions and roughly 70% of the papers are included.
This paper summarizes the investigation of horizontal direction drilling and the subsequent experimental installation of a natural gas network in a suburb of Paris, France. Three aspects of drilling were studied prior to implementation: (1) reliability of the technique and quality of pipelaying to ensure long-term supply main operation; (2) ability to assess the successfulness of the work by assessing preliminary conditions; and (3) economonic viability. Measurement of tensile stress on polyethylene pipe during pulling and comparative accelerated aging tests on scratched pipe were performed. In the implementation phase, 300 meters of pipe were laid daily, by using three machines simultaneously, at a cost comparable to that of conventional techniques.
With major D&D projects ongoing or being planned, and also with the daily management of radwaste from nuclear facilities, the potential role of transport packagings has often been overlooked: here will one rely essentially on drums, there several local waste processing units are built, elsewhere decommissioned facilities are cut in small bits to fit into small containers by far less efficient. The present paper proposes to illustrate how integrating a transport system from the start may influence operational choices of waste management.
Information security involves many branches of effort, including information assurance, host level security, physical security, and network security. Computer network security methods and implementations are given a top-down description to permit a medically focused audience to anchor this information to their daily practice. The depth of detail of network functionality and security measures, like that of the study of human anatomy, can be highly involved. Presented at the level of major gross anatomical systems, this paper will focus on network backbone implementation and perimeter defenses, then diagnostic tools, and finally the user practices (the human element). Physical security measures, though significant, have been defined as beyond the scope of this presentation.
SO/sub 2/ concentrations in the Stuttgart air have been measured continuously since 1965. The two measuring points were located at the bottom of the Stuttgart city basin and 900 m east on the side of one of the surrounding hills. Long-term curves of pollutant loads have been established in consideration of meteorological parameters, as well as curves showing the average daily, weekly, and yearly pollution. The information thus gained may help to plan air pollution abatement measures in city planning.
... Focuses on distillation and packed towers, and presents the methods and fundamentals of plant design along with supplemental mechanical and related data, nomographs, data charts and heuristics. AU$223.45 ex-GST Terms and Conditions CRC Handbook of Chemis... For almost a century this handbook has been updated annually, except for a few wartime years, and has served generations of engineers and scientists. Current daily price AU$209.09 ex-GST Terms and Conditions Perry's Chemical Engin... Was: $199.95 inc gst NOW: ...
To utilize solar energy effectively, a method has been developed by which daily clearness indexes can be estimated from phrase of general weather condition, and it has been examined at four places located at different typical climatic divisions in Japan. Successive results of extra-terrestrial solar insulation and measured solar insulation were illustrated at each place. It was found that the envelope of maximal value among measured values is in proportion to the extra-terrestrial solar insulation. Based on the basic clearness index and the meaning of term expressing general weather condition defined by the Meteorological Agency, the general weather condition was quantitated using the clearness index. This value was defined as weather index. Relationship between the measured clearness index at each place and the weather index was analyzed regressively. Correlation between the both was highly close, proportionally. Accordingly, the clearness index can be estimated ...
Methods of designing ultrasonic piezoelectric transducers in accord with a specified directivity pattern are analyzed and general formulas are presented for the design problem. As an example, the pressure distribution on the working surface of a circular piezoelectric transducer is determined that is capable of forming a narrow weakly divergent beam. Experimental results are presented with respected to ultrasonic fields that support the theoretical conclusions.
The temporal patterns of protein phosphorylation in the adrenal glomerulosa cell were analysed by two-dimensional electrophoresis after stimulation with 10 nM-angiotensin II or various agents [10 nM-12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol...Full Text Available
... It is well camouflaged and each individual has unique back pattern markings. It eats mainly spiders and insects. The Eastern Lined Earless Dragon is a small dragon lizard measuring up to 21cm in length. It is well camouflaged and each individual has unique back ... It is well camouflaged and each individual has unique back pattern markings. It eats mainly spiders and insects. It lives in and around grass tussocks as well as small holes in the ground that are also used by invertebrates such as wolf spiders and crickets....
This paper describes Automatic Refueling Planning System (ARPS) for a nuclear power station using Genetic Algorithms (GA) and a Simulated Annealing (SA). ARPS has been developed and verified by applying to the Fugen nuclear power station (NPS), which is a 165MWe, heavy water-moderated, boiling light water-cooled, pressure tube-type reactor developed by JNC utilizing mainly uranium and plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. Fuel loading patterns have been managed independently in the Fugen NPS since the initial core. A planning of an adequate fuel loading pattern on each operational cycle needs one to two months even for expert core management engineers, for the reason that it has multi-objective optimization and nonlinear problems. In order to achieve the optimum fuel loading pattern and a fuel cost reduction, ARPS has been developed by JNC and CRC Solutions Corporation for the last five years. ARPS firstly generates several ...
The paper presents results of studies on the effect of heat treatment on strength and pattern of 40Kh steel impact failure. Loading levels corresponding to macroscopic spalling microdamage initiation in the material are determined for three initial states. Metallographic study on the spalling failure pattern for 40Kh steel in different initial states and data on microhardness measurement are presented.
Nanoimprinting is a fast-growing technique for nanoscale patterning. One of the remaining issues in nanoimprinting is the removal of the residual layer after nanoimprinting. Traditionally the residual layer is removed by an oxygen reactive-ion etching (RIE) step. The need for a vacuum environment and dedicated equipment in this step lowers the throughput and increases the cost of the nanoimprinting process. It also prevents the possibility of patterning isolated functional polymers because oxygen RIE destroys the functional materials. In this work, novel nanoimprinting schemes are developed to nondestructively remove the residual layer in thermal nanoimprinting by solvent developing and dewetting. Combined with a transfer-bonding technique, three-dimensional polymer scaffolds are achieved. The techniques developed here eliminate the RIE step in thermal nanoimprinting and are compatible with roller nanoimprinting for large-scale ...
Topographic and optical patterns have been fabricated in a-SiC films with a focused high-energy (1 MeV) H"+ and He"+ ion beam and examined with near-field techniques. The patterns have been characterized with atomic force microscopy and scanning near-field optical microscopy to reveal local topography and optical absorption changes as a result of the focused high-energy ion beam induced modification. Apart of a considerable thickness change (thinning tendency), which has been observed in the ion-irradiated areas, the near-field measurements confirm increases of optical absorption in these areas. Although the size of the fabricated optical patterns is in the micron-scale, the present development of the technique allows in principle writing optical patterns up to the nanoscale (several tens of nanometers). The observed values of the optical contrast modulation are sufficient to justify the efficiency of ...
We report a new method of generating nano and micro patterns using focused ion beam (FIB) induced adhesion. The method utilizes selective irradiation of thin metallic films grown on substrates by focused ion beam followed by peel off. After peel off of the irradiated thin film it is observed that the ion beam scanned portions are retained on the substrate, creating nano and micro patterns. The method is suitable for materials of which the adhesion to the substrate can be improved by ion bombardment. The phenomenon has been demonstrated by creating gold nano patterns of different shapes and sizes ranging from 500 nm to 5 #mu#m on SiO_2-Si substrate using 10-30 keV Ga FIB at beam currents up to 10 pA. The mechanism involved in the process has been discussed. The technique could be utilized to prepare micro and nano patterns of thin films deposited on an appropriate substrate for optical, plasmonic and ...
The three-dimensional magnetic structure and reversal mechanism of patterned Co/Pt multilayers, were imaged using complementary Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM) (in-plane component) and magnetic transmission x-ray microscopy (M-TXM) (perpendicular magnetization). The Co/Pt films with perpendicular anisotropy were patterned by ion irradiation through a stencil mask to produce in-plane magnetization in the irradiated regions. The boundaries of the patterns, defined by the transition from out-of-plane to in-plane magnetization, were found to be determined by the stencil mask, whilst the scale of the magnetic reversal by the physical microstructure. The nucleation fields were substantially reduced to 50 Oe for the in-plane regions and 1 kOe for the perpendicular regions, comparing to 4.5 kOe for the as-grown film. The perpendicular reversals were found to always originate at the pattern ...
Electrospun nanofibers composed of biodegradable polymers are attractive candidates for cell culture scaffolds in tissue engineering. Their fine-meshed structures, resembling natural extracellular matrices, effectively interact with cell surfaces and promote cell proliferation. The application of electrospinning, however, is limited to two-dimensional (2D) or single tube-like scaffolds, and the fabrication of arbitrary three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds from electrospun nanofibers is still very difficult due to the fibers' continuous and entangled form. To address this issue, in this paper, we describe the use of phase-separation-assisted electrospray and electrostatic focusing to perform continuous direct 3D patterning of nanofibrous microcapsules of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA). These microcapsules exhibit fiber-particle duality because they are composed of nanofibers suitable for cell attachment while also being easy to handle as particles for direct 3D ...
An adjustment support system using computer for start-up operation of cyclotron is being developed in order to support operators who, using their experiences and intuition, tune up dozens of components to maximize beam efficiency. This paper describes a method of beam pattern diagnosis and adjustment guidance based on fuzzy relation as one function of the adjustment support system. The followings are the basic processes of this method. (1) The computer extracts features of beam pattern which correspond with operators' criteria. (2) The computer calculates causative possibility of each adjustment parameters by inverse operation of fuzzy relational equation, which formulates the relationship between criteria of beam pattern and adjustment parameters. (3) The computer displays those causative probabilities in a graphical manner as a operation guidance. Not only the probabilities but also the criteria of beam ...
An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the feasibility of machining isogrid structures with abrasive-waterjets (AWJs). The main objective was to mill isogrid patterns in surfaces with accurate depth control using an AWJ. Three different approaches using AWJs were tested: linear cutting of isogrid patterns for diffusion bonding, milling with conventional AWJ nozzles, and milling with a single-angled rotary AWJ nozzle. It was shown that pocket milling with conventional AWJs is the most feasible of those tested. The milling can be done internally on preformed aluminum tubes, and the AWJ can also be used on materials other than aluminum. Accurate depth control can be achieved at high productivity rates. As an example, it is projected that a 48-inch-diameter skirt 12 inches high could be milled with an isogrid pattern in 6.3 hours. Milled isogrid patterns can be controlled to 0.001 inch, ...
Studies have indicated that many people misunderstand climate change. Equipped with a limited mental model they inappropriately use a pattern matching heuristics to analyze climate change and mistakenly believe that we can stabilize atmospheric CO2 by keeping anthropogenic emissions at current rates. Drawing on the findings from cognitive and developmental psychology, I argue that the widespread misunderstanding of climate change may arise from an error in people?s ontological assumptions. The pattern matching heuristics highlights correlations in shape and associates with a static mental model, both of which are effective for understanding objects. When people adopt the pattern matching heuristics, they may have implicitly treated climate change as an object. However, climate change belon...
The antimicrobial peptide scygonadin (Scy) was first isolated from the gonad of Scylla serrata and its gene is predominantly expressed in the ejaculatory duct of adult males. Thus, its function was predicted to be associated with reproductive immunity, but this is still unclear and needs further investigation. In our study, the expression pattern of Scy at different developmental stages of both male and female S. paramamosain was investigated, so that the potential function of this peptide could be examined. Using real-time quantitative PCR, Scy mRNA transcripts were demonstrated obviously in the vulnerable embryos and larvae-zoea I but very weakly detected in the larvae-zoea III, megalops and juveniles. The gene expression pattern showed a decreasing trend during the early developmental s...
The aims of this study were to quantify the severity and extent of subclinical interstitial lung disease as depicted on HRCT and to study the relationship between the patterns of lung disease quantified by HRCT and the functional parameters and bronchoalveolar lavage findings in patients with rheumatic diseases. The results confirm that HRCT is a sensitive tool in detecting interstitial lung disease in patients with rheumatic diseases with no signs and symptoms of pulmonary involvement. The relationship between the different HRCT patterns and bronchoalveolar lavage cell profiles can identify patients at higher risk of developing irreversible lung fibrosis. A long-term, prospective follow-up study is needed to determine whether these patients will develop over pulmonary disease.
Abstract Estimating paternity patterns provides insights into the importance of competing evolutionary forces on mating systems. The number of sires contributing to a female's offspring is mostly influenced by her relative promiscuity. However, in a postcopulatory context, it will also be affected by sperm competition and cryptic female choice. Here, we describe the paternity patterns of two species of praying mantis from the genus Ciulfina, the agile praying mantid. This study is the first to describe patterns of paternity in the Mantodea. We found a variation in paternity in these two closely related species. Ciulfina rentzi exhibited single paternity, with a single male siring all offspring within a clutch. By contrast, Ciulfina klassi displayed multiple paternity, with the minimum numb...
Using databases derived from the pattern recognition approach, the paper presents a methodology for utilizing fuzzy models to enhance the quality of decision-making using fuzzy-logic algorithms. Two multi-objective fuzzy-logic control algorithms for controlling power system static/dynamic security are presented and analyzed. The first algorithm is based on the successive inferences of fuzzy implication rules for each individual objective, and the second algorithm is an application of the method of fuzzy linear programming. The paper discusses the properties, advantages and limitations of applying fuzzy decision-making logic in the pattern-recognition approach and concludes by highlighting potential areas for further development. (author)
In this paper we focus on appearance features describing the manual component of Sign Language particularly the Local Binary Patterns. We compare the performance of these features with geometric moments describing the trajectory and shape of hands. Since the non-manual component is also very important for sign recognition we localize facial landmarks via Active Shape Model combined with Landmark detector that increases the robustness of model fitting. We test the recognition performance of individual features and their combinations on a database consisting of 11 signers and 23 signs with several repetitions. Local Binary Patterns outperform the geometric moments. When the features are combined we achieve a recognition rate up to 99.75% for signer dependent tests and 57.54% for signer indep...
The site characterization of Yucca Mountain, NV as a potential high level nuclear waste repository includes study of the surficial deposits as a record of the paleoenvironmental history of the Yucca Mountain region. An important aspect of this history is an understanding of the evolution of paleogeography leading to establishment of the present drainage pattern. Establishment of drainage basin evolution is needed before geomorphic response to paleoclimate and tectonics can be assessed, because a major change in drainage basin geometry can predominantly affect the sedimentary record. Because alluvial aquifers are significant to regional hydrology, a major change in surface drainage resulting in buried alluvium could have hydrogeologic significance. In this paper, we report on geologic evidence for a major modification in surface drainage pattern in the Yucca Mountain region, resulting in the probable establishment of the Fortymile Wash drainage ...
We propose an approach to achieving early recognition of gesture patterns. Early recognition is a method for recognizing sequential patterns at their earliest stage. Therefore, in the case of gesture recognition, we can get a recognition result for human gestures before the gestures are finished. The most difficult problem in early recognition is knowing when the system has determined the result. Most traditional approaches suffer from this problem, since gestures are often ambiguous. At the start of a gesture, in particular, it is very difficult to determinate the recognition result since insufficient input data have been observed. Therefore, we have improved on the traditional approach by using a self-organizing map.
Pattern formation on GaAs by Ga"+ focused-ion-beam (FIB) irradiation and subsequent Cl_2 gas etching was carried out. A higher etch rate at the FIB-irradiated area compared with that not irradiated under Cl_2 gas allows pattern construction without a mask process. The degree of residual crystal damage was evaluated using photoluminescence (PL) intensity measurements. The PL intensity in the etched region was one order of magnitude stronger than that of FIB sputtering, and was several times stronger than that of Ga"+ FIB-assisted Cl_2 etching. Etch depths of the order of 100 nm, which is five times deeper than that obtained by FIB sputtering, were efficiently performed using moderate Ga"+-ion doses.
Pattern formation on GaAs by Ga{sup +} focused-ion-beam (FIB) irradiation and subsequent Cl{sub 2} gas etching was carried out. A higher etch rate at the FIB-irradiated area compared with that not irradiated under Cl{sub 2} gas allows pattern construction without a mask process. The degree of residual crystal damage was evaluated using photoluminescence (PL) intensity measurements. The PL intensity in the etched region was one order of magnitude stronger than that of FIB sputtering, and was several times stronger than that of Ga{sup +} FIB-assisted Cl{sub 2} etching. Etch depths of the order of 100 nm, which is five times deeper than that obtained by FIB sputtering, were efficiently performed using moderate Ga{sup +}-ion doses.
The data mining process consists of a series of steps ranging from data cleaning, data selection and transformation, to pattern evaluation and visualization. One of the central problems in data mining is to make the mined patterns or knowledge actionable. Here, the term actionable refers to the mined patterns suggest concrete and profitable actions to the decision-maker. That is, the user can do something to bring direct benefits (increase in profits, reduction in cost, improvement in efficiency, etc.) to the organization's advantage. However, there has been written no comprehensive survey available on this topic. The goal of this paper is to fill the void. In this paper, we first present two frameworks for mining actionable knowledge that are inexplicitly adopted by existing research methods. Then we try to situate some of the research on this topic from two different viewpoints: 1) data mining tasks and 2) adopted ...
Tri layer hybrid composites of oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) and jute fibres was prepared by keeping oil palm EFB as skin material and jute as the core material and vice versa. The chemical resistance, void content and tensile properties of oil palm EFB/Jute composites was investigated with reference to the relative weight of oil palm EFB/Jute, i.e. 4:1, the fibre loading was optimized and different layering pattern were investigated. It is found from the chemical resistance test that all the composites are resistant to various chemicals. It was observed that marked reduction in void content of hybrid composites in different layering pattern. From the different layering pattern, the tensile properties were slightly higher for the composite having jute as skin and oil palm EFB as core ...
Various measurement tools that are used in chaos theory were applied to analyze two-phase pressure signals with the objective of identifying and interpreting flow pattern transitions for two-phase flows in a small, horizontal rectangular channel. These measurement tools included power spectral density function, autocorrelation function, pseudo-phase-plane trajectory, Lyapunov exponent,s and fractal dimensions. It was demonstrated that the randomlike pressure fluctuations characteristic of two-phase flow in small rectangular channels are chaotic, and governed by a high-order deterministic system. The correlation dimension is potentially a new approach for identifying certain two-phase flow patterns and transitions.
In this paper, we discuss various aspects of the development of an inverted-grown AlGaAs/GaAs cascade solar cell incorporating a patterned germanium tunnel junction. Topics include the development of the Al{sub 0.37}Ga{sub 0.63}As top cell, the growth of the GaAs bottom cell over the patterned germanium tunnel junction, and a technique for selective removal of thin AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures after lattice-matched growth on germanium substrates. The problems to be overcome for the achievement of around 30% efficiencies in the AlGaAs/GaAs cascade cell under concentrator applications are also discussed. (orig.).
The paper presents a computer-aided analysis of the combined use of ventilation and structural heat capacity and insulation as a means of saving air-conditioning power in digital telephone exchanges. It is shown that such savings can be effected by increasing air change with outdoor cool air at night, and when feasible, also in daytime, through the air change unit, in a conventional airconditioning cycle. The total thermal time constant (TTTC) method of calculation used enables the evaluation of daily or seasonal heat-flow balance for a given indoor temperature, considering the tendency of the heat capacity of the building and of envelope components to flatten the fluctuations of this temperature.
Traffic characterization is an important means for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to adapt and to optimize their networks to the requirements of the customers. Most network measurements are performed in the backbone of these ISPs, showing both, residential and business Internet traffic. However, the traffic characteristics of business and home users differ significantly. Therefore, we have performed measurements of home users at a broadband wireless access service provider in order to reflect only home user traffic characteristics. In this paper, we present the results of these measurements, showing daily traffic fluctuations, flow statistics as well as application distributions. The results show a difference to backbone traffic characteristics. Furthermore, we observed a shift from web...
The specific goals of this research are to (1) determine daily and seasonal variability of seawater pCO{sub 2} partial pressure of CO{sub 2} and NO{sub 3} in Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) waters; (2) estimate seasonal CO{sub 2} fluxes between the MAB shelf and the atmosphere; and (3) determine the primary controls of surface seawater pCO{sub 2} in this coastal system. During the first phase of the DOE-OMP (1992-1995) we developed the Submersible Autonomous Moored Instrument for CO{sub 2} (SAMI-CO{sub 2}) which is designed to measure seawater CO{sub 2} on ocean moorings for extended periods.
The need for alternative energy increases steadily???especially due to the climate change and the limited availability of fossil fuels. Geothermal power uses the intrinsic heat which is stored in the accessible part of the Earth???s crust. Its importance among the renewable energy resources originates from the almost unlimited energy supply of the Earth and its independence from external influences such as seasonal or even daily climatic variability. Nevertheless, there are risks which have to be assessed. From a mathematical point of view there are four building blocks of the characterization of deep geothermal systems: seismic exploration, gravimetry, modeling transport processes, and modeling the stress field. In particular, local depletion poses a significant risk during the industrial...
