Modified Strength Testing Protocol For Use In Subjects With Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction

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Energy and directional signatures for plane quantized gravity waves

Solutions are constructed to the quantum constraints for planar gravity (fields dependent on z and t only) in the Ashtekar complex connection formalism. A number of operators are constructed and applied to the solutions. These include the familiar ADM energy and area operators, as well as new operators sensitive to directionality (z+ct vs. z-ct dependence). The directionality operators are quantum analogs of the classical constraints proposed for unidirectional plane waves by Bondi, Pirani, and Robinson (BPR). It is argued that the quantum BPR constraints will predict unidirectionality reliably only for solutions which are semiclassical in a certain sense. The ADM energy and area operators are likely to have imaginary eigenvalues, unless one either shifts to a real connection, or allows the connection to occur other than in a holonomy. In classical theory, the area can evolve to zero. A quantum mechanical mechanism is proposed which would prevent this collapse.Comment: 54 pages; LaTe

Encapsulation of Cs/Sr contaminated clinoptilolite in geopolymers produced from metakaolin

The encapsulation of caesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr) contaminated clinoptilolite in Na and K based metakaolin geopolymers is reported. When Cs or Sr loaded clinoptilolite is mixed with a metakaolin geopolymer paste, the high pH of the activating solution and the high concentration of ions in solution cause ion exchange reactions and dissolution of clinoptilolite with release of Cs and Sr into the geopolymer matrix. The leaching of Cs and Sr from metakaolin-based geopolymer has therefore been investigated. It was found that Na-based geopolymers reduce leaching of Cs compared to K-based geopolymers and the results are in agreement with the hard and soft acids and bases (HSAB) theory. Cs ions are weak Lewis acids and aluminates are a weak Lewis base. During the formation of the geopolymer matrix Cs ions are preferentially bound to aluminate phases and replace Na in the geopolymer structure. Sr uptake by Na-geopolymers is limited to 0.4 mol Sr per mole of Al and any additional Sr is immobilised by the high pH which causes precipitation of Sr as low solubility hydroxide and carbonate phases. There was no evidence of any other phases being formed when Sr or Cs are added to metakaolin geopolymers

Array concepts for solid-state and vacuum microelectronics millimeter-wave generation

The authors have proposed that the increasing demand for contact watt-level coherent sources in the millimeter- and submillimeter-wave region can be satisfied by fabricating two-dimensional grids loaded with oscillators and multipliers for quasi-optical coherent spatial combining of the outputs of large numbers of low-power devices. This was first demonstrated through the successful fabrication of monolithic arrays with 2000 Schottky diodes. Watt-level power outputs were obtained in doubling to 66 GHz. In addition, a simple transmission-line model was verified with a quasi-optical reflectometer that measured the array impedance. This multiplier array work is being extended to novel tripler configurations using blocking barrier devices. The technique has also been extended to oscillator configurations where the grid structure is loaded with negative-resistance devices. This was first demonstrated using Gunn devices. More recently, a 25-element MESFET grid oscillating at 10 GHz exhibited power combining and self-locking. Currently, this approach is being extended to a 100-element monolithic array of Gunn diodes. This same approach should be applicable to planar vacuum electron devices such as the submillimeter-wave BWO (backward wave oscillator) and vacuum FET

Mutagenicity testing of 9-N-substituted adenines and their N-oxidation products.

Adenine together with certain 9-N-substituted derivatives such as 9-methyl, 9-benzyl, 9-benzhydryl, and 9-trityl were tested against Salmonella typhimurium strains TA97, TA98, and TA100 in the absence and presence of rat hepatic S9 prepared from Aroclor 1254 pretreated rats. All compounds were positive toward TA98 in the presence of the metabolic activating system, whereas they all lacked mutagenic activity in the absence of S9, and toward TA97 and TA100 with or without S9 when tested at 100 ng/plate. A similar pattern was observed for the corresponding 1-N-oxides. 6-Hydroxylaminopurine was not mutagenic toward TA100 at 100 ng/plate, whereas it was toxic toward TA97 and TA98 at this level. When tested at 1 ng/plate, hydroxylaminopurine was still toxic to TA98 but produced twice the spontaneous reversion rate to TA97 without metabolic activation. Surprisingly, 9-methyl-6-hydroxylaminopurine was only active toward TA98 in the presence of S9, whereas 9-benzyl-6-hydroxylaminopurine was highly active toward TA97 and TA100 in the absence of S9 and even more active in the presence of S9. This compound was inactive toward TA98 in the absence of S9. The results generally support the concept that nuclear N-oxidation of aminoazaheterocycles is a detoxication process, whereas N-hydroxylation of the exo amino group is a toxication reaction

