Rapid, Accurate, and Non-Invasive Measurement of Zebrafish Axial Length and Other Eye Dimensions Using SD-OCT Allows Longitudinal Analysis of Myopia and Emmetropization

PubMed Central

Collery, Ross F.; Veth, Kerry N.; Dubis, Adam M.; Carroll, Joseph; Link, Brian A.

2014-01-01

Refractive errors in vision can be caused by aberrant axial length of the eye, irregular corneal shape, or lens abnormalities. Causes of eye length overgrowth include multiple genetic loci, and visual parameters. We evaluate zebrafish as a potential animal model for studies of the genetic, cellular, and signaling basis of emmetropization and myopia. Axial length and other eye dimensions of zebrafish were measured using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). We used ocular lens and body metrics to normalize and compare eye size and relative refractive error (difference between observed retinal radial length and controls) in wild-type and lrp2 zebrafish. Zebrafish were dark-reared to assess effects of visual deprivation on eye size. Two relative measurements, ocular axial length to body length and axial length to lens diameter, were found to accurately normalize comparisons of eye sizes between different sized fish (R2 = 0.9548, R2 = 0.9921). Ray-traced focal lengths of wild-type zebrafish lenses were equal to their retinal radii, while lrp2 eyes had longer retinal radii than focal lengths. Both genetic mutation (lrp2) and environmental manipulation (dark-rearing) caused elongated eye axes. lrp2 mutants had relative refractive errors of −0.327 compared to wild-types, and dark-reared wild-type fish had relative refractive errors of −0.132 compared to light-reared siblings. Therefore, zebrafish eye anatomy (axial length, lens radius, retinal radius) can be rapidly and accurately measured by SD-OCT, facilitating longitudinal studies of regulated eye growth and emmetropization. Specifically, genes homologous to human myopia candidates may be modified, inactivated or overexpressed in zebrafish, and myopia-sensitizing conditions used to probe gene-environment interactions. Our studies provide foundation for such investigations into genetic contributions that control eye size and impact refractive errors. PMID:25334040

Patterns of neural response to emotive stimuli distinguish the different symptom dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Phillips, Mary L; Mataix-Cols, David

2004-04-01

Despite its heterogeneous symptomatology, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is currently conceptualized as a unitary diagnostic entity. Recent factor-analytic studies have identified several OCD symptom dimensions that are associated with different demographic variables, comorbidity, patterns of genetic transmission, and treatment response. Functional abnormalities in neural systems important for emotion perception, including the orbitofrontal cortex, lateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate gyrus, and limbic regions, have been reported in OCD. In this review, we discuss the extent to which neurobiological markers may distinguish these different symptom dimensions and whether specific symptom dimensions, such as contamination/washing, are associated with abnormalities in emotion and, in particular, disgust, perception in OCD. Also discussed are findings that indicate that anxiety can be induced in healthy volunteers in response to OCD symptom-related material, and that associated increases in activity within neural systems important for emotion perception occur to washing- and hoarding-related material in particular in these subjects. Further examination of neural responses during provocation of different symptom dimensions in OCD patients will help determine the extent to which specific abnormalities in neural systems underlying emotion perception are associated with different symptom dimensions and predict treatment response in OCD.

Accretion onto a higher dimensional black hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John, Anslyn J.; Ghosh, Sushant G.; Maharaj, Sunil D.

2013-11-01

We examine the steady-state spherically symmetric accretion of relativistic fluids, with a polytropic equation of state, onto a higher-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole. The mass accretion rate, critical radius, and flow parameters are determined and compared with results obtained in standard four dimensions. The accretion rate, M˙, is an explicit function of the black hole mass, M, as well as the gas boundary conditions and the dimensionality, D, of the spacetime. We also find the asymptotic compression ratios and temperature profiles below the accretion radius and at the event horizon. This analysis is a generalization of Michel’s solution to higher dimensions and of the Newtonian expressions of Giddings and Mangano, which consider the accretion of TeV black holes.

Embedding of the brane into six dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogberashvili, Merab

2002-10-01

Embedding of the brane metric into Euclidean (2+4)-space is found. Brane geometry can be visualized as the surface of the hypersphere in six dimensions which ``radius'' is governed by the cosmological constant. Minkowski space in this picture is placed on the intersection of this surface with the plane formed by the extra space-like and time-like coordinates.

Parameter Study for Optimizing the Mass of a Space Nuclear Power System Radiation Shield

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-03-01

long been selected as the best choice for neutron shielding of a SNPS [ 3 :24-30]. The low atomic number of both lithium and hydrogen allows...Integer :: missed(1:nBatches) Real(dp), Dimension(1: 3 ) :: r1, r2, omegaHat Real(dp) :: Radius1, Radius2, z1, z2, xi, omega , rFrac Real(dp) :: pAvg... 3 Motivation

Airspace Dimension Assessment with nanoparticles reflects lung density as quantified by MRI

PubMed Central

Jakobsson, Jonas K; Löndahl, Jakob; Olsson, Lars E; Diaz, Sandra; Zackrisson, Sophia; Wollmer, Per

2018-01-01

Background Airspace Dimension Assessment with inhaled nanoparticles is a novel method to determine distal airway morphology. This is the first empirical study using Airspace Dimension Assessment with nanoparticles (AiDA) to estimate distal airspace radius. The technology is relatively simple and potentially accessible in clinical outpatient settings. Method Nineteen never-smoking volunteers performed nanoparticle inhalation tests at multiple breath-hold times, and the difference in nanoparticle concentration of inhaled and exhaled gas was measured. An exponential decay curve was fitted to the concentration of recovered nanoparticles, and airspace dimensions were assessed from the half-life of the decay. Pulmonary tissue density was measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results The distal airspace radius measured by AiDA correlated with lung tissue density as measured by MRI (ρ = −0.584; p = 0.0086). The linear intercept of the logarithm of the exponential decay curve correlated with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (ρ = 0.549; p = 0.0149). Conclusion The AiDA method shows potential to be developed into a tool to assess conditions involving changes in distal airways, eg, emphysema. The intercept may reflect airway properties; this finding should be further investigated.

Abnormal Canine Bone Development Associated with Hypergravity Exposure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, J. P.; Fisher, G. L.; McNeill, K. L.; Oyama, J.

1979-01-01

Chronic centrifugation of 85- to 92-day-old Beagles at 2.0 x g and 2.6 x g for 26 weeks during the time of active skeletal growth caused skeletal abnormalities in the radius and the ulna of ten of 11 dogs. The pattern of change mimicked that found in naturally occurring and experimentally induced premature distal ulnar physeal closure or delayed growth at this physis. Minimal changes in bone density were detected by sensitive photon absorptiometric techniques. Skeletal abnormalities also were found in five of the six cage-control dogs, although the run-control dogs were radiographically normal.

The Application of Fractal and Multifractal Theory in Hydraulic-Flow-Unit Characterization and Permeability Estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Yao, G.; Cai, J.

2017-12-01

Pore structure characteristics are important factors in influencing the fluid transport behavior of porous media, such as pore-throat ratio, pore connectivity and size distribution, moreover, wettability. To accurately characterize the diversity of pore structure among HFUs, five samples selected from different HFUs (porosities are approximately equal, however permeability varies widely) were chosen to conduct micro-computerized tomography test to acquire direct 3D images of pore geometries and to perform mercury injection experiments to obtain the pore volume-radii distribution. To characterize complex and high nonlinear pore structure of all samples, three classic fractal geometry models were applied. Results showed that each HFU has similar box-counting fractal dimension and generalized fractal dimension in the number-area model, but there are significant differences in multifractal spectrums. In the radius-volume model, there are three obvious linear segments, corresponding to three fractal dimension values, and the middle one is proved as the actual fractal dimension according to the maximum radius. In the number-radius model, the spherical-pore size distribution extracted by maximum ball algorithm exist a decrease in the number of small pores compared with the fractal power rate rather than the traditional linear law. Among the three models, only multifractal analysis can classify the HFUs accurately. Additionally, due to the tightness and low-permeability in reservoir rocks, connate water film existing in the inner surface of pore channels commonly forms bound water. The conventional model which is known as Yu-Cheng's model has been proved to be typically not applicable. Considering the effect of irreducible water saturation, an improved fractal permeability model was also deduced theoretically. The comparison results showed that the improved model can be applied to calculate permeability directly and accurately in such unconventional rocks.

Echocardiographic features of impaired left ventricular diastolic function in Chagas's heart disease.