Introduction: Intractable ascites in neonates has a varied etiology; and often, the cause is idiopathic. The management usually consists of observation, diuretics, paracentesis, albumin replacements, and self correction. However, in some cases, the above treatment remains unsuccessful. Results: We present 2 cases of intractable ascites causing metabolic abnormalities, severe protein and immunoglobulin loss, and respiratory compromise. Although the use of peritoneovenous shunts for intractable ascites has been reported previously, our cases differ in both technique and patient size. Our first patient is an ex-28-week premature, 1.4-kg infant with intractable ascites for which a peritoneal drain was initially placed. After 3 weeks and putting out nearly 300 mL of ascitic fluid daily, we plac...
Blood kinetics and tissue distribution of 20, 80 and 110 nm silver nanoparticles were investigated in rats up to 16 days after intravenous administration once daily for 5 consecutive days. Following both single and repeated injection, silver nanoparticles disappeared rapidly from the blood and distributed to all organs evaluated (liver, lungs, spleen, brain, heart, kidneys and testes) regardless of size. The 20 nm particles distributed mainly to liver, followed by kidneys and spleen, whereas the larger particles distributed mainly to spleen followed by liver and lung. In the other organs evaluated, no major differences between the sizes were observed. Size-dependent tissue distribution suggests size-dependent toxicity and health risks. Repeated administration resulted in accumulation in li...
A large database (507 station-years) of daily suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration and discharge data from 36 stations on river basins ranging from 600?km2 to 600,000?km2 in size (USA and Europe) was collected to assess the effects of SPM transport regime on bias and imprecision of flux estimates when using infrequent surveys and the discharge-weighted mean concentration method. By extracting individual SPM concentrations and corresponding discharge values from the database, sampling frequencies from 12 to 200 per year were simulated using Monte Carlo techniques. The resulting estimates of yearly SPM fluxes were compared to reference fluxes derived from the complete database. For each station and given frequency, bias was measured by the median of relative errors between estima...
Unlike the conventional automotive, modem railway trains are designed with non-openable windows; and a mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning (MVAC) system is installed in each train compartment for better indoor air quality as well as to provide a thermally comfortable environment. The ventilation rate is no doubt a critical element in the design of a MVAC system, especially in Hong Kong where the daily passenger load is extremely heavy. Earlier studies illustrated that carbon dioxide can be controlled at 1000 ppm by increasing the ventilation rate to 25.2 m{sup 3} h{sup -1}; however, it will also lead to an increase in energy consumption. In this paper, the electrical energy consumption at various ventilation rates was studied, and the cost of maintaining a low carbon dioxide level was estimated These provide solid information for the local railway companies to improve the air quality inside the train compartments. (author)
The effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Bulbine natalensis Baker stem at daily doses of 25, 50, and 100mg/kg body weight on the reproductive function of Wistar rats were evaluated. The indices of mating and fertility success as well as quantal frequency increased after 7 days of treatment in all the dose groups except the 100mg/kg body weight group. The number of litters was not statistically different (P>0.05) from the control. Whereas the absolute weights of the epididymis, seminal vesicle, and prostate were not affected, that of the testes was significantly increased. The epididymal sperm count, motility, morphology, and viscosity were not different from the control after 7 days of treatment. The male rat serum testosterone, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follic...
Individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) depend on technology to meet their daily needs and form relationships. Speech generating devices (SGDs) are integral components of communication systems. Reliability of SGDs is critical for effective use in everyday life. This study examined the reliability of new SGDs and found that mean time to first failure was 42.7 (SD = 41.2) weeks and at least 40% required repairs within the first year of use. The components that most frequently broke down were touch screens, wiring, main boards, batteries, memory cards, and AC adaptors. The costs of repairing SGDs were analyzed. The clinical implications of device breakdown are identified for key stakeholders, including clients, families, service providers, funding agencies, and ma...
The effect of mean daily air temperature (MDT) on flowering rate (the reciprocal of days to flower) was quantified for 18 species of annual bedding plants. Plants were grown in environmental growth chambers at constant air temperature set points of 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 25, or 30^oC and under an irradiance of 160-180mmolm^-^2s^-^1, with a 16-h photoperiod. Nonlinear mathematical equations were developed to predict the effect of MDT on flowering rate and to estimate the base, optimum, and maximum temperatures (Tmin, Topt, and Tmax), which are the temperatures at which flowering rates are zero (low temperature), maximal, and zero once again (high temperature), respectively. The estimated Tmin varied among species and ranged from 1.1^oC in French marigold (Tagetes patula L.) to 9.9^oC in angelonia ...
ABSTRACT Aim The study aimed to test simultaneously our understanding of the effects of bupropion sustained-release (SR) treatment on putative mediators and our understanding of determinants of post-quit abstinence, including withdrawal distress, cigarette craving, positive affect and subjective reactions to cigarettes smoked during a lapse. The specificity of bupropion SR effects was also tested in exploratory analyses. Design Data from a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of bupropion SR were submitted to mediation analyses. Setting Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, WI, USA. Participants A total of 403 adult, daily smokers without contraindications to bupropion SR use. Intervention Participants were assigned randomly to receive a 9-week course of bupropion...
Although managing fisheries is complex, policymakers must make decisions daily that affect the future of aquatic resources. To make these decisions, they often combine a mental model with lessons learned from formal models such as computer models. While such computer models are frequently interpreted as predictors of the future, they are often more valuable when used as tools for learning about fisheries and options for management. This approach, looking at computer simulations as learning laboratories, is what this study is all about since its objective is to investigate by means of a microworld if policymakers in Belgian fisheries have the policy instruments at hand to align the real fisheries world with their often completely different desired fisheries worlds. This study illustrates ba...
The effects of exposure to sublethal levels of microwaves were studied. Young albino rats of both sexes were exposed for 60 days to 7.5-GHz microwaves (1.0-KHz square wave modulation, average power 0.6 mW/cm2) for 3 h daily. During and after microwave exposure several physiological parameters were measured in both control and exposed animals. It was found that the animals exposed to microwaves tended to eat and drink less and thus showed a smaller gain in body weight. Some of the hematological parameters and organ weights were also significantly different. It is proposed that a nonspecific stress response due to microwave exposure and mediated through the central nervous system is responsible for the observed physiological changes.
The treatment of chronic pain conditions continue to present a challenge to the medical field. Physical therapy treatment needs to approach the management of chronic pain differently than the approach used to resolve acute pain. Patients with chronic pain often have many factors that have perpetuated the pain condition. These factors, as well as pain itself, influence their ability to reactivate and perform functional daily activities. Physical therapists can begin to address some of the factors, including fear and deconditioning, by building confidence and body awareness in a self-care model including a slow graduated reactivation program. There is evidence that patients with chronic pain conditions have altered motor control that may be influencing reoccurrences and possible flares of pa...
Purpose The primary objective of this sub-study, undertaken as an extension to the previously reported phase-I study, was to explore the feasibility, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK) of belinostat when administered by the oral route. Preliminary pharmacodynamic (PD) studies were also performed to enable comparison of the biological effects of the oral and intravenous formulations. Patients and methods Oral belinostat was administered in a range of doses and schedules (once, twice or thrice daily), on either day 1 or days 1?5, of the second or a subsequent treatment cycle in 15 patients who were included in the phase-I trial of intravenous belinostat. Serial blood samples were collected for PK and PD (histone acetylation) analyses, and the results compared with corresponding analyses ...
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a disorder characterized by skin thickness and vasculopathy. The objective of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of the association of pentoxyphylline and vitamin E in SSc patients. Twelve SSc patients (American College of Rheumatology criteria) enrolled this 24-week open-label study. Patients received daily 800?mg of pentoxyphylline and 800?UI of vitamin E and were evaluated at 4-week interval. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in Modified Rodnan Skin Score (MRSS) at week 24. Nine diffuse SSc patients treated 6?months with cyclophosphamide were used as a historical control group. The mean age of the treated group was 43.6?years, and ten of 12 (84%) patients were women. Their mean MRSS reduced from 25.7 to 18.7 (p?=?0.03) at 1...
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disorder and a major cause of pain and disability. The hypothesis tested in this study was that the passion fruit peel extract (PFP), a flavonoid-rich dietary supplement, would reduce symptoms due to knee OA. Thirty-three OA patients were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with parallel-group design. Patients received either placebo or PFP pills (150 mg, daily) in a double-blinded fashion for 2 months. The OA clinical symptoms were evaluated monthly with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index. In the PFP group, there was a significant improvement in total WOMAC score and WOMAC subscale score of physical function after 30 days and pain after 60 days. At 60 days, reductions o...
PURPOSE.- The study aims to clinically validate the defining characteristics (DCs) of the nursing diagnosis (ND) of Activity Intolerance for patients with ischemic heart disease and refractory angina. METHODS.- Cross-sectional study was used, involving 22 patients with ND of Activity Intolerance. The Fehring method was used to validate the ND. FINDINGS.- Most DCs presented reliability indexes between 0.5 and 0.79. Three DCs presented reliability indexes - 0.8. CONCLUSION.- All DCs were validated, and electrocardiographic changes indicating ischemia, verbal report of fatigue, and abnormal rate response to activity were considered as DC major. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE.- This study is relevant in daily nursing practice for guidance in establishing the care plan and describing the ass...
Accessible summary - -Children with a Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD) resulting from shunted hydrocephalus and spina bifida face many difficulties not experienced by those with a language learning disability. - -As they grow older and more autonomy is expected, friendships became harder to sustain and daily life can be full of fear if the nonverbal learning disability is not identified and managed. - -This paper explains the theorised cause of nonverbal learning disability - damage to right hemisphere white matter or myelin. - -Damage is believed to cause problems with planning, organisation, time management, problem-solving, decision-making and friendships, and the mismatch with articulate speech and a good vocabulary causes a functional profile that is difficult for educationists or ...
This guide is intended to provide the necessary guidance to successfully manage the NAVMED Navy Occupational Health Information Management System (NOHIMS) at NAVMED sites and the NAVSEA Occupational Safety and Health Record Keeping System (OSHRKS) at NAVSEA sites. Outlines procedures to manage system operations, procedures to resolve hardware, software and communications problems, and procedures outside the realm of system operations that are required for a successful system. This guide is intended for the System and Functional Managers use. The System Manager is the individual designated to provide overall ADP management to the entire local configuration. Usually responsible for file backup, daily operations of the CPU, security, supplies, equipment, operating software and technical ADP guidance to the local functional users.
The consequences of exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect behavior were examined using retrospective questionnaires (Study 1) and 2 social interaction diary studies (Study 2). Exit and neglect were generally associated with more negative partner responses and reduced feelings of value and closeness, and were reported to be more harmful to the relationship. Voice was associated with more positive partner responses and greater value and intimacy, and was perceived to be most beneficial to the relationship. In contrast, loyalty was perceived to have the same detrimental consequences as destructive behaviors (Study 1) and did not predict more positive outcomes within daily interactions (Study 2). These results indicate that, despite good intentions, loyal intimates are often left feeling ignored a...
Local control of Ewing's sarcoma was analysed in a series of 67 patients treated by surgery and/or radiotherapy as well as combination chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was employed with or without surgery in 60 patients and produced an overall local control rate of 55%; complete excision of the primary lesion seemed to be beneficial. There was a marked variation in control rates depending on the site of the primary lesion: limb 85%, rib 53%, pelvis 31% and other sites 33%.Primary tumours greater than 10 cm in diameter were significantly less likely to be controlled. Using daily fractions of approximately 180 cGy, total doses in excess of 6000 cGy seem more likely to produce serious late morbidity amd may not increase the local control rate. No cases of second malignancy arising in irradiated tissue have been observed to date, but one patient developed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. (author).
A female employee was exposed to lead dust for 8 h daily from 4.5.1982 to 20.5.1982. During this time conception occurred (1st day of last menses 4.5.82). Acute symptoms of lead intoxication were not observed in this subject but were in other employees. Measurements of lead content were started after the end of exposure and continued for 6 months until normal values were obtained. Because of the half-life of nearly 20 days for lead elimination from blood the estimated body burden at the end of exposure was about 1200 ppb. The fetal tissue samples contained between 0.4 (brain) and 7.9 (liver) ..mu..g lead/g dry weight. The fetal lead was mainly stored in bone, blood and liver. From the results given a delayed elimination of fetal lead is suggested.
Short-duration measurements have been widely used to screen for exposures to elevated radon concentrations in individual houses or at state or regional levels. However, a number of factors, including spatial and temporal variability in radon concentrations, must be considered before comparison to concentration guidelines can be made. Daily variations in radon concentration can lead to inherent measurement uncertainties ranging from 20 to 100+ percent. Differences in radon concentration due to seasonal effects and/or sampling location are also variable, and do not appear to be regionally consistent. Winter/summer concentration ratios, for example, have been observed to vary by as much as a factor of 10 in basements and by a factor of 5 in first floors. In this paper the implications of these uncertainties on the use of short-term sampling for inferring long-term exposures are discussed.
Tests on the scrubbing column have led to the following results: Use of a scrubbing column with Raschig rings is only meaningful for the sedimentation of particles exceeding diameters of 0.5 ..mu..m; drops of diameter size 1.5 ..mu..m are formed in the column; more efficient drop precipitators in the column air flow ease the load on subsequent suspended material filters thereby contributing to a longer life of these filters even at higher sodium ion concentrations in the washing water; with distillate of an 8% rather than 0.8% salt solution a decontamination factor greater than 10 can be calculated since larger particles precipitate more readily. This only applies, however, under the condition that the washing water is renewed regularly, if necessary daily where higher aerosol concentrations are present. If not, the decontamination factor will be reduced through the salt-containing secondary aerosols from the washing water.
Tests on the scrubbing column have led to the following results: Use of a scrubbing column with Raschig rings is only meaningful for the sedimentation of particles exceeding diameters of 0.5 #mu#m; drops of diameter size 1.5 #mu#m are formed in the column; more efficient drop precipitators in the column air flow ease the load on subsequent suspended material filters thereby contributing to a longer life of these filters even at higher sodium ion concentrations in the washing water; with distillate of an 8% rather than 0.8% salt solution a decontamination factor greater than 10 can be calculated since larger particles precipitate more readily. This only applies, however, under the condition that the washing water is renewed regularly, if necessary daily where higher aerosol concentrations are present. If not, the decontamination factor will be reduced through the salt-containing secondary aerosols from the washing water. (orig.).
We investigate the intertemporal risk-return trade-off of foreign exchange (FX) rates for ten currencies quoted against the USD. For each currency, we use three risk measures simultaneously that pertain to that currency; its realized volatility, its realized skewness, and its value-at-risk. We apply monthly FX excess returns and risk measures calculated from daily observations. We find that there is a significant contemporaneous risk-return trade-off for the currencies under investigation. There is no evidence of noncontemporaneous risk-return trade-off. We pay special attention to the risk-return trade-off during the recent financial crisis.
Pots used for experiments conducted on plants grown in them create rooting environments that are affected by limited soil volume, which can affect various physiological processes, including transpiration, and plant growth. However, the applicability of results from pot experiments to the field has received limited attention. The objective of this study was to compare the growth and transpiration of maize (Zea mays L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) when grown in pots and field plots under various constant water deficits. The experiments were conducted under similar environmental conditions for both pots and plots. Transpirational responses at both transient (RTTr) and daily (RDTr) time scales to a decreasing fraction of available soil water (FASW) were analyzed. For a comparable F...
Good performance in extended lactations of dairy cattle may have a beneficial effect on food costs, health, and fertility. Because data for extended lactation performance is scarce, lactation persistency has been suggested as a suitable selection criterion. Persistency phenotypes were calculated in several ways: P1 was yield relative to an approximate peak, P2 was the slope after peak production, and P3 was a measure derived to be phenotypically uncorrelated to yield and calculated as a function of linear regressions on test-day deviations of days in milk. Phenotypes P1, P2, and P3 were calculated for sires as solutions estimated from a random regression model fitted to milk yield. Because total milk yield, calculated as the sum of daily sire solutions, was correlated to P1 and P2 (r=0.30 ...
This study has confirmed large seasonal and daily variations of Rn in soil gas, developed models for the effects of temperature and moisture on air-water Rn partition, inhibited Rn diffusion from wet soil into sparse large air-filled pores and effects of diffusion into bedrock, demonstrated that organic matter is a major host for 226Ra in soils and that organic-bound Ra largely determines the proportion of 222Rn emanated to pore space, shown that in contrast 220Rn is emanated mainly from 224Ra in Fe-oxides, detected significant disequilibrium between 226Ra and 238U in organic matter and in some recent glacial soils, demonstrated by computer models that air convection driven by temperature differences is expected in moderately permeable soils on hillsides.
This study has confirmed large seasonal and daily variations of Rn in soil gas, developed models for the effects of temperature and moisture on air-water Rn partition, inhibited Rn diffusion from wet soil into sparse large air-filled pores and effects of diffusion into bedrock, demonstrated that organic matter is a major host for 226Ra in soils and that organic-bound Ra largely determines the proportion of 222Rn emanated to pore space, shown that in contrast 220Rn is emanated mainly from 224Ra in Fe-oxides, detected significant disequilibrium between 226Ra and 238U in organic matter and in some recent glacial soils, demonstrated by computer models that air convection driven by temperature differences is expected in moderately permeable soils on hillsides.
Objective.The interest of dental research in metal-free restorations has been rising in the last 20 years following the introduction of innovative all-ceramic materials in the daily practice. In particular, high strength ceramics and related CAD/CAM techniques have widely increased the clinical indications of metal-free prostheses, showing more favourable mechanical characteristics compared to the early ceramic materials.The purpose of the present paper is providing a brief review on the all-ceramic dental materials, evaluating pros and cons in the light of the most recent scientific results and of the authors? clinical experience.Materials. A structured review of the literature was given on the basis of medical and engineering papers published in the last decades on the use of dental cera...
Passive microwave soil moisture datasets can be used as an input to provide an integrated assessment of climate variability as it relates to agricultural production. The objective of this research was to examine three passive microwave derived soil moisture datasets over multiple growing seasons in contrasting Canadian agricultural environments. Absolute and relative soil moisture was evaluated from two globally available datasets from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) sensor using different retrieval algorithms, as well as relative soil wetness at a weekly scale from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) sensor. At a daily scale, the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) provides a better estimate of surface soil moisture conditions than the National Snow a...
Experiments were carried out to test the hypothesis that instantaneous daily rates of egg-larval mortality of Pacific herring were higher at two oil-exposed sites than at two other sites not so exposed. Results showed that egg-larval mortality was twice as great in the oil-exposed areas as in the two non-oiled areas. Larval growth rates were also severely affected; they were about half of those measured in populations from other areas of the north Pacific Ocean. A cautionary note was introduced to the effect that the differences in the egg-larval mortality between oiled and control sites may have been influenced by differences in egg dessication, predation, and wave scouring, hence these results should not be construed as conclusive evidence of oil spill damage. 40 refs., 6 figs.
This study evaluated the clinical efficacy of treatment with oral risedronate (17.5?mg once daily) for 8?weeks in 11 Japanese patients with Paget?s disease of bone (PDB). Risedronate suppressed the excessive bone turnover associated with PDB and improved several biochemical markers, including serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum bone-specific ALP (BALP), urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD), and urinary cross-linked N-telopeptide of type 1 collagen (NTX). These markers began to decrease within about 2?weeks after the initiation of treatment in most patients, and the response persisted for up to 40?weeks after the cessation of treatment. Risedronate reduced pain by week 24 in most patients. According to quantitative bone scintigraphy, the lesion with the highest radioisotope (RI) uptake showe...
Ethnopharmacological relevance: Extracts of the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Labiatae) have been widely used to relieve fever related to bacterial infection and inflammatory diseases in traditional Korean medicine and have been reported to be effective in brain diseases. These experiments were conducted to examine the effects of oral administration of Scutellaria baicalensis extracts on the rescue of memory impairments induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion or chronic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infusion. In addition, the underlying mechanisms of these effects were investigated. Materials and methods: In the first experiment, chronic cerebral hypoperfusion was induced in male Wister rats by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAo). Daily administration of Scutellaria b...
Rationale Hypothalamic?pituitary?adrenal axis dysregulation predicts poor clinical and biochemical response to antidepressants. Antiglucocorticoids have therapeutic benefits but most have a troublesome adverse event profile. Aspects of neuropsychological performance, notably working memory, are susceptible to corticosteroid modulation and are impaired in depression. Aspirin has been shown to attenuate the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol response to physiological challenge suggesting its potential to act as an augmenting agent in depression. Objectives To examine the effect of sub-acute (300?mg daily for 7?days) aspirin pre-treatment on the cortisol awakening response and the effect of acute (600?mg) and sub-acute aspirin on the neuroendocrine and neuropsychological response...
Plants require solar radiation for photosynthesis and their growth is directly related to the amount received, assuming that other environmental parameters are not limiting. Therefore, precise estimation of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is necessary to enhance overall accuracies of plant growth models. This study aimed to explore the PAR radiant flux in the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California. During the growing season (March through August) for 2?years 2007?2008, the on-site magnitudes of photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) were investigated and then processed at both the hourly and daily time scales. Combined with global solar radiation (R S) and simulated extraterrestrial solar radiation, five PAR-related values were developed, i.e., flux density-based PAR ...
