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Straight Line (straight + line)
Selected AbstractsThe Relationship Between Self-Reported Drinking and BAC Level in Emergency Room Injury Cases: Is it a Straight Line?ALCOHOLISM, Issue 6 2010Jason Bond Background:, While the validity of self-reported consumption based on blood alcohol concentration (BAC) has been found to be high in emergency room (ER) samples, little research exists on the estimated number of drinks consumed given a BAC level. Such data would be useful in establishing a dose,response relationship between drinking and risk (e.g., of injury) in those studies for which the number of drinks consumed is not available but BAC is. Methods:, Several methods were used to estimate the number of drinks consumed in the 6 hours prior to injury based on BAC obtained at the time of ER admission of n = 1,953 patients who self-reported any drinking 6 hours prior to their injury and who arrived to the ER within 6 hours of the event, from the merged Emergency Room Collaborative Alcohol Analysis Project (ERCAAP) and the World Health Organization Collaborative Study on Alcohol and Injury across 16 countries. Results:, The relationship between self-reported consumption and averaged BAC within each consumption level appeared to be fairly linear up to about 7 drinks and a BAC of approximately 100 mg/dl. Above about 7 reported drinks, BAC appeared to have no relationship with drinking, possibly representing longer consumption periods than only the 6 hours before injury for those reporting higher quantities consumed. Both the volume estimate from the bivariate BAC to self-report relationship as well as from a Widmark calculation using BAC and time from last drink to arrival to the ER indicated a somewhat weak relationship to actual number of self-reported drinks. Conclusions:, Future studies may benefit from investigating the factors suspected to be driving the weak relationships between these measures, including the actual time over which the reported alcohol was consumed and pattern of drinking over the consumption period. [source] Digital Analysis of Experimental Human Bitemarks: Application of Two New MethodsJOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 6 2006Nazar Al-Talabani B.D.S., Ph.D. ABSTRACT: Bitemark determination in forensic odontology is commonly performed by comparing the morphology of the dentition of the suspect with life-sized photographs of injury on the victim's skin using transparent overlays or computers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the suitability of two new different methods for identification of bitemarks by digital analysis. A sample of 50 volunteers was asked to make experimental bitemarks on the arms of each other. Stone study casts were prepared from upper and lower dental arches of each volunteer. The bitemarks and the study casts were photographed; the photos were entered into the computer and Adobe Photoshop software program was applied to analyze the results. Two methods (2D polyline and Painting) of identification were used. In the 2D polyline method, fixed points were chosen on the tips of the canines and a straight line was drawn between the two fixed points in the arch (intercanine line). Straight lines passing between the incisal edges of the incisors were drawn vertically on the intercanine line; the lines and angles created were calculated. In the painting method, identification was based on canine-to-canine distance, tooth width and the thickness, and rotational value of each tooth. The results showed that both methods were applicable. However, the 2D polyline method was more convenient to use and gave prompt computer-read results, whereas the painting method depended on the visual reading of the operator. [source] Regional analysis of bedrock stream long profiles: evaluation of Hack's SL form, and formulation and assessment of an alternative (the DS form)EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 5 2007Geoff Goldrick Abstract The equilibrium form of the fluvial long profile has been used to elucidate a wide range of aspects of landscape history including tectonic activity in tectonic collision zones, and in continental margin and other intraplate settings, as well as other base-level changes such as due to sealevel fluctuations. The Hack SL form of the long profile, which describes a straight line on a log,normal plot of elevation (normal) versus distance (logarithmic), is the equilibrium long profile form that has been most widely used in such studies; slope,area analysis has also been used in recent years. We show that the SL form is a special case of a more general form of the equilibrium long profile (here called the DS form) that can be derived from the power relationship between stream discharge and downstream distance, and the dependence of stream incision on stream power. The DS form provides a better fit than the SL form to river long profiles in an intraplate setting in southeastern Australia experiencing low rates of denudation and mild surface uplift. We conclude that, if an a priori form of the long profile is to be used for investigations of regional landscape history, the DS form is preferable. In particular, the DS form in principle enables equilibrium steepening due to an increase in channel substrate lithological resistance (parallel shift in the DS plot) to be distinguished from disequilibrium steepening due to long profile rejuvenation (disordered outliers on the DS plot). Slope,area analysis and the slope,distance (DS) approach outlined here are complementary approaches, reflecting the close relationship between downstream distance and downstream catchment area. