The aim of this study was to observe both the clinical signs and symptoms of wounds at risk of infection, that is critically colonised (biofilm infected) and antimicrobial-performance of an ionic silver alginate/carboxymethylcellulose (SACMC) dressing, in comparison with a non silver calcium alginate fibre (AF) dressing, on chronic venous leg and pressure ulcers. Thirty-six patients with venous or pressure ulcers, considered clinically to be critically colonised (biofilm infected), were randomly chosen to receive either an SACMC dressing or a non silver calcium AF dressing. The efficacy of each wound dressing was evaluated over a 4-week period. The primary study endpoints were prevention of infection and progression to wound healing. The SACMC group showed a statistically significant (P = ...
The aim of this study was to observe both the clinical signs and symptoms of wounds at risk of infection, that is critically colonised (biofilm infected) and antimicrobial-performance of an ionic silver alginate/carboxymethylcellulose (SACMC) dressing, in comparison with a non silver calcium alginate fibre (AF) dressing, on chronic venous leg and pressure ulcers. Thirty-six patients with venous or pressure ulcers, considered clinically to be critically colonised (biofilm infected), were randomly chosen to receive either an SACMC dressing or a non silver calcium AF dressing. The efficacy of each wound dressing was evaluated over a 4-week period. The primary study endpoints were prevention of infection and progression to wound healing. The SACMC group showed a statistically significant (P = 0.017) improvement to healing as indicated by a reduction in the surface area of the wound, over the 4-week study period, compared with ...
The ability to directly compare gastric ulcerated and healthy tissue would aid in the understanding of the physiological differences between these tissue types. Presently, these comparisons...Full Text Available
A Prospective randomised controlled study was done to determine statistical difference between the standard microsurgical discotomy (MC) and a minimally invasive microscopic procedure for disc prolapse...Full Text Available
A sensitive radio-assay for ferritin was developed and used to examine serum ferritin levels in 105 patients with recurrent oral ulceration (ROU), 41 patients with Behcet's syndrome (BS), 42 with other ulcerative oral lesions, 35 patients with non-ulcerative oral lesions and in 78 controls. Ferritin levels increased with age and were significantly higher in males than females. The mean ferritin concentrations in male patients with ROU, BS or with other oral ulcers were significantly reduced in comparison with controls, and in female patients were significantly reduced in those with major aphthous ulcers. The prevalence of low serum ferritin levels was about 8% in patients with ROU, 15% in BS and 9.5% in patients with other ulcerative oral lesions, compared with less than 3% in patients with non-ulcerative oral ...
Seventy seven patients with soft tissue shoulder lesions including adhesive capsulitis and disorders of the rotator cuff and acromioclavicular joint were admitted to a trial comparing two different...Full Text Available
Giant duodenal ulcers (GDUs) are a subset of duodenal ulcers that have historically resulted in greater morbidity than usual duodenal ulcers. Until recently, few cases had been successfully treated...Full Text Available
1. The acute haemodynamic effects of intravenous nisoldipine (1, 2, 4 microg kg(-1)) and nifedipine (2.5, 5, 10 microg kg(-1)) were compared in a randomised, within-patient crossover study. Fifteen...Full Text Available
AimsTo assess whether frequency of placebo administration is associated with duodenal ulcer healing.MethodsA systematic literature...Full Text Available
AbstractBackground: The dinitrofluorobenzene/dinitrosulfonic acid (DNFB/DNS) model was originally described as an experimental model of intestinal inflammation resembling human ulcerative colitis (UC). Due to the absence of acceptable UC experimental models for pharmacological preclinical assays, here we examine the immune response induced in this model. Methods: Balb/c mice were sensitized by skin application of DNFB on day 1, followed by an intrarectal challenge with DNS on day 5. We further expanded this model by administering a second DNS challenge on day 15. The features of colonic inflammation and immune response were evaluated. Results: The changes observed in colonic tissue corresponded, in comparison to the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) colitis model, to a mild mucosal effe...
Peptic ulcer bleeding is a common disease and recurrent bleeding is an independent risk factor of mortality. Infusion with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) prevents recurrent bleeding after successful...Full Text Available
Giant lipomas are benign soft tissue tumours. They are found relatively rarely on the posterior part of the neck. Bleeding pressure ulcer in this giant tumour is a rare presentation. Surgical interventions...Full Text Available
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon with a high incidence of colon cancer. Dysplasia is a precursor to carcinoma and a predictor of malignant potential; epithelia...Full Text Available
Cimetidine 1 g daily is often continued for a fixed period beyond the time of healing of duodenal ulcer on the assumption that it might reduce the subsequent relapse rate. To test this, 194 patients...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo investigate possible differences in operative delivery rate among low-risk women, randomised to an alongside midwifery-led unit or to standard obstetric units within...Full Text Available
Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of three polyspecific antivenoms for bites by pit vipers.Design Randomised double blind comparative trial of three antivenoms.Setting...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND: Epinephrine injection is the most common endoscopic therapy for peptic ulcer bleeding. Controversy exists concerning the optimal dose of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) for patients with bleeding peptic ulcers after successful endoscopic therapy. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal dose of PPI after successful endoscopic epinephrine injection in patients with bleeding peptic ulcers. METHODS: A total of 200 peptic ulcer patients with active bleeding or nonbleeding visible vessels (NBVV) who had obtained initial hemostasis with endoscopic injection of epinephrine were randomized to receive omeprazole 40 mg infusion every 6 h, omeprazole 40 mg infusion every 12 h or cimetidine (CIM) 400 mg infusion every 12 h. Outcomes were checked at 14 days after enrollment. RE...
This randomised study aimed to compare the biochemical tolerance of three parenteral regimens administered during the first 48 hours of life. Twenty nine infants were randomised to either: (a) glucose...Full Text Available
Recurrence of microbial keratitis in the presence of protozoal infection is very rare and infrequently reported unless predisposing factors are present. The association of recurrent microbial keratitis...Full Text Available
Necrotizing sialometaplasia, is a benign inflammatory lesion primarily involving the minor salivary glands of the hard palate. The lesion often presents itself as a deep-seated palatal ulcer with clinical...Full Text Available
Opinion statementCritical limb ischemia (CLI), defined as chronic ischemic rest pain, ulcers, or gangrene attributable to objectively proven arterial occlusive disease, is the most advanced...Full Text Available
Summary Background There is a need for new artemisinin-based combination therapies that are convenient, effective, and safe. We compared the efficacy and safety of pyronaridine-artesunate with that of artemether-lumefantrine for treatment of uncomplicated P falciparum malaria. Methods This phase 3, parallel-group, double-blind, randomised, non-inferiority trial was undertaken in seven sites in Africa and three sites in southeast Asia. In a double-dummy design, patients aged 3-60 years with uncomplicated P falciparum malaria were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive pyronaridine-artesunate once a day or artemether-lumefantrine twice a day, orally for 3 days, plus respective placebo. Randomisation was done by computer-generated randomisation sequence in blocks of nine by study centre....
An animated test is made for mice with malignant tumors irradiated by a self-made millimetre wave radiator for medical purpose. It is observed that S-180 sarcomas in mice after irradiation has been distinctly suppressed. And remarkable effects are shown through a lot of clinical practices on peptic ulcer, skin-deep ulcer, acute and chromic soft tissue injuries etc.
The sequential events and the inflammatory mediators that characterize disease onset and progression of ulcerative colitis (UC) are not well known. In this study, we evaluated the early pathologic events...Full Text Available
Five standard, non-invasive tests of cardiovascular, autonomic function were performed in each of four groups of 30 subjects: controls, group 1, diabetics without clinical evidence of neuropathy; group...Full Text Available
BackgroundBuruli ulcer, the third mycobacterial disease after tuberculosis and leprosy, is caused by the environmental mycobacterium M. ulcerans. Various modes of...Full Text Available
We examined the physiology of continence in 12 patients at least four months after colectomy, mucosal proctectomy, and endorectal ileo-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis....Full Text Available
We report the first case of human infection by Phaeoisaria clematidis. This fungus caused a corneal ulcer in a Brazilian man who had previously suffered an eye injury. Diagnosis was...Full Text Available
Organisms in the genus Mycobacterium cause a variety of human diseases. One member of the genus, M. ulcerans, causes a necrotizing skin disease called Buruli ulcer....Full Text Available
It is generally accepted that hypoxia and recovery from oxygen deprivation contribute to the breakdown and ulceration of human skin. The effects of these stresses on proliferation, differentiation...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe study aimed at (i) characterizing the mode of transmission of blaCTX-M and blaTEM-1 among extended-spectrum-β-lactamase...Full Text Available
Chronic colonization of the human stomach by Helicobacter pylori, a Gram-negative bacterium, is the major cause of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers and gastric cancer. Recent...Full Text Available
Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of Buruli ulcer, the third most common mycobacterial disease after tuberculosis and leprosy. It is an emerging infectious disease that...Full Text Available
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease characterized by single or multiple ulcerations. Secondary bacterial infections are one of the complications that can increase the tissue destruction...Full Text Available
Background:The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-ulcer and antioxidant activities of the ethanol extract of Lagenaria breviflora (EELB)...Full Text Available
Summary Objective- To evaluate the role of prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) antibacterial prophylaxis in reducing morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected post-natal women in southern Africa. Methods- Double-blind placebo-controlled trial. HIV-infected women with WHO stage 2 or 3 HIV disease who had recently delivered in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia were randomised to receive daily co-trimoxazole (cotox) or matched placebo daily for the duration of the trial. Participants were followed up for a minimum of 1-year. Primary outcome measures were mortality from any cause or hospital admission and serious adverse events. Results- Of 600 women randomised, follow-up information was available from 355 (18...
Background: Ecchymosis, oedema, haematoma and pain after SMAS-based facelift surgery are all the direct result of the physical trauma of surgery and subsequent inflammatory response. Hilotherapy is a novel form of cryotherapy that purports to minimise these events through single-use face masks circulating cooled, sterile water. This study was performed to assess the validity of Hilotherapy in this population of patients. Methods: Over 14 weeks fifty consecutive patients were randomised to post-operative facial cooling with Hilotherapy or management with standard dressings alone, while fifteen subsequent, consecutive patients were randomised to cooling of one side of the face but not the other. Assessment of ecchymosis, oedema, haematoma and pain was performed independently by clinical staf...
Background: Chloroquine has in-vitro activity against influenza and could be an ideal candidate for worldwide prevention of influenza in the period between onset of a pandemic with a virulent influenza strain and the development and widespread dissemination of an effective vaccine. We aimed to assess the efficacy of such an intervention. Methods: In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done at a single centre in Singapore, we randomly assigned (1:1) healthy adults to receive chloroquine phosphate (500 mg/day for 1 week, then once a week to complete 12 weeks) or matching placebo by use of a computer-generated randomisation list. Participants filled an online symptom diary every week, supplemented by daily diaries and self-administered nasal swabs when unwell. Haemagglutin...
Over 30 months 9292 consecutive patients admitted to nine coronary care units with suspected myocardial infarction were considered for admission to a randomised double blind study comparing the effect...Full Text Available
Objectives:The supermarket industry now services many customers through online food shopping over the Internet. The Internet shopping process offers a novel opportunity...Full Text Available
BackgroundCaesarean section is one of the most commonly performed operations on women throughout the world. Rates have increased in recent years – about 20–25% in...Full Text Available
BackgroundAdhesive capsulitis is a common, painful, and disabling condition that has been managed with corticosteroid injections for over 50 years. There is debate over the use of...Full Text Available
ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for fatigue self-management, compared with groups receiving fatigue information alone, on fatigue...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE--To examine the effect of a reduced sodium and increased potassium and magnesium intake on blood pressure. DESIGN--Randomised double blind placebo controlled trial. SETTING--General population...Full Text Available
Objective To determine whether a centralised telephone intervention reduces the incidence of death or admission for worsening heart failure in outpatients with chronic heart failure.Design...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo test whether a disclosure intervention improves subjective health and reduces medical consumption and sick leave in somatising patients in general practice.DesignNon-blind...Full Text Available
A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of a homeopathic treatment of neonatal calf diarrhoea was performed using 44 calves in 12 dairy herds. Calves with spontaneously derived diarrhoea were...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy and safety of low dose adrenaline injected subcutaneously to prevent acute adverse reactions to polyspecific antivenom serum in patients admitted...Full Text Available
BackgroundHerpes simplex virus (HSV) suppressive therapy reduces genital and plasma HIV-1 RNA over periods up to three months but the longer-term effect is unknown.Full Text Available
BackgroundCompared to healthy controls, cancer patients have a higher risk of unemployment, which has negative social and economic impacts on the patients and on society at large....Full Text Available
BackgroundChronic rotator cuff pathology (CRCP) is a common shoulder condition causing pain and disability. Physiotherapy is often the first line of management for CRCP yet there...Full Text Available
Objectives To assess the effectiveness of calcium supplementation for improving bone mineral density in healthy children and to determine if any effect is modified by other factors and...Full Text Available
SummaryBackgroundPatients undergoing dialysis have a substantially increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Although several trials have shown the...Full Text Available
The effect of potential risk factors for chronic lymphatic leukaemia was evaluated in a case-referent study encompassing 111 cases and 431 randomised referents, all alive. Information on exposure was...Full Text Available
BackgroundThis study examines the prevalence and nature of bereavement help-seeking among the population who experienced an "expected" death in the five years before their survey...Full Text Available
BackgroundIntrapartum fetal hypoxia remains an important cause of death and permanent handicap and in a significant proportion of cases there is evidence of suboptimal care related...Full Text Available
The existence and importance of an accelerated adjacent segment disc degeneration (ASD) after lumbar fusion have previously not been demonstrated by RCTs. The objectives of this study were, to determine...Full Text Available
BackgroundImproving nutrition knowledge among children may help them to make healthier food choices. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of a...Full Text Available
BackgroundMost traditional Chinese herbal formulas consist of at least four herbs. Four-Agents-Decoction (Si Wu Tang) is a documented eight hundred year old formula containing four...Full Text Available
INTRODUCTIONCutiplast (absorbent perforated dressing with adhesive border; Smith & Nephew) is commonly used following orthopaedic operation, but complications of its use...Full Text Available
Two cases of tetracycline ulcers of the oesophagus are reported and compared with thirteen other cases from the literature. In most cases, the patients had taken their capsules with little or no fluid just before going to bed. Some hours later they developed retrosternal pain that was intensified by swallowing. Endoscopy showed sharply demarcated greyish-white areas of mucosal damage which represented layers of stratified squamous cells, separated by oedema, and a dense neutrophilic infiltration of the lamina propria and the muscularis mucosa. Roentgenology was unsuitable to detect the lesions. They healed without complications within one to six weeks. Prolonged retention of the capsules in the oesophagus is thought to cause the mucosal damage. Patients on oral tetracycline or doxycycline treatment should therefore be instructed to take their capsules with a meal or with copious water and not just before going to bed.
Extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma (ES) and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) are widely regarded as clinically and histologically identical tumors which consist of small blue round cells. Extraskeletal ESs/PNETs usually occur in the deep soft tissues of the paraspinal region, chest wall, or lower extremities. However, superficially located cases, so-called cutaneous ESs/PNETs, are exceedingly rare, and the vast majority of the reported cases present as a single small mass. We present magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical course of a unique case of primary cutaneous ES/PNET presenting as numerous huge masses with severe ulceration on them. (orig.)
Kundur [Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.], a member of the family Cucurbitaceae, is one of the famous crops that are grown primarily for its fruits and usually recognized with its nutritional and medicinal properties especially in Asian countries. Kundur fruit has been valued as a nutritious vegetable as it provides a good source for natural sugars, amino acids, organic acids, mineral elements and vitamins. A number of medicinal properties such as anti-diarrheal, anti-obesity, anti-ulcer, and antioxidant and diuretic have been ascribed to this fruit of high economic value. As a rich source of functionally important bioactives and therapeutics such as triterpenes, phenolics, sterols, and glycosides, the fruit has been widely used for the treatment of epilepsy, ulcer, and other nervous disor...
Abuzakuk T, Coward P, Shenava Y, Kumar VS, Skinner JA. The management of wounds following primary lower limb arthroplasty: a prospective, randomised study comparing hydrofibre and central pad dressings. Abstract Wound care following lower limb arthroplasty has not been subject to in-depth clinical research, primarily because such wounds usually heal without complication. However, when prosthetic implants are used, serious wound problems can be disastrous (Whitehouse et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002;23:183-9; Lindwell OM. Clin Orthop Relat Res 1986;211:91-103). We report the results of a prospective, randomised, controlled trial comparing a hydrofibre (Aquacel) and central pad (Mepore) dressing in the management of acute wounds following primary total hip or knee arthroplasty left ...
Summary Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an educational outreach intervention to improve primary respiratory care by South African nurses. Methods Cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial, with individual patient data. The intervention, the Practical Approach to Lung Health in South Africa (PALSA), comprised educational outreach based on syndromic clinical practice guidelines for tuberculosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. The study included 1999 patients aged 15 or over with cough or difficult breathing, attending 40 primary care clinics staffed by nurses in the Free State province. They were interviewed at first presentation, and 1856 (93%) were interviewed 3 months late...
Summary Background- Treatments that achieve sustainable steroid-free clinical remission in Crohn-s disease are needed; however, long-term steroid-sparing efficacy data are limited. Aim- To evaluate steroid-sparing efficacy and the impact of steroid discontinuation on adverse events during treatment of Crohn's disease with adalimumab in the phase III randomised, double-blind 1-year CHARM trial and for an additional 2-years in its open-label extension ADHERE. Methods- Steroid-free remission and response and steroid-sparing (-50% steroid dose reduction) remission rates were evaluated over 3-years in patients who were taking corticosteroids at CHARM baseline. Results- Of 778 patients randomised in CHARM (including those who did not achieve clinical response to open-label induction therapy), 31...
BackgroundDue to improvements in cancer survival the number of people of working age living with cancer across Europe is likely to increase. UK governments have made commitments...Full Text Available
BackgroundMany emergency ambulance calls are for older people who have fallen. As half of them are left at home, a community-based response may often be more appropriate than hospital...Full Text Available
BackgroundChildren aged between one and five years are particularly vulnerable to disease caused by soil-transmitted helminths (STH). Periodic deworming has been shown to improve...Full Text Available
SummaryBackgroundInnovative prevention strategies for HIV-1 transmission are urgently needed. PRO2000 vaginal gel was efficacious against HIV-1 transmission in studies...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn an effort to promote healthy ageing and preserve health and function, the government of Chile has formulated a package of actions into the Programme for Complementary...Full Text Available
The efficacy of a heat inactivated hepatitis B virus vaccine, containing 3 micrograms hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), was studied in a high risk group of 800 susceptible homosexual men by a randomised...Full Text Available
Haemangiomas usually develop within the first few weeks of life, most regressing spontaneously before the age of 7 years. Some may ulcerate or compromise a vital function, in which case systemic corticosteroids, surgery or radiotherapy may be helpful. All of these treatment modalities are associated with significant morbidity. Treatment with the 585 nm flashlamp pulsed dye laser is safe and effective in the management of superficial vascular malformations. We report seven patients, under 12 months of age, who presented with proliferative haemangiomas, causing functional impairment. Ulcerated lesions were present in four patients. The patients were treated with the 585 nm pulsed dye laser (fluences 7.0-9.25 J/cm2), at intervals of 4-8 weeks. All of the lesions showed a significant reduction in size, together with improvement in the colour and integrity of the overlying skin. Treatment with the 585 nm pulsed dye laser should be considered in the ...
Recently, various types of allogeneic skin substitutes including cultured epidermal substitute (CES), cultured dermal substitute (CDS), and cultured skin substitute (CSS), which are composed of keratinocytes and/or fibroblasts as the cellular component(s), have been used as biological wound dressings. In our study, the allogeneic CDS was prepared by plating fibroblasts on a spongy collagen. The clinical evaluation was conducted using fresh or cryopreserved allogeneic CDS. In 145 of our clinical cases, 95% (138/145) of various wounds were evaluated as achieving good or excellent results, including 96% (22/23) of deep dermal burns (DDB) and dermal burns (DB), 100% (53/53) of partial-thickness donor wounds, 91% (21/23) of traumatic skin defects, 100% (5/5) of pressure ulcers, 82% (9/11) of chronic skin ulcers, 100% (6/6) of coverage for debrided DB, and 92% (22/24) of coverage for autologous meshed graft. The results obtained in our study suggest ...
Purpose: To report outcomes of a single institution study of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma. The dose-volume dependency of the observed gastrointestinal toxicity is explored. Methods and materials: Twenty-seven patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma (n = 26 Klatskin tumours and one intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC)) were treated by linac-based SBRT. The dose schedule was 45 Gy in three fractions prescribed to the isocenter. Results: The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 6.7 and 10.6 months, respectively. With a median follow-up of 5.4 years, 6 patients had severe duodenal/pyloric ulceration and 3 patients developed duodenal stenosis. Duodenal radiation exposure was higher in patients developing moderate to high-grade gastrointestinal toxicity with the difference in mean maximum dose to 1 cm"3 of duodenum reaching statistical significance. A statistically significant association between ...