Summary A prospective and randomized trial design is of utmost interest when it comes to evaluating new developments in the management of cardiovascular medicine. By defining the primary end point and a profound related statistic new therapeutic options can be tested with an adequate number of patients. The course of the trial is supervised by a Clinical Events Committee and a Data and Safety Monitoring Board. Registries are promising tools for describing how the results of clinical trials are translated into daily practice. Their drawbacks include lack of control of the clinical endpoints and their uniform definition and lack of a control group. There are numerous examples from cardiology of the limited usefulness of data obtained from registry studies with their often unexpected results ...
This document includes the following topics: Background; Data Collection; Scope/Applicability of the Proposed Regulation; Description of the Industry; Industry Subcategorization; Pollutants of Concern for the Centralized Waste Treatment Industry; Pollutants Selected for Regulation; Wastewater Treatment Technologies; Regulatory Options Considered and Selected for Basis of Regulation; Long-Term Averages, Variability Factors, and Limitations and Standards; Cost of Treatment Technologies; Pollutant Loading and Removal Estimates; Non-Water Quality Impacts; Implementation; Analytical Methods and Baseline Values; List of Definitions; List of Acronyms; Appendix A--Pollutant Groups; Appendix B--Listing of Characerization Data From Non-Hazardous Oils Facilities; Appendix C--Listing of Daily Influent and Effluent Measuements; Appendix D--Facility-Specific Compliance Costs; Appendix E--Attachements to Chapter 10; and Appendix F--Listing of Pollutants of Concern and Cas ...
Abstract A 3-month, open-label, single-center study was conducted to determine whether a uniquely formulated and physiologically balanced topical treatment serum containing multiple growth factors, cytokines, peptides, antioxidants and depigmenting agents could improve the visible signs of facial photodamage. Thirty-seven females, aged 32-55 years, with mild to severe, fine and coarse peri-ocular wrinkles were enrolled and completed the study. Subjects applied the treatment serum to the face twice daily for 3 months in conjunction with a basic skincare regimen. Clinical evaluations of photodamage were performed at baseline and months 1, 2 and 3. Cutometer measurements and subject self-assessment questionnaires were also conducted during the study. Clinical evaluations showed statistically ...
SummaryBackground Persistent Lyme Disease Symptoms (PLDS) have included fatigue, headaches, poor concentration and memory, lightheadedness, joint pain, and mood disturbances. Evidence-based guidelines committees disagree over the severity of PLDS. The 2004 International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) concluded that PLDS are severe. The 2006 Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guidelines committee concluded that PLDS are nothing more than the "aches and pains of daily living" and an ad hoc International Lyme group concluded that PLDS are "symptoms common in persons who have never had Lyme disease." Hypothesis Clinical trials validate the severity of persistent Lyme disease symptoms. Evaluation of the Hypothesis There are 22 standardized instruments used to measure the...
This study evaluates the trends of meteorological and agrometeorological indices computed at different sites in the Region of Umbria (Central Italy). The indices were selected on the basis of whether they enable the evaluation of the potential effects of climatic changes on agricultural water requirements and management. The meteorological stations were preliminarily selected considering the length and entirety of the data series and a homogeneous spatial coverage of the region under study. The daily rainfall and minimum and maximum temperature data collected at the stations were elaborated to calculate meteorological and agrometeorological indices (for corn, widespread irrigated crop in Central Italy).The results of the analysis show that rainfall has decreased generally everywhere and th...
Background: Chloroquine has in-vitro activity against influenza and could be an ideal candidate for worldwide prevention of influenza in the period between onset of a pandemic with a virulent influenza strain and the development and widespread dissemination of an effective vaccine. We aimed to assess the efficacy of such an intervention. Methods: In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done at a single centre in Singapore, we randomly assigned (1:1) healthy adults to receive chloroquine phosphate (500 mg/day for 1 week, then once a week to complete 12 weeks) or matching placebo by use of a computer-generated randomisation list. Participants filled an online symptom diary every week, supplemented by daily diaries and self-administered nasal swabs when unwell. Haemagglutin...
This report is a compilation of the Chalk Point surface weather and ambient atmospheric profile data for the second intensive test period, June 14-24, 1976. The atmospheric profiles were made using rawinsonde instrumentation. The compilation includes the 0700 EST daily weather chart, hourly surface observations from Chalk Point, Patuxent River Naval Test Center, MD and Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed and wind direction are presented in graphical profiles. All other data are presented in tabular form.
Proper balance control is a key aspect of acitivities of daily living. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of body weight to predict balance stability. The balance stability of 59 male subjects with BMI ranging from 17.4 to 63.8kg/m2 was assessed using a force platform. The subjects were tested with and without vision. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine the independent effect of body weight, age, body height and foot length on balance stability (i.e., mean speed of the center of foot pressure). With vision, the stepwise multiple regression revealed that body weight accounted for 52% of the variance of balance stability. The addition of age contributed a further 3% to explain balance control. Without vision, body weight accounted for 54% of the...
The operation of pumped-storage plants (PSP) is based on the daily load variations of power demand. It performs power generation at peak load times during the day, and pumps water up into the reservoir during the off-peak times at night. In the Taipower system in Taiwan, there are two pumped storage plants with ten units. These had a total installed capacity of 2,602 MW or a 12 percent capacity at the end of 1995. The plants were able to reduce system generation costs and improve reliability. A Pumped-Storage Plant Benefit Analysis (PSPBA) program was established using the principle of economic dispatch in 1985. This paper explains the rules of the program, the analysis results of the past 10 years, and a a cost benefit evaluation. It was found that the advantages of PSP are not only in supplying the power for peak load, but also in decreasing the total fuel cost. 5 figs., 4 refs.
SummaryThis paper examines the sensitivity and uncertainty of evaporation estimates from Nasser Lake, south of Egypt using data collected at the floating station Raft, 2km upstream of the Aswan High Dam, and 12 evaporation models. Based on their approach the evaporation models were ranked in five classes, respectively the Bowen ratio energy budget (BREB) approach, three energy-aerodynamic based methods, a mass transfer method, two temperature and five solar radiation-temperature approaches. State dependent parameter models were used to estimate the sensitivity indices of the different evaporation estimation methods at daily and monthly frequencies. A drastic reduction in the cost of the sensitivity analysis was obtained when coupled with efficient sampling methods, producing quasi-Monte Ca...
An enriched culture 48, capable of adapting to the reservoir conditions and fermenting molasses to produce gas and acid, was used as an inoculum for bio- huff-`n`-puff tests at Fuyu oil area of Jilin oil field. The production well was injected with water containing 4-6% (v/v) molasses and inoculum, and then shut in. After 15-21 days, the well was placed back in operation. A total of 44 wells were treated, of which only two wells showed no effects. The daily oil production of treated wells increased by 33.3-733.3%. Up to the end of 1994, the oil production was increased by 204 tons per well on average. Results obtained from various types of production wells were discussed.
Determination of the radiocarbon (14C) content of airborne particulate matter yields insight into the proportion of the carbonaceous material derived from fossil and contemporary carbon sources. Daily samples of PM2.5 were collected by high-volume sampler at an urban background site in Birmingham, UK, and the fraction of 14C in both the total carbon, and in the organic and elemental carbon fractions, determined by two-stage combustion to CO2, graphitisation and quantification by accelerator mass spectrometry. OC and EC content was also determined by Sunset Analyzer. The mean fraction contemporary TC in the PM2.5 samples was 0.50 (range 0.27-0.66, n=26). There was no seasonality to the data, but there was a positive trend between fraction contemporary TC and magnitude of SOC/TC ratio and fo...
The paper describes, for the Hausa farmers of Gidan Jatau in northern Nigeria, the distinct ways in which they see and understand (a) their close and distant environment and (b) their bodies' anatomy and physiology. These ways result in 'another geography' - of both space and being - which, however, may no longer now have the resonance it had in the early 1970s when the author lived in Gidan Jatau for two years as a guest. At that time, the spiritual dimensions of daily life were deemed important to the health and prosperity of each person and to the farmstead as a whole. The argument is made that the urban-centred literature on the bori possession-cult neglects the ordinary, anonymous spirits of house and field. Any serious archaeology of the landscape will need insights into this 'altern...
The interscalenic block technique is widely used for ambulatory shoulder surgery despite a substantial number of failures and adverse effects. We prospectively evaluated satisfaction in 40 consecutive patients who underwent open Bankart repair under a single general anesthesic performed in an ambulatory care unit. The mean age of the patients was 23 years. There were 29 men and 11 women. Patients were evaluated postoperatively with a visual analog scale of pain (in the recovery room, at the time of discharge, and the day after and 1 week after surgery) via a home assessment questionnaire that included the following: effectiveness of oral pain medication, ability to perform activities of daily life, and overall satisfaction. One patient failed to be discharged because of a feeling of faintn...
Abstract Micronutrient deficiencies are a public health concern among young children in low-income countries, and novel strategies are needed to improve the nutritional status of children at risk. One promising approach is the use of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS), which can be added to complementary food at the time of consumption. The optimal amount of zinc to include in LNS is uncertain, and concerns have been expressed about possible adverse effects of zinc on sensory characteristics of LNS. We conducted a series of acceptability studies of LNS containing either 0 or 10-mg of zinc per daily 20-g LNS dose among Burkinabe children 9-15 months old and their mothers. These acceptability studies included observations of children's consumption, maternal and child sensory reaction to ...
Summary Background Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor that blocks cell proliferation via the ERK pathway and angiogenesis via the VEGF pathway. This phase II trial was conducted to determine the efficacy and tolerability of sorafenib for the treatment of patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (UC) who had not had prior chemotherapy for advanced disease. Patients and Methods Seventeen chemo-na?ve UC patients with adequate performance status and organ function were treated with sorafenib 400?mg twice daily on a continuous basis until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective tumor response rate as measured by RECIST criteria. Secondary endpoints included rate of prolonged stable disease (>3?months), time to progression, median and 1?yr survival and ...
Abstract Aims To determine, in the context of a trial in which counseling did not improve smoking cessation outcomes, whether this was due to a failure of the conceptual theory identifying treatment targets or the action theory specifying interventions. Design Data from a randomized clinical trial of smoking cessation counseling and bupropion SR were submitted to multi level modeling to test whether counseling influenced real time reports of cognitions, emotions and behaviors, and whether these targets predicted abstinence. Setting Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, WI. Participants A total of 403 adult, daily smokers without contraindications to bupropion SR use. Participants were assigned randomly to receive individual counseling or no counseling and a 9 week course o...
A statistical pattern recognition method was applied to the analysis of the signals of crosssectional mean void fraction for discriminating gas-liquid two-phase flow regimes. The analysis and discrimination were carried out based on six key flow patterns : bubble, cap-bubble, plug, froth (F_I and F_I_I), and annular flow. For each flow condition 100 void signals with a recording dimension of 1 second were used and transferred to discrete data, the sampling frequency of which was selected at 100 Hz by comparison between correct recognition rates obtained from different frequencies. The magnitude of the time-averaged void fraction was partly employed supplementary to the pattern recognition method. The boundaries between the six flow regimes were determined corresponding to a correct recognition rate of 80 % and drawn on a superficial gas-liquid velocities diagram. These flow boundaries were also compared with those available ...
Personal Health Records (PHRs) are increasingly recognized as a strategy to improve patient-provider communication, availability of health information, and quality of care, by making the delivery of...Full Text Available
BackgroundExisting studies concerning the health care use of homeless people describe higher utilisation rates for hospital-based care and emergency care, and lower rates for primary...Full Text Available
SummaryIt has been well established that a single amino acid sequence can give rise to several conformationally distinct amyloid states. The extent to which amyloid structures...Full Text Available
One hundred and fifty patients requiring maintenance haemodialysis were investigated to determine the incidence and pattern of tuberculosis. Twenty patients were found to have tuberculosis, giving an...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to identify patterns of brain activation elicited by erotic visual stimuli in patients treated with either Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors...Full Text Available
A population based survey of trachoma and blindness was conducted in a rural Nile Delta hamlet. Trachoma remains hyperendemic in this region. Active trachoma was common among preschool children; over...Full Text Available
BackgroundA key feature of a good general practice consultation is that it is patient-centred. A number of verbal and non-verbal behaviours have been identified as important to establish...Full Text Available
BackgroundHigh complexity is considered a hallmark of living systems. Here we investigate the complexity of temporal gene expression patterns using the concept of Permutation Entropy...Full Text Available
BackgroundStreptococcus suis is an emerging zoonotic pathogen and is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in adults in Vietnam. Systematic data on the antimicrobial...Full Text Available
To understand the function of edges in perception of moving objects, we defined four questions to answer. Is the focus point in visual motion detection of a moving object: (1) the body or the edge of...Full Text Available
Alterations in mass transport patterns of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and oxygen are known to cause atherosclerosis in larger arteries. We hypothesise that the species transport processes in coronary...Full Text Available
Surface glandular trichomes distributed throughout the aerial parts of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) produce and store monoterpene, sesquiterpene, and phenylpropene volatiles. Three...Full Text Available
Understanding the mechanisms whereby information encoded within patterns of action potentials is deciphered by neurons is central to cognitive psychology. The multiprotein complexes formed by...Full Text Available
BackgroundSurface electromyography (sEMG) signals have been used in numerous studies for the classification of hand gestures and movements and successfully implemented in the position...Full Text Available
BackgroundGeographic Information Systems (GIS) can provide valuable insight into patterns of human activity. Online spatial display applications, such as Google Earth, can democratise...Full Text Available
BackgroundCholera has claimed many lives throughout history and it continues to be a global threat, especially in countries in Africa. The disease is listed as one of three internationally...Full Text Available
During embryonic development, cells are instructed which position to occupy, they interpret these cues as differentiation programmes, and expand these patterns by growth. Sonic hedgehog...Full Text Available
Significant asymptomatic bacteriuria is a risk factor for symptomatic urinary infection and septicemia among predisposed individuals such as diabetics. We investigated the pattern of asymptomatic bacteriuria...Full Text Available
In 10 cases of femoral neck fracture treated with prosthetic replacement, the preoperative sup(99m)Tc-MDP scintigraphs were investigated and then compared with each histological findings of the extracted femoral head. The appearances of the scintigraphs were classified into following 3 patterns; increased activity pattern of sup(99m)Tc-MDP uptake in the overall femoral head (type I) in 4 cases, deficient activity pattern at the lateral side correspond to weight-bearing area (type II) in 2 cases and considerably deficient activity pattern in the whole femoral head (type III) in remaining 4 cases. Histological examination of the extracted femoral heads revealed the narrow part of ischemic necrosis in type I. However type II showed extensive necrosis in the portion of deficient activity by scintigraphs and in type III, the femoral heads except articular cartilage were entirely necrotic. This classification ...
In IO cases of femoral neck fracture treated with prosthetic replacement, the preopera tive sup(99m)Tc-MDP scintigraphs were investigated and then compared with each histological findings of the extracted femoral head. The appearances of the scintigraphs were classified into following 3 patterns; increased activity pattern of sup(99m)Tc-MDP uptake in the overall femoral head (type I) in 4 cases, deficient activity pattern at the lateral side correspond to weight-bearing area (type II) in 2 cases and considerably deficient activity pattern in the whole femoral head (type III) in remaining 4 cases. Histological examination of the extracted femoral heads revealed the narrow part of ischemic necrosis in type I. However type II showed extensive necrosis in the portion of deficient activity by scintigraphs and in type III, the femoral heads except articular cartilage were entirely necrotic. This ...
The scaling of reproductive parameters to body size is important for understanding ecological and evolutionary patterns. Here, we derived allometric relationships for the number and mass of seeds, eggs...Full Text Available
Prostate biopsy is the current gold-standard procedure for prostate cancer diagnosis. Existing prostate biopsy procedures have been mostly focusing on detecting cancer presence. However, they...Full Text Available
Pattern and model makers are skilled tradespersons who may be exposed to hardwoods, softwoods, phenol-formaldehyde resin-impregnated woods, epoxy and polyester/styrene resin systems, and welding and metal-casting fumes. The relationship of respiratory symptoms (wheezing, chronic bronchitis, dyspnea) and pulmonary function (FVC% predicted, FEV1% predicted, FEV1/FVC% predicted) with interview-derived cumulative exposure estimates to specific workplace agents and to all work with wood, plastic, or metal products was investigated in 751 pattern and model makers in southeast Michigan. In stratified analyses and age- and smoking-adjusted linear and logistic regression models, measures of cumulative wood exposures were associated with decrements in pulmonary function and dyspnea, but not with other symptoms. In similar analyses, measures of cumulative plastic exposures were associated with wheezing, chronic bronchitis, and dyspnea, but not with ...
The level of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) profoundly influences essential cell behaviors such as proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and migration. The spatial and temporal pattern...Full Text Available
Brown fat is a specialized tissue that can dissipate energy and counteract obesity through a pattern of gene expression that greatly increases mitochondrial content and uncoupled respiration. PRDM16...Full Text Available
IntroductionRecent Food and Drug Administration legislation enables the mandating of product performance standards for cigarette smoke and the evaluation of manufacturers’...Full Text Available
Background. Diabetes mellitus (DM) confers high vascular risk and is a growing national epidemic. We assessed clinical characteristics and prevalence of diagnosed DM among patients...Full Text Available
... 12, 2007 | Rate It Distribution and Variety of Equatorial Rain Forest , The http://www.esd.ornl.gov/projects/qen/rainfo.html (3 votes) an in depth examination of ecological patterns in rainforests from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Added: Mar. 17, 2001 ...
BackgroundLung cancer diagnosis in tissue material with commonly used histological techniques is sometimes inconvenient and in a number of cases leads to ambiguous conclusions. Frequently...Full Text Available
time as well, due to the complex patterns of air movement taking place within cumulus clouds. ...... cumulative distribution of XPD, for rain and ice-particle induced ...... CCIR (1986f), Attenuation by Hydrometeors, In Particular ...
Minoxidil induces hair growth in male pattern baldness and prolongs the anagen phase. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been reported to act synergistically with minoxidil in vivo:...Full Text Available
Some pathological conditions with feeding pattern alterations, including obesity and Huntington disease (HD) are associated with hypothalamic dysfunction and neuronal cell death. Additionally, the hypothalamus...Full Text Available
How transcription factors interpret the cis-regulatory logic encoded within enhancers to mediate quantitative changes in spatiotemporally restricted expression patterns during animal...Full Text Available
Insulin resistance plays a central role in type 2 diabetes and obesity, which develop as a consequence of genetic and environmental factors. Dietary changes including high fat diet (HFD) feeding promotes...Full Text Available
Objective:We examine the extent to which body weight affects three types of perceived interpersonal mistreatment, and evaluate whether these patterns vary by race,...Full Text Available
Current military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced a significant number of complex injury patterns. Multiple extremity trauma and wide zones of injury mandate a flexible approach to these...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn Trinidad and Tobago, the law on the mandatory use of seat belts was passed in 1995, but this law is hardly enforced. The objective of this study was to determine the...Full Text Available
The reasons for referral to hospital of 147 babies subsequently included in the DHSS study of postneonatal infant mortality were analysed and compared with those of 104 control infants. Although similar...Full Text Available
Recent experiments have provided new quantitative measurements of the rippling phenomenon in fields of developing myxobacteria cells. These measurements have enabled us to develop a mathematical model...Full Text Available
Using a theoretical framework of social support, and content analysis, the content and pattern of support in messages posted in a 4-week period on a commercial health network for individuals concerned...Full Text Available
Theoretical prediction of nuclear masses is analyzed as a pattern recognition problem on the N-Z plane. A global pattern is observed by plotting the differences between measured masses and Liquid Drop Model (LDM) predictions. After unfolding the data by removing the smooth LDM mass contributions, the remaining microscopic effects have proved difficult to model, although they display a striking pattern. These deviations carry information related to shell closures, nuc]ear deformation and the residual nuclear interactions. In the present work the more than 2000 known nuclear masses are studied as an array in the N-Z plane viewed through a mask, behind which the approximately 7000 unknown unstable nuclei that can exist between the proton and neutron drip lines are hidden. We show here that employing a Fourier transform deconvolution method these by masses can be predicted with similar accuracy than standard methods. We believe ...
Theoretical prediction of nuclear masses is analyzed as a pattern recognition problem on the N-Z plane. A global pattern is observed by plotting the differences between measured masses and Liquid Drop Model (LDM) predictions. After unfolding the data by removing the smooth LDM mass contributions, the remaining microscopic effects have proved difficult to model, although they display a striking pattern. These deviations carry information related to shell closures, nuc]ear deformation and the residual nuclear interactions. In the present work the more than 2000 known nuclear masses are studied as an array in the N-Z plane viewed through a mask, behind which the approximately 7000 unknown unstable nuclei that can exist between the proton and neutron drip lines are hidden. We show here that employing a Fourier transform deconvolution method these by masses can be predicted with similar accuracy than standard methods. We believe ...
