Polymerization characteristics of a dye of anthraquinone

A technical dye of the anthraquinone type was analyzed by GPC, mass spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Along with the polymerizable component, N-[4-amino-3-methoxyanthraquinonyl-(1)] methacrylamide (I), it contained a saturated admixture, N-[4-amino-3-methoxyanthraquinonyl-(1)]-2-chloro-2-methylpropionamide (II). The homopolymerization of I was carried out, and admixture II was isolated and characterized. The copolymerization of the dye with styrene and methyl methacrylate was verified, and the retardation effect of II on the polymerization of these monomers was evaluated.     

Biological and technical variables affecting immunoassay recovery of cytokines from human serum and simulated vaginal fluid: a multicenter study

The increase of proinflammatory cytokines in vaginal secretions may serve as a surrogate marker of unwanted inflammatory reaction to microbicide products topically applied for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV-1. Interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6 have been proposed as indicators of inflammation and increased risk of HIV-1 transmission; however, the lack of information regarding detection platforms optimal for vaginal fluids and interlaboratory variation limit their use for microbicide evaluation and other clinical applications. This study examines fluid matrix variants relevant to vaginal sampling techniques and proposes a model for interlaboratory comparisons across current cytokine detection technologies. IL-1beta and IL-6 standards were measured by 12 laboratories in four countries, using 14 immunoassays and four detection platforms based on absorbance, chemiluminescence, electrochemiluminescence, and fluorescence. International reference preparations of cytokines with defined biological activity were spiked into (1) a defined medium simulating the composition of human vaginal fluid at pH 4.5 and 7.2, (2) physiologic salt solutions (phosphate-buffered saline and saline) commonly used for vaginal lavage sampling in clinical studies of cytokines, and (3) human blood serum. Assays were assessed for reproducibility, linearity, accuracy, and significantly detectable fold difference in cytokine level. Factors with significant impact on cytokine recovery were determined by Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance with Dunn's multiple comparison test and multiple regression models. All assays showed acceptable intra-assay reproducibility; however, most were associated with significant interlaboratory variation. The smallest reliably detectable cytokine differences ( P < 0.05) derived from pooled interlaboratory data varied from 1.5- to 26-fold depending on assay, cytokine, and matrix type. IL-6 but not IL-1beta determinations were lower in both saline and phosphate-buffered saline as compared to vaginal fluid matrix, with no significant effect of pH. The (electro)chemiluminescence-based assays were most discriminative and consistently detected <2-fold differences within each matrix type. The Luminex-based assays were less discriminative with lower reproducibility between laboratories. These results suggest the need for uniform vaginal sampling techniques and a better understanding of immunoassay platform differences and cross-validation before the biological significance of cytokine variations can be validated in clinical trials. This investigation provides the first standardized analytic approach for assessing differences in mucosal cytokine levels and may improve strategies for monitoring immune responses at the vaginal mucosal interface.     

M-ary sequential detection under conditions of a priori uncertainty

Sequential detection under conditions of a priori uncertainty is investigated. A MAP sequential detector is developed and its performance is evaluated using mean path approximation. The result obtained are verified via comparison with previously published computer simulation research. The comparison shows a good agreement between theory and experiment. The sequential approach is shown to provide a greatly reduced error rate as compared with one nonsequential approach under the same signal/noise conditions.     

如何选择平锻机

平锻机用于长杆类锻件局部多工位成形,可完成镦粗、冲孔、切边、镦挤、切断、弯曲等工作(图1)。平锻机一般有垂直分模式平锻机和水平模式平锻机两种。锻模分模方式给平锻机结构带来了明显的差别。垂直分模式平锻机在最近30～40年虽结构上变化不大,但耐用性逐步提高,表现在其自身的刚性、工艺适应性及能耗指标均有改善;水平分模式平锻机则相比之下仍处于研制和完善过程之中。1两种平锻机的比较(1)垂直分模式平锻机该类平锻机可靠性高,使用寿命长,工作区域操作方便,锻模更换容易,氧化皮易于从工作区域清理,提高了锻模的寿命。但该类平锻机难于…     

Byzantine Agreement Given Partial Broadcast

This paper considers unconditionally secure protocols for reliable broadcast among a set of n players, where up to t of the players can be corrupted by a (Byzantine) adversary but the remaining h = n - t players remain honest. In the standard model with a complete, synchronous network of bilateral authenticated communication channels among the players, broadcast is achievable if and only if 2n/h < 3. We show that, by extending this model by the existence of partial broadcast channels among subsets of b players, global broadcast can be achieved if and only if the number h of honest players satisfies 2n/h < b + 1. Achievability is demonstrated by protocols with communication and computation complexities polynomial in the size of the network, i.e., in the number of partial broadcast channels. A respective characterization for the related consensus problem is also given.     

