Balloon-borne package temperature controller

Simple, inexpensive, lightweight enclosure traps upward long wave radiation of earth while reflecting harsh solar radiation in upper atmosphere. It warms enclosed instruments in cold regions and protects them from overheating during the day. Device can be attached to balloon system without any changes in experimental design

Apparatus for controlling the temperature of balloon-borne equipment

A novel apparatus for controlling the temperature of balloon-borne equipment is disclosed, the apparatus serving to utilize the radiant energy emitted by the earth and its atmosphere so as to control the temperature of equipment. The apparatus comprises a housing to be carried aloft by a balloon and defining an enclosure for an instrumentation package. The enclosure includes an upper shield portion as well as a bottom window portion at the base, the bottom window facing the earth below during flight. The upper shield portion is constructed of a material such as aluminized Mylar, which serves to reflect direct sunlight

Regularity of Bound States

We study regularity of bound states pertaining to embedded eigenvalues of a self-adjoint operator $H$, with respect to an auxiliary operator $A$ that is conjugate to $H$ in the sense of Mourre. We work within the framework of singular Mourre theory which enables us to deal with confined massless Pauli-Fierz models, our primary example, and many-body AC-Stark Hamiltonians. In the simpler context of regular Mourre theory our results boils down to an improvement of results obtained recently in \cite{CGH}.Comment: 70 page

Reducing the Probability of False Positive Research Findings by Pre-Publication Validation - Experience with a Large Multiple Sclerosis Database

*Objective*
We have assessed the utility of a pre-publication validation policy in reducing the probability of publishing false positive research findings. 
*Study design and setting*
The large database of the Sylvia Lawry Centre for Multiple Sclerosis Research was split in two parts: one for hypothesis generation and a validation part for confirmation of selected results. We present case studies from 5 finalized projects that have used the validation policy and results from a simulation study.
*Results*
In one project, the "relapse and disability" project as described in section II (example 3), findings could not be confirmed in the validation part of the database. The simulation study showed that the percentage of false positive findings can exceed 20% depending on variable selection. 
*Conclusion*
We conclude that the validation policy has prevented the publication of at least one research finding that could not be validated in an independent data set (and probably would have been a "true" false-positive finding) over the past three years, and has led to improved data analysis, statistical programming, and selection of hypotheses. The advantages outweigh the lost statistical power inherent in the process

Surface nanobubbles on the rare earth fluorcarbonate mineral synchysite

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordData availability: Original data from this publication is available via open access at the British Geological Survey National Geoscience Data Centre, United Kingdom (NGDC)Surface nanobubbles have been identified to play an important role in a range of industries from mineral processing to food science. The formation of surface nanobubbles is of importance for mineral processing in the extraction of complex ores, such as those containing rare earth elements. This is due to the way minerals are extracted utilising froth flotation. In this study, surface nanobubbles were imaged using non-contact atomic force microscopy on a polished cross section containing rare earth minerals. Nanobubbles were found on synchysite under reagent conditions expected to induce hydrophobicity in rare earth minerals, which is required for efficient processing. Synchysite –(Ce)is a rare earth fluorcarbonate mineral containing over 30% rare earth elements. Relatively little research has been conducted on synchysite, with only a few papers on its surface behaviour and flotation. The resulting nanobubbles were analysed and showed an average contact angle of 24° ± 8. These are in line with contact angles found on dolomite and galena by previous studies.Mkango Resources Ltd