The effect of water stress on patterns of nitrate reductase activity in the leaves and nodules and on nitrogen fixation were investigated in Medicago sativa L. plants watered 1 week...Full Text Available
Seventy-nine Mycobacterium bovis isolates recovered from Mexican and Texas cattle were categorized into 16 and 25 distinct types on the basis of IS6110 and direct-repeat fingerprint patterns, respectively....Full Text Available
Full text: The focused ion beam (FIB) miller is becoming well established as a machine for the structural analysis of materials and for the rapid preparation of transmission electron microscope specimens. It has also been used for some time in the semiconducting materials industry for the analysis, repair and redesign of device materials. However, one emerging technique is the use of the FIB for micromachining. The FIB software can also be used to manufacture and machine components. This process can occur through converting software, typically in the form of bitmaps or TIF files, to proprietary 'stream' files. These files allow, often complex, patterns to be generated and milled into the specimen and thus the generation of micro-electromechanical systems. Frequently, this involves largely two-dimensional patterns and structures, however, more complex patterns and file types can be generated which allow, for example, device ...
Using the photopigment melanopsin, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) respond directly to light to drive circadian clock resetting and pupillary constriction. We now...Full Text Available
This article explores the effects of reimbursement and utilization control policies on utilization patterns and spending for physician and hospital outpatient services under state Medicaid programs....Full Text Available
Within the next 30 years, the proportion of urban dwellers will rise from under half to two thirds of the world’s population. Such a shift will entail massive public health consequences,...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe facial region has been the most common site of injury following violent episodes. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of maxillofacial...Full Text Available
We present a new photonic technology and demonstrate that it allows for precise immobilisation of biomolecules to sensor surfaces. The technology secures spatially controlled molecular immobilisation since immobilisation of each molecule to a support surface can be limited to the focal point of the ultraviolet (UV) beam, as small as a few micrometers. We can immobilise molecules according to any pattern, from classical microarrays to diffraction patterns creating unique watermarking safety patterns. Given that suitable protein markers exists for all relevant diseases it is entirely feasible to test for a range of disease indicators (antigens and other markers) in a single test. Few micrometer spotsize allows for a virtually unlimited number of protein spots in a multipotent microarray. This new technology produces radically new photonics based microarray sensing technology and watermarking and has clear potential for ...
Oryza sativa or Asian cultivated rice is one of the major cereal grass species domesticated for human food use during the Neolithic. Domestication of this species from the wild grass...Full Text Available
Laser-assisted processing techniques for producing high-quality solar cell metallization patterns are being investigated, developed, and characterized. The tasks comprising these investigations are outlined.
The aim of the present study was to identify specific behavioral patterns that contribute to diminished estrus expression in lame cows. Behavioral scan and focal sampling were used to examine...Full Text Available
BackgroundClinical studies suggest that local wall shear stress (WSS) patterns modulate the site and the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)...Full Text Available
Empirical treatment is best guided by current surveillance of local resistance patterns. The goal of this study is to characterize the prevalence of antimicrobial nonsusceptibility within pneumococcal...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe zinc-finger transcription factor GLI3 is an important mediator of Sonic hedgehog signaling and crucial for patterning of many aspects of the vertebrate body plan. In...Full Text Available
Physical activity and sedentary behavior are central components of lifetime weight control; however, our understanding of dimensions of these behaviors in childhood is limited. This study investigated...Full Text Available
Background and AimsVariation in mating patterns may be particularly evident in colonizing species because they commonly experience wide variation in plant density. Here, the role...Full Text Available
The electrokinetic patterns of four bacterial species (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Agrobacterium radiobacter), two yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida...Full Text Available
This work reports the design of and experimentation with a topographically patterned cell culture substrate of variable local density and anisotropy as a facile and efficient platform to guide...Full Text Available
Understanding the mechanisms by which climate and predation patterns by top predators co-vary to affect community structure accrues added importance as humans exert growing influence over both climate...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) is the causative agent of the human disease melioidosis. To understand the evolutionary mechanisms...Full Text Available
BackgroundDeveloping lepidopteran microsatellite DNA markers can be problematical, as markers often exhibit multiple banding patterns and high frequencies of non-amplifying "null"...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe decline noticed in several fertility traits of dairy cattle over the past few decades is of major concern. Understanding of the genomic factors underlying fertility,...Full Text Available
Quantitative probing of heterogeneous regions in muscle is feasible with phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy because of the differentiation of metabolic patterns of glycolytic and oxidative...Full Text Available
BackgroundConcerted evolution refers to the pattern in which copies of multigene families show high intraspecific sequence homogeneity but high interspecific sequence diversity....Full Text Available
We classified microorganisms from the clinical laboratory by using information provided by the Gram stain and antibiotic sensitivity profiles obtained with the Bauer-Kirby technique. Approximately 4,000...Full Text Available
An electroencephalogram (EEG) signal is extremely nonstationary, highly composite and very complex, all of which reflects the underlying integral neurodynamics. Understanding the EEG “grammar”,...Full Text Available
BackgroundCells dynamically adapt their gene expression patterns in response to various stimuli. This response is orchestrated into a number of gene expression modules consisting...Full Text Available
This paper proposes a new pattern recognition system employing optical joint transform correlation (JTC) technique which offers a great number of advantages over similar digital techniques, including very fast operation, simple architecture and capability of updating the reference image in real time. The proposed JTC technique incorporates a synthetic discriminant function (SDF) of the target image estimated from different training images to make the pattern recognition performance invariant to noise and distortion. It then involves four different phase-shifted versions of the same target SDF reference image, which are individually joint transform correlated with the given input scene. When the correlation signals are combined, it produces a single cross-correlation peak corresponding to each potential target present in the given input scene. The proposed technique also includes a fringe-adjusted filter to generate a delta-like correlation peak ...
Retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I) is a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) responsible for detection of nucleic acids from pathogens in the cytoplasm of infected cells and induction of type I interferon...Full Text Available
BackgroundDiet is considered an important factor for bone health, but is composed of a wide variety of foods containing complex combinations of nutrients. Therefore we investigated...Full Text Available
We study how the microscale topography of a solid surface affects the apparent advancing and receding angles at the contact line of a liquid drop pinned to this surface. Photolithographic methods...Full Text Available
BackgroundObesity is a major public health threat and policies aimed at curbing this epidemic are emerging. National calorie labeling legislation is forthcoming and requires rigorous...Full Text Available
Metazoan development requires complex mechanisms to generate cells with diverse function. Alternative splicing of pre-mRNA not only expands proteomic diversity but also provides a means to regulate...Full Text Available
BackgroundMammalian antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are effectors of the innate immune response. A multitude of signals coming from pathways of mammalian pathogen/pattern recognition...Full Text Available
Several phenomena in animal learning seem to call for evolutionary explanations, such as patterns of what animals learn and do not learn. While several models consider how evolution should influence...Full Text Available
The common factor that underlies several types of functional brain imaging is the electric current of masses of dendrites. The prodigious demands for the energy that is required to drive the...Full Text Available
Various measurement tools that are used in chaos theory were applied to analyze two-phase pressure signals with the objective of identifying and interpreting flow pattern transitions for two-phase flows in a small, horizontal rectangular channel. These me...
Delineating the differential effects of anxiety versus depression on patterns of information processing has proved challenging. The tripartite model of mood disorders (Clark...Full Text Available
An investigation was carried out to determine the effectiveness of Nomex summer flying coveralls printed with a camouflage pattern as compared with the standard plain olive green coveralls. Laboratory tests indicated that camouflage printing of staple Nom...
We describe a camera to record coherent scattering patterns with a soft-x-ray free-electron laser (FEL). The camera consists of a laterally graded multilayer mirror, which reflects the diffraction pattern onto a CCD detector. The mirror acts as a bandpass filter for both the wavelength and the angle, which isolates the desired scattering pattern from nonsample scattering or incoherent emission from the sample. The mirror also solves the particular problem of the extreme intensity of the FEL pulses, which are focused to greater than 10"1"4 W/cm"2. The strong undiffracted pulse passes through a hole in the mirror and propagates onto a beam dump at a distance behind the instrument rather than interacting with a beam stop placed near the CCD. The camera concept is extendable for the full range of the fundamental wavelength of the free electron laser in Hamburg (FLASH) FEL (i.e., between 6 and 60 nm) and into the water window. ...
The diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT) in several patterns of thoracic and abdominal fatty masses, has been examined. In selected cases our findings overlap the features of the recent literature. The possibility of surgical therapy in peculiar cases of adipose deposits, commonly esteemed benign, is considered.
Backgroundoscillatory activity, which can be separated in background and oscillatory burst pattern activities, is supposed to be representative of local synchronies of neural assemblies....Full Text Available
BackgroundBallet Dancers have been shown to have a relatively high incidence of stress fractures of the foot and ankle. It was our objective to examine MR imaging patterns of bone...Full Text Available
BackgroundHigh intake of sugar-sweetened beverages in childhood is linked to increased risk of obesity and type II diabetes later in life. Using three nationally representative surveys...Full Text Available
The antibiotic resistance patterns of gram-negative fecal bacteria from pigs in three herds with different histories of antibiotic exposure were examined. In general, smaller proportions of antibiotic-resistant...Full Text Available
ContextWhile opioids are increasingly used for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), we know little about opioid dosing patterns among individuals with CNCP in usual care...Full Text Available
Gun barrel vibrations lead to dispersion in the shot patterns. Thus, reducing these vibrations should lead to increased accuracy. Since the muzzle is the anti-node for all vibration modes and its vibrations have the greatest effect on shot dispersion, it ...
BackgroundPregnancies complicated by abnormal umbilical artery Doppler blood flow patterns often result in the baby being born both preterm and growth-restricted. These babies are...Full Text Available
With the increase in multi-cultural families, Korea is seeing a rapid increase in immigrated housewives, who are closely related to food culture. However, studies for the diet of multi-cultural families,...Full Text Available
A hitherto unreported immunofluorescent staining pattern obtained from human sera is described. Serum from six patients was found to possess specific antibody activity against lining cells of loops...Full Text Available
BackgroundSearching for approximate patterns in large promoter sequences frequently produces an exceedingly high numbers of results. Our aim was to exploit biological knowledge for...Full Text Available
Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd) is a widely studied model system from which fundamental insights into cell movement, chemotaxis, aggregation and pattern formation can be gained. In this system aggregation...Full Text Available
The previously unknown property of the optical speckle pattern reported. The interference of a speckle with the counterpropagating phase-conjugated (PC) speckle wave produces a randomly distributed ensemble of a twisted entities (ropes) surrounding optical vortex lines. These entities appear in a wide range of a randomly chosen speckle parameters inside the phase-conjugating mirrors regardless to an internal physical mechanism of the wave-front reversal. These numerically generated interference patterns are relevant to the Brillouin PC mirrors and to a four-wave mixing PC mirrors based upon laser trapped ultracold atomic cloud.
The language used by chronic benign pain patients to characterize their pain complaint was analyzed to determine the best predictor of psychiatric disturbance. Using the 78 adjectives provided by the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the number of affective descriptors used was the best predictor of psychiatric disturbance. Addition of sensory descriptors either to augment the total number of descriptors used (magnitude) or as a pattern of sensory greater than affective or sensory less than affective failed to increase predictive strength. PMID:6877847
The absorption, emission and magnetic circular dichroism spectra of the anionic complex (Cp_3Pr. NCS)"- were measured at room and low temperatures. On the basis of these spectra the electronic structure in the f-f range could be derived. The parameters of an empirical Hamiltonian were fitted to the experimentally determined crystal field splitting pattern. Compared with the previously examined neutral Cp_3 Pr.X complexes the quadratic crystal field parameter B_0"2 is considerably reduced.
The determinants of the velocity of money have been examined based on life-cycle hypothesis. The velocity of money can be expressed by reciprocal of the average value of holding time which is defined as interval between participating exchanges for one unit of money. This expression indicates that the velocity is governed by behavior patterns of economic agents and open a way to constructing micro-foundation of it. It is found that time pattern of income and expense for a representative individual can be obtained from a simple version of life-cycle model, and average holding time of money resulted from the individual's optimal choice depends on the expected length of relevant planning periods.
Abstract Reticulate pattern is one of the most important dermatological signs of a pathological process involving the superficial vascular networks. Vascular malformations, such as cutis marmorata congenita telangiectasia and benign forms of livedo reticularis, and sinister conditions, such as meningococcal meningitis or Sneddon's syndrome, can all present with a reticulate pattern. The clinical presentation and morphology is determined by the nature and extent of the underlying pathology and the involvement of a particular vascular network. This review has been divided into four instalments. In the present paper, we discuss the anatomy and physiology of the complex network of vascular structures that support the function of the skin and subcutis.
As contamination flashover is in Mexico the second cause of transmission line faults, the Mexican Electrical Research Institute carried out a project to determine pollution patterns for the Republic of Mexico to be used for the design of external insulation. Results from the project are presented: the modelling, based on the field data of 23 experimental sites, of long term variations of pollution patterns as a function of environmental variables, insulator shape and position, as well as other important field results. 32 refs, 2 figs, 4 tabs
Thirty-two patients with AIDS related complex (ARC) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) underwent /sup 67/Ga scans as part of their evaluation. Three patterns of /sup 67/Ga biodistribution were found: lymph node uptake alone; diffuse pulmonary uptake; normal scan. Gallium-67 scans were useful in identifying clinically occult Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in seven of 15 patients with ARC who were asymptomatic and had normal chest radiographs. Gallium scans are a useful ancillary procedure in the evaluation of patients with ARC or AIDS.
This guide is applied for the reload pattern's formation for mirror symmetry of a core room and in accordance with the Control Cell core technique (of the english Control Cell Core - CCC) for the PRESTO-B code. (Author)
This reports is a literature survey on models and correlations for determining flow pattern that are used to simulate thermal-hydraulics in nuclear reactors. Determination of flow patterns are a basis for obtaining physical values of wall/interfacial friction, wall/interfacial heat transfer, and droplet entrainment/de-entrainment. Not only existing system codes, such as RELAP5-3D, TRAC-M, MARS, TRACE, CATHARE) but also up-to-date researches were reviewed to find models and correlations
A simple closed-form equation to calculate the envelope correlation between any two receiver or transmitter antennas in a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) system of an arbitrary number of elements is derived. The equation uses the scattering parameters obtained at the antenna feed point to calculate the envelope correlation coefficient. This approach has the advantage that it does not require knowledge of the antenna radiation pattern. Numerical data that include conductor and permittivity loss are shown to validate the approach. Using the scattering parameters for calculating the envelope correlation is less laborious and relatively cheaper, as compared to the radiation pattern approach.
A novel way to extract relevant parameters associated with the outgoing ions from nuclear reactions, obtained by digitizing the signals provided by a Bragg curve spectrometer (BCS) is presented. This allowed the implementation of a more thorough pulse-shape analysis. Due to the complexity of this task, it was required to take advantage of new and more powerful computational paradigms. This was fulfilled using a back-propagation artificial neural network (ANN) as a pattern identifier. Over training of ANNs is a common problem during the training stage. In the performance of the ANN there is a compromise between its size and the size of the training set. Here, this effect will be illustrated in relation to the problem of Bragg Curve (BC) identification. (Author)
Drawing on work in epistemology and the philosophy of science, this paper seeks to provide very general reasons for why a comparative perspective needs to be applied to the inferential procedures of research methodologies where these concern the issue of justifying knowledge claims. In particular, the paper explores the role of culture on a number of important patterns of reasoning that figure in inferential arguments in research methodologies. The patterns examined are induction, both enumerative and analytical, hypothetico-deductive reasoning, and abductive inference. In each case it is argued that substantive theories about the world, including cultures, significantly affect inferential procedures. Examples chosen to illustrate this in more detail mostly reflect the impact of Confucian ...
Visualizations by real-time neutron radiography are demonstrated of various flow patterns of nitrogen gas-water two-phase flow in a stainless-steel tube, water inverted annular flow in a stainless-steel tube, flashing flow in an aluminium nozzle and fluidized bed in aluminium tube and vessels. Photographs every 1/60 s are presented by an image processing method to show the dynamic behaviours of the various flow patterns. It is shown that this visualization method can be applied efficiently to multiphase flow researches and will be applicable to multiphase flows in industrial machines. (author).
Visualizations by real-time neutron radiography are demonstrated of various flow patterns of nitrogen gas-water two-phase flow in a stainless-steel tube, water inverted annular flow in a stainless-steel tube, flashing flow in an aluminium nozzle and fluidized bed in aluminium tube and vessels. Photographs every 1/60 s are presented by an image processing method to show the dynamic behaviours of the various flow patterns. It is shown that this visualization method can be applied efficiently to multiphase flow researches and will be applicable to multiphase flows in industrial machines. (author).
Daily intakes of certain trace elements (Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Cr) were assessed using dietary history and weighed record methods and concurrent chemical analysis (CA) of duplicate portions, along with blood levels, in a group (21 M, 23 F) of inhabitants of the Gubbio area (Belvedere, Biscina Scritto). The evaluation of only intake of trace elements was accomplished in 40 subjects (20 M, 20 F) 1 year later. In both surveys, trace element intakes were generally lower than the potential tolerable weekly intake. However, daily intakes of Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Cr were higher in men compared to women in both surveys (P<0.05). In fact, intakes at the 50th percentile were greater in men by approximately 75% for Pb, 91% for Cd, 20% for Ni, 45% fo Hg, and 29% for Cr in the first survey. In the second survey, percentage differences for Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr were about 12%, 28%, 26%, and 26%, respectively. Blood trace element levels were slightly higher in ...
Background: In the German CESS-studies, Ewing's sarcoma patients with pulmonary metastases at diagnosis were considered as candidates for additional bilateral lung irradiation. We have retrospectively analyzed the impact of radiotherapy on survival. Material and methods: Out of 42 patients presenting with pulmonary metastases of Ewing's sarcoma between 1981 and June 1992, 30 were evaluable. One patient died of progressive disease prior to lung irradiation. The other patients had a complete radiographic remission either after chemotherapy (n=25) or chemotherapy plus resection of lung metastases (n=4). 22 patients received bilateral lung irradiation with doses of 12 to 21 Gy (once daily 1.5 Gy or twice daily 1.25 Gy), six had no further treatment and one had bone marrow transplantation for consolidation. Results: Ten patients are in complete remission, nine of them had received lung irradiation and one had a complete resection of three lung ...
Due to a leakage from a 12-inch pressurized diesel steel pipe four years ago, an area of approximately 30,000 square meters was contaminated. A pilot study applying the technology of in-situ enhanced bioremediation was conducted. In the study, a field test kit and on-site monitoring equipment were applied for site characterization and treatment verification. Physically, the enhanced bioremediation study consisted of an air extraction and air supply system, and a nutrition supply network. Certain consistent sampling methodology was employed. Progress was verified by daily monitoring and monthly verification. The objective of this study was to evaluate the capabilities of indigenous microorganisms to biodegrade the petroleum hydrocarbons with provision of oxygen and nutrients. Nine extraction wells and eight air sparging wells were installed. The air sparging wells injected the air into geoformation and the extraction wells provided the underground air circulation. ...
Currently daily quality control (QC) tests for mammography systems are generally evaluated by using visual analysis phantoms, which of course means subjective measurement. In our study, however, we evaluated a novel digital phantom, the 1Shot Phantom M plus (1Shot Phantom), together with automatic analysis software dedicated for mammography systems using Fuji computed radiography (FCR). The digital phantom enables objective evaluation by providing for actual physical measurement rather than subjective visual assessment. We measured contrast to noise ratio (CNR), image receptor homogeneity, missed tissue at chest wall side, modulation transfer function (MTF), and geometric distortion utilizing the 1Shot Phantom. We then compared the values obtained using the 1Shot Phantom with values obtained from the European guidelines and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. In addition, we evaluated the convenience of using the digital phantom. The values ...
In the green building of Shanghai Research Institute of Building Science, the evacuated tubular solar collectors with a total area of 150 m{sup 2} were installed to provide heating for the covered area of 460 m{sup 2}. The floor heating coil pipes were made of high-quality pure copper with the dimension of {phi} 12 x 0.7 mm. Under typical weather condition of Shanghai, the average heating capacity was 25.04 kW during the working hours from 9:00 to 17:00, which was sufficient to keep indoor thermal environment. The average electric COP of the floor heating system was 19.76 during the system operation. Compared with the widely used air-source heat pump heating systems with the electric COP of 3.5 in Shanghai, the solar-powered floor heating system shows great potential in energy conservation in winter. With respect to the whole heating period, the solar fraction was 56%. According to the performance analysis of the system with ambient parameters, it was observed that the system ...
