Sampling Plans for Control-Inspection Schemes Under Independent and Dependent Sampling Designs With Applications to Photovoltaics

The evaluation of produced items at the time of delivery is, in practice, usually amended by at least one inspection at later time points. We extend the methodology of acceptance sampling for variables for arbitrary unknown distributions when additional sampling infor- mation is available to such settings. Based on appropriate approximations of the operating characteristic, we derive new acceptance sampling plans that control the overall operating characteristic. The results cover the case of independent sampling as well as the case of dependent sampling. In particular, we study a modified panel sampling design and the case of spatial batch sampling. The latter is advisable in photovoltaic field monitoring studies, since it allows to detect and analyze local clusters of degraded or damaged modules. Some finite sample properties are examined by a simulation study, focusing on the accuracy of estimation

Measuring velocity of sound with nuclear resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

Nuclear resonant inelastic x-ray scattering is used to measure the projected partial phonon density of states of materials. A relationship is derived between the low-energy part of this frequency distribution function and the sound velocity of materials. Our derivation is valid for harmonic solids with Debye-like low-frequency dynamics. This method of sound velocity determination is applied to elemental, composite, and impurity samples which are representative of a wide variety of both crystalline and noncrystalline materials. Advantages and limitations of this method are elucidated

Quenching of Excited Na due to He Collisions

The quenching and elastic scattering of excited Sodium by collisions with Helium have been investigated for energies between 10(exp -13) eV and 10 eV. With the ab initio adiabatic potentials and nonadiabatic radial and rotational couplings obtained from multireference single- and double-excitation configuration interaction approach, we carried out scattering calculations by the quantum-mechanical molecular-orbital close-coupling method. Cross sections for quenching reactions and elastic collisions are presented. Quenching and elastic collisional rate coefficients as a function of temperature between 1 micro-K and 10,000 K are also obtained. The results are relevant to modeling non-LTE effects on Na D absorption lines in extrasolar planets and brown dwarfs

A comparison of cryopreservation methods: Slow-cooling vs. rapid-cooling based on cell viability, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and CD34+ enumeration of human umbilical cord blood mononucleated cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The finding of human umbilical cord blood as one of the most likely sources of hematopoietic stem cells offers a less invasive alternative for the need of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Due to the once-in-a-life time chance of collecting it, an optimum cryopreservation method that can preserve the life and function of the cells contained is critically needed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Until now, slow-cooling has been the routine method of cryopreservation; however, rapid-cooling offers a simple, efficient, and harmless method for preserving the life and function of the desired cells. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of slow- and rapid-cooling to preserve umbilical cord blood of mononucleated cells suspected of containing hematopoietic stem cells. The parameters used in this study were differences in cell viability, malondialdehyde content, and apoptosis level. The identification of hematopoietic stem cells themselves was carried out by enumerating CD34⁺in a flow cytometer.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results showed that mononucleated cell viability after rapid-cooling (91.9%) was significantly higher than that after slow-cooling (75.5%), with a <it>p </it>value = 0.003. Interestingly, the malondialdehyde level in the mononucleated cell population after rapid-cooling (56.45 μM) was also significantly higher than that after slow-cooling (33.25 μM), with a <it>p </it>value < 0.001. The apoptosis level in rapid-cooling population (5.18%) was not significantly different from that of the mononucleated cell population that underwent slow-cooling (3.81%), with a <it>p </it>value = 0.138. However, CD34⁺enumeration was much higher in the population that underwent slow-cooling (23.32 cell/μl) than in the one that underwent rapid-cooling (2.47 cell/μl), with a <it>p </it>value = 0.001.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Rapid-cooling is a potential cryopreservation method to be used to preserve the umbilical cord blood of mononucleated cells, although further optimization of the number of CD34⁺cells after rapid-cooling is critically needed.</p

A geometric approach to time evolution operators of Lie quantum systems

Lie systems in Quantum Mechanics are studied from a geometric point of view. In particular, we develop methods to obtain time evolution operators of time-dependent Schrodinger equations of Lie type and we show how these methods explain certain ad hoc methods used in previous papers in order to obtain exact solutions. Finally, several instances of time-dependent quadratic Hamiltonian are solved.Comment: Accepted for publication in the International Journal of Theoretical Physic

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells is blocked by protein kinase C activation through inhibition of c-myc

Apoptosis plays a major role in gastrointestinal epithelial cell turnover, ulcerogenesis and tumorigenesis. We have examined apoptosis induction by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in human gastric (AGS) cancer cells and the role of protein kinase C (PKC) and apoptosis-related oncogenes. After treatment with aspirin or indomethacin, cell growth was quantified by MTT assay, and apoptosis was determined by acridine orange staining, DNA fragmentation and flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein of p53, p21waf1/cip1 and c-myc was detected by Northern and Western blotting respectively. The influence of PKC on indomethacin-induced apoptosis was determined by co-incubation of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). The role of c-myc was determined using its antisense oligonucleotides. The results showed that both aspirin and indomethacin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis of AGS cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, without altering the cell cycle. Indomethacin increased c-myc mRNA and protein, whereas p53 and p21waf1/cip1 were unchanged. Down-regulation of c-myc by its antisense oligonucleotides reduced apoptosis induction by indomethacin. TPA could inhibit indomethacin-induced apoptosis and accumulate cells in G2/M. Overexpression of c-myc was inhibited by TPA and p21waf1/cip1 mRNA increased. In conclusion, NSAIDs induce apoptosis in gastric cancer cells which may be mediated by up-regulation of c-myc proto-oncogene. PKC activation can abrogate the effects of NSAIDs by decreasing c-myc expression. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

The Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Basis of Human Omental Defense: Selective Expression of Cytokines and Antimicrobial Peptides

BACKGROUND: The wound healing properties of the human omentum are well known and have extensively been exploited clinically. However, the underlying mechanisms of these effects are not well understood. We hypothesize that the omentum tissue promotes wound healing via modulation of anti-inflammatory pathways, and because the omentum is rich in adipocytes, the adipocytes may modulate the anti-inflammatory response. Factors released by human omentum may affect healing, inflammation and immune defense. METHODOLOGY: Six human omentum tissues (non obese, free from malignancy, and any other systemic disorder) were obtained during diagnostic laparoscopies having a negative outcome. Healthy oral mucosa (obtained from routine oral biopsies) was used as control. Cultured adipocytes derived from human omentum were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1-50 ng/mL) for 12-72 hours to identify the non-cytotoxic doses. Levels of expression (mRNA and protein) were carried out for genes associated with pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine responses and antibacterial/antimicrobial activity using qRT-PCR, western blotting, and cell-based ELISA assays. RESULTS: The study shows significant higher levels of expression (mRNA and protein) of several specific cytokines, and antibacterial peptides in the omentum tissues when compared to oral sub-mucosal tissues. In the validation studies, primary cultures of adipocytes, derived from human omentum were exposed to LPS (5 and 10 ng/mL) for 24 and 48 h. The altered expressions were more pronounced in cultured adipocytes cells when exposed to LPS as compared to the omentum tissue. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Perhaps, this is the first report that provides evidence of expressional changes in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and antibacterial peptides in the normal human omentum tissue as well as adipocytes cultured from this tissue. The study provides new insights on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of healing and defense by the omentum, and suggests the potential applicability of cultured adipocytes derived from the omentum for future therapeutic applications