We present a straightforward embedding of quantified multimodal logic in simple type theory and prove its soundness and completeness. Modal operators are replaced by quantification over a type of possible worlds. We present simple experiments, using existing higher-order theorem provers, to demonstrate that the embedding allows automated proofs of statements in these logics, as well as meta properties of them.

A generalization of the Nottale's scale relativity theory is elaborated: the generalized Schroedinger equation results as an irrotational movement of Navier-Stokes type fluids having an imaginary viscosity coefficient. Then {psi} simultaneously becomes wave-function and speed potential. In the hydrodynamic formulation of scale relativity theory, some implications in the gravitational morphogenesis of structures are analyzed: planetary motion quantizations, Saturn's rings motion quantizations, redshift quantization in binary galaxies, global redshift quantization etc. The correspondence with El Naschie's {epsilon} {sup ({infinity})} space-time implies a special type of superconductivity (El Naschie's superconductivity) and Cantorian-fractal sequences in the quantification of the Universe.

When two distinguishable photons are simultaneously input into a nonlinear system, the output photons undergo nonlinear optical effects of the cross-Kerr type. Theoretical quantification of this two-photon cross-Kerr effect requires, in principle, a fully quantum-mechanical analysis involving heavy computation. In this paper, we propose a method for evaluating the two-photon cross-Kerr effect using a semiclassical optical response theory. The semiclassical method enables precise evaluation of the cross-Kerr effect with greatly reduced computation. The validity of the method is confirmed using a model nonlinear system.

Metallic nanoparticles in a cellular environment have a tendency to aggregate which poses a major obstacle in extending in vivo surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) applications beyond the qualification and into quantification domain. We introduce and demonstrate a novel SERS technique that will enable precise quantification of exogenous chemicals in living human cells. Effective quantification of the local concentrations of a dinitrophenol derivative (DAMP) based on a normalizing technique is shown by utilizing gold nanoparticle entrapment in the lysosomal compartments in human cells. We believe that the quantification technique developed here is general and can be extended to different environments utilizing different types of nanoparticles beyond the intracellular scheme proposed.

Quantification theory type II was used to predict the outcome of 63 patients with head injury. Age, sex, two factors based on neurological examination, and seven factors based on findings of skull radiography and computed tomography of the head were selected as predictors. Patient outcome was evaluated 6 months after injury and assigned to good recovery, severe disability, or death. Discriminant analysis of patient outcomes was performed using the 11 factors. Two category scores were obtained for each category, since the highest correlation ratios were 0.869 and 0.252, and others were less than 10-15. For each patient, a pair of sample scores was then obtained by simple summation of the 11 category scores. Pairs of sample scores were plotted, and the three groups of patient outcomes were clearly distinguishable without exception. These findings show that the outcome of patients with head injury can be accurately discriminated by quantitative analysis of qualitative data.   

A disposable-type screen-printed non-single crystal silver electrode (AgSPE) surface has been demonstrated for the sensitive and selective quantification of lead in cosmetic hair-dye formulations using its underpotential deposition (UPD-Pb) process.   

A new methodology has been developed for quantifying heat-affected zone (HAZ) liquation cracking susceptibility. This methodology characterizes a thermal crack-susceptible region (CSR) in the HAZ. The thermal CSR was theoretically derived based on the ductility of a material during welding as obtained from the Gleeble hot-ductility test and the criteria assumed in the development of liquation cracking theories. This CSR was experimentally verified using longitudinal- and spot-Varestraint tests performed on A-286 and Type 310 stainless steels. The thermal CSR is material-specific and represents a true quantification of liquation cracking susceptibility. The development of this methodology has (1) elucidated the physical relationship among weldability test results, liquation cracking theories and material properties; (2) provided a more precise interpretation of hot-ductility, spot- and longitudinal-Varestraint tests; (3) defined a method for determining a material-specific measure of HAZ liquation cracking susceptibility; (4) eliminated the inconsistency among certain weldability test results; (5) added important insight regarding the mechanics of HAZ liquation cracking, and (6) confirmed the criterion assumed in the development of liquation cracking theories, which states that cracking results from the localized loss of grain boundary ductility due to liquation. This paper addresses the theoretical background and experimental procedure involved in the development of the methodology.

We study theoretically and experimentally the quantification of non-Gaussian distributions via nondestructive measurements. Using the theory of cumulants, their unbiased estimators, and the uncertainties of these estimators, we describe a quantification which is simultaneously efficient, unbiased by measurement noise, and suitable for hypothesis tests, e.g., to detect nonclassical states. The theory is applied to cold Rb87 spin ensembles prepared in non-Gaussian states by optical pumping and measured by nondestructive Faraday rotation probing. We find an optimal use of measurement resources under realistic conditions, e.g., in atomic ensemble quantum memories.

This paper seeks to examine the relationship between detached houses and the consciousness of the inhabitants1 concerning their house in the city and suburbs of Vientiane in the Lao PDR. The relationship between hardware aspects such as the physical dimensions of the house, and its floor plan are compared to the software aspects, such as the character of family homes and household size, and the usage of the area in each room. The opinions of respondents regarding their own house are also examined. These points can be summarized by the following issues: 1) the character of the type of houses was examined by using the statistic method of Hayashi?s quantification theory III; 2) the character of families residing in detached homes and household size; 3) the house size or floor area in each house type; and 4) the level of satisfaction of inhabitants with their houses, which relates to current changes in culture and social concerns. Field surveys were performed to obtain information from students of the Faculty of Architecture at the National University of Laos using questionnaires. The main findings were: 1) single families are living in more modern houses (one-story brick houses) whereas multi-household families are living in more traditional houses (wooden stilt houses); 2) inhabitants of one-story brick houses were more satisfied with the bedroom and other rooms than inhabitants of houses in other types; and 3) inhabitants of traditional houses (wooden stilt houses) complained about the rooms.   

We call a theory a Dedekind theory if every complete quantifier-free type with one free variable either has a trivial positive part or it is isolated by a positive quantifier-free formula. The theory of vector spaces and the theory fields are examples. We prove that in a Dedekind theory all positive quantifier-free types are principal so, in a sense, Dedekind theories are Noetherian. We show that saturated existentially closed models of Dedekind theories, if not coutably categorical, are Zariski geometries.

Japan is susceptible to slope failures and landslides. This paper will demonstrate how municipal governments can manage landslides with the use of inspection records and spatial data. Specifically, the study applies a multivariate analysis method, quantification theory type 2, to statistically evaluate the risk of slope failures caused by geomorphological factors. The scores from these analytical results reflect the risk of the slopes sampled in the analysis. We also analyze rainfall factors in order to determine the critical rainfall line and evaluate the critical line of the linear type conventionally used in disaster forecasting. By applying these methods, we identify the areas prone to landslides using GIS. Further, we developed a database system capable of combining spatial data with existing data on potential landslides. Two features of the system enable its application to all municipalities and prefectures throughout Japan: all local governments can make use of the inspection results, and all have access to various spatial data established under the ?e-government? policy. This paper explains how to use rainfall data, existing inventory data on steep slopes, and records of past landslides for the management of landslides. The results of these analyses will specify and predict areas prone to collapse for warning and evacuation procedures.   

This dissertation considers the problem of the semantic function of verbal aspectual morphology in Polish and other Slavic languages in the framework of generative syntax and semantics. Three kinds of such morphology are examined: (i) prefixes attaching directly to the root, (ii) "secondary imperfective" suffixes, and (iii) three prefixes that have a quantificational function and are able to stack on top of already prefixed verbs: "na"--"a lot," "po"--"some, a little" and the distributive "po-" . Assuming a two-tiered theory of aspect (Smith 1991), where two distinct types of grammatically encoded aspect are distinguished--Aktionsart (telicity, durativity, dynamicity) and viewpoint (PERFECTIVITY vs. IMPERFECTIVITY)--the aspectual contribution of the above listed markers is analyzed using various syntactic and semantic tests, leading to a number of new conclusions and novel accounts of various problems. It is determined that Slavic verbal prefixes are uniformly markers of telicity, and then proposed that they project as heads of the telicity-encoding projection InnerAsp. Prefixed forms are also viewpoint-PERFECTIVE (= temporally bound), but for a number of reasons this fact is attributed to a compositional restriction whereby telic predicates compose only with the PERFECTIVE viewpoint, rather than to the prefixes fulfilling that role. With regard to "secondary imperfective" suffixation, careful examination of data from Old Church Slavonic, Bulgarian and Polish reveals, contrary to what is commonly assumed, that "secondary imperfective" forms need not be interpreted IMPERFECTIVELY. Their interpretation is, on the other hand, always atelic. This leads to the novel proposal that the "secondary imperfective" morphemes correspond to a partitive-homogenizing operator, which applies to telic predicates and returns atelic ones. It is further proposed that this operator heads the InnerAsp[superscript SI] projection, merging right above InnerAsp. Lastly, with regard to quantificational prefixes, they are subjected to a two-part analysis, with the first one focusing on their unique properties, i.e., their role as intensifiers and variable quantifiers as well as their stacking ability, and the second one addressing their aspectual role. Aspectually, quantificational prefixes are shown to behave largely like other, "regular" prefixes, with only "po-" "some, a little" outside of degree achievement predicates being Aktionsart neutral. This observation puts into question a number of previous analyses which claim that such quantificational prefixes do not participate in telicity-marking. Their newly reported Aktionsart role necessitates a recursive telicity-encoding structure for all cases where a quantificational prefix attaches to a "secondary imperfective" form. This is proposed to be accomplished through an additional telicity-encoding projection InnerAsp[superscript Q], which merges with InnerAsp[superscript SI]. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.

A construction of compact tachyon-free orientifolds of the non-supersymmetric Type 0B string theory is presented. Moreover, we study effective non-supersymmetric gauge theories arising on self-dual D3-branes in Type 0B orbifolds and orientifolds.

A protocol is described which allows the quantification of cells belonging to one type within a coculture of two cell types. For this, a series of micrographs recorded under different conditions (transmission, different fluorescence wavelength) were processed using an image recognition software. To show the effectiveness of the protocol, the relative amounts of adherent cells in three different cocultures of two cell types were determined as a function of the chemical patterning of substrates.

The preliminary investigation of solid phase microextraction (SPME) as a method for conducting contamination analysis in clean nitrogen streams is presented. The basic operation and the potential advantages of SPME technology are presented for readers unfamiliar with the technique. A detailed description of sample collection and analysis is provided. A discussion of sampling theory and quantification is also included. Results of laboratory experiments and some preliminary field tests are discussed, as well as the direction for future development of the technique.

The current dynamic process in computing, microelectronics, smart sensors and automation provide NDT system engineers with challenging opportunities for improved NDT solutions. We focus on the quantification of inspection results with respect to flaw type, flaw location and flaw size, at high inspec...

Presence of PCR inhibitors in extracted DNA may interfere with the subsequent quantification and short tandem repeat (STR) reactions used in forensic genetic DNA typing. We have compared three automated DNA extraction methods based on magnetic beads with a manual method with the aim of reducing the amount of PCR inhibitors in the DNA extracts and increasing the proportion of reportable DNA profiles.

The Abbott RealTime human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) assay (ART) and the Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan HIV-1 test (CTM) are commercially available assays for quantification of HIV-1 RNA in plasma. We evaluated performance characteristics, workflow, throughput, reliability, and direct costs...

Quantification of invasive, intracellular bacteria is critical in many areas of cellular microbiology and immunology. We describe a novel and fast approach to determine invasion of bacterial pathogens in adherent cell types such as epithelial cells or fibroblasts based on flow cytometry. Using the C...

Accurate determination of plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA levels is critical for the effective management of HIV-1 disease. The AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR Test, a reverse transcription-PCR-based test for quantification of HIV-1 RNA in plasma, was developed when little sequence inf...

Rats were intratracheally instilled with polystyrene microspheres and/or asbestos particles (0.5 mg) suspended in PBS. Six animals from each group were dispatched n days 1, 7, 30, 80 and 150 days after their respective instillations. Their lungs were lavaged, and quantifications of lavaged fluorescent microspheres, analyses of distributions of microspheres in lung, phagocytes by type, quantification of unlavaged lung burdens of microspheres, and quantification of tracheobronchial lymph mode burdens of microspheres were performed. Data are presented herein describing lung retention kinetics of the microspheres, analyses of particle distributions in lung phagocytes over the course of alveolar phase clearlance, analyses of changes in the sizes of the lung`s population of free cells.

Abstract in english Several authors in the 17th century used the atomic hypothesis to explain observable phenomena. This paper analyzes some ideas about chemical transformation proposed by the English physician Walter Charleton. In Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charltoniana (London, 1654), Charleton examined philosophical aspects of the atomic theory, and suggested that the best explanation for all natural phenomena would be only in terms of atoms and their motions. Sometimes, however, he had (more) to attribute to the atoms some kind of "internal virtue", to explain more complex properties of the matter. His idea of "element", and the little use of experimentation and quantification, also limited the range of Charleton's theory.

We present a solution of M(atrix) theory describing type IIA fundamental string. Our construction is based on the central charge of the longitudinal membrane (= fundamental string), the BPS saturation condition and the relation between M(atrix) theory and supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. The fundamental string corresponds to a photon in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory.   