Two-phase flow patterns and frictional pressure gradients in flow in small, rectangular channels are being studies as part of a larger research program addressing phase-change heat transfer of pure refrigerants and refrigerant mixtures in plate-fin heat exchangers. Small rectangular flow channels were selected as representative of plain fin geometries. The particular channel reported herein has dimensions of 19.05 {times} 3.18 mm. Adiabatic flows of air/water mixtures, with the flow channel horizontal and the channel exit at near-atmospheric conditions, were utilized in the experiments. Analysis and interpretation of the pressure data relative to observed flow pattern transitions led to an objective method for determining the plug/bubble-to-slug flow transition. This method, together with visual observations, supplemented with photographic data, was used to develop a flow pattern man. A comparison of existing flow ...
Research over a three year time span involved the study of multiphase flow useful to understanding the scaleup of coal liquefaction reactors. We attempted to establish the flow patterns and their boundaries in which a direct coal liquefaction, large diameter, bubble column operates. A flow map has been proposed in which coal slurry properties can be input to determine the flow pattern boundaries at reactor operating conditions. Gas holdup and bubble diameters have been measured under different conditions of gas and liquid flow rate. These have been used to determine interfacial area in bubble columns. An equation for the estimation of interfacial area in the bubble-slug flow pattern has been proposed. It has also been established that gas holdup and thus interfacial area depends strongly on the gas distribution in the column. Porous plate gas distributors can yield gas holdups twice as large as sieve plate distributors. ...
To assess the contribution of adrenal-derived androgens in women with hirsutism, adrenal scintigrams under dexamethasone suppression (DS) were performed on 35 women with increasing facial or body hair and irregular or absent menses. Based upon the DS regimen chosen (8 mg/d for 2 days or 4 md/d for 7 days before the injection of 6..beta..-(/sup 131/I)iodomethylnorcholesterol), three imaging patterns were identified. The first was the absence of uptake before 3 days (8-mg DS) or before 5 days (4-mg DS) after injection. This imaging pattern was seen in 17 of the 35 patients studied and was considered normal. The second pattern was bilateral uptake earlier than 3 days (8-mg DS regimen) or 5 days (4-mg DS) after injection. This was seen in 13 of the 35 patients and was interpreted as bilateral early visualization. Adrenal-vein catheterization performed on six patients with this pattern showed increased ...
One of ENEA's many activities consists in dealing with the analysis of information strategies. In this case the analysis concerns an environmental issue, the ozone hole which, in spite of the consideration given by the media, is not sufficiently highlighted, as well as in the case of climate changes issue. A survey of the coverage of four daily newspapers was realized; the time period covered by the analysis spans form January 1996 to December 1997, 77 articles in total. The newspapers involved are: La Repubblica, Il Corriere della Sera, L'Unita' on a national scale, and Il Resto del Carlino on a regional scale. The number of articles analyzed is divided as follows: 26 for the Repubblica, 24 for the Corriere della Sera, 21 for the Unita', 6 for the Resto del Carlino. The purpose of the work was to detect quality and quantity indicators of the Italian press about the ozone hole issue and possible environmental risks conveyed to ...
This study presents three-dimensional simulation results of multispecies and multi-reaction electrorefining for spent nuclear waste treatment. Fluid-dynamic behavior of electrorefining is analyzed by commercial computational fluid-dynamics code. The results of local fluid dynamics are coupled with one-dimensional electrochemical reaction analysis code in order to predict local current density distribution. The new approach shows current distribution patterns over the cathode surface in LiCl-KCl molten-salt electrolyte. The current density distribution patterns are analyzed for various electrode rotational speeds and diverse applied currents and the results show a good agreement with general principle of mass transfer observations. Spatially periodic and vertically striped pattern of current density is predicted at the cathode side due to mass transfer depression at separation points. These slow mass transfer regions are ...
The topic of supervised learning within the conceptual framework of artificial neural network (ANN) models is addressed. An ANN is a parallel distributed processing system that consists of many computationally simple processing elements interconnected through uni-directional weighted connections. Such networks, which are roughly patterned after biological nervous systems, have been proposed for use in areas in which the traditional von Neumann computer architecture has been relatively unsuccessful. Learning in these networks is accomplished through the use of algorithms that adjust the values of the connection weights. The work presented here addresses the issue of improving the rate at which ANNs can learn to achieve the mapping of an input pattern to a desired output pattern. The most successful learning algorithms for accomplishing this task are based on gradient descent error minimization techniques. However, the large ...
Advances in technology are widely regarded as major sources of improvements in the competitive positions of firms and industries as well as of increases in national economic growth rates and standards of living. Because the benefits of such advances obviously depend on the extent to which they are utilized, considerable research has been focused on the diffusion of technological innovations. Most of these studies have sought to measure the dimensions of technological diffusion and to explain differences in diffusion patterns among innovations, industries, and nations as well as changes in such patterns over time. However, the most valuable contributions made so far have been to reveal the need for more-penetrating concepts, better measures, more-comprehensive analytical frameworks, and wider samplings of the variegated phenomena to be encompassed. Shortcomings in the theoretical work have seldom been directly harmful to industrial managements ...
With the aim of studying the magnetic properties of reduced-dimensionality magnetic systems we have patterned 250 nm- and 500 nm-size square elements on Fe/NiO layers by 30 keV Ga{sup +} focused ion beam (FIB) milling, varying beam current and pixel dwell time. By high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis we found that island size decreases from the nominal value by increasing the beam current and features sharpness improves on increasing the dwell time. The top surface of the isolated features has a pronounced edge bending which may be as high as 9 nm with respect to the flat inner area of the island and decreases as dwell time grows. By varying the ion fluence we found that such a shape is related to a surface swelling effect occurring at low ion fluence in the irradiated areas. The swelling-related damage at the edges is expected to influence the magnetic properties of the patterned ...
With the aim of studying the magnetic properties of reduced-dimensionality magnetic systems we have patterned 250 nm- and 500 nm-size square elements on Fe/NiO layers by 30 keV Ga"+ focused ion beam (FIB) milling, varying beam current and pixel dwell time. By high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis we found that island size decreases from the nominal value by increasing the beam current and features sharpness improves on increasing the dwell time. The top surface of the isolated features has a pronounced edge bending which may be as high as 9 nm with respect to the flat inner area of the island and decreases as dwell time grows. By varying the ion fluence we found that such a shape is related to a surface swelling effect occurring at low ion fluence in the irradiated areas. The swelling-related damage at the edges is expected to influence the magnetic properties of the patterned ...
A new rapid solidification process machine will be able to produce eight-inch diameter by six-inch thick finished cavities at the rate of one per hour - a rate that will change the tooling industry dramatically. Global Metal Technologies, Inc. (GMTI) (Solon, OH) has signed an exclusive license with Idaho National Engineered and Environmental Laboratories (INEEL) (Idaho Falls, ID) for the development and commercialization of the rapid solidification process (RSP tooling). The first production machine is scheduled for delivery in July 2001. The RSP tooling process is a method of producing production level tooling in prototype timing. The process' inventor, Kevin McHugh, describes it as a rapid solidification method, which differentiates it from the standard spray forming methods. RSP itself is relatively straightforward. Molten metal is sprayed against the ceramic pattern, replicating the pattern's contours, surface texture and ...
Ultra-high resolution radiographs can be obtained using synchrotron X-rays. A collaboration team consisting of K-JIST, POSTECH and YUMC has recently commissioned a new beamline (5C1) at Pohang Light Source (PLS) in Korea for medical applications using phase contrast radiology. Relatively simple image acquisition systems were set up on 5C1 beamline, and imaging studies were performed for resolution test patterns, mammographic phantom, and animals. Resolution test patterns and mammographic phantom images showed much better image resolution and quality with the 5C1 imaging system than the mammography system. Both fish and mouse images with 5C1 imaging system also showed much better image resolution with great details of organs and anatomy compared to those obtained with a conventional mammography system. A simple and inexpensive ultra-high resolution imaging system on 5C1 beamline was successfully implemented. The authors were able to acquire ...
The study of natural convection flow and heat transfer within a cylindrical annulus has received considerable attention because of its numerous applications, such as in nuclear reactor design, electronic component cooling, thermal storage systems, energy conservation, energy storage, and energy transmission. Here, the effects of multiple geometric perturbations on the inner and outer cylinders of an annulus with impermeable end walls are investigated in this work. A three-dimensional study was done using a numerical scheme based on a Galerkin method of finite element formulation. The nature of the buoyancy-induced flow field has been analyzed in detail. The flow fields for the cases considered were found to be qualitatively similar, and the introduction of each additional perturbation altered the flow field in a regular and recurring manner. The introduction of each perturbation on the outer cylinder causes clockwise and counterclock-wise rotating patterns on ...
The study of natural convection flow and heat transfer within a cylindrical annulus has received considerable attention because of its numerous applications, such as in nuclear reactor design, electronic component cooling, thermal storage systems, energy conservation, energy storage, and energy transmission. Here, the effects of multiple geometric perturbations on the inner and outer cylinders of an annulus with impermeable end walls are investigated in this work. A three-dimensional study was done using a numerical scheme based on a Galerkin method of finite element formulation. The nature of the buoyancy-induced flow field has been analyzed in detail. The flow fields for the cases considered were found to be qualitatively similar, and the introduction of each additional perturbation altered the flow field in a regular and recurring manner. The introduction of each perturbation on the outer cylinder causes clockwise and counterclock-wise rotating patterns on ...
The multidimensional countercurrent two-phase flow regimes that occur in a pressurized-water reactor (PWR) vessel downcomer during the refill phase of a large-break loss-of-coolant accident are studied using a transparent 1/10 scale model of a PWR vessel. The various flow regimes and their distribution in the downcomer have been identified and mapped for a range of air-water flooding experiments. The two-phase flow patterns that are identified in the downcomer included various types of film flows, droplet flows, countercurrent churn flows and cocurrent flows depending on the flooding condition. Through observation of the two-phase flow dynamics it was deduced that the physical mechanisms associated with the flooding processes could be separated into a liquid entrainment process and a film flow reversal process. In addition to the above exercise, the effect of non-uniform injection of water into the downcomer via different combinations of cold leg was studied ...
The multidimensional countercurrent two-phase flow regimes that occur in a pressurized-water reactor (PWR) vessel downcomer during the refill phase of a large-break loss-of-coolant accident are studied using a transparent 1/10 scale model of a PWR vessel. The various flow regimes and their distribution in the downcomer have been identified and mapped for a range of air-water flooding experiments. The two-phase flow patterns that are identified in the downcomer included various types of film flows, droplet flows, countercurrent churn flows and cocurrent flows depending on the flooding condition. Through observation of the two-phase flow dynamics it was deduced that the physical mechanisms associated with the flooding processes could be separated into a liquid entrainment process and a film flow reversal process. In addition to the above exercise, the effect of non-uniform injection of water into the downcomer via different combinations of cold leg was studied ...
The identification of crystallographic phases in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) has been limited by the lack of a simple way to obtain electron diffraction data of an unknown while observing the micro structure of the specimen. With the development of Charge Coupled Device (CCD) based detectors, backscattered electron Kikuchi patterns (BEKP), alternately referred to as electron backscattered diffraction patterns (EBSP), can be easily collected. Previously, BEKP has been limited to crystallographic orientation studies due to the poor pattern quality collected with video rate detector systems. With CCD detectors, a typical BEKP can now be acquired from a micron or sub-micron-sized crystal using an exposure time of 1-10 seconds with an accelerating voltage of 10-40 kV and a beam current as low as 0.1 nA. Crystallographic phase analysis using BEKP is unique in that the properly equipped SEM permits high magnification ...
Introduces three designs of development working protection recommended for immediate roof, basic roof and a coal seam of 1.5-2 m, 2.5-4 m and 0.7-1.1 m thickness respectively. The first design of roof control includes a dummy road with breaker props (cutting-off support) and pack, and reinforced concrete props. The second pattern comprises a breaking gate, two rows of cutting-off timber support, up to 10 m long pack and wood chocks. According to the third pattern a breaking road was executed 5.7-6 m away from the face end with breaker props at both its sides. Two rows of pack chocks were added to the dip. Advantages and drawbacks of the three patterns are pointed out. Stress distribution in rock is shown. Position of roof and support before and after roof settling is shown. The cost of the three methods is analyzed. Recommendations useful in application of the method are provided.
Purpose of this item is to report the CT patterns of pancreatic mesenchymal lesions and to investigate the capabilities and limitations of this technique in terms of characterization. In selected cases, CT can provide virtually diagnostic information (lipoma and teratoma), or at least highly suggestive findings (NHL, plexiform neurofibroma, lymphangioma). Moreover, knowledge of the variable morphostructural patterns of mesenchymal hisototypes (SCH, Sarcoma etc.) permits to include them in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic masses. [Italian] Scopo di questo rapporto e' descrivere gli aspetti semeiologici dei tumori mesenchimali del pancreas con la TC verificandone le possibilita e i limiti per la caratterizzazione. Pur nella rarita' dei reperti considerati, la TC puo' consentire l'effettiva caratterizzazione in alcuni casi (lipoma, neurofibroma plessiforme, linfangioma) o includere anche istotipi meno ...
Previously we have used atomic force anodisation lithography, with a self-assembled monolayer of hexadecyltrichlorosilane as a resist, to pattern silicon oxide nanostructures onto a p-type silicon (1 0 0) substrate. A condensation reaction was used to immobilise carbon nanotubes with high carboxylic acid functionality directly to the silicon oxide. A further condensation reaction using this surface attached the molecule ferrocenemethanol to the bound nanotubes. These new nanostructures were used as electrodes to observe the oxidation and reduction of ferrocene. However, because the small currents measured are near the detection limits of the electrochemical system used, important electrode kinetics could not to be obtained. A scribing approach made larger regions of oxidised silicon leading to the creation of larger scale patterned arrangements of carbon nanotubes allowing measurement of important electrochemical parameters such as electrode ...
For direct writing of electrically conducting connections and areas into insulating gold oxide thin films a scanning Ar"+ laser beam and a 30 keV Ga"+ focused ion beam (FIB) have been used. The gold oxide films are prepared by magnetron sputtering under argon/oxygen plasma. The patterning of larger areas (dimension 10-100 #mu#m) has been carried out with the laser beam by local heating of the selected area above the decomposition temperature of AuO_x(130-150 C). For smaller dimensions (100 nm to 10 #mu#m) the FIB irradiation could be used. With both complementary methods a reduction of the sheet resistance by 6-7 orders of magnitude has been achieved in the irradiated regions (e.g. with FIB irradiation from 1.5 x 10"7#OMEGA#/#square# to approximately 6 #OMEGA#/#square#). The energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) show a considerably reduced oxygen content in the irradiated areas, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as atomic force microscopy (AFM) ...
Two-phase pressure drop and fluctuating static pressures were measured in a small horizontal rectangular channel (hydraulic diameter = 5.44 mm). The two-phase fluid was an air/water mixture at atmospheric pressure tested over a mass flux range of 50 to 2,000 kg/m[sup 2] [center dot] s. Two-phase flow patterns were identified and an objective method was found for determining the flow pattern transition from bubble or plug flow to slug flow. The method is based on an RMS static pressure measurement. In particular, it is shown that the transition is accompanied by a clear and abrupt increase in the RMS pressure when plotted as a function of mass quality. Use of the RMS pressure as a two-phase flow pattern transition indicator is shown to have advantages over pressure-versus-time trace evaluations reported in the literature. The transition is substantiated by a clear local change in slope in the curve of two-phase pressure drop ...
The circulation in microvascularized rib grafts has been compared with that in conventional rib grafts and in those augmented by a direct vascular bundle implantation into the bone grafts. A new experimental model has been designed to correlate vascular perfusion, bone scan patterns, tetracycline labeling, and histological findings in these bone grafts. Posterior microvascularized rib grafts were found to have a circulatory pattern identical to that of the normal rib. Failed microvascularized rib grafts were revascularized more slowly than conventional rib grafts. Vascular bundles implanted into rib grafts remained patent and increased the rate of revascularization. The stripping or preservation of periosteum had no observable effects on the rate or pattern of conventional rib graft revascularization. The circulation in rib grafts was accurately reflected in technetium 99 bone scans, as was the patency of the anastomoses of ...
Micropatterned surfaces with different chemical topographies were synthesised in order to investigate the influence of surface chemistry and topography on cell behaviour. The microstructured materials were synthesised by photoimmobilising natural Hyaluronan (Hyal) and its sulphated derivative (HyalS), both adequately functionalised with a photorective moiety, on glass substrates. Four different grating patterns (10, 25, 50 and 100 {mu}m) were used to pattern the hyaluronan. The micropatterned samples were analysed by Secondary Ions Mass Spectrometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy to investigate the chemistry and the topography of the surfaces. The spectroscopic and microscopic analysis of the microstructured surfaces revealed that the photoimmobilisation process was successful, demonstrating that the photomask patterns were well reproduced on the sample surface. The influence of chemical ...
The forest products industry is the third largest economic sector in Alberta, producing pulp and paper, dimensional lumber, paneling, and value added products, providing some 40,000 jobs . 'Value added' is a key component of expanding economic activity within the forest products sector. Wood residues can play a key role in obtaining more value from forest resources by providing new products, serving as feedstock to energy and chemical production, and playing a role in agriculture and land reclamation. One of the principal roles of the Forest Products Development Branch of the Alberta Economics Department is to encourage the development of the industry by creating new uses for these materials and developing awareness of the scope of the resource. Distances to markets, economic competition from conventional energy sources and coordination of research efforts are substantial barriers to further development that the Forest Products Development Branch has to face ...
Previous studies have found that classrooms are often inadequately ventilated, with the resultant increased risk of negative impacts on the pupils. This paper describes a series of field measurements that investigated the indoor air quality, thermal comfort and acoustic performance of nine recently built secondary schools in England. The most significant conclusion is that the complex interaction between ventilation, thermal comfort and acoustics presents considerable challenges for designers. The study showed that while the acoustic standards are demanding it was possible to achieve natural ventilation designs that met the criteria for indoor ambient noise levels when external noise levels were not excessive. Most classrooms in the sample met the requirement of limiting the daily average CO{sub 2} concentration to below 1500 ppm but just a few met the need to readily provide 8 l/s per person of fresh air under the easy control of the occupants. It would seem that ...
The performance of a group of reference laboratories measuring lead in blood, has been monitored by an intensive external quality assessment programme, since 1974. Performance was similar to that observed in other, larger quality control surveys but rapidly improved following detailed investigations of critical factors in the analytical methodology. The introduction of a rigorous internal quality control protocol, with all laboratories using the same well-characterised materials, has produced external quality control results that are both accurate and very tightly distributed. Between-laboratory coefficients of variation of less than 5%, less than 6% and less than 20% are now obtained at concentrations of over 1.0 ..mu..mol/l (20.7 ..mu..g/dl), 0.5-1.0 ..mu..mol/l (10-20 ..mu..g/dl) and less than 0.5 ..mu..mol/l (10 ..mu..g/dl), respectively. These results represent the best that can be achieved by current methodology and instrumentation in regular, daily use.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common problem in the female population. Women with diabetes mellitus are possibly at a higher risk. The usual medical therapy for UTI is antibiotic treatment. The aim of this study is to explore strategies employed by diabetic women for prevention and self-treatment of UTI. Forty-two women with diabetes mellitus who had experienced at least one episode of UTI in the last six months were included. Data collection included background information, questions about prevention and self-treatment strategies and a clinical examination to measure maximal urine flow, residual urine, a blood test evaluating diabetic control (HbA1c) and a urine test strip for determination of glucose, leucocytes, nitrite, blood, protein and pH. Thirty-five participants (83.3%) reported changes in daily routines like 'always keeping warm', 'increased fluid intake', 'good personal hygiene' as prevention strategies. Different herb and plant extracts were used ...
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) have been shown to stimulate bone resorption in vitro. We have now investigated whether these cytokines also cause a similar action when administered in vivo. This was made possible by the adaptation of a newly developed technique that enables the continual assessment of bone resorption in vivo in mice by measuring urinary excretion of {sup 3}H from ({sup 3}H)tetracycline-prelabeled animals. Experiments using maneuvers known to influence bone resorption, such as a change in dietary calcium or administration of parathyroid hormone or dichloromethylenebisphosphonate, indicate that the technique is reliable and sensitive in mice. Daily intravenous administration of either recombinant human or recombinant murine TNF-alpha, as well as subcutaneous administration of recombinant human IL-1 alpha, were found to stimulate bone resorption in a dose-dependent manner. The effect was maximal within 2 days. Thus, ...
Due to the fact that, the workers' behavior is characterized by its complexity and diversity, this issue has been seen as a great 'black box' in discussions regarding the Management Systems of SHE. Associated with this issue other arises: How conscious people? How to engage them with the process? How to improve the risk control? How to motivate the prevention? Most of these responses are discussed in the Social and Human Sciences for many years. However, it is necessary to closer the technical-operational knowledge and the human aspects, applying in the organizations' daily work, to make the working environment more safe. The purpose of this study, therefore, is examining the possibility of reducing accidents through the identification and treatment of deviations (unsafe acts and unsafe conditions), cause the whole accident, be it serious or not, begins with a small deviation. It was used as a reference tool, the Behavior audit ...