PubMed Central

Combellas, I; Puigbo, J J; Acquatella, H; Tortoledo, F; Gomez, J R

1985-01-01

To study left ventricular diastolic function in Chagas's disease, simultaneous echocardiograms, phonocardiograms, and apexcardiograms were recorded in 20 asymptomatic patients with positive Chagas's serology and no signs of heart disease (group 1), 12 with Chagas's heart disease and symptoms of ventricular arrhythmia but no heart failure (group 2), 20 normal subjects (group 3), and 12 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (group 4). The recordings were digitised to determine left ventricular isovolumic relaxation time and the rate and duration of left ventricular cavity dimension increase and wall thinning. In groups 1 and 2 (a) aortic valve closure (A2) and mitral valve opening were significantly delayed relative to minimum dimension and were associated with prolonged isovolumic relaxation, (b) left ventricular cavity size was abnormally increased during isovolumic relaxation and abnormally reduced during isovolumic contraction, and (c) peak rate of posterior wall thinning and dimension increase were significantly reduced and duration of posterior wall thinning was significantly prolonged; both of these abnormalities occurred at the onset of diastolic filling. These abnormalities were more pronounced in group 2 and were accompanied by an increase in the height of the apexcardiogram "a" wave, an indication of pronounced atrial systole secondary to end diastolic filling impairment due to reduced left ventricular distensibility. Group 4, which had an established pattern of diastolic abnormalities, showed changes similar to those in group 2; however, the delay in aortic valve closure (A2) and in mitral valve opening and the degree of dimension change were greater in the latter group. Thus early isovolumic relaxation and left ventricular abnormalities were pronounced in the patients with Chagas's heart disease and may precede systolic compromise, which may become apparent in later stages of the disease. The digitised method is valuable in the early detection of myocardial damage. Images PMID:3155954

77 FR 30188 - Safety Zones; Annually Recurring Marine Events in Coast Guard Southeastern New England Captain of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-22

...'83'' W (NAD 83). Safety Zone Dimension: Approximately 300 yard radius circle around the fireworks... Providence River, Providence, RI. Position: Within 500 yards of 41[deg]48'50'' N, 071[deg]23'43'' W (NAD 83... 500 yards of 41[deg]42'37'' N, 071[deg]09'53'' W (NAD 83). Safety Zone Dimension: Approximately 200...

77 FR 5463 - Safety Zones; Annually Recurring Marine Events in Coast Guard Southeastern New England Captain of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

...]10'83'' W (NAD 83). Safety Zone Dimension: Approximately 300 yard radius circle around the fireworks... Providence River, Providence, RI. Position: Within 500 yards of 41[deg]48'50'' N, 071[deg]23'43'' W (NAD 83... yards of 41[deg]42'37'' N, 071[deg]09'53'' W (NAD 83). Safety Zone Dimension: Approximately 200 yard...

Hox11 genes regulate postnatal longitudinal bone growth and growth plate proliferation.

PubMed

Pineault, Kyriel M; Swinehart, Ilea T; Garthus, Kayla N; Ho, Edward; Yao, Qing; Schipani, Ernestina; Kozloff, Kenneth M; Wellik, Deneen M

2015-10-23

Hox genes are critical regulators of skeletal development and Hox9-13 paralogs, specifically, are necessary for appendicular development along the proximal to distal axis. Loss of function of both Hoxa11 and Hoxd11 results in severe malformation of the forelimb zeugopod. In the radius and ulna of these mutants, chondrocyte development is perturbed, growth plates are not established, and skeletal growth and maturation fails. In compound mutants in which one of the four Hox11 alleles remains wild-type, establishment of a growth plate is preserved and embryos develop normally through newborn stages, however, skeletal phenotypes become evident postnatally. During postnatal development, the radial and ulnar growth rate slows compared to wild-type controls and terminal bone length is reduced. Growth plate height is decreased in mutants and premature growth plate senescence occurs along with abnormally high levels of chondrocyte proliferation in the reserve and proliferative zones. Compound mutants additionally develop an abnormal curvature of the radius, which causes significant distortion of the carpal elements. The progressive bowing of the radius appears to result from physical constraint caused by the disproportionately slower growth of the ulna than the radius. Collectively, these data are consistent with premature depletion of forelimb zeugopod progenitor cells in the growth plate of Hox11 compound mutants, and demonstrate a continued function for Hox genes in postnatal bone growth and patterning. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

The Influence of Plumbing System Structure on Volcano Dimensions and Topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castruccio, Angelo; Diez, Mikel; Gho, Rayen

2017-11-01

Volcano morphology has been traditionally studied from a descriptive point of view, but in this work we took a different more quantitative perspective. Here we used volcano dimensions such as height and basal radius, together with the topographic profile as indicators of key plumbing system properties. We started by coupling models for the ascent of magma and extrusion of lava flows with those for volcano edifice construction. We modeled volcanic edifices as a pile of lavas that are emitted from a single vent and reduce in volume with time. We then selected a number of arc-volcano examples to test our physical relationships and estimate parameters, which were compared with independent methods. Our results indicate that large volcanoes (>2,000 m height and base radius >10 km) usually are basaltic systems with overpressured sources located at more than 15 km depth. On the other hand, smaller volcanoes (<2,000 m height and basal radius <10 km) are associated with more evolved systems where the chambers feeding eruptions are located at shallower levels in the crust (<10 km). We find that surface observations on height and basal radius of a volcano and its lavas can give estimates of fundamental properties of the plumbing system, specifically the depth and size of the magma chamber feeding eruptions, as the structure of the magmatic system determines the morphology of the volcanic edifice.

Fractal Dimension Analysis of Transient Visual Evoked Potentials: Optimisation and Applications.

PubMed

Boon, Mei Ying; Henry, Bruce Ian; Chu, Byoung Sun; Basahi, Nour; Suttle, Catherine May; Luu, Chi; Leung, Harry; Hing, Stephen

2016-01-01

The visual evoked potential (VEP) provides a time series signal response to an external visual stimulus at the location of the visual cortex. The major VEP signal components, peak latency and amplitude, may be affected by disease processes. Additionally, the VEP contains fine detailed and non-periodic structure, of presently unclear relevance to normal function, which may be quantified using the fractal dimension. The purpose of this study is to provide a systematic investigation of the key parameters in the measurement of the fractal dimension of VEPs, to develop an optimal analysis protocol for application. VEP time series were mathematically transformed using delay time, τ, and embedding dimension, m, parameters. The fractal dimension of the transformed data was obtained from a scaling analysis based on straight line fits to the numbers of pairs of points with separation less than r versus log(r) in the transformed space. Optimal τ, m, and scaling analysis were obtained by comparing the consistency of results using different sampling frequencies. The optimised method was then piloted on samples of normal and abnormal VEPs. Consistent fractal dimension estimates were obtained using τ = 4 ms, designating the fractal dimension = D2 of the time series based on embedding dimension m = 7 (for 3606 Hz and 5000 Hz), m = 6 (for 1803 Hz) and m = 5 (for 1000Hz), and estimating D2 for each embedding dimension as the steepest slope of the linear scaling region in the plot of log(C(r)) vs log(r) provided the scaling region occurred within the middle third of the plot. Piloting revealed that fractal dimensions were higher from the sampled abnormal than normal achromatic VEPs in adults (p = 0.02). Variances of fractal dimension were higher from the abnormal than normal chromatic VEPs in children (p = 0.01). A useful analysis protocol to assess the fractal dimension of transformed VEPs has been developed.

General properties of HII regions in galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smirnov, M. A.; Komberg, B. V.

1979-01-01

The structure, electron density, and dimensions of HII regions in galaxies are discussed. These parameters are correlated to the chemical composition gradient along the galactic radius, the dimensions of the three largest HII regions in the galaxy, and the amount of hydrogen in the galaxy, as well as the mass, dimensions, and total optical luminosity of the galaxy. The relationships of HII regions to star formation and galactic nucleus activity are discussed and the kinematic properties of the SB and Sab galaxies are related to the size of HII regions.

Probing extra dimension through gravitational wave observations of compact binaries and their electromagnetic counterparts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Hao; Gu, Bao-Min; Wang, Yong-Qiang

The future gravitational wave (GW) observations of compact binaries and their possible electromagnetic counterparts may be used to probe the nature of the extra dimension. It is widely accepted that gravitons and photons are the only two completely confirmed objects that can travel along null geodesics in our four-dimensional space-time. However, if there exist extra dimensions and only GWs can propagate freely in the bulk, the causal propagations of GWs and electromagnetic waves (EMWs) are in general different. In this paper, we study null geodesics of GWs and EMWs in a five-dimensional anti-de Sitter space-time in the presence of themore » curvature of the universe. We show that for general cases the horizon radius of GW is longer than EMW within equal time. Taking the GW150914 event detected by the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and the X-ray event detected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor as an example, we study how the curvature k and the constant curvature radius l affect the horizon radii of GW and EMW in the de Sitter and Einstein-de Sitter models of the universe. This provides an alternative method for probing extra dimension through future GW observations of compact binaries and their electromagnetic counterparts.« less

Two-dimensional axisymmetric Child-Langmuir scaling law

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ragan-Kelley, Benjamin; Verboncoeur, John; Feng Yang

The classical one-dimensional (1D) Child-Langmuir law was previously extended to two dimensions by numerical calculation in planar geometries. By considering an axisymmetric cylindrical system with axial emission from a circular cathode of radius r, outer drift tube radius R>r, and gap length L, we further examine the space charge limit in two dimensions. Simulations were done with no applied magnetic field as well as with a large (100 T) longitudinal magnetic field to restrict motion of particles to 1D. The ratio of the observed current density limit J{sub CL2} to the theoretical 1D value J{sub CL1} is found to bemore » a monotonically decreasing function of the ratio of emission radius to gap separation r/L. This result is in agreement with the planar results, where the emission area is proportional to the cathode width W. The drift tube in axisymmetric systems is shown to have a small but measurable effect on the space charge limit. Strong beam edge effects are observed with J(r)/J(0) approaching 3.5. Two-dimensional axisymmetric electrostatic particle-in-cell simulations were used to produce these results.« less

Fractional cable equation for general geometry: A model of axons with swellings and anomalous diffusion.