We consider several orbifold compactifications of M-theory and theircorresponding type II duals in two space-time dimensions. In particular, we show that while the orbifold compactification of M-theory on T{sup 9}/J{sub 9} is dual to the orbifold compactification of type IIB string theory on T{sup 8}/I{sub 8}, the same orbifold T{sup 8}/I{sub 8} of type IIA string theory is dual to M-theory compactified on a smooth product manifold K3 x T{sup 5}. Similarly, while the orbifold compactification of M-theory on (K3 x T{sup 5})/{sigma}. J{sub 5} is dual to the orbifold compactification of type IIB string theory on (K3 x T{sup 4})/{sigma}.I{sub 4}, the same orbifold of type IIA string theory is dual to the orbifold T{sup 4} x (K3 x S{sup 1})/{sigma}.J{sub 1} of M-theory. The spectrum of various orbifold compactifications of M-theory and type II string theories on both sides are compared giving evidence in favor of these duality conjectures. We also comment on a connection between the Dasgupta-Mukhi-Witten conjecture and the Dabholkar-Park-Sen conjecture for the six-dimensional orbifold models of type IIB string theory and M-theory. (orig.).

The paper presents an exact solution of cylindrically symmetric cosmological models which are of Petrov type-I or Petov type-D in Barber's second self-creation theory of gravitation. Some physical and geometrical properties of these models are also discussed.

Logical frameworks based on intuitionistic or linear logics with higher-type quantification have been successfully used to give high-level, modular, and formal specifications of many important judgments in the area of programming languages and inference systems. Given such specifications, it is natural to consider proving properties about the specified systems in the framework: for example, given the specification of evaluation for a functional programming language, prove that the language is deterministic or that evaluation preserves types. One challenge in developing a framework for such reasoning is that higher-order abstract syntax (HOAS), an elegant and declarative treatment of object-level abstraction and substitution, is difficult to treat in proofs involving induction. In this paper, we present a meta-logic that can be used to reason about judgments coded using HOAS; this meta-logic is an extension of a simple intuitionistic logic that admits higher-order quantification over simply typed lambda-terms ...

This study introduces a method to quantify the scenic value of wetland landscapes and provides the guidance on the allocation of efforts for the purpose of preserving the most important environments. Dongting Lake, a traditional tourist location, is one of the five largest freshwater lakes in China and a Grade 5A National Scenic Region. This study objectively analyzes the scenic resources of South Dongting Lake, and presents a model based on Quantification Theory I to assess wetland scenic landscapes. Employing a multilinear regression relationship between landscape factors and their associated scenic value, we built up the Wetland Landscape Quantification Model (WLQM), which was used to classify 221 landscapes into five grades. Finally, some suggestions are proposed regarding quantitative...

There have been very few investigations into how any single nursing theory has actually evolved historically. In this paper, a trajectory of theoretical development in nursing is explored through reviewing the theoretical development of a single nursing theory-transitions theory. The literature related to transitions theory was searched and retrieved using multiple databases. Ninety-nine papers were analyzed according to type of theory, populations of interest, sources of theorizing, and theoretical methods. Transitions theory originated in research but was initially borrowed. It also arose in research with immigrants and from national and international collaborative research efforts. A product of mentoring, transitions theory is used widely in nursing education, research, and practice. Di...

Health promotion and social betterment program interventions are based on either formal theory from academia or stakeholder theory from stakeholders' observations and experiences in working with clients. Over time, formal theory-based interventions have acquired high prestige, while stakeholder theory-based interventions have been held in low esteem. Here we examine the assumption that formal theory-based interventions are superior to stakeholder-based interventions in addressing community problems. The article elaborates on these ideas via a case study of a community-based, environmental tobacco smoke prevention program evaluation. The authors conclude that although both types of interventions had their strengths and limitations in the real world, the stakeholder theory-based intervention was more viable and effective than the formal theory-based intervention in this case due to implementation reasons. Findings are useful in understanding these two intervention types, in developing better strategies to address community problems, and in advancing program theory and theory-driven evaluation. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

OBJECTIVES: To outline the development and validation of a universal method for quantifying deltamethrin, permethrin and alpha-cypermethrin levels in a variety of long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets. METHODS: Using the HPLC conditions found in the CIPAC method for deltamethrin quantification, the method is based on a simple extraction technique for sample preparation (heating in isooctane at approximately 100 °C for 15 min). The method was validated for linearity, specificity, accuracy, precision, insecticide stability to extraction conditions and required extraction time for insecticide removal. RESULTS: The method was found valid for insecticide quantifications for various types of nets, namely for deltamethrin coated on polyester nets, deltamethrin incorporated into polyethylene nets, permethrin incorporated into polyethylene nets, alpha-cypermethrin coated on polyester nets and alpha-cypermethrin incorporated into polyethylene nets. CONCLUSIONS: This method will provide a more simplified approach to testing a variety of nets (different types of fibre) containing deltamethrin, permethrin or alpha-cypermethrin. PMID:23107509

Quantification of 11 clinical strains of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis isolated from domestic (cattle, sheep, and goat) and wildlife (fallow deer, deer, wild boar, and bison) animal species in an automatic liquid culture system (Bactec MGIT 960) was accomplished. The strains were previously isolated and typed using IS1311 PCR followed by restriction endonuclease analysis (PCR-REA) into type C, S, or B. A strain-specific quantification curve was generated for each M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strain by relating the time to detection in the liquid culture system to the estimated log(10) CFU in each inoculum. According to their growth curves, the tested M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains were classified into two distinct groups. The first group included the S-type strain isolated from goat and all the sheep strains with C, S, and B genotypes. A second group contained the C- and B-type strains isolated from cattle, goat, and wildlife animals with the exception of the fallow deer strain. The strains isolated from cattle or sheep showed similar strain-specific standard curves irrespective of their genotype. In contrast, the strains isolated from goat or from wildlife animal species varied in their rates of growth in liquid culture. Universal-standard curves and algorithms for the quantification of each group of strains were generated. In addition, the liquid culture system was compared with a real-time quantitative PCR system for the quantification of the 11 M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains. Correlations between the estimated log(10) CFU and M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis DNA copy numbers were very high for all the tested strains (R ? 0.9). PMID:22649014

The counterfeit of a product, in this case a type of cheese, is an economic damage for the trade-mark product. An identification of the product itself by quantification of trace elements could be done. Nuclear techniques are useful and give good results. Some elements are connected to the process so different productions could be identified. Thirty elements and 160 spectrums are analysed. The samples of the same kind of cheese come from different countries and different Italian producers (15 different productions)

Metabolic phenotyping at cellular resolution may be considered one of the challenges in current plant physiology. A method is described which enables the cell type-specific metabolic analysis of epidermal cell types in Arabidopsis thaliana pavement, basal, and trichome cells. To achieve the required high spatial resolution, single cell sampling using microcapillaries was combined with routine gas chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) based metabolite profiling. The identification and relative quantification of 117 mostly primary metabolites has been demonstrated. The majority, namely 90 compounds, were accessible without analytical background correction. Analyses were performed using cell type-specific pools of 200 microsampled individual cells. Moreover, among these ...

The paper examines the unification of the four types of interaction found in nature, i.e. the Grand Unified Model. Spin and isospin, electromagnetic interactions, renormalisability, weak and electromagnetic interactions, strong interactions, Grand Unified theories, gravity and supersymmetry, Kaluza-Klein theory, and superstring theories, are all discussed.

Classical solutions are exhibited of a graviton-graviphoton-graviscalar field theory which are antigravitating in the weak-field approximation. The theory itself is obtained by a Kaluza-Klein type reduction from five to four dimensions. The solutions are dyonic black holes with scalar charge. They share some similarities with the extreme Reissner-Nordstrom black holes of Einstein-Maxwell theory.

The models of triangulated random surfaces embedded in (extended) Dynkin diagrams are formulated as a gauge-invariant matrix model of Weingarten type. The double scaling limit of this model is described by a collective field theory with nonpolynomial interaction. The propagator in this field theory is essentially two-loop correlator in the corresponding string theory.

Past studies on the issue of learning-theory foundations in game-based learning stressed the importance of establishing learning-theory foundation and provided an exploratory examination of established learning theories. However, we found research seldom addressed the development of the use or failure to use learning-theory foundations and categorized these learning theories into relative types and synthesized their development. We investigate this issue from the perspective of learning theories invoked to underpin educational computer game design and use based on the four types of learning theories: behaviourism, cognitivism, humanism and constructivism. Because the investigation needs to examine and analyse the results from a large number of independent previous studies, this study applied the meta-analysis method to present a more comprehensive description and discussion of the influence and implications of the findings. This study shows the distribution of development trends for the use of learning theory as a theoretical foundation, as opposed to those that fail to use learning theory in game-based learning, along with the distribution of types and principles of learning theories that used a learning-theory foundation. These new findings can supplement the results of previous studies with regard to the issue of learning-theory foundations in game-based learning. The contributions of this study for the issue of learning-theory foundations in game-based learning are discussed.

This article argues that although Savage simultaneously defines probabilities and utilities, one can describe subjective probability separately if utilities are considered linearly related to earnings, which is true for small positive or negative amounts. Points out that decision theory formalizes an approach by creating a subjective probability which summarizes the bet about the future of an oil field by the geologist. Concludes that an explicit quantification from an expert is preferred over leaving it to a less qualified person to do it implicitly without formal reasoning and justification.

The monadic second-order theory of trees allows quantification over elements and over arbitrary subsets. We classify the class of trees with respect to the question: does a tree T have a definable choice function (by a monadic formula with parameters)? A natural dichotomy arises where the trees that fall in the first class don't have a definable choice function and the trees in the second class have even a definable well ordering of their elements. This has a close connection to the uniformization problem.

Spectral processing in x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy deals with the extraction of characteristic signals from experimental data. In this text, the four basic procedures for this methodology are reviewed and their limitations outlined. Quantification, on the other hand, deals with the interpretation of the information obtained from spectral processing. Here the limitations are for the most part instrumental in nature. The prospects of higher voltage operation does not, in theory, present any new problems and may in fact prove to be more desirable assuming that electron damage effects do not preclude analysis. 28 refs., 6 figs.

Abstract: This work is devoted to the construction of new kriging-based interpolating position-dependent subdivision schemes for data reconstruction. Their originality stands in the coupling of the underlying multi-scale framework associated to subdivision schemes with kriging theory. Thanks to an efficient stencil selection, they allow to cope the problem of non-regular data prediction while keeping the interesting properties of kriging operators for the quantification of prediction errors. The proposed subdivision schemes are fully analyzed and an application to the reconstruction of non-regular environmental data is given as well.

In this paper we consider the problem of `theory patching', in which we are given a domain theory, some of whose components are indicated to be possibly flawed, and a set of labeled training examples for the domain concept. The theory patching problem is to revise only the indicated components of the theory, such that the resulting theory correctly classifies all the training examples. Theory patching is thus a type of theory revision in which revisions are made to individual components of the theory. Our concern in this paper is to determine for which classes of logical domain theories the theory patching problem is tractable. We consider both propositional and first-order domain theories, and show that the theory patching problem is equivalent to that of determining what information contained in a theory is `stable' regardless of what revisions might be performed to the theory. We show that determining stability is tractable if the input theory satisfies two conditions: that revisions to each theory compone...

The author uses a behavioral perspective to survey theory that may be useful in mediation. He notes the lack of diffusion of knowledge of theory among practitioners and argues that mediators should pay more explicit attention to theory. He presents a matrix comprising the behavioral factors of perception, emotion, cognition, communication, and intervention at the micro, meso, and macro levels of conflict and uses this matrix to organize and review some mediation theories. Several types of intervention theory are identified: integrated, generic, dialectical, developmental, and dialogical. The article closes by posing some outstanding theoretical issues and questioning whether current mediator training programs are adequate to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

A four-dimensional field theory with a qualitatively new type of nonlocality is constructed from a setting where Kaluza-Klein particles probe toroidally compactified string theory with twisted boundary conditions. In this theory fundamental particles are not pointlike and occupy a volume proportional to their R-charge. The theory breaks Lorentz invariance but appears to preserve spatial rotations. At low energies, it is approximately N=4 Super Yang-Mills theory, deformed by an operator of dimension seven. The dispersion relation of massless modes in vacuum is unchanged, but under certain conditions in this theory, particles can travel at superluminal velocities.

Brief administrative-type summaries are given of work in the following areas: the nuclear Compton amplitude, dispersion relations, model calculations, electroexcitation sum rules, effects of nucleon size on photonuclear transitions and internal nuclear excitations, wave function formalisms in the channel coupling array theory, new n-particle scattering theory, atomic and molecular bound-state calculations, test of bound-state approximations in many-body scattering theories, quantum theory for nonhermitian operators, and variational principles for particles and fields in Heisenberg matrix mechanics.

