in this research, the effects of the addition of powdered activated carbon (pac) into the aeration zone of an activated-sludge (as) system for treating tehran oil refinery effluent, was investigated during more than 12 months in a pact pilot-scale model. besides the evaluation of organics removal efficiency and determination of basic design factors kinetic coefficients, a series of experiments ...

Though controversy exists regarding the utility of pulmonary artery catheters (PAC), their use persists in select patients. Knotting of these catheters upon insertion is a rare but serious complication. We present 2 cases of coagulopathic patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation complicated by PAC knotting on attempted line placement. Both knotted PAC were successfully removed nonsu...

PURPOSE To describe an excimer laser ablation architecture called the pseudoaccommodative cornea (PAC) that uses ocular aberrometry and aspheric ablation profiles to create a multifocal cornea. METHODS A descriptive article outlining the theory of the PAC algorithm. RESULTS The topographic changes induced by PAC produce corneal multifocality. CONCLUSIONS PAC-treated eyes have progressive ...

Background. The pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) is an accepted clinical method of measuring cardiac output (CO) despite no prior validation. The ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM) is a noninvasive alternative to PAC using Doppler ultrasound (CW). We compared PAC and USCOM CO measurements against a gold standard, the aortic flow probe (FP), in sheep at varying outputs. Methods. Ten consci...

In this paper we show how combining fuzzy sets and reinforcement learning a winning agent can be created for the popular Pac-man game. Key elements are the classification of the state into a few fuzzy classes that makes the problem manageable. Pac-man policy is defined in terms of fuzzy actions that are defuzzified to produce the actual Pac-man move. A few heuristics allow making the Pac-man st...

Background During pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) implantation, inaccurate measurements of hemodynamic parameters due to infection or thrombosis of PAC can result in severe complications. Method In order to develop a new PAC material, we evaluated the antibacterial and antithrombotic activities of the two types of PAC (Swan Ganz catheter and prototype catheter) in 14 pigs. Results In the 3-...

PURPOSE The Patient Assessment of Constipation (PAC), a symptom and quality-of-life inventory, was developed among community-dwelling adults under age 65. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and validity of an interview format of the PAC for older adults residing in long-term care. DESIGN AND METHODS The PAC was administered to 24 nursing home residents aged 65 and older...

BACKGROUND End-diastolic volume indices determined by transpulmonary thermodilution and pulmonary artery thermodilution may give a better estimate of left ventricular preload than pulmonary capillary wedge pressure monitoring. The aim of this study was to compare volume preload monitoring using the two different thermodilution techniques with left ventricular preload assessment by transoesophag...

PURPOSE Glioblastoma is a deadly brain cancer with a median survival time of ~15 months. Ionizing radiation plus the DNA alkylator temozolomide (TMZ) is the current standard therapy. PAC-1, a procaspase-3 activating small molecule, is blood-brain barrier penetrant and has previously demonstrated ability to synergize with diverse pro-apoptotic chemotherapeutics. We studied if PAC-1 could enhance...

Granular activated carbon (GAC) and powdered (PAC) are the two most common forms of with varying particle size range. The goal this study was to analyze key factors (particle activation temperature) affecting surface characteristics GAC PAC derived from palm kernel shell (PKS). morphology suggested that pore network in PKS-PAC is more developed than PKS-GAC owing presence a micropore structure ...