Determination of Optimum Burn-In Time: A Composite Criterion

The object of this paper is to present a mathematical model capable of determining the optimum amount of time that semiconductor devices, which have specified life characteristics, must be placed on burn-in to obtain maximum performance versus total cost. To make the model operational and realistic, the traditional assumption of an exponential (more recently, Weibull) distribution of life is omitted in favor of the generalized gamma distribution (GGD). This is done because the GGD includes, as special cases, such distributions as the normal, Rayleigh, Maxwell, chi, chi2, Weibull, exponential, ordinary gamma, etc. The use of the greater representational capability of the GGD is justified in the results of the studies showing that (other things being equal) small changes in parametric values of life characteristics can cause vast differences in the optimum burn-in time and maximum system effectiveness. The physical performance sector of the model incorporates system effectiveness that includes such factors as availability, expected time to repair, mission reliability, system use coefficient, storage survival probability, and operational readiness. The costs considered are those due to burn-in operation, production, and sales. The model has been studied by use of computer runs from the standpoint of critical analysis and parametric sensitivity analysis.     

Initial experience of clinical pharmacology and clinical pharmacy interactions in a clinical pharmacokinetics consultation service

International statistics indicate that there is a close correlation between the consumption of saturated fats (dairy fats and meat fats) and the mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD), and this conception has been confirmed by many epidemiological studies. Such studies alone, however, cannot prove the existence of a cause-and-effect relationship between these two variables; dietary intervention trials are needed. The Finnish Mental Hospital Study was such a trial, conducted in two hospitals near Helsinki in 1959--1971. Practically total replacement of dairy fats by vegetable oils in the diets of these hospitals was followed by a substantial reduction in the mortality of men from CHD. Total mortality also appeared to be reduced. As to the causes of death other than CHD, none was significantly influenced by dietary change. This was also true for malignant neoplasms. To alleviate the burden of CHD on public health, many investigators have recommended important changes in the quantity and quality of dietary fats.     

Engineered polymeric nanoparticles for soil remediation

Hydrophobic organic groundwater contaminants, such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), sorb strongly to soils and are difficult to remove. We report here on the synthesis of amphiphilic polyurethane (APU) nanoparticles for use in remediation of soil contaminated with PAHs. The particles are made of polyurethane acrylate anionomer (UAA) or poly(ethylene glycol)-modified urethane acrylate (PMUA) precursor chains that can be emulsified and cross-linked in water. The resulting particles are of colloidal size (17-97 nm as measured by dynamic light scattering). APU particles have the ability to enhance PAH desorption and transport in a manner comparable to that of surfactant micelles, but unlike the surface-active components of micelles, the individual cross-linked precursor chains in APU particles are not free to sorb to the soil surface. Thus, the APU particles are stable independent of their concentration in the aqueous phase. In this paper we show that APU particles can be engineered to achieve desired properties. Our experimental results show that the APU particles can be designed to have hydrophobic interior regions that confer a high affinity for phenanthrene (PHEN) and hydrophilic surfaces that promote particle mobility in soil. The affinity of APU particles for contaminants such as PHEN can be controlled by changing the size of the hydrophobic segment used in the chain synthesis. The mobility of colloidal APU suspensions in soil is controlled by the charge density or the size of the pendent water-soluble chains that reside on the particle surface. Exemplary results are provided illustrating the influence of alternative APU particle formulations with respect to their efficacy for contaminant removal. The ability to control particle properties offers the potential to produce different nanoparticles optimized for varying contaminant types and soil conditions.     

Biosensor based on cellobiose dehydrogenase for detection of catecholamines

A cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH)-modified graphite electrode was designed for amperometric detection of catecholamines in the flow injection mode, by their recycling between the graphite electrode (+300 mV vs Ag|AgCl) and the reduced FAD cofactor of adsorbed CDH, resulting in an amplified response signal. The high efficiency of the enzyme-catecholamine reaction leads to a detection limit below 1 nM and a sensitivity of 15.8 A.M(-1) x cm(-2) (approximately 1150 nA/microM) for noradrenaline, with a coverage of less than 2.5 microg of CDH adsorbed on the electrode surface (0.073 cm(2)). Working parameters such as pH, cellobiose concentration, carrier buffer, and applied potential were optimized, using hydroquinone as a model analyte. The sensitivity, linear range, and amplification factor can be modulated by the steady-state concentration of cellobiose in the flow buffer. The response of the sensor decreases only 2% when run continuously for 4 h in the flow injection mode. The response peak maximum is obtained within 6 s at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min, representing the time of the entire sample segment to pass the electrode. CDH enzymes from Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Sclerotium rolfsii were investigated, providing different characteristics of the sensor, with sensors made with CDH from P. chrysosporium being the better ones.     