Abstract in portuguese De acordo com o argumento da indispensabilidade, devemos nos comprometer ontologicamente com entidades matemáticas, por serem elas indispensáveis às nossas melhores teorias científicas. Hartry Field (1980) notoriamente opõe-se ao argumento, desenvolvendo um programa de reformulação de teorias científicas sem quantificação sobre objetos matemáticos. Em particular, Field elaborou detalhadamente a nominalização da teoria gravitacional de Newton, indicando como e (more) la poderia ser formulada sem quantificação sobre números reais. Field forneceu também um argumento de por que o uso de operadores modais não garante uma estratégia adequada para nomear teorias científicas. Neste artigo, discuto o argumento de Field contrário à afirmação de que a modalidade possa ser um substituto geral para a ontologia. Após opor-me a esse argumento, indico um quadro alternativo que esclarece as razões pelas quais a modalidade pode desempenhar esse papel. Abstract in english According to the indispensability argument, we ought to be ontologically committed to mathematical entities, given that they are indispensable to our best scientific theories. Hartry Field (1980) has famously resisted the argument, developing a program to reformulate scientific theories without quantification over mathematical objects. In particular, Field worked out in detail the nominalization of Newtonian gravitacional theory, indicating how the theory could be formula (more) ted without quantification over real numbers. Field also provided an argument why the use of modal operators doesn't providean adequate strategy to nominalize scientific theories. In this paper, I discuss Field's argument against the claim that modality can be a general surrogate for ontology. After resisting this argument, I indicate an alternative picture that makes it clear why modality can play such a role.

A mathematical theory is derived for the above mentioned type of drum based on the theory of plates and shells. The theoretical results so obtained have been compared with the computer results obtained by Atkinson and Taylor as well as the experimental results obtained from the test carried on the drum of similar type. 7 references.

We find exact solutions for N=2 supersymmetric SO(N), N=7,9,10,11,12 gauge theories with matter in the fundamental and spinor representation. These theories, with specific numbers of vectors and spinors, arise naturally in the compactification of type IIA string theory on suitably chosen Calabi-Yau threefolds. Exact solutions are obtained by using mirror symmetry to find the corresponding type IIB compactification. We propose generalizations of these results to cases with arbitrary numbers of massive vectors and spinors.

We give a detailed derivation of a supersymmetric configuration of wrapped D5 branes on a two-cycle of a warped resolved conifold. Our analysis reveals that the resolved conifold should support a non-K?hler metric with an Formula Not Shown structure. We use this as a starting point of the geometric transition in type IIB theory. A mirror, and a subsequent flop transition using an intermediate M-theory configuration with a Formula Not Shown structure, gives rise to the complete IR geometric transition in type IIA theory. A further mirror transformation gives the type IIB gravity dual of the IR gauge theory on the wrapped D5 branes. Expectedly non-K?hler deformations of the resolved and the deformed conifolds appear as the gravity duals of the confining gauge theories in type IIA and type II...

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) offers a fast and cost-effective alternative analytical technique to LC-MS/MS for separation and quantitation of many PPCP compounds in wastewater. In this study, we have developed a method that can simultaneously analyze eight different PPCP compounds in untreated wastewater (ibuprofen, triclosan, carbamazepine, caffeine, acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and lincomycin), using capillary electrophoresis with UV detection (CE-UV). The method detection limit (MDL) ranged from 1.6 to 68.7ppb through solid phase extraction. The standard limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.63 to 7.72ppm. Factors affecting separation and quantification of PPCPs, such as pH, electrophoretic potential, buffer strength, buffer type, and additives, were investigat...

When the human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) is integrated with the host cell genome (provirus), its proviral DNA is a replication marker. Proviral load appears to be an important factor in the development of diseases related to these retroviruses. In this study, a methodology for absolute quantification of the HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 proviral load using real-time PCR was developed. Fifty-three blood donor samples with positive ELISA test result were subjected to this methodology, which utilized the TaqMan system for three target sequences: HTLV-1, HTLV-2 and albumin. The absolute proviral load was quantified using the relative ratio between the HTLV genome and the host cell genome, taking into consideration the white blood cell count. The method presented is sensitive (215 copies/ml), practical and simple for proviral quantification, and is efficient and appropriate for confirming and discriminating infections according to viral type. PMID:17308700

We propose a rigorous framework for Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) in which the UQ objectives and the assumptions/information set are brought to the forefront. This framework, which we call \\emph{Optimal Uncertainty Quantification} (OUQ), is based on the observation that, given a set of assumptions and information about the problem, there exist optimal bounds on uncertainties: these are obtained as extreme values of well-defined optimization problems corresponding to extremizing probabilities of failure, or of deviations, subject to the constraints imposed by the scenarios compatible with the assumptions and information. In particular, this framework does not implicitly impose inappropriate assumptions, nor does it repudiate relevant information. Although OUQ optimization problems are extremely large, we show that under general conditions, they have finite-dimensional reductions. As an application, we develop \\emph{Optimal Concentration Inequalities} (OCI) of Hoeffding and McDiarmid type. Surprisingly, contr...

A silicon carbide based enhancement type metal insulator field effect transistor with porous gate metallization has been investigated as a total NO x sensor operated in a temperature cycling mode. This operating mode is quite new for gas sensors based on the field effect but promising results have been reported earlier. Based on static investigations we have developed a suitable T-cycle optimized for NO x detection and quantification in a mixture of typical exhaust gases (CO, C2H4, and NH3). Significant features describing the shape of the sensor response have been extracted and evaluated with multivariate statistics (e.g. linear discriminant analysis) allowing quantification of NO x . Additional cleaning-cycles every 30?min improve the stability of the sensor further. With this kind of ad...

The management planning of construction and demolition (C&D) waste uses a single indicator which does not provide enough detailed information. Therefore the determination and implementation of other innovative and precise indicators should be determined. The aim of this research work is to improve existing C&D waste quantification tools in the construction of new residential buildings in Spain. For this purpose, several housing projects were studied to determine an estimation of C&D waste generated during their construction process. This paper determines the values of three indicators to estimate the generation of C&D waste in new residential buildings in Spain, itemizing types of waste and construction stages. The inclusion of two more accurate indicators, in addition to the global one commonly in use, provides a significant improvement in C&D waste quantification tools and management planning. PMID:22081383

Normoxic type polyacrylamide gel (nPAG) dosimeters are established for dose quantification in three-dimensions for radiotherapy and hence represent an adequate dosimeter for quantification of the dose variation due to the existence of the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the target during irradiation. This work compared the degree of polymerisation in gel doped with nanoparticles (nPAG?AuNP) with control gel samples when irradiated by various sources. Samples were irradiated with a synchrotron radiation source of mean energy 125?keV, 80?kV X-ray beams from superficial therapy machine (SXRT), 6?MV X-rays and 6?MeV electron beams from linear accelerator. Analysis of the dose?response relation was used to determine a dose enhancement factor (DEF) of 1.76???0.34 and 1.64???0.44 obtained for sampl...

In this study, we assessed the exposure of urban populations to different classes of organophosphate pesticides due to the consumption of different types of vegetables. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used for quantification, while the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe extraction method was used to isolate eighteen organophosphate pesticides found in vegetable samples (eggplant, ladyfinger, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato and chili) at concentration of @mg/kg. This method was accurate (>=99.5%) and possessed a limit of detection and quantification in the range of 0.002-0.099 and 0.009-0.337@mg/kg respectively. The coefficients of variation (>=0.9999) were less than 2% at the low end of the linear range of the method. The mean recovery ranged between 94 and 103%, and t...

Safety assessment requires the interaction of a large number of disciplines to model the environmental phenomena necessary to evaluate the safety of the disposal system. In this complex process, the identification and quantification of both types of uncertainties, random and epistemic, plays a very important role for confidence building. In this work an application of the concept of total uncertainty to radioactive waste disposal facilities safety assessment is proposed. By combining both types of uncertainty, aleatory and epistemic, in the same framework, this approach ultimately aims to assess the confidence one can pose in the safety-assessment decisions. (authors)

We define a notion of weak omega-category internal to a model of Martin-L\\"of type theory, and prove that each type bears a canonical weak omega-category structure obtained from the tower of iterated identity types over that type. We show that the omega-categories arising in this way are in fact omega-groupoids.

We present an explicit formula for the topology and H-flux of the T-dual of a general type II, compactification, significantly generalizing earlier results. Our results apply to T-dualities with respect to any circle action on spacetime X. As before, T-duality exchanges type IIA and type IIB string theories. A new consequence is that the T-dual spacetime is a singular space when the fixed point set {X^{T}} is non-empty; the singularities correspond to Kaluza-Klein monopoles. We propose that the Ramond-Ramond charges of type II string theories on the singular dual are classified by twisted equivariant cohomology groups. We also discuss the K-theory approach.

The achievement of expected site productivity is one of the main characteristics of successfully completed projects. The productivity rates of concrete construction according to the learning curve theory are discussed in this paper. The study builds upon the records of variable productivity rates achieved in the erection of 15 multi-storey concrete structures in Southern Italy and the discussion of the factors behind such variability. In this last regard, a multilevel regression analysis identifies the most important factors. The repetitive work that characterizes these structures provides distinct opportunities for productivity enhancement. Learning curve theory is applied to quantify such an improvement by using a straight-line model. The quantification of learning rates, ranging from 85...

Abstract Purpose: To explore current trends in nursing theories through an integrated literature review. Organizing Construct and Methods: The literature related to nursing theories during the past 10 years was searched through multiple databases and reviewed to determine themes reflecting current trends in nursing theories. Findings: The trends can be categorized into six themes: (a) foci on specifics; (b) coexistence of various types of theories; (c) close links to research; (d) international collaborative works; (e) integration to practice; and (f) selective evolution. Conclusions: We need to make our continuous efforts to link research and practice to theories, to identify specifics of our theories, to develop diverse types of theories, and to conduct international collaborative works....

We consider heterotic string theories in the DLCQ. We derive that the matrix model of the Spin(32)/Z{sub 2} heterotic theory is the theory living on N D-strings in type I wound on a circle with no Spin(32)/Z{sub 2} Wilson line on the circle. This is an O(N) gauge theory. We rederive the matrix model for the E{sub 8}xE{sub 8} heterotic string theory, explicitly taking care of the Wilson line around the lightlike circle. The result is the same theory as for Spin(32)/Z{sub 2} except that now there is a Wilson line on the circle. We also see that the integer N labeling the sector of the O(N) matrix model is not just the momentum around the lightlike circle, but a shifted momentum depending on the Wilson line. We discuss the aspect of level matching, GSO projections and why, from the point of view of matrix theory the E{sub 8}xE{sub 8} theory, and not the Spin(32)/Z{sub 2}, develops an 11th dimension for strong coupling. Furthermore a matrix theory for type I is derived. This is again the O(N) theory living on the D-strings of type I. For small type I coupling the system is 0+1-dimensional quantum mechanics.

The existence of a new kind of massive boson-fermion symmetry is shown explicitly in the framework of the heterotic, type II and type II orientifold superstring theories. The target space-time is two-dimensional. Higher dimensional models are defined via large marginal deformations of J anti J-type. The spectrum of the initial undeformed two dimensional vacuum consists of massless boson degrees of freedom, while all massive boson and fermion degrees of freedom exhibit a new Massive Spectrum Degeneracy Symmetry (MSDS). This precise property, distinguishes the MSDS theories from the well known supersymmetric SUSY-theories. Some proposals are stated in the framework of these theories concerning the structure of: (i) The Early Non-singular Phase of the Universe, (ii) The two dimensional boundary theory of AdS{sub 3} Black-Holes, (iii) Plausible applications of the MSDS theories in particle physics, alternative to SUSY. (Abstract Copyright [2008], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

We discuss the moduli space of nine dimensional N = 1 supersymmetric compactifications of M theory/string theory with reduced rank (rank 10 or rank 2), exhibiting how all the different theories (including M theory compactified on a Klein bottle and on a Moebius strip, the Dabholkar-Park background, CHL strings and asymmetric orbifolds of type II strings on a circle) fit together, and what are the weakly coupled descriptions in different regions of the moduli space. We argue that there are two disconnected components in the moduli space of theories with rank 2. We analyze in detail the limits of the M theory compactifications on a Klein bottle and on a Moebius strip which naively give type IIA string theory with an uncharged orientifold 8-plane carrying discrete RR flux. In order to consistently describe these limits we conjecture that this orientifold non-perturbatively splits into a D8-brane and an orientifold plane of charge (-1) which sits at infinite coupling. We construct the M(atrix) theory for M theory on a Klein bottle (and the theories related to it), which is given by a 2 + 1 dimensional gauge theory with a varying gauge coupling compactified on a cylinder with specific boundary conditions. We also clarify the construction of the M(atrix) theory for backgrounds of rank 18, including the heterotic string on a circle.