PubMed

López-Sánchez, Erick J; Romero, Juan M; Yépez-Martínez, Huitzilin

2017-09-01

Different experimental studies have reported anomalous diffusion in brain tissues and notably this anomalous diffusion is expressed through fractional derivatives. Axons are important to understand neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Indeed, abnormal accumulation of proteins and organelles in axons is a hallmark of these diseases. The diffusion in the axons can become anomalous as a result of this abnormality. In this case the voltage propagation in axons is affected. Another hallmark of different neurodegenerative diseases is given by discrete swellings along the axon. In order to model the voltage propagation in axons with anomalous diffusion and swellings, in this paper we propose a fractional cable equation for a general geometry. This generalized equation depends on fractional parameters and geometric quantities such as the curvature and torsion of the cable. For a cable with a constant radius we show that the voltage decreases when the fractional effect increases. In cables with swellings we find that when the fractional effect or the swelling radius increases, the voltage decreases. Similar behavior is obtained when the number of swellings and the fractional effect increase. Moreover, we find that when the radius swelling (or the number of swellings) and the fractional effect increase at the same time, the voltage dramatically decreases.

Fractional cable equation for general geometry: A model of axons with swellings and anomalous diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Sánchez, Erick J.; Romero, Juan M.; Yépez-Martínez, Huitzilin

2017-09-01

Different experimental studies have reported anomalous diffusion in brain tissues and notably this anomalous diffusion is expressed through fractional derivatives. Axons are important to understand neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Indeed, abnormal accumulation of proteins and organelles in axons is a hallmark of these diseases. The diffusion in the axons can become anomalous as a result of this abnormality. In this case the voltage propagation in axons is affected. Another hallmark of different neurodegenerative diseases is given by discrete swellings along the axon. In order to model the voltage propagation in axons with anomalous diffusion and swellings, in this paper we propose a fractional cable equation for a general geometry. This generalized equation depends on fractional parameters and geometric quantities such as the curvature and torsion of the cable. For a cable with a constant radius we show that the voltage decreases when the fractional effect increases. In cables with swellings we find that when the fractional effect or the swelling radius increases, the voltage decreases. Similar behavior is obtained when the number of swellings and the fractional effect increase. Moreover, we find that when the radius swelling (or the number of swellings) and the fractional effect increase at the same time, the voltage dramatically decreases.

a Fractal Permeability Model Coupling Boundary-Layer Effect for Tight Oil Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fuyong; Liu, Zhichao; Jiao, Liang; Wang, Congle; Guo, Hu

A fractal permeability model coupling non-flowing boundary-layer effect for tight oil reservoirs was proposed. Firstly, pore structures of tight formations were characterized with fractal theory. Then, with the empirical equation of boundary-layer thickness, Hagen-Poiseuille equation and fractal theory, a fractal torturous capillary tube model coupled with boundary-layer effect was developed, and verified with experimental data. Finally, the parameters influencing effective liquid permeability were quantitatively investigated. The research results show that effective liquid permeability of tight formations is not only decided by pore structures, but also affected by boundary-layer distributions, and effective liquid permeability is the function of fluid type, fluid viscosity, pressure gradient, fractal dimension, tortuosity fractal dimension, minimum pore radius and maximum pore radius. For the tight formations dominated with nanoscale pores, boundary-layer effect can significantly reduce effective liquid permeability, especially under low pressure gradient.

Packing extra mass in compact stellar structures: an interplay between Kalb-Ramond field and extra dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Sumanta; SenGupta, Soumitra

2018-05-01

We have derived the Buchdahl's limit for a relativistic star in presence of the Kalb-Ramond field in four as well as in higher dimensions. It turns out that the Buchdahl's limit gets severely affected by the inclusion of the Kalb-Ramond field. In particular, the Kalb-Ramond field in four spacetime dimensions enables one to pack extra mass in any compact stellar structure of a given radius. On the other hand, a completely opposite picture emerges if the Kalb-Ramond field exists in higher dimensions, where the mass content of a compact star is smaller compared to that in general relativity. Implications are discussed.

Classification of breast abnormalities using artificial neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, Nur Atiqah Kamarul; Rahman, Wan Eny Zarina Wan Abdul; Jumaat, Abdul Kadir; Yasiran, Siti Salmah

2015-05-01

Classification is the process of recognition, differentiation and categorizing objects into groups. Breast abnormalities are calcifications which are tumor markers that indicate the presence of cancer in the breast. The aims of this research are to classify the types of breast abnormalities using artificial neural network (ANN) classifier and to evaluate the accuracy performance using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. The methods used in this research are ANN for breast abnormalities classifications and Canny edge detector as a feature extraction method. Previously the ANN classifier provides only the number of benign and malignant cases without providing information for specific cases. However in this research, the type of abnormality for each image can be obtained. The existing MIAS MiniMammographic database classified the mammogram images into three features only namely characteristic of background tissues, class of abnormality and radius of abnormality. However, in this research three other features are added-in. These three features are number of spots, area and shape of abnormalities. Lastly the performance of the ANN classifier is evaluated using ROC curve. It is found that ANN has an accuracy of 97.9% which is considered acceptable.

Upper-extremity phocomelia reexamined: a longitudinal dysplasia.

PubMed

Goldfarb, Charles A; Manske, Paul R; Busa, Riccardo; Mills, Janith; Carter, Peter; Ezaki, Marybeth

2005-12-01

In contrast to longitudinal deficiencies, phocomelia is considered a transverse, intercalated segmental dysplasia. Most patients demonstrate severe, but not otherwise classifiable, upper-extremity deformities, which usually cannot be placed into one of three previously described phocomelia groups. Additionally, these phocomelic extremities do not demonstrate true segmental deficits; the limb is also abnormal proximal and distal to the segmental defect. The purpose of this investigation was to present evidence that upper-extremity abnormalities in patients previously diagnosed as having phocomelia in fact represent a proximal continuum of radial or ulnar longitudinal dysplasia. The charts and radiographs of forty-one patients (sixty extremities) diagnosed as having upper-extremity phocomelia were reviewed retrospectively. On the basis of the findings on the radiographs, the disorders were categorized into three groups: (1) proximal radial longitudinal dysplasia, which was characterized by an absent proximal part of the humerus, a nearly normal distal part of the humerus, a completely absent radius, and a radial-sided hand dysplasia; (2) proximal ulnar longitudinal dysplasia, characterized by a short one-bone upper extremity that bifurcated distally and by severe hand abnormalities compatible with ulnar dysplasia; and (3) severe combined dysplasia, with type A characterized by an absence of the forearm segment (i.e., the radius and ulna) and type B characterized by absence of the arm and forearm (i.e., the hand attached to the thorax). Twenty-nine limbs in sixteen patients could be classified as having proximal radial longitudinal dysplasia. Systemic medical conditions such as thrombocytopenia-absent radius syndrome were common in those patients, but additional musculoskeletal conditions were rare. Twenty limbs in seventeen patients could be classified as having proximal ulnar longitudinal dysplasia. Associated musculoskeletal abnormalities, such as proximal femoral focal deficiency, were common in those patients. Eleven limbs in ten patients were identified as having severe combined dysplasia, which was type A in seven of them and type B in four. Four patients with severe combined dysplasia had congenital cardiac anomalies, and four had associated musculoskeletal abnormalities. Three of the four patients with the type-B disorder had a contralateral ulnar longitudinal dysplasia. We propose that cases previously classified as upper-extremity phocomelia represent a spectrum of severe longitudinal dysplasia, as none of the sixty extremities that we studied demonstrated a true intercalary deficiency. These findings have both developmental and genetic implications.