Adsorption and desorption dynamics of associative polymers onto particulates of titanium dioxide,alumina and quartz

The authors have been investigating the adsorption and desorption dynamics of nonionic water soluble polymers on inorganic particles. The influence of the nature of polymers with and without associating hydrophobic end groups, the nature of adsorbents [TiO₂, Al₂O₃ (neutral, acid and basic), and SiO₂], polymer concentrations, linear velocity of fluids, and mutual diffusion of polymer molecules on the patterns of adsorption and desorption distribution of polymer concentrations are shown. The model polymer is a nonionic polyurethane polymer based on ethylene oxide. The polymer's structure is R-O-(DI-PEO)₆-DI-O-R (R is C₁₆H₃₃, DI is isophorone diisocyanate, and PEO is CARBOWAX^TM with a molecular weight of 8200). The phenomenological models of association and dissociation kinetics of associative polymers are suggested. The half-lives of clusters into adsorption and desorption layers are estimated. It is shown that heats of desorption of associative polymers are dependent essentially on heats of dissociation of clusters.     

Synchronized External Pulsation for Improved Tolerance to Acceleration Stress: Model Studies and Preliminary Experiments

Synchronized external pulsation is proposed as a method to improve tolerance to acceleration stress. This technique uses a modified anti-G suit which is pressurized and depressurized synchronously with the heart cycle. The feasibility of the procedure has been studied using a computer model of the cardiovascular system which includes the effects of Gz stress, and contains simulations of baroreceptor control of heart rate and venous tone. Model predictions indicate that for unprotected subjects, carotid pressure at eye level (ophthalmic artery pressure) decreases to 20 mmHg (beginning of central light loss) at approximately +3.6 Gz. Applying standard anti-G suit pressure to the model increases this level to 5.3 Gz. When synchronized external pulsation of 2 psi is superimposed on the standard anti-G suit pressure, the tolerance to acceleration stress is further augmented by at least 0.9 G above the protection afforded by the standard anti-G suit alone. A set of preliminary experiments on human subjects to test the feasibility of using the technique in the high-G environment has also been carried out. The results under various protection modes compare favorably to the model predictions. Our results suggest that the computer model presented here is a useful tool for studying cardiovascular responses under +GZ stress. It also indicates that using synchronized external pulsation pressure superimposed on the standard anti-G suit pressure may offer extra protection to acceleration stress.     

Ray Traversal of Spatial Structures

This article presents an efficient algorithm for ray traversal of uniform and hierarchical spatial structures. Only simple integer and logical operations are used. The problem of error accumulation during ray casting is considered. The algorithm is well suited for efficient software and hardware implementation.     

Time factor in mathematical models of geologic and technical processes

Objects of geological investigations, with subsequent technologic impact (e.g., secondary and tertiary recovery) on them, are dynamic systems. They change either in geologic or “technologic” time scale. Thus, in order to develop adequate models of geologic and technologic processes, it is necessary to introduce time factor.The writers offer two methods in constructing such models: analytical and statistical. They allow construction of a series of models for geologic and geotechnologic processes, such as (1) compaction of sediments, (2) development of geofluidal pressures (pore fluid pressures), (3) accumulation of hydrocarbons at depth and in local traps, (4) changes in water saturation of reservoir during its development, and (5) changes in physical and reservoir properties of rocks with time. The writers propose algorithms for computer analysis of data. All models found application in solving practical and theoretical exploration and development problems of oil and gas deposits.     

General intracavity method for laser transition characterization byrelaxation oscillations spectral analysis

Monitoring the transient buildup of laser emission is proposed as a simple method for spectro-temporal intracavity diagnostics of laser transitions and materials. Using this method, we determined the absolute magnitude of both laser emission and absorption cross sections for a line-narrowed tunable Er³⁺-fiber laser