The main aspects underlying the rigorous mathematical formulation of deterministic sensitivity theory for nonlinear systems are presented; this formulation is based on the work by Cacuci and employs concepts and methods of nonlinear functional analysis. The functional analytic concepts underlying sensitivity theory are briefly reviewed in Section II. The rigorous formulation of sensitivity theory for nonlinear systems is presented in Section III. Section III.A presents the sensitivity theory for nonlinear systems with operator-type responses. Section III.B presents the development of the sensitivity theory for nonlinear systems with responses defined at critical points of a function of the system's state vector and parameters (maxima, minima, and saddle points). Section III.C presents sensitivity theory for nonlinear systems with feedback. Finally, Section IV summarizes and highlights the main points underlying deterministic sensitivity theory for nonlinear systems and discusses the potential of using functional analytic concepts to extend further the scope of this theory. 37 refs. (DWL)

In this paper we study duality properties of the M(atrix) theory compactified on a circle. We establish the equivalence of this theory to the strong coupling limit of type IIB string theory compactified on a circle. In the M(atrix) theory context, our major evidence for this duality consists of identifying the BPS states of IIB strings in the spectrum and finding the remnant symmetry of SL(2,Z) and the associated tau moduli. By this IIB/M duality, a number of insights are gained into the physics of longitudinal membranes in the infinite momentum frame. We also point out an accidental affine Lie symmetry in the theory.

Starting from the Janus solution and its gauge theory dual, we obtain the dual gauge theory description of the cosmological solution by the procedure of double analytic continuation. The coupling is driven either to zero or to infinity at the big-bang and big-crunch singularities, which are shown to be related by the S-duality symmetry. In the dual Yang-Mills theory description, these are nonsingular as the coupling goes to zero in the N=4 super Yang-Mills theory. The cosmological singularities simply signal the failure of the supergravity description of the full type IIB superstring theory.

String-string duality dictates that type IIA strings compactified on a K3 surface acquire non-abelian gauge groups for certain values of the K3 moduli. We argue that, contrary to expectation, the theories for which such enhanced gauge symmetries appear are not orbifolds in the string sense. For a specific example we show that a theory with enhanced gauge symmetry and an orbifold theory have the same classical K3 surface as a target space but the value of the ``B-field'' differs. This raises the possibility that the conformal field theory associated to a string theory with an enhanced gauge group is badly behaved in some way.

Diagnostic tools for early identification of subjects at high risk for type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related disorders are important in prevention of these diseases. Nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) have been suggested to serve as a prediagnostic marker of diabetes and obesity-related disorders. In the current study, we developed a sensitive and reproducible micro method for quantification of NEFA in less than 10 microl whole blood. The method involves only two steps: (i) conversion of NEFA to fatty acid acyl-coenzyme A (acyl-CoA) esters using an acyl-CoA synthetase and (ii) quantification of the formed acyl-CoA esters with a fluorescent biosensor based on bovine acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP). Lys50 of ACBP was mutagenized to a cysteine residue that was covalently modified with 6-bromoacetyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene to make a fluorescent acyl-CoA indicator (FACI-50). FACI-50 exhibits high fluorescence emission yield with maximum at 490 nm in the presence of CoA when excited at 387 nm. The addition ofpalmitoyl-CoA to a CoA-saturated FACI-50 lowered fluorescence emission by eightfold. Ethanol extract from 1 microl whole blood was incubated with ATP, CoA, and FACI-50. Following background fluorescence reading, NEFAs were converted to acyl-CoA by the acyl-CoA synthetase and the NEFA content was calculated from fluorescence emission changes using palmitic acid as external standard. The FACI-50 NEFA method was compared with two commercially available methods for quantification of NEFA.

Laser ablation ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) is becoming one of the most important analytical techniques for fast determination of trace impurities in solid samples. Quantification of analytical results requires matrix-matched standards, which are in some cases (e.g., high-purity metals, proteins separated by 2D gel electrophoresis) difficult to obtain or prepare. In order to overcome the quantification problem a special arrangement for on-line solution-based calibration has been proposed in laser ablation ICP-MS by the insertion of a microflow nebulizer in the laser ablation chamber. This arrangement allows an easy, accurate and precise quantification by on-line isotope dilution using a defined standard solution with an isotope enriched tracer nebulized to the laser-ablated sample material. An ideal matrix matching in LA-ICP-MS is therefore obtained during the measurement. The figures of merit of this arrangement with a microflow nebulizer inserted in the laser ablation chamber and applications of on-line isotope dilution in LA-ICP-MS on two different types of sample material (NIST glass SRM 612 and NIST apple leaves SRM 1515) will be described.

Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) are the stem cell of the adult central nervous system (CNS). These cells are able to differentiate into the major cell types found in the CNS (neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes), thus NSPCs are the mechanism by which the adult CNS could potentially regenerate after injury or disorder. Microenviromental factors are critical for guiding NSPC differentiation and are thus important for neural tissue engineering. In this study, D-mannitol crystals were mixed with photocrosslinkable methacrylamide chitosan (MAC) as a porogen to enhance pore size during hydrogel formation. D-mannitol was admixed to MAC at 5, 10 and 20 wt% D-mannitol per total initial hydrogel weight. D-mannitol crystals were observed to dissolve and leave the scaffold within 1 hr. Quantification of resulting average pore sizes showed that D-mannitol addition resulted in larger average pore size (5 wt%, 4060±160 µm2, 10 wt%, 6330±1160 µm2, 20 wt%, 7600±1550 µm2) compared with controls (0 wt%, 3150±220 µm2). Oxygen diffusion studies demonstrated that larger average pore area resulted in enhanced oxygen diffusion through scaffolds. Finally, the differentiation responses of NSPCs to phenotypic differentiation conditions were studied for neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in hydrogels of varied porosity over 14 d. Quantification of total cell numbers at day 7 and 14, showed that cell numbers decreased with increased porosity and over the length of the culture. At day 14 immunohistochemistry quantification for primary cell types demonstrated significant differentiation to the desired cells types, and that total percentages of each cell type was greatest when scaffolds were more porous. These results suggest that larger pore sizes in MAC hydrogels effectively promote NSPC 3D differentiation. PMID:20607703

Fermented foods and beverages contain several different types of dipeptides, which are believed to be important components for taste. To date, however, a method for the comprehensive analysis of dipeptides in these products has not yet been established. In this study, comprehensive analysis of dipeptides in alcoholic beverages was performed by a high-resolution separation method based on the structural characteristics of 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate (AQC)-derivatized dipeptides as well as dipeptide quantification and structural estimation using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) and UHPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOFMS), respectively. Dipeptide content was found to differ considerably among Japanese sake, beer, and wine; UHPLC-MS/MS analysis revealed that many types of dipeptides are present in sake. Dipeptide quantification analysis identified 32 types of dipeptides within the concentration range of 1.1-97.2 ?M in sake. The analysis was validated by dipeptide recovery of 64.0-107.2% (2.5 ?M of standard) with a relative standard deviation of ?33.2% from an actual alcoholic sample. Furthermore, UHPLC-Q-TOFMS analysis suggested the existence of more than 35 types of dipeptides in sake. Thus, by the combined analysis methods, we discovered that more than 60 dipeptides are present in sake. This research is the first report of dipeptide profiling of fermented alcoholic beverages by comprehensive analysis. PMID:22560451

Duality transformations involving compactifications on timelike as well as spacelike circles link M-theory, the 10+1-dimensional strong coupling limit of IIA string theory, to other 11-dimensional theories in signatures 9+2 and 6+5 and to type II string theories in all 10-dimensional signatures. These theories have BPS branes of various world-volume signatures, and here we construct the world-volume theories for these branes, which in each case have 16 supersymmetries. For the generalised D-branes of the various type II string theories, these are always supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories with 16 supersymmetries, and we show that these all arise from compactifications of the supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories in 9+1 or 5+5 dimensions. We discuss the geometry of the brane solutions and, for the cases in which the world-volume theories are superconformally invariant, we propose holographically dual string or M theories in constant curvature backgrounds. For product space solutions $X\\times Y$, there is in genera...

Over the past several years, portable High Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectroscopy systems have been used with nondestructive assay techniques to characterize waste items at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and other Department of Energy (DOE) sites. Accurate quantification of the radionuclide contamination required that an analytical model be developed. The resulting model, based on a point kernel volumetric approach, is used to translate the raw spectral information into total activity for each detected radionuclide. Using uncollimated, in situ counting techniques, a relatively high-efficiency n-type HPGe detector, a portable laptop computer, and a multi-channel analyzer, the nondestructive assay system has superior detection limits with state of-the-art accuracy. Not only can the system be used to successfully count drums, but also large items such as 90 cubic foot boxes, gloveboxes and heavy machinery. Additionally, contaminated materials such as floors, walls, soil and water have been characterized with the same model. Because of the versatility of the model and the very low detection limits attainable, tremendous cost savings have been realized from low-level/TRU waste segregation activities, and free-release/low-level determinations. The model has been used to determine the activity in a number of contaminated and spiked items and matrices with both known and unknown quantities. In an extensive study to determine the empirical accuracy of the model, a number of measurements were made on sources of known activity. The results show that measurement errors of 20 to 50 percent are achieved, depending on item size, geometry and radionuclide contamination. For larger items, results were typically 30 to 50 percent from the known value. Measurements of smaller and homogeneously contaminated items showed that the measurement errors were the same order of magnitude as the uncertainty of the source (10 to 20 percent). Furthermore, although individual error sources are biased in either the positive or negative, no bias error is apparent in the data collected to date. This paper will present the model theory and algorithms, detail the methodology for acquiring and analyzing data, and present theoretical and measured errors of the analyses.

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the biological environment of the esophageal hiatus through analysis of the collagen content within the gastrohepatic ligament (GHL), gastrophrenic ligament (GPL), and phrenoesophageal ligament (PEL) in patients with type I hiatal hernias (HH) and type III paraesophageal hernias (PEH). Methods A control group (N?=?10) and patients with type I HH (N?=?10) and type III PEH (N?=?10) were included in the analysis. Specimens of the GHL, PEL, and GPL were collected intraoperatively. Slides stained with sirius red/fast green were created and ten photos at 400??magnification were taken of each specimen. Axiovision 4.7 (Zeiss) photo analysis software was employed for quantification of collagen I (red) and III (green) by calculating color area (?m...

Through direct examination of the effect of the OM limit on the M2-brane worldvolume action, we derive a membrane action for OM theory, and more generally, for the eleven-dimensional M-theoretic construct known as Galilean or Wrapped M2-brane (WM2) theory, which contains OM theory as a special class of states. In the static gauge, the action in question implies a discrete spectrum for the closed membrane of WM2 theory, which under double dimensional reduction is shown to reproduce the known NCOS/Wound closed string spectrum. We examine as well open membranes ending on each of the three types of M5-branes in WM2 theory (OM theory arising from the 'longitudinal' type), and show that the 'fully transverse' fivebrane is tensionless. As a prelude to the membrane, we also study the case of the string, where we likewise obtain a reparametrization-invariant action, and make contact with previous work.

In the framework of intuitionnistic logic and type theory, the concepts of «propositions» and «types» are identified. This principle is known as the Curry-Howard isomorphism, and it is at the base of mathematical formalisms where proofs are represented as typed lambda-terms. In order to see the proc...

In this paper we address sampling and approximation of functions on combinatorial graphs. We develop filtering on graphs by using Schr?dinger?s group of operators generated by combinatorial Laplace operator. Then we construct a sampling theory by proving Poincare and Plancherel-Polya-type inequalities for functions on graphs. These results lead to a theory of sparse approximations on graphs and have potential applications to filtering, denoising, data dimension reduction, image processing, image compression, computer graphics, visualization and learning theory.

The hyperbolic metric is often used to measure distance between points in classical function theory. During the past thirty years hyperbolic type metrics have become popular tools also in modern mapping theory, e.g., in the study of quasiconformal and quasiregular maps in the euclidean $n$-space. We study here several metrics that one way or another are related to modern mapping theory and point out many open problems dealing with the geometry of such metrics.

This is a very basic introduction to the AdS/CFT correspondence. The first lecture motivates the duality between gauge theories and gravity/string theories. The next two lectures introduce the bosonic and supersymmetric string theories. The fourth lecture is devoted to study Dp-branes and finally, in the fifth lecture I discuss the two worlds: N=4 SYM in 3+1 flat dimensions and type IIB superstrings in AdS{sub 5} x S5. (author)

In this article, we formulate a planar limited version of the B-side in homological mirror symmetry that formularizes Chern-Simons-type topological open string field theory using homotopy associative algebra ($A_{\\infty}$ algebra). This formulation is based on the works by Dijkgraaf and Vafa. We show that our formularization includes gravity/gauge theory correspondence which originates in the AdS/CFT duality of Dijkgraaf-Vafa theory.

An exact theory of irreversibility was proposed by Misra, Prigogine and Courbage (MPC) based on a non-unitary similarity transformation $\\Lambda$ mapping reversible dynamics into irreversible ones. In this work a characterization of the irreversible dynamics induced by the MPC theory, the structure of the reversible evolutions admitting such type of change of representation and a prototype for the transformations $\\Lambda$ are given on the basis of the Sz.-Nagy-Foias dilation theory.

It has been recognised, that literature actually do not propose a theory of detailed design. In this paper a theory contribution is proposed, linking part design to organ design and allowing a type of functional reasoning. The proposed theory satisfies our need for explaining the nature of a part structure, for support of synthesis of part structure, i.e. detailed design, and our need for digital modelling of part structures.The aim of this paper is to contribute to a design theory valid for detailed design. The proposal is based upon the theory's ability to explain the nature of machine parts and assemblies, to support the synthesis of parts and to allow the modelling, especially digital modelling of a part structure. The contribution is based upon Theory of Technical Systems, Hubka, and the Domain Theory, Andreasen. This paper is based on a paper presented at ICED 99, Mortensen, but focus on the designers reasoning during part design.