The level of assimilation of dietary iron is believed to have an important influence on iron status. To examine the effect of enhancing the availability of dietary iron on iron balance, 17 adult volunteer subjects were given 2 g of ascorbic acid daily with meals for 16 weeks. Serum ferritin levels before and after the study averaged 46 and 43 micrograms/L, respectively, indicating a negligible effect on iron stores. When vitamin C supplementation was continued for an additional 20 months in five iron-replete and four iron-deficient subjects, serum ferritin determinations again failed to indicate any significant effect of the vitamin C on iron reserves. These findings were not explained by intestinal adaptation to the enhancing effect of the vitamin, because radioisotopic measurements of nonheme iron absorption showed no reduction in the enhancing effect of 1 g of ascorbic acid after four months of megadoses of vitamin C. It is concluded that altering the ...
Vaarst Vestervang (Denmark) comprises 16 villas and 1 communal building. The complex was designed by the inhabitants themselves with the aim of polluting the environment as little as possible. The land area constitutes 69.000 square meters where it is possible to grass animals. The document reports a measuring programme concerning the overall heat consumption as one of the main aims of the inhabitants is to save energy and thus contribute to the protection of the environment. The capacity of the solar collectors predominantly used in the building complex was 235 kWh/m{sup 2}. Supplementary heating is provided by boilers fired with wood. The measuring system is described in detail. Tables show the influence of heat transmission losses, ventilation, airing out of rooms, the angle of the sun`s rays within the buildings and heating needs on energy consumption. Energy consumption data is presented in relation to the forms of space and water heating utilized. Daily ...
This book describes one approach to building and operating biogas systems. The biogas systems include raw material preparation, digesters, separate gas storage tanks, use of the gas to run engines, and the use of the sludge as fertilizer. Chapters included are: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Biogas Systems are Small Factories"; (3) "The Raw Materials of Biogas Digestion"; (4) "The Daily Operation of a Biogas Factory"; (5) "The Once a Year Cleaning of the Digester"; (6) "Tanks and Pipes: Storing and Moving Biogas"; (7) "The Factory's Products: Biogas"; (8) "The Factory's Products: Biofertilizer"; (9) "The ABCs of Safety"; and (10) "Conclusion: Profiting from an Appropriate Technology." Many diagrams are provided throughout this handbook. New ideas, composting, bioinsecticides, ferrocement, facts and figures, sources and resources, feasibility studies, problem solving, and vocabulary are presented in the appendices. (YP)
The aims of the study were to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Thai Family Health Routines (TFHR) scale, a 70-item self-report questionnaire used to measure the health of Thai families through their routine behaviors in daily life. Development of the TFHR was based on the structural domains of Denham's Family Health Model. The TFHR scale was initially composed of 85 items and tested on 1,040 families living in the central region of Thailand. The confirmatory factor analysis, with an acceptable factor structure model, yielded 70 items aligned with six factors: self-care, safety and prevention, mental health behavior, family care, family caregiving, and illness care routines. The preliminary psychometric properties demonstrated that the TFHR scale had satisfactory internal consistency, criterion validity, and construct validity. The test results suggested that the TFHR scale has potential benefits for family and community nurses to assess Thai ...
Bone-seeking radiopharmaceutical uptake (BSRU) was used to examine alveolar bone metabolism in a longitudinal study of tetracycline efficacy in beagle dogs. BSRU was measured in untreated control dogs and in beagles receiving either 250 mg or 500 mg oral tetracycline-HCl daily for 16 months. The rate of bone loss was determined for radiographs taken semiannually for a 6-month pretreatment period and for a 24-month treatment period. Measurements of BSRU obtained at month 16 of treatment were correlated with rates of bone loss determined radiographically in an attempt to determine whether BSRU was indicative of the subsequent rate of bone loss. A reduced rate of alveolar bone loss was found in the 500 mg tetracycline group at month 16 of the study relative to the untreated controls which was consistent with the decreased bone-seeking radiopharmaceutical uptake observed in this group. A significantly increased BSRU (p<.0001) was found in the 250 mg tetracycline ...
Lutein is a yellow pigment found in common foods that promotes the health of eyes and skin and is associated with reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. In the present study, selected high-lutein wheat and corn were milled into wholegrain flours by two mills to improve flour uniformity. The high-lutein and lutein-fortified wholegrain flours were processed into breads, cookies, and muffins to study lutein stability during baking and subsequent storage. Lutein and its isomers were separated, identified, and quantified by LC-UV/vis and LC-MS following extraction with water-saturated 1-butanol. Baking resulted in a significant reduction in all-trans-lutein and the formation of cis-lutein and cis-zeaxanthin isomers. Subsequent storage at ambient temperature had a slight impact on the content of all-trans-lutein. Effects of processing were more pronounced in lutein-fortified products, and the degradation rate of lutein was influenced by concentration and baking ...
Emulsions now find a wide range of applications in industry and daily life. In the pharmaceutical industry lipophilic active ingredients as well as many nutritional products such as vitamins are often formulated in the dispersed phase of oil-in-water emulsions. Emulsions can be produced with different mechanical emulsification techniques. In the following review, the process of rotor-stator systems and disc systems are compared to other popular mechanical emulsification systems. On the basis of experimental results from the authors' laboratory, a discontinuous gear-rim dispersing system, discontinuous disc system, and a continuous high pressure system are compared with regard to their attainable mean droplet diameter and drop size distribution in an oil-in-water emulsion. It can be shown that dissolver discs with a very simple geometry attain very small mean droplet diameters and a very narrow droplet size distribution, comparable to the emulsions obtained ...
The registration of secondary cosmic ray neutrons is a convenient tool for the investigation of primary cosmic ray variations and for meteorological effects as well. At present a large network of neutron monitors exists, aiming at studies of cosmic ray variations which are related to interplanetary conditions and geomagnetic activity. At the same time cosmic ray variations may be related to some atmospheric processes. In this connection, using the data from two neutron monitors (a standard and a lead free one), a gamma detector from Moscow station and lead free neutron monitor at BEO Moussala, we studied the correlations between rain flows and neutron flux. In this study we used daily averages on the basis of 10 min data for the neutron flux, corrected for barometric pressure and data from local meteo-stations. The preliminary analysis indicates a correlation between rain flows and neutron flux in several cases. To explain observable correlations, calculations of ...
Kaiser Alumina and Chemical Co. impounds red mud, the byproduct of alumina production, behind levees. Kaiser recognizes that this action cannot be maintained indefinitely. Therefore, a project is in progress to produce useful products from red mud that increase the profitability of the Gramercy facility. Before products could be developed, an obstacle had to be overcome. The annual rainfall in South Louisiana prevents evaporative drying of the mud lakes. Innovative methods were applied to dry the lake mud. Two products have been developed. A daily landfill cover and an absorbant, which are marketed under the Cajunite{trademark} banner. Both products are currently being tested by potential customers at their sites. Environmental concerns were addressed during development. Extensive TCLP results show no metal leachate problems. All pilot tests and plant trials received LADEQ approval. Products that are under development include levee core, road base, fertilizer ...
The radioprotective effects of Liv.52 on tissue-reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were studied in rats. Adult female Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to whole body gamma radiation of 4 Gy and 8 Gy. Prior to radiation exposure, Liv.52 was fed, one ml per rat, daily for 15 days. Three days after radiation exposure, reduced glutathione levels in the liver, spleen, kidney and blood were studied. Liv.52 was beneficial in restoring the spleen weight to body weigh t ratio in the animals of the 4 Gy group. In the spleen and liver, Liv.52 helped to restore reduced glutathione in sub-lethally exposed rats. Blood-reduced glutathione was found to be normal in both groups of experimental rats who received Liv.52. The above results exhibit the radioprotective effects of Liv.52 in relation to tissue-reduced glutathione in experimental rats exposed to sub-lethal doses of radiation. (author). 3 tabs., 25 refs.
RADIANT{trademark} is manufactured by United States Surgical Corporation, Vascular Therapies Division, (formerly Progressive Angioplasty Systems). The system comprises a liquid {beta}-radiation source, a shielded isolation/transfer device (ISAT), modified over-the-wire or rapid exchange delivery balloons, and accessory kits. The liquid {beta}-source is Rhenium-188 in the form of sodium perrhenate (NaReO{sub 4}), Rhenium-188 is primarily a {beta}-emitter with a physical half-life of 17.0 hours. The maximum energy of the {beta}-particles is 2.1 MeV. The source is produced daily in the nuclear pharmacy hot lab by eluting a Tungsten-188/Rhenium-188 generator manufactured by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Using anion exchange columns and Millipore filters the effluent is concentrated to approximately 100 mCi/ml, calibrated, and loaded into the (ISAT) which is subsequently transported to the cardiac catheterization laboratory. The delivery catheters are modified ...
Purpose Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is a severe side effect of thoracic radiotherapy. This study examined the effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) and a-tocopherol on cardiac injury in a rat model of RIHD. Methods and Materials Male Sprague-Dawley rats received fractionated local heart irradiation with a daily dose of 9 Gy for 5 days and were observed for 6 months after irradiation. Rats were treated with a combination of PTX, 100 mg/kg/day, and a-tocopherol (20 IU/kg/day) and received these compounds either from 1 week before until 6 months after irradiation or starting 3 months after irradiation, a time point at which histopathologic changes become apparent in our model of RIHD. Results Radiation-induced increases in left ventricular diastolic pressure (in mm Hg: 35 +- 6 after sham...
Erectile dysfunction following radical prostatectomy remains a frequent problem despite the development of nerve-sparing techniques. This erectile dysfunction is believed to be neurogenic, enhanced by hypoxia-induced structural changes which result in additional veno-occlusive dysfunction. Recently, daily use of intracavernous vasoactive substances and oral use of PDE5-inhibitors have been clinically studied for treatment of postprostatectomy erectile dysfunction. Since these studies showed benefits of "penile rehabilitation therapy," these effects have been studied in a preclinical setting. We reviewed experimental literature on erectile tissue preserving and neuroregenerative treatment strategies, and found that preservation of the erectile tissue by the use of intracavernous nitric oxide donors or vasoactive substances, oral PDE5-inhibitors, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy improved erectile function by antifibrotic effects and preservation of smooth muscle. ...
This presentation gives the results of a research programme aimed at evaluating exhaust emissions from ships moving within confined coastal zones, as in Piraeus harbour. The level of various exhaust emissions were estimated on the basis of a mathematical model applied for each sea traffic element (ship). Hourly and daily records of all ships` movements in different parts of the harbour were compiled, covering extended periods of time and associated with different shipping operational characteristics (peaks, lows, etc). In order to correlate the exhaust emissions from shipping with the quality of the air in the area of interest, land-based measurements for the same pollutants were carried out in selected locations, near the port and in the greater Athens area. This enabled the investigation of time and spatial diffusion of exhaust emissions from shipping within the area of interest, taking into account the influence of prevailing meteorological conditions. A close ...
Building 922 houses all of SNL/California`s ES and H Departments: Health Protection, Environmental Protection, Safety, and Environmental Operations. It covers approximately 10,000 square feet and houses about 80 people. The office personnel generate nonhazardous solid office wastes in their daily activities. To determine the types and amounts of waste generated, a special PPOA sorting team sorted all of the trash collected from the building for a period of one-week (including paper and aluminum cans in the recycling bins). The team sorted the trash into major categories: paper, plastic, metals, glass, wet garbage, rest room waste, and miscellaneous materials. They then sorted it into subcategories within each major category. Rest room waste was collected but not sorted. The waste in each category was weighed separately. The total amount of trash collected during the week was approximately 168.8 kg (371.4 lbs). The results of this PPOA indicate that SNL/California ...
Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a life-threatening condition in dogs and other species in which the stomach dilates and rotates on itself. The etiology of the disease is multi-factorial, but explicit precipitating causes are unknown. This study sought to determine if there was a significant association between changes in hourly-measured temperature and/or atmospheric pressure and the occurrence of GDV in the population of high-risk working dogs in Texas. The odds of a day being a GDV day, given certain temperature and atmospheric pressure conditions for that day or the day before, was estimated using logistic regression models. There were 57 days in which GDV(s) occurred, representing 2.60% of the days in the 6-year study period. The months of November, December, and January collectively accounted for almost half (47%) of all cases. Disease risk was negatively associated with daily maximum temperature. An increased risk of GDV was weakly associated with the ...
In this paper we present results of our investigation into the relationship between urban microclimate and the local density of tree cover as measured in Sacramento, California. These results were obtained through analysis of data collected in a two-month long monitoring program with automatic weather stations installed at 15 residential locations throughout the city. Measured wind speeds showed a highly negative correlation with respect to tree cover. Daily peak air temperatures showed significant variation often differing from site to site by 2 to 4{degrees}C ({approx}3.5 to 7{degrees}F). A complex interaction between several competing factors is discussed leading to the conclusion that additional tree cover may actually increase urban air temperatures on synoptically cool days. It is suggested that this does not have a significant adverse affect in terms of overall summer urban cooling load. This is supported by an integrated analysis of the temperature data ...
Nike is a recently completed multi-kilojoule krypton fluoride (KrF) laser that has been built to study the physics of direct drive inertial confinement fusion. This paper describes in detail both the pulsed power and optical performance of the largest amplifier in the Nike laser, the 60 cm amplifier. This is a double pass, double sided, electron beam-pumped system that amplifies the laser beam from an input of 50 J to an output of up to 5 kJ. It has an optical aperture of 60 cm x 60 cm and a gain length of 200 cm. The two electron beams are 60 cm high x 200 cm wide, have a voltage of 640 kV, a current of 540 kA, and a flat top power pulse duration of 250 ns. A 2 kG magnetic field is used to guide the beams and prevent self-pinching. Each electron beam is produced by its own Marx/pulse forming line system. The amplifier has been fully integrated into the Nike system and is used on a daily basis for laser-target experiments. copyright 1997 American Institute of ...
This paper analyses the complex, non-linear effects of spot price drivers in wholesale electricity markets: their intra-day dynamics and transient irregularities. The context is the UK market, after the reforms introduced in March 2001, analysed with an original set of price drivers reflecting economic, technical, strategic, risk, behavioural and market design effects. Models are estimated separately as daily time-series of the 48 half-hourly trading periods. All coefficients exhibit substantial intra-day variation, relating to the heterogeneity of operating plants and market design aspects. This reveals a market responding to economic fundamentals and plant operating properties, with learning and emergent financial characteristics, as well as some strategic manipulation of capacity, most effectively exercised by the more flexible plants. Using regime-switching parameters, the effects of capacity margin and inter-day capacity adjustment are elucidated, suggesting ...
Mitotic delay is described as a classical response to radiation; however, circadian rhythmicity in cell division in vivo has not been considered by many authors. The present study investigated the relation between fluctuations reported as mitotic delay and recovery in vivo and circadian oscillations in mitotic index in mouse corneal epithelium. One aspect involved single doses (approximately 600 rad) given to mice at different circadian stages. The normal circadian rhythm in cell division was never obliterated. Inhibition of mitosis was evident but unpredictable, ranging from 6 to 15 hr after irradiation. Recovery was evident only during the daily increase in mitotic index of controls. The classical interpretation of recovery from mitotic delay may be in an in vitro phenomenon not reflecting in vivo responses, which are apparently strongly circadian stage dependent. The second portion of the study demonstrated a dose-response effect on length of mitotic delay and, ...
Studies were undertaken to examine the effects of animal age on the anticarcinogenic properties of antioxidants. Female hairless mice, 2.5, 4.5 and 9.5 months of age, were subjected to daily irradiation from Westinghouse BZS-WLG lamps for 19 weeks. Experimental groups of animals were maintained on a commercial rodent meal supplemented with a 2% (w/w) antioxidant mixture. Control groups received only the meal. Tumour latency, expressed as median time to tumor development, was significantly greater for all age groups receiving antioxidants than for their similarly aged controls. However, the response to antioxidants appeared to decrease with age and the antioxidant effect was significantly less in the 9.5 month-old group than in the 2.5 month-old group. Likewise, the two youngest groups receiving antioxidants demonstrated a significantly fewer number of tumors per animal. It is concluded that animal age influences the degree of photoprotection provided by ...
Emergency response preparedness for radiological accidents involving wound contamination has become more important, considering the current extending tendency in the nuclear industry related to the nuclear fuel cycle. The US National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) proposed a biokinetic and dosimetric model for the intake of radionuclides through contaminated wounds in 2007. The present paper describes the implementation of this NCRP wound model for the prediction of systemic behaviour of some important radioactive elements encountered in workplaces related to the nuclear industry. The NCRP wound model was linked to the current ICRP systemic model at each blood compartment and simultaneous differential equations for the content of radioactivity in each compartment and excreta were solved with the Runge-Kutta method. The results of the calculation of wound, whole-body or specific organ retention and daily urinary or faecal excretion rate of ...
Establishment of a continuous population has been prevented over a 24 year period in the San Joaquin Valley, USA, through continuous, daily in-season release of sterile pink bollworms based on an extensive trap monitoring programme. A post-harvest crop destruction ordinance and occasional use of pheromones as disruptants were the only other factors used by programme management, except in 1990. In 1990, the programme used a conventional insecticide on 280 acres (113 ha) out of 1.18 million acres (477,546 ha) of cotton. During the four year period 1986-1989, a management system was explored using a high rate pheromone disruption system and sterile insects. Major reductions in conventional insecticide usage, while maintaining extremely low populations, were evident in this semi-isolated valley of southern California. It is hoped that this will provide a model for a future large scale test on up to 20,000 acres (8100 ha) of cotton. (author). 11 refs, 1 fig., 7 tabs.
At-site and regional frequency analyses of annual maximum 1-, 2-, and 3-days rainfall in Han River basin was performed and compared based on the regional L-moments algorithm. To perform regional frequency analysis, Han River basin was subdivided into 3 sub-basins such as South Han River, North Han River, and downstream regions. For each sub-basin, the discordancy and homogeneity tests were performed. As the results of goodness of fit tests, lognormal model was selected as an appropriate probability distribution for both South Han River and downstream regions and gamma-3 model for North Han River region. From Monte Carlo simulation, RBIAS and RRMSE of the estimated quantiles from regional frequency analysis and at-site frequency analysis were calculated and compared each other. Regional frequency analysis shows less RRMSE of the estimated quantiles than at-sites frequency analysis in overall return periods. The differences of RRMSE between two approaches increase as the return period ...
Introduction: We have evaluated the ability of a semi-automated, optomotor reflex method to assess drug-induced visual dysfunction, in albino and pigmented rats and mice. Methods: Male Han Wistar (HW) and Long Evans (LE) rats and mice (CD-1 and C57BL/6) were tested in a chamber formed by 4 computer monitors displaying a rotating vertical grating, to elicit head-tracking movements. The highest visible grating frequency was taken as the threshold of visual acuity, in cycles per degree (c/d). Animals received an intravenous infusion of either sodium iodate (50mg/kg) or 0.9% w/v NaCl (aq). They were tested 2h later, then re-tested daily for a further 3days. The time course of the effect was assessed in HW rats over a 6-week period, including electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical analysi...
Canary Islands are normally interested by dominant North-East winds that, in some meteorological conditions, can transport sand at high altitude from the Sahara desert. The dust may affect the efficiency of the telescopes and decreases the transparency of the sky. In order to maximize the scientific return of the telescopes located at the ORM, we present an analysis of the atmospheric dust content and its effects on astronomical observations. B, V and I dust aerosol astronomical extinction are derived. Using a 5 years series database of data taken from the four channel TNG dust monitor, we compute a mean hourly and daily values of the dust content. We have detected particles having size 0.3, 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 um. Using a power law we have derived the content of 10.0 um particles. We found a typical local dust concentration ranging from 3x10^6 particles per cubic meter at 0.3 um, to 10^3 at 5.0 um and 10 at 10.0 um, increasing up to 3 order of magnitudes during the ...
In previous research, we found that sodium-dependent high-affinity choline uptake in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of the rat was lowered after acute (45 min) exposure to low-level 2450-MHz pulsed microwaves (power density 1 mW/cm2; average whole body specific absorption rate, 0.6 W/kg; 2 mu sec pulses, 500 pps). In the present experiment, we investigated developments of tolerance and classical conditioning to these effects of microwaves. Rats were exposed to microwaves in cylindrical waveguides in 10 daily sessions (45 min per session). In an 11th session, we subjected the rats to either microwave (study of tolerance) or sham exposure (study of conditioned effect) for 45 min, and immediately measured choline uptake in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. We found that tolerance, a decrease in response to microwaves, developed to the effect of microwaves on choline uptake in the hippocampus, but not in the frontal cortex. Conditioned effects were also observed: ...