Abuzakuk T, Coward P, Shenava Y, Kumar VS, Skinner JA. The management of wounds following primary lower limb arthroplasty: a prospective, randomised study comparing hydrofibre and central pad dressings. Pris en charge des plaies apres arthroplastie primaire du member inferieur: une etude randomisee prospective comparant hydrofibre et pansements central pad La prise en charge des plaies apres arthroplastie du member inferieur n'a pas fait l'objet de recherches approfondies, essentiellement car ces plaies cicatrisent habituellement sans complications. Cependant, lorsque des implants prothetiques sont utilizes, les serieux problemes de plaies peuvent devenir desastreux. Nous rapportons les resultants d'une etude prospective, randomisee, controlee comparant un hydrofibre et un pasnement centra...
This is an independent reanalysis of a randomised, placebo-controlled parallel-group study on the efficacy and tolerability of a special butterbur root extract (Petadolex) for the prophylaxis of migraine. The original protocol and analysis had a number of major shortcomings. In order to follow regulatory requirements, an independent reanalysis of the original data was performed. Following a 4-week baseline phase, 33 patients were randomised to treatment with two capsules 25 mg butterbur twice a day and 27 to placebo. The mean attack frequency per month decreased from 3.4 at baseline to 1.8 after 3 months (p = 0.0024) in the verum group and from 2.9 to 2.6 in the placebo group (n.s.). The responder rate (improvement of migraine frequency > or =50%) was 45% in the verum group and 15% in the placebo group. Butterbur was well tolerated. This small trial indicates that butterbur may be effective in the prophylaxis of migraine. PMID:14752215
ResumeObjectif determiner dans une etude randomisee l'impact d'un enregistrement continu du glucose sous-cutane pendant 48 heures sur le controle glycemique trois mois plus tard chez des patients presentant un diabete de type 1 (DT1) ou de type 2 (DT2). Methodes Quarante-huit patients avec un mauvais equilibre glycemique (HbA1c : 8-10,5 %) ont beneficie d'un enregistrement continu du glucose sous-cutane pendant 48 heures avec le systeme GlucoDay (A. Menarini Diagnostics) et ont ete randomises en deux groupes : ajustement de traitement en fonction de l'autosurveillance glycemique capillaire (groupe ASG) ou du profil d'enregistrement continu du glucose sous-cutane (groupe CGM). Le dosage d'HbA1c et le port du GlucoDay ont ete renouveles trois mois plus tard. Resultats Trente-quatre patients ...
Summary Background Treatment of localised renal cell carcinoma consists of partial or radical nephrectomy. A substantial proportion of patients are at risk for recurrence because no effective adjuvant therapy exists. We investigated the use of an autologous, tumour-derived heat-shock protein (glycoprotein 96)-peptide complex (HSPPC-96; vitespen) as adjuvant treatment in patients at high risk of recurrence after resection of locally advanced renal cell carcinoma. Methods In this open-label trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive either vitespen (n=409) or observation alone (n=409) after nephrectomy. Randomisation was done in a one to one ratio by a computer-generated pseudo-random number generator, with a block size of four, and was stratified by performance score, lymph node stat...
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common disorder, for which various conservative treatment options are available. The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of the various conservative treatment options for relieving the symptoms of CTS. Computer-aided searches of MEDLINE (1/1966 to 3/2000), EMBASE (1/1988 to 2/2000) and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (2000, issue 1) were conducted, together with reference checking. Included were randomised controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of conservative treatment options in a study population of CTS patients, with a full report published in English, German, French or Dutch. Two reviewers independently selected the studies. Fourteen randomised controlled trials were included in the review. Assessment of methodological quality and data-extraction was independently performed by two reviewers. A rating system, based on the number of studies and their methodological quality and ...
Many foods have been implicated in theories about the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease. While evidence has accumulated that nutritional factors as part of overall lifestyle changes may play a role in the growing incidence, no specific dietary recommendations except the promotion of breastfeeding can currently be given to decrease the risk of developing Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. For the treatment of Crohn's disease in children and adolescents, however, enteral feeding with a semi-elemental diet seems to be as effective as corticosteroids in inducing and maintaining remission. In the meta-analyses, advantages of one formula over the other are evened out, and more research is warranted into the anti-inflammatory properties of different nutrients, such as polyunsaturated fat...
AbstractBackground: A defective innate immune response may contribute to the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Employing a global gene expression analysis, this study was aimed at identifying specifically regulated genes within the epithelial compartment in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: The epithelial fraction of human ileal mucosa samples from surgical specimens was obtained by laser microdissection. Gene expression was examined by global expression profiling (n = 18, Affymetrix), quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (n = 35), immunoblot analysis (n = 9), and immunohistochemistry (n = 25). Results: Global expression profiling revealed a pronounced downregulation of the retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) with...
Between 1983 and 1986, 35 of 90 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) had double-contrast esophagograms to rule out opportunistic esophagitis. The radiographs were reviewed without knowledge of the clinical or endoscopic findings. Candida esophagitis was diagnosed radiographically in 17 patients who had varying degrees of plaque formation and viral esophagitis in three who had discrete ulcers without plaques. All three patients with viral esophagitis (herpes in 2 and cytomegalo virus in one) and 15 of 17 with Candida esophagitis had endoscopic and/or clinical corroboration of the radiographic diagnosis. Thus, the authors' experience suggests that fungal and viral esophagitis can often be differentiated on double-contrast esophagography, so that appropriate antifungal or antiviral therapy can be instituted without need for endoscopic intervention.
Abstract Objectives: This investigation reviewed experimental studies of laser irradiation of wound healing in mice and rats published from 2003 to August 2008, respectively, to assess putative stimulatory effects of this treatment. Background: Animal models, including rodents, attempt to reflect human wound healing and associated problems such as dehiscence, ischemia, ulceration, infection, and scarring. They have played a key role in furthering understanding of underlying mechanisms involved in impaired wound healing, and in testing new therapeutic strategies including laser irradiation. Method: Original research papers investigating effects of laser or monochromatic light therapy on wound healing in mice and rats and published from January 2003 to August 2008 were retrieved from library...
BACKGROUND: Controversy exists as to whether patients with thick (Breslow depth >4 mm), clinically lymph node-negative melanoma require sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. The authors examined the impact of SLN biopsy on prognosis and outcome in this patient population. METHODS: A review of the authors institutional review board-approved melanoma database identified 293 patients with T4 melanoma who underwent surgical excision between 1998 and 2007. Patient demographics, histologic features, and outcome were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Of 227 T4 patients who had an SLN biopsy, 107 (47%) were positive. The strongest predictors of a positive SLN included angiolymphatic invasion, satellitosis, or ulceration of the primary tumor. Patients with a T4 melanoma and a negative SLN had a significa...
A 21-year-old woman developed midesophageal stricture two weeks after ingestion of aluminium phosphide (AlP) tablets. Aluminium phosphide is a lethal protoplasmic toxin and is also the most common cause of suicidal poisoning in northern India. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE) showed a tight esophageal stricture 29?cm from the incisors with a circumferential ulcer. Dilatation up to 17?mm was done using Savary-Gilliard dilators. She had repeated dilatations three times at nearly two-week intervals. In view of the resistant stricture, a silicone Polyflex stent was placed across the stricture and removed after 3?months; there was no recurrence of stricture even after three months of follow-up. Patients with recurrent esophageal stricture and those with fistula may benefit from silicone ...
Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and diabetes mellitus, as well as patients admitted with elevated blood glucose without known diabetes, have impaired outcome. Therefore intensive glucose-lowering therapy with insulin (IGL) has been proposed in diabetic or hyperglycaemic patients and has been shown to improve survival and reduce incidence of adverse events. The current manuscript provides an overview of randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of IGL. Furthermore, systematic glucose?insulin?potassium infusion (GIK) has been studied to improve outcome after AMI. In spite of positive findings in some early studies, GIK did not show any beneficial effects in recent clinical trials and thus this concept has been abandoned. While IGL targeted to achieve normoglycaemi...
Purpose. To compare erectile function (EF) recovery of patients treated by early penile rehabilitation therapy (PRT) with sildenafil and with control group. Method. Forty men treated by bilateral nerve sparing radical prostatectomy (NSRP) and with a normal pre-operative EF were enrolled. Fourteen days after surgery, they were randomised to a flexible-dose sildenafil group and to a control group. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire was completed before surgery and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after NSRP. Results. In the group treated, the mean IIEF score before surgery was 26.2 and 14.1, 16.2, 22.5 and 25.2 at 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after NSRP, respectively. In the control group, the respective scores were 26.5 and 12.4, 15.8, 15.3 and 17.4. There was a significant ...
AbstractBackground Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in the 1970s and early 1980s showed the polysaccharide serogroup A vaccine (SgAV) prevented serogroup A meningococcal meningitis (SGAMM). Subsequent non-RCTs suggested significant variations in the age-specific duration of protection among children. Objectives To determine the protective effect, duration of protection, age-specific effects and the effect of booster doses in children of the SgAV against SGAMM. Search strategy We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2010, issue 2) which contains the Acute Respiratory Infections Group's Specialised Register, MEDLINE (January 1950 to May Week 3, 2010) and EMBASE (January 1974 to May 2010). Selection criteria We included RCTs. Non-RCTs ...
Retrospective analyses were performed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of intra-oral cone (IOC) radiation therapy for carcinoma of the oral tongue, especially about its faculty of local control and complications. Thirty-nine patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue were treated with IOC radiation therapy alone or in combination with external irradiation. IOC radiation therapy was given not only for T1 and T2, but also for T3 tumors. Hypofractionation was used for IOC radiation therapy. The 2 year local control rates, including surgical salvage, for T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 100%, 73.3%, 40% and 0%, respectively. The 5 year actuarial survival rates for Stage I, II, III and IV were 100%, 65.3%, 35.4% and 0%, respectively. The incidences of radiation complications, i.e. soft tissue ulceration and osteoradionecrosis, were 42.9% and 2.9%, respectively. It is suggested that relatively high rate of soft tissue ulceration was due to ...
Recent advances in cell culture technology permit the generation of large stratified epithelial sheets appropriate for wound coverage. Autografts (sheets prepared from the patient's own skin) have proven life-saving in the treatment of large third-degree burns and have been successfully employed in the management of chronic ulcers. Allografts (sheets prepared from the skin of an unrelated donor) have also been used. In our experience, cultured allografts derived from neonatal foreskin provide a potent stimulus to healing in a variety of partial thickness wounds. Their application is a simple outpatient procedure which involves no discomfort for the patient. In contrast to autografting, no biopsy is necessary and use of cultured allogenic cells permits immediate grafts availability and possibility of stockpiling and preserving grafts for future use. Preparation of epithelial sheets suitable for grafting is also faster and easier with newborn than with adult donor ...
Background and purpose: To assess the effectiveness of radiotherapy in preventing tumour seeding after chest drain or pleural biopsy in patients with malignant mesothelioma and to determine, if tract metastases appear, whether they are tender or troublesome to patients. Patients and methods: Patients with a histological diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma and an invasive procedure within the preceding 21 days were stratified by age, performance status and treatment centre. Randomisation was performed between immediate drain site radiotherapy 21 Gy in three fractions (XRT arm) or best supportive care (BSC) with follow-up to 12 months. Patients were asked to complete questionnaires on treatment toxicity and on symptoms from any tract metastases detected. Results: Sixty-one patients were recruited from two centres between 1998 and 2004; 56 men, 5 women, median age 70. 31 were allocated to drain site radiotherapy. Seven patients developed tract metastases associated with ...
The interest for medicinal plants has raised again in the last decades, after overcoming a declination period caused by the advances in the researches and development of the synthetic drugs industries. This growing interest has been stimulated mainly by searching cheap and accessible alternative therapies. However, in order to have natural products based treatment in an efficient and safety way, it is necessary to guarantee the plant authenticity, finding adulterations and to assure a low level of microbiological contaminations to avoid damages to consumer's health. The decontamination method should be chosen for eliminating or reduce the microorganisms level without loss of the plant active constituents that would destroy its therapeutic action. At the present work, the possibility of using #gamma# and X electromagnetic radiations to sterilize a Brazilian medicinal plant (Maytenus aquifolium Martius, Celastraceae), which shows anti-ulcer activity, was studied by ...
Between 1970 and 1981, 348 patients underwent definitive irradiation. Of these patients 6 (1.7 per cent) sustained severe rectal injury as manifest by major rectal bleeding, rectal stricture, rectal mucosal slough and rectal ulceration. Severe rectal injury was observed in 0 of 13 patients (0 per cent) treated with 125iodine, 3 of 329 (1 per cent) treated with 6,400 to 6,800 rad external irradiation, 2 of 39 (5 per cent) treated with 7,000 to 7,300 rad external irradiation, and 1 of 7 (14 per cent) treated with 198gold and external irradiation. The impact of radiation dose, radiation therapy technique and surgical trauma was assessed. Rectal injury was managed by supportive measures in 2 patients and by diverting colostomy in 3 with benefit. One patient underwent abdominoperineal resection. A small bowel fistula and an intra-abdominal abscess developed, and the patient died.
Maytenus ilicifolia Mart. ex Reissek is traditionally used in Brazil for treatment of gastric ulcers. Here we report the phytochemical investigation of an ethanol extract of M. ilicifolia leaves (EEMIL) aiming at the isolation of constituents which were used as chemical markers to monitor an activity-guided fractionation of a lyophilized aqueous extract of M. ilicifolia leaves (LAEMIL). From EEMIL, four flavonoids were isolated, namely the tri-flavonoid glycosides mauritianin (1), trifolin, (2) hyperin (4), and epi-catechin (5). Fractionation of LAEMIL led to 5 fractions which afforded the tetra-glycoside kaempferol derivative (3), and galactitol (6). LAEMIL and its fractions were evaluated in rats for their effects on gastric secretion volume and pH. HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) analysis revealed that only fractions containing the tri- and tetra-flavonoid glycosides 1 and 3 caused significant increase of gastric volume and pH, thus indicating that ...
The author compares the UHF Follow-on and MILSTAR satellite communication systems. The comparison uses an analytical hierarchy process. Although the two systems have been tasked with different missions, a comparison of cost, capability, and orbit is condu...
Source-term codes to predict the release of radionuclides from nuclear waste packages have been developed and implemented worldwide. A survey and initial comparison of the attributes and capabilities of 13 international source-term codes was recently completed. This preliminary analysis focused on comparison of transport factors/processes and solution methods. This initial comparison is a necessary first step in a properly-conceived, systematic benchmarking of source-term codes. Advantages of such a comparison include assurance of the mathematical correctness of implemented models, comparison and quantification of variances introduced by different types of simplifications, and identification and quantification of the impact of near-field processes.
Comparisons have been made between Buddhism and the philosophy of science in general, but there have been only a few attempts to draw comparisons directly with the philosophy of radical behaviorism....Full Text Available
BackgroundMany molecules of interest are flexible and undergo significant shape deformation as part of their function, but most existing methods of molecular shape comparison (MSC)...Full Text Available
W. Wayne Scott and R. G. Alsmiller, Jr. RADIATION SHIELDING ..... W. Wayne Scott and R. G. Alsmiller, Jr., "Comparisons of Results Ob- tained with Several ...
A comparison of the results of machine and human information retrieval using MEDLARS and the printed Index Medicus indicates that at present neither method is entirely satisfactory...Full Text Available
A short account is given of the difficulties encountered in temperature measurement of boundary layers and a comparison of two types of thermometers, an infrared radiometer and mercury in glass thermometer. (Author)
This paper introduces the inter-comparison results of some environmental radioactivity monitoring items for Daya Bay nuclear power plant. The inter-comparison was organized by China Institute for Radiation Protection and five laboratories participated in it. The compared items included total #beta# in kelp and sediment, "3H in water, "9"0Sr in soil, artificial nuclides "1"1"0"mAg, "2"4"1Am, "1"0"9Cd, "5"7Co in kelp and sediment. Inter-comparison results are analyzed as well
The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the safety and efficacy of chemoembolization (TACE) as palliative treatment for patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and to compare the results with those in the literature. Fifteen patients with histology-proven CCA (5 men, 10 women) had received palliative treatment with TACE over a 6-year period. The treatment protocol comprised repeated TACE at a minimum of 8-week intervals. TACE was performed with a mixture of 10 ml Lipiodol and 10 mg mitomycin C injected into the tumor-supplying vessels. Follow-up investigations after 8-10 weeks comprised contrast-enhanced multislice spiral CT and laboratory control. Statistical evaluation included survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method. During the investigation period 58 TACEs (3.9 #+-# 3.8; 1-15) were performed in 15 patients. Mean tumor size was 10.8 #+-# 4.6 cm (range, 2.0-18.0 cm). Unifocal tumor disease was diagnosed in eight patients, and multifocal ...
Full text: Many factors including drug efficacy, compliance and antibiotic resistance may influence HP eradication rates. The "1"4C urea breath test is a sensitive method of confirming HP colonisation and eradication. The aim was to study the relationships between the peak "1"4CO_2 counts on the breath test prior to treatment, smoking and HP eradication, and to assess if persistent or recurrent symptoms implied failure of eradication. 117 patients with DU and HP colonisation proved on biopsy or rapid urease test who underwent "1"4C urea breath tests at least one month after eradication treatment was ceased were studied (69 male, 48 female, mean age 41, range 26-87 y). Questionnaire assessment of treatment regimen, smoking history and dyspeptic symptoms was made at the time of the breath test. A sub-group of 43 patients who had pre- and post-treatment breath tests was studied to assess if high peak "1"4CO_2 counts on the pre-treatment breath test related to treatment success. The mean ...
A comparison was made of the advantages and disadvantages of two codes, SAND-II and FERRET, for determining the neutron flux spectrum and uncertainty from experimental dosimeter measurements as anticipated in the FFTF Reactor Characterization Program. This comparison involved an examination of the methodology and the operational performance of each code. The merits of each code were identified with respect to theoretical basis, directness of method, solution uniqueness, subjective influences, and sensitivity to various input parameters.
This study examined whether cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could prevent the development or worsening of panic-spectrum psychopathology and anxiety symptoms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 41 patients with COPD, who had undergone pulmonary rehabilitation, were randomised to either a four-session CBT intervention condition (n = 21) or a routine care condition (n = 20). Assessments were at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6-, 12- and 18-month follow-ups. Primary outcomes were the rates of panic attacks, panic disorder and anxiety symptoms. Secondary outcomes were depressive symptoms, catastrophic cognitions about breathing difficulties, disease-specific quality of life and hospital admission rates. There were no significant differences between the groups on outcome measures at baseline. By the 18-month follow-up assessment, 12 (60%) routine care group participants had experienced at least one panic attack in the previous 6 months, with two ...
Parenting programmes are effective interventions for preventing and treating conduct problems in young children. Up to 20% of children in disadvantaged areas have conduct disorder. Recent government initiatives such as targeting early years services to designated disadvantaged Flying Start areas in Wales have resulted in increased nursery-care provision for pre-schoolers, yet little has been done to equip nursery staff with effective child behaviour management strategies. The purpose of this non-randomised trial platform study was to establish the feasibility of delivery and the effectiveness of the new Incredible Years Toddler Parent Programme in supporting nursery staff in managing difficult behaviour in the nursery. The Parent Programme is a 12-session (a two-hour session/week) course for carers/parents of children aged one to three years old, which encourages carers to: establish positive relationships with children through play and child-centred activities; ...
A prospective pilot trial was performed in 20 patients randomised to receive either {sup 131}I-Lipiodol therapy alone (n=10) or {sup 131}I-Lipiodol combined with a short low-dose cisplatin infusion (n=10), the aim being to evaluate the possible positive influence of a radiosensitiser on toxicity and tumour response. An activity of 1,354-2,128 MBq (mean 1,824 MBq) [36.6-57.5 mCi (mean 49.3 mCi)] {sup 131}I-labelled Lipiodol was administered by selective instillation in the hepatic artery. Cisplatin was given in a dose of 30 mg/m{sup 2} at day -1 and day +6 (day 0: {sup 131}I-Lipiodol). The primary endpoint of this trial was toxicity of therapy; points of secondary interest were tumour response and survival at 6 months. With the use of cisplatin we found a higher percentage of stable or diminished tumour size (90%, vs 40% without). A benefit in group survival at 6 months was not evident. Low-grade stomatitis in one patient and minor changes in peripheral blood count ...
To establish the optimum barium-based reduced-laxative tagging regimen prior to CT colonography (CTC). Ninety-five subjects underwent reduced-laxative (13 g senna/18 g magnesium citrate) CTC prior to same-day colonoscopy and were randomised to one of four tagging regimens using 20 ml 40%w/v barium sulphate: regimen A: four doses, B: three doses, C: three doses plus 220 ml 2.1% barium sulphate, or D: three doses plus 15 ml diatriazoate megluamine. Patient experience was assessed immediately after CTC and 1 week later. Two radiologists graded residual stool (1: none/scattered to 4: >50% circumference) and tagging efficacy for stool (1: untagged to 5: 100% tagged) and fluid (1: untagged, 2: layered, 3: tagged), noting the HU of tagged fluid. Preparation was good (76-94% segments graded 1), although best for regimen D (P = 0.02). Across all regimens, stool tagging quality was high (mean 3.7-4.5) and not significantly different among regimens. The HU of layered ...