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Object detection using straight line matching in ,-, spaceELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATIONS IN JAPAN, Issue 3 2010Taisei Okuzono Abstract The contours of many industrial parts contain straight lines and the positions of the lines are therefore useful information for object detection. This paper presents a matching technique for straight lines. The method consists of ,-matching, ,-matching, and pose estimation. Any lines in 2D space are represented with parameters , and , by the Hough transform. In order to find the corresponding lines in a model and a scene, the , and , values are evaluated in ,-matching and ,-matching. When an object is translated and rotated, the contour lines of the object are also transferred and the , values of the lines are merely shifted by the rotation angle in the ,-, space. Thus, the relative positions of the , values are invariant. In ,-matching, the corresponding lines of the model and the scene are selected so that the relative , values of the corresponding lines are nearly equal. In ,-matching, the corresponding lines are evaluated further by computing the deviations of their , values. Finally, the transfer parameters of the selected pairs are estimated in pose estimation. The experiments show that this technique is robust to rotation, occlusion, and scaling of the objects. We also discuss the computation time, in which the preprocess such as edge detection and the Hough transform takes much of the time. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 93(3): 34,41, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10176 [source] Modeling monthly temperature data in Lisbon and PragueENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 7 2009Teresa Alpuim Abstract This paper examines monthly average temperature series in two widely separated European cities, Lisbon (1856,1999) and Prague (1841,2000). The statistical methodology used begins by fitting a straight line to the temperature measurements in each month of the year. Hence, the 12 intercepts describe the seasonal variation of temperature and the 12 slopes correspond to the rise in temperature in each month of the year. Both cities show large variations in the monthly slopes. In view of this, an overall model is constructed to integrate the data of each city. Sine/cosine waves were included as independent variables to describe the seasonal pattern of temperature, and sine/cosine waves multiplied by time were used to describe the increase in temperature corresponding to the different months. The model also takes into account the autoregressive, AR(1), structure that was found in the residuals. A test of the significance of the variables that describe the variation of the increase in temperature shows that both Lisbon and Prague had an increase in temperature that is different according to the month. The winter months show a higher increase than the summer months. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Use of a 3D dynamometric horseshoe to assess the effects of an all-weather waxed track and a crushed sand track at high speed trot: Preliminary studyEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009D. Robin Summary Reasons for performing study: Track surface quality is considered a risk factor of musculoskeletal injuries. Ground reaction force (GRF) measurement is a relevant approach to study the interaction between the hoof and the ground. Force plates are not adapted to compare different surfaces at high speed. A 3D dynamometric horseshoe (DHS), using 4 triaxial piezoelectric sensors, has been developed and validated. Objectives: To use the DHS to compare the effects of 2 track surfaces, an all-weather waxed track and a crushed sand track, on the GRF in trotter horses under training conditions. Methods: The right forelimb of 3 French Trotters was equipped with the DHS. Two tracks were tested in a straight line: a crushed sand track (S) and an all-weather waxed track (W). For each session, trials were repeated 3 times in a Latin square design. The speed of the runs was set at 10 m/s and recorded synchronously. For each trial, data acquisition was performed at 600 Hz and 10 consecutive strides were analysed. Statistical differences were tested using a general linear model procedure. Results: The amplitude of the maximal longitudinal braking force (Fx) was significantly lower on W compared to S. This event happened about 6% later in the stance phase on W. The magnitude of the GRF at impact decreased on W. The average speed and the mean stance phase duration were not statistically different on both surfaces. The stride length was about 6 cm longer on S. Conclusion and potential relevance: This study demonstrates the ability and sensitivity of the DHS to discriminate track surfaces by measuring the GRF at high speed. These preliminary results show that the loading rate, the amplitude of horizontal braking and shock at impact are attenuated on W, which suggests a reduction of stresses in the distal limb. [source] Influence of track surface on the equine superficial digital flexor tendon loading in two horses at high speed trotEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009N. Crevier-Denoix Summary Reasons for performing study: Although track surfaces are a risk factor of tendon injuries, their effects on tendon loading at high speed are unknown. Using a noninvasive ultrasonic technique, it is now possible to evaluate the forces in the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) in exercise conditions. Objectives: To compare the effects of an all-weather waxed track (W) vs. a crushed sand track (S), on the SDFT loading in the trotter horse at high speed. Methods: Two trotter horses were equipped with the ultrasonic device (1 MHz ultrasonic probe, fixed on the palmar metacarpal area of the right forelimb). For each trial, data acquisition was made at 400 Hz and 10 consecutive strides were analysed. In each session, the 2 track surfaces were tested in a straight line. The speed was imposed at 10 m/s and recorded. The right forelimb was also equipped with a dynamometric horseshoe and skin markers. The horse was filmed with a high-speed camera (600 Hz); all