The terrestrial biosphere can significantly affect the exchange of water and energy at the biosphere-atmosphere interface. Additionally, the land cover type can affect regional atmospheric chemistry and climate via biogenic volatile organic carbon (VOC) emissions and their formation of secondary organic aerosols. The broad goal of this study is to investigate the impact of land cover and vegetation changes on these specific chemistry and climate effects. The Common Land Model (CLM) is used to parameterize the biosphere-atmosphere interface over the Shanghai region in China. Phase 1 of this study, described in this report, generates input parameters for this model based on a time series of actual and derived parameters. Atmospheric forcing data are generated on an hourly temporal resolution based on a 20-year series of monthly and daily averages. Surface data, including land cover/land use and soil information, are generated for two scenarios: (a) the current land ...
Previous work suggests that supplemental ascorbic acid (AA) may inhibit intestinal copper absorption by stabilizing the less absorbable cuprous state. The authors studied copper absorption in healthy men (age 19-32) fed a constant diet with different amounts of ascorbic acid supplements. The 6 men were confined to a metabolic unit for the entire 14 week study. The basal diet consisted of a 7 day rotating menu which provided an average of 2.1 mg Cu/d and was adequate in all other nutrients except AA (5 mg/d). The basal diet was supplemented with either zero, 60, or 600 mg of AA daily, added to grape juice and consumed at each meal. All feces were collected. Blood was taken weekly for monitoring AA and copper status. Copper absorption was determined by both balance and "6"5Cu stable isotope techniques. As determined by fecal Cu excretion, varying intakes of AA between 0.1 to 10 times the RDA had no significant effect on copper retention. This is consistent with the ...
This paper describes the challenges involved in the construction of a mid-rise housing development in Boston, Massachusetts, during which the development team elected to upgrade the initial design criteria from Minimum Building Code to Energy Star and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The various constraints imposed on the development were discussed, including constraints imposed by the involvement of substantial public funds as well as the constraints imposed by various funding sources that were approached to leverage energy efficiency and green building investment via competitive grant solicitations. Building owner and utility cost management priorities were outlined along with details of central mechanical system selection. Issues concerning isolation and compartmentalization were examined along with indoor pollution source control. A building load analysis was presented as well as details of daily heating and cooling ...
The cost of transporting biogas digestate can be decreased by reducing its water content. However, the digestate emits volatile compounds during drying. This study investigated the drying behaviour and the change of digestate composition. Drying took place in a hybrid solar/waste-heat dryer that used solar energy as well as waste heat from a combined heat and power unit (CHP) and the exhaust air of a microturbine. The experiment involved the use of 60 t of liquid digestate. Climatic conditions were measured inside and outside the drying hall. Dry matter (DM) and organic dry matter (ODM) were also measured on a daily basis. In addition, the energy consumption of waste and solar heat were recorded and related to the quantity of dried feedstock. The total nitrogen, ammonium, phosphate, potassium oxide, magnesium oxide and calcium oxide in the digestate were subjected to chemical analysis before and after the drying process. Losses of nitrogen were calculated. Specific ...
The molar of guinea pigs was irradiated with /sup 60/Co-..gamma.. ray for daily observations of the manifestation of disturbed tooth formation by microradiography and the time registration by tetracycline-labelling. Irradiation first injured young blast cells of the dentin in the growth phase, dental pulp cells, and cells of the enamel. The portion composed of injured cells formed a depressed ''constriction'' from the dental pulp side toward the border between the enamel and dentin. The cells of the enamel injured by irradiation in the growth phase later formed a very thin irregular stroma. In contrast, cells in the differentiation or subsequent phase at the time of irradiation and cells probably having started to grow after irradiation proceeded with formation of a normal stroma and calcification. No uniform relation was obtained between the histological staining of the organic stroma of normal or abnormal dentin and ...
The distribution of lead in lactating mice and suckling offspring was studied with whole body autoradiography at 4 and 24 h after a single intravenous injection of {sup 203}Pb (50 mmol Pb/kg) to the dams. In the lactating mice on day 14 of lactation, the highest uptake of radioactivity at 4 h after administration was recorded in renal cortex, skeleton and liver. A high uptake was also evident in the mannary gland. At 24 h after administration, the radioactivity had decreased in most organs except in the skeleton. In the suckling pups, exposed to lead only via dams` milk for 24 h, the highest level of radioactivity was present in the intestinal mucosa and a much lower level of radioactivity was present in the skeleton. The mammary glands from mice given three daily intravenous injections of 240 {mu}mol Pb/kg were examined with X-ray microanalysis. At 4 h after the last injection, lead was found associated with casein micelles both inside the alveolar cell and in the ...
The distribution of lead in lactating mice and suckling offspring was studied with whole body autoradiography at 4 and 24 h after a single intravenous injection of "2"0"3Pb (50 mmol Pb/kg) to the dams. In the lactating mice on day 14 of lactation, the highest uptake of radioactivity at 4 h after administration was recorded in renal cortex, skeleton and liver. A high uptake was also evident in the mannary gland. At 24 h after administration, the radioactivity had decreased in most organs except in the skeleton. In the suckling pups, exposed to lead only via dams' milk for 24 h, the highest level of radioactivity was present in the intestinal mucosa and a much lower level of radioactivity was present in the skeleton. The mammary glands from mice given three daily intravenous injections of 240 #mu#mol Pb/kg were examined with X-ray microanalysis. At 4 h after the last injection, lead was found associated with casein micelles both inside the alveolar cell and in the ...
WR-2721 (S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethylphosphorothioic acid) has been demonstrated to be cytotoxic to stem spermatogonia in the mouse. Five and 10 injections of 300 mg/kg killed sufficient numbers of stem cells to reduce sperm production 56 days after treatment by 16 and 43%, respectively. Single injections of 300 or 400 mg/kg of WR-2721 given 15 min after irradiation produced negligible toxicity to stem cells as measured by counts of repopulated tubules; 600 mg/kg reduced stem cell survival by 47%. Four daily injections of 300 mg/kg given 4, 3, 2, and 1 days prior to irradiation reduced stem cell survival by about 60%. The cytotoxic effects of WR-2721 on testicular stem cells at least partially explains the reduced protection factors observed in the testis with low doses of radiation and during fractionated treatments involving multiple injections of drug.
Energy expenditure (EE) of four adult men on a weight-maintenance diet was estimated by use of doubly labeled water, intake balance, and direct and indirect calorimetry. The doubly labeled water (2H218O) method was used to estimate free-living EE for 13 d. Metabolizable energy (ME) intake was used to estimate free-living EE for 1 wk. The subjects' 24-h EE was measured in a dual direct-indirect room calorimeter on 3 alternate days. Estimates of free-living EE as measured by ME intake and doubly labeled water indicate agreement between the two methods (mean difference +/- SEM, -1.04 +/- 0.63%). Measurements of EE with indirect and direct calorimetry are equivalent (mean difference 0.63 +/- 0.44%). The daily EE measured by doubly labeled water in these free-living adults over a 13-d period was 15.01% greater than the 24-h EE measured within the calorimeter.
Therapeutic effect of p-aminobenzoic acid-N-xyloside Na (K-247) were studied. Eleven patients with a variety of solid tumors were treated with K-247 alone. K-247 was given orally 800 mg daily for 4 weeks. As for side effect of the drug, only mild gastritis was observed in a few patients. Partial response (over 25% reduction of tumor size) with a median duration of two months was observed in 3 patients. These cases were metastatic tumor of lung from the carcinoma of thyroid, metastatic tumors of lung from the carcinoma of kidney, and mediastinal tumor. In eight patients the response was classified as no change and in one patient there was progressive disease. Thus K-247 has some therapeutic activity in patients with solid tumor. Combination therapy of irradiation and administration of K-247 were also studied. In the twelve patients receiving the combination therapy, partial response was observed in 7 patients with complete response in 3 patients. In some patients it ...
This book deals with organizations that operate in high hazard industries, such as the nuclear power, aviation, oil and chemical industry organisations. The society puts a great strain on these organisations to rigorously manage the risks inherent in the technology they use and the products they produce. In this book, an organisational psychology view is taken to analyse what are the typical challenges of daily work in these environments. The analysis is based on a literature review about human and organisational factors in safety critical industries, and on the interviews of Finnish safety experts and safety managers from four different companies. In addition to this, personnel interviews conducted in the Finnish nuclear power plants are utilised. The authors come up with eight themes that seem to be common organizational challenges cross the industries. These include e.g. how does the personnel understand the risks and what is the right level for rules and ...
The ruptured offshore oil well 80 miles from Mexican town of Ciudad del Carmen, which poured 8000 barrels of light oil a day into the Gulf of Mexico, provided marine scientists with the opportunity to monitor the spill and see what happens to petroleum hydrocarbons in sea water. Scientists followed changes in viscosity, surface tension, and buoyancy of individual oil globs as they moved through the water and interacted with the surface slick. Using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy, chemists are gaining an understanding of the unique characteristics of the oil. Computer-generated models projected the slick's movement in the Gulf in response to wind and wave pressures, but the sophisticated system did not give an accurate daily prediction. Immediate damage to fish, turtles, and sea birds was documented by tagging. Long-term effects will take longer to ascertain since 25 years is generally required to flush oil out of sediments. Fishermen do not agree ...
The stability of a solid ice cover subjected to rapidly varying water levels and discharge was investigated. The support from the bank limits the stress in the ice cover and consequently bank contact must be maintained to ensure ice cover stability. An analysis was required of the stability of ice hinges, a flexible connection between a solid ice cover and the riverbank. Phase II and phase III of the research involved a field study of the Peace River, investigating the evolution of ice hinges with water level variation, from initial ice cover cracking parallel to the banks, to a fully developed hinge. A test program of midwinter discharge variations was undertaken to gather specific data and measurements of ice hinge link length, ice thickness, hinge joint behavior, riverbank geometry, and response of ice hinging to water level variation. This volume of appendices to the study presents detailed observations and comments from field notes through the formation, midwinter and breakup ...
The stability of a solid ice cover subjected to rapidly varying water levels and discharge was investigated. The support from the bank limits the stress in the ice cover and consequently bank contact must be maintained to ensure ice cover stability. An analysis was required of the stability of ice hinges, a flexible connection between a solid ice cover and the riverbank. Phase II and phase III of the research involved a field study of the Peace River, investigating the evolution of ice hinges with water level variation, from initial ice cover cracking parallel to the banks, to a fully developed hinge. A test program of midwinter discharge variations was undertaken to gather specific data and measurements of ice hinge link length, ice thickness, hinge joint behavior, riverbank geometry, and response of ice hinging to water level variation. As a result of the program, concepts developed throughout the study were confirmed, preliminary guidelines for hydroelectric power plant operation at ...
Summary Potential predictors of egg quality were assessed in whiting Merlangius merlangus L. permitted to spawn in a tank from which eggs were collected. These included fertilisation rate, the proportion of viable buoyant eggs, egg diameter, and egg wet and dry weights; all were influenced by temporal effects and were negatively correlated with days from start of spawning. The spawning period was protracted, from February to June. Mean daily egg production per female was 2.74 +- 2.43 g and 2338 +- 2075 eggs, equivalent to 14.6 +- 13.1 g kg-1 day-1 female-1. Egg diameter was 1.21 +- 0.04 mm, egg wet weight 1.20 +- 0.21 mg, dry weight 0.10 +- 0.02 mg, and mean fertilisation rate and hatching rates were 76.8 and 73.3%, respectively. The incubation period ranged from 72 to 80 degree days and w...
This research centered on finding and perfecting methods of collection and disposal of refuse in Ibadan North Local Government Areas. The methodology used included questionnaire administration, personal interviews, field reconnaissance, and biochemical tests of water samples, all aimed at providing useful data for the design of effective methods of collecting and disposing refuse. The local government area was divided into three classes based on resident income: a high-income area (Bodija Avenue, etc.), a medium-income area (Sanngo, Oluyole, etc.), and a low-income area (Beere, Adeoyo, etc.). The research outcomes revealed that the waste generation rate for the local government ranged from 0.2 to 0.33 kg/cap/day and waste density ranged from 172.41 to 217.61 kg/m"3. Water analyses showed that the chloride, manganese, lead, and cadmium levels in water from low-income areas were above the WHO standard. The refuse generated in high and medium-income areas was collected and transported to ...
In 1992, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) began using a Flow Duration Analysis (FDA) methodology to assess headwater benefits in river basins where use of the Headwater Benefits Energy Gains (HWBEG) model may not result in significant improvements in modeling accuracy. The purpose of this study is to validate the accuracy and appropriateness of the FDA method for determining energy gains in less complex basins. This report presents the results of Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s (ORNL`s) validation of the FDA method. The validation is based on a comparison of energy gains using the FDA method with energy gains calculated using the MWBEG model. Comparisons of energy gains are made on a daily and monthly basis for a complex river basin (the Alabama River Basin) and a basin that is considered relatively simple hydrologically (the Stanislaus River Basin). In addition to validating the FDA method, ORNL was asked to suggest refinements and improvements to ...
With an ageing population the demand for cheap, efficient implants is ever increasing. Laser surface treatment offers a unique means of varying biomimetic properties to determine generic parameters to predict cell responses. This paper details how a KrF excimer laser can be employed for both laser-induced patterning and whole area irradiative processing to modulate the wettability characteristics and osteoblast cell response following 24h and 4 day incubation. Through white light interferometry (WLI) it was found that the surface roughness had considerably increased by up to 1.5mm for the laser-induced patterned samples and remained somewhat constant at around 0.1mm for the whole area irradiative processed samples. A sessile drop device determined that the wettability characteristics diffe...
MR images of steady and pulsatile disturbed flow, obtained with use of flow-compensated spin-echo (SE) and cine pulse sequences, revealed excellent flow visualization in three dimensions. Phantoms, built from molds of actual blood vessels, reproduced laminar, disturbed, or turbulent flow. Video recording (VR), performed under conditions equivalent to those of the MR experiments, showed separation zones identical to those seen on SE images. Pulsatile flow studies showed complex patterns of vortical flow on cine images and VR. Varying pulse sequence details changed contrast but not flow patterns. The validation of MR observations by VR has implications for clinical cine imaging and low abnormal signals observed on MR angiograms.
Given the concern over the potential for health risks associated with certain ingredients (e.g., phthalates) in personal care products, usage patterns of 30 types of personal care products (e.g., shampoo, sunscreen, fragrance, etc.) were collected in 604 California households through a telephone interview. Preferences in selecting products, e.g., scented or unscented, aerosol, and brand loyalty, were also investigated. Participants were recruited in three age groups, children (mostly preschoolers), their parents, and adults age 55 or older. Use frequencies of various product types varied by sex, age group, race, education, and climatic region. Product use by parent and child from the same household were correlated. Use frequencies of products in the same class (e.g., skincare) were moderat...
Previous reports have stressed the importance of the nutrient blood supply in rib grafts transferred by microvascular anastomoses. In the present experimental study, we have demonstrated that a rib graft transferred by microvascular anastomoses based on periosteal vessels can survive; vascular clearing studies demonstrated that the vascularity of these grafts extends not only into the cortex but the medulla as well. The relative facility of harvesting these grafts (compared with those based on nutrient vessels) should make them the favored choice. Technetium bone scintigraphy proved accurate in the assessment of both vascular pattern and microanastomotic patency. Tetracycline labeling did not correlate well with the patency of a rib graft's pedicle blood supply.
The biochemical compositions of 465 Sepia officinalis mantles from the Mediterranean waters off Alexandria Egypt, were studied from September 1989 to August 1990. Water contents of males and females were not significantly different, and followed the same pattern showing a sharp decrease in summer. Lipid contents of males and females were similar, showing two peaks in summer and autumn. A clear reverse relationship between water and lipid contents was found. Protein and ash contents showed irregular patterns. Protein contents were increased in early spring and mid-summer. The relationship between body compositions and mantle size, gonads maturation and environmental conditions was discussed.
Summary 1.-The modules of plants experience different levels of resources, and clonal plants can integrate resource heterogeneity. However, no studies have tested whether the benefits of clonal integration depend on patterns of heterogeneity in multiple resources, like high levels of above-ground and below-ground resources in the same patches (-coincident patchiness-) or different patches (-reciprocal patchiness-). 2.-We hypothesized that the benefits of clonal integration can vary depending on whether patchiness is reciprocal or coincident, and that clonal species experience greater benefits from integration when qualitative patterns of resource heterogeneity are more like those likely to occur in their habitats. To test these hypotheses, we grew pairs of connected ramets of Cynodon dacty...
The present article will review recent advances in focused ion beam (FIB) technology. With increasing demands for scale of integration, microfabrication technology is becoming more important and various new microfabrication tools and processing techniques are desired. FIB is one of the promising tools for future microfabrication technology. This provides maskless patterning capability, which is of importance for process simplification, nanofabrication and in the development of in situ vacuum processing. In situ vacuum processing systems are being developed by combining FIB and a molecular beam epitaxy system. Radiation damage may limit applications of FIB. However, it was demonstrated that low energy FIB (<1 keV) with very high brightness was reached and promising results for low damage processing have been obtained. (orig.).
The phase composition and microstructure of O'-sialon prepared from Chinese coal gangue have been studied. The use of Si powder is more effective than that of activated carbon or mainly carbon with a little silicon for reduction-nitridation. For specimens with 40% Si addition, more than 80% of O'-sialon may be obtained when nitrided at 1500 degree sign C. The formed O'-sialon was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The parameters for O'-Sialon preparation are optimized by computer pattern recognition program based on principal component analysis, the target parameter optimum regions with higher relative content of O'-Sialon was indicated by this way.
Abstract: The recent National Academy of Sciences report on forensic sciences states that the study of fire patterns and debris in arson fires is in need of additional work and eventual standardization. We discuss a recently introduced method that can provide predicted evaporation patterns for ignitable liquids as a function of temperature. The method is a complex fluid analysis protocol, the advanced distillation curve approach, featuring a composition explicit data channel for each distillate fraction (for qualitative, quantitative, and trace analysis), low uncertainty temperature measurements that are thermodynamic state points that can be modeled with an equation of state, consistency with a century of historical data, and an assessment of the energy content of each distillate fraction...
Remotely sensed ocean color data and numerical modeling have been used to study the phenology of both spring and fall phytoplankton blooms (FPBs) in the Nova Scotian Shelf (NSS)-Gulf of Maine (GoM) region. The ocean color data reveal a general pattern of westward progression of the spring phytoplankton bloom (SPB), and an eastward progression of the FPB in the NSS-GoM region. The spatial pattern of mean chlorophyll concentration in spring is similar to that in fall, with a lower concentration in the NSS and higher in the GoM. Interannually, there is a weak but significant tendency for years with earlier (delayed) SPBs to be followed by delayed (earlier) FPBs, but the mean chlorophyll concentrations during SPBs are not correlated with those during FPBs. The interannual variability of SPB ti...
A 100-bit slitlike aperture array spatial light modulator has been developed using 8.8/65/35 PLZT for a high-bit-density 1-D hologram memory. The most desirable characteristics, such as distortion-free diffraction-limited Fourier transform patterns and good uniformity of displayed bit patterns over 100 bits, have been realized. The lowest SNR was 86, and rise time and fall time have been 30 microsec and 8 microsec, respectively, at 190-V halfwave voltage. One-dimensional holographic storage experiments have been successfully performed using this PLZT spatial light modulator. PMID:20216813
A methodology and hypothetical case study are presented for incorporation of uncertainty and variability into calculations of human health risk appropriate for regional, or basin-scale, groundwater management problems. Uncertainty in well water concentration is introduced through complex contaminant migration patterns in the subsurface. Variability is considered in parameters related to individual behavior patterns and biological effects and to groundwater extraction and distribution networks. A joint uncertainty and variability (JUV) analysis is used to generate a two-dimensional distribution or risk surface that spans both transport uncertainty as well as individual variability. Cuts in this distributional surface (fractiles of variability and percentiles of uncertainty) are presented and discussed. Comparisons with alternative approaches based upon deterministic transport models are also made. In addition, important distinctions are made ...
In this paper we review and classify the various patterns of isosteric heat versus loading for adsorption of gases on graphitised thermal carbon black at temperatures ranging from below the 3D triple point to temperatures above it, but less than the 3D critical point. We have identified the features of heat curve and highlighted the microscopic origin of these features. The patterns vary with temperature and with the relative strength of the fluid-fluid interaction and solid-fluid interaction. For simple adsorptives (by simple we meant there is no strong association between fluid particles), the heat curve is typified by fluid-fluid attraction and layering phenomena. For adsorptives showing strong association such as water, ammonia and methanol, the heat curve essentially begins below the ...
The aim of this study is to clarify the relation among developmental outcome, nutritional state during the neonatal period, maturational electroencephalographic changes. Thirteen extremely low birth weight infants who completed 6- or 9-year follow-up were a subject of this study. Undernutrition was defined as enteral feeding below 100mL/kg/day at 3weeks of age. Dysmature patterns were defined as the persistence of EEG patterns 2weeks or more immature for post-conceptional age. IQ was examined at 6 and 9years of age. Body height and weight, and head circumference at 6years of age were stratified by the percentile grades. Full and verbal IQ was significantly lower in infants with undernutrition than those with normal nutrition. Among infants with undernutrition, those with persistent dysmatu...