Interatomic scattering in energy dependent photoelectron spectra of Ar clusters

Soft X-ray photoelectron spectra of Ar 2p levels of atomic argon and argon clusters are recorded over an extended range of photon energies. The Ar 2p intensity ratios between atomic argon and clusters’ surface and bulk components reveal oscillations similar to photoelectron extended X-ray absorption fine structure signal (PEXAFS). We demonstrate here that this technique allows us to analyze separately the PEXAFS signals from surface and bulk sites of free-standing, neutral clusters, revealing a bond contraction at the surface

Local Ferroelectricity in SrTiO_3 Thin Films

The temperature-dependent polarization of SrTiO_3 thin films is investigated using confocal scanning optical microscopy. A homogeneous out-of-plane and inhomogeneous in-plane ferroelectric phase are identified from images of the linear electrooptic response. Both hysteretic and non-hysteretic behavior are observed under a dc bias field. Unlike classical transitions in bulk ferroelectrics, local ferroelectricity is observed at temperatures far above the dielectric permittivity maximum. The results demonstrate the utility of local probe experiments in understanding inhomogeneous ferroelectrics.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in PR

Gene regulatory networks in lactation: identification of global principles using bioinformatics

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The molecular events underlying mammary development during pregnancy, lactation, and involution are incompletely understood.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mammary gland microarray data, cellular localization data, protein-protein interactions, and literature-mined genes were integrated and analyzed using statistics, principal component analysis, gene ontology analysis, pathway analysis, and network analysis to identify global biological principles that govern molecular events during pregnancy, lactation, and involution.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Several key principles were derived: (1) nearly a third of the transcriptome fluctuates to build, run, and disassemble the lactation apparatus; (2) genes encoding the secretory machinery are transcribed prior to lactation; (3) the diversity of the endogenous portion of the milk proteome is derived from fewer than 100 transcripts; (4) while some genes are differentially transcribed near the onset of lactation, the lactation switch is primarily post-transcriptionally mediated; (5) the secretion of materials during lactation occurs not by up-regulation of novel genomic functions, but by widespread transcriptional suppression of functions such as protein degradation and cell-environment communication; (6) the involution switch is primarily transcriptionally mediated; and (7) during early involution, the transcriptional state is partially reverted to the pre-lactation state. A new hypothesis for secretory diminution is suggested – milk production gradually declines because the secretory machinery is not transcriptionally replenished. A comprehensive network of protein interactions during lactation is assembled and new regulatory gene targets are identified. Less than one fifth of the transcriptionally regulated nodes in this lactation network have been previously explored in the context of lactation. Implications for future research in mammary and cancer biology are discussed.</p

Investigating the effect of thermal gradients on stress in solid oxide fuel cell anodes using combined synchrotron radiation and thermal imaging

Thermal gradients can arise within solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) due to start-up and shut-down, non-uniform gas distribution, fast cycling and operation under internal reforming conditions. Here, the effects of operationally relevant thermal gradients on Ni/YSZ SOFC anode half cells are investigated using combined synchrotron X-ray diffraction and thermal imaging. The combination of these techniques has identified significant deviation from linear thermal expansion behaviour in a sample exposed to a one dimensional thermal gradient. Stress gradients are identified along isothermal regions due to the presence of a proximate thermal gradient, with tensile stress deviations of up to 75Â MPa being observed across the sample at a constant temperature. Significant strain is also observed due to the presence of thermal gradients when compared to work carried out at isothermal conditions