recordings were synchronised. Statistical differences were tested using the GLM procedure (SAS; P<0.05). Results: Maximal tendon force was significantly lower on W compared with S. In addition to maximal force peaks around mid-stance, earlier peaks were observed, more pronounced on S than on W, at about 13%(horse 2) and 30% (both horses) of the stance phase. Comparison with kinematic data revealed that these early peaks were accompanied by plateaux in the fetlock angle-time chart. For high tendon forces, the tendon maximal loading rate was significantly lower on W than on S. Conclusions and potential clinical relevance: The all-weather waxed track appears to induce a lesser and more gradual SDFT loading than crushed sand. The SDFT loading pattern at high speed trot suggests proximal interphalangeal joint movements during limb loading. [source] The Reaction of (Bipyridyl)palladium(II) Complexes with Thiourea , Influence of DNA and Other Polyanions on the Rate of ReactionEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2005Matteo Cusumano Abstract [Pd(bipy)(py)2](PF6)2 reacts stepwise with excess thiourea to give [Pd(tu)4](PF6)2. The kinetics of the second step, which refers to the replacement of bipyridyl in [Pd(bipy)(tu)2](PF6)2, have been studied in water and in the presence of calf thymus DNA, sodium polyriboadenylate, sodium polyvinylsulfonate or sodium polymetaphosphate at 25 °C and pH = 7 and a fixed sodium chloride concentration. The reaction follows a first order course and a plot of kobs against [thiourea]2 affords a straight line with a small intercept. DNA inhibits the process without altering the rate law. The kobs values decrease systematically on increasing the DNA concentration eventually tending to a limiting value. The values are larger at higher ionic strengths and the other polyanions show similar behaviour. The influence of DNA on the kinetics can be related to steric inhibition caused by noncovalent binding with the complex. Upon interaction with DNA, [Pd(bipy)(tu)2]2+ gives rise to immediate spectroscopic changes in the UV/Vis region as well as induced circular dichroism suggesting that the complex, like similar platinum(II) and palladium(II) species of bipyridyl, intercalates with the double helix. Such a type of interaction hampers the attack of the nucleophile at the metal centre inhibiting the reaction. The decrease in the rate of ligand substitution upon decreasing salt concentration but at a given DNA concentration is due to the influence of ionic strength on the complex,DNA interaction. The reactivity inhibition by single-stranded poly(A), polyvinylsulfonate or polymetaphosphate can be accounted for in terms of self-aggregation of the complex induced by the polyanion. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005) [source] Interval velocity and thickness estimate from wide-angle reflection dataGEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING, Issue 4 2001Roberto De Franco A method to estimate interval velocities and thickness in a horizontal isotropic layered medium from wide-angle reflection traveltime curves is presented. The method is based on a relationship between the squared reflection traveltime differences and the squared offset differences relative to two adjacent reflectors. The envelope of the squared-time versus offset-difference curves, for rays with the same ray parameter, is a straight line, whose slope is the inverse of the square of the interval velocity and whose intercept is the square of the interval time. The method yields velocity and thickness estimates without any knowledge of the overlying stratification. It can be applied to wide-angle reflection data when either information on the upper crust and/or refraction control on the velocity is not available. Application to synthetic and real data shows that the method, used together with other methods, allows us to define a reliable 1D starting model for estimating a depth profile using either ray tracing or another technique. [source] Slug Test Analysis to Evaluate Permeability of Compressible MaterialsGROUND WATER, Issue 4 2008Hangseok Choi The line-fitting methods such as the Hvorslev method and the Bouwer and Rice method provide a rapid and simple means to analyze slug test data for estimating in situ hydraulic conductivity (k) of geologic materials. However, when analyzing a slug test in a relatively compressible geologic formation, these conventional methods may have difficulties fitting a straight line to the semilogarithmic plot of the test data. Data from relatively compressible geologic formations frequently show a concave-upward curvature because of the effect of the compressibility or specific storage (Ss). To take into account the compressibility of geologic formations, a modified line-fitting method is introduced, which expands on Chirlin's (1989) approach to the case of a partially penetrating well with the basic-time-lag fitting method. A case study for a compressible till is made to verify the proposed method by comparing the results from the proposed methods with those obtained using a type-curve method (Kansas Geological Survey method [Hyder et al. 1994]). [source] Optimization of tree-shaped flow distribution structures over a disc-shaped areaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2003S. Lorente Abstract In this paper, we review the fundamental problem of how to design a flow path with minimum overall resistance between one point (O) and many points situated equidistantly on a circle centred at O. This is a fundamental problem in energy engineering: the distribution of fluid, energy, electric power, etc., from points to surrounding areas. This problem is also fundamental in heat transfer and electronics cooling: how to bathe and cool with a single stream of coolant a disc-shaped area or volume that generates heat at every point. This paper outlines, first, a direct route to the construction of effective tree-shaped flow structures. The starting point is the optimization of the shape of each elemental area, such that the length of the flow path housed by the element is minimized. Proceeding towards larger and more complex structures,from elements to first constructs, second constructs, etc.,the paper develops tree-shaped flow structures between one point and a straight line, as an elemental problem, and a circle and its centre. We also consider the equivalent tree-shaped networks obtained by minimizing the pressure drop at every step of the construction, in accordance with geometric constraints. The construction method is applied to a fluid flow configuration with laminar fully developed flow. It is shown that there is little difference between the two methods. The minimal-length structures perform very close to the fully optimized designs. These results emphasize the robustness of optimized tree-shaped flows. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Electrical characteristics of Al/polyindole Schottky barrier diodes.JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2009Abstract In this study, the forward and reverse bias current,voltage (I,V), capacitance,voltage (C,V), and conductance,voltage (G/,,V) characteristics of Al/polyindole (Al/PIN) Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) were studied over a wide temperature range of 140,400 K. Zero-bias barrier height ,B0(I,V), ideality factor (n), ac electrical conductivity (,ac), and activation energy (Ea), determined by using thermionic emission (TE) theory, were shown fairly large temperature dispersion especially at lower temperatures due to surface states and series resistance of Al/PIN SBD. I,V characteristics of the Al/PIN SBDs showed an almost rectification behavior, but the reverse bias saturation current (I0) and n were observed to be high. This high value of n has been attributed to the particular distribution of barrier heights due to barrier height inhomogeneities and interface states that present at the Al/PIN interface. The conductivity data obtained from G/,V measurements over a wide temperature range were fitted to the Arrhenius and Mott equations and observed linear behaviors for ,ac vs. 1/T and ln ,ac vs. 1/T1/4 graphs, respectively. The Mott parameters of T0 and K0 values were determined from the slope and intercept of the straight line as 3.8 × 107 and 1.08 × 107 Scm,1K1/2, respectively. Assuming a value of 6 × 1012 s,1 for ,0, the decay length ,,1 and the density states at the Fermi energy level, N(EF) are estimated to be 8.74 Å and 1.27 × 1020 eV,1cm,3, respectively. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009 [source] Adsorption and desorption behaviour of taurine on macroporous adsorption resinsJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 7 2001Tang Zhigang Abstract Adsorption of taurine on S-8, NKA2 and Amberlite XAD-1 resins was measured with respect to time and the results indicated that equilibrium was reached in 50,min. The adsorption isotherms of taurine on D4006, AB-8, S-8, NKA2 were recorded and compared with those using Amberlite XAD-1, XAD-3, XAD-6 and XAD-7 at 28,°C. For an aqueous concentration range of 0,100,mg,g,1, each isotherm could be represented as a straight line. S-8 and XAD-1 resins had the highest solid/liquid distribution coefficients of 0.92 and 0.9. Since the locally produced S-8 resin is less expensive than XAD-1 resin, it was selected for further studies with adsorption isotherms being measured over the aqueous concentration range of 0,160,mg,g,1. These experimental results could be fitted by the Langmuir equation. The effects of pH, salting-out and temperature on the adsorption were studied with the results showing that the influence of temperature was the most important. A temperature-swing adsorption process was then tested to separate taurine from aqueous solutions and gave a overall yield >90% when taurine was adsorbed at 28,°C and eluted by deionized water at 70,°C. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Counting elephants in Montane forests: some sources of errorAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Hilde Vanleeuwe Abstract The dung count method is widely used to estimate elephant numbers in forests. It was developed in the lowland forests of Central Africa but it is also used in Montane forests in eastern Africa. Using data collected on Mount Kenya and computer simulations, this paper explores the following issues associated with dung surveys in Montane forests: ,,High rainfall at 3000 m altitude on Mount Kenya was expected to accelerate dung pile decay but no significant difference was found between 3000 and 2500 m where less rain falls, possibly because high rainfall at 3000 m is counteracted by lower temperatures; ,,Physical obstacles make it difficult to walk long, straight transects in Montane forests. Deviating from a straight line pushes the distribution of distance measurements from dung piles to the transect centre line (pdist) towards a negative exponential (NE), which complicates data analysis and may give inaccurate estimates. Using short transects largely alleviate this problem; ,,Analysis of dung count simulations shows that the expected sightability curve of pdist pushes towards a NE with increasing numbers of obstacles blocking the view, even along perfectly straight transects; ,,Extrapolating measured dung density to map area on Mount Kenya resulted in an underestimate of c. 13%. An unstratified correction of map area to ground area for Montane areas would be biased because of the strong tendency for elephants to avoid steeply sloping areas. Résumé La méthode par comptage des crottes est largement utilisée pour estimer le nombre des éléphants en forêt. Elle a été mise au point dans les forêts de basse altitude d'Afrique centrale, mais elle est aussi employée dans les forêts de montagne d'Afrique de l'Est. Utilisant les données collectées sur le Mont Kenya et des simulations informatiques, cet article explore les