We present the runtime comparison of the two versions of Super LU{_}DIST, using up to 128 processors of the IBM SP at NERSC. One version provides the global input interface, and another provides the distributed input interface. The comparison includes the total runtime of the solver with both 32-bit and 64-bit addressing modes, the time breakdown for different phases of the solver. We also present an in-depth comparison off our sparse matrix-vector multiplication methods in the context of iterative refinement. Finally, we describe our Fortran 90 interface that enhances the usability of the software.
In this paper we have investigated the performance of PSO Particle Swarm Optimization based clustering on few real world data sets and one artificial data set. The performances are measured by two metric namely quantization error and inter-cluster distance. The K means clustering algorithm is first implemented for all data sets, the results of which form the basis of comparison of PSO based approaches. We have explored different variants of PSO such as gbest, lbest ring, lbest vonneumann and Hybrid PSO for comparison purposes. The results reveal that PSO based clustering algorithms perform better compared to K means in all data sets.
A key comparison has been made between the air-kerma standards of the ARPANSA and the BIPM in the low-energy X-ray range. The results show the standards to be in agreement at the level of the combined standard uncertainty of 7.0 parts in 10"3 for the 10 kV radiation quality and 3.7 parts in 10"3 for all other beam qualities. The results are analysed and presented in terms of degrees of equivalence, suitable for entry in the BIPM key comparison database. (authors)
The differences are highlighted of various aspects of behaviour of the luminescence signal from feldspar when stimulated by green light and when stimulated by infrared radiation. In respect of bleaching, a comparison is made of the influence of white light (daylight) on the two stimulated luminescence signals, as well as a comparison of the influence of infrared exposure on the green-stimulated signal with the influence of green exposure on the infrared-stimulated signal. The influence of preheating on the two stimulated signals is also compared. Light-emitting diode systems were used for both green and infrared stimulation. The observations are considered in relation to the mechanism relevant to green- and infrared-stimulated luminescence from feldspar. (author).
The differences are highlighted of various aspects of behaviour of the luminescence signal from feldspar when stimulated by green light and when stimulated by infrared radiation. In respect of bleaching, a comparison is made of the influence of white light (daylight) on the two stimulated luminescence signals, as well as a comparison of the influence of infrared exposure on the green-stimulated signal with the influence of green exposure on the infrared-stimulated signal. The influence of preheating on the two stimulated signals is also compared. Light-emitting diode systems were used for both green and infrared stimulation. The observations are considered in relation to the mechanism relevant to green- and infrared-stimulated luminescence from feldspar. (author).
The radiation dose and the atmospheric dispersion for Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) are based on the CAN/CSA N288.2-M91 standards: for Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) on the NRC Regulatory Guide 1.145. There are some differences between in the methodologies used in the standards, including the atmospheric dispersion model, the release height, the temperature lapse rate, the cutoff condition. This paper reports on a comparison of standards for atmospheric dispersion models of PHWRs and PWRs in order to determine which one is the more conservative. The comparison between PHWR and PWR for atmospheric dispersion factors and radiation doses confirms that there are no big differences
W. Wayne Scott and R. G. Alsmiller, Jr. ABSTRACT. Comparisons of the results obtained for a hypothetical problem with four different proton penetration ...
Figure 7: Horak Cost Estimating Relationship with Statistical Details. For this comparison, we ignore the Material (glass vs metal) and Design (on vs ...
lytical Comparison of Turbine-Blade Cooling System Designed for a. TurboJet Engine Operat- at Supersonic Speed and Altitude. I1 -. Air-C~Oling Systems. ...
The geographical arrangement of people on the surface of the earth is approximated by a mathematical equation of 361 terms. This is a convenient form for comparison with other distributions and for...Full Text Available
Dec 9, 2005 ... Classification of high resolution imagery is not as straightforward as more ... The challenges of classifying high resolution imagery stems ...
FT-IR spectroscopic studies of major organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites using microscopic technique and comparison with terrestrial kerogen. ...
The in vitro activity of teicoplanin, a new antibiotic related to vancomycin, was determined against 456 gram-positive cocci. The activity of teicoplanin in comparison with that of vancomycin was similar...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn nuclear medicine, liquid radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes are administered to patients by using various types of syringes with different volumes....Full Text Available
Of some interest is the comparison between the actinide nuclide burning up (fission) rates such as americium 241, americium 242, curium 244, and neptunium 237, in the reactors with fast or thermal neutron spectra.
Of some interest is the comparison between the actinide nuclide burning up (fission) rates such as americium 241, americium 242, curium 244, and neptunium 237, in the reactors with fast or thermal neutron spectra.
Chinese and Chumash traditional medical approaches are similar in terms of disease causation, use of acupuncture or healing touch, plants, spiritual and philosophical approaches. This article provides...Full Text Available
The report presents technical and economical aspects of underground cables compared to overhead lines in Norway in high voltage transmission systems above 22 kV. The economical comparison between the two options includes capital costs of installation (investment costs), maintenance costs and costs of electrical losses. The main technical issues discussed are reliability and flexibility. 35 refs., 23 figs., 29 tabs.
Comparison of the embryolethality of monomeric "2"3"9Pu injected at 9 days of gestation demonstrated that the sensitivity of Charles River CD strain was greater than that of Hilltop Wistar rats. Subsequent comparisons showed that rats derived from the Hilltop Fischer strain were more sensitive than the Wistar and, although not directly compared, more sensitive than the CD.
New standardization techniques of samples in multielement instrumental neutron-activation analysis (INAA) of biological materials (BM) are considered. New methodical developments of sample preparation techniques, BM tableting, creation of comparison standards and standardization of packing material are suggested. Correlated data on concentration of different elements in standard specimens-comparison standards are presented for mass INAA, that is: for phenol-formaldehyde resin-base and human blood-base synthetic standards. 7 refs.; 3 tabs.
Staphylococcus aureus survives inside eukaryotic cells. Our objective was to assess the activity of NZ2114, a novel peptidic antibiotic, against intracellular S. aureus in comparison with established antistaphylococcal agents acting on the bacterial envelope with a distinct mechanism.
A comparison was made of Parr bomb ion chromatographic and titrimetric methods to determine sulfur in fuel oils. The two methods are comparable in precision and accuracy. When rapid sulfur determination in a number of samples is desired, the titrimetry method appears to be an appropriate choice between the two methods. l3 tables.
Low power wire activations are being performed in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor (ORR) as part of the whole-core LEU demonstration experiments. Calculations of the demonstration cores, including simulation of the wire activations, are being performed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This paper presents the results of comparisons for 293 wires from five cores and shows that, on the average, the integrated activities agree within 6%.
The mechanisms underlying life machinery are still not completely understood. Something is known, something is ?probably? known, other things are still unknown. Scientists all over the world are working very hard to clarify the processes regulating the cell life cycle and bioinformaticians try to support them by developing specialized automated tools. Within the plethora of applications devoted to the study of life mechanisms, tools for the analysis and comparison of biological networks are catching the attention of many researchers. It is interesting to investigate why.
This report surveys the possibilities and restrictions of different construction materials for the purpose of the blades of a small stall regulated turbine. For example scaling up, material saving at decreasing of static or dynamic loads, comparisons of global costs based on prices per unit of weight, etc. For the mutual comparison of construction materials for turbine blades the starting point is a stall regulated horizontal axis turbine with a rotor diameter of 16 m and a tipvane speed of about 64 m/s. Short descriptions are given of the materials and of the applied production methods with the resulting blade geometry. The blade skins are dimensionized for storm loads after the optimalization of the blade geometry, needed for the design wind speed, is recorded. The resulting blade skins are mutually compared as for weight, mass inertia and bending stiffness. Also a comparison took place of the resulting reserve factors ...
The APMP/TCRI Dosimetry Working Group performed the APMP.RI(I)-K3 key comparison of measurement of air kerma for medium-energy x-rays (100 kV to 250 kV) between 2000 and 2003. In total, 11 institutes took part in the comparison, among which 8 were APMP member laboratories. Two commercial cavity ionization chambers were used as transfer instruments and circulated among the participants. All the participants established the 100 kV, 135 kV, 180 kV and 250 kV x-ray beam qualities equivalent to those of the BIPM. The results showed that the maximum difference between the participants and the BIPM in the medium-energy x-ray range, evaluated using the comparison data of the linking laboratories ARPANSA and PTB, is less than 1.4%. The degrees of equivalence between the participants are presented and this comparison confirms the calibration capabilities of the participating laboratories. (authors)
Realization of the scale of spectral responsivity of the detectors in the Directorate of Measures and Precious Metals (DMDM) is based on silicon detectors traceable to LNE-INM. In order to realize the unit of spectral irradiance in the laboratory for photometry and radiometry of the Bureau of Measures and Precious Metals, the new method based on the calibration of the spectroradiometer by comparison with standard detector has been established. The development of the method included realization of the System of Spectral Comparisons (SSC), together with the detector spectral responsivity calibrations by means of a primary spectrophotometric system. The linearity testing and stray light analysis were preformed to characterize the spectroradiometer. Measurement of aperture diameter and calibration of transimpedance amplifier were part of the overall experiment. In this paper, the developed method is presented and measurement results with the ...
Realization of the scale of spectral responsivity of the detectors in the Directorate of Measures and Precious Metals (DMDM) is based on silicon detectors traceable to LNE-INM. In order to realize the unit of spectral irradiance in the laboratory for photometry and radiometry of the Bureau of Measures and Precious Metals, the new method based on the calibration of the spectroradiometer by comparison with standard detector has been established. The development of the method included realization of the System of Spectral Comparisons (SSC), together with the detector spectral responsivity calibrations by means of a primary spectrophotometric system. The linearity testing and stray light analysis were preformed to characterize the spectroradiometer. Measurement of aperture diameter and calibration of transimpedance amplifier were part of the overall experiment. In this paper, the developed method is presented and measurement results with the ...
The author compares the UHF Follow-On and MILSTAR satellite communication systems. The comparison uses an analytical hierarchy process. Although the two systems have been tasked with different missions, a comparison of cost, capability, and orbit is conducted. UFO provides many of the same capabilities as MILSTAR, but on a smaller scale. Since UFO is also a new space system acquisition, it is used to compare dollars spent to field a viable communication system. A review of frequency bands, losses, and problems is conducted to establish the relationship. Cost data is provided to establish the major difference in the systems. While MILSTAR does possess more total capability than UFO, it is 10 times more costly. Additionally, UFO is a satellite that will evolve with new technology while MILSTAR is built to full capability immediately. In the author's opinion, the incremental performance of MILSTAR does not justify its incremental cost.
This paper reports on steam injection cycle which is similar to supplementary fired combined cycle, but for the utilized steam medium produced by HRSG, its temperature is higher and pressure is lower than in the combined cycle. In comparison with the thermodynamic advantage of the two cycles, a clear understanding of physical concept can be gotten simply by energy balance. The difference of total power output between them is subtraction of enthalpy difference of exhaust steam and feed water of HRSG in steam injection cycle from the rejected heat by water coolant of condenser in combined cycle, when using the identical gas turbine and the same amount of total fuel consumption. In general case, formulas and data are given to indicate this comparison by the ratio of steam mass flow supplied by HRSG of the two cycles. The analysis of Cheng Cycle Series 7 is applied as an example to give the practical result.
We report a whole-genome shotgun assembly (called WGSA) of the human genome generated at Celera in 2001. The Celera-generated shotgun data set consisted of 27 million sequencing reads organized in pairs...Full Text Available
To date few reports have provided direct comparison of psychosocial vulnerability and resources among youth with victimization and perpetration histories. Within a racially diverse, high-risk...Full Text Available
Introduction and hypothesisThis study seeks to evaluate axial variation, comparisons with current technology, performance during dynamic conditions, and patient tolerability of the...Full Text Available
The original plan for support of research in geothermal reservoir engineering, GREMP, is reviewed and compared with accomplishments to date. A commentary on the comparison and an updated plan are presented. Also included are a justification of the updated plan and a revised management plan. (MHR)
BackgroundInferring regulatory interactions between genes from transcriptomics time-resolved data, yielding reverse engineered gene regulatory networks, is of paramount importance...Full Text Available
BackgroundHerbivore feeding elicits dramatic increases in defenses, most of which require jasmonate (JA) signaling, and against which specialist herbivores are thought to be better...Full Text Available
BackgroundIsoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice has been used in a number of studies to model human cardiac disease. In this study, we compared the transcriptional response...Full Text Available
The "ovalbumin Y" gene, one of three which constitute the ovalbumin gene family in chicken has been completely sequenced. The exact location of exons can be derived from the comparison with the ovalbumin...Full Text Available
The t-butyldimethylsilyl group is shown to be an ideal protecting group for the 2T-hydroxyl function of ribonucleosides during the synthesis of ribonucleotides using any of nine commonly used condensing...Full Text Available
Graphene nanosheets (GNSs) were synthesized and used as cathode active materials in a nonaqueous lithium-oxygen battery. The GNSs electrode delivered an extremely high discharge capacity in comparison to carbon powders, which is attributed to its unique morphology and structure. PMID:21779551
Test firings of 120-mm rounds were performed to characterize effects due to the combustible cartridge cases used. Comparisons were made between measured ballistic parameters, especially gas pressures, and those predicted by computerized simulation calcula...
In this work, we explore the potential of the metalloendopeptidase Lys-N for MALDI-MS/MS proteomics applications. Initially we digested a HEK293 cellular lysate with Lys-N and, for comparison, in parallel...Full Text Available
The disulfide-reduced form of bovine ribonuclease A (RNAse A), with the Cys thiols irreversibly blocked, was characterized by small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). To help resolve the conflicting...Full Text Available
Skin cancers in skin of color often present atypically or with advanced stage in comparison to Caucasian patients. Health care providers must maintain a high index of suspicion when examining...Full Text Available
The current status of cosmological observations is presented; and the light curves and radiation spectra from supernova SN1987A are used in comparison between expected and observed universal nucleosynthesis and star evolution data./aip/.
The relationship between malaria transmission intensity and clinical disease is important for predicting the outcome of control measures that reduce transmission. Comparisons of hospital data...Full Text Available
The phylogeny and taxonomy of mammalian species were originally based upon shared or derived morphological characteristics. However, genetic analyses have more recently played an increasingly important...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively the efficacy of a single fraction of high-dose radiotherapy in patients with Kaposi's sarcoma. PATIENTS: Between 1994 and 2004, 47 patients with Kaposi's sarcoma...Full Text Available
1. The penicillinases formed by penicillinase-constitutive mutant strains from two closely related varieties (749 and 6346) of Bacillus licheniformis have been isolated, characterized...Full Text Available
The new percutaneous mitral valve repair techniques are at an early stage. Preliminary series show that they are feasible; however, they need to be further evaluated in comparison with contemporary...Full Text Available
Inferences concerning the lives of extinct animals are difficult to obtain from the fossil record. Here we present a novel approach to the study of extinct carnivores, using a comparison between fossil...Full Text Available
Pain and pain-related interference with physical function have not been thoroughly studied in individuals who have undergone knee-disarticulation amputations. The principal aim of this study...Full Text Available
W. Wayne Scott. ABSTRClCT. Primary proton and secondary particle doses (both .... W. Wayne Scott and R. G. Alsmiller, Jr., Comparisons of Results Ob- ...
The in vitro response of melatonin synthesis was assessed by incubation of individual whole pineal glands for 4 hr without or with different concentrations of isoproterenol in the medium. Pineals were taken either at the end of the 14-hr light phase (day)...
Comparison of gastric carcinoma and gastritis isolates showed the presence of genes, probably carcinoma associated (JHP947 and JHP940), that are situated in a Helicobacter...Full Text Available
This study deals with the torsional response of Ti-8823 and 18Ni (200) maraging steel. The effect of different heat treatments and the subsequent change in microstructure are investigated. In the case of the Ti-8823, a comparison was made between the solu...
An antiserum was raised in a rabbit against highly purified human liver dihydropteridine reductase (EC 1.6.99.7). Dihydropteridine reductase from human liver, in human cultured fibroblasts and in continuous...Full Text Available
CTX-M-25 is a novel extended-spectrum β-lactamase isolated from a single Canadian Escherichia coli isolate. Susceptibility testing demonstrated that this enzyme confers resistance...Full Text Available
Iron is a central element in the metabolism of normal and malignant cells. Abnormalities in iron and ferritin expression have been observed in many types of cancer. Interest in characterizing iron compounds...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: We studied 22 dogs to examine the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) alone, in comparison with omental or muscular wrapping on airway healing in a tracheal autotransplantation...Full Text Available
... 154. By way of comparison, the aquatic weed Hygrophila polysperma (Roxb.) T. Anderson, a potential target for biological ... L. Sutton. 2000. Is the aquatic weed hygrophila, Hygrophila polysperma (Polemon...
Individuals from families recruited for the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) (n= 4559) were examined and compared to individuals from other cohorts to determine whether the recruitment targeting longevity...Full Text Available
the network were assembled of custom 450 volt Aluminum electrolytic capacitors provided by the Mallory Capacitor Company. A comparison between theoretical ...
BackgroundThe Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) is the causative agent of the human disease melioidosis. To understand the evolutionary mechanisms...Full Text Available
Hydrolytic exoenzymes as indicators of metabolically active bacteria were investigated in four consecutive sapropel layers collected from bathyal sediments of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. For comparison,...Full Text Available
The Feynmann and other fluctuation techniques have been shown to be useful for determining the multiplication of subcritical systems. The moments of the counting distribution from neutron detectors is analyzed to yield the multiplication value. We present the methodology and some selected applications and results and comparisons with Monte Carlo calculations.
The objective of this study was to examine the ethanol yield potential of three barley varieties (Xena, Bold, and Fibar) in comparison to two benchmarks, corn and wheat. Very high gravity (VHG; 30%...Full Text Available
In this letter we report the outcome for the microscopic approach for the semi-magic nuclei /sup 88/Sr and /sup 90/Zr. For comparison, we have also treated the semi-phenomenological version for the Migdal and SDI force.
An application of the renormalized random phase approximation to nuclear structure is presented for the semi-magic nuclei /sup 88/Sr and /sup 90/Zr. It is reported the outcome for the microscopic approach in comparison with the semiphenomenological version for the particle-hole forces.
BackgroundThe diagnosis of typhoid fever is confirmed by culture of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (S. typhi). However, a more rapid, simpler,...Full Text Available
The purpose of the Air Force Health Study is to determine whether those individuals involved in the spraying of herbicides in Vietnam during the Ranch Hand operation have experienced any adverse health effects as a result of their participation in that program. The study is designed to evaluate both the mortality (death) and morbidity (disease) in these individuals over a 20-year beginning in 1982. The Baseline Mortality Report was released in June 1983, the Baseline Morbidity Report in February 1984. Follow-up mortality reports were released in 1984, 1985, and 1986. This study has not demonstrated health effects which can be conclusively attributed to herbicide or dioxin exposure. This report contains analyses of cumulative deaths occurring up to 31 December 1987. The overall cumulative mortality of the Ranch Hands remains statistically indistinguishable from that of both their matched Comparisons and the entire Comparison, population, ...
Contents: Introduction; Design Criteria for a Green Building; Comparison of Energy Efficiency Measures; Whole House Energy Efficiency; Built Examples of Energy Efficient Houses; and Product Energy of Building Elements.
A comparison of chlorophyll-a fluorescence in brown algae (Macrocystis integrifolia, Fucus vesiculosis), green algae (Scenedesmus obliquus, Ulva sp.)...Full Text Available
disposal through HC, and the effects of kerbside collection (KC) of recyclable materials, by measuring ...waste equivalent to 12 % could be attributed to HC and KC.Comparisons between the residual weight data for ...Control showed that the contributions of HC and KC to the overall reduction in residual waste were
BackgroundIn sub-Saharan Africa, Plasmodium falciparum malaria in pregnancy presents an enormous diagnostic challenge. The epidemiological and clinical relevance...Full Text Available
The development of structural barriers for nuclear waste packages involves selection of candidate materials, their screening by mechanical and corrosion testing, rigorous accelerated testing, and evaluation and comparison with other package elements. This document presents results from work conducted on titanium and ferrous alloys.
AIMS: To evaluate the sensitivity of the Roche Cobas, Roche Amplicor plate kit, ligase chain reaction (LCR), and an in house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by titration of purified elementary bodies...Full Text Available
PurposeWound infection after an ileostomy reversal is a common problem. To reduce wound-related complications, purse-string skin closure was introduced as an alternative to conventional...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo evaluate the risk factors that may be responsible for the development of contralateral reherniations from ipsilateral ones after open lumbar microdiscectomy (OLM), and...Full Text Available
BackgroundPolyethyleneimine (PEI), which can interact with negatively charged DNA through electrostatic interaction to form nanocomplexes, has been widely attempted to use as a gene...Full Text Available
The possibility to transform the future linear e"+e"-colliders into the #gamma#e and #gamma##gamma# colliders with approximately the same energies and luminosities was shown earlier. Their properties are compared from the point of view of possible physical investigations on them. 10 refs.; 1 tab.