Objective: To examine whether theories and/or models are used in interventions geared towards improving health-related outcomes for individuals with limited literacy skills. Methods: Intervention studies (n = 52) published between 1980 and 2009 that met inclusion criteria were reviewed to assess the topic addressed, type of theory and/or model used, and the extent of theory use. Results: Twenty-one (40.4%) interventions were based on a theory or model. Most of those 21 interventions were either "informed by" (n = 15, 71.4%) or "applied" (n = 4, 19.1%) theory whereas 2 (9.5%) "tested" theory. Conclusions: Most low-literacy intervention research is not based on any educational, behavioral, or social science theory or model.

In the present study, a new analytical method has been developed for the simultaneous quantification of 15 organophosphorus pesticides, including some of their metabolites, (disulfoton-sulfoxide, ethoprophos, cadusafos, dimethoate, terbufos, disulfoton, chlorpyrifos-methyl, malaoxon, fenitrothion, pirimiphos-methyl, malathion, chlorpyrifos, terbufos-sulfone, disulfoton-sulfone and fensulfothion) in three different types of commercial cereal-based baby foods. Dispersive solid-phase extraction (dSPE) with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was used together with gas chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus detection. Most favorable conditions involved a previous ultrasound-assisted extraction of the sample with acetonitrile containing formic acid. After evaporation of the extract and redi...

Abstract Haematology/oncology children are usually at risk for various infections after intensive chemotherapy. We evaluated the quantification of Th1/Th2 cytokines with a flow cytometric bead array (CBA) in 795 hospitalized haematology/oncology children (309 febrile and 486 afebrile patients) to seek for a diagnostic method for determination of the type and the severity of infection. Three hundred and nine febrile patients developed a total of 505 febrile episodes. Microbiological examination demonstrated a positive blood culture (microbiologically documented infection (MDI)) in 145/505 febrile episodes. The controls included 550 healthy children, 43 haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) patients, 35 cytomegalovirus infection patients and 19 Epstein-Barr virus infection patients. Inte...

Objective quantification of cataract and subjective assessment of visual performance are essential features of anticataract or cataractogenic drug trials. The constrains of a longitudinal trial require a compromise in contrast sensitivity measurement between sensitivity and speed. Such a system has been developed for use in longitudinal anticataract trials. An objective cataract assessment system has also been developed for these trials. Visual performance parameters and objectively measured grades of cataract using these systems were correlated in a group of patients with early lens opacities. Overall the correlation was poor in all three morphological types of cataract. Possible reasons for this and implications for future anticataract trials are discussed. PMID:8302536

Amperometric acetylcholinesterase biosensors have been developed for quantification of the pesticides carbofuran, carbaryl, methylparaoxon, and dichlorvos in phosphate buffer containing 5% acetonitrile. Three different biosensors were built using three different acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzymes?AChE from electric eel, and genetically engineered (B394) and wild-type (B1) AChE from Drosophila melanogaster. Enzymes were immobilized on cobalt(II) phthalocyanine-modified electrodes by entrapment in a photocrosslinkable polymer (PVA-AWP). Each biosensor was tested against the four pesticides. Good operational stability, immobilisation reproducibility, and storage stability were obtained for each biosensor. The best detection limits were obtained with the B394 enzyme for dichlorvos and methylp...

Application of a real-time PCR system for the detection of blending and the quantification of the blending ratio of rice was investigated. Quantitative measurement by real-time PCR was performed using two types of primer sets ; one was an improved rice cultivar identification kit, while the other was newly developed for the determination of total amount of rice DNA. Calculation formulae for blending ratios were developed based on standard curves of both primer sets. These formulae were verified using DNA solutions extracted from the Koshihikari containing 5% or 25% of another rice sample. Calibration errors were less than 30% of the expected values.   

Here we report a new chemiluminescence reaction between basic aqueous H2O2 and acetonitrile. Its ultraweak chemiluminescence could be greatly enhanced by luminol, isoluminol-labeled streptavidin, and an Edman-type fluorescent reagent. Light emission was intense and long-lived, and this facilitated the initiation of the reaction and the measurement of the light emission. The present results permit us to propose a series of convenient, highly sensitive, and enzyme-free techniques for the detection and quantification of luminol, related conjugates, acetonitrile, and amino acids. Overall, this new chemiluminescence reaction will be quite promising for numerous applications in immunoassay, DNA hybridization, environmental monitoring. and postcolumn chromatographic detection. PMID:11791569

AbstractObjectives/Hypothesis: To determine whether incorporation of intraoperative imaging via a new cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) image-guidance system improves accuracy and facilitates resection in sinus and skull-base surgery through quantification of surgical performance. Study Design: Landmark identification and skull base ablation tasks were performed with a CBCT intraoperative image-guidance system in the experimental group and with image-guided surgery (IGS) alone based on preoperative computed tomography (CT) in the control group. Methods: Six cadaveric heads underwent preoperative CT imaging and surgical planning identifying surgical targets. Three types of surgical tasks were planned: landmark point identification, line contour identification, and volume drill-out. Key a...

While polysaccharides are known to depress pyrite during coal flotation, many of them are also known to depress coal. This report gives a quantification of their adsorption onto Pittsburgh seam coal and an evaluation of the polysaccharide types and flotation conditions which may allow them to depress pyrite without, at the same time, also depressing the coal. Their mechanism of adsorption onto coal appears to be by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction. Several effective pyrite depressants have been identified. 20 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

Abstract In this study, a series of GC calibration experiments were conducted to examine the feasibility of the thermal desorption approach for the quantification of five carbonyl compounds (acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, and valeraldehyde) in conjunction with two internal standard compounds. The gaseous working standards of carbonyls were calibrated with the aid of thermal desorption as a function of standard concentration and of loading volume. The detection properties were then compared against two types of external calibration data sets derived by fixed standard volume and fixed standard concentration approach. According to this comparison, the fixed standard volume based calibration of carbonyls should be more sensitive and reliable than its fixed stan...

We formulate a Lagrange method for continuous-time stochastic optimization in an appropriate normed space by using a proper stochastic process as the Lagrange multiplier. The obtained optimality conditions are applied to different types of problems. Some examples selected from control theory and economic theory are studied to test and illustrate the potential applications of the method.

A theory of a diplexer that can operate with an arbitrary polarization of the wave flow is constructed. A model experiment at a frequency of 34 GHz is carried out in good agreement with the theory. Diplexers of the given type are proposed to be used in experiments within the controlled fusion program.

I discuss D0-brane quantum mechanics as a nonperturbative formulation of string theory, in particular the relation among the Banks-Fischler-Shenker-Susskind matrix model, the Maldacena conjecture for D0-branes, and type IIA/M-theory duality. Some features of the quantum mechanics of D0-branes are also discussed.   

Browder-Novikov-Sullivan-Wall surgery theory investigates the homotopy types of manifolds, using a combination of algebra and topology. It is the aim of these notes to provide an introduction to the more algebraic aspects of the theory (such as the Wall surgery obstruction groups), without losing sight of the geometric motivation.

The discovery of integrability on both sides of the duality between planar N=4 super Yang-Mills theory and free type IIB string theory in AdS5 × S5 has lead to great progress in our understanding of the AdS/CFT correspondence. Similar integrable structures also appear in the more recent three-dimens...

In the present survey the main results of the theory of functional identities are presented and an analysis of the current state of this theory is given. Applications obtained in this direction include the solution of all the Herstein problems concerning maps of Lie type, the description of Lie-admissible multiplications, and characterizations of commutativity-preserving maps and of maps preserving normal elements.

This website covers details about the Permian extinction, which occurred about 250 million years ago. It contains a paleontological overview of the extinction, discussing the life present at that time, evidence for the extinction, and what types of lifeforms disappeared. Other sections discuss various theories about what caused the mass-extinction including volcanism, impacts, climate change, glaciation, Pangea and other proposed theories.

Links of factorization theory, supersymmetry and Darboux transformations as isospectral deformations are considered in the context of quantum theory. The infinite chain equations for factorizing operators for a spectral problem are derived. A closure of the chain defines a symmetry of the system. Examples of matrix-differential operators of Pauli and Dirac type are analyzed.

In this paper we investigate the metrical theory of Diophantine approximation associated with linear forms that are simultaneously small for infinitely many integer vectors; i.e. forms which are close to the origin. A complete Khintchine--Groshev type theorem is established, as well as its Hausdorff measure generalization. The latter implies the complete Hausdorff dimension theory.

We delineate a theory of communicative acts as situated actions, through which agents co-construct the current situation by creating or otherwise manipulating deontic affordances. We rely on Gilbert’s theory of plural subjects to introduce the concept of joint meaning as a type of joint commitment. ...

We include the configuration energy in Kobayashi's theory for KDP-type ferroelectric crystals. The theory is then shown to be coherent from the thermodynamical point of view, as the order parameter and the frequency of the associated soft mode vanish at the same temperature. The results show that it...

This paper introduces a new theory of multiparty session types based on symmetric sum types, by which we can type non-deterministic orchestration choice behaviours. While the original branching type in session types can represent a choice made by a single participant and accepted by others determining how the session proceeds, the symmetric sum type represents a choice made by agreement among all the participants of a session. Such behaviour can be found in many practical systems, including collaborative workflow in healthcare systems for clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Processes using the symmetric sums can be embedded into the original branching types using conductor processes. We show that this type-driven embedding preserves typability, satisfies semantic soundness and completeness, and meets the encodability criteria adapted to the typed setting. The theory leads to an efficient implementation of a prototypical tool for CPGs which automatically translates the original CPG specifications from a repre...

Recently, there have been various attempts to recover the quality of urban life. It is obvious that the problems of modern cities have brought a loss of living quality and the exclusion of inhabitants, but there has not been a proper evaluation of these attempts, due to the absence of a theory focusing on quality. This thesis attempts to turn Pepper?s ?contextual operation theory? providing insight concerning quality into an urban theory based on Rossi?s urban thought, and confirm the values of the theory by applying it to Busan. The ?contextual operation theory? is classified into three types; ?successful working?, ?verified hypothesis?, and ?qualitative confirmation?, and suggests possibilities for solving a problem correctly through ?qualitative confirmation? which deals with quality and texture together. Furthermore, to deduce the quality and texture of an event, this theory suggests the necessity of qualitative circulations between hypothesis and perceptual experience. The similarity between the ?contextual operation theory? and Rossi?s ?urban artifact? confirms the possibilities of this theory as an urban theory. By roughly distinguishing areas in the city of Busan into three types based on this theory, the authors can estimate both a way in which quality is treated and a direction by which to recover it.   

An infinite number of canonical representations for integrable classical field theories of non-ultralocal type are constructed from graded Kac-Moody algebras. The principal chiral field models are shown to be a particular example of this construction. (orig.).

This article defines various types of decreased or absent ability in female patients to experience orgasm. An etiological analysis is attempted from the perspectives of both evolutionary theory and of social and individual conditioning (learning).

second remaining problem relates to the theory on which the calculation of the ...... for one full scan (180 horizontal sweeps) of the target circuit card. ...... cyclotron resonance, etc., are inoperative. Thus, one is ...... A tantalum brush-type cathode ...

A microscopic theory of phase transition in the protonic superionic conductors is proposed. By taking into account short-range proton correlations on hydrogen bonds the order-disorder Slater-type phase transition of the first order is obtained. Due to the...

The Gödel-type metrics are considered as backgrounds of the sigma-models. In the conformal field theory such backgrounds are deformed by the exactly marginal operators. We examine, how the closed timelike curves (CTCs) transform under such deformations.

The integration of sensory data from sensors of the same or different types le. ...... Daniel S. Levine, A Neural Network Theory of Frontal Lobe Function, Proc. of the .... Inferior Parietal Lobule of Macaque Monkey, The Salk Inst., San Diego ...

The G\\"odel-type metrices are considered as backgrounds of the sigma-models. In the conformal field theory such backgrounds are deformed by the exactly marginal operators. We examinate, how the closed time-like curves (CTC's) transform under such deformations.

The one-loop effective potential in the five-dimensional Kaluza-Klein theory is computed explicitly in two types of parameter-dependent gauges. The gauge independence of the potential is confirmed. (orig./HSI).

"Taking my point of departure in classical embodiment theories stemming from the phenomenological tradition, I have discussed tertiary embodiment, characteristic of certain types of signs, such as pictures and writing, as a particular stage of development in the phylo...

We show that there are Bell-type inequalities for noncontextual theories that are violated by any quantum state. One of these inequalities between the correlations of compatible measurements is particularly suitable for testing this state-independent violation in an experiment.

... control their weight and get regular physical activity. BOB WELTNER: My heart stopped and in theory, I ... They can prevent a heart attack from happening. BOB WELTNER: The type of exercise that I do ...

Reliable and accurate estimation of traffic states play an important role in traffic management and traffic theory development, which therefore has significant social and scientific relevance. Data for traffic estimation normally from different sources and have different types, characteristics, etc,...