In contrast to language, where pitch patterns consist of continuous and curvilinear contours, musical pitch consists of relatively discrete, stair-stepped sequences of notes. Behavioral and neurophysiological studies suggest that both tone-language and music experience enhance the representation of pitch cues associated with a listener's domain of expertise, e.g., curvilinear pitch in language, discrete scale steps in music. We compared brainstem frequency-following responses (FFRs) of English-speaking musicians (musical pitch experience) and native speakers of Mandarin Chinese (linguistic pitch experience) elicited by rising and falling tonal sweeps that are exemplary of Mandarin tonal contours but uncharacteristic of the pitch patterns typically found in music. In spite of musicians' unf...
Monocelis lineata is a complex of cryptic species (three in the Mediterranean and one in the Atlantic) widespread in midlittoral habitats. Throughout the range, populations with or without an ocular pigmented shield are found. We investigated the genetic structure of the North-East Atlantic populations with the aim of shedding light on their phylogeography and reconstructing possible patterns of recolonization after the Wrmian glaciation. Fourteen samples were investigated using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 13 by inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs). COI did not exhibit a clear pattern of decreased genetic diversity along a latitudinal gradient. Populations from Ferrol (Spain), Doolin (Ireland), and Helsingr (Denmark) showed a higher genetic variability, whereas a reduction in...
This paper introduces the application of independent component analysis mixture modelling (ICAMM) in non-destructive testing (NDT). The application consists of discriminating patterns for material quality control from homogeneous and defective materials inspected by impact-echo testing. This problem is modelled as a mixture of independent component analysis (ICA) models, representing a class of defective or homogeneous material by an ICA model whose parameters are learned from the impact-echo signal spectrum. These parameters define a kind of particular signature for the different defects. The proposed procedure is intended to exploit to the maximum the information obtained with the cost efficiency of only a single impact. To illustrate this capability, four levels of classification detail...
Chose the arid interior district Shiyang River basin four issues of Landsat/TM images from 1986 to 2006 to visually interpret, and analyze the natural succession of ecological environment and the landscape pattern characteristic under the human activity interference. The results showed that in past 20years, the number of landscape patch has increased, but the average patch size was decreasing, which explained that the landscape fragmentation degree was increasing, the landscape integrity was declining. The edge density of landscape remained invariable basically, which explained its stability maintained good. The diversity and evenness index continually enhanced, the diversity increased from 0.73 in 1986 to 0.84 in 2006. The mean core patch area of study area reduced from134.47hm2 in 1994 t...
Abstract The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the richest biodiversity hotspots of the world. Paleoclimatic models have predicted two large stability regions in its northern and central parts, whereas southern regions might have suffered strong instability during Pleistocene glaciations. Molecular phylogeographic and endemism studies show, nevertheless, contradictory results: although some results validate these predictions, other data suggest that paleoclimatic models fail to predict stable rainforest areas in the south. Most studies, however, have surveyed species with relatively high dispersal rates whereas taxa with lower dispersion capabilities should be better predictors of habitat stability. Here, we have used two land planarian species as model organisms to analyse the patterns ...
The latest figures published by the Science and Engineering Indicators report reveals that in 2003, 33% of faculty in science and engineering departments at research universities were foreign-born, a number that has more than doubled in thirty years. Foreign-born faculty members comprise an important part of the scientific enterprise that has been understudied. The purpose of this study is to examine the job satisfaction patterns of scientists and engineers by status of birth using a very large and comprehensive National Science Foundation (NSF) dataset, the Survey of Doctoral Recipients (SDR). The results of the study indicate that foreign-born scientists and engineers are less satisfied in several areas of their work life as compared to their US-born peers.
Focused Ion Beam (FIB) technology has become an indispensable enabling tool for micro nano fabrications. One important application is to use FIB for patterning conducting nanowires of metals down to a few tens of nanometre for applications such as interconnects, heaters and temperature nanosensors. A series of experiments on Au nanowires fabricated by FIB on SixNy membrane show that nanowires with width 50nm have structural instabilities. These are liquid like and first show-up as undulations in nanowire width with clearly defined wave lengths. For smaller widths (20nm) the instabilities grow and the wires eventually break-up into spherical balls. Further experiments show that the nanowires can be made stable to smaller widths by the use of a Cr underlayer to enhance surface wetting. The o...
In this research, hybrid composite materials were prepared from combination of oil palm Empty fruit bunches (EFB) fibre and jute fibre as reinforcement, epoxy as polymer matrix. This study intended to investigate the effect of jute fiber hybridization and different layering pattern on the physical properties of oil palm EFB-Epoxy composites. Water absorption and thickness swelling test reveal that hybrid composite shows a moderate water absorption which is 11.20% for hybrid EFB/Jute/EFB composite and 6.08% for hybrid Jute/EFB/Jute composite. The thickness swelling and water absorption of the hybrid composites slightly increased as the layering pattern of hybrid composites changed. Hybrid composites are more water resistance and dimensional stable compare to the pure EFB composites. This is...
The concepts of general flow and thermal boundary conditions are introduced to treat the interaction between indoor and outdoor thermal environments in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The results from a multi-zone model are used to supply the general flow boundary conditions. The energy balance equation at wall-air interfaces is used to supply the general thermal boundary conditions. An example calculation in a 13-room building shows that infiltration influences indoor air flow patterns considerably. The air flow in a room ventilated by displacement is measured and simulated. Two surface coatings are considered, i.e. black walls and aluminum walls. Implementation of these two boundary conditions is essential in predicting air flow patterns, air quality, and thermal comfort in a real building. (author)
Roller bearing is one of the most widely used elements in rotary machines. Condition monitoring of such elements is conceived as pattern recognition problem. Pattern recognition has three main phases: feature extraction, feature selection and feature classification. Histogram features can be used for fault diagnosis of roller bearing. This paper presents the use of decision tree for selecting best few histogram features (bin ranges) that will discriminate the fault conditions of the bearing from given train samples. These features are extracted from vibration signals. A rule set is formed from the extracted features and fed to a fuzzy classifier. The rule set necessary for building the fuzzy classifier is obtained largely by intuition and domain knowledge. This paper also presents the usag...
To study the causes of agricultural declines in south-west Sweden, a multi-proxy study including pollen analysis, bog surface wetness indicators and aeolian sediment influx reconstructions was carried out on the Store Mosse Bog, situated on the coastal plain of Halland. Patterns of agricultural changes during the past 6,000?years from this study were compared to one additional site on the coastal plain (Undarsmosse Bog) and to four sites in the forested upland region. First, we compared land use activity on the coastal plain and in upland regions of south-west Sweden. Three periods with reduced agricultural activities were observed, primarily in records from the coastal plain. Next, the causes for these declines were studied by comparing land use indicators in the pollen records from the S...
The formation of a through-gut was a key innovation in the evolution of metazoans. There is still controversy regarding the origin of the anus and how it may have been either gained or lost during evolution in different bilaterian taxa. Thus, the study of groups with a blind gut is of great importance for understanding the evolution of this organ system. Here, we describe the morphogenesis and molecular patterning of the blind gut in the sexual triclad Schmidtea polychroa. We identify and analyze the expression of goosecoid, commonly associated with the foregut, and the GATA, ParaHox and T-box genes, members of which commonly are associated with gut regionalization. We show that GATA456a is expressed in the blind gut of triclads, while GATA456b is localized in dorsal parenchymal cells. Goo...
The absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra of [N(n-Bu)_4]"+[(MeCp)_3PrCl]"- dissolved in 2-MeTHF were measured at room and at low temperatures. On the basis of these spectra the crystal field splitting pattern could be derived. The parameters of an empirical Hamiltonian were fitted to the energies of 42 levels to give an r.m.s. deviation of 23 cm"-"1. From the crystal field parameters obtained the crystal field strength of the ligand collective was estimated. Compared with neutral Cp_3Pr circle B complexes the crystal field strength of the anionic [(MeCp)_3PrCl]"- moiety is unusually low. (orig.)
The absorption spectra of an unoriented single crystal of the title compound (1) have been measured at room and at low temperatures. Assuming a similar sequence of crystal field (CF) levels as for the previously analyzed Nd[N(SiMe_3)_2]_3 (2) a truncated CF splitting pattern is derived from the spectra obtained. The parameters of an empirical Hamiltonian are fitted to the energies of 71 levels to give an r.m.s. deviation of 24.2 cm"-"1. The parameters obtained are compared with those of 2 and Nd[N(SiMe_3)_2]_3(CNC_6H_1_1)_2 (3). The observed trends of CF parameters are consistent with the results of simple model calculations in the framework of the angular overlap model. (orig.)
Most surface-acoustic-wave and thin-film optical devices are made by the planar fabrication process. The exposure of the pattern in the polymer film is the first and most crucial step in ensuring desired device geometry, dimensional control, and freedom from pattern distortion. The methods of exposing the polymer film include: optical projection, conventional contact printing, conformable photomask contact printing, holographic recording, scanning electron beam lithography, projection electron lithography, and x-ray lithography. In this paper scanning electron beam lithography, conformable photomask contact printing, holographic recording, and x-ray lithography are discussed. In the last section, ion beam etching of relief structures is discussed.
Purpose: In this paper, we present an alternative to the originally proposed technique for the delivery of spatially fractionated radiation therapy (GRID) using multi-leaf collimator (MLC) shaped fields. We employ the MLC to deliver various pattern GRID treatments to large solid tumors and dosimetrically characterize the GRID fields. Methods and materials: The GRID fields were created with different open to blocked area ratios and with variable separation between the openings using a MLC. GRID designs were introduced into the Pinnacle3 treatment planning system, and the dose was calculated in a water phantom. Ionization chamber and film measurements using both Kodak EDR2 and Gafchromic EBT film were performed in a SolidWater phantom to determine the relative output of each GRID design as w...
Nest locations of breeding birds are often spatially clustered. This tendency to nest together has generally been related to a patchy distribution of nesting habitat in landscape studies, but behavioral studies of species with clustered breeding patterns draw attention to the importance of social and biotic factors. Indeed, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the breeding system of many territorial, migrant birds may be semi-colonial. The reasons for, and extent of, spatial clustering in their breeding systems are not well understood. Our goal was to tease apart the influence of habitat availability and social drivers of clustered breeding in a neotropical migrant species, the hooded warbler (Wilsonia citrina). To test alternative hypotheses related to clustered habitat or conspecifi...
The possibilities to grow isolated structures of complex oxides by pulsed laser deposition through stencils were investigated. A stencil consisting of a SiN membrane with apertures of several hundred nanometers embedded in a Si chip is placed in front of a heated substrate (up to 750 degrees Celsius). Deposition through these apertures results in resistless, direct patterning by local deposition of complex oxides like ferroelectric Lead Zirconate Titanate. The created isolated structures were analyzed by AFM imaging. Under-deposition, in this work called broadening, is inevitable during stencil deposition and is depending on deposition parameters, especially pressure. Different causes of broadening are mapped and discussed.
As the main forestry species in the Canary Islands (Spain), Pinus canariensis is frequently used in afforestation programs. Several nursery techniques are commonly employed to modify its morphology and physiology with the aim of improving post-planting survival and growth. In this work, we studied how fertilization and light regime treatments applied during the nursery period modify biomass allocation patterns and produce effects in gas exchange and root hydraulic conductance. Seedlings were grown for a 6-month period in the nursery under two light regimes (full sunlight and 40% PAR reduction), and three fertilization levels were applied in each light regime. Morphology, biomass allocation patterns, leaf gas exchange and hydraulic conductance of the whole root system were evaluated. Fertil...
Background Little is known about the role of diet in the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE). We explored the prospective relation of dietary patterns, food groups, and nutrients to incident VTE in older women. Methods In 1986, Iowa women aged 55 to 69 years completed a mailed survey, including a 127-item food frequency questionnaire. These data were linked to Medicare data from 1986 to 2004, and International Classification of Diseases discharge codes were used to identify hospitalized VTE cases. Cox regression analyses evaluated relations of 2 principal components?derived dietary patterns, 11 food groups, and 6 nutrients to VTE, adjusted for age, education, smoking status, physical activity, and energy intake. Results Over 19 years of follow-up, 1,950 of the 37,393 women develope...
Development drilling from Chevron-operated Platform Hermosa, located on OCS-P 0316 of the Point Arguello field, began on January 30, 1987. To date, seven development wells have been drilled in to the northwest-southeast-trending, doubly plunging anticlinal structure. The results from drilling have confirmed the presence of intense folding and fracturing in the targeted Monterey Formation. Over 700 ft of conventional core were recovered from the B-2 well in the lower Sisquoc and Monterey Formations. Analysis of the core material has yielded important information on lithologic variations and fracture patterns in the productive Monterey Formation. Initial results of core studies, DST data, and wireline studies indicate a correlation between rock type and fracturing. Fracture trends and directional permeability suggested by drill-stem testing may affect future drilling patterns in the field.
In this paper we introduce free energy-based methods to constrain mutual information maximization, developed to realize competitive learning. The new method is introduced to simplify the computational procedures of mutual information and to improve the fidelity of representation and to stabilize learning. First, the free energy is effective in simplifying the computation procedures of mutual information because we need not directly compute mutual information, which needs heavy computation, but only deals with partition functions. With partition functions, computational complexity is significantly reduced. Second, fidelity to input patterns can be improved because training errors between input patterns and connection weights are implicitly incorporated. This means that mutual information is...
Computed Tomography (CT) of the spine was performed on 17 patients with myeloma in order to assess the role of the technique in recognizing and evaluating the extent of the lesions. Myelomatous lesions followed two patterns at CT: first of all, multiple focal lesions, whose density is either solid, liquid, or fatty; second, an extensive pattern involving the spongiosa of the vertebra, including the posterior arch. CT detected more lesions than conventional radiology; furthermore, the extent of the lesions was much better demonstrated by CT. CT should thus be performed: a) in case of pain and/or neurological findings in negative radiological examinations; b) to evaluate the extent of myelomatous lesions (mainly in the spine); c) in solitary myeloma CT may be performed on different bone segments with clinical symptomatology but normal X-ray findings.
We study the phonon fluxes emitted when the condensate velocity crosses the speed of sound, i.e., in backgrounds which are analogue to that of a black hole. We focus on elongated one dimensional condensates, and on stationary flows. Our theoretical analysis and numerical results are based on the Bogoliubov-de-Gennes equation without any further approximation. The spectral properties of the fluxes and of the long distance density-density correlations are obtained, with and without an initial temperature. In realistic conditions, we show that the condensate temperature dominates the fluxes, and thus hides the presence of the spontaneous emission (the Hawking effect). We also explain why the temperature amplifies the long distance correlations which are intrinsic to this effect. This confirms that the correlations pattern offers a neat signature of the Hawking effect. Optimal conditions to observe the pattern are discussed.
Abstract Question: How do the diversity, size structure, and spatial pattern of woody species in a temperate (Mediterranean climate) forest compare to temperate and tropical forests? Location: Mixed evergreen coastal forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA. Methods: We mapped, tagged, identified, and measured all woody stems (?1 cm diameter) in a 6-ha forest plot, following Center for Tropical Forest Science protocols. We compared patterns to those found in 14 tropical and 12 temperate forest plots. Results: The forest is dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and three species of Fagaceae (Quercus agrifolia, Q. parvula var. shrevei, and Lithocarpus densiflorus), and includes 31 woody species and 8180 individuals. Much of the diversity was in small-diameter shrubs,...
Analysis of the pattern of the chromosomal localization of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) is necessary for comprehensively understanding their functions. The chromosomal localization of QTLs controlling milk production traits has been studied in cattle chromosomes. The distribution of QTLs between chromosomes has proved to be binomial. Their distribution along each chromosome was, in general, uniform, except for the QTLs controlling the somatic cell score (SCS), which tended towards telomeric location. However, there are chromosomes either enriched with or particularly poor in QTLs. The QTL distribution patters are the most similar for the milk yield (M) and milk protein yield (P) and for milk fat yield (F) and milk fat content (%F). The pattern of the SCS QTLs stands out among those of ot...
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the quality of a rural area near Faenza (Italy) by using an active biomonitoring approach, i.e., by placing homogeneous individuals of the perennial shrub Rosa rugosa in different sites throughout the area. Further sites, within the city or its environs, were used for comparison. Soil and leaves of R. rugosa were analyzed for their heavy metal content. The total heavy metal pattern of leaves closely paralleled the pattern registered in soil, with the highest content (both in total and assimilable forms) at the site in the urban area, which is exposed to heavy traffic. Pollen quality (abortiveness and viability) was also tested as a potential indicator of pollution. Pollen abortiveness was strictly related to Pb levels in leaves, while viability was ...
Product-sum property states that an ordered pair (s"n,p"n) is unique for any ordered set a"1,a"2,...,a"n where a"i,n@?N, and s"n and p"n are the sum and product of the elements of the set, respectively. This fact has been exploited to develop an O(log(M)) time complexity algorithm for pattern searching in a large dataset, where M is the number of records in the dataset. Two potential applications (from databases and computational biology) of this property have been demonstrated to show the effectiveness and working of the proposed algorithm. The space complexity of the algorithm rises to the quadratic order.
Purpose: We present an update analysis of the multiinstitutional Ewing's sarcoma study CESS 86. Methods and Materials: From January 1986 through June 1991, 177 patients with localized Ewing's sarcoma of bone, aged 25 years or less, were recruited. Chemotherapy consisted of four 9-week courses of vincristine, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, and adriamycin (VACA) in low-risk tumors (extremity tumors =# 100 cm"3). Local therapy was an individual decision in each patient and was either radical surgery (amputation, wide resection) or resection plus postoperative irradiation with 45 Gy or definitive radiotherapy with 60 Gy (45 Gy plus boost). Irradiated patients were randomized concerning the type of fractionation in either conventional fractionation (once daily 1.8-2.0 Gy, break of chemotherapy) or hyperfractionated split-course irradiation simultaneously with the VACA/VAIA chemotherapy (twice daily 1.6 Gy, break of 12 days after 22.4 Gy and 44.8 ...
Cadmium is an environmental toxic metal implicated in human diseases. The mechanism of its toxicity is not fully understood. Therefore, the role of cadmium in renal toxicity, and the protective role of selenium against this toxicity were investigated. Forty-five male rats were used through out the study and divided into three groups of 15. The first group received saline solution daily for 10 days. The second group, received cadmium chloride (CdCl_2) (2 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneally daily for a period of 10 days. The third group, received sodium selenite (1 mg/kg body weight, twice a day) and CdCl_2 (once a day) for a period of 10 days. The results showed that cadmium treatment increased renal lipid peroxidation (measured as malondialdehyde, MDA) which was associated with a significant decrease in the antioxidant systems such as reduced glutathione levels and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and thioredoxin reductase ...
The development of attenuated response ({open_quotes}tolerance{close_quotes}) to daily ozone (O{sub 3}) exposures in the laboratory is well established in healthy adult volunteers. However, the capability of asthmatics to develop tolerance during multiday ozone exposures in unclear. We exposed 10 adult volunteers with mild asthma to 0.4 ppm O{sub 3} in filtered air for 3 h/d on 5 consecutive d. Two similar filtered-air exposures during the preceding week served as controls. Follow-up O{sub 3} exposures were performed 4 and 7 d after the most recent consecutive exposure. All exposures were performed in an environmental chamber at 31 {degrees}C and 35% relative humidity. The subjects performed moderate exercise (mean ventilation rate of 32 l/min) for 15 min of each half-hour. Responses were measured with spirometry and symptom evaluations before and after each exposure, and a bronchial reactivity test (methacholine challenge) was conducted after each exposure. All ...
The total radiation rate, angular distribution of the emitted energy and photon correlations of the cooperative spontaneous radiation from two atoms with different resonance frequencies and spontaneous decay rates are calculated. Contrary to the case of two identical atoms oscillations appear in the total radiation rate and the spatial distribution of the total number of emitted photons differs from the single-atom radiation pattern. The effect of the dipole-dipole near-field interaction on the time evolution of the atomic system is discussed. (author).
The process of implementing a damage detection strategy for aerospace, civil and mechanical engineering infrastructure is referred to as structural health monitoring (SHM). Here damage is defined as changes to the material and/or geometric properties of these systems, including changes to the boundary conditions and system connectivity, which adversely affect the system's current or future performance. Our approach is to address the SHM problem in the context of a statistical pattern recognition paradigm (Farrar, Nix and Doebling, 2001). In this paradigm, the process can be broken down into four parts: (1) Operational Evaluation, (2) Data Acquisition, (3) Feature Extraction, and (4) Statistical Model Development for Feature Discrimination. When one attempts to apply this paradigm to data from 'real-world' structures, it quickly becomes apparent that data cleansing, normalization, fusion and compression, which can be implemented with ...