A mesophilic yeast, Candida utilis, and a psychrophilic yeast, Leucosporidium stokesii, were subjected to freeze-thaw cycling over the range 25 to -60 C. Viability...Full Text Available
Light- and CO2-saturated photosynthetic rates of the submersed aquatic plants Hydrilla verticillata, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Myriophyllum spicatum were...Full Text Available
Our understanding of the development of neurotransmitter systems in the central nervous system has increased greatly over the past three decades and it has become apparent that drug effects...Full Text Available
Antiplatelet agents are the cornerstone of treatment for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Clopidogrel, when added to aspirin, has demonstrated...Full Text Available
BackgroundBacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common condition that is associated with preterm birth and acquisition of complex communities of vaginal bacteria that include several fastidious...Full Text Available
One hundred fecal specimens obtained from patients with acute gastroenteritis were tested for rotavirus with nine commercial immunoassays to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, predictive value,...Full Text Available
The procedure currently used for isolating legionellae from environmental samples recommend filtration through a 0.2-microns-pore-size polycarbonate filter. In this study we evaluated the performance...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe purpose of the study was to compare the knowledge scores of medical students in Problem-based Learning and traditional curriculum on public health topics.Full Text Available
BackgroundPregnancy is accompanied by several hemodynamic, biochemical and hematological changes which revert to normal values after labor. The mean values of these parameters have...Full Text Available
Rhesus monkeys were infected with strains of Schistosoma mansoni from Puerto Rico, St Lucia, Brazil, and Tanzania. Monkeys were killed 11-14 weeks after exposure to 600-650 cercariae....Full Text Available
Mice were killed 7, 11, 19, and 27 weeks after infection with strains of Schistosoma mansoni from Puerto Rico, Brazil, St Lucia, and Tanzania. The percentage recovery of adult worms...Full Text Available
BackgroundWax esters are important ingredients in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, lubricants and other chemical industries due to their excellent wetting property. Since the naturally...Full Text Available
BackgroundSelf-administered computer-assisted blood donor screening strategies may elicit more accurate responses and improve the screening process.MethodsRandomized...Full Text Available
BackgroundTo compare the differences in dose-volume data among coplanar intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), noncoplanar IMRT, and helical tomotherapy (HT) among patients with...Full Text Available
The efficacy of beta-lactam antibiotics and amikacin alone and in various combinations against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied in a rabbit model simulating a closed-space infection in a locally neutropenic...Full Text Available
Johne disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium, subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is becoming increasingly widespread on dairy farms worldwide, due in part, to the absence...Full Text Available
A commercial multiplex real-time PCR assay (Cepheid Xpert C. difficile assay) for the diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection was evaluated. The sensitivity and...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) and open lumbar microdiscectomy (OLM) for...Full Text Available
Quantitative metallography is often used to confirm the proper processing of aerospace metallic materials. A microstructural feature of great importance for titanium alloys processed in the alpha-beta phase field is the volume fraction of primary alpha. S...
Objective:To estimate the prevalence of insulin resistant syndrome (IRS) among newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes and to test their validity against two indices...Full Text Available
Elemental mercury has been imbued with magical properties for millennia, and various cultures use elemental mercury in a variety of superstitious and cultural practices, raising health concerns for...Full Text Available
In 2000 to 2001, 2003 to 2004, and 2005 to 2006, three outbreaks of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis were linked with the consumption of raw almonds. The S....Full Text Available
We compared two insecticidal and eight noninsecticidal soil isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis with regard to the solubility of their proteinaceous crystals at alkaline pH values. The...Full Text Available
There are many methods to screen for abnormal amounts of proteinuria to identify patients at risk for progression of renal disease, but which method best predicts renal risk is unknown. Here, we analyzed...Full Text Available
We report on a high resolution, monolithic crystal PET detector design concept that provides depth of interaction (DOI) positioning within the crystal. Our design utilizes a novel sensor on...Full Text Available
PURPOSE:Two different regimens of SWL delivery for treating urinary stones were compared.METHODS:Patients with urinary stones were randomly divided...Full Text Available
The hypothesis that the internal viscosity of erythrocytes is governed by the intracellular hemoglobin (Hb) concentration is examined. Here viscosity is determined by labeling of the cytoplasmic reduced...Full Text Available
The aim of the study was to determine whether children with chronic benign pain are in contact with their general practitioner (GP) more frequently than those without chronic benign pain. A random sample...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND: Accurate estimation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) has assumed great significance in the era of automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators (AICDs), and a low EF may...Full Text Available
PurposeA dosimetric comparison between multiple static-field intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), multi-arc intensity-modulated arc therapy (IMAT) and single-arc...Full Text Available
To determine the N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) and B-glucuronidase (B-Gase) activities in mastitic milk, basic enzyme assay conditions, distribution of NAGase and B-Gase, comparison of their...Full Text Available
The cell types involved in the cellular immune response were studied with the GVH in vitro as a test system. Comparison of the activities of cells of different lymphoid organs in the...Full Text Available
Prejudice against overweight people is rife. However, there is a paucity of research on the underlying reasons for it. In two studies the relationship between body image, the tendency to make physical appearance-related comparisons (PACS), and both explicit and implicit anti-fat attitudes was examined. In Study 1 (n = 227) people with a high tendency to make physical appearance-related comparisons (high PACS scorers) reported lower self-appearance evaluation, but higher appearance orientation and explicit anti-fat attitudes. The PACS fully mediated the relationship between appearance orientation and explicit anti-fat attitudes. Study 2 (n = 134) found that the PACS also mediated the relationship between appearance orientation and implicit anti-fat attitudes. Thus, individual differences in factors such as body image and the tendency to make appearance-related comparisons, appear to play a central role in both explicit and ...
The theory of zigzag persistence is a substantial extension of persistent homology, and its development has enabled the investigation of several unexplored avenues in the area of topological data analysis. In this paper, we discuss three applications of zigzag persistence: topological bootstrapping, parameter thresholding, and the comparison of witness complexes.
Distance protection, differential protection and directional comparison schemes are presently used for protecting transmission lines. Directional comparison relays are set to respond to faults in the protection zone without intentional time delay and are, therefore, used where high-speed fault clearing is needed. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) can handle most situations which cannot be defined sufficiently for finding a deterministic solution. The design and testing of an ANN for directional comparison protection of transmission lines are presented in this paper. Training patterns were generated using voltage and current samples for faults at various locations along a transmission line. The faults were simulated using an electromagnetic transient program and a sample three-phase power system. The performance of the proposed discriminator was checked using data simulated for testing and the fault data recorded from 240 kV ...
Arabidopsis and rice are the only two model plants whose finished phase genome sequence has been completed. Here we report the construction of an oligomer microarray based on the presently...Full Text Available
BackgroundA relevant problem in drug design is the comparison and recognition of protein binding sites. Binding sites recognition is generally based on geometry often combined with...Full Text Available
The function of the hyolingual complex in three odontocete species was investigated to compare adaptations of divergent feeding strategies, suction and ram feeding. Pygmy and dwarf sperm whales, members...Full Text Available
Six patient assessment systems that have explicit decision rules for replicating team judgments on level of care patient placement were selected for analysis. The six were selected because of their...Full Text Available
BackgroundPlotless density estimators are those that are based on distance measures rather than counts per unit area (quadrats or plots) to estimate the density of some usually stationary...Full Text Available
Previous studies have shown that iterative in-line x-ray phase retrieval algorithms may have higher precision than direct retrieval algorithms. This communication compares three iterative phase...Full Text Available
... on the presence of leukocytes in the mammary epithelial tissue [11], temporal differentiation of the epithelial cells during ... of the gland and were separated from the epithelial tissue by bundles of co...
Scheduling is a stochastic process performed by production rules. In .... activated, which causes the available goal queue size to be exceeded, then the first goal to ...... when in doubt turn toward the terminal or when in doubt go ...
To determine if medium and long chain fatty acids can be appropriately metabolized by species that normally produce 16 and 18 carbon fatty acids, homogenates of developing Cuphea wrightii, Carthamus...Full Text Available
BackgroundThis in vitro study was conducted to compare the accuracy of two digital image receptors in identifying the location of tip of a fine endodontic file and radiographic apex...Full Text Available
It is often argued that Nursing Minimal Data Sets (NMDSs) have advantages for the nursing profession. The NMDSs that have been developed and applied in some countries have many features in common,...Full Text Available
PURPOSETo compare hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy and pure laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy techniques in live donor nephrectomy.METHODSIn...Full Text Available
Assessment of the regulation of plant metabolism by the calcium ion requires a knowledge of its intracellular levels and dynamics. Technical problems have prevented direct measurement of the concentration...Full Text Available
The vortex-excited dynamics of a uniform pivoted cylinder in uniform and sheared flow was investigated experimentally. The experiments were numerically simulated using a diffusive Van der Pol oscillator model developed by Balasubramanian & Skop recently. Salient features of the experimental investigations and the numerical simulations are presented here. Comparisons between the experimentally recorded and numerically predicted structural response to vortex-excited vibrations, power spectral density measurements of near-wake velocity fluctuations and lock-in ranges are made. A comparison of the numerical predictions and the experimental data reveals good agreement.
The paper describes uptake of gaseous lodine-131 on silver impregnated organic resin, Amberlite IR-120, available at the Secondary Steam Generator (S.S.G.) Opening at T.A.P.S. in comparison with activated charcoal. The experiments are conducted in dry and wet conditions by soaking the impregnated resin and activated charcoal in distilled water for wet condition. The paper also describes the iodine sampler specially designed and fabricated for these experiments.
;Contents: Comparison of Simulation Modules of TRANSYT and INTEGRATION Models; Evaluation of SCATSIM-RTA Adaptive Traffic Network Simulation Model; Comparison NETSIM, NETFLO I, and NETFLO II Traffic Simulation Models for Fixed-Time Signal Control; Traffic Flow Simulation Through Parallel Processing; Cluster Analysis as Tool in Traffic Engineering; Traffic Platoon Dispersion Modeling on Arterial Streets; Hybrid Model for Estimating Permitted Left-Turn Saturations Flow Rate; and Passing Sight Distance and Overtaking Dilemma on Two-Lane Roads.
We propose a dissolution-passivation model to account for the electrochemical behavior of Alloy 800 and 316L stainless steel under steam generators operating conditions. This model is similar to the one defined for nickel, considering the known importance of this element on the studied alloys. The comparison of the rates of the elementary steps points out the favorable influence of dissolved oxygen and phosphate ions on the dissolution of Alloy 800, even in the presence of chloride ions. The sensitivity of 316L SS is greater, especially because of the lowest stability of oxide-like intermediate.
We propose a dissolution-passivation model to account for the electrochemical behavior of Alloy 800 and 316L stainless steel under steam generators operating conditions. This model is similar to the one defined for nickel, considering the known importance of this element on the studied alloys. The comparison of the rates of the elementary steps points out the favorable influence of dissolved oxygen and phosphate ions on the dissolution of Alloy 800, even in the presence of chloride ions. The sensitivity of 316L SS is greater, especially because of the lowest stability of oxide-like intermediate.
This report describes studies performed in the framework of the Collimation Task Force organized to support the work of the second International Linear Collider Technical Review Committee. The post-linac beam-collimation systems in the TESLA, JLC/NLC and CLIC linear-collider designs are compared using the same computer code under the same assumptions. Their performance is quantified in terms of beam-halo and synchrotron-radiation collimation efficiency. The performance of the current designs varies across projects, and does not always meet the original design goals. But these comparisons suggest that achieving the required performance in a future linear collider is feasible.
This contribution analyzes elastic-backscatter lidar data and temperature and humidity profiles from radiosondes acquired in Barcelona in July 1992. Elastic-backscatter lidar data reveal the distribution of aerosols within the volume of atmosphere scanned. By comparing this information with temperature and humidity profiles of the atmosphere at a similar time, we are able to asses de relationship among aerosol distribution and atmospheric stability or water content, respectively. Comparisons have shown how lidar`s revealed layers of aerosols correspond to atmospheric layers with different stability condition and water content.
We provide a both qualitative and quantitative comparison among different approaches aimed to solve the problem of non-linear diffusive acceleration of particles at shocks. In particular, we show that state-of-the-art models (numerical, Monte Carlo and semi-analytical), even if based on different physical assumptions and implementations, for typical environmental parameters lead to very consistent results in terms of shock hydrodynamics, cosmic ray spectrum and also escaping flux spectrum and anisotropy. Strong points and limits of each approach are also discussed, as a function of the problem one wants to study.
The crystal and molecular structures of the anti-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome agent 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) have been determined by x-ray diffraction. There are two crystallographically independent AZT molecules in the crystal asymmetric unit; they have similar conformation and differ primarily in the glycosyl torsion angle. Comparisons with a hydrated thymidylate structure indicate that the azido group does not significantly affect the gross conformational preference of the molecule. The comparisons also suggest possible functional roles for the azido group in enzyme binding.
This work reviews the differences in fuel economy between two direct injection diesel engine versions through the use of a First Law energy balance and a Second Law availability balance. Both experimental data and simulated results are used in the analysis. The use of an engine simulation allowed the important processes in each engine to be analyzed and a Second Law effectiveness calculated. The availability balances and effectiveness values are used to determine the effect of major engine components on the fuel economy. A comparison is also made with an ideal engine with selected perfect or reversible processes.
Short-term radon measurements were used to make a comparison between weekly screening tests and seasonal concentration. The screening measurements were made in an indoor environment over a period of one quarter during early summer and the results are compared with the measured average radon level over that period. In these experiments, the envelope-type and plastic bag monitors were used for screening and long term radon concentration measurements, respectively. The results show that one cannot achieve predicting the seasonal mean radon concentration based on weekly measurements better than 50% under the conditions reported. (author).
Short-term radon measurements were used to make a comparison between weekly screening tests and seasonal concentration. The screening measurements were made in an indoor environment over a period of one quarter during early summer and the results are compared with the measured average radon level over that period. In these experiments, the envelope-type and plastic bag monitors were used for screening and long term radon concentration measurements, respectively. The results show that one cannot achieve predicting the seasonal mean radon concentration based on weekly measurements better than 50% under the conditions reported. (author).
A general criterion has been suggested for deep geological repositories containing spent fuel - the repositories should impose no greater radiological risk than due to naturally occurring uranium deposits. The following analysis investigates the rationale of that suggestion and determines whether current expectations of spent-fuel repository performance are consistent with such a criterion. In this study, reference spent-fuel repositories were compared to natural uranium-ore deposits. Comparisons were based on intrinsic characteristics, such as radionuclide inventory, depth, proximity to aquifers, and regional distribution, and actual and potential radiological consequences that are now occurring from some ore deposits and that may eventually occur from repositories and other ore deposits. The comparison results show that the repositories are quite comparable to the natural ore deposits and, in some cases, present less radiological hazard than ...
The purpose of this paper is to compare the techniques and results obtained when a general industrial or commercial building power electrical system is prepared using the US National Electrical Code{copyright} (NEC) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standards. The final design offer the reader the possibility of making an initial comparison and analyzation of the two methods based of their overall effectiveness (sizing, protection, co-ordination of protective devices with components etc.), safety and cost. In order to make such a comparison a specific example was developed and limited in detail to avoid complexity in this study. The power source selected will be a delta-wye utility supplied transformer feeding various load groups such as lighting and motor circuits (possibly through associated transformers). Relevant NE Code references, IEC standards, and appropriate justifications will be made at various points. Since ...
The primary concern of this work is to study the emission characteristics of a series of chiral nematic liquid crystal lasers doped with different laser dyes (DCM, pyrromethene 580, and pyrromethene 597) at varying concentrations by weight (0.5-2 wt %) when optically pumped at 532 nm. Long-wavelength photonic band-edge laser emission is characterized in terms of threshold energy and slope efficiency. At every dye concentration investigated, the pyrromethene 597-doped lasers exhibit the highest slope efficiency (ranging from 15% to 32%) and the DCM-doped lasers the lowest (ranging from 5% to 13%). Similarly, the threshold was found to be, in general, higher for the DCM-doped laser samples in comparison to the pyrromethene-doped laser samples. These results are then compared with the spectral properties, quantum efficiencies and, where possible, fluorescence lifetimes of the dyes dispersed in a common nematic host. In accordance with the low thresholds and high slope ...
The phenomena and effects of airblast, ground shock, thermal radiation, cratering and ejecta, and debris cloud and deposition from the eruption of Mt. St. Helens were compared to those that would result from a nuclear explosion to determine if phenomena or effects were analogous and thus might provide useful data for military nuclear weapon effects studies. It is concluded that the phenomena are not analogous. In particular, airblast destruction was caused by clouds of ash driven by subsonic winds, rather than by a supersonic shock wave that would be the damage mechanism of a nuclear explosion. Because of the lack of analogy between the eruption and nuclear explosion phenomena, it appears questionable that any of the effects are analogous; therefore, it is unlikely that anything more of military interest can be gained from studying the effects of the eruption. However, key contacts for further information on the eruption and the associated research studies are given. The ...
Turbulent flow in a 2D channel with repeated rectangular rib roughness was numerically simulated using a low Reynolds number form of the k-epsilon turbulence model. Friction factors and average Stanton numbers were calculated for various pitch to rib height ratios and bulk Reynolds numbers. Comparisons with experiment were generally adequate, with the predictions of friction superior to those for heat transfer. The effect of variable properties for channel flow was investigated, and the results showed a greater effect for friction than for heat transfer. Comparison with experiment yielded no clear conclusions. The turbulence model was also validated for a related problem, that of flow downstream of an abrupt pipe expansion.
[sup 203]Pb-chloride is a promising imaging agent for tumour scanning because of the large retention value for tumour tissue and the small value for normal organs, but the large value for the kidneys and bone is a shortcoming. The retention value of [sup 203]Pb in tumour tissue is larger than that of [sup 201]Tl and smaller than that of [sup 67]Ga. The tumour/inflammatory lesion retention ratio for [sup 203]Pb is very large in comparison with those for [sup 67]Ga and [sup 201]Tl. [sup 203]Pb accumulates to a large extent in viable tumour tissue, and less in necrotic tumour tissue and in inflammatory lesion. (author).
We introduce a weak order ideal property that suffices for establishing the Evans-Griffith Syzygy Theorem. We study this weak order ideal property in settings that allow for comparison between homological algebra over a local ring R versus a hypersurface ring R =R/(x^n). Consequently we solve some relevant cases of the Evans-Griffith syzygy conjecture over local rings of unramified mixed characteristic p, with the case of syzygies of prime ideals of Cohen-Macaulay local rings of unramified mixed characteristic being noted. We reduce the remaining considerations to modules annihilated by p^s, s>0, that have finite projective dimension over a hypersurface ring.
The environmental behavior of antibiotics has attracted great research attention. However, their sorption mechanisms in soils/sediments are still unknown. Comparison of the sorption properties between the widely-studied hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) and antibiotics may provide valuable insight to antibiotic sorption mechanisms. Thus, in this study batch experiments for pyrene (PYR), bisphenol A (BPA), and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) sorption were conducted on a sediment sample and its separated fractions. Our results showed the high sorption of PYR on black carbon and organic matter. Although high sorption of SMX was observed for both separated organic fractions (humic acids) and inorganic mineral particles, the original sediment particles showed relatively low sorption. Competitive s...
This paper presents a detailed characterization and rheometric property study of in-situ sodium activated, organomodified bentonite clay - styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) nanocomposite. It was found that around 10phr loading was the optimum level for maximum effect of the organo clay. The WAXD data indicated that at higher loading there was formation of agglomerations in the matrix. It was found that organo clay compound exhibited lower maximum torque in comparison to equivalent amount of carbon black loaded compound. The nanocomposites were also used for partial replacement of N330 carbon black in a highly black loaded compound. Part replacement of the carbon black with nano-clay reduced the maximum rheometric torque in comparison to the control compound. Detail study revealed that with sl...
We investigate the semihard production of neutral pseudoscalar and tensor mesons in high-energy [gamma][gamma] collisions (M=P=[pi][sup 0], [eta], [eta]' or M=T=a[sub 2], f[sub 2], f[sub 2]'). We deal with the exclusive [gamma][gamma][yields]MM' or semi-exclusive [gamma][gamma][yields]MX reactions (X is the hadron jet with not too large mass). The considered transfer momenta are small in comparison with the photon energies and they are large in comparison with the confinement scale. The amplitudes of these processes are determined by the odderon exchange, i.e. three-gluon exchange in the lowest order of perturbative QCD. The cross sections are calculated in this approximation. The possibility of measurements at LEP and at future [gamma][gamma] colliders is discussed. (orig.).
For the determination of the thermal-hydraulic performances of rough surfaces, the method of evaluation is particularly important. In order to increase confidence in the results, a new evaluation procedure was introduced. This procedure is based on the transformation of simple channel experimental results to equal boundary conditions, and on the suitable application and confirmation of these transformed values in more complicated flow channel geometries. Existing methods, applied to the results obtained in an annular channel, do not fulfil all the transformation requirements. Thus a new, more complete transformation method, which uses the turbulent eddy diffusivity model, was developed. To check the quality of this transformation, within the scope of the new evaluation procedure, the results of experimental investigation in annular channels and in a bundle of hexagonal geometry were used together with the predictions of benchmark calculations. The success of the new method was ...
To make a quantitative comparison of risks between the SNR-300 and a modern PWR (Biblis B), the consequences of an accident or the extent of damage of a release of radionuclides to the environment due to an accident are estimated by computer programs for accident consequence models. The accident analysis includes an analysis of events for Bethe-Tait accidents with failure of the outer containment. The FGSB release rates are compared with those of the Society for Reactor Safety (GRS).