A new type of computer program called SPARC (SPARC Performs Automated Reasoning in Chemistry) was developed to predict chemical reactivity parameters and physical properties of organic molecules from their molecular structures based on fundamental chemical structure theory. PARC'...

A unified method and theory for measuring anisotropic resistivity based on a single surface of a film with rapidly converging exact solutions is presented here for solutions appropriate to thin films (Type I solutions) and to thick samples (Type II solutions). Some of the exact solutions of the related simultaneous equation systems can be expressed in terms of elementary functions. The theory proposed here for measuring resistivity of anisotropic crystals is expected to be useful in many applications.

We construct four-field generators to achieve closure of the ten-dimensional SUSY algebra for the heterotic and type II superstring light-cone gauge field theory. Closure for the heterotic case is achieved in a regularization independent manner, whilst that for type II needs the use of constant time and phase integration regularizations. The resulting four-field hamiltonians are briefly related to terms arising in the amplitudes for the two theories constructed from the cubic terms alone.

The DAKOTA (Design Analysis Kit for Optimization and Terascale Applications) toolkit provides a flexible and extensible interface between simulation codes and iterative analysis methods. DAKOTA contains algorithms for optimization with gradient and nongradient-based methods; uncertainty quantification with sampling, reliability, and stochastic expansion methods; parameter estimation with nonlinear least squares methods; and sensitivity/variance analysis with design of experiments and parameter study methods. These capabilities may be used on their own or as components within advanced strategies such as surrogate-based optimization, mixed integer nonlinear programming, or optimization under uncertainty. By employing object-oriented design to implement abstractions of the key components required for iterative systems analyses, the DAKOTA toolkit provides a flexible and extensible problem-solving environment for design and performance analysis of computational models on high performance computers. This report serves as a theoretical manual for selected algorithms implemented within the DAKOTA software. It is not intended as a comprehensive theoretical treatment, since a number of existing texts cover general optimization theory, statistical analysis, and other introductory topics. Rather, this manual is intended to summarize a set of DAKOTA-related research publications in the areas of surrogate-based optimization, uncertainty quantification, and optimization under uncertainty that provide the foundation for many of DAKOTA's iterative analysis capabilities.

Radiotherapy employs ionizing radiation to induce lethal DNA lesions in cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. Due to their pattern of energy deposition, better therapeutic outcomes can, in theory, be achieved with ions compared to photons. Antiprotons have been proposed to offer a further enhancement due to their annihilation at the end of the path. The work presented here aimed to establish and validate an experimental procedure for the quantification of plasmid and genomic DNA damage resulting from antiproton exposure. Immunocytochemistry was used to assess DNA damage in directly and indirectly exposed human fibroblasts irradiated in both plateau and Bragg peak regions of a 126 MeV antiproton beam at CERN. Cells were stained post irradiation with an anti-?-H2AX antibody. Quantification of the ?-H2AX foci-dose relationship is consistent with a linear increase in the Bragg peak region. A qualitative analysis of the foci detected in the Bragg peak and plateau region indicates significant differences highlighting the different severity of DNA lesions produced along the particle path. Irradiation of desalted plasmid DNA with 5 Gy antiprotons at the Bragg peak resulted in a significant portion of linear plasmid in the resultant solution.

Objective: We evaluated the potential of recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) to improve the analysis of trial-by-trial-variability in event-related potentials (ERPs) experiments. Methods: We use an acoustic oddball paradigm to compare the efficiency of RQA with a linear amplitude based analysis of single trial ERPs with regard to the power to distinguish responses to different tone types. We further probed the robustness of both analyses towards structured noise induced by parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: RQA provided robust discrimination of responses to different tone types, even when EEG data were contaminated by structured noise. Yet, its power to discriminate responses to different tone types was not significantly superior to a linear amplitude analysis. RQA me...

Full text: Previous Rietveld quantifications of Portland cement clinkers used a fixed structural model for alite, the major clinker phase with a C{sub 3}S-type structure. From Rietveld quantification studies using the SlROQUANT{sup tm} program on XRD powder patterns of the three NIST SRM standard clinkers 8486, 8487, and 8488 (CoK{alpha}), it is shown that best results here are obtained using three C{sub 3}S models, one from each of the three crystal systems found in alite polymorphs. It is necessary to specify the phase crystallography well, owing to the extreme superposition of alite and belite XRD lines. Unsatisfactory results can sometimes occur when only one or two of these C{sub 3}S polymorphs are used in the Rietveld quantifications. Polymorphism in belite (clinker C{sub 2}S-type phase) and C{sub 3}A(aluminate phase), is also included. The Rietveld full-profile XRD method is shown to be as powerful in quantifying phases in Portland cement clinker as the microscope point-counting(MPC) method. The Rietveld method can in addition, discriminate between phase polymorphs, and is far less labour-intensive than MPC. Rietveld and MPC methods give the same results for the three NIST standard clinkers. The Rietveld oxide weight percentages, obtained from the Rietveld phase weight percentages by a reverse-Bogue calculation, assuming the average chemical compositions of the clinker phases of Taylor(1990), agree well with the XRF oxide percentages. The MPC method also agrees equally as well with XRF oxide percentages as the Rietveld method. Bogue weight percentages do not agree with Rietveld or MPC figures. Transformation of the Bogue percentages by the reverse-Bogue program to oxides does not give as good a comparison with XRF as does either the Rietveld or MPC method. Copyright (1999) Australian X-ray Analytical Association Inc.

In [P. Horava, C.A. Keeler, Noncritical M-theory in 2+1 dimensions as a nonrelativistic Fermi liquid, hep-th/0508024], noncritical M-theory for two-dimensional type 0A and 0B strings was defined in terms of a double-scaled theory of nonrelativistic fermions in 2+1 dimensions. Here we study this noncritical M-theory at finite temperature. We derive the exact expression for the free energy of its vacuum solution, as a function of a coupling constant g{sub M} and the radius R of the thermal circle. We show that at high temperature, the theory is effectively described by another M-theory solution, whose effective loop-counting coupling scales in a novel way characteristic of M-theory, as T{sup 3}. Our calculations further suggest that noncritical M-theory is dual to the closed string theory of the topological A-model on a Calabi-Yau, with the radius R of the Euclidean time circle in M-theory playing the role of the string coupling constant of the A-model. In this correspondence, T-duality on the Euclidean time circle of noncritical M-theory implies an S-duality for the topological A-model.

We construct new M-theory solutions of M5 branes that are a realization of the fully localized ten dimensional NS5/D6 and NS5/D5 brane intersections. These solutions are obtained by embedding self-dual geometries lifted to M-theory. We reduce these solutions down to ten dimensions, obtaining new D-brane systems in type IIA/IIB supergravity. The worldvolume theories of the NS5-branes are new non-local, non-gravitational, six dimensional, T-dual little string theories with eight supersymmetries. (author)

The theory of stochastic partial differential equations (PDEs) and problems relating to turbulence are discussed by employing the theories of Brownian motion and diffusion in infinite dimensions, functional differential equations, and functional integration. Relevant results in probablistic analysis, especially Gaussian measures in function spaces and the theory of stochastic PDEs of Ito type, are taken into account. Linear stochastic PDEs are analyzed through linearized Navier-Stokes equations with a random forcing. Stochastic equations for waves in random media as well as model equations in turbulent transport theory are considered. Markovian models in fully developed turbulence are discussed from a stochastic equation viewpoint.

We analyze the effect of higher derivative corrections to the near horizon geometry of the extremal vanishing horizon (EVH) black hole solutions in four dimensions. We restrict ourselves to a Gauss?Bonnet correction with a dilation dependent coupling in an Einstein?Maxwell-dilaton theory. This action may represent the effective action as it arises in tree level heterotic string theory compactified to four dimensions or the K3 compactification of type II string theory. We show that EVH black holes, in this theory, develop an AdS3 throat in their near horizon geometry.

ABSTRACT Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Question/Issue: This paper investigates the relationship between internal governance structures and financial performance of Indian companies. The effectiveness of boards of directors, including board composition, board size, and aspects of board leadership including duality and board busyness are addressed in the Indian context using two theories of corporate governance: agency theory and resource dependency theory. Research Findings/Insights: The study used a sample of top Indian companies taking into account the endogeneity of the relationships among corporate governance, corporate performance, and corporate capital structure. The study provides some support for aspects of agency theory as a greater proportion of outside directors on boards w...

There are mainly two methodologies dealing with uncertainty measurement issue in rough set theory: pure rough set approach and information theory approach. Pure rough set approach is based on the concepts of accuracy, roughness and approximation accuracy proposed by Pawlak. Information theory approach is based on Shannon's entropy or its variants. Several authors have extended the information theory approach into incomplete information systems. However, there are few studies on extending the pure rough set approach to incomplete information systems. This paper focuses on constructing uncertainty measures in incomplete information systems by pure rough set approach. Three types of definitions of lower and upper approximations and corresponding uncertainty measurement concepts including accu...

Since the introduction of the original Varestraint concept in the 1960`s, the longitudinal- and transverse-type Varestraint tests have become the most widely utilized techniques for quantifying weld solidification cracking susceptibility. Conventionally, cracking susceptibility is assessed by threshold strain to cause cracking and the degree of cracking as quantified by total crack strain to cause cracking and the degree of cracking as quantified by total crack length or maximum crack length. Although material-specific quantifications such as the brittle temperature range (BTR) have been proposed for the transverse-type test, similar quantifications have not been developed for the longitudinal type test. Various alloys including 304, 310, 316L, A-286, AL6XN, 20Cb-3, RA253, and RA333 stainless steels, 625, 690, and 718 nickel-base alloys, 2090, 2219, 5083, and 6061 aluminum alloys were investigated using both longitudinal- and transverse-type Varestraint tests. Tests were performed using a newly developed, computer-controlled Varestraint unit equipped with a 3-axis movable torch, spring-loaded fixture and a servo-hydraulic loading system. It was found that extensive cracking was observed in the fusion zone emanating radially from the solid-liquid inteface toward the fusion boundary in the longitudinal-type test, while weld centerline cracking was prevalent in the transverse-type test. The theoretical basis for the formation of the CSR is that liquation-related cracking only occurs in a certain temperature range known as the BTR. The detailed procedure in the development of the CSR in the fusion zone is described and discussed. This approach allows a weldability data base to be created and the comparison of results from different laboratories using different test techniques.

This paper, second in the series of three papers, develops a general, nonlinear, non-isothermal, compressible theory for finite rubber viscoelasticity and specifies it in a form convenient for solving problems important to the rubber, tire, automobile, and air-space industries, among others. Based on the quasi-linear approach of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, a general nonlinear theory of differential type has been developed for arbitrary non-isothermal deformations of viscoelastic solids. In this theory, the constitutive equations were presented as the sum of a rubber elastic (equilibrium) and a liquid type viscoelastic (non-equilibrium) terms. These equations have then been simplified using several modeling and simplicity arguments.

The quantification of entropy has prominence in a diverse range of fields of study including information theory, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, ecology, evolutionary biology and even sociology. Suppose we interpret the entropy of a random object as a measurement of the uncertainty about its outcome. This measurement is expected to decrease when the object's outcome is confined into a shrinking interval. Entropies conforming to this intuition are thus sensible and likely useful measures of uncertainty. In this paper, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the Shannon entropy of an absolutely continuous random variable to be an increasing function of the interval. Similar results are also obtained for the Renyi entropy of absolutely continuous random variables and their convolu...

We show that the spatial distribution of the electromagnetic (EM) field enhancement can be probed directly via dynamic evolution of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecules as they diffuse into Ag@SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles. The porous silica shell limits the diffusion of R6G molecules towards inner Ag cores, thereby allowing direct observation and quantification of the spatial distribution of SERS enhancement as molecules migrate from the low to high EM fields inside the dielectric silica shell. Our experimental evidence is validated by the generalized Mie theory, and the approach can potentially offer a novel platform for further investigating the site and spatial distribution of the EM fields and the EM versus chemical enhancement of SERS due to molecular confinement within the Ag@SiO2 nanoshell.

This is a selective review of the literature of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and paper chromatography (PC) cited in Chemical Abstracts from December 2, 1985, to December 14, 1987, and Analytical Abstracts from December 1985 to November 1987. Also searched directly were the following important journals publishing papers on TLC and PC: Journal of Chromatography (including its bibliography issues), Journal of High Resolution Chromography and Chromatography Communications (HRC and CC), Journal of Chromotographic Science, Chromatographia, Analytical Chemistry, JAOAC, and Journal of Liquid Chromatography. Approximately 4300 papers were published in the two-year period on the theory, technique, and applications of TLC. Only a few papers continue to report new work in PC. A high number of TLC papers were published in the Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, and Italian languages, many involving quantification by densitometry. Because these papers are in journals and languages not readily accessible to US scientists, they are in most cases not included in the review.

This research aims at clarifying methods of supplying community facilitites in new towns by devising a plan which prepares spaces open in residential areas in advance where some facilities can be developed. We developed a model that calculates the number of facilities built in those spaces using the theory of quantification, after we surveyed several new towns that have been already developed and where some unplanned shops have been located. Since the model can explain the actual locations of the facilities in those new towns, we made a case study on a prediction of facilities development using the model of the Seishin-Minami New Town. Compared with the surveyed new towns and our prediction in Seishin-Minami New Town, we found that it has more community facilities in the residential areas; this result proves the effect of the preparatory development. In conclusion, it is important to supply basic commercial facilities by leaving spaces open in the residentail areas in new town projects.   