Probing large extra dimensions with IceCube

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Esmaili, Arman; Peres, O.L.G.; Tabrizi, Zahra, E-mail: arman@ipm.ir, E-mail: orlando@ifi.unicamp.br, E-mail: tabrizi.physics@ipm.ir

2014-12-01

In models with Large Extra Dimensions the smallness of neutrino masses can be naturally explained by introducing gauge singlet fermions which propagate in the bulk. The Kaluza-Klein modes of these fermions appear as towers of sterile neutrino states on the brane. We study the phenomenological consequences of this picture for the high energy atmospheric neutrinos. For this purpose we construct a detailed equivalence between a model with large extra dimensions and a (3+n) scenario consisting of three active and n extra sterile neutrino states, which provides a clear intuitive understanding of Kaluza-Klein modes. Finally, we analyze the collected data ofmore » high energy atmospheric neutrinos by IceCube experiment and obtain bounds on the radius of extra dimensions.« less

Finite upper bound for the Hawking decay time of an arbitrarily large black hole in anti-de Sitter spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Page, Don N.

2018-01-01

In an asymptotically flat spacetime of dimension d >3 and with the Newtonian gravitational constant G , a spherical black hole of initial horizon radius rh and mass M ˜rhd -3/G has a total decay time to Hawking emission of td˜rhd -1/G ˜G2 /(d -3 )M(d -1 )/(d -3 ) which grows without bound as the radius rh and mass M are taken to infinity. However, in asymptotically anti-de Sitter spacetime with a length scale ℓ and with absorbing boundary conditions at infinity, the total Hawking decay time does not diverge as the mass and radius go to infinity but instead remains bounded by a time of the order of ℓd-1/G .

Compact objects in pure Lovelock theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dadhich, Naresh; Hansraj, Sudan; Chilambwe, Brian

For static fluid interiors of compact objects in pure Lovelock gravity (involving only one Nth order term in the equation), we establish similarity in solutions for the critical odd and even d = 2N + 1, 2N + 2 dimensions. It turns out that in critical odd d = 2N + 1 dimensions, there cannot exist any bound distribution with a finite radius, while in critical even d = 2N + 2 dimensions, all solutions have similar behavior. For exhibition of similarity, we would compare star solutions for N = 1, 2 in d = 4 Einstein and d = 6 in Gauss-Bonnet theory, respectively. We also obtain the pure Lovelock analogue of the Finch-Skea model.

Tandem steerable running gear

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fincannon, O. J.; Glenn, D. L.

1972-01-01

Characteristics of steering assembly for vehicle designed to move large components of space flight vehicles are presented. Design makes it possible to move heavy and bulky items through narrow passageways with tight turns. Typical configuration is illustrated to show dimensions of turning radius and minimum distances involved.

Characterization Parameters for a Three Degree of Freedom Mobile Robot

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

DARc’s dimensions which contributed to the inertia, force, torque and position equa- tions. We calculated body inertia as 1.93kg·m2 and wheel inertia...separation .316 Wheel Radius Outer/Inner .127 m .085cm Wheel Mass .7055 kg Body Mass 13.542 kg Table 4.1: DAR-C Dimensions The force on each wheel...which used ackeman steering, a technique where wheels are able to rotate relative the robot body . The easiest example of a differentially steered

Milestones in the history of personality disorders

PubMed Central

Crocq, Marc-Antoine

2013-01-01

This paper analyzes the major historical milestones in the study of normal and abnormal personality, from antiquity up until the 20th century. Special attention is paid to the interaction between dimensional and typological approaches, which was a major issue during the preparation of DSM-5. Theories of personality started with the humoral theory of Greek medicine. Pinel, and later Esquirol and Prichard, are credited with the first descriptions of abnormal personalities in textbooks of psychiatry. Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, elaborate systems of normal and abnormal personality, associating to some degree types and dimensions, were devised by a succession of European psychologists, such as Ribot, Heymans, and Lazursky. Emil Kraepelin and Kurt Schneider proposed classifications of abnormal personality types. In parallel, psychoanalysts stressed the role of early life experiences. Towards the mid-20th century, statistical methods were applied to the scientific validation of personality dimensions with pioneers such as Cattell, anticipating the five-factor model. PMID:24174889

Area law microstate entropy from criticality and spherical symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvali, Gia

2018-05-01

It is often assumed that the area law of microstate entropy and the holography are intrinsic properties exclusively of the gravitational systems, such as black holes. We construct a nongravitational model that exhibits an entropy that scales as area of a sphere of one dimension less. It is represented by a nonrelativistic bosonic field living on a d -dimensional sphere of radius R and experiencing an angular-momentum-dependent attractive interaction. We show that the system possesses a quantum critical point with the emergent gapless modes. Their number is equal to the area of a d -1 -dimensional sphere of the same radius R . These gapless modes create an exponentially large number of degenerate microstates with the corresponding microstate entropy given by the area of the same d -1 -dimensional sphere. Thanks to a double-scaling limit, the counting of the entropy and of the number of the gapless modes is made exact. The phenomenon takes place for arbitrary number of dimensions and can be viewed as a version of holography.

Relationship between symptom dimensions and brain morphology in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Hirose, Motohisa; Hirano, Yoshiyuki; Nemoto, Kiyotaka; Sutoh, Chihiro; Asano, Kenichi; Miyata, Haruko; Matsumoto, Junko; Nakazato, Michiko; Matsumoto, Koji; Masuda, Yoshitada; Iyo, Masaomi; Shimizu, Eiji; Nakagawa, Akiko

2017-10-01

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is known as a clinically heterogeneous disorder characterized by symptom dimensions. Although substantial numbers of neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the presence of brain abnormalities in OCD, their results are controversial. The clinical heterogeneity of OCD could be one of the reasons for this. It has been hypothesized that certain brain regions contributed to the respective obsessive-compulsive dimensions. In this study, we investigated the relationship between symptom dimensions of OCD and brain morphology using voxel-based morphometry to discover the specific regions showing alterations in the respective dimensions of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The severities of symptom dimensions in thirty-three patients with OCD were assessed using Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R). Along with numerous MRI studies pointing out brain abnormalities in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) patients, a previous study reported a positive correlation between ASD traits and regional gray matter volume in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and amygdala in OCD patients. We investigated the correlation between gray and white matter volumes at the whole brain level and each symptom dimension score, treating all remaining dimension scores, age, gender, and ASD traits as confounding covariates. Our results revealed a significant negative correlation between washing symptom dimension score and gray matter volume in the right thalamus and a significant negative correlation between hoarding symptom dimension score and white matter volume in the left angular gyrus. Although our result was preliminary, our findings indicated that there were specific brain regions in gray and white matter that contributed to symptom dimensions in OCD patients.

Geometric estimation of intestinal contraction for motion tracking of video capsule endoscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mi, Liang; Bao, Guanqun; Pahlavan, Kaveh

2014-03-01

Wireless video capsule endoscope (VCE) provides a noninvasive method to examine the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract, especially small intestine, where other endoscopic instruments can barely reach. VCE is able to continuously provide clear pictures in short fixed intervals, and as such researchers have attempted to use image processing methods to track the video capsule in order to locate the abnormalities inside the GI tract. To correctly estimate the speed of the motion of the endoscope capsule, the radius of the intestinal track must be known a priori. Physiological factors such as intestinal contraction, however, dynamically change the radius of the small intestine, which could bring large errors in speed estimation. In this paper, we are aiming to estimate the radius of the contracted intestinal track. First a geometric model is presented for estimating the radius of small intestine based on the black hole on endoscopic images. To validate our proposed model, a 3-dimentional virtual testbed that emulates the intestinal contraction is then introduced in details. After measuring the size of the black holes on the test images, we used our model to esimate the radius of the contracted intestinal track. Comparision between analytical results and the emulation model parameters has verified that our proposed method could preciously estimate the radius of the contracted small intestine based on endoscopic images.

The Relationship between Personality Dimensions and Resiliency to Environmental Stress in Orange-Winged Amazon Parrots (Amazona amazonica), as Indicated by the Development of Abnormal Behaviors.

PubMed

Cussen, Victoria A; Mench, Joy A

2015-01-01

Parrots are popular companion animals, but are frequently relinquished because of behavioral problems, including abnormal repetitive behaviors like feather damaging behavior and stereotypy. In addition to contributing to pet relinquishment, these behaviors are important as potential indicators of diminished psychological well-being. While abnormal behaviors are common in captive animals, their presence and/or severity varies between animals of the same species that are experiencing the same environmental conditions. Personality differences could contribute to this observed individual variation, as they are known risk factors for stress sensitivity and affective disorders in humans. The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between personality and the development and severity of abnormal behaviors in captive-bred orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica). We monitored between-individual behavioral differences in enrichment-reared parrots of known personality types before, during, and after enrichment deprivation. We predicted that parrots with higher scores for neurotic-like personality traits would be more susceptible to enrichment deprivation and develop more abnormal behaviors. Our results partially supported this hypothesis, but also showed that distinct personality dimensions were related to different forms of abnormal behavior. While neuroticism-like traits were linked to feather damaging behavior, extraversion-like traits were negatively related to stereotypic behavior. More extraverted birds showed resiliency to environmental stress, developing fewer stereotypies during enrichment deprivation and showing lower levels of these behaviors following re-enrichment. Our data, together with the results of the few studies conducted on other species, suggest that, as in humans, certain personality types render individual animals more susceptible or resilient to environmental stress. Further, this susceptibility/resiliency can have a long-term effect on behavior, as evidenced by behavioral changes that persisted despite re-enrichment. Ours is the first study evaluating the relationship between personality dimensions, environment, and abnormal behaviors in an avian species.