questions suivantes liées au comptage des crottes dans les forêts de montagne: ,,Les fortes chutes de pluies à 3 000 mètres d'altitude sur le Mont Kenya étaient censées accélérer la décomposition des tas de crottes, mais on n'a pas trouvé de différence significative entre 3 000 et 2 500 mètres où il tombe moins de pluie, peut-être parce que les fortes pluies à 3 000 mètres sont compensées par de plus basses températures; ,,Les obstacles physiques rendent plus difficiles de marcher le long de transects rectilignes dans les forêts de montagne. Le fait de dévier de la ligne droite pousse la distribution des mesures des distances entre les tas de crottes et la ligne droite du transect (pdist) vers un modèle exponentiel négatif (EN) qui complique l'analyse des données et peut donner des estimations inexactes. Le fait de recourir à des transects courts réduit considérablement ce problème; ,,L'analyse des simulations de comptages de crottes montre que la courbe de visibilité attendue de pdist pousse vers un EN lorsque le nombre d'obstacles bloquant la vue augmente, même le long de transects parfaitement rectilignes; ,,L'extrapolation de la densité mesurée des crottes sur une carte du Mont Kenya a abouti à une sous-estimation d'environ 13%. Une correction non stratifiée de la surface cartographiée des zones montagneuses vers une surface plane serait biaisée étant donné que les éléphants ont fortement tendance àéviter les zones escarpées et glissantes. [source] Inverse Velocity and Singularity Analysis of Low-DOF Serial ManipulatorsJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 4 2003Yuefa Fang This paper presents a method for exact inverse velocity analysis of low-DOF (degrees of freedom n<6) serial manipulators. For a low-DOF serial manipulator, the number of independently controllable variables in the Cartesian space is equal to the number of joint variables in the joint space, and the remaining 6,n variables are linearly dependent on these independent variables. This paper employs the theory of reciprocal screws to determine a mapping between the independent velocity components in the Cartesian space and the joint rates in the joint space. It is shown that singular conditions of a low-DOF manipulator depend on choice of independent variables. A 5-DOF and a 4-DOF manipulator are analyzed, and a numerical example in which the end effector of a 4-DOF manipulator is commanded to follow a straight line is used to demonstrate the methodology. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] MODELING VARIETAL EFFECT ON THE WATER UPTAKE BEHAVIOR OF MILLED RICE (ORYZA SATIVA L.) DURING SOAKINGJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2007B.K. YADAV ABSTRACT Milled rice is soaked until saturation before cooking and other processing. The soaking behavior of the milled rice is affected by varietal factor as well as initial moisture content (M0) of the samples. In the present study, tests were performed for milled whole kernels of 10 rice varieties ranging from low to high amylose content (16,29% d.b.) with three initial moisture levels (approximately 8, 12 and 16% d.b.) for monitoring water uptake in rice kernels during soaking at room temperature (25 ± 1C), in relation to the varietal differences manifested by the physicochemical properties. The water uptake by milled rice kernels took place at a faster rate in the beginning and was followed by a diminishing rate finally leading to a saturated value during soaking. The water uptake of the kernels during soaking could be best expressed by a modified exponential relationship with R2 values ranging from 0.971 to 0.998 for all varieties. The slope of the fitted straight line between actual and estimated moisture contents of milled rice during soaking using a modified exponential relationship was about unity (0.998) with a high R2 value of 0.989 and a root mean square error of 1.2% d.b. The parameters of the fitted model were the function of the M0 and the physicochemical properties of the milled rice. Using developed relationship, the water uptake of the milled rice during soaking could be estimated from its M0 and the physicochemical properties within±10% of the actual values. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This information would be useful for the scientific world working on the soaking characteristics of various varieties of rice, mainly for the modeling of the soaking process. It could also be used as a tool in selecting the rice varieties to meet their desired water uptake properties in relation to their psychochemical properties by rice breeder scientists. [source] Digital Analysis of Experimental Human Bitemarks: Application of Two New MethodsJOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 6 2006Nazar Al-Talabani B.D.S., Ph.D. ABSTRACT: Bitemark determination in forensic odontology is commonly performed by comparing the morphology of the dentition of the suspect with life-sized photographs of injury on the victim's skin using transparent overlays or computers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the suitability of two new different methods for identification of bitemarks by digital analysis. A sample of 50 volunteers was asked to make experimental bitemarks on the arms of each other. Stone study casts were prepared from upper and lower dental arches of each volunteer. The bitemarks and the study casts were photographed; the photos were entered into the computer and Adobe Photoshop software program was applied to analyze the results. Two methods (2D polyline and Painting) of identification were used. In the 2D polyline method, fixed points were chosen on the tips of the canines and a straight line was drawn between the two fixed points in the arch (intercanine line). Straight lines passing between the incisal edges of the incisors were drawn vertically on the intercanine line; the lines and angles created were calculated. In the painting method, identification was based on canine-to-canine