The infrared grey-field polariscope (IR-GFP) has been developed to provide rapid, full-field stress analysis for infrared-transparent materials. Grey-field photoelastic theory is outlined and the advantages of this implementation for microelectronic materials inspection highlighted. The capabilities of this scientific tool are proven using standard sample geometries fabricated from single crystal silicon substrates and the general applicability of the instrument demonstrated on bonded devices and silicon wafer geometries. Stress resolution in silicon wafers is better than 0.1 MPa at wafer inspection speeds of 10 s for a 100 mm wafer. Initial applications of the IR-GFP have shown that the tool provides improvements in defect detection and stress quantification when compared to conventional infrared transmission imaging while also providing several important advantages over other currently utilized inspection technologies.

Continuous periodogram power spectral analyses of fractal fluctuations of frequency distributions of bases A, C, G, T in Drosophila DNA show that the power spectra follow the universal inverse power-law form of the statistical normal distribution. Inverse power-law form for power spectra of space-time fluctuations is generic to dynamical systems in nature and is identified as self-organized criticality. The author has developed a general systems theory, which provides universal quantification for observed self-organized criticality in terms of the statistical normal distribution. The long-range correlations intrinsic to self-organized criticality in macro-scale dynamical systems are a signature of quantumlike chaos. The fractal fluctuations self-organize to form an overall logarithmic spiral trajectory with the quasiperiodic Penrose tiling pattern for the internal structure. Power spectral analysis resolves such a spiral trajectory as an eddy continuum with embedded dominant wavebands. The dominant peak perio...

Efficient analysis of very large amounts of raw data for peptide identification and protein quantification is a principal challenge in mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics. Here we describe MaxQuant, an integrated suite of algorithms specifically developed for high-resolution, quantitative MS data. Using correlation analysis and graph theory, MaxQuant detects peaks, isotope clusters and stable amino acid isotope–labeled (SILAC) peptide pairs as three-dimensional objects in m/z, elution time and signal intensity space. By integrating multiple mass measurements and correcting for linear and nonlinear mass offsets, we achieve mass accuracy in the p.p.b. range, a sixfold increase over standard techniques. We increase the proportion of identified fragmentation spectra to 73% for SILAC ...

Abstract Increasing drought is one of the most critical challenges facing species and ecosystems worldwide, and improved theory and practices are needed for quantification of species tolerances. Leaf water potential at turgor loss, or wilting (tlp), is classically recognised as a major physiological determinant of plant water stress response. However, the cellular basis of tlp and its importance for predicting ecological drought tolerance have been controversial. A meta-analysis of 317 species from 72 studies showed that tlp was strongly correlated with water availability within and across biomes, indicating power for anticipating drought responses. We derived new equations giving both tlp and relative water content at turgor loss point (RWCtlp) as explicit functions of osmotic potential a...

The toxic gas produced by the underground large-scale contained explosions have a great impact on the surrounding environment safety of the explosion project, so it is of great significance for the safety protection design to predict the leakage of the explosion gases to the environment. Based on the study of the one-dimensional spherically (axially) symmetric fluid dynamic model for seepage of the underground contained explosion gases, the qualitative and quantitative variables which impact the gas seepage, such as the explosion cavity, the gas pressure in the cavity and the rock mass permeability, among which the qualitative variables can describe the uncertainty of the geological mass, were analyzed. In accordance with the physical significance of variables and the quantification theory...

Craig interpolation has emerged as an effective means of generating candidate program invariants. We present interpolation procedures for the theories of Presburger arithmetic combined with (i) uninterpreted predicates (QPA+UP), (ii) uninterpreted functions (QPA+UF) and (iii) extensional arrays (QPA+AR). We prove that none of these combinations can be effectively interpolated without the use of quantifiers, even if the input formulae are quantifier-free. We go on to identify fragments of QPA+UP and QPA+UF with restricted forms of guarded quantification that are closed under interpolation. Formulae in these fragments can easily be mapped to quantifier-free expressions with integer division. For QPA+AR, we formulate a sound interpolation procedure that potentially produces interpolants with unrestricted quantifiers.

The Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence is applied to a multiattribute decision making problem whereby the decision maker (DM) must compromise with available alternatives, none of which exactly satisfies his ideal. The decision mechanism is constrained by the uncertainty inherent in the determination of the relative importance of each attribute element and the classification of existing alternatives. The classification of alternatives is addressed through expert evaluation of the degree to which each element is contained in each available alternative. The relative importance of each attribute element is determined through pairwise comparisons of the elements by the decision maker and implementation of a ratio scale quantification method. Then the 'belief' and 'plausibility' that an alternative will satisfy the decision maker's ideal are calculated and combined to rank order the available alternatives. Application to the problem of selecting computer software is given.

Laser Doppler flowmetry is a method for continuous quantification of microvascular perfusion. During the measurements, low energy helium-neon laser light is applied to the tissue. Doppler shifted light reflected out of the tissue is then analyzed, and the shift of frequency quantitated. The output signal is proportional to the flux of blood cells in the measuring tissue of some few mm{sup 3}. Laser Doppler flowmetry can easily be applied for measurements on skin and surgically exposed surfaces. Measurements can also be obtained through an endoscope. Measuring probes of diameter 0.5 mm can be introduced into tissues to quantitate microvascular perfusion within tissues. The article reviews the theory of laser Doppler flowmetry measurements, presents methodological aspects, and gives examples of clinical application. 20 refs., 4 figs.

In this paper new concepts and developments are presented for structural analysis involving uncertain parameters. Based on a classification of the uncertainties in structural analysis the uncertainty ``fuzziness'' is identified and its quantification is demonstrated. On the basis of fuzzy set theory a general method for fuzzy structural analysis is developed and formulated in terms of the ?-level optimization with the application of a modified evolution strategy. Every known analysis algorithm for the realistic simulation of load-bearing behavior may be applied in the fuzzy structural analysis in the sense of a deterministic fundamental solution. By way of example, geometrically and physically nonlinear algorithms are adopted in the presented study as a deterministic fundamental solution for the analysis of steel and reinforced concrete structures. The paper also describes coupling between ?-level optimization and the deterministic fundamental solution.

There are difficulties with probability as a representation of uncertainty. However, we argue that there is an important distinction between principle and practice. In principle, probability is uniquely appropriate for the representation and quantification of all forms of uncertainty; it is in this sense that we claim that 'probability is perfect'. In practice, people find it difficult to express their knowledge and beliefs in probabilistic form, so that elicitation of probability distributions is a far from perfect process. We therefore argue that there is no need for alternative theories, but that any practical elicitation of expert knowledge must fully acknowledge imprecision in the resulting distribution. We outline a recently developed Bayesian technique that allows the imprecision in elicitation to be formulated explicitly, and apply it to some of the challenge problems.

K-edge densitometry is a nondestructive assay technique which provides accurate measurement of heavy metal contamination in pipes, containers, and other items encountered in D and D operations. A prototype mobile K-edge instrument has been built and demonstrated in several applications. Results from measurements of uranium in pipes and spent reactor fuel plates, and quantification of mercury and lead in waste drums are presented. In this report the authors briefly describe the theory behind K-edge densitometry. They follow that with a description of the prototype system they have developed, and a presentation of results from demonstrations of this system. They conclude with a discussion of the potential for application of K-edge analysis in D and D operations.

An important problem in quantum information theory is the quantification of entanglement in multipartite mixed quantum states. In this work a connection between the geometric measure of entanglement and a distance measure of entanglement is established. We present a new expression for the geometric measure of entanglement in terms of the maximal fidelity with a separable state. A direct application of this result provides a closed expression for the Bures measure of entanglement of two qubits. We also prove that the number of elements in an optimal decomposition with respect to the geometric measure of entanglement is bounded from above by the Caratheodory bound, and we find necessary conditions for the structure of an optimal decomposition.

We consider, in a string theory framework, physical processes of phenomenological interest in models with a low string scale. The amplitudes we study involve tree-level virtual gravitational exchange, divergent in a field-theoretical treatment, and massive gravitons emission, which are the main signatures of this class of models. First, we discuss the regularization of summations appearing in virtual gravitational (closed string) Kaluza-Klein exchanges in Type I strings. We argue that a convenient manifestly ultraviolet convergent low energy limit of type I string theory is given by an effective field theory with an arbitrary cutoff $\\Lambda$ in the closed (gravitational) channel and a related cutoff $M_s^2/\\Lambda$ in the open (Yang-Mills) channel. We find the leading string corrections to the field theory results. Second, we calculate exactly string tree-level three and four-point amplitudes with gauge bosons and one massive graviton and examine string deviations from the field-theory result.

In legal domains ranging from tort to torture, pain and its degree do important definitional work by delimiting boundaries of lawfulness and of entitlements. Yet, for all the work done by pain as a term in legal texts and practice, it has a confounding lack of external verifiability. Now, neuroimaging is rendering pain and myriad other subjective states at least partly ascertainable. This emerging ability to ascertain and quantify subjective states is prompting a "hedonic" or a "subjectivist" turn in legal scholarship, which has sparked a vigorous debate as to whether the quantification of subjective states might affect legal theory and practice. Subjectivists contend that much values-talk in law has been a necessary but poor substitute for quantitative determinations of subjective states--determinations that will be possible in the law's "experiential future." This Article argues the converse: that pain discourse in law frequently is a heuristic for values. Drawing on interviews and laboratory visits with neuroimaging researchers, this Article shows current and in-principle limitations of pain quantification through neuroimaging. It then presents case studies on torture-murder, torture, the death penalty, and abortion to show the largely heuristic role of pain discourse in law. Introducing the theory of "embodied morality," the Article describes how moral conceptions of rights and duties are informed by human physicality and constrained by the limits of empathic identification. Pain neuroimaging helps reveal this dual factual and heuristic nature of pain in the law, and thus itself points to the translational work required for neuroimaging to influence, much less transform, legal practice and doctrine. PMID:22754972

The purpose of this study was to analyze selected cognitive theories in the areas of artificial intelligence (A.I.) and psychology to determine the role of emotions in the cognitive or intellectual processes. Understanding the relationship of emotions to processes of intelligence has implications for constructing theories of aesthetic response and A.I. systems in art. Psychological theories were examined that demonstrated the changing nature of the research in emotion related to cognition. The basic techniques in A.I. were reviewed and the A.I. research was analyzed to determine the process of cognition and the role of emotion. The A.I. research emphasized the digital, quantifiable character of the computer and associated cognitive models and programs. In conclusion, the cognitive-emotive research in psychology and the cognitive research in A.I. emphasized quantification methods over analog and qualitative characteristics required for a holistic explanation of cognition. Further A.I. research needs to examine the qualitative aspects of values, attitudes, and beliefs on influencing the creative thinking processes. Inclusion of research related to qualitative problem solving in art provides a more comprehensive base of study for examining the area of intelligence in computers.

Riboflavin (vitamin B(2)) and its metabolite lumichrome were quantified in 117 samples from 11 unifloral honeys types (Arbutus unedo L., Asphodelus microcarpus Salzm. et Viv., Citrus spp., Eucalyptus spp., Hedysarum coronarium L., Castanea sativa L. honeydew, Mentha spp., Paliurus spina-christi., Salix spp., Salvia officinalis L., Satureja spp.). The quantification of these two compounds was performed by LC-DAD method which does not require sample purification. The proposed method in our study has low limits of detection and quantification, very good linearity in a large concentration range and very good precision. It allows simultaneous determination of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and known chemical biomarkers of unifloral honeys such as abscisic acid diastereomers, homogentisic acid, methyl syringate and kynurenic acid. No statistical correlation was observed between riboflavin and lumichrome content. Although, the concentration of vitamin B(2) in honey may be too low (<6.1mg/kg) to generate interest in the field of nutrition, the presence of its main metabolite lumichrome may be useful to determine the botanical origin of certain unifloral honeys. In fact, the analysis of 11 unifloral honey types showed that Dalmatian sage (S. officinalis L.) honey is characterised by unusual high levels of lumichrome (20.2±2.6mg/kg). The botanical origin of lumichrome from sage flower was assessed by analysing bee-stomach extracts. Other analytical parameters, such as total phenols, antioxidant and antiradical activities, HMF and diastase activity were studied in Dalmatian sage honey. PMID:22953948

We propose a new Lagrangian describing Formula Not Shown superconformal field theory in three dimensions. This theory is believed to describe interacting field theory on the worldvolume of a M2-brane on an orbifold, and is obtained as a Formula Not Shown -quotient of the theory proposed by Bagger and Lambert. Despite unusual Chan-Paton structures, we can take Formula Not Shown -orbifold by using Formula Not Shown bifundamental representations. We also analyze the moduli space of this theory and found three branches. With an assumption of a broken Formula Not Shown symmetry, the moduli space is consistent with that of the D2-brane in the strong coupling limit of Type IIA string theory if the gauge group is Formula Not Shown . Our action has manifest Formula Not Shown -symmetry exchanging tw...