The Relationship between Personality Dimensions and Resiliency to Environmental Stress in Orange-Winged Amazon Parrots (Amazona amazonica), as Indicated by the Development of Abnormal Behaviors

PubMed Central

Cussen, Victoria A.; Mench, Joy A.

2015-01-01

Parrots are popular companion animals, but are frequently relinquished because of behavioral problems, including abnormal repetitive behaviors like feather damaging behavior and stereotypy. In addition to contributing to pet relinquishment, these behaviors are important as potential indicators of diminished psychological well-being. While abnormal behaviors are common in captive animals, their presence and/or severity varies between animals of the same species that are experiencing the same environmental conditions. Personality differences could contribute to this observed individual variation, as they are known risk factors for stress sensitivity and affective disorders in humans. The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between personality and the development and severity of abnormal behaviors in captive-bred orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica). We monitored between-individual behavioral differences in enrichment-reared parrots of known personality types before, during, and after enrichment deprivation. We predicted that parrots with higher scores for neurotic-like personality traits would be more susceptible to enrichment deprivation and develop more abnormal behaviors. Our results partially supported this hypothesis, but also showed that distinct personality dimensions were related to different forms of abnormal behavior. While neuroticism-like traits were linked to feather damaging behavior, extraversion-like traits were negatively related to stereotypic behavior. More extraverted birds showed resiliency to environmental stress, developing fewer stereotypies during enrichment deprivation and showing lower levels of these behaviors following re-enrichment. Our data, together with the results of the few studies conducted on other species, suggest that, as in humans, certain personality types render individual animals more susceptible or resilient to environmental stress. Further, this susceptibility/resiliency can have a long-term effect on behavior, as evidenced by behavioral changes that persisted despite re-enrichment. Ours is the first study evaluating the relationship between personality dimensions, environment, and abnormal behaviors in an avian species. PMID:26114423

Record-Breaking Pain: The Largest Number and Variety of Forelimb Bone Maladies in a Theropod Dinosaur.

PubMed

Senter, Phil; Juengst, Sara L

2016-01-01

Bone abnormalities are common in theropod dinosaur skeletons, but before now no specimen was known with more than four afflicted bones of the pectoral girdle and/or forelimb. Here we describe the pathology of a specimen of the theropod dinosaur Dilophosaurus wetherilli with eight afflicted bones of the pectoral girdle and forelimb. On its left side the animal has a fractured scapula and radius and large fibriscesses in the ulna and the proximal thumb phalanx. On its right side the animal has abnormal torsion of the humeral shaft, bony tumors on the radius, a truncated distal articular surface of metacarpal III, and angular deformities of the first phalanx of the third finger. Healing and remodeling indicates that the animal survived for months and possibly years after its ailments began, but its right third finger was permanently deformed and lacked the capability of flexion. The deformities of the humerus and the right third finger may be due to developmental osteodysplasia, a condition known in extant birds but unreported in non-avian dinosaurs before now.

Transvaginal Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding.

PubMed

Wheeler, Karen C; Goldstein, Steven R

2017-03-01

Transvaginal ultrasound is the first-line imaging test for the evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Transvaginal ultrasound can be used to diagnose structural causes of abnormal bleeding such as polyps, adenomyosis, leiomyomas, hyperplasia, and malignancy, and can also be beneficial in making the diagnosis of ovulatory dysfunction. Traditional 2-dimensional imaging is often enhanced by the addition of 3-dimension imaging with coronal reconstruction and saline infusion sonohysterography. In this article we discuss specific ultrasound findings and technical considerations useful in the diagnosis of abnormal uterine bleeding.

Fabrication of mirror templates in silica with micron-sized radii of curvature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najer, Daniel; Renggli, Martina; Riedel, Daniel; Starosielec, Sebastian; Warburton, Richard J.

2017-01-01

We present the fabrication of exceptionally small-radius concave microoptics on fused silica substrates using CO2 laser ablation and subsequent reactive ion etching. The protocol yields on-axis near-Gaussian depressions with a radius of curvature ≲5 μm at shallow depth and low surface roughness of 2 Å. This geometry is appealing for cavity quantum electrodynamics where small mode volumes and low scattering losses are desired. We study the optical performance of the structures within a tunable Fabry-Pérot type microcavity and demonstrate near-coating-limited loss rates ( F = 25 000 ) and small focal lengths consistent with their geometrical dimensions.

Neutron stars structure in the context of massive gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendi, S. H.; Bordbar, G. H.; Eslam Panah, B.; Panahiyan, S.

2017-07-01

Motivated by the recent interests in spin-2 massive gravitons, we study the structure of neutron star in the context of massive gravity. The modifications of TOV equation in the presence of massive gravity are explored in 4 and higher dimensions. Next, by considering the modern equation of state for the neutron star matter (which is extracted by the lowest order constrained variational (LOCV) method with the AV18 potential), different physical properties of the neutron star (such as Le Chatelier's principle, stability and energy conditions) are investigated. It is shown that consideration of the massive gravity has specific contributions into the structure of neutron star and introduces new prescriptions for the massive astrophysical objects. The mass-radius relation is examined and the effects of massive gravity on the Schwarzschild radius, average density, compactness, gravitational redshift and dynamical stability are studied. Finally, a relation between mass and radius of neutron star versus the Planck mass is extracted.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendi, S.H.; Bordbar, G.H.; Panah, B. Eslam

Motivated by the recent interests in spin−2 massive gravitons, we study the structure of neutron star in the context of massive gravity. The modifications of TOV equation in the presence of massive gravity are explored in 4 and higher dimensions. Next, by considering the modern equation of state for the neutron star matter (which is extracted by the lowest order constrained variational (LOCV) method with the AV18 potential), different physical properties of the neutron star (such as Le Chatelier's principle, stability and energy conditions) are investigated. It is shown that consideration of the massive gravity has specific contributions into themore » structure of neutron star and introduces new prescriptions for the massive astrophysical objects. The mass-radius relation is examined and the effects of massive gravity on the Schwarzschild radius, average density, compactness, gravitational redshift and dynamical stability are studied. Finally, a relation between mass and radius of neutron star versus the Planck mass is extracted.« less

Temporal length-scale cascade and expansion rate on planar liquid jet instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirignano, William; Zandian, Arash; Hussain, Fazle

2016-11-01

Using the local radius of curvature of the surface and the local transverse dimension of the two-phase (i.e., spray) domain as length scales, we obtained two PDFs over a wide range of length-scales at different times and for different Reynolds and Weber (We) numbers. The PDFs were developed via post-processing of DNS Navier-Stokes results for a 3D planar liquid sheet segment with level-set and Volume-of-Fluid surface tracking, giving better statistical data for the length scales compared to the former methods. The radius PDF shows that, with increasing We , the average radius of curvature decreases, number of small droplets increases, and cascade occurs at a faster rate. In time, the mean of the radius PDF decreases while the rms increases. The other PDF represents the spray expansion in a more realistic and meaningful form, showing that the spray angle is larger at higher We and density-ratios. Both the mean and the rms of the spray-size PDF increase with time. The PDFs also track the transitions between symmetric and anti-symmetric modes.

Modeling of protein electrophoresis in silica colloidal crystals having brush layers of polyacrylamide

PubMed Central

Birdsall, Robert E.; Koshel, Brooke M.; Hua, Yimin; Ratnayaka, Saliya N.; Wirth, Mary J.