distance, tooth width and the thickness, and rotational value of each tooth. The results showed that both methods were applicable. However, the 2D polyline method was more convenient to use and gave prompt computer-read results, whereas the painting method depended on the visual reading of the operator. [source] Drug adsorption in human skin: A streaming potential studyJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 12 2003Johanna Raiman Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the drug adsorption process in human skin using in vitro streaming potential measurements. Streaming potential is an electrokinetic phenomenon, which reflects both the charge density and the pore size of a membrane. Thus, the adsorption of charged solutes on the pore walls can be detected as a change of streaming potential, viz., as a change in the slope ,E/,P. In these streaming potential measurements, hydrophilic nadolol and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, and lipophilic propranolol and Nafarelin were used as model drugs. As could be expected, the hydrophilic drugs did not change the slope. The more lipophilic propranolol and Nafarelin, instead, changed the slope. Propranolol changed the slope gradually from negative to positive when the concentration was increased from 1 to 10 mM. With Nafarelin, a straight line with a slope of about 0 was obtained at pH 7.3 and an ascending curve at pH 4.2. These results indicate that the negative charges on the pore walls of human skin are blocked by adsorption of the lipophilic cations. The adsorption of lipophilic cations in the skin alters the permselectivity of the skin, which, in turn, may lead to the inhibition of electroosmotic flow across the skin during iontophoresis and to the shut down of transdermal drug permeation of higher molecular weight drugs. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 92:2366,2372, 2003 [source] Antagonistic effects of selective ,1 -adrenoceptor antagonists MDL73005EF and tamsulosin and partial agonists clonidine and tizanidine in rat thoracic aorta and rabbit iliac arteryJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2001Mitsutoshi Satoh The antagonistic effects of MDL73005EF and tamsulosin and partial agonists clonidine and tizanidineat rat thoracic aorta and rabbit iliac artery ,1 -adrenoceptors were investigated in this study. Selective ,1 -adrenoceptor antagonists MDL73005EF and tamsulosin dose-dependently shifted the concentration-response curves for noradrenaline to the right. Schild plots of the results obtained from the inhibition by MDL73005EF (pA2 8.30 ± 0.04) and tamsulosin (pA2 10.51 ± 0.06) of noradrenaline yielded a straight line with a slope of unity in rat thoracic aorta. The slopes of Schild plots obtained from the inhibition by MDL73005EF and tamsulosin of noradrenaline were significantly different from unity in rabbit iliac artery. Schild plots of the results obtained from the inhibition by clonidine and tizanidine of noradrenaline yielded a straight line with a slope of unity in rat thoracic aorta (pA2 7.08 ± 0.04 and 7.32 ± 0.04, respectively). These results suggest that ,1D -adrenoceptors play a significant role in the ,1 -adrenoceptor-agonist-induced contraction of rat thoracic aorta and rabbit iliac artery, and that clonidine and tizanidine interact with the ,1D -adrenoceptor subtype as competitive antagonists in rat thoracic aorta. [source] Mechanism and structure,reactivity correlation in the homogeneous, unimolecular elimination kinetics of 2-substituted ethyl methylcarbonates in the gas phaseJOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2003Gabriel Chuchani Abstract The gas-phase elimination kinetics of 2-substituted ethyl methylcarbonates were determined in a static reaction system over the temperature range of 323,435°C and pressure range 28.5,242 Torr. The reactions are homogeneous, unimolecular and follow a first-order rate law. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters are reported. The 2-substituents of the ethyl methylcarbonate (CH3OCOOCH2CH2Z, Z=substituent) give an approximate linear correlation when using the Taft,Topsom method, log(kZ/kH)=,(0.57±0.19),,+(1.34±0.49),R, (r=0.9256; SD=0.16) at 400°C. This result implies the elimination process to be sensitive to steric factors, while the electronic effect is unimportant. However, the resonance factor has the greatest influence for a favorable abstraction of the ,-hydrogen of the C,,H bond by the oxygen carbonyl. Because ,, is significant, a good correlation of the alkyl substituents of carbonates with Hancock's steric parameters was obtained: log(kR/kH) versus ESC for CH3OCOOCH2CH2R at 400°C, R=alkyl, ,=,0.17 (r=0.9993, SD=0.01). An approximate straight line was obtained on plotting these data with the reported Hancock's correlation of 2-alkyl ethylacetates. This result leads to evidence for the ,-hydrogen abstraction by the oxygen carbonyl and not by the alkoxy oxygen at the opposite side of the carbonate. The carbonate decompostion is best described in terms of a concerted six-membered cyclic transition state type of mechanism. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The nitro anomaly and Brønsted ,nuc values in SN2 reactions on chlorine,JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2002Linoam Eliad Abstract The kinetics of chlorine transfer reactions between N -chlorosuccinimide (NCS) and four carbon nucleophiles (the conjugated bases of phenyldinitromethane, Meldrum's acid, phenylmalononitrile and phenylnitro-methane) in water were determined. A plot of log k for the SN2 reactions vs the pKa of the first three conjugated acids of the nucleophiles gave a straight line with a slope (,nuc) of 1.8. The data point for the mononitro derivative, phenylnitromethane, deviates negatively from the line by 6.7 log units. This deviation is typical of proton transfer reactions and was recently shown to occur also in SN2 reactions on bromine. