2,931 research outputs found
A Purely Functional Computer Algebra System Embedded in Haskell
We demonstrate how methods in Functional Programming can be used to implement
a computer algebra system. As a proof-of-concept, we present the
computational-algebra package. It is a computer algebra system implemented as
an embedded domain-specific language in Haskell, a purely functional
programming language. Utilising methods in functional programming and prominent
features of Haskell, this library achieves safety, composability, and
correctness at the same time. To demonstrate the advantages of our approach, we
have implemented advanced Gr\"{o}bner basis algorithms, such as Faug\`{e}re's
and , in a composable way.Comment: 16 pages, Accepted to CASC 201
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Hyperfine Structure
Contains reports on four research projects
PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND OPTIMIZATION OF MEBENDAZOLE SPHERICAL AGGLOMERATES USING MODIFIED EVAPORATIVE PRECIPITATION IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION (EPAS)
Objective: Mebendazole is a popular benzimidazole class anthelmintic drug useful in the treatment of main infections of threadworms as well as other less common worm infections like whipworm, roundworm, and hookworm in adults and children over 2 y of age. It is poorly soluble in water resulting in poor absorption from the intestinal tract leading to a decrease in bioavailability. Moreover, Mebendazole has poor flowability due to the needle-shaped crystals. This work was carried out with the aim of increasing the flowability and solubility of Mebendazole.
Methods: A 32 full factorial design was used to investigate the effect of the concentration of Mebendazole and the quantity of water as an external phase using evaporative precipitation into an aqueous solution. The prepared agglomerates were characterized for particle size distribution, shape, Hausner ratio, Carrâs index and % dissolved in 60 min (C60).
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Results: The prepared agglomerates were found to be monodispersed. They also showed a decrease in the Hausner ration and Carrâs index, indicating improved flowability. Increase in C60 indicated that the agglomerates were found to have increased water solubility.
Conclusion: Scanning Electron Microscopy showed that the agglomerates were spherical in shape. Fourier Transformed Infra-Red studies showed no chemical change in the prepared spherical agglomerates. Differential Scanning Calorimetry and X-ray diffraction studies showed an increase in amorphous characteristics of prepared spherical agglomerates. This method may be used for drugs with similar characteristics as Mebendazole
High Resolution HST-STIS Spectra of CI and CO in the Beta Pictoris Circumstellar Disk
High resolution FUV echelle spectra showing absorption features arising from
CI and CO gas in the Beta Pictoris circumstellar (CS) disk were obtained on
1997 December 6 and 19 using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS).
An unsaturated spin-forbidden line of CI at 1613.376 A not previously seen in
spectra of Beta Pictoris was detected, allowing for an improved determination
of the column density of CI at zero velocity relative to the star (the stable
component), N = (2-4) x 10^{16} cm^{-2}. Variable components with multiple
velocities, which are the signatures of infalling bodies in the Beta Pictoris
CS disk, are observed in the CI 1561 A and 1657 A multiplets. Also seen for the
first time were two lines arising from the metastable singlet D level of
carbon, at 1931 A and 1463 A The results of analysis of the CO A-X (0-0),
(1-0), and (2-0) bands are presented, including the bands arising from {13}^CO,
with much better precision than has previously been possible, due to the very
high resolution provided by the STIS echelle gratings. Only stable CO gas is
observed, with a column density N(CO) = (6.3 +/- 0.3) x 10^{14} cm{-2}. An
unusual ratio of the column densities of {12}^CO to {13}^CO is found (R = 15
+/- 2). The large difference between the column densities of CI and CO
indicates that photodissociation of CO is not the primary source of CI gas in
the disk, contrary to previous suggestion.Comment: 13 pages, including 6 figures. LaTex2e (emulateapj5.sty). Accepted
for publication in Ap
Demonstration of the Zero-Crossing Phasemeter with a LISA Test-bed Interferometer
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is being designed to detect and
study in detail gravitational waves from sources throughout the Universe such
as massive black hole binaries. The conceptual formulation of the LISA
space-borne gravitational wave detector is now well developed. The
interferometric measurements between the sciencecraft remain one of the most
important technological and scientific design areas for the mission.