2013-01-01

Sieving of proteins in silica colloidal crystals of mm dimensions is characterized for particle diameters of nominally 350 and 500 nm, where the colloidal crystals are chemically modified with a brush layer of polyacrylamide. A model is developed that relates the reduced electrophoretic mobility to the experimentally measurable porosity. The model fits the data with no adjustable parameters for the case of silica colloidal crystals packed in capillaries, for which independent measurements of the pore radii were made from flow data. The model also fits the data for electrophoresis in a highly ordered colloidal crystal formed in a channel, where the unknown pore radius was used as a fitting parameter. Plate heights as small as 0.4 μm point to the potential for miniaturized separations. Band broadening increases as the pore radius approaches the protein radius, indicating that the main contribution to broadening is the spatial heterogeneity of the pore radius. The results quantitatively support the notion that sieving occurs for proteins in silica colloidal crystals, and facilitate design of new separations that would benefit from miniaturization. PMID:23229163

Effect of Plate Curvature on Blast Response of Structural Steel Plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veeredhi, Lakshmi Shireen Banu; Ramana Rao, N. V.; Veeredhi, Vasudeva Rao

2018-04-01

In the present work an attempt is made, through simulation studies, to determine the effect of plate curvature on the blast response of a door structure made of ASTM A515 grade 50 steel plates. A door structure with dimensions of 5.142 m × 2.56 m × 10 mm having six different radii of curvatures is analyzed which is subjected to blast load. The radii of curvature investigated are infinity (flat plate), 16.63, 10.81, 8.26, 6.61 and 5.56 m. In the present study, a stand-off distance of 11 m is considered for all the cases. Results showed that the door structure with smallest radius of curvature experienced least plastic deformation and yielding when compared to a door with larger radius of curvature with same projected area. From the present Investigation, it is observed that, as the radius of curvature of the plate increases, the deformation mode gradually shifts from indentation mode to flexural mode. The plates with infinity and 16.63 m radius of curvature have undergone flexural mode of deformation and plates with 6.61 and 5.56 m radius of curvature undergo indentation mode of deformation. Whereas, mixed mode of deformation that consists of both flexural and indentation mode of deformations are seen in the plates with radius of curvature 10.81 and 8.26 m. As the radius of curvature of the plate decreases the ability of the plate to mitigate the effect the blast loads increased. It is observed that the plate with smaller radius of curvature deflects most of the blast energy and results in least indentation mode of deformation. The most significant observation made in the present investigation is that the strain energy absorbed by the steel plate gets reduced to 1/3 rd when the radius of curvature is approximately equal to the stand-off distance which could be the critical radius of curvature.

A method to estimate weight and dimensions of small aircraft propulsion gas turbine engines: User's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hale, P. L.

1982-01-01

The weight and major envelope dimensions of small aircraft propulsion gas turbine engines are estimated. The computerized method, called WATE-S (Weight Analysis of Turbine Engines-Small) is a derivative of the WATE-2 computer code. WATE-S determines the weight of each major component in the engine including compressors, burners, turbines, heat exchangers, nozzles, propellers, and accessories. A preliminary design approach is used where the stress levels, maximum pressures and temperatures, material properties, geometry, stage loading, hub/tip radius ratio, and mechanical overspeed are used to determine the component weights and dimensions. The accuracy of the method is generally better than + or - 10 percent as verified by analysis of four small aircraft propulsion gas turbine engines.

75 FR 57846 - Amendment of Class E Airspace; Brewton, AL

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-23

... involve a change in the dimensions or operating requirements of that airspace, notice and public... Class E airspace areas extending upward from 700 feet above the surface of the earth. * * * * * ASO AL... feet above the surface within a 7-mile radius of the Brewton Municipal Airport and within 4 miles each...

Validation of a condition-specific measure for women having an abnormal screening mammography.

PubMed

Brodersen, John; Thorsen, Hanne; Kreiner, Svend

2007-01-01

The aim of this study is to assess the validity of a new condition-specific instrument measuring psychosocial consequences of abnormal screening mammography (PCQ-DK33). The draft version of the PCQ-DK33 was completed on two occasions by 184 women who had received an abnormal screening mammography and on one occasion by 240 women who had received a normal screening result. Item Response Theories and Classical Test Theories were used to analyze data. Construct validity, concurrent validity, known group validity, objectivity and reliability were established by item analysis examining the fit between item responses and Rasch models. Six dimensions covering anxiety, behavioral impact, sense of dejection, impact on sleep, breast examination, and sexuality were identified. One item belonging to the dejection dimension had uniform differential item functioning. Two items not fitting the Rasch models were retained because of high face validity. A sick leave item added useful information when measuring side effects and socioeconomic consequences of breast cancer screening. Five "poor items" were identified and should be deleted from the final instrument. Preliminary evidence for a valid and reliable condition-specific measure for women having an abnormal screening mammography was established. The measure includes 27 "good" items measuring different attributes of the same overall latent structure-the psychosocial consequences of abnormal screening mammography.

Fractal dimension study of polaron effects in cylindrical GaAs/Al x Ga1- x As core-shell nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Hui; Li, Hua; Tian, Qiang

2018-04-01

Polaron effects in cylindrical GaAs/Al x Ga1- x As core-shell nanowires are studied by applying the fractal dimension method. In this paper, the polaron properties of GaAs/Al x Ga1- x As core-shell nanowires with different core radii and aluminum concentrations are discussed. The polaron binding energy, polaron mass shift, and fractal dimension parameter are numerically determined as functions of shell width. The calculation results reveal that the binding energy and mass shift of the polaron first increase and then decrease as the shell width increases. A maximum value appears at a certain shell width for different aluminum concentrations and a given core radius. By using the fractal dimension method, polaron problems in cylindrical GaAs/Al x Ga1- x As core-shell nanowires are solved in a simple manner that avoids complex and lengthy calculations.

[Acoustic Levitation Methods and Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmatz, M. B.; Jacobi, N. (Inventor)

1982-01-01

Methods are described for acoustically levitating objects within chambers of spherical and cylindrical shape. The wavelengths for chambers of particular dimensions are given, for generating standing wave patterns of any of a variety of modes within the chambers. For a spherical chamber the lowest resonant mode is excited by applying a wavelength of 3.02R, where R is the chamber radius. The two lowest pure radial modes for that chamber, are excited by applying wavelengths of 1.40R and 0.814R. For a cylindrical chamber of radius R, the lowest mode is at a wavelength of 3.41R, and the lowest pure radial modes are at wavelengths of 1.64R and 0.896R.

FLUID CONTACTOR APPARATUS

DOEpatents

Spence, R.; Streeton, R.J.W.

1956-04-17

The fluid contactor apparatus comprises a cylindrical column mounted co- axially and adapted to rotate within a cylindrical vessel, for the purpose of extracting a solute from am aqueous solution by means of an organic solvent. The column is particularly designed to control the vortex pattern so as to reduce the height of the vortices while, at the same time, the width of the annular radius in the radial direction between the vessel and column is less than half the radius of the column. A plurality of thin annular fins are spaced apart along the rotor approximately twice the radial dimension of the column such that two contrarotating substantially circular vortices are contained within each pair of fins as the column is rotated.

HIGH EXPLOSIVE CRATER STUDIES: DESERT ALLUVIUM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murphey, B.F.

1961-05-01

Crater dimensions were determined for 23 explosions of 256-pound spherical TNT charges buried in desert alluvium. As opposed to previous work covering depths of burst as great as 6 feet, the work presented in this report extends knowledge of apparent crater radius and depth to depths of burst as great as 30 feet. Optimum depth of burst for apparent crater radius was near 10 feet and for apparent crater depth near 8 feet. Surface motion photography illustrated a very great slowing down of the surface motion between depths of burst of 9.5 and 15.9 feet. Crater contours, profiles, snd overheadmore » photographs are presented as illustrations. (auth)« less

Monte Carlo approaches to sampling forested tracts with lines or points

Treesearch

Harry T. Valentine; Jeffrey H. Gove; Timothy G. Gregoire

2001-01-01

Several line- and point-based sampling methods can be employed to estimate the aggregate dimensions of trees standing on a forested tract or pieces of coarse woody debris lying on the forest floor. Line methods include line intersect sampling, horizontal line sampling, and transect relascope sampling; point methods include variable- and fixed-radius plot sampling, and...

47 CFR 101.31 - Temporary and conditional authorizations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., such as the continental United States. Sufficient data must be submitted to show the need for the... Dimensions=radius in kilometers Center-point Kitt Peak, Arizona 60 N31-57-22; W111-36-42 Big Pine, California... 160 N38-25-59; W79-50-24 Note: Coordinates are referenced to North American Datum 1983 (NAD83). (vii...

47 CFR 101.31 - Temporary and conditional authorizations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., such as the continental United States. Sufficient data must be submitted to show the need for the... region Dimensions=radius in kilometers Center-point Kitt Peak, Arizona 60 N31-57-22; W111-36-42 Big Pine..., West Virginia 160 N38-25-59; W79-50-24 Note: Coordinates are referenced to North American Datum 1983...

47 CFR 101.31 - Temporary and conditional authorizations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., such as the continental United States. Sufficient data must be submitted to show the need for the... region Dimensions=radius in kilometers Center-point Kitt Peak, Arizona 60 N31-57-22; W111-36-42 Big Pine..., West Virginia 160 N38-25-59; W79-50-24 Note: Coordinates are referenced to North American Datum 1983...

47 CFR 101.31 - Temporary and conditional authorizations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., such as the continental United States. Sufficient data must be submitted to show the need for the... region Dimensions=radius in kilometers Center-point Kitt Peak, Arizona 60 N31-57-22; W111-36-42 Big Pine..., West Virginia 160 N38-25-59; W79-50-24 Note: Coordinates are referenced to North American Datum 1983...