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Synthesis of comb-shaped poly(methyl methacrylate)- b -poly(polytetrahydrofuran acrylate) under 60Co ,-ray irradiationJOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 20 2002Tao He Abstract Comb-shaped graft copolymers with poly(methyl methacrylate) as a handle were synthesized by the macromonomer technique in two steps. First, polytetrahydrofuran acrylate (A-PTHF), prepared by the living cationic ring-opening polymerization of tetrahydrofuran, underwent homopolymerization with 1-(ethoxycarbonyl)prop-1-yl dithiobenzoate as an initiator under 60Co , irradiation at room temperature; Second, the handle of the comb-shaped copolymers was prepared by the block copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with P(A-PTHF) as a macroinitiator under 60Co , irradiation. The two-step polymerizations were proved to be controlled with the following evidence: the straight line of ln[M]0/[M] versus the polymerization time, the linear increase in the number-average molecular weight with the conversion, and the relatively narrow molecular weight distribution. The structures of the P(A-PTHF) and final comb-shaped copolymers were characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3367,3378, 2002 [source] Adsorption interaction parameter of polyethers in ternary mobile phases: The critical adsorption lineJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 8 2010Nguyen V. Cuong Abstract It is shown that in LC of polymers, the interaction parameter in ternary mobile phases can be described by a plane, which is determined by the dependencies in binary mobile phases. Instead of a critical adsorption point, critical conditions are observed along a straight line of composition between the two critical points in binary mobile phases. Consequently, a separation of block copolymers under critical conditions for one block by an adsorption mechanism for the other block can be achieved in ternary mobile phases of different compositions, which allows an adjustment of the retention of the adsorbing block. [source] Highly selective artificial gel antibodies for detection and quantification of biomarkers in clinical samples.JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 22 2008Abstract High selectivity of a biomarker is a basic requirement when it is used for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of a disease. The artificial gel antibodies, which we synthesise by a molecular imprinting method, have this property not only for proteins, but also for bioparticles, such as viruses and bacteria. However, diagnosis of a disease requires not only that the biomarker can be "fished out" from a body fluid with high selectivity, but also that its concentration in the sample can rapidly be determined and preferably by a simple technique. This paper deals primarily with the development of a spectrophotometric method, which is so simple and fast that it can be used with advantage in a Doctor's Office. The development of this method was not straight-forward. However, by modifications of the performance of these measurements we can now design standard curves in the form of a straight line, when we plot the true (not the recorded "apparent" absorption) against known protein concentrations. In an additional publication (see the following paper in this issue of JSS) we show an application of such a plot: determination of the concentration of albumin in serum and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with neurological disorders to investigate whether albumin is a biomarker for these diseases. [source] "Maybe Tomorrow I'll Turn Capitalist": Cuentapropismo in a Workers' StateLAW & SOCIETY REVIEW, Issue 2 2007Emma F. Phillips In 1993, the Cuban government significantly expanded the scope of legal self-employment on the island. The change has not been uncontroversial, and cuentapropistas have frequently been held up, both in Cuba and in the United States, as the symbol of Cuba's transition to a free-market economy. In framing cuentapropistas as the vanguards of capitalism, observers have adopted a concept of "transition" which is both rigidly ideological and teleological. This article argues that by employing a sociolegal approach toward cuentapropismo,examining close-up not only the Cuban government's regulation of self-employment, but also how the operation of law is mediated through cuentapropistas' own self-perceptions,we can develop a richer and more complex understanding of transitional periods. Rather than conceptualizing "transition" as a straight line from communism to capitalism, a sociolegal analysis draws attention to the complex relationship between law, identity, and work in the renegotiation of citizenship, and the constitutive role that evolving conceptions of citizenship may have for the shape and character of a transitional period. [source] Noble gas study of the Saratov L4 chondriteMETEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010Jun-ichi MATSUDA The Ar, Kr, and Xe concentrations in the HF/HCl residue are two orders of magnitude higher than those in the bulk sample, while He and Ne concentrations from both are comparable. The residue contains only a portion of the trapped heavy noble gases in Saratov; 40 ± 9% for 36Ar, 58 ± 12% for 84Kr, and 48 ± 10% for 132Xe, respectively. The heavy noble gas elemental pattern in the dissolved fraction is similar to that in the residue but has high release temperatures. Xenon isotopic ratios of the HF/HCl residue indicate that there is no Xe-HL in Saratov, but Ne isotopic ratios in the HF/HCl residue lie on a straight line connecting the cosmogenic component and a composition between Ne-Q and Ne-HL. This implies that the Ne isotopic composition of Q has been changed by incorporating Ne-HL (Huss et al. 1996) or by being mass fractionated during the thermal metamorphism. However, it is most likely that the Ne-Q in Saratov is intrinsically different from this component in other