Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a method of amplifying and detecting small samples of genetic material in real time and is in routine use across many laboratories. Speed and thermal uniformity, two important factors in a qPCR test, are in direct conflict with one another in conventional peltier-driven thermal cyclers. To overcome this, companies are developing novel thermal sys...

Purpose: The study was carried out to evaluate the quality of artesunate tablets sold in retail and wholesale pharmacies in Kumasi, Ghana. In particular, the study sought to ascertain the presence or otherwise of counterfeit artesunate tablets in Kumasi. Method: Artesunate tablets were purchased from pharmacies in Kumasi for the study. The mechanical properties of the tablets were evaluated, na...

Let X be an algebraic variety over the algebraically closed field K and Ξ ⊆ X(K) a set of K-rational points on X. We say that a subvariety Y ⊆ Xn of some Cartesian power of X is Ξ-special if Ξn ∩ Y (K) is Zariski dense in Y . We show under certain hypotheses on Ξ, for instance, that the class of Ξ-special varieties is closed under intersections, that when subvarieties of X vary in an algebraic ...

This study intends to determine the rational criteria (e.g., threshold value) for applying the weight variation test and to investigate the adequacy of the acceptance value for existing commercial products in Japan. The studied products were 489 lots (3 lots x 163 products) of compressed tablets (plain, film-coated, sugar-coated) and 42 lots (3 lots x 14 products) of hard capsules marketed in J...

Machine Performance Check (MPC) is an automated and integrated image-based tool for verification of beam and geometric performance of the TrueBeam linac. The aims of the study were to evaluate the MPC beam performance tests against current daily quality assurance (QA) methods, to compare MPC performance against more accurate monthly QA tests and to test the sensitivity of MPC to changes in beam...

I ncreasing production efficiency is becoming a major theme for producers in order to maintain or increase their economic return in an increasingly competitive global market. In the case of irrigated agriculture, producers must also address increasing public concern about water conservation, water quality, and environmental protection. Two irrigation management issues require attention in order...

The maximum equipment power density (e.g. in power/rack or power/area) that may be deployed in a typical raised-floor data center is limited by perforated tile airflow. In the design of a data center cooling system, a simple estimate of mean airflow per perforated tile is typically made based on the number of CRAC’s and number of perforated tiles (and possibly a leakage airflow estimate). Howev...

We investigate computing models that are presented as families of finite computing devices with a uniformity condition on the entire family. Examples of such models include Boolean circuits, membrane systems, DNA computers, chemical reaction networks and tile assembly systems, and there are many others. However, in such models there are actually two distinct kinds of uniformity condition. The f...