Before disposing of transuranic radioactive wastes in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the United States Department of Energy (DOE) must evaluate compliance with applicable long-term regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sandia National Laboratories is conducting iterative performance assessments of the WIPP for the DOE to provide interim guidance while preparing for final compliance evaluations. This volume contains an overview of WIPP performance assessment and a preliminary comparison with the long-term requirements of the Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR 191, Subpart B).
A survey is given on studies of the phonon spectra of several A-15 compounds by inelastic neutron scattering on polycrystalline samples. Comparison of the results for V_3Si, V_3Ge, N_3Ga, Nb_3Sn and Nb_3Al at 297 K lead to the conclusion that the interatomic forces are to a good approximation the same for all compounds with 4.75 valence electrons but are reduced by about 20% for those with 4.5 valence electrons. For all compounds investigated a softening of the phonon frequencies on cooling is observed which is most pronounced for those materials with the highest T/sub c/ values. From a comparison of the results with the experimentally determined Eliashberg function of Nb_3Sn information is derived about the energy dependence of the electron-phonon coupling function #alpha#"2.
The production of atmospheric pollutants in combustion processes depends on plant characteristic, combustion conditions and fuel quality. The influence of fuel quality on the emission of sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, dust and carbon dioxide and on the emission of some toxic pollutants, such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, is analysed. The comparison between the emission limits, fixed by the Italian legislation, and the uncontrolled pollutant emissions, produced by fossil fuel combustion in power plants and industrial use, shows that, in order to comply with the limits, a reduction of pollutant emissions is required through the use of abatement systems and cleaner fuels where natural gas has a primary role. The use of cleaner fuels is particularly required in heating plants and appliances for the residential sector, where the development of new gas technologies further increases the environmental advantages of natural gas in ...
The use of meta-analysis has become increasingly useful for clinical and policy decision making. A recent development in meta-analysis, multiple treatment comparison (MTC) meta-analysis, provides inferences on the comparative effectiveness of interventions that may have never been directly evaluated in clinical trials. This new approach may be confusing for clinicians and methodologists and raises specific challenges relevant to certain areas of medicine. This article addresses the methodological concepts of MTC meta-analysis, including issues of heterogeneity, choice of model, and adequacy of sample sizes. We address domain-specific challenges relevant to disciplines of medicine, including baseline risks of patient populations. We conclude that MTC meta-analysis is a useful tool in the context of comparative effectiveness and requires further study, as its utility and transparency will likely predict its uptake by the research and clinical community.
The MCNPE-BO and MCNP4 Monte Carlo electron-photon codes were used to calculate the dose equivalent per unit fluence at various depths in tissue-equivalent slab phantoms for broad parallel beams of monoenergetic electrons with energies from 50 keV to 10 MeV. The study was carried out in the framework of the activities of a ICRP/ICRU Joint Task Group with the support of EURADOS WG4 (Numerical Dosimetry). Some preliminary results and comparisons as well as a general discussion on the performances of the codes are presented, demonstrating quite a satisfactory agreement among the results obtained using the two codes and those of other authors. (author).
17 patients with chronic aortic dissection were examined by MRI. In 12 patients, comparison between gradient echo sequences and SE sequences was possible. Gradient echo sequences, unlike SE sequences, permitted evaluation of flow in the true and false lumen, reliable differentiation between thrombus and flowing blood and clear delination of the intimal flap. An additional comparison between transoesophageal ultrasound and MRT in 15 patients showed significant advantages in favour of MRI. In three patients MRI was able to detect more proximal origins of the dissection. Moreover, MRI allowed evaluation of the major aortic branches and their relation to the dissection; this was not possible with ultrasound. MRI plays an important role in the follow-up of chronic aortic dissections. (orig.).
An experimental and theoretical study of heat and mass transfer analogy and a comparison of that to a binary liquid mixture evaporation is presented. Common organic solvents, ethanol and n-heptane, were used to form an alcohol - hydrocarbon mixture. Studies were carried out in a horizontal rectangular channel having air flow velocities of 0.2 - 0.9 m/s. Heat transfer coefficients were measured with a copper plate resistor and mass transfer coefficients with a square pool. The heat and mass transfer analogy is presented for a system having two evaporating compounds with a fixed value of air flow and verified by measuring and comparing mass transfer coefficients for distilled water with air flow velocities of 0.2 - 0.9 m/s. An illustrative example of the use of the theory for industrial ventilation is presented. (author)
The dynamic response of cylindrical and ring-shaped YBaCuO bulk parts to pulsed magnetic fields is calculated by using small sets of finite elements. Some comparisons with experimental results are provided, and they give confidence in the modelling of the superconducting properties. Transient magnetizations as a function of time and space as well as shapes and absolute values of trapped magnetic flux profiles are presented. The influence of the sample geometry is investigated for different millisecond pulsed magnetization processes. Results are reported for different radial thicknesses and heights, different pulse durations, peak magnetic fields and pulse sequences with and without stepwise cooling. Comparisons concerning the achievable trapped magnetic field and flux are made, and implications for the use of high-temperature superconductor bulk parts as cryo-permanent magnets in potential applications like electric machinery are discussed.
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have poor relationships with peers. However, research on this topic has predominantly focused on boys. This study considered child gender, ADHD status, and dimensionally assessed conduct problems as predictors of peer relationship difficulties. Participants were 125 children (ages 6-10; 67% male), 63 with clinical diagnoses of ADHD and 62 non-ADHD comparison youth. Conduct problems were reported by teachers and observed in a lab playgroup. Peer relationships were assessed by parent report, teacher report, and peer sociometric nominations in the playgroup. Results suggested that children with ADHD, as well as those with high conduct problems, displayed more impaired peer relationships than did comparison children and those ...
An x-ray diffraction technique for determining thin-film thickness is presented which should prove to be a valuable alternative to the array of spectroscopies (Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Auger electron spectroscopy, etc.) currently favored for these measurements. Some of the virtues of this x-ray diffraction approach are its nondestructive nature, fast data acquisition rate (enabling in situ observations), thickness resolution better than 5 nm, and conventional equipment requirements. Results are shown for Pd/sub 2/Si thin films grown during isothermal annealing of Pd coatings (100 nm) on Si at 200 /sup 0/C for various amounts of time. A comparison of these x-ray measurements with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry data taken from the same specimens is used to demonstrate the validity of the x-ray technique.
This paper addresses fuel cycle cost comparisons for a generic 10 MW reactor with HEU aluminide fuel and with LEU oxide and silicide fuels in several fuel element geometries. The intention of this study is to provide a consistent assessment of various design options from a cost point of view. Fuel cycle cost benefits could result if a number of reactors were to utilize fuel elements with the same number or different numbers of the same standard fuel plate. Data are presented to quantify these potential cost benefits. This analysis shows that there are a number of fuel element designs using LEU oxide or silicide fuels that have either the same or lower total fuel cycle costs than the HEU design. Use of these fuels with the uranium densities considered requires that they are successfully demonstrated and licensed.
Fires and explosions have been identified as major potential hazards for Oil and Gas Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) installations and pose risk to personnel, assets, and the environment. Current fire and explosion assessment (FEA) tools require physical effect modeling software and follows standards from API, ISO, and engineering practices. However, the tools are not specific to any particular system such as an FPSO, and do not provide comprehensive guidance for safety engineers to perform FEA. This paper discusses the development of a screening and comparison tool for FEA on FPSOs and the incorporation of an expert system into the tool. The results are computerized using MS Excel/VBA to provide a structured and comprehensive assessment on each equipment and module handling ...
In this paper we present a model and simulator for many clusters of heterogeneous PCs belonging to a local network. These clusters are assumed to be connected to each other through a global network and each cluster is managed via a local scheduler which is shared by many users. We validate our simulator by comparing the experimental and analytical results of a M/M/4 queuing system. These studies indicate that the simulator is consistent. Next, we do the comparison with a real batch system and we obtain an average error of 10.5\\% for the response time and 12\\% for the makespan. We conclude that the simulator is realistic and well describes the behaviour of a large-scale system. Thus we can study the scheduling of our system called \\dirac in a high throughput context. We justify our decentralized, adaptive and opportunistic approach in comparison to a centralized approach in such a context.
Academic, government, and industrial field researchers have generated a significant database of field studies of the volatility of soil applied fumigants. However, limited work exists in validating physical models against field volatility data sets and fully exploring the volatility parametric response surface. Field studies quantifying atmospheric flux for soil fumigants 1,3-dichloropropene and chloropicrin are validated against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA Salinity Laboratory) soil physics model CHAIN_2D that was modified specifically for agronomic uses of soil fumigants. Comparison between model predictions and field observations for six unique field trials in five different states indicate that CHAIN_2D effectively captures the magnitude and duration of fumigant em...
This book is mainly a comparison of the cost of pollution with the cost of environmental protection. As to the causes of pollution, a difference is made between pollutants that accumulate and pollutants that do not accumulate. Because of pollutant accumulation it is necessary to carry out both subsequent pollution abatement measures and to take preventive action which helps to avoid pollutant emission. Growth models serve to substantiate why such preventive action is both ecologically and economically useful as a rule. Finally the study makes a comparison between some tools of environmental protection. It stresses in particular that, if a duty on emissions is levied, the polluter has to bear all the cost of the pollution, while at the same time the quality of the environment can be more successfully improved than by emission standards alone.
Summary Dietary fibres are believed to reduce subjective appetite, energy intake and body weight. However, different types of dietary fibre may affect these outcomes differently. The aim of this review was to systematically investigate the available literature on the relationship between dietary fibre types, appetite, acute and long-term energy intake, and body weight. Fibres were grouped according to chemical structure and physicochemical properties (viscosity, solubility and fermentability). Effect rates were calculated as the proportion of all fibre-control comparisons that reduced appetite (n-=-58 comparisons), acute energy intake (n-=-26), long-term energy intake (n-=-38) or body weight (n-=-66). For appetite, acute energy intake, long-term energy intake and body weight, there were cl...
This report presents the data and results of a site specific case study comparing costs of an overhead line with an underground circuit traversing the same route. The costs used for the overhead line are actual numbers for a line scheduled to be built by a utility. The underground circuit costs were developed using the same criteria of line rating, contingencies, and location. Often cost comparisons between overhead and underground lines are made using figures taken from studies with widely varying assumptions. This project attempts to provide a comparison by studying the costs of overhead and underground lines following the same route and using the same design assumptions. Caution must be used, however, in extending the results of this study beyond its original intent. It is site-specific and may be representative of only one area of the country. 9 refs., 23 figs., 18 tabs.
Monte Carlo calculations using the codes PENELOPE and GEANT4 have been performed to characterize the dosimetric properties of monoenergetic photon point sources in water. The dose rate in water has been calculated for energies of interest in brachytherapy, ranging between 10 keV and 2 MeV. A comparison of the results obtained using the two codes with the available data calculated with other Monte Carlo codes is carried out. A chi2-like statistical test is proposed for these comparisons. PENELOPE and GEANT4 show a reasonable agreement for all energies analyzed and distances to the source larger than 1 cm. Significant differences are found at distances from the source up to 1 cm. A similar situation occurs between PENELOPE and EGS4.
A comparison is made of the response of a count ratemeter and a pulse counter using the mathematical tool of the Z transform. Transform Z is used for the solution of the convolution integral interpreting the analog output of the count ratemeter used for recording characteristic radiation, excited in the moving beam. The comparison of count rates obtained by the count ratemeter during continuous analysis and the pulse counter during discontinuous measurement gave the transfer function of the count ratemeter in the actual range of count rate. Also discussed is the use of the transfer function for localizing concentration changes in the sample. The use of the described method is demonstrated on the determination of the tin content in tungsten using continuous radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis. (B.S.).
The overall objective of the study in this report was to gather data on waste management technologies to allow comparison of various alternatives for managing municipal solid waste (MSW). The specific objectives of the study were to: 1. Compile detailed data for existing waste management technologies on costs, environmental releases, energy requirements and production, and coproducts such as recycled materials and compost. Identify missing information necessary to make energy, economic, and environmental comparisons of various MSW management technologies, and define needed research that could enhance the usefulness of the technology. 3. Develop a data base that can be used to identify the technology that best meets specific criteria defined by a user of the data base. Volume I contains the report text. Volume II contains supporting exhibits. Volumes III through X are appendices, each addressing a specific MSW management technology. Volumes XI ...
Cavity solar receivers are generally believed to have higher thermal efficiencies than external receivers due to reduced losses. A simple analytical model was presented by the author which indicated that the ability to heat the air inside the cavity often controls the convective loss from cavity receivers. Thus, if the receiver contains a large amount of inactive hot wall area, it can experience a large convective loss. Excellent experimental data from a variety of cavity configurations and orientations have recently become available. These data provided a means of testing and refining the analytical model. In this manuscript, a brief description of the refined model is presented. Emphasis is placed on using available experimental evidence to substantiate the hypothesized mechanisms and assumptions. Detailed comparisons are given between analytical predictions and experimental results. Excellent agreement is obtained, and the important mechanisms are more clearly ...
By using the paired comparison methodology, it was possible to establish evaluative priorities, providing criterion weights which reflected the thoughts and feelings of an advisory committee consisting of experts in the task selection process. For the U.S. Army Infantry School, the weights can be used to stress higher weighted criterion results in the task selection process. By extending the size and diversity of the advisory committee, the use of paired comparison methodology can provide an effective, reliable procedure for (1) constructing evaluative criterion weights for the task selection process and in other areas which have multiple criteria used for evaluative purposes and (2) incorporating into an evaluative design the valuable contributions of various experts and interest groups. (Author/BW)
The SCDAP computer code, which is being developed under the sponsorship of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, models the progression of light water reactor core damage including core heatup, core disruption and debris formation, debris heatup, and debris melting. SCDAP is being used to help identify and understand the phenomena that control core behavior during a severe accident, to help quantify uncertainties in risk assessment analysis, and to support planning and interpretation of severe fuel damage experiments and data. Comparisons between SCDAP calculations and the experimental data showed good agreement. Calculated and measured bundle temperatures for SFD-ST were within 200 K for the entire bundle and within 20 K for maximum cladding temperatures. For ESSI-2, calculated and measured maximum cladding temperatures were within 50 K, and the extensive liquefaction and relocation that was calculated was in agreement with experimental results.
Background For the past 14 years, we have been performing laparoscopic adrenalectomy via the lateral transabdominal as well as the posterior retroperitoneal approach. The aim of this study is to describe patient selection criteria for each approach with comparison of perioperative outcomes. Methods In patients with smaller tumors, low body mass index (BMI), history of previous abdominal operations, appropriate body habitus, and bilateral pathology, we have performed preferentially the posterior approach. Data regarding clinical pathology, tumor size, BMI, estimated blood loss (EBL), operating time (OT), morbidity, mortality, and duration of stay were analyzed retrospectively. Data are expressed as mean +- standard error of the mean (SEM). Results One hundred seventy-two laparoscopic adrena...
Energy flows in deep inelastic electron-proton scattering are investigated at a centre-of-mass energy of 296 GeV for the range Q{sup 2}{>=}10 GeV{sup 2} using the ZEUS detector. A comparison is made between events with and without a large rapidity gap between the hadronic system and the proton direction. The energy flows, corrected for detector acceptance and resolution, are shown for these two classes of events in both the HERA laboratory frame and the Breit frame. From the differences in the shapes of these energy flows we conclude that QCD radiation is suppressed in the large-rapidity-gap events compared to the events without a large rapidity gap. (orig.)
The dipteran parasitoids Therobia leonidei and Homotrixa alleni (Tachinidae) use acoustic cues to locate their calling tettigoniid (Ensifera, Orthoptera) hosts. The sexually dimorphic tympanal organs of both fly species are located at the prosternum. For comparison a homologous chordotonal organ in the non-hearing fly Phormia regina, Meigen (Phoridae) is also described. The scolopidial sense organs of the ears have approximately 180 sensory cells in Th. leonidei and 250 cells in H. alleni. Interspecific analysis indicates that the cell number and arrangement might be genus specific in Tachinidae. The mononematic scolopidia, each with one sensory cell, are of different sizes and insert at the tympanal membrane. Large scolopidial units (diameter of sensory cells up to 50??m) extend longitudi...
The LAHET code system calculations and experimental results for proton interactions with an energy <50 MeV are compared. For these energies, the theories behind the LAHET models are not applicable. Three quantities compared are (a) the magnitude of the neutron yield generated through proton interactions, (b) the energy and angular distributions of the resultant neutrons, and (c) the residual nuclei produced by proton interactions (spallation products). The comparisons are for protons incident on iron and copper, except in the case of the energy and angular distributions, which are calculated only for iron. The neutron yields predicted by LAHET agree with published measurements to within 50% for both materials. For iron, the predicted energy and angular distributions agree to within a factor of 3. Finally, the predicted spallation product yields of both materials agree with measurements to within a factor of 4.
The Cycle 8A static tests conducted in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) during 1986 have resulted in the separation of various feedback reactivity components. These feedback components, described by closed-form equations depending only on the reactor temperature field, can be regarded as database for the validation and/or calibration of feedback mechanistic models. The SASSYS safety analysis code contains the most developed feedback reactivity models and was selected for the comparison study between database and mechanistic calculations for the FFTF. Although detailed feedback models for control rod repositioning and core radial expansion/bowing exist, only the simple models were available in SASSYS at the time of this study. The results are described in this paper.
In this paper, a comparison is done between two different techniques in measuring the AC voltage. The first technique is the single junction thermal voltage converters (SJTVC) which consist of one thermal element (TE) which its output e.m.f. in the range of 7-12mV and the other is the new designed thermal voltage converters which consist of a number of TEs connected in parallel, series and series/parallel to increase their output e.m.f. (becomes in the range of 35-51mV). The effect of increasing the output e.m.f. is studied in this paper through evaluating the uncertainty budget and proved that its increase has a great effect on the accuracy and the uncertainty of the AC voltage measurement.
This contribution reviews a selection of findings on atomic density functions and discusses ways for reading chemical information from them. First an expression for the density function for atoms in the multi-configuration Hartree--Fock scheme is established. The spherical harmonic content of the density function and ways to restore the spherical symmetry in a general open-shell case are treated. The evaluation of the density function is illustrated in a few examples. In the second part of the paper, atomic density functions are analyzed using quantum similarity measures. The comparison of atomic density functions is shown to be useful to obtain physical and chemical information. Finally, concepts from information theory are introduced and adopted for the comparison of density functions. In particular, based on the Kullback--Leibler form, a functional is constructed that reveals the periodicity in Mendeleev's table. Finally a quantum similarity ...
T-2 toxin, a highly toxic member of the type-A trichothecenes, is produced by various Fusarium moulds that can potentially affect human health. It is strongly cytotoxic for human hematopoietic progenitors. Alimentary toxic aleukia (ATA), a disease typically associated with human, is primarily induced by T-2 toxin. A comparison of the metabolism of T-2 toxin incubated with hepatocytes of rats, piglets, chickens, and the hepatic subcellular fractions (microsomes and cytosol) of piglets, chickens, rats, and carp (common carp and grass carp) was carried out. The activities of the recombinant pig CYP3A29 on the transformation of T-2 and HT-2 toxins were preliminary studied. Metabolites were identified by novel LC/MS-IT-TOF. Qualitative similarities and differences across the species were observ...
Twenty-eight measurement while drilling tools are listed in this year's MWD Comparison Tables. Updated data on tools listed last year and data on five new tools provide a convenient guide for choosing MWD systems. Future MWD technologies include sonic tools and tools that make measurements ahead of the bit. For the seventh year, Petroleum Engineer International presents the Measurement While Drilling (MWD) Tables comparing a variety of available tools from many different vendors. The 1994 Tables include two additional companies and five new MWD tools not found in last year's Tables. However, the tables should serve only as a reference source. System specifications can change rapidly as tools are refined and new technologies develop. Operators and contractors should consult designated MWD marketing representatives before making a final tool selection.
This article describes the utilization of plastic wastes in a blast furnace. The plastic waste is a substitution for petroleum and coal as a raw material for synthesis gas production. The synthesis gas is the reducing agent in the blast furnace for the reduction of iron ores. You can find here an ecological and economical analysis of this process in comparison to the utilization of petroleum and coal. (SR)
Georgia Power`s primary boiler cleaning solvent in the past has been hydrochloric acid. Citric acid has recently been used on two boilers in an effort to move to a safer and more environmentally acceptable cleaning solvent. As with any change, there is a learning curve and the (new) cleaning process has to be proven with regard to process consistency and cleaning effectiveness. This paper describes our experiences with citric acid along with comparisons of past hydrochloric acid cleanings.
In this work, the thermodynamic behaviour of single-stage horizontal spray coolers with one or more spray levels is experimentally examined. Further, a spray cooler calculation model was developed, in order to describe the processes and to make a comparison of the results of calculation and measurement. The state of the mine climate and the cold water are taken as the thermodynamic reference. (orig.).