Our work has concentrated on developing the interferometric technologies to
create a LISA-like optical signal and to measure the phase of that signal using
commercially available instruments. One of the most important goals of this
research is to demonstrate the LISA phase timing and phase reconstruction for a
LISA-like fringe signal, in the case of a high fringe rate and a low signal
level. We present current results of a test-bed interferometer designed to
produce an optical LISA-like fringe signal previously discussed in the
literature.Comment: find minor corrections in the CQG versio
De gevangene gevangen
Het lijkt in te zijn tegenwoordig: ontsnappen uit zwaar bewaakte gevangenissen. Als ware professionals gebruiken de inmates de spectaculairste middelen en weten de heren Gevangenisdirecteuren zich steeds weer geconfronteerd met de "boze buitenwereld". De nood is de vader aller commissies. Helaas blijkt hij maar al te vruchtbaar. Als een ware Athena ontsprong de commissie Hoekstra aan het brein van Kosto
Gene expression patterns during adaptation of a helminth parasite to different environmental niches
Using a genomic microarray, gene expression at three different developmental stages of the schistosome parasite were analyzed, resulting in the identification of 1154 developmentally enriched transcripts
Seroprevalence of Zika virus in wild African green monkeys and baboons
ABSTRACT Zika virus (ZIKV) has recently spread through the Americas and has been associated with a range of health effects, including birth defects in children born to women infected during pregnancy. Although the natural reservoir of ZIKV remains poorly defined, the virus was first identified in a captive âsentinelâ macaque monkey in Africa in 1947. However, the virus has not been reported in humans or nonhuman primates (NHPs) in Africa outside Gabon in over a decade. Here, we examine ZIKV infection in 239 wild baboons and African green monkeys from South Africa, the Gambia, Tanzania, and Zambia using combinations of unbiased deep sequencing, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR), and an antibody capture assay that we optimized using serum collected from captive macaque monkeys exposed to ZIKV, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus. While we did not find evidence of active ZIKV infection in wild NHPs in Africa, we found variable ZIKV seropositivity of up to 16% in some of the NHP populations sampled. We anticipate that these results and the methodology described within will help in continued efforts to determine the prevalence, natural reservoir, and transmission dynamics of ZIKV in Africa and elsewhere. IMPORTANCE Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus originally discovered in a captive monkey living in the Zika Forest of Uganda, Africa, in 1947. Recently, an outbreak in South America has shown that ZIKV infection can cause myriad health effects, including birth defects in the children of women infected during pregnancy. Here, we sought to investigate ZIKV infection in wild African primates to better understand its emergence and spread, looking for evidence of active or prior infection. Our results suggest that up to 16% of some populations of nonhuman primate were, at some point, exposed to ZIKV. We anticipate that this study will be useful for future studies that examine the spread of infections from wild animals to humans in general and those studying ZIKV in primates in particular. Podcast: A podcast concerning this article is available
Veteransâ civilian employment experiences: Lessons learnt from focus groups
Emerging evidence highlights employment as a key factor influencing the success of transition from military to civilian life. Historically, employment programs have focused on improving skills such as resume writing and interview skills. However, it is likely that employment challenges are more than these practical barriers. Four focus groups with employed and unemployed Gulf War Era II veterans were conducted aimed at moving past a practical perspective by gaining experiential understandings of veteransâ employment. Thematic analysis indicated that the veteransâ employment experiences were best understood temporally in two master themes: pretransition and the divergent experiences of veterans who did and did not plan ahead and living the transition and the veteransâ experiences of employment barriers and facilitators. Further to the two master themes, an underlying thread of the need for self-determination was evident. Interpretation of the results led to the development of recommendations for policy, service provision, and future research
Cross-cultural adaptation into Punjabi of the English version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
BACKGROUND: We wanted to use a Punjabi version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to enable non-English speaking patients to participate in a clinical trial. The aim of the study was to translate and validate the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale into Punjabi. METHODS: The HADS was translated into Punjabi by a multidisciplinary team, verified against the original version, and administered to 73 bilingual patients attending an outpatient clinic. RESULTS: One sample t-tests and the Bland-Altman plots demonstrated acceptable linguistic agreement between the two versions of the HADS. Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficients (p < 0.0001) demonstrate excellent conceptual agreement between each item and its corresponding subscale score, for both versions. Concordance rates revealed that the Punjabi HADS adequately identified borderline cases of anxiety (80.8%), definite cases of anxiety (91.8%) and depression (91.8%), but was less reliable in identifying borderline cases of depression (65.8%). Cronbach alpha coefficients revealed high levels of internal consistency for both the Punjabi and English versions (0.81 and 0.86 for anxiety and 0.71 and 0.85 for depression, respectively). CONCLUSION: The Punjabi HADS is an acceptable, reliable and valid measure of anxiety and depression among physically ill Punjabi speaking people in the United Kingdom
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