Exploring Lovelock theory moduli space for Schrödinger solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jatkar, Dileep P.; Kundu, Nilay

2016-09-01

We look for Schrödinger solutions in Lovelock gravity in D > 4. We span the entire parameter space and determine parametric relations under which the Schrödinger solution exists. We find that in arbitrary dimensions pure Lovelock theories have Schrödinger solutions of arbitrary radius, on a co-dimension one locus in the Lovelock parameter space. This co-dimension one locus contains the subspace over which the Lovelock gravity can be written in the Chern-Simons form. Schrödinger solutions do not exist outside this locus and on this locus they exist for arbitrary dynamical exponent z. This freedom in z is due to the degeneracy in the configuration space. We show that this degeneracy survives certain deformation away from the Lovelock moduli space.

Steering characteristic of an articulated bus under quasi steady maneuvering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ubaidillah, Setiawan, Budi Agus; Aridharma, Airlangga Putra; Lenggana, Bhre Wangsa; Caesar, Bernardus Placenta Previo

2018-02-01

Articulated buses have been being preferred as public transportation modes due to their operational capacity. Therefore, passenger safety must be the priority of this public service vehicle. This research focused on the analytical approach of steering characteristics of an articulated bus when it maneuvered steadily. Such turning condition could be referred as a stability parameter of the bus for preliminary handling assessment. The analytical approach employed kinematics relationship between front and rear bodies as well as steering capabilities. The quasi steady model was developed to determine steering parameters such as turning radius, oversteer, and understeer. The mathematical model was useful for determining both coefficients of understeer and oversteer. The dimension of articulated bus followed a commonly used bus as utilized in Trans Jakarta busses. Based on the simulation, for one minimum center of the body, the turning radius was calculated about 8.8 m and 7.6 m at steady turning speed of 10 km/h. In neutral condition, the minimum road radius should be 6.5 m at 10 km/h and 6.9 m at 40 km/h. For two centers of the body and oversteer condition, the front body has the turning radius of 8.8 m, while, the rear body has the turning radius of 9.8 m at both turning speeds of 40 km/h. The other steering parameters were discussed accordingly.

Clustering PPI data by combining FA and SHC method.

PubMed

Lei, Xiujuan; Ying, Chao; Wu, Fang-Xiang; Xu, Jin

2015-01-01

Clustering is one of main methods to identify functional modules from protein-protein interaction (PPI) data. Nevertheless traditional clustering methods may not be effective for clustering PPI data. In this paper, we proposed a novel method for clustering PPI data by combining firefly algorithm (FA) and synchronization-based hierarchical clustering (SHC) algorithm. Firstly, the PPI data are preprocessed via spectral clustering (SC) which transforms the high-dimensional similarity matrix into a low dimension matrix. Then the SHC algorithm is used to perform clustering. In SHC algorithm, hierarchical clustering is achieved by enlarging the neighborhood radius of synchronized objects continuously, while the hierarchical search is very difficult to find the optimal neighborhood radius of synchronization and the efficiency is not high. So we adopt the firefly algorithm to determine the optimal threshold of the neighborhood radius of synchronization automatically. The proposed algorithm is tested on the MIPS PPI dataset. The results show that our proposed algorithm is better than the traditional algorithms in precision, recall and f-measure value.

Clustering PPI data by combining FA and SHC method

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Clustering is one of main methods to identify functional modules from protein-protein interaction (PPI) data. Nevertheless traditional clustering methods may not be effective for clustering PPI data. In this paper, we proposed a novel method for clustering PPI data by combining firefly algorithm (FA) and synchronization-based hierarchical clustering (SHC) algorithm. Firstly, the PPI data are preprocessed via spectral clustering (SC) which transforms the high-dimensional similarity matrix into a low dimension matrix. Then the SHC algorithm is used to perform clustering. In SHC algorithm, hierarchical clustering is achieved by enlarging the neighborhood radius of synchronized objects continuously, while the hierarchical search is very difficult to find the optimal neighborhood radius of synchronization and the efficiency is not high. So we adopt the firefly algorithm to determine the optimal threshold of the neighborhood radius of synchronization automatically. The proposed algorithm is tested on the MIPS PPI dataset. The results show that our proposed algorithm is better than the traditional algorithms in precision, recall and f-measure value. PMID:25707632

Trabecular Bone Score (TBS)—A Novel Method to Evaluate Bone Microarchitectural Texture in Patients With Primary Hyperparathyroidism

PubMed Central

Boutroy, Stephanie; Zhang, Chiyuan; McMahon, Donald Jay; Zhou, Bin; Wang, Ji; Udesky, Julia; Cremers, Serge; Sarquis, Marta; Guo, Xiang-Dong Edward; Hans, Didier

2013-01-01

Context: In the milder form of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), cancellous bone, represented by areal bone mineral density at the lumbar spine by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), is preserved. This finding is in contrast to high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT) results of abnormal trabecular microstructure and epidemiological evidence for increased overall fracture risk in PHPT. Because DXA does not directly measure trabecular bone and HRpQCT is not widely available, we used trabecular bone score (TBS), a novel gray-level textural analysis applied to spine DXA images, to estimate indirectly trabecular microarchitecture. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess TBS from spine DXA images in relation to HRpQCT indices and bone stiffness in radius and tibia in PHPT. Design and Setting: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a referral center. Patients: Participants were 22 postmenopausal women with PHPT. Main Outcome Measures: Outcomes measured were areal bone mineral density by DXA, TBS indices derived from DXA images, HRpQCT standard measures, and bone stiffness assessed by finite element analysis at distal radius and tibia. Results: TBS in PHPT was low at 1.24, representing abnormal trabecular microstructure (normal ≥1.35). TBS was correlated with whole bone stiffness and all HRpQCT indices, except for trabecular thickness and trabecular stiffness at the radius. At the tibia, correlations were observed between TBS and volumetric densities, cortical thickness, trabecular bone volume, and whole bone stiffness. TBS correlated with all indices of trabecular microarchitecture, except trabecular thickness, after adjustment for body weight. Conclusion: TBS, a measurement technology readily available by DXA, shows promise in the clinical assessment of trabecular microstructure in PHPT. PMID:23526463

High-resolution-cone beam tomography analysis of bone microarchitecture in patients with acromegaly and radiological vertebral fractures.

PubMed

Maffezzoni, Filippo; Maddalo, Michele; Frara, Stefano; Mezzone, Monica; Zorza, Ivan; Baruffaldi, Fabio; Doglietto, Francesco; Mazziotti, Gherardo; Maroldi, Roberto; Giustina, Andrea

2016-11-01

Vertebral fractures are an emerging complication of acromegaly but their prediction is still difficult occurring even in patients with normal bone mineral density. In this study we evaluated the ability of high-resolution cone-beam computed tomography to provide information on skeletal abnormalities associated with vertebral fractures in acromegaly. 40 patients (24 females, 16 males; median age 57 years, range 25-72) and 21 healthy volunteers (10 females, 11 males; median age 60 years, range: 25-68) were evaluated for trabecular (bone volume/trabecular volume ratio, mean trabecular separation, and mean trabecular thickness) and cortical (thickness and porosity) parameters at distal radius using a high-resolution cone-beam computed tomography system. All acromegaly patients were evaluated for morphometric vertebral fractures and for mineral bone density by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at lumbar spine, total hip, femoral neck, and distal radius. Acromegaly patients with vertebral fractures (15 cases) had significantly (p < 0.05) lower bone volume/trabecular volume ratio, greater mean trabecular separation, and higher cortical porosity vs. nonfractured patients, without statistically significant differences in mean trabecular thickness and cortical thickness. Fractured and nonfractured acromegaly patients did not have significant differences in bone density at either skeletal site. Patients with acromegaly showed lower bone volume/trabecular volume ratio (p = 0.003) and mean trabecular thickness (p < 0.001) and greater mean trabecular separation (p = 0.02) as compared to control subjects, without significant differences in cortical thickness and porosity. This study shows for the first time that abnormalities of bone microstructure are associated with radiological vertebral fractures in acromegaly. High-resolution cone-beam computed tomography at the distal radius may be useful to evaluate and predict the effects of acromegaly on bone microstructure.

Scalar Casimir energies in M4>=N for even N

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kantowski, R.; Milton, Kimball A.

1987-01-01

We construct a Green's-function formalism for computing vacuum-fluctuation energies of scalar fields in 4+N dimensions, where the extra N dimensions are compactified into a hypersphere SN of radius a. In all cases a leading cosmological energy term ucosmo~aN/b4+N results. Here b is an ultraviolet cutoff at the Planck scale. In all cases an unambiguous Casimir energy is computed. For odd N these energies agree with those calculated by Candelas and Weinberg. For even N, the Casimir energy is logarithmically divergent: uCasimir~(αN/a4)ln(a/b). The coefficients αN are computed in terms of Bernoulli numbers.