Nuclear options for electricity generations are assessed in this paper. Probabilistic (stochastic) method is used for economic comparison of nuclear power plants, wind plants and natural gas fired plants. Optimal nuclear power plant size is also discussed. IRIS is presented as a representative of small and medium reactors
This book explores the development, present, and future applications of proton microprobes in the micrometer range. Among the topics discussed: the use of proton beams for analytical purposes; techniques of focusing or collimating ion beams; improving and measuring beam spots; the analytical capabilities of the nuclear microprobe in comparison to other micro techniques; and applications and results by several internationally known microprobe laboratories.
The effect of atmospheric radioactive emissions from United Kingdom nuclear installations on acid deposition is assessed. Nitrogen oxide and ozone production resulting from and associated with discharges of airborne radioactivity, comparison with conventional emissions, and the direct effects of radioactive emissions on trees, are all discussed. (UK).
In the present study an estimate is made of the malignancy significant dose from external beam radiotherapy in New Zealand utilizing data obtained in a survey conducted in 1975. This survey had been designed to assess genetically significant dose. A weighted effective dose equivalent is derived from the malignancy significant dose for direct comparison with mean per capita effective dose equivalents arising from other sources of radiation. 14 refs., 1 fig., 8 tabs.
The YTH (YT521-B homology) domain was identified by sequence comparison and is found in 174 different proteins expressed in eukaryotes. It is characterized by 14 invariant residues within an α-helix/β-sheet...Full Text Available
The salient features of the near-infrared free-electron laser (FEL) that is under construction at the new Darmstadt superconducting 130-MeV electron accelerator are discussed. Special attention is given to the layout and the parameters of the accelerator, the layout of the planned FEL experiment, the characteristics of the electron gun, the subharmonic chopper-buncher system, and the hybrid undulator system of the Darmstadt FEL. A comparison of the planned Darmstadt FEL with conventional lasers, with respect to the pulse and wavelength region, is presented. 15 refs.
Background. New-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) may solve several problems encountered with first-generation DES, but there is a lack of prospective head-to-head comparisons between...Full Text Available
The author describes the results of post-test analyses of PANDA transient (M-series) tests M2 and M3. The purpose of the PANDA post-test analysis activity is to demonstrate that TRACG is applicable for the calculation of long-term SBWR containment response to a LOCA. Comparisons between TRACG predictions and test measurements are presented and discussed in the dual context of what the test results show and the capability of TRACG to predict their key features
The structure of the P-2, S-1 accelerator mode with one step, S-1, on double period, P-2 for systems, described by the Harper mapping as well as by standard mapping, is analyzed. Detailed analysis of stability criteria is given and comparison with the results of numerical analysis is performed. Three-period compression of the P-2, S-1 island is revealed in the standard mapping. Refs. 7, figs. 7.
Pacini (1973) has considered basic theoretical expectations regarding the magnetic dipole radiation and unipolar induction of pulsars, taking into account observational results. The present investigation is concerned with the difference between the two braking mechanisms. Attention is also given to a statistical study involving a comparison of the two braking mechanisms with observations. The study makes use of the observational data for the distribution of apparent beamwidth, and a geometrical method. The obtained results agree with the theory of magnetic dipole radiation.
Momentum- and speed-dependent Maxwell-Boltzmann equilibrium distributions have been derived for tachyons and compared with the corresponding relativistic distributions. This is followed by a calculation of the mean, most probable and r.m.s. speeds for both the relativistic and tachyonic distributions. The ideal gas of tachyons is discussed, including calculations of the internal energy and entropy. In each case a comparison is made with the corresponding bradyonic results. It is found that tachyons behave just like bradyons in the high-temperature limit, but have markedly different behaviour at low temperatures.
This paper establishes a standardization procedure in which results are presented in ready-to-use charts for the economic evaluation of biogas plants. It is hoped this work will alleviate controversial reports on cost-effectiveness of biogas systems. Also, it is found that these systems are the most economic among renewable energy systems using a standardized procedure for their comparison augmented by the generated spider diagrams wherein most probable costing production values for each system are directly compared. (author).
The standard deviation of measurement results of a given element in XRF spectrometry depends on three factors: concentration and concentration region, atomic number and matrix. The effects of these factors were investigated by an XRF instrument type ARL 72.000 for aluminium metal, bauxite-red mud and aluminium using computerized data processing. A comparison of linear and nonlinear relation between concentration and the result of XRF analysis was made for the determination of standard deviation. (R.P.).
The properties of "1"7"7Ta and sup(181, 182, 187)Re states are discussed in the framework of the rotational model with the Coriolis coupling. The relations are obtained for calculating magnetic moments by this model in the jlK representation. The valent-nucleon spin polarization found on the basis of a comparison of the experimental values of magnetic moments with the calculated ones, is shown to depend on the number of nucleons of the same type.
The fluorescence, absorption, infrared and Raman spectra of Sm_3Ga_5O_1_2 have been investigated. The energy-level schemes in the energy range 3000-16000 cm"-"1 have been determined. The number and symmetries of the Sm_3Ga_5O_1_2 crystal normal mode have been obtained by the molecular site group analysis and their comparison with the experiment has been made.
Classical molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to investigate the salvation shell exchange kinetics of potassium ion in bulk water, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride. The reactive flux method is used to compute the dissociation rates. The influence of the solvent on the reaction rates and kinetic properties of this exchange process will be discussed. Comparison will be also be made to the prediction of the Grote-Hynes theory.
Cycling parameters (reversible specific capacity, first-cycle coulombic efficiency, accumulated irreversible capacity, and reversible capacity retention) of hybrid electrodes based on mechanical mixtures of a silicon nanopowder with KS6 and MAG-20 synthetic graphites and binders of varied nature were subjected to an integrated analysis in comparison with graphite electrodes.
The paper deals with a model in which the motion of a gas in plasma accerators and high-curent discharges in the present of a skin effect is treated as expulsion by a 'magnetic piston' under the action of surface current flow. Specifically examined is the situation where the initial gas pressure is negligible in comparison with the magnetic pressure, and the motion of the gas may be treated as a self-simulating one. A system of hydrodynamic equations of the problem is derived and integrated by Adam's method. Results are plotted and discussed.
Energy policy is discussed, with particular reference to Scotland. The plans for nuclear power are analyzed in comparison with developments in coal mining, use of oil and gas and other possible energy sources such as wind and wave power. Arguments against the development of nuclear power are raised on grounds of economics, employment potential, and problems of waste disposal. (U.K.).
The philosophy of containing tritium and activated products very close to the source and of operating by remote techniques is justified by a comparison with other concepts on protection and availability points of view. Several design options are studied according to the optimization protection methodology of ICRP. Provided that an important technological development is accomplished, the utilization of robotics and the limitation of containment volumes should be generalized.
To make a quantitative comparison of risks between the SNR 300 and a modern PWR (Biblis B), the consequences of an accident or the extent of damage of a release of radionuclides to the environment due to an accident are estimated by computer programs for accident consequence models. The accident analysis includes an analysis of events for Bethe-Tait accidents with failure of the outer containment. The FGSB release rates are compared with those of the Society for Reactor Safety (GRS). (HP).
The volume contains reports on plant technology, on systems organisation with the aim to minimize the risk (human error), on the problem of seismic risk, on core-disruptive accidents and on accident consequence models with different release categories and a comparison of the potential damage incurred. Mr. Webb; one of the authors, attempts to disprove the objections to his two earliest SNR statements by experts of Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Centre.
The volume contains reports on plant technology, on systems organisation with the aim to minimize the risk (human error), on the problem of seismic risk, on core-disruptive accidents and on accident consequence models with different release categories and a comparison of the potential damage incurred. Mr. Webb; one of the authors, attempts to disprove the objections to his two earliest SNR statements by experts of Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Centre. (AK).
The effective half-life based on urine bioassay results of Wolsung NPP's worker was calculated. The effective half-life for tritiated water vapour obtained was 5 {approx} 9 days. In comparison to 10 days reported for ICRP-30, it is lower than the corresponding half-life for Reference Man. Also, the half-life was calculated based on intake amount of daily water. According to this result, the metabolism was reviewed.
Some aspects of molecular mechanisms common to radiation and chemical carcinogenesis are discussed, particularly the DNA damage done by these agents. Emphasis is placed on epidemiological considerations and on dose-response models used in risk assessment to extrapolate from experimental data obtained at high doses to the effects from long-term, low-level exposures. 3 references, 6 figures. (ACR)
A microscopic calculation of the level density is performed, based on a combinatorial evaluation using a realistic single-particle level scheme. This calculation relies on a fast Monte Carlo algorithm, allowing to consider heavy nuclei (i.e., large shell model spaces) which could not be treated previously in combinatorial approaches. An exhaustive comparison of the predicted neutron s-wave resonance spacings with experimental data for a wide range of nuclei is presented.
The study reported was conducted to evaluate water source community heat pump systems for possible installation to serve a number of homes which are to be constructed in the northeast section of Radisson, New York. Although specific sites and facilities have been evaluated, it is the intent of this study to be site specific only to the extent of climatic conditions. In other words, the results of this study should apply to any area with similar climate.
The structure of the layers formed on a silver electrode by the adsorption of pyridine, Cl"-, CN"- and SO_4"2"- is discussed. A comparison of the amount of the species adsorbed with their Raman spectra shows that there is no simple relation between the species concentration and the enhancement of the Raman intensity. Furthermore, the inhomogeneity of the layers is shown by Raman microscopy observations. These results lead the authors to propose the formation of a new species stabilized in the colloidal silver layer. The Raman enhancement could be explained by the existence of a resonance effect. (Auth.).
For comparison of radiation exposure and risk in different diagnostic procedures for adults and children dose measurements and calculations of organs with special risk were carried out. Parameters of image formation influencing image quality as well as of exposure concerning infants and children are recorded and discussed as to radiation exposure and protection. Conclusions are drawn with respect to systems of image formation and to standards of examination and quality assurance.
Substantial changes in the radial distribution function of amorphous Si films have been observed in neutron-diffraction studies. The spectra indicate changes in short-range order associated with an approx.11% modification in the bond-angle distribution width. The results allow the first direct comparison of structural and vibrational Raman probes of variations in local order in thin-film amorphous solids. Good agreement is obtained between the measured bond-angle variation and that based on Raman estimates.
The quark structure of constituent nucleons is considered by a qualitative comparison of features of different models with experimental data with respect to cumulative meson production. It is shown that the fluctuation of the density of nuclear matter, ie the creation and disintegration of a short lived few-nucleon correlation (flucton), is a type of the quasi-resonance formation in the nucleus which exists without any connection with the incident particle. The cumulative production in the region under investigation is mostly the result of a Regge type dissociation of the flucton. (U.K.).
The e/sup -/..-->..e/sup -/(..nu..nu-bar) process in the field of a circularly polarized plane wave is studied in the framework of the Glashow-Weinberg-Salam model. General expressions for the probability of creation of neutrino pairs are obtained, and the case of a low-intensity wave is studied in detail. The effects of asymmetry of emission of electron and muon neutrinos are estimated, and comparison with previous results is performed.
This study presents the results of an 18-year long investigation of pipe deterioration in cyclone slag slurry transport. The goal was to study pipe behaviour in this extremely abrasive service and select an optimum piping material. Comparisons are given for high quality alloy cast steel pipes and pipes alined with cast basalt rings marketed under the name Abresist.
This study presents the results of an 18-year long investigation of pipe deterioration in cyclone slag slurry transport. The goal was to study pipe behaviour in this extremely abrasive service and select an optimum piping material. Comparisons are given for high quality alloy cast steel pipes and pipes lined with cast basalt rings marketed under the name Abresist. Based on the results, thoughts are offered on the broader meanings of certain findings.
Olive oil mill wastewaters (OMW) cause disposal problems because they contain powerful pollutants such as phenolic compounds. Complete biodegradation or removal of these compounds is hardly achieved by a single treatment method. In this work, we investigated 2 integrated technologies for the treatment of the recalcitrant contaminants of OMW, allowing water recovery and reuse for agricultural purposes. (Author)
Performance predictions have been made for attached-sunspace types of passively solar heated buildings. The predictions are based on hour-by-hour computer simulations using computer models developed in the framework of PASOLE, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) passive solar energy simulation program. The models have been validated by detailed comparison with actual hourly temperature measurements taken in attached-sunspace test rooms at LASL.
The optical properties of uranium monochalcogenides and monopnictides are discussed in terms of their electronic structure. A comparison is made with corresponding rare earth compounds. It is shown that there are close similarities to mixed valence CeN. the results support the occurrence of a dip in the density of d states near Esub(F), where the f density of states has its maximum. Empirical energy level schemes are derived which are found to agree with the existing information from XPS measurements and recent theories. (orig.).
A polarized proton physics run took place during January, 1988, at the Brookhaven AGS. It is the purpose of this paper to review the tune-up period preceding that run. This was the third such run at the AGS; the others occurred in June of 1984 and February of 1986. Some comparisons will be drawn among these. A thorough review of the history and hardware associated with the acceleration of polarized protons at the AGS can be found in the proceedings of the last meeting of this group at Protvino and will not be repeated here. 2 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.
Comparison of plasma density increase was carried out in outer and inner channels of the interferometer in T-11M tokamak. There were two cases of gas puffing: by outer valve or upper one. Amplitude of difference of the plasma density increase consisted of 9% near the outer valve. Perturbation of the electric potential e?1/Te can have similar value. This perturbation can lead to appearance of the additional losses.
This report summarizes the information gathered by CONCAVE in a 1993 survey of waste generation and disposal by the oil refineries in Western Europe. The survey covered the types of waste produced, their quantities, disposal routes and costs of disposal. The results are compared with those from a 1986 survey, but because of the increased numbers of refineries reporting, comparison is difficult. The survey revealed wide variations in disposal costs depending on waste type and local circumstances.
A comparison of nucleation and crystallization of Li{sub 2}O{sm_bullet}2SiO{sub 2} between microwave and conventional heating was investigated. Standard stereological techniques were used to evaluate the results. Nucleation and crystallization behaviors during microwave heating appeared different from conventional heating. Work is in progress to better understand the effects of microwaves on nucleation and crystallization in glass.
The effects of non-Darcy flow laws are investigated for two geothermal reservoir types: multiphase and Hot Dry Rock (HDR). Long-term thermal behavior is emphasized as short-term pressure transient behavior is addressed in the oil field literature. Comparisons of Darcy and non-Darcy flow laws are made.
Based on a hypothesis of multiquark states in nuclei, the nucleus structure functions are considered and the results are compared with experiment. It is shown that the multiquark state contributions are sufficiently high (Up to 20% in deuterium and 40% in iron) and must possess a greater, than in a nucleon, sea of quark-antiquark pairs. Also the comparison with the cumulative particle production cross sections is performed. The predictions are given for a further experimental test of that hypothesis.
The NSABP B-32 trial is examining whether patients with initially negative sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) who have occult metastases detected on deeper levels and cytokeratin immunohistochemistry...Full Text Available
A mathematical and physical model was constructed describing the hydrodynamics of the two-phase mixture in the horizontal steam generator. The HP 9830 A desk-top calculator was used for the computations. The output variable of the solution was the level shape. A quantitative and qualitative comparison was made of the results of computations and experimental data. (author).
Variation for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield and its component traits was documented in a `Cheyenne¿ x Cheyenne (`Wichita¿ 3A) recombinant inbred chromosome line population. In the present study, a population of 223 Cheyenne (Wichita 3A) recombinant inbred chromosome lines was used to map ...
This study evaluates the frequency and functions of immunocompetent T cells at the clonal level in solid human lung tissue versus peripheral blood. Enzymatic digestion of slices of histologically normal...Full Text Available
It is proposed to measure the spot sizes and polarization of #gamma# beams of future #gamma#e and #gamma##gamma# colliders detecting e"+e"- pairs produced as a result of interaction of high energy #gamma# quanta with density modulated and not modulated laser photons. The quantum electrodynamics cross sections, necessary numerical results as well as a short comparison of the proposed method with some other methods are given. (orig.).
Our studies on K#beta#/K#alpha# X-ray intensity ratios of some of the technologically important 3d-transition metal compounds have been reviewed. Comparison of the experimental results with single-configuration Dirac-Fock calculations provided important information on the valence states of the transition metals in various compounds, which can be helpful in understanding the nature of bonding in the compounds. (author)
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how recent experimental results of "1"5"1Eu and "5"7Fe high pressure Moessbauer studies in 4f and 3d metallic magnetic systems can contribute to a deeper understanding of the nature of local moment (4f) and itinerant (3d) magnetism in these systems. Special emphasis is given on the comparison of the experimental results with related theoretical models. (orig.).
We have used an electric gun to measure the initiation thresholds of more than twenty unusual explosive materials as well as the thresholds of several common explosives for comparison. The purpose of the work was to obtain experimental data for a theoretical study of the effects of various chemical groups on the detonation sensitivity of explosives. 2 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.
AC/DC voltage standards based entirely on solid-state references used as secondary, working, or transfer standards is widespread, although metrological performance is typically defined only via comparison with a higher level standard. The present report shows the improvements of the output metrological characteristics of an ac/dc calibrator by establishing three internal hierarchical levels of dc voltage references and by constant calibration of ac measuring circuits.
The in-core reload design procedure, computer codes, design contents and comparison between expected design values and measured values for Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station are presented. The in-core reload design for Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station performed by Nuclear Power Institute of China satisfies the requirements of safety and economy. The expected design values are fit well with measured values
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) evaluated the performance of diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), and hybrid electric (equipped with BAE Systems? HybriDrive propulsion system) transit buses at New York City Transit (NYCT). CNG, Gen I and Gen II hybrid electric propulsion systems were compared on fuel economy, maintenance and operating costs per mile, and reliability.
The method of double microwave--radio-frequency resonance has been used to obtain spectra of the 2/sub 11/reverse arrow2/sub 12/ and 3/sub 21/reverse arrow3/sub 22/ transitions in HCOOD, DCOOH, and HCOOH molecules. The constants of the quadrupole bond of the deuterons have been determined, magnetic interactions being taken into acocunt. A comparison with results of previous studies is given.
We have investigated the detection performance of GaAs detectors made with different thickness and contact geometries. A comparison is made between these detection capabilities and the imaging requirements for the following medical applications: digital mammography, digital chest radiography and nuclear medicine. Experimental results and preliminary images are presented and discussed. (author)
We report an uncertainty evaluation of an optical lattice clock based on the $^1S_0\\leftrightarrow^3P_0$ transition in the bosonic isotope $^{174}$Yb by use of magnetically induced spectroscopy. The absolute frequency of the $^1S_0\\leftrightarrow^3P_0$ transition has been determined through comparisons with optical and microwave standards at NIST. The weighted mean of the evaluations is $\
We discuss the search of excited leptons and quarks with spin 1/2 at #gamma##gamma# and at #gamma#e colliders. We show that #gamma##gamma# colliders have important advantages for the observation of excited leptons and quarks in comparison with ee, ep, and pp colliders discussed in previous papers. These collisions give a simple test for the chirality of the l"*l#gamma# transition. The anomalous magnetic moment of excited leptons can be observed when its value is not too small. (orig.).
Seven hundred thirty-two female urogenital samples were collected for Chlamydia trachomatis testing by both the Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur (Chaska, Minn.) Chlamydia Microplate EIA by the shortened protocol...Full Text Available
A new algorithm for the treatment of sliding interfaces between solids with or without friction in an Eulerian wavecode is described. The algorithm has been implemented in the two-dimensional version of the CTH code. The code was used to simulate penetration and perforation of aluminum plates by rigid, conical-nosed tungsten projectiles. Comparison with experimental data is provided.
An overview of the present status of energy sector in Lebanon and requirements of its future development is presented. The study is based on an economic analysis of needs and energy consumption among the population and on a comparison with other developing countries. Tables and graphs on energy distribution, needs and demands per habitant and national income are included. 3 figs. 3 tabs.
Conventional, recirculating, and intermittent type peanut dryers were compared in a three-year study. Comparisons indicate that partial recirculation of peanut drying air may reduce energy consumption per unit of water removed by approximately 25% while also reducing required drying time and maintaining high quality.
1. Ro 15-8081 (Hoffmann-La Roche, Basle, Switzerland) is a novel mixed 5-HT/noradrenaline uptake inhibitor producing potent antinociceptive effects in animal pain models. 2. In healthy man, two models...Full Text Available
The electron structure of the A-15 compounds is studied by accounting for the Hubbard energy as the highest energy parameter. The conditions for the Cooper instability origination are obtained. The superconducting transition temperature dependence on the degree of filling the d- and p-shells of the transition and nontransition elements is determined. The relationship between the transition temperature and the energy jumpover along the chains, which allows comparison with the experiment, is established. Qualitative explanation of the Mattias empiric rules is presented
The report gives results of a comparison of results from a recent forced-oxidation limestone flue gas desulfurization (FGD) process evaluation and those from a conceptual design and economic evaluation of a sodium/limestone double-alkali FGD process, based on recent EPA-sponsored...
BackgroundEffectiveness of services for patients diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI) may improve when treatment plans are needs based. A regional Cumulative Needs for Care...Full Text Available
Results of weight measurement of PGV-213 steam generator during filling in, heating-up and power increase are described. Special measurement system based on stress gauges has been developed. Method of derivation of secondary water inventory is described. Comparison of the data for two steam generators prove accuracy of the measurements. (orig.). 1 refs.
