Information System for Antitumor Agents: Computer database biologic module

The structure of the biological module of the computer database in the ISIS/Base format of the Information System for Antitumor Agents of the GU Blokhin Cancer Research Center (CRC), RAMS, is given and the organizational and technological aspects of its loading, editing, retrieval, and use are described.     

Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Informatik 186. Folge

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Concept and salient design features of a high-temperature nuclear reactor with solid coolant

The salient features of using a solid substance to cool the core of a nuclear reactor and the associated advantages and limitations are examined. Conceptual proposals concerning the core design and the arrangement of the in-reactor space of a high-temperature nuclear reactor with a solid coolant are presented. Evaluated data and some results for a model reactor are presented. __________ Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 103, No. 3, pp. 156–161, September, 2007.     

Karyotype description of Pomacea patula catemacensis (Caenogastropoda, Ampullariidae), with an assessment of the taxonomic status of Pomacea patula.

Mitotic chromosomes of the freshwater snail Pomacea patula catemacensis (Baker 1922) were analyzed on gill tissue of specimens from the type locality (Lake Catemaco, Mexico). The diploid number of chromosomes is 2n = 26, including nine metacentric and four submetacentric pairs; therefore, the fundamental number is FN = 52, No sex chromosomes could be identified. The same chromosome number and morphology were already reported for P. flagellata, i.e., the other species of the genus living in Mexico. The basic haploid number for family Ampullariidae was reported to be n = 14 in the literature; so, its reduction to n = 13 is probably an apomorphy of the Mexican Pomacea snails. Lanistes bolteni, from Egypt, also shows n = 13, but its karyotype is much more asymmetrical, and seems to have evolved independently from P. flagellata and P. patula catemacensis. The nominotypical subspecies, P. patula patula (Reeve 1856), is a poorly known taxon, whose original locality is unknown. A taxonomical account is presented here, and a Mexican origin postulated as the most parsimonious hypothesis.     

Self-service — but is it good to talk?

Drives to increase the volume of customers who use self-service channels are a common strategic goal. The promise of significant cost reduction is a tempting carrot. Couple this with the vision of customers benefiting from quick, effective and usable contact channels, avoiding human error (except perhaps their own!) or potential frustration at being passed around to an ‘appropriate’ contact centre advisor is a very worthy vision … but is it as simple as this? In this discussion paper the authors speculate that self-service, while potentially being a revenue-saving opportunity, could also erode customer satisfaction and loyalty. Self-service doubtless appeals to some customers, but is it what all customers want? Do organisations understand enough about customer experience to enable them to build successful self-service channels, i.e. those that are useful, usable and used by customers? Do businesses really want to lose the opportunity to actually talk to customers and gain insight and knowledge about them? What impact will increased levels of self-service have on more traditional channels, such as customer contact centres? This paper also discusses evidence that self-service can actually serve to increase communication between organisations and customers across multiple channels. For many organisations, the Internet has actually resulted in more calls to the contact centre, not less. The seductive promise of self-service to cut costs through reducing call volumes may be an empty one.     

Effects of initial powder vibrogrinding on the properties of AlN - BN composites

A study has been made on the effects of initial vibroground powders with various grain sizes on the properties of AlN - BN composites. As the specific surface of these powders increases, so do the density, mechanical strength, and thermal resistance of the composites.     

On Optimal Signal–Filter Pairs

We extend the notion of an optimal signal–filter pair to the case where n-convolution is used instead of cyclic convolution. We construct n-optimal n-adic signals for all n = 2, 3, . . ..     

Investigation of the influence of design parameters on the flow performance of single and double disk viscous micropumps

This paper investigates the effect of radius ratio, and channel aspect ratio on the flow performance of newly introduced single and double disk viscous micropumps. A lubrication solution for the flow field, which accounts for both radius and channel aspect ratios either in single or double disk micropumps was developed and compared with available experimental data and with an approximate solution which estimates for the flow rate only in single disk pump and neglects channel aspect ratio. Additionally, a number of 3D numerical models for single and double disk micropumps were built and analyzed using the finite volume method. Pressure and drag shape factors were introduced to describe the effects of radius and channel aspect ratios on the flow rate. The values of these factors for the whole range of studied parameters are found analytically and numerically. The error in estimating the flow rate was found to be less than 10% for r ₁ /r ₂ > 0.2, and less than 7% for the studied range of h/w. Also, the lubrication solution was found to be in good agreement with the numerical and experimental results.     

Stability analysis of regional and national voting schemes by a continuous model

The previous discrete-model-based stability analysis of regional and national voting has been extended to a continuous-model-based analysis in the simultaneous presence of white and concentrated components of noise, reconfirming the previous conclusion that regional voting with smaller sized regions always demonstrates an improved stability over those with larger sized regions, including the national voting in its limiting case in particular. The conclusion remains valid as long as the weak distribution assumption is valid.