355 research outputs found
Parallel plate viscometer Patent
Describing instrument capable of measuring true shear viscosity of liquids and viscoelastic material
Absolute viscosity measured using instrumented parallel plate system
An automatic system measures the true average shear viscosity of liquids and viscoelastic materials, using the parallel plate method and automatically displays the results on a graphic record. This eliminates apparatus setup and extensive calculations
Polymer deformation gage measures thickness change in tensile tests
Lightweight deformation gage attached to a polymer specimen determines the thickness changes undergone by the specimen during the testing of its tensile and elongation properties. Mechanical noise from outside sources is dampened when the assembly is hung on a light rubber band
Method of making hollow elastomeric bodies
Annular elastomeric bodies having intricate shapes are cast by dipping a heated, rotating mandrel into a solution of the elastomer, permitting the elastomer to creep into sharp recesses, drying the coated mandrel and repeating the operation until the desired thickness has been achieved. A bladder for a heart assist pump in which a cylindrical body terminating in flat, sharp horizontal flanges fabricated by this procedure has been subjected to over 2,500 hours of simulated life conditions with no visible signs of degradation
Dip molding to form intricately-shaped medical elastomer devices
Preshaped mandrel mounted on rotating mechanism is partically immersed in tank filled with liquid elastomer. While mandrel rotates, elastomer film forms om mandrel surface due to surface tension and capillary behavior of liquid. Devices with well-defined flanges can be made using process
Hidden variables with nonlocal time
To relax the apparent tension between nonlocal hidden variables and
relativity, we propose that the observable proper time is not the same quantity
as the usual proper-time parameter appearing in local relativistic equations.
Instead, the two proper times are related by a nonlocal rescaling parameter
proportional to |psi|^2, so that they coincide in the classical limit. In this
way particle trajectories may obey local relativistic equations of motion in a
manner consistent with the appearance of nonlocal quantum correlations. To
illustrate the main idea, we first present two simple toy models of local
particle trajectories with nonlocal time, which reproduce some nonlocal quantum
phenomena. After that, we present a realistic theory with a capacity to
reproduce all predictions of quantum theory.Comment: 16 pages, accepted for publication in Found. Phys., misprints
corrected, references update
Standardized Documentation for Verification, Validation, and Accreditation / Paper 08S-SIW-003
Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO) SIW Conference PaperThis paper updates the Modeling and Simulation (M&S) community on the status of the Department of
Defense M&S Steering Committee-sponsored project titled, "Standardized Documentation for Verification, Validation,
and Accreditation," since the paper 07F-SIW-068, "Automating Standardized Information for the Verification,
Validation, and Accreditation Process: An Acquisition Community Sponsored M&S Project," was presented in
September 2007
Wittgenstein's Thought Experiments and Relativity Theory
In this paper, I discuss the similarity between Wittgensteinās use of thought experiments and Relativity Theory. I begin with introducing Wittgensteinās idea of āthought experimentsā and a tentative classification of different kinds of thought experiments in Wittgensteinās work. Then, after presenting a short recap of some remarks on the analogy between Wittgensteinās point of view and Einsteinās, I suggest three analogies between the status of Wittgensteinās mental experiments and Relativity theory: the topics of time dilation, the search for invariants, and the role of measuring tools in Special Relativity. This last point will help to better define Wittgensteinās idea of description as the core of his philosophical enterprise
LINE-1 Hypomethylation in a Choline-Deficiency-Induced Liver Cancer in Rats: Dependence on Feeding Period
Chronic feeding of methyl-donor (methionine, choline, folic acid, and vitamin B12) deficient diet induces hepatocellular carcinoma formation in rats. Previous studies have shown that promoter CpG islands in various cancer-related genes are aberrantly methylated in this model. Moreover, the global genome in methyl-donor-deficient diet fed rats contains a lesser amount of 5-methylcytosine than control livers. It is speculated that more than 90% of all 5-methylcytosines lie within the CpG islands of the transposons, including the long/short interspersed nucleotide elements (LINE and SINE). It is considered that the 5-methylcytosines in LINE-1 limit the ability of retrotransposons to be activated and transcribed; therefore, the extent of hypomethylation of LINE-1 could be a surrogate marker for aberrant methylation in other tumor-related genes as well as genome instability. Additionally, LINE-1 methylation status has been shown to be a good indicator of genome-wide methylation. In this study, we determined cytosine methylation status in the LINE-1 repetitive sequences of rats fed a choline-deficient (CD) diet for various durations and compared these with rats fed a choline-sufficient (CS) diet. The methylation status of LINE-1 was assessed by the combined bisulfite restriction analysis (COBRA) method, where the amount of bisulfite-modified and RsaI-cleaved DNA was quantified using gel electrophoresis. Progressive hypomethylation was observed in LINE-1 of CD livers as a function of feeding time; that is, the amount of cytosine in total cytosine (methylated and unmethylated) increased from 11.1% (1 week) to 19.3% (56 weeks), whereas in the control CS livers, it increased from 9.2% to 12.9%. Hypomethylation in tumor tissues was slightly higher (6%) than the nontumorous surrounding tissue. The present result also indicates that age is a factor influencing the extent of cytosine methylation
Profit and loss analysis for an intensive care unit (ICU) in Japan: a tool for strategic management
BACKGROUND: Accurate cost estimate and a profit and loss analysis are necessary for health care practice. We performed an actual financial analysis for an intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital in Japan, and tried to discuss the health care policy and resource allocation decisions that have an impact on critical intensive care. METHODS: The costs were estimated by a department level activity based costing method, and the profit and loss analysis was based on a break-even point analysis. The data used included the monthly number of patients, the revenue, and the direct and indirect costs of the ICU in 2003. RESULTS: The results of this analysis showed that the total costs of US 2,295,044. However, it was determined that the ICU required at least 1,986 patient days within one fiscal year based on a break-even point analysis. As a result, an annual deficit of US$ 383,008 has occurred in the ICU. CONCLUSION: These methods are useful for determining the profits or losses for the ICU practice, and how to evaluate and to improve it. In this study, the results indicate that most ICUs in Japanese hospitals may not be profitable at the present time. As a result, in order to increase the income to make up for this deficit, an increase of 437 patient days in the ICU in one fiscal year is needed, and the number of patients admitted to the ICU should thus be increased without increasing the number of beds or staff members. Increasing the number of patients referred from cooperating hospitals and clinics therefore appears to be the best strategy for achieving these goals
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