A procedure for the determination of lead in various biological and environmental samples by "2"0"3Pb radioisotope dilution substoichiometric method is presented. The accuracy of the method by comparison with the literature values of reference materials appears to be good. The standard deviation of the method is less than 10%, and detection limit is about 0.1 #mu#g of lead. (author) 5 refs.
This document generates a supernatant hydroxide ion depletion model based on mechanistic principles. The carbon dioxide absorption mechanistic model is developed in this report. The report also benchmarks the model against historical tank supernatant hydroxide data and vapor space carbon dioxide data. A comparison of the newly generated mechanistic model with previously applied empirical hydroxide depletion equations is also performed.
In connection with the Public Inquiry into the CEGB proposal to build a pressurised water reactor at Sizewell in Suffolk, the case for nuclear power is examined under the headings: the economics of nuclear power - how they would like them to be; systems analysis - net effective cost; CEGB prejudices the results (comparison with coal-fired plants; forecasting on various assumptions); discounting future costs; back-end costs soar (reprocessing); real reprocessing costs; AGR costs balloon.
We performed biomechanical comparison of a xenograft bone plate-screw (XBPS) system for achieving cadaveric lumbar transpedicular stabilization (TS) in dogs. Twenty dogs' cadaveric L2-4 lumbar...Full Text Available
Computing Networks (CNs) are defined. These are used to generalize neural and swarm architectures, namely artificial neural networks, ant colony optimization, and particle swarm optimization. The description of these architectures as CNs allows their comparison, distinguishing which properties enable them to perform complex computations and exhibit complex cognitive abilities. In this context, the most relevant characteristics of CNs are the existence multiple dynamical and functional scales.
As a self-teaching tool, this illustrated guide facilitates home study of the complexities of thoracic CT's. Over 400 illustrations and accompanying copy are used to provide a basis for understanding the CT appearances of disease processes and a comparison of CT lookalikes. It updates new and interesting developments in the format of case presentations.
This report deals with the selection of a data communication system for a remote metering system. It covers the following three types of systems: fiber optic, telephone line, and radio packet. It provides a methodology for selecting a communication system for a given remote metering system and a method for comparing costs.
Mutagenic, reproductive, and toxicity effects of two closely related chemicals, ethylnitrosourea (ENU) and methylnitrosourea (MNU), were compared at equimolar and near-equimolar doses in the...Full Text Available
The NucliSens easyMAG and BioRot 9604 automated nucleic acid extraction systems were evaluated and compared with the manual QIAamp (Qiagen) extraction method for their abilities to extract nucleic acid...Full Text Available
BackgroundHuman papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a major risk factor for the development of nearly all cases of cervical cancer worldwide. The presence of HPV DNA in cases of esophageal...Full Text Available
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescent-antibody assay (IFA), and Western immunoblot were used to test serum samples from 128 dogs for the presence of antibody to Borrelia...Full Text Available
A field study was conducted under commercial feedlot conditions at 2 sites in western Canada to determine the relative effects of a univalent viral vaccine (MLV 1) program versus a multivalent viral...Full Text Available
Human serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase (3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine, ascorbate:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.14.17.1) has been measured in a normal adult population by both enzymatic assay and by...Full Text Available
The electronic structure of octahedral metal atom clusters Me_6 of 3d, 4d, and 5d transition metal atoms (V, Cr; Nb, Mo; Ta, W) has been calculated applying two different quantum-chemical approximation methods (Extended Hueckel (EH) method; SW-Xsub(alpha) method). Equilibrium structures, energy level schemes, Fermi energies and band widths as well as densities of states of clusters are discussed in detail.
The purpose of this prospective study was to compare two different milk preparation methods to assay for the presence of Mycobacterium bovis by PCR. Detection by a C18-carboxypropylbetaine...Full Text Available
There is a crescent interest in the scientific community in the study of natural circulation phenomenon. New generation of compact nuclear reactors uses the natural circulation of the fluid as a system of cooling and of residual heat removal in case of accident or shutdown. The objective of this paper is to present a study through the comparison of experimental data and numerical simulation for the natural circulation phenomenon in one and two-phase flow regime. An experimental circuit built with glass tubes is used for the experiments. Thus, it allows the thermal hydraulic phenomena visualization. There is an electric heater as the heat source, a heat exchanger as the heat sink and an expansion tank to accommodate fluid density excursions. The circuit instrumentation consists of thermocouples and pressure meters to better keep track of the flow and heat transfer phenomena. Instrumentation data acquisition is performed through a computer interface developed with ...
The nr1 soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) mutant does not contain the two constitutive nitrate reductases, one of which is responsible for enzymic conversion of nitrite to...Full Text Available
A multiple comparison approach using whole genome transcriptional arrays was used to identify genes and pathways involved in calorie restriction/dietary restriction (DR) life span extension in Drosophila....Full Text Available
Coherent oscillator radiation is considered. A comparison is made with classical particle radiation with gauss distribution. Decay probability for coherent state in spontaneous radiation is estimated. The method suggested for describing harmonic oscillator allows to separate the effect of classical field radiation from quantum description of particle state within the framework of a self-consistent quantum mechanical problem.
The catalytic activities of various iron ores were investigated in the search for a high-activity catalyst for direct coal liquefaction. Laterite ores were shown to have a high catalytic activity in this process. Comparison of the ore with red mud in hydrocracking of 1-methylnaphthalene showed that the ore had higher activity in the hydrogenation of aromatic rings and in hydrocracking of alkylaromatics.
The diagnostic value of the portable chest radiography obtained with Fuji computed radiography (FCR) was evaluated in comparison with conventional images in 23 patients who were admitted to ICU in Yokohama City University Hospital. On the whole , FCR produced more exellent images than conventional screen-film radiographs. Especially the evaluation for the demonstration of the catheters, the endotracheal tubes and the tracheal shadows obtained high score. We discuss the clinically utility of FCR for the portable chest radiographs in ICU. (author).
The diagnostic value of the portable chest radiography obtained with Fuji computed radiography (FCR) was evaluated in comparison with conventional images in 23 patients who were admitted to ICU in Yokohama City University Hospital. On the whole , FCR produced more exellent images than conventional screen-film radiographs. Especially the evaluation for the demonstration of the catheters, the endotracheal tubes and the tracheal shadows obtained high score. We discuss the clinically utility of FCR for the portable chest radiographs in ICU. (author).
Implementation of a plan to charge waste management costs to the facility that generates such waste requires a long-term commitment and consistent administration. The benefit is that generators are provided the incentive to optimize waste management practices if the charges are appropriately applied. This paper summarizes (1) a plan to charge waste generators, (2) the administrative structure of the plan, (3) a comparison between the rate structure and changes in waste disposal operations, and (4) issues that have surfaced as the plan is implemented. 2 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
In in-service inspection of steam-generator tubes, the need for reproducibility of the measurement results and for comparison of these results over two successive inspections has led EDF to specify the main characteristics of the eddy-current probes and to design equipment to measure them. This equipment is presented here and the electrical and magnetic results are correlated with those obtained by testing tubes with reference defects.
In in-service inspection of steam-generator tubes, the need for reproducibility of the measurement results and for comparison of these results over two successive inspections has led EDF to specify the main characteristics of the Eddy-Current probes and to design equipment to measure them. This equipment is presented here and the electrical and magnetic results are correlated with those obtained by testing tubes with reference defects. 5 refs.
BackgroundCardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) allows volumetric carotid plaque measurement that has advantage over 2-dimensional ultrasound (US) intima-media thickness (IMT)...Full Text Available
The 3-dimensional (3D) extension C5G7 MOX benchmark problems were solved by CHAPLET-3D code which is based on the idea of dynamic linkage of the multi-plane method of characteristics solutions. The benchmark results are quite accurate in comparison with the reference solutions, independently of the axial solver incorporated in the CHAPLET-3D code. (author)
Fermi radii and velocities are determined by deconvoluting de Haas-van Alphen data. Comparison of these data with accurate augmented-plane-wave band-structure results establishes the reliability of the augmented-plane-wave calculations and allows a determination of the anisotropic many-body enhancement factor lambda(k). The Fermi-surface average of 1.33 suggests a large electron-electron contribution. Our anisotropic lambda(k) porvides a detailed test and guide for model calculations of many-body enhancement.
A comparison of maximum likelihood (or chi-square) and Bayesian peak fitting techniques shows that the latter can reduce peak intensity uncertainties by a factor of up to ten in the case of closely separated doublets, leading to greatly improved doublet resolution. The need for laboratories to demonstrate the reliability of their chosen peak fitting techniques and measures of peak intensity is also demonstrated. (orig.)
A comparison of maximum likelihood (or chi-square) and Bayesian peak fitting techniques shows that the latter can reduce peak intensity uncertainties by a factor of up to ten in the case of closely separated doublets, leading to greatly improved doublet resolution. The need for laboratories to demonstrate the reliability of their chosen peak fitting techniques and measures of peak intensity is also demonstrated. (orig.).
This study investigated the effects of electromagnetic fields on enzymes involved in purine metabolism in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. Cells were obtained from 20 volunteers. We...Full Text Available
Pairing correlations in multi-quasiparticle states in deformed nuclei are expected to be reduced because of blocking. New intrinsic states and their associated rotational bands have been identified allowing comparisons to be made as a function of seniority and between nuclei. The possible effects of the reduced pairing on the collective rotation, and its manifestation in terms of alignment, are discussed. 13 refs., 2 figs.
Experiments were carried out to determine the adsorption capability of some commercial activated and non-activated charcoal samples with methanol to select the most favourable pair to be used in a solar adsorption refrigeration system. The results obtained are presented. A simple method has been used to enhance the adsorption capability of the lumpwood charcoal. (Author)
This work deals with a time-resolved optical study of the avalanche and streamer formation phases leading to breakdown in atmospheric nitrogen. The authors present the results obtained for nitrogen, from experiments and two-dimensional model simulations. This model is used to obtain a better insight in the relevant mechanisms and processes by a comparison of measurements and simulation data. The trends of externally measured quantities correspond with those predicted by the model.
A simple and continuous model for the on-state current of polysilicon thin-film transistors, suitable for implementation in circuit simulators, is presented. The model includes the potential barrier at the grain boundaries, the channel length modulation and the excess current due to impact ionization. Comparison between measured output characteristics and the model shows excellent agreement over wide range of bias voltages and for devices with different gate lengths.
Radiotherapy has been reported to be of benefit in prolonging the survival of patients with cholangiocarcinoma. This study examined whether radiotherapy in addition to endoscopic stenting improved survival. The survival advantage of radiotherapy in those with a type II/III stricture is seen only in the first 10 months after diagnosis. The costs of radiotherapy and significantly increased time spent in hospital, however, raise doubts over its routine use in the management of non-resectable cholangiocarcinoma. (Author).
We have examined homologous fragments of DNA cloned from two different tissues for changes in the dNA sequence which might be related to tissue specific gene expression. The 5' end of the chicken ovalbumin...Full Text Available
During the erection of the Sandia 34-Meter VAWT Test Bed, the induced gravitational stress state in the turbine blades and their associated deflections were measured. This manuscript details the measurements that were taken on the Test Bed blades during erection and compares them to the stresses and deflections predicted by the NASTRAN finite element code.
Nutrient elements contained in litter fall flux, that of uptake flux and turnover rate had generally tended to increase with the increase in the Warmth Index, while the amount of nutrient in the A[sub 0] horizon and nutrient use efficiency did not. However, it is suggested that topographic and climatic aridity, and the amount of available and exchangeable phosphorus, calcium and magnesium greatly affect the nutrient dynamics in a each forest ecosystem as the Warmth Index increases. (J.P.N.).
During the last several years, audible noise produced by high voltage transmission lines in corona has emerged as an important design consideration. In this same time frame a number of different methods for calculating audible noise levels have been proposed. The methods currently available, for both ac and dc lines, are described in this paper and are compared through application to practical line geometries for which data from long-term measurements are available.
Laser-Doppler anemometry was used to investigate mean flow and turbulence fields in a direct injection diesel engine, motored at speeds of 1500, 2250 and 3000 rev/min. Both cycle-resolved and ensemble-averaged measurements were made in the upper part of the cylinder during the inlet and compression strokes. The cycle-resolved measurements in the inlet stroke are discussed in this paper.
Environmental and occupational exposures to heavy metals such as methylmercury (MeHg) and cadmium (Cd) pose significant health risks to humans, including neurotoxicity. The underlying mechanisms of...Full Text Available
The implementation of the convolution/superposition method in real dose planning situations is considered. The modelling of photon spectra, the use of patient and treatment setup information, and the calculation of the photon energy released in a patient are detailed. A comparison is made between the approaches of calculating the relative dose directly and using a factor derived from measurements to correct the calculated relative dose. 13 refs.; 7 figs.
Hydrologic information is essential for environmental efforts at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Testing at new characterization wells being drilled to the regional aquifer (''R wells'') to improve the conceptual hydrogeologic model of the Pajarito Plateau is providing such information. Drilling has been by air-rotary casing-advance or open-hole methods. Most wells are completed with multiple screens. After their construction, wells were rigorously developed by wire-brushing, bailing, followed by surging, swabbing, or jetting, and finally by pumping. These methods are effective based on field-parameter measurements and comparison of results of hydrologic testing at well R-31 before and after complete well development. We conducted field tests on various zones of saturation penetrated by the R wells to collect data needed for determining hydraulic properties. This document provides details of the design and execution of testing as ...
Purpose: To evaluate micro computed tomography (micro-CT) for the assessment of osteochondritis dissecans in comparison with histology. Material and Methods: Osteochondritis dissecans lesions of 3 patients were evaluated using micro-CT (0.125 mA, 40 keV, 60 m slice thickness, 60 m isotropic resolution, entire sample) and light microscopy (toluidine blue, 3-5 m slice thickness). The methods were compared regarding preparation time, detectability of tissue types and morphologic features of bone and cartilage. Results: Non-destructive micro-CT imaging of the entire sample was faster than histologic preparation of a single slice for light microscopy. Morphologic features of bone and cartilage could be imaged in a comparable way to histology. It was not possible to image cells or different tissue types of bone and cartilage with micro-CT. Conclusion: Micro-CT is a fast, non-destructive tool that may be a supplement or, if detailed histologic information is not ...
Purpose: To evaluate micro computed tomography (micro-CT) for the assessment of osteochondritis dissecans in comparison with histology. Material and Methods: Osteochondritis dissecans lesions of 3 patients were evaluated using micro-CT (0.125 mA, 40 keV, 60 m slice thickness, 60 m isotropic resolution, entire sample) and light microscopy (toluidine blue, 3-5 m slice thickness). The methods were compared regarding preparation time, detectability of tissue types and morphologic features of bone and cartilage. Results: Non-destructive micro-CT imaging of the entire sample was faster than histologic preparation of a single slice for light microscopy. Morphologic features of bone and cartilage could be imaged in a comparable way to histology. It was not possible to image cells or different tissue types of bone and cartilage with micro-CT. Conclusion: Micro-CT is a fast, non-destructive tool that may be a supplement or, if detailed histologic information is not ...
Estuaries and coastal regions are highly variable in the physical and hydrographic conditions. As a result of heavy urbanization and industrialization of the head waters of most estuaries, there are substantial localized inputs of contaminants to the estuary. These factors combined with the flushing characteristics of individual estuaries to create relatively unique features that result in variation in the typical levels of trace metals for these systems. This makes intercomparison of the estuaries difficult. Comparability among estuaries becomes even more difficult when metals analyses are conducted without proper control of field and laboratory contamination, now firmly established in the trace metal analytical literature as a prerequisite for reliable marine trace metals analysis. This paper compares the concentrations of selected trace metal (Ag, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) concentrations in the waters of several major estuaries of the United States. The basis of ...
Precondition for the low-NO operation of gas turbine burners is the generation of as homogeneous as possible a gaseous fuel/air mixture. Such a burner behavior can be achieved by selective adaptation of the flow and injection. A computing model is introduced that calculates the dynamically balanced GASs/droplet flow through numerical solution of the transport equations in a curved orthogonal coordinate system. The feedback reaction of the fuel droplets to the gas phase is considered by source terms and/or sink terms. Test computations were carried out for comparison with analytical solutions from the flow mechanics and validated by comparison with measurement results. Droplet motion and evaporation were checked by means of published experimental results on single droplets. For the validation of the developed computing technique, model tests were carried out with water in place of fuel. It is pointed out that the choice of different parameters ...
We present results of the search for Cepheids in the galaxy IC1613 carried out as a sub-project of the OGLE-II microlensing survey. 138 Cepheids were found in the 14.2x14.2 arcmin region in the center of the galaxy. We present light curves, VI photometry and basic data for all these objects, as well as color-magnitude diagram of the observed field. The Period--Luminosity (PL) diagrams for IC1613 fundamental mode Cepheids for VI and interstellar extinction insensitive index W_I are constructed. Comparison of PL relations in metal poor galaxy IC1613 ([Fe/H]~-1.0 dex) with relations in metal richer Magellanic Clouds allows us to study dependence of Cepheid PL relations on metallicity in the wide range of metallicities covered by these three galaxies. The slopes of PL relations in IC1613 are identical as in the Magellanic Clouds. The comparison of brightness of Cepheids with the magnitudes of the tip of the red giant branch stars and RR Lyr stars ...
(abridged) We present a study of stellar population of LAEs at z=4.86 in GOODS-N and its flanking field. With the publicly available IRAC data in GOODS-N and further IRAC observations in the flanking fields, we select five LAEs which are not contaminated by neighboring objects in IRAC images and construct their observed SEDs with I_c, z', IRAC 3.6micron, and 4.5micron band photometry. The SEDs cover the rest-frame UV to optical wavelengths. We derive stellar masses, ages, color excesses, and star formation rates of five LAEs using SED fitting method. Assuming the constant star formation history, we find that the stellar masses range from 10^8 to $10^{10} Msun with the median value of 2.5x10^9 Msun. The derived ages range from very young ages (7.4 Myr) to 437 Myr with a median age of 25 Myr. The color excess E(B-V) are between 0.1-0.4 mag. Star formation rates are 55-209 Msun/yr. A comparison of the stellar populations is made between three LAEs and 88 LBGs selected ...
New rare earth oxide emitters show greater efficiency than previous emitters. As a result, based on a simple model the efficiency of these emitters was calculated. Results indicate that the emission band of the selective emitter must be at relatively low energy (less than or equal to .52 eV) to obtain maximum efficiency at moderate emitter temperatures (less than or equal to 1500 K). Thus low bandgap energy PV materials are required to obtain an efficient thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system. Of the 4 specific rare earths (Nd, Ho, Er, Yb) studied Ho has the largest efficiency at moderate temperatures (72 percent at 1500 K). A comparison was made between a selective emitter TPV system and a TPV system that uses a thermal emitter plus a band pass filter to make the thermal emitter behave like a selective emitter. Results of the comparison indicate that only for very optimistic filter and thermal emitter properties will the filter TPV system have a ...
Results reported are for single dose exposures and refer to "6"0Co-#gamma#-irradiation. The RBE determined by V79 cell survival and based on the Do ratio was found to be 1.70#+-#0.4 ranging from 1.5 to 1.8. In the case of the regeneration of mouse jejunal crypts the RBE was calculated at ten cell curvival and was found to be 1.68. The maximum acute mouse skin reaction at a skin score of 2.0 was found to be 2.1 while the average skin reaction was 1.7. Growth retardation of Vicia faba bean roots measured at the level of 50% indicated an average RBE of 3.0 and a range of 2.7 to 3.7. The OER obtained for V79 cell survival was found to be 1.7 to 1.8. Comparison is made with the RBE and OER measurements for the neutron facilities at Clatterbridge, Fermilab and Louvain-la-Neuve which produce neutrons by the same nuclear reaction and whose physical specifications closely resemeble those of the Faure neutrons. This comparison indicates that the Faure ...
A comparative assessment of five different heat transfer configurations for operation in compact heat exchangers is presented. The configurations under consideration are four standaed heat exchanger surfaces - two plain fin, an offset strip and a louvered fin geometry - and one surface with so called vortex generators for heat transfer augmentation. In the case of the standard surfaces, the basic performance characteristics in the form of heat transfer and friction data versus the Reynolds number have been taken from published experimental results. In the case of the vortex generator surface, the performance characteristics have been derived from a numerical prediction of the flow and temperature field in a closely spaced parallel plate channel with vortex generators in the form of delta wings mounted on the channel walls. In comparison to the plain fin surfaces with a rectangular cross section, the vortex generator surface shows best performance characteristics ...
Every day we are witnesses of constantly rapid increase of consumption of Electric energy in R. of Macedonia as so as in the other countries in all the world. This rapid increase of consumption of Electric energy independent of a lot of electrical units, which are applying in human life like: homes, administration and publication objects, as well as in industry. All of this conditions make us to thinking how is possible more rational consumption of electric energy in all areas in human life. One of the possible manners to reduce the consumption of electrical energy for heating and cooling is to use geothermal heat pumps. In this paper will be proposed geothermal heat pump, which is going to use the heat of earth by vertical and horizontal cupper pipe heat exchanger with data from-GHP (Geothermal Heat Pump) NORDIC, factory in Canada. Also, it will be examined all parameters and done comparison with already existing ones. It is analyzed ...
