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Parameter Analysis (parameter + analysis)
Selected AbstractsDiagnosing PNH with FLAER and multiparameter flow cytometryCYTOMETRY, Issue 3 2007D. Robert Sutherland Abstract Background: PNH is an acquired hematopoietic stem cell disorder leading to a partial or absolute deficiency of all glycophosphatidyl-inositol (GPI)-linked proteins. The classical approach to diagnosis of PNH by cytometry involves the loss of at least two GPI-linked antigens on RBCs and neutrophils. While flow assays are more sensitive and specific than complement-mediated lysis or the Hams test, they suffer from several drawbacks. Bacterial aerolysin binds to the GPI moiety of cell surface GPI-linked molecules and causes lysis of normal but not GPI-deficient PNH cells. FLAER is an Alexa488-labeled inactive variant of aerolysin that does not cause lysis of cells. Our goals were to develop a FLAER-based assay to diagnose and monitor patients with PNH and to improve detection of minor populations of PNH clones in other hematologic disorders. Methods: In a single tube assay, we combined FLAER with CD45, CD33, and CD14 allowing the simultaneous analysis of FLAER and the GPI-linked CD14 structure on neutrophil and monocyte lineages. Results: Comparison to standard CD55 and CD59 analysis showed excellent agreement. Because of the higher signal to noise ratio, the method shows increased sensitivity in our hands over single (CD55 or CD59) parameter analysis. Using this assay, we were able to detect as few as 1% PNH monocytes and neutrophils in aplastic anemia, that were otherwise undetectable using CD55 and CD59 on RBC's. We also observed abnormal FLAER staining of blast populations in acute leukemia. In these cases, the neutrophils stained normally with FLAER, while the gated CD33bright cells failed to express normal levels of CD14 and additionally showed aberrant CD45 staining and bound lower levels of FLAER. Conclusion: FLAER combined with multiparameter flow cytometry offers an improved assay for diagnosis and monitoring of PNH clones and may have utility in detection of unsuspected myeloproliferative disorders. © 2007 Clinical Cytometry Society [source] An efficient time-domain damping solvent extraction algorithm and its application to arch dam,foundation interaction analysisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 9 2008Hong Zhong Abstract The dynamic structure,unbounded foundation interaction plays an important role in the seismic response of structures. The damping solvent extraction (DSE) method put forward by Wolf and Song has a great advantage of simplicity, with no singular integrals to be evaluated, no fundamental solution required and convolution integrals avoided. However, implementation of DSE in the time domain to large-scale engineering problems is associated with enormous difficulties in evaluating interaction forces on the structure,unbounded foundation interface, because the displacement on the corresponding interface is an unknown vector to be found. Three sets of interrelated large algebraic equations have to be solved simultaneously. To overcome these difficulties, an efficient algorithm is presented, such that the solution procedure can be greatly simplified and computational effort considerably saved. To verify its accuracy, two examples with analytical solutions were investigated, each with a parameter analysis on the domain size and amount of artificial damping. Then with the parameters suggested in the parameter study, the complex frequency,response functions and earthquake time history analysis of Morrow Point dam were presented to demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of DSE approach. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Failure of the ammonia oxidation process in two pharmaceutical wastewater treatment plants is linked to shifts in the bacterial communitiesJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2005L. Wittebolle Abstract Aims:, To investigate whether two different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) , treating the same pharmaceutical influent , select for a different bacterial and/or ammonia oxidizing bacterial (AOB) community. Methods and Results:, Molecular fingerprinting demonstrated that each WWTP had its own total bacterial and AOB community structure, but Nitrosomonas eutropha and N. europea were dominant in both WWTP A and B. The DNA and RNA analysis of the AOB communities revealed different patterns; so the most abundant species may not necessarily be the most active ones. Nitritation failures, monitored by chemical parameter analysis, were reflected as AOB community shifts and visualized by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)-based moving window analysis. Conclusions:, This research demonstrated the link between functional performance (nitritation parameters) and the presence and activity of a specific microbial ecology (AOB). Clustering and moving window analysis based on DGGE showed to be valuable to monitor community shifts in both WWTPs. Significance and Impact of the Study:, This study of specific community shifts together with functional parameter analysis has potential as a tool for relating functional instability (such as operational failures) to specific-bacterial community shifts. [source] INFLUENCE OF SAMPLE SIZE AND SHAPE ON TRANSPORT PARAMETERS DURING DRYING OF SHRINKING BODIESJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2007NAJMUR RAHMAN ABSTRACT An experimental investigation on the influence of sample size and shape on heat and mass transport parameters under natural convection air-drying is presented. Potato cylinders with length of 0.05 m and thicknesses of 0.005, 0.008, 0.010 and 0.016 m, and circular slices with diameter of 0.05 m and thickness of 0.01 m were dried in a laboratory scale hot-air cabinet dryer. Results indicate that each transport parameter exhibits a linear relationship with sample thickness. Convective heat and mass transfer coefficients (hcand hm) decreased whereas moisture diffusion coefficient (Deff) increased with increasing thickness. Considering no sample shrinkage effect in the parameter analysis, for the thickness range considered, the values of hcare found to be underestimated in the range of 29.0,30.6%, whereas those of hmand Deff are overestimated in the range of 33.7,38.0% and 75.9,128.1%, respectively. Using Levenberg,Marquardt algorithm for optimization, a correlation for Biot number for mass transfer (Bim) as a function of drying time and sample thickness is proposed. A close agreement was observed between dimensionless moisture contents predicted by this relation and those obtained from experiments for different sample thicknesses at drying air temperature of 60C. For the same thickness and drying conditions, circular slices caused an increase in each transport parameter significantly. [source] Experience report on using object-oriented design for software maintenanceJOURNAL OF SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND EVOLUTION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, Issue 3 2007Norman F. Schneidewind Abstract We experimented with modifying the existing object-oriented (OO) design and C++ code of a software reliability model. Our purpose was to assess the efficacy of OO methods for performing maintenance on mathematical software, using a real-world system (NASA Space Shuttle flight software) to illustrate the approach. In this process, we used variants of UML diagrams to modify our design. We found that although a top-down approach to software maintenance is normally a good idea, it was still necessary to modify the design once the realities of what could be accomplished in the C++ code came to light. As reliability and maintenance are intimately related, we developed reliability risk analysis to show how maintenance changes to our design and code could be used to measure risk. Another maintenance enhancement to the design and code is the use of reliability parameter analysis to assess, in the advance of prediction, the reliability of a set of software releases. We believe this is the first evaluation of software maintenance using OO methods. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Consequences Arising From Elevated Surface Temperatures on Human BloodARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 9 2010Kathrin F. Hamilton Abstract Heat in blood pumps is generated by losses of the electrical motor and bearings. In the presented study the influence of tempered surfaces on bulk blood and adhesions on these surfaces was examined. Titanium alloy housing dummies were immersed in 25 mL heparinized human blood. The dummies were constantly tempered at specific temperatures (37,45°C) over 15 min. Blood samples were withdrawn for blood parameter analysis and the determination of the plasmatic coagulation cascade. The quantities of adhesion on surfaces were determined by drained weight. Blood parameters do not alter significantly up to surface temperatures of 45°C. In comparison to the control specimen, a drop in the platelet count can be observed, but is not significantly temperature dependent. The mean mass of adhesions at 41°C increased up to 66% compared to 37°C. Thus, heat generated in electrical motors and contact bearings may influence the amount of adhesions on surfaces. [source] | ||||||||||