Doxycycline pharmacokinetics in the absence of renal function

Doxycycline pharmacokinetics in the absence of renal function. Doxycycline is a new tetracycline that is now in widespread clinical use. It differs from the other tetracycline drugs in many important respects including small daily dosage schedules, essentially complete upper gastrointestinal absorption and excretory characteristics that are independent of renal function. Our studies demonstrate that in anephric patients and patients with varying degrees of renal function the plasma t½ of biologically active doxycycline is not significantly extended and that in such a clinical situation the usual therapeutic regimen of the drug is necessary. Clearance rate of the compound from the systemic circulation by hemodialysis is only 10ml/min or less. In addition, our investigations identify the importance of the nonhepatic gastrointestinal pathway of elimination of doxycycline from the systemic circulation. Doxycycline therefore appears to be unique among the tetracyclines in that it may be utilized as a drug of choice for the therapy of systemic infections when a tetracycline compound is indicated in the clinical setting of impaired renal function.Pharmacocinétique de la doxycycline en l'absence de fonction rénale. La doxycycline est une nouvelle tétracycline dont l'usage clinique est maintenant largement répandu. Elle diffère des autres tétracyclines à plusieurs égards importants parmi lesquels la faible posologie quotidienne, l'absorption totale dans la partie haute du tractus digestif et des modalités d'excrétion indépendantes de la fonction rénale. Notre travail démontre que chez les sujets anéphriques et les malades atteints d'insuffisance rénale de sévérité variable la demie vie de la doxycycline biologiquement active n'est pas significativement allongée et que dans ces situations cliniques les modalités thérapeutiques habituelles sont nécessaires. La clearance du composé observée au cours de l'hémodialyse est égale ou inférieure à 10 ml/min. De surcroît nos travaux identifient l'importance de la voie d'élimination hépatique non intestinale de la doxycycline. La doxycycline apparaît donc être unique parmi les tétracyclines en ce sens qu'elle peut être utilisée comme une drogue de choix pour le traitment des infections systémiques quand une tétracycline est indiquée et qu'il existe une altération de la fonction rénale

THE DISTRIBUTION OF TETRACYCLINES IN TISSUES OF DOGS AFTER REPEATED ORAL ADMINISTRATION

ABSTRACT SCHACH VON WITTENATJ

Radiographic Capabilities of the MERCURY Monte Carlo Code

MERCURY is a modern, parallel, general-purpose Monte Carlo code being developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Recently, a radiographic capability has been added. MERCURY can create a source of diagnostic, virtual particles that are aimed at pixels in an image tally. This new feature is compared to the radiography code, HADES, for verification and timing. Comparisons for accuracy were made using the French Test Object and for timing were made by tracking through an unstructured mesh. In addition, self consistency tests were run in MERCURY for the British Test Object and scattering test problem. MERCURY and HADES were found to agree to the precision of the input data. HADES appears to run around eight times faster than the MERCURY in the timing study. Profiling the MERCURY code has turned up several differences in the algorithms which account for this. These differences will be addressed in a future release of MERCURY

HADES, A Radiographic Simulation Code

We describe features of the HADES radiographic simulation code. We begin with a discussion of why it is useful to simulate transmission radiography. The capabilities of HADES are described, followed by an application of HADES to a dynamic experiment recently performed at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. We describe quantitative comparisons between experimental data and HADES simulations using a copper step wedge. We conclude with a short discussion of future work planned for HADES

Prognosis of the individual course of disease - steps in developing a decision support tool for Multiple Sclerosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of uncertain aetiology. Variations in its disease course make it difficult to impossible to accurately determine the prognosis of individual patients. The Sylvia Lawry Centre for Multiple Sclerosis Research (SLCMSR) developed an "online analytical processing (OLAP)" tool that takes advantage of extant clinical trials data and allows one to model the near term future course of this chronic disease for an individual patient.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For a given patient the most similar patients of the SLCMSR database are intelligently selected by a model-based matching algorithm integrated into an OLAP-tool to enable real time, web-based statistical analyses. The underlying database (last update April 2005) contains 1,059 patients derived from 30 placebo arms of controlled clinical trials. Demographic information on the entire database and the portion selected for comparison are displayed. The result of the statistical comparison is provided as a display of the course of Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) for individuals in the database with regions of probable progression over time, along with their mean relapse rate. Kaplan-Meier curves for time to sustained progression in the EDSS and time to requirement of constant assistance to walk (EDSS 6) are also displayed. The software-application OLAP anticipates the input MS patient's course on the basis of baseline values and the known course of disease for similar patients who have been followed in clinical trials.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This simulation could be useful for physicians, researchers and other professionals who counsel patients on therapeutic options. The application can be modified for studying the natural history of other chronic diseases, if and when similar datasets on which the OLAP operates exist.</p