Several important mechanisms for storm-induced entrainment of estuarine cohesive sediments are analyzed using field measurements collected in a moderately energetic estuary, central Long Island ...Sound, U.S.A. The sediment concentration and hydrographic data were obtained by an array of sensors mounted at 1 m above the bottom. The bottom sediment in the study site composed mostly of silt and silty sand. The study showed that the bottom shear stress, computed using a wave-current interaction model, increased significantly during the episodic wind events. A large resuspension event was triggered by a frontal passage when strong wind-driven currents augmented the tidal currents. The timing of storm waves with respect to the tidal phase also was a critical factor. Based on the changes of suspended sediment concentration, the bottom appeared to respond to the shear stress in two phases: the tidal resuspension and the storm-induced erosion. During each tidal cycle, entrainment was associated with resuspension of high water content, loosely consolidated material. During episodic events, a thin layer of more consolidated bed below the sediment-water interface was eroded by the enhanced bottom stress.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
A surfactant-free aqueous based pseudolatex of 6% w/v zein was prepared by spontaneous dispersion of a hydro-alcoholic solution containing 15% zein. Formulation parameters investigated included the ...type and amount of plasticizer and preservative required in the final dispersion. The pseudolatex was applied to acetaminophen (APAP) tablets in a hi-coater, and to placebo sugar spheres using a uniglatt fluid-bed coater. The dissolution properties of the tablets were investigated in a USP dissolution apparatus, method II. The release media investigated included purified water, 0.1 N HCl, simulated gastric fluid, and phosphate buffer pH 6.0, 6.8 and 7.4. After 12 h, only 35% of the drug was released in purified water from tablets coated with a 5% zein coating. Drug release in purified water could be modified by the application of varied amounts of the zein pseudolatex. Slower dissolution occurred as the pH increased, indicating a relationship between the pH of the dissolution media and the permeability of the zein coating. Simulated gastric fluid containing pepsin caused an increase in the release of APAP due to an interaction of pepsin with the protein based coating. An external coating of Eudragit
® L30 D-55 was found to prevent this interaction and sustained release profiles prevailed at pH 6.8. Thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis of the films indicated that the parabens present in the pseudolatex acted as plasticizers.
We read with interest the report by Rabodonirina et al. of a case of disseminated Scedosporium prolificans infection following single-lung transplantation. This organism has been reported with ...increasing frequency in the setting of immunosuppression. We report what is to our knowledge the first case in the United States of S. prolificans fungemia following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT).
Optical detection of ultrasound has numerous advantages over traditional piezoelectric methods. These systems offer noncontact inspection, rapid scanning capabilities, fine spatial sampling, and ...large bandwidths. In addition, difficulties associated with conventional ultrasound imaging systems such as cross-talk between elements, electrical connections, and electromechanical resonances are greatly reduced or even eliminated. Because of this, high frequency phased arrays for ultrasound detection can be emulated by accurately positioning and focusing optical beams on a suitable surface, which defines array elements. However, optical systems have lower sensitivity than their piezoelectric counterparts, limiting their widespread use in ultrasound imaging. Active optical detection offers a solution. An active ultrasound detector consisting of a neodymium-doped glass waveguide laser with an optical demodulation system, was built demonstrating enhanced sensitivity while preserving the benefits of traditional passive optical detection.
Fifty-one consecutive patients underwent exercise echocardiography, angiography, and intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS) 2.5 years (range 1 to 6) after cardiac transplantation. The average age of the ...donor was 29 years (range 13 to 50), and the average age of the recipient was 49 ± 12 years. In total, 78 studies were performed, as 25 patients had >1 annual evaluation and 2 patients had 3 consecutive annual evaluations. Of the 78 angiographic studies, 40 (26 patients) had evidence of coronary artery disease, defined as a focal stenosis (>20%, n = 4) or luminal irregularities (n = 36). However, by ICUS all 51 patients had intimal thickening at some point, with 34 patients possessing diffuse disease and 17 focal intimal thickening only. Of the 25 serial studies, 12 progressed by at least 1 Stanford class. The sensitivity of angiography for the determination of class III to IV intimal thickening was 64%, and the specificity was 76%. On exercise echocardiography, 6 examinations revealed resting wall motion abnormalities, whereas 6 had inducible wall motion abnormalities with exercise. The sensitivity of exercise echocardiography to determine class III to IV intimal thickening was 15%, and the specificity was 85%. In conclusion, exercise echocardiography is an insensitive method for predicting transplant-mediated coronary artery disease, whereas luminal irregularities on angiography may predict the presence of Stanford grade III to IV intimal thickening.
In an ongoing study of genetic factors that might contribute to disease outcome in HIV-1-infected individuals, HLA antigen (A, B, C, DR and DQ) frequencies in 44 patients with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) ...and/or 14 with KS and opportunistic infection (OI) were compared with the frequencies found in 83 HIV-1-seropositive (disease-free) and 87 seronegative homosexual men, or with 50 patients with OI. KS patients had higher frequencies of HLA-B35, -C4, -DR1, and -DQ1 and lower frequencies of HLA-C5 and -DR3 compared to the total control population (N = 170) and to the population at risk (HIV-1-seropositive, disease-free). HLA-DR5, reported by others to be increased in frequency in classical KS as well as HIV-1-related KS, was not found to be increased in the KS cohort. Antigen frequencies in the patients with KS differed from the frequencies in patients with OI by an increase in HLA-A23, -C4, -DR14, and -DR53. These results suggest that genetic factors controlled by the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) may influence disease outcome in HIV-1-infected homosexual men.
This study confirmed the construct validity of dysphasic errors but not of Block Design or dyscopia for 88 male and 22 female young adults, aged 17 to 29 yr. Right-hand sensorimotor deficits ...correlated with dysphasic errors but not with Block Design. Brain-damaged and learning-disabled with Halstead Impairment Index (HII) greater than or equal to 0.4 differed from nondisabled on both dysphasic errors and Block Design. Learning-disabled with HII less than 0.4 differed from nondisabled only for dysphasic errors. As a group, young learning-disabled adults had impaired language abilities. Learning-disabled with HII greater than or equal to 0.4 and brain-damaged had generalized neuropsychological deficits characterized by less adequate language and visuospatial abilities.
A number of new predictive modeling techniques have emerged in the past several years. These methods can be used independently or in combination with traditional modeling techniques to produce useful ...tools for the management of prostate cancer. Investigators should be aware of these techniques and avail themselves of their potentially useful properties. This review outlines selected predictive methods that can be used to develop models that may be useful to patients and clinicians for prostate cancer management.
Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are a type of artificial intelligence software inspired by biological neuronal systems that can be used for nonlinear statistical modeling. In recent years, these ...applications have played an increasing role in predictive and classification modeling in medical research. We review the basic concepts behind ANNs and examine the role of this technology in selected applications in prostate cancer research.
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