Part I: surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy investigation of amino acids and their homodipeptides adsorbed on colloidal silver

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra (SERS) were measured for various amino acids: L-methionine (Met), L-cysteine (Cys), Lglycine (Gly), L-leucine (Leu), L-phenylalanine (Phe), and L-proline (Pro) and their homodipeptides (Met-Met, Cys-Cys, Gly-Gly, LeuLeu, Phe-Phe, and Pro-Pro) in silver colloidal solutions. The geometry and orientation of the amino acids or dipeptides on the silver surface, and their specific interaction with the surface, were deducted by detailed spectral analysis of the SERS spectra. This analysis has allowed us to propose the particular surface geometry of amino acids or dipeptides and also implied that C-C bonds were almost parallel to the surface, as evidenced by the absence of marker bands in the skeletal C-C stretching region of the spectra. Additionally, using "time-dependent" SERS measurements we solved an existing controversy regarding the binding specificity of Gly-Gly on the silver surface.     

A generalized theorem of corresponding states for the thermodynamic properties of nonpolar and polar fluids

Generalized procedures are discussed for the accurate calculation of thermodynamic properties of nonpolar and polar fluids and mixtures. It is shown that the concepts of van der Waals for simple fluids can be extended to complex substances, and that the properties of a wide range of fluids can be calculated from a sufficient number of macroscopic parameters defined through the vapor pressure.     

Intrabox and extrabox cues in avoidance responding: Effect of septal lesions.

Reports an experiment with 126 male albino rats, 48 of whom received bilateral septal lesions. A combination of conflicting intrabox and extrabox cues was necessary to produce deficient acquisition of 2-way avoidance responding relative to 1-way responding in normal Ss. Septal lesions impaired 1-way avoidance acquisition by delaying the 1st avoidance response. In 2-way acquisition, the faster acquisition of septal Ss may be attributable either to an inability to inhibit responding or to an inability to utilize certain types of cues. Until the effects of septal lesions upon the ability to process olfactory and spatial information have been determined, disinhibitory interpretations of changes in avoidance responding must be held in question. (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conditions affecting production of a protein isolate from lupin seed kernels

Conditions were investigated to determine the optimum processing parameters for preparation of a protein isolate from the ground, dehulled lupin seeds of Lupinus angustifolius. The extraction variables were: particle size (16–100 mesh); pH (2–11); extraction medium; solvent to lupin ratio (10:1 to 40:1); temperature (20–60^oC) and time (15–60 min). The isoelectric point of the lupin protein was found to be pH 4.5 with a protein solubility of greater than 90% above pH 8.0. Using 60–100 mesh ground lupin and extracting at pH 8.5 for 30 min, a protein isolate was obtained on acidification to pH 4.8 which was 89.4% protein compared to 34.0% protein for the original dehulled lupin. This protein isolate represented 19.8% of the starting material and 52% of the starting nitrogen. Similar results were also obtained when hexane defatted lupin was used. In this case the protein isolate had a protein content of 92.5%. The yield of protein isolate could be increased to 25.7% of the starting material if the extraction was repeated. The protein efficiency ratio for the protein isolate was 2.90 when supplemented with methionine.     

Derivation of the equations of motion for complex structures by symbolic manipulation

This paper outlines a computer program especially tailored to the task of deriving explicit equations of motion for structures with point-connected substructures. The special purpose program is written in FORTRAN and is designed for performing the specific algebraic operations encountered in the derivation of explicit equations of motion. The derivation is by the Lagrangian approach. Using an orderly kinematical procedure and a discretization and/or truncation scheme, it is possible to write the kinetic and potential energy of each substructure in a compact vector-matrix form. Then, if each element of the matrices and vectors encountered in the kinetic and potential energy is a known algebraic expression, the computer program performs the necessary operations to evaluate the kinetic and potential energy of the system explicitly. Lagrange's equations for small motions about equilibrium can be deduced directly from the explicit form of the system kinetic and potential energy.