meteorites. The evidence of this is a lack of correlation between the isotopic ratio of Ne-Q and petrologic types of meteorites (Busemann et al. 2000). A neutron capture effect was observed in the Kr isotopes, and this process also affected the 128Xe/132Xe ratio. The 3He and 21Ne exposure ages for the bulk sample are 33 and 35 Ma, respectively. [source] Matching and ideal free distributionsOIKOS, Issue 7 2008Alasdair I. Houston Ideal free distributions characterise how a group of animals should be distributed between sources of food. In a simple case, the ratio of the number of animals matches the ratio of input rates, a result known as input matching. The matching law characterises how an animal should allocate responses to sources of food. If matching holds then the ratio of behaviour allocated to the sources matches the ratio of rewards obtained. Several authors have drawn attention to the analogy between input matching and the matching law. I present a critical review of this topic, and go on to investigate the claim that the distribution of animals should be analyzed in the same way that the generalized matching law is analyzed. This involves assuming that the relationship between the ratio of animals and the ratio of resources obeys a power law with two parameters, one corresponding to bias and the other to sensitivity. On this view, a plot of the log of the ratio of animals against the log of the ratio of input rates will be a straight line and its intercept and slope will provide estimates of bias and sensitivity. I show that this approach can give a good fit even when the underlying model does not result in a power law. A consequence is that the parameters estimated cannot be interpreted as bias and sensitivity. I conclude that there are no compelling reasons for analyzing the distribution of animals using log-log plots, and the method has the disadvantage of encouraging the mistaken view that deviations from input matching follow a power law. [source] Radiation and breast carcinogenesis,PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 5 2001John D. Boice Jr. Abstract With the possible exception of radiation-induced leukemia, more is known about radiation-induced breast cancer than any other malignancy [1, 2]. Fourteen cohort studies have provided quantitative information on the level of risk following a wide range of doses in different populations around the world. Comprehensive studies have been conducted in Canada, Germany, Japan, Sweden and other Nordic countries, the United Kingdom, and the USA (Table I). Key features are the linearity in the dose response (i.e., a straight line adequately fits the observed data), and the effect modification of age at exposure (i.e., risk is inversely related to exposure age and exposures past the menopausal ages appear to carry a very low risk); and the minimal effect of fractionating dose on subsequent risk [3]. A recent combined analysis of almost 78,000 women and 1,500 breast cancer cases from eight cohorts confirmed the downturn in risk at the highest dose levels (related in part to the killing of cells rather than transformation) and that fractionation of dose has little influence on risk, at least on an absolute scale [4]. It is not known whether persons predisposed to cancer are at enhanced risk of radiation-induced breast cancer from low-dose exposures, although this seems unlikely [5]. New data on the effects of high doses following childhood exposures will be forthcoming from long-term studies of the survivors of childhood cancer (6,8). Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 36:508,513, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Molecular thermodynamic model of the glass transition temperature: dependence on molecular weightPOLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Issue 8 2008Yong Woo Kim Abstract A new molecular thermodynamic model to predict the dependency of the glass transition temperature (Tg) of polymer on its molecular weight was developed based on the configurational entropy model and the Flory,Huggins theory. In this model, the disorientation entropy of the polymer (Sdis) has been taken into account. Quantitative descriptions according to the proposed model are consistent with experimental Tg data of several polymers against the number of chain segment (r). At the same Tg., (Tg of polymer at a infinite r value), the degree of polymer disorientation is strongly correlated with the slope of straight line at lower r regions in the Tg versus r plot, which is quantitatively identified by physical parameter (,dis) in this model. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Performance Measurement in State Budgeting: Advancement and Backsliding from 1990 to 1995PUBLIC BUDGETING AND FINANCE, Issue 1 2000Robert D. Lee Performance measurement has been one of the dominant themes of budget reform in the 1990s and has been prevalent in the mainstream of budgeting since the 1950s. Given the attention that performance measurement has had nationally, states might be expected to have made major strides in this arena in recent years. The article considers the current status of performance measurement practices, and identifies both advancement and backsliding made by states between 1990 and 1995. The discussion is based on data obtained from surveys of state budget offices in those two years. Indexes of performance measurement were constructed, and these became the bases of regression analyses using independent variables pertaining to state characteristics. Generally, these analyses were unsuccessful in explaining the variations among the states. The findings underscore the diversity among the states in their budgetary practices and the fact that budget reform, in the sense of increased use of performance measurement, is not necessarily achieved in a straight line of progression. The article considers possible explanations for the changes. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||