Dealing with Data Privacy Protection: An Issue for the 21st Century

In many surveys, Americans identify invasion of privacy as a primary concern. Nonetheless, newer electronic technologies, such as biometric monitoring, Web site tracking, vehicle tracking, basket-level purchase tracking, charge card usage recording, personal information database sales, release of government data to private corporations, facial identification, DNA testing and record keeping, smart card usage, telephone records, e-mail monitoring, and the like, intrude themselves into our private lives on an ever-expanding basis. It seems that every company and every governmental agency has an interest in knowing what we do, what we like and dislike, what we read, how long we sustain interest in something, which stores we frequent, and what we ignore. the European Union (EU) and other countries outside the EU are taking an approach to privacy that companies with an international presence must address to maintain compliance with that approach.     

Numerically optimized hard pulse sequences for fast frequency selective excitation and inversion

Numerically optimized hard pulse sequences were developed providing a frequency selective response of the transverse and longitudinal magnetization for several applicationsin vivo. The sequences are based on pulse trains with binomial ratios of the pulse angles and constant time intervals between the pulses. These pulse trains were systematically optimized to obtain broad Larmor frequency ranges in which the magnetization is not markedly influenced by the pulse sequence. In addition, the sequences had to provide maximum transverse magnetization or complete inversion of the magnetization beside the suppression range. Such behaviour is needed for chemical shift selective imaging, pulsed magnetization transfer, and frequency selective spectroscopyin vivo. The phase of the magnetization response is shown and adequate rephasing conditions are discussed as well as the actual phase duration. Short optimized hard pulse sequences for water and fat-selective imaging provide lowT ₂-sensitivity of the resulting magnetization. The new optimized hard pulse sequences are suitable, if optimum suppression of signals at one single point in the Larmor frequency spectrum is less important than good suppression in a larger frequency range.     

Preliminary characterization of glial-secreted factors responsible for the induction of high electrical resistances across endothelial monolayers in a blood-brain barrier model

Low levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) are considered to be an indirect index of hyperinsulinemia, predicting the later onset of diabetes mellitus type 2. In the insulin resistance state and in the presence of an increased pancreatic beta-cell demand (e.g. obesity) both absolute and relative increases in proinsulin secretion occur. In the present study we investigated the correlation between SHBG and pancreatic beta-cell secretion in men with different body compositions. Eighteen young men (30.0 +/- 2.4 years) with normal glucose tolerance and body mass indexes (BMI) ranging from 22.6 to 43.2 kg/m2 were submitted to an oral glucose tolerance test (75 g) and baseline and 120-min blood samples were used to determine insulin, proinsulin and C-peptide by specific immunoassays. Baseline SHBG values were significantly correlated with baseline insulin (r = -0.58, P < 0.05), proinsulin (r = -0.47, P < 0.05), C-peptide (r = -0.55, P < 0.05) and also with proinsulin at 120 min after glucose load (r = -0.58, P < 0.05). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that proinsulin values at 120 min were the strongest predictor of SHBG (r = -0.58, P < 0.05). When subjects were divided into obese (BMI > 28 kg/m2, N = 8) and nonobese (BMI < or = 25 kg/m2, N = 10) groups, significantly lower levels of SHBG were found in the obese subjects. The obese group had significantly higher baseline proinsulin, C-peptide and 120-min proinsulin and insulin levels. For the first time using a specific assay for insulin determination, a strong inverse correlation between insulinemia and SHBG levels was confirmed. The finding of a strong negative correlation between SHBG levels and pancreatic beta-cell secretion, mainly for the 120-min post-glucose load proinsulin levels, reinforces the concept that low SHBG levels are a suitable marker of increased pancreatic beta-cell demand.     

A Low-Powered 4-Channel Physiological Radio Telemetry System for Use in Surgical Patient Monitoring

A series of 4-channel physiological radio telemetry systems with long battery life and dc response capability have been designed and built. Twenty-one of these systems are used in the operating rooms on patients undergoing surgery at the Duke University Medical Center. The features of these systems are described.     

Competitative adsorption of two dissolved organics onto activated carbon—II: Adsorption kinetics in batch reactors

Bi-solute adsorption of dissolved organics by activated carbon was studied in a finite bath system. The batch tests with strongly adsorbable species show that at low concentrations (X < 0.1 mmol/1) only external mass transfer resistance is rate-determining. For higher concentrations internal mass transfer becomes increasingly important. This behavior indicates that the diffusional process within the particle occurs predominantly in the adsorbed phase.Bi-solute calculations were performed, using only single-solute data. Systems with differing equilibrium behavior, but similar diffusive properties of both solutes, were described adequately by a model which takes into account diffusion in the liquid-filled pores and in the adsorbed phase, as well as external mass transfer. Deviations between measured and predicted rates can be observed for systems with large differences in the mobility of the diffusing molecules, or if counter diffusion inside the particles occurs. It is likely that the discrepancies in these cases are caused by diffusional interactions between the two different species in the adsorbed phase.     

Einfluß von Wasserdampf im Sintergas auf das Verhalten von Metallpulvern mit unter Sinterbedingungen reduzierbaren Oxydschichten

An aus Elektrolyteisen-, Karbonylnickel- und Kupferpulver hergestellten Preßkörpern Untersuchung ihres Sinterverhaltens unter Wasserstoffgas mit Zusätzen von 0,1 und 10 Vol.-% Wasserdampf bei Sintertemperaturen von 870 bis 1200 °C und Sinterdauern von 0 bis 8 h. Messung von Dichte, 0,2-Orenze, Zugfestigkeit und Bruchdehnung der Proben in Abhängigkeit vom Wasserdampfgehalt im Sintergas und dementsprechende thermochemische Deutung der Versuchsergebnisse.     

Einfluß der Schrottvorwärmung mit Erdgas und Sauerstoff im Konverter auf den Sauerstoffumsatz des LD-Verfahrens

Stand der Erkenntnisse und Ziel der eigenen Versuche. Anlagenbeschreibung und Betriebsbeobachtungen. Untersuchung der Schlackenbildung während der Schrottvorwärmung. Änderungen der Roheisenzusammensetzung durch Reaktionen mit den Vorwärmschlacken. Betrachtungen zur Sauerstoffbilanz.