A quantitative energy pathway comparison is made between a modern oil refinery and genetic fusion hydrogen plant supporting hybrid-electric cars powered by gasoline and hydrogen-optimized internal combustion engines, respectively, both meeting President Clinton's goal for advanced car goal of 80 mpg gasoline equivalent. The comparison shows that a fusion electric plant producing hydrogen by water electrolysis at 80% efficiency must have an electric capacity of 10 GWe to support as many hydrogen-powered hybrid cars as one modern 200,000 bbl/day-capacity oil refinery could support in gasoline-powered hybrid cars. A 10 GWe fusion electric plant capital cost is limited to 12.5 B$ to produce electricity at 2.3 cents/kWehr, and hydrogen production by electrolysis at 8 $/GJ, for equal consumer fuel cost per passenger mile as in the oil-gasoline-hybrid pathway.
Traditional laboratory diffusion experiments in rock material are time consuming, and quite small samples are generally used. Electrical conductivity measurements, on the other hand, provide a fast means for examining transport properties in rock and allow measurements on larger samples as well. Laboratory measurements using electrical conductivity give results that compare well to those from traditional diffusion experiments. The measurement of the electrical resistivity in the rock surrounding a borehole is a standard method for the detection of water conducting fractures. If these data could be correlated to matrix diffusion properties, in-situ diffusion data from large areas could be obtained. This would be valuable because it would make it possible to obtain data very early in future investigations of potentially suitable sites for a repository. This study compares laboratory electrical conductivity measurements with in-situ resistivity measurements from a borehole at Aespoe. The ...
Purpose: To evaluate a T_2-weighted URSE sequence for the assessment of pulmonary infiltrations in comparison to CT. Methods: 28 MRT scans of 22 patients with confirmed pneumonia were recorded on a 1.5 Tesla apparatus with an expiratory and diastolic triggered, T_2-weighted ultrafast-spin-echo sequence in axial slice mode with the following parameters: TR_e_f_f/T_E/Turbofactor 2000-4000/90 ms/21-23; slice thickness/separation 6/0.6 mm; FOV 360 mm; 24 slices. 24 spiral CTs (sice thickness/table advance: 1-2 mm/10 mm) were available for comparison. The separate evaluation of MRTs and CTs was performed by three radiologists in a consensus procedure with regard to pulmonary lesions (e.g., infiltration, round foci, net patterns) and image quality of the MRTs (4-step scale). Results: In 71% of the cases the CTs and MRTs agreed with the diagnosis and representation of the lesions, in 25% MRT was superior. MRT was better for the detection of pulmonary ...
We construct a sample of low-redshift Ly-alpha emission-line selected sources from GALEX grism spectroscopy of nine deep fields to study the role of Ly-alpha emission in galaxy populations with cosmic time. Our final sample consists of 122 (142) sources selected in the redshift interval z=0.195-0.44 (z=0.65-1.25) from the FUV (NUV) channel. We classify the Ly-alpha sources as AGNs if high-ionization emission lines are present in their UV spectra and as galaxies otherwise. These classifications are broadly supported by comparisons with X-ray and optical spectroscopic observations. We classify additional sources as AGNs using line widths for our Ly-alpha emitter (LAE) analysis. Defining the GALEX LAE sample in the same way as high-redshift LAE samples, we show that LAEs constitute only about 5% of NUV-continuum selected galaxies at z~0.3. We also show that they are less common at z~0.3 than they are at z~3. We find that the z~0.3 optically-confirmed Ly-alpha galaxies ...
The local environment of Ca dopants in barium titanate, BaTiO_3, is investigated by Ca K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. In conjunction with experiments, first-principles calculations by two methods are systematically made. The projector-augmented wave (PAW) method is used to optimize the local structure and obtain the formation energy. The augmented plane wave plus local orbitals method is adopted to obtain theoretical XANES spectra. A comparison between experimental and theoretical XANES spectra shows that Ca dopants are located at the Ba"2"+ sites forming Ca"2"+. Formation energy calculations of Ca doped BaTiO_3 by the PAW method also give the same results. The Ca atom in BaTiO_3 is off-centering in comparison with the Ba site in BaTiO_3. The off-centering of Ca atom is newly revealed by the combination of XANES spectroscopy and first-principles DFT calculations.
Inner ring structures are observed in about one quarter of all lenticular or spiral galaxies. Statistics of the relative frequencies of the pure ring (r) and broken ring (rs) varieties in the Second Reference Catalogue (RC2) among the different families (A, AB, B) of lenticular (L) and spiral (S) galaxies at different stages (T) along the revised Hubble sequence are presented; selection effects dependent on classification weight, apparent diameter and axis ratio are discussed. Comparisons of ring diameters D/sub r/ listed in the (First) Reference Catalogue (RC1) with independent measurements of 43 barred systems by Kormendy show good systematic agreement with a standard deviation sigma_1_2(D/sub r/) = 0'.10 and individual relative mean errors sigma(D/sub r/)/ < D/sub r/ > approx. = 5%. Axis ratios are also in good agreement with sigma_1_2(b/a) = 0.06. Comparisons of axis ratios of rings and parent galaxies show systematic trends dependent ...
Indoor and soil gas Radon ({sup 222}Rn) concentration measurements were accomplished in two stages in Sivas, a central eastern city in Turkey. In the first stage, CR-39 passive nuclear track detectors supplied by the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEA) were placed in the selected houses throughout Sivas centrum in two seasons; summer and winter. Before the setup of detectors, a detailed questionnaire form was distributed to the inhabitants of selected houses to investigate construction parameters and properties of the houses, and living conditions of inhabitants. Detectors were collected back two months later and analysed at TAEA laboratories to obtain indoor {sup 222}Rn gas concentration values. In the second stage, soil gas {sup 222}Rn measurements were performed using an alphameter near the selected houses for the indoor measurements. Although {sup 222}Rn concentrations in Sivas were quite low in relation with the allowable limits, they are higher than the average of Turkey. ...
A statistical survey is conducted of air pollution in the city of Rome (Italy) due to conventional building space heating systems burning fossil fuels. The survey identifies the annual consumption of the different fuels and the relative amounts of the various pollutants released into the atmosphere by the heating plants, e.g., sulfur and nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, etc. Comparisons are then made between the ratios of urban heating plant air pollutants produced per tonne of fuel employed and those for ENEL (Italian National Electricity Board) coal, oil and natural gas fired power plants, in order to demonstrate the better environmental performances of the utility operated energy plants. The building space heating system energy consumption and pollution data are then used in a cost benefit analysis favouring the retrofitting of conventional heating systems with heat pump systems to obtain substantial reductions in energy consumption, heating bills and urban air ...
In this report the effects of harmonics in marine power systems is discussed and a comparison is given between the most typical converter types, including pulse width modulated drives, load commutated inverters and cycloconverters. The effect of harmonic distortion on the power system equipment and loads is first briefly discussed. Special attention is given to the circumstances in the low voltage distribution system, where general load equipment is connected. In addition to the total harmonic distortion the effect of voltage deviation to the supply quality is also considered. The origin of harmonics in the load currents of the three converter types is then considered. The differences between the converters are outlined, and the most typical spectra are presented. The possible means for reducing the harmonic distortion are also studied. The solutions considered are the increasing of the short circuit level, the use of harmonic filters and the increasing of the ...
Two different methods for streamlined life cycle assessment (LCA) are described: the MECO-method and SLCA. Both methods are tested on an already made case-study on cars fuelled with petrol or ethanol, and electric cars with electricity produced from hydro power or coal. The report also contains some background information on LCA and streamlined LCA, and a deschption of the case study used. The evaluation of the MECO and SLCA-methods are based on a comparison of the results from the case study as well as practical aspects. One conclusion is that the SLCA-method has some limitations. Among the limitations are that the whole life-cycle is not covered, it requires quite a lot of information and there is room for arbitrariness. It is not very flexible instead it difficult to develop further. We are therefore not recommending the SLCA-method. The MECO-method does in comparison show several attractive features. It is also interesting to note that the ...
A multicentre evaluation of the urine test strip analyser Super Aution-4220 was carried out in six laboratories. The analytical performance of the instrument with regard to imprecision, linearity, detection limit, drift, carry-over and method comparison was studied. Using the Aution stick 8 test strip the pH, glucose, protein, ketones, bilirubin, blood, urobilinogen and leukocyte esterase were analysed. Specific gravity measurements were performed by refractive index method. Within-run and between-run imprecision determined at three levels of analyte were good. No carry-over was observed. Obtained results were linear through all the described analytical range. No significant drift was detected. Method comparison with some quantitative methods was performed and showed a good correlation with most of the analytes. The study of interferences showed minor interferences by common therapeutic drugs with the measurement of some analytes. During the ...
To assess the potential of CT in evaluating the histological severity of acute appendicitis in comparison with surgical and pathological findings. The CT images of 75 patients with surgically proven appendicitis, including 10 cases of catarrhal, 34 of phlegmonous, and 31 of gangrenous appendicitis, were retrospectively analyzed for the following five CT findings: hazy periappendiceal densities, enlarged appendix, increased enhancement of the appendiceal wall, increased enhancement of the periappendiceal intestinal wall, and deficiency of the appendiceal wall. By comparing all the CT findings and the pathological severity of appendicitis (catarrhal, phlegmonous, and gangrenous), the prevalence of the five CT findings was calculated for each pathological category. Abnormal CT findings were noted in only one case of catarrhal appendicitis. Increased enhancement of the appendiceal wall was observed in all 29 cases of phlegmonous appendicitis (100%), but in only 66.7% ...
The electrode reaction of Pu{sup 3+}/Pu couple at the interface between LiCl-KCl eutectic melt containing PuCl{sub 3} and liquid Bi phase was investigated by cyclic voltammetry at 723, 773 and 823 K. For comparison, the system was also studied using a solid Mo electrode in place of the liquid Bi electrode. It was found that the electrode reaction of Pu{sup 3+}/Pu couple at the Bi electrode was almost reversible. The redox potentials of Pu{sup 3+}/Pu couple at the liquid Bi electrode in the LiCl-KCl eutectic melt containing 0.87 wt% PuCl{sub 3} (0.0014 mole fraction) at 723, 773 and 823 K were observed to be more positive by 0.575, 0.572 and 0.566 V, respectively, than those at the Mo electrode. These differences in potential were thermodynamically analyzed by assuming a lowering of the activity of Pu in Bi phase according to the alloy formation of PuBi{sub 2}. (author)
Unlike markets for storable commodities, electricity markets depend on the real-time balance of supply and demand. Although much of the present-day grid operate effectively without storage technologies, cost-effective ways of storing electrical energy can make the grid more efficient and reliable. This work addresses an economic comparison between emerging and traditional Electric Energy Storage (EES) technologies in a competitive electricity market. In order to achieve this goal, an appropriate Self-Scheduling (SS) approach must first be developed for each of them to determine their maximum potential of expected profit among multi-markets such as energy and ancillary service markets. Then, these technologies are economically analyzed using Internal Rate of Return (IRR) index. Finally, the amounts of needed financial supports are determined for choosing the emerging technologies when an investor would like to invest on EES technologies. Among available EES ...
An analysis is given of the problems which can be solved by the use of electric-powered vehicles. A detailed comparison is made of the energy consumption and the air polluting emissions of electric and conventional vehicles, taking into account the energy consumption of the vehicles and the primary energy consumption of electric power generation and automotive fuels production. Also the air pollution, as a result of power generation and fuel production are considered. In chapter 1 an outline is given of the traffic and transportation sector in the Netherlands with special attention to data on the energy consumption and the air pollution of this sector. Based on these data the problems can be formulated for which the application of electric vehicles can be a solution. In chapter three a brief description is given of the technical specifications and characteristics of electric vehicles. Special attention is paid to the battery types. The energy and environmental ...
We examine the observable properties of simulated barred galaxies including radial mass profiles, edge-on structure and kinematics, bar lengths and pattern speed evolution for detailed comparison to real systems. We have run several simulations in which bars are created through inherent instabilities in self-consistent simulations of a realistic disc+halo galaxy model with a disc-dominated, flat rotation curve. These simulations were run at high (N=20M particles) and low (N=500K) resolution to test numerical convergence. We determine the pattern speeds in simulations directly from the phase angle of the bar versus time and the Tremaine-Weinberg method. Fundamental dynamics do not change between the high and low resolution, suggesting that convergence has been reached in this case. We find the higher resolution is needed to simulate structural and kinematic properties accurately. The edge-on view of the higher-resolution system clearly shows the bending instability ...
The susceptibility to pitting corrosion of AA2024-T4, AA7075-T651 and AA7475-T761 aluminium alloys was investigated in aqueous neutral chloride solution for the purpose of comparison using electrochemical noise measurement. The experimentally measured electrochemical noises were analysed based upon the combined stochastic theory and shot-noise theory using the Weibull distribution function. From the occurrence of two linear regions on one Weibull probability plot, it was suggested that there existed two stochastic processes of uniform corrosion and pitting corrosion; pitting corrosion was distinguished from uniform corrosion in terms of the frequency of events in the stochastic analysis. Accordingly, the present analysis method allowed us to investigate pitting corrosion independently. The susceptibility to pitting corrosion was appropriately evaluated by determining pit embryo formation rate in the stochastic analysis. The susceptibility was decreased in the ...
There is a plethora of new silver-containing dressings on the market today. Various manufacturers attempt to show that their dressings are the most efficacious and therefore should be preferentially employed by health care workers based on the results of their in vitro tests. However, there have been no studies that clearly identify which tests are appropriate for comparison purposes. The purpose of this study was to determine which in vitro test is most appropriate for evaluating the antimicrobial efficacy of silver-containing dressings. This was done by testing seven silver-containing dressings and two non-silver-containing topical agents against 17 clinically relevant microorganisms using zone of inhibition assays and time-kill kinetic assays in complex media. The results for the two assays were then correlated to determine whether the methods generated similar results. It was determined that the two methods do not correlate at all. This is most likely a result ...
Lanthanum halide (LaBr_3:Ce) scintillators offer significantly better resolution (< 3% at 662 keV) relative to NaI(Tl) and have recently become commercially available in sizes large enough for the handheld, Radio-Isotope Identification Device (RIID) market. Drawbacks to lanthanum halide detectors, however, include internal radioactivity contributing to spectral counts, and a low-energy response which can cause detector resolution to be worse than that of NaI(Tl) below 100 keV. To study the potential of this new material for RIIDs we performed a series of measurements comparing a 1.5 x 1.5-inch LaBr_3:Ce detector with an Exploranium GR-135 RIID, which contains a 1.5 x 2.2-inch NaI(Tl) detector. Measurements were taken for short timeframes, as typifies RIID usage. Measurements included examples of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), typically found in cargo, and special nuclear materials. Some measurements were non-contact, involving short distances or cargo shielding ...
In Arabian Gulf industrial development, location factors show a favorable decline compared to the US as a result of industrial experience and the development of a data base on which to base comparisons. Petrochemical feedstocks and capital are the major resources for the Arabian states' investments. Cost analyses of ammonia, ethylene, and methanol show that production is only a little more than half the US production costs. While ethylene derivatives lose their economic advantage, they are more practical for marketing. Methanol production is developing slower than the production of ethylene derivatives because of competition in industrialized countries and low world prices for gas, but rising gas prices and the use of methanol for fuel are changing this situation. Comparisons of the growing aluminum industry with the investment and operating costs of other countries show that total operating costs are low, total costs per ton are ...
A CRC cooperative program was conducted to determine the difference in octane requirements between technical raters and 'customers' (the general driving public). The tests were conducted in two phases, with the second being a repeat of the first to verify the results obtained. The trained raters used the CRC E-15 procedure to determine the octane requirement of the vehicles while the customers' perception and objection to knock were determined through the use of a questionnaire. The customers' responses (perception and objection level) were based upon audible knock, acceleration performance, and after-run on a series of full-boiling-range customer/rater unleaded (FBRCU) reference-fuels. Data were analyzed from 168 1988-1991 model-year vehicles, with 126 of these tested in Phase II. The results showed that the customers, objections and perceptions were overwhelmingly based on knock, rather than acceleration performance or after-run. Two general ...
Comparisons were made between various LH and FSH radioimmunoassays currently being used to measure avian hormones. The two LH assays were the homologous chicken system of Follett et al. (1972) and the turkey assay of Burke et al. (1979). These assays were also used in heterologous arrangement by interchanging the iodinated LH fractions and antisera. Five FSH assays were analyzed: two homologous chicken systems (Scanes et al., 1977; Sakai and Ishii, 1980) an assay based on mammalian materials (rat FSH and anti-ovine FSH antiserum, and one using labelled turkey FSH (Burke et al., 1979) with an anti-chicken FSH antiserum. The potencies of purified chicken and turkey gonadotrophin preparations and of a range of plasma samples from Japanese quail were measured in each assay. The two LH systems showed some degree of species specificity, such that chicken LH was more active than turkey LH in the chicken assay, whereas the reverse was true in the turkey LH assay. The ...
IntroductionCopper(II)-diacetyl-bis(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone), or Cu-ATSM, a hypoxia imaging agent, has been shown to be predictive of response to traditional cancer therapies in patients with a wide range of tumors. It is known that the environment of the tumor results in a myriad of physiological consequences, including hypoxia, alterations in metabolism and proliferation. In an effort to better characterize the relationships between Cu-ATSM and other prominent radiopharmaceuticals, this current study was undertaken to compare the regional distribution of 64Cu-ATSM with [18F]fluoromisonidazole (18F-FMISO), [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) and [18F]fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) in 9L tumors.MethodsTaking advantage of the different half-life of 18F (t1/2=110 min) in comparison to 64Cu...
The profusion of online digital images presents new challenges for image indexing. Images have always been problematic to describe and catalogue due to lack of inherent textual data and ambiguity of meaning. An alternative to time-consuming professionally-applied metadata has been sought in the form of tags, simple keywords that form a flat structure known as distributed classification, or more popularly as a folksonomy. This research aims to increase understanding of why people tag and how effective they find it for searching, using as the focus. Open-ended questionnaires were sent out to members of the photo-sharing website Flickr, with the opportunity to post comments to an online discussion space. There is also a systematic comparison between a tag-based system and a more traditional controlled vocabulary, to test out the claims made regarding the suitability of tagging for searching and browsing. For this purpose Flickr has been compared with Getty Images ...
Solid polymer fuel cell (SPFC) systems are compared to spark ignition (SI) engine power systems for utility vehicle applications. Utility vehicles provide crew and payload transport and electrical power at work sites lacking grid supply. The methodology emphasizes comparison on an equal service basis. Using power system component models and numerical analysis, power systems are designed using SI engine and SPFC technologies. The power systems are compared on the basis of fuel energy consumed and life cycle cost (LCC). Gasoline is the fuel for the SI engines, while liquid hydrogen is used for the SPFC. Three types of SPFC power system configurations are studied. The superior SPFC in terms of LCC is a fuel cell/battery hybrid where the fuel cell is sized to provide average driving power. Using today's technology, SPFC power systems have a lower fuel consumption but have higher capital costs and consequently lose to SI engine power systems with regard to LCC. ...
The low cycle fatigue testing was carried out to provide a basis for comparison of the behavior of the two kinds of Alloy 800 (low carbon Alloy 800 and high carbon Alloy 800H). The testing was done at temperatures of 500"0C and 650"0C either with or without hold. The results obtained were as follows: (1) At 650"0C, the low-cycle fatigue life was essentially the same for the two alloys on the basis of strain amplitude, but Alloy 800H had a longer life on the basis of stress amplitude. (2) At 500"0C, the two alloys exhibited longer lives than at 650"0C, with Alloy 800 exhibiting 2-3 times longer life than Alloy 800H when compared on the basis of plastic strain range. At this temperature the stress range showed the maximum for Alloy 800H. (3) When a creep effect was introduced either by way of a hold time or a reduced frequency, Alloy 800 exhibited a greater reduction in life than in Alloy 800H. (4) At lower temperature the strain aging phenomena became significant ...
The main purpose of this paper is to explore a numerical algorithm for determining the contact stress when a circular crowned roller is compressed between two plates. To start with, the deformation curve on a plate surface will be derived by using the contact mechanical model. Then, the contact stress distribution along the roller which occurs on the plate surface is divided into three parts: from the center of contact to the edge, the edge and apart from the contact line. The first part is calculated by the elastic contact theorem for the contact subjected to nominal stress between non-crowned parts of roller and plates, the second part is obtained by the classical Hertzian contact solution for the contact between crowned parts of roller and plates, and the third part is simulated as exponential decay. In order to overcome the defect of the half space theorem, in which a plate with infinite thickness is assumed initially, a weighting method is introduced to find the contact stress of ...
This paper presents a new methodology to create realistic 3D microstructures of polycrystals. The virtual microstructures are based on statistical data describing the morphological and crystallographic textures of a sample, obtained from an EBSD analysis. In addition, the methodology can reproduce the observed surface on top of the simulated microstructure. This feature allows finite element calculations on these virtual aggregates to be compared to experimental results of mechanical tests. Such a comparison leads to the identification of the mechanical parameters of constitutive laws, such as critical resolved shear stress and strain hardening, using an optimization algorithm. Two materials were simulated in this study: TiAl and grade 702 zirconium. The first one presents twins inside the microstructure and the second one has an anisotropic texture. Based on 2D simulations, the important parameters necessary to describe a microstructure were identified as grain ...