Flow fields in electromagnetic stirring of rectangular strands with linear inductors: Part II. computation of flow fields in billets,blooms, and slabs of steel

The model presented in Part I of this series of papers is used to compute flow velocities in the longitudinal stirring of steel blooms and billets, and in the horizontal stirring of steel slabs. In longitudinal stirring of blooms and billets the reverse flow is on the side of the strand opposite to the inductor. The effects of penetration depth of the electromagnetic force, of the force itself, of the length of the stirrer, and of the width of the liquid core were determined. In horizontal stirring of slabs the reverse flow takes place outside of the stirrer region, forming the so-called butterfly stirring pattern. The characteristics of this flow field depend to a considerable extent on the width of the stirrer. The effects of stirrer width, of thickness of the liquid core, of force and of width of the slab were elucidated. The maximum velocities in both types of stirring are represented as simple formulae.     

First experiences with a new infrared thermometry device in mammary gland diagnosis

A parasitology survey was conducted in five villages in North Sumatra, Indonesia. A total of 3,207 blood smears, 2,066 stool specimens and 969 sera were examined. Sixty (1.9%) inhabitants had malaria (Plasmodium vivax 41, P. falciparum 19), and 20 had Brugia malayi microfilaraemia. The most common intestinal helminths were Trichuris trichiura (87%), Ascaris lumbricoides (75%) and hookworm (58%). Other helminths found in low numbers were Enterobius vermicularis, Strongyloides stercoralis, Taenia sp., Fasciolid, Dicrocoeliid and Echinostoma sp. eggs. Entamoeba coli (25%) was the most common intestinal protozoa followed by Endolimax nana (8%), Entamoeba histolytica (7%), Giardia lamblia (6%), Iodamoeba bütschlii (5%), Entamoeba hartmanni (1%) and Chilomastix mesnili (1%). The amoeba prevalence rate was 31 per cent. Testing of sera for Entamoeba histolytica and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by the indirect haemagglutination test demonstrated positive reactors in 13 per cent and nine per cent of the population respectively. The greatest number of seropositives for Toxoplasma gondii was at elevations of sea level to five meters and the lowest number at elevations of 5OO-1,000 meters.     

Interactions of soluble recombinant integrin alphav beta5 with human adenoviruses

alphav integrins have been identified as coreceptors for adenovirus (Ad) internalization; however, direct interactions of these molecules with Ad have not been demonstrated. We report here the expression of soluble integrin alphav beta5, which retains the ability to recognize the Ad penton base as well as vitronectin, an Arg Gly Asp (RGD)-containing extracellular matrix protein. Soluble integrin alphav beta5 reacted with seven different Ad serotypes (subgroups A to E) in solid-phase binding assays. The soluble integrin exhibited different levels of binding to each Ad serotype; however, binding to multiple Ad types required the presence of divalent metal cations and was inhibited by a synthetic RGD peptide, indicating that RGD and cation-binding sequences regulate Ad interactions with alphav beta5. Incubation of Ad particles with soluble alphav beta5 integrin also inhibited subsequent Ad internalization into epithelial cells as well as virus attachment to monocytic cells. These findings suggest that soluble alphav integrins or antagonists of these coreceptors could be used to limit infection by multiple Ad types. The generation of soluble alphav integrins should also permit further detailed kinetic and structural analysis of Ad interactions with its coreceptors.     

Neuropsychological consequences of extreme weight loss and dietary restriction in patients with anorexia nervosa

This study examined the effects of weight loss and nutritional status on the cognitive performance of patients with anorexia nervosa. The intellectual, memory, attentional, verbal fluency and visuospatial abilities of 34 females with anorexia were compared to that of 31 normal weight-for-height females. Group differences in anxiety and depression were found but neither variable was related to the cognitive performance of patients with anorexia. Moreover, nutritional status and weight loss bore little relationship to the cognitive scores of the patient group. Overall, patients with anorexia were found to be deficient in their ability to recall meaningful prose and visuospatial information. The failure to find many cognitive deficits in this sample may reflect the fact that few patients with anorexia exhibited frank nutritional deficiencies.     

Implementing NLP projects for noncentral languages: instructions for funding bodies, strategies for developers

This research begins by distinguishing a small number of “central” languages from the “noncentral languages”, where centrality is measured by the extent to which a given language is supported by natural language processing tools and research. We analyse the conditions under which noncentral language projects (NCLPs) and central language projects are conducted. We establish a number of important differences which have far-reaching consequences for NCLPs. In order to overcome the difficulties inherent in NCLPs, traditional research strategies have to be reconsidered. Successful styles of scientific cooperation, such as those found in open-source software development or in the development of the Wikipedia, provide alternative views of how NCLPs might be designed. We elaborate the concepts of free software and software pools and argue that NCLPs, in their own interests, should embrace an open-source approach for the resources they develop and pool these resources together with other similar open-source resources. The expected advantages of this approach are so important that we suggest that funding organizations put it as sine qua non condition into project contracts. All trademarks are hereby acknowledged.     

RRR-Tocopherols and their Acetates as a Possible Scavenger of Free Radicals Produced in the Skin upon UVA-Exposure – An in vivo Screening Method

RRR-tocopherols currently draw attention as constituent of cosmetic preparations a. o. to prevent damage by over-exposure to sunlight. Because they only absorb part of the UVB and are transparent to UVA, their skin protective activity is supposed to be based on scavenging of reactive intermediates formed by ultraviolet radiation. To investigate this possibility, an in vivo method was developed. This is based on the determination of irreversible binding to epidermal DNA/RNA, proteins and lipids, of reactive intermediates formed by photodecomposition of a xenobiotic in the skin. The results support the conclusion that RRR-tocopherols can indeed scavenge reactive intermediates which are formed upon UV-exposure in the skin. RRR-tocopherol acetates also are active in this respect but only after pretreatment for some days (possibly because enzymatic hydrolysis of these compounds is a prerequisite).