Supersymmetry Breaking Casimir Warp Drive

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Obousy, Richard K.; Cleaver, Gerald

2007-01-30

This paper utilizes a recent model which relates the cosmological constant to the Casimir energy of the extra dimensions in brane-world theories. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that, given some sufficiently advanced civilization with the ability to manipulate the radius of the extra dimension, a local adjustment of the cosmological constant could be created. This adjustment would facilitate an expansion/contraction of the spacetime around a spacecraft creating an exotic form of field-propulsion. This idea is analogous to the Alcubierre bubble, but differs entirely in the approach, utilizing the physics of higher dimensional quantum field theory, instead ofmore » general relativity.« less

75 FR 57373 - Amendment to Class D Airspace; Miami Opa Locka Airport, FL, and Hollywood, FL

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-21

... administrative change, and does not involve a change in the dimensions or operating requirements of that airspace...[deg]14'26'' W.) That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including 2,500 feet MSL within... feet MSL within a 4-mile radius of the North Perry Airport; excluding the portion north of the north...

Rapid rotators revisited: absolute dimensions of KOI-13

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howarth, Ian D.; Morello, Giuseppe

2017-09-01

We analyse Kepler light-curves of the exoplanet Kepler Object of Interest no. 13b (KOI-13b) transiting its moderately rapidly rotating (gravity-darkened) parent star. A physical model, with minimal ad hoc free parameters, reproduces the time-averaged light-curve at the ˜10 parts per million level. We demonstrate that this Roche-model solution allows the absolute dimensions of the system to be determined from the star's projected equatorial rotation speed, ve sin I*, without any additional assumptions; we find a planetary radius RP = (1.33 ± 0.05) R♃, stellar polar radius Rp★ = (1.55 ± 0.06) R⊙, combined mass M* + MP( ≃ M*) = (1.47 ± 0.17) M⊙ and distance d ≃ (370 ± 25) pc, where the errors are dominated by uncertainties in relative flux contribution of the visual-binary companion KOI-13B. The implied stellar rotation period is within ˜5 per cent of the non-orbital, 25.43-hr signal found in the Kepler photometry. We show that the model accurately reproduces independent tomographic observations, and yields an offset between orbital and stellar-rotation angular-momentum vectors of 60.25° ± 0.05°.

Finite element analysis on preferable I-bar clasp shape.

PubMed

Sato, Y; Tsuga, K; Abe, Y; Asahara, S; Akagawa, Y

2001-05-01

An I-bar clasp is one of the most popular direct retainers for distal-extension removable partial dentures. However, no adequate information is available on preferable shape as determined by biomechanics. This study aimed (1) to investigate, by finite element analysis (FEA), the dimensions and stress of I-bar clasps having the same stiffness, and (2) to estimate a mechanically preferable clasp design. Three-dimensional FEA models of I-bar clasps were created with vertical and horizontal straight sections connected by a curved section characterized by six parameters: thickness of the clasp tip, width of the clasp tip, radius of the curvature, horizontal distance between the base and the vertical axis, vertical dimension between the tip and the horizontal axis, and taper (change of width per unit length along the axis). Stress was calculated with a concentrated load of 5 N applied 2 mm from the tip of the clasp in the buccal direction. A thinner and wider clasp having an taper of 0.020-0.023 and radius of curvature of 2.75-3.00 showed less stress. The results suggest that such a shape might be the preferable I-bar clasp shape as biomechanical viewpoint.

Photon orbits and thermodynamic phase transition of d -dimensional charged AdS black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Shao-Wen; Liu, Yu-Xiao

2018-05-01

We study the relationship between the null geodesics and thermodynamic phase transition for the charged AdS black hole. In the reduced parameter space, we find that there exist nonmonotonic behaviors of the photon sphere radius and the minimum impact parameter for the pressure below its critical value. The study also shows that the changes of the photon sphere radius and the minimum impact parameter can serve as order parameters for the small-large black hole phase transition. In particular, these changes have an universal exponent of 1/2 near the critical point for any dimension d of spacetime. These results imply that there may exist universal critical behavior of gravity near the thermodynamic critical point of the black hole system.

Quantum Effects in Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saharian, A. A.

2016-09-01

We investigate the vacuum expectation value of the current density for a charged scalar field on a slice of anti-de Sitter (AdS) space with toroidally compact dimensions. Along the compact dimensions periodicity conditions are imposed on the field operator with general phases and the presence of a constant gauge field is assumed. The latter gives rise to Aharonov-Bohm-like effects on the vacuum currents. The current density along compact dimensions is a periodic function of the gauge field flux with the period equal to the flux quantum. It vanishes on the AdS boundary and, near the horizon, to the leading order, it is conformally related to the corresponding quantity in Minkowski bulk for a massless field. For large values of the length of the compact dimension compared with the AdS curvature radius, the vacuum current decays as power-law for both massless and massive fields. This behavior is essentially different from the corresponding one in Minkowski background, where the currents for a massive field are suppressed exponentially.

Social Attention, Joint Attention and Sustained Attention in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Williams Syndrome: Convergences and Divergences.

PubMed

Vivanti, Giacomo; Fanning, Peter A J; Hocking, Darren R; Sievers, Stephanie; Dissanayake, Cheryl

2017-06-01

There is limited knowledge on shared and syndrome-specific attentional profiles in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Williams syndrome (WS). Using eye-tracking, we examined attentional profiles of 35 preschoolers with ASD, 22 preschoolers with WS and 20 typically developing children across social and non-social dimensions of attention. Children with ASD and those with WS presented with overlapping deficits in spontaneous visual engagement with the target of others' attention and in sustained attention. Children with ASD showed syndrome-specific abnormalities in monitoring and following a person's referential gaze, as well as a lack of preferential attention to social stimuli. Children with ASD and WS present with shared as well as syndrome-specific abnormalities across social and non-social dimensions of attention.

Sperm selection for ICSI: shape properties do not predict the absence or presence of numerical chromosomal aberrations.

PubMed

Celik-Ozenci, Ciler; Jakab, Attila; Kovacs, Tamas; Catalanotti, Jillian; Demir, Ramazan; Bray-Ward, Patricia; Ward, David; Huszar, Gabor

2004-09-01

We hypothesize that the potential relationship between abnormal sperm morphology and increased frequency of numerical chromosomal aberrations is based on two attributes of diminished sperm maturity: (i) cytoplasmic retention and consequential sperm shape abnormalities; and (ii) meiotic errors caused by low levels of the HspA2 chaperone, a component of the synaptonemal complex. Because sperm morphology and aneuploidies were assessed in semen, but not in the same spermatozoa, previous studies addressing this relationship were inconclusive. We recently demonstrated that sperm shape is preserved following fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Thus, we examined the shape and chromosomal aberrations in the same sperm. We performed phase contrast microscopy and FISH, using centromeric probes for chromosomes X, Y, 10, 11 and 17 in 15 men. The fluorescence and respective phase contrast images were digitized using the Metamorph program. We studied 1286 sperm (256 disomic, 130 diploid and 900 haploid sperm) by three criteria: head and tail dimensions, head shape and Kruger strict morphology. Furthermore, in each analysis, we considered whether disomic or diploid sperm may be distinguished from haploid sperm. There was an overall, but not discriminative, relationship between abnormal sperm dimensions or shape and increased frequencies of numerical chromosomal aberrations. However, approximately 68 of the 256 disomic, and four of 130 diploid sperm showed head and tail dimensions comparable with the most normal, lowest tertile of the 900 haploid spermatozoa. Considering all 1286 sperm, among those with the most regular, symmetrical shape (n = 367), there were 63 and five with disomic and diploid nuclei, respectively. In line with these findings, among the 256 disomic sperm, 10% were Kruger normal. Sperm dimensions or shape are not reliable attributes in selection of haploid sperm for ICSI.

White matter structural alterations in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: relation to symptom dimensions.

PubMed

Lázaro, L; Ortiz, A G; Calvo, A; Ortiz, A E; Moreno, E; Morer, A; Calvo, R; Bargallo, N

2014-10-03

The aims of this study were to identify gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume abnormalities in pediatric obsessive-compulsive patients, to examine their relationship between these abnormalities and the severity of disorder, and to explore whether they could be explained by the different symptom dimensions. 62 child and adolescent OCD patients (11-18years old) and 46 healthy subjects of the same gender and similar age and estimated intellectual quotient were assessed by means of psychopathological scales and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Axial three-dimensional T1-weighted images were obtained in a 3T scanner and analyzed using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Compared with healthy controls, OCD patients showed lower white matter (WM) volume in the left dorsolateral and cingulate regions involving the superior and middle frontal gyri and anterior cingulate gyrus (t=4.35, p=0.049 FWE (family wise error)-corrected). There was no significant correlation between WM and the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology. There were no regions with lower gray matter (GM) volume in OCD patients than in controls. Compared with healthy controls, only the "harm/checking" OCD dimension showed a cluster with a near significant decrease in WM volume in the right superior temporal gyrus extending into the insula (t=5.61, p