Lattice quantum field theories containing fermions can be formulated in a chirally invariant way provided long-range interactions are introduced. It is established that in weak-coupling perturbation theory such a lattice theory is renormalizable when the corresponding continuum theory is, and that the continuum theory is indeed recovered in the perturbative continuum limit. In the strong-coupling limit of these theories one is led to study an effective Hamiltonian describing a Heisenberg antiferromagnet with long-range interactions. Block-spin renormalization group methods are used to find a critical rate of falloff of the interactions, approximately as inverse distance squared, which separates a nearest-neighbor-antiferromagnetic phase from a phase displaying identifiable long-range effects. A duality-type symmetry is present in some block-spin calculations.

Though artificial intelligence scientists frequently use words such as belief and desire when describing the computational capacities of their programs and computers, they have completely ignored the philosophical and psychological theories of belief and desire. Hence, their explanations of computational capacities that use these terms are frequently little better than folk-psychological explanations. Conversely, though-philosophers and psychologists attempt to couch their theories of belief and desire in computational terms, they have consistently misunderstood the notions of computation and computational semantics. Hence, their theories of such attitudes are frequently inadequate. A computational theory of propositional attitudes (belief and desire) is presented here. It is argued that the theory of propositional attitudes put forth by philosophers and psychologists entails that propositional attitudes are a kind of abstract data type. This refined computational view of propositional attitudes bridges the gap between artificial intelligence, philosophy, and psychology. It is argued that this theory of propositional attitudes has consequences for meta-processing and consciousness in computers.

Supergravity solutions related to large N SU(N) pure gauge theories witheight supercharges have recently been shown to give rise to an ``enhancon'', anew type of hypersurface made of D-branes. We show that enhancons also arise insimilar situations pertaining to SO(2N+1), USp(2N) and SO(2N) gauge theories,using orientifolds. Enhancons therefore appear to come in types A, B, C, and D.The latter three differ globally from type A by having an extra Z_2identification, and are distinguished locally by their subleading behaviour inlarge N. We focus mainly on 2+1 dimensional gauge theory, where a relation toM-theory and the Atiyah-Hitchin and Taub-NUT manifolds enables the constructionof the smooth supergravity solution and the study of some of the 1/Ncorrections. The role of the enhancon in eleven dimensional supergravity isalso uncovered. There is a close relation to certain multi-monopole modulispace problems.

Discrete gauge anomalies in string theory models are discussed. Results of a study of [approximately]10,000 orbifold compactifications of the heterotic string and [approximately]30 Type II models are reported. The study finds that in all models examined, the discrete gauge anomalies can be cancelled through a Green-Schwarz type mechanism. The work begins with a discussion of discrete gauge symmetries. There is an introduction to string theory, a chapter on compactification, and an explanation of orbifold models. The results of the computer search of orbifold compactifications of heterotic string models is then discussed. In Part II, there are introductory chapters explaining conformal field theory and superconformal field theory. Type II string model with gauge symmetries are then described, and the results of an examination of discrete gauge anomalies in these models is reported. A final chapter discussed the overall results and questions for future research. There are five appendices describing important topics used throughout the thesis.

Date and Darwen have proposed a theory of types, the latter forms the basis of a detailed presentation of a panoply of simple and complex types. However, this proposal has not been structured in a formal system. Specifically, Date and Darwen haven't indicated the formalism of the type system that corresponds to the type theory established. In this paper, we propose a pseudo-algorithmic and grammatical description of a system of types for Date and Darwen's model. Our type system is supposed take into account null values; for such intention, we introduce a particular type noted #, which expresses one or more occurrences of incomplete information in a database. Our algebraic grammar describes in detail the complete specification of an inheritance model and the subryping relation induced, thus the different definitions of related concepts.

Radiative fermion mass hierarchies in grand unified supersymmetric models are discussed. There are arguments in the literature that these cannot arise. It is shown that these arguments only apply to a certain type of radiative hierarchy. Another type of radiative hierarchy can arise in simple supersymmetric grand unified theories. Examples are discussed.

We provide explicit solutions of Type IIA supergravity which are believed to be dual to N=2 superconformal four-dimensional gauge theories. These explicit solutions are based on the general ansatz for such a type of backgrounds introduced by Gaiotto and Maldacena.

In this article we use Groebner basis theory with the purpose to determine planarity of intersections of two algebraic surfaces in $R^3$. There are specially considered plane sections of a type of conoid which has a cubic egg curve as one of the directrices. The article investigates a possibility of conic plane sections of this type of conoid.

We study the Lifshitz type extension of the standard model (SM) at UV, with dynamical critical exponent z=3. One loop radiative corrections to the Higgs mass in such a model is calculated. Our result shows that, the Hierarchy problem, which has initiated many excellent extension of the minimal SM, can be weakened in the z=3 Lifshitz type quantum field theory.

This book is a reference on the design, operation, and maintenance of all types of diesel engines, ranging from the smallest automotive and ancillary engines to the largest marine diesels. Nearly 900 line drawings, graphs and photos illustrate the book. Major Sections: Theory; Engine Design Practice; Lubrication; Environmental Pollution; Crankcase Explosions; Engine Types; Engine Testing; Maintenance; Index.

Selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (SRM-MS) is playing an increasing role in quantitative proteomics and biomarker discovery studies as a method for high throughput candidate quantification and verification. Although SRM-MS offers advantages in sensitivity and quantification compared wit...

The reactivity of a polycrystalline UO2 surface under alpha irradiation in contact with groundwater is investigated, in the hypothesis of direct disposal of spent fuel in a deep geological repository. Two series of plutonium-doped UO2 samples (specific alpha activity of 18 and 385 MBq·g-1UO2) were leached in a synthetic Callovian-Oxfordian deep groundwater under anoxic conditions (Ar/CO2 3000 ppm, 3.5 bar relative pressure) to assess both the impact of alpha radiolysis of water and the complexing capacity of the groundwater ions on the dissolution of UO2. This study follows a prior one performed in pure and carbonated waters. Firstly, technical developments were necessary for the analyses in the groundwater solution because of its high salt concentrations: quantification limits were determined for the measurement of uranium and radiolytic H2O2 traces in this medium. Secondly, given the very high reactivity of these samples in the presence of air and in order to minimize any prior surface oxidation, a strict experimental protocol was followed, based on high-temperature annealing in Ar + 4% H2 with preleaching cycles. Each type of UO2 pellet was then leached under static conditions for 30 days (anoxic conditions, deep groundwater solutions). Results on the evolution of uranium releases are presented. For the lowest alpha activity (18 MBq·g-1UO2), uranium releases in groundwater were below the quantification limit of 2 × 10-8 mol·L-1 with a kinetic phosphorescence analyzer, even after 30 days. However, for higher alpha activity (385 MBq·g-1UO2) the uranium releases begin to exceed the quantification limit after 14 days of leaching and then increase exponentially. This increase is comparable to results previously obtained in carbonated solutions.

This paper presents a scoping-level application of Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) to selected systems of a complex experimental facility. In performing a PSA for this type of facility, a number of challenges arise, mainly due to the extensive use of electronic and programmable components and of one-of-a-kind components. The experimental facility is the Megawatt Pilot Target Experiment (MEGAPIE), which was hosted at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI). MEGAPIE demonstrated the feasibility of a liquid lead-bismuth target for spallation facilities at a proton beam power level of 1 MW. Given the challenges to estimate initiating event frequencies and failure event probabilities, emphasis is placed on the qualitative results obtainable from the PSA. Even though this does not allow a complete and appropriate characterization of the risk profile, some level of importance/significance evaluation was feasible, and practical and detailed recommendations on potential system improvements were derived. The second part of the work reports on a preliminary quantification of the facility risk. This provides more information on risk significance, which allows prioritizing the insights and recommendations obtained from the PSA. At the present stage, the limited knowledge on initiating and failure events is reflected in the uncertainties in their probabilities as well as in inputs quantified with bounding values. Detailed analyses to improve the quantification of these inputs, many of which turn out to be important contributors, were out of the scope of this study. Consequently, the reported results should be primarily considered as a demonstration of how quantification of the facility risk by a PSA can support risk-informed decisions, rather than precise figures of the facility risk.

Viral load testing is an essential parameter in guiding antiretroviral therapy for individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). An external quality assessment scheme for the molecular quantification of HIV-1 RNA was introduced by the United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Service for Microbiology in 2000. Specimen pairs of freeze-dried plasma were distributed to a median of 141 participants three times a year. The aim of this study was to analyze the quantification of HIV-1 RNA results between 2000 and 2010. Overall variability, measured by the standard deviations of all viral load results for each specimen, was below 0.5 log copy/ml (n = 48). When we compared assay results, the medians of the viral load by assay were within a range of 0.25 to 1.08 log copies/ml, with the lowest median values being consistently reported with the Siemens branched-chain DNA assay. The spread of participant results and, hence, differences between assay medians were greater when quantifying non-B subtypes. Laboratories were scored on the proximity of their reported log difference for the specimen pair to the median log difference reported by all laboratories. The overall level of performance with the HIV-1 RNA specimens over the past 10 years has been consistently good, with more than 90% of the participants reporting in the accepted range (median difference, ±0.5 log unit). Future distributions may result in tightening the acceptance levels of quantification and the use of more challenging specimens, including a variety of subtypes, with developments focusing on maintaining the clinical relevance and educational value of the scheme. PMID:22952265

Coronary calcification is proportional to the extent and severity of atherosclerotic disease, and is a predictor of cardiac events. Furthermore, coronary calcification protruding into the lumen is considered as one type of vulnerable plaque. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can provide in vivo imaging of the detailed vessel wall structure of the coronary artery with high resolution, as in the histological approach. We analyzed coronary calcification in that fashion using OCT in vivo. This study consisted of 70 superficial coronary calcifications of 39 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. After revascularization, OCT was performed in the treated vessel. We analyzed morphologic characteristics and the quantification of OCT-determined coronary calcification. Superficial coronary calcifications were classified into two groups depending on whether they did not intrude the lumen (type I) or did (type II). The distance from the lumen and the volume of each calcification were then measured. Superficial coronary calcifications were classified into two groups; type I, n = 39 (56%) and type II, n = 31 (44%). Type II calcifications were located significantly closer to the lumen [80 microm (60-130) vs.130 microm (90-260), p = 0.015], and tended to be smaller, but did not show a significant difference [0.65 (0.2631.3) mm3 vs. 1.2 (0.47-1.9) mm3, p = 0.153] compared to those of type I. In conclusion, OCT could visualize superficial coronary calcifications in detail and enable us to evaluate in vivo morphologic characterizations and quantify them. PMID:23092098

Objectives Much victimization research focuses on specific types of crime victims, which implies that the factors responsible for some victimization outcomes are distinct from others. Recent developments in victimization theory, however, take a more general approach, postulating that victimization regardless of type will share a similar basic etiology. This research examines how and whether the risk factors that are associated with violent victimization significantly differ from those that predict nonviolent victimization. Methods Using data from 3,682 Kentucky youth, we employ Osgood and Schreck?s (2007) Item Response Theory-based statistical approach for detecting specialization to determine the properties and predictors of tendencies for individuals to fall victim to specific types of c...

A solution of a thermal-shock problem of generalized thermoelasticity of a non-homogeneous isotropic hollow cylinder using a finite-element method is developed. The formulation is applied to the generalized thermoelasticity based on the Green and Naghdi (GN) theory of type II and type III by an appropriate choice of parameters. The problem has been solved numerically using a finite-element method. Numerical results for the distributions of displacement, temperature, radial stress, and hoop stress are represented graphically. The results indicate that the effects of non-homogeneity are very pronounced. The effects of non-homogeneity are presented with the two types of the Green and Naghdi theory.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) establishes a latent infection with three types of viral gene expression. These latency types can be distinguished by the expression patterns of EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA)1, EBNA2, latent membrane protein (LMP)1, and LMP2. The EBV lytic cycle is initiated by the transcription of the EBV immediate early BZLF1 gene, which can be used to distinguish between a latent and a lytic infection. In this study, a one-step multiplex real-time PCR assay was developed to quantify the EBNA1, EBNA2, LMP1, LMP2, and BZLF1 expression levels simultaneously by relative quantification. To validate this assay, the quantitation of viral gene transcription was performed in EBV-positive B, T, and natural killer cell lines. Because of its rapidity, sensitivity, and specificity, this new assay can be used for quantitative analyses of the latency patterns of EBV infection and the switch from latency to lytic viral replication. PMID:17870188

Since the discovery that neural tissue contains a population of stem cells that form neurospheres in vitro, sphere-forming assays have been adapted for use with a number of different tissue types for the quantification of stem cell activity and self-renewal. One tissue type widely used for stem cell investigations is mammary tissue, and the mammosphere assay has been used in both normal tissue and cancer. Although it is a relatively simple assay to learn, it can be difficult to master. There are methodological and analytical aspects to the assay which require careful consideration when interpreting the results. We describe here a detailed mammosphere assay protocol for the assessment of stem cell activity and self-renewal, and discuss how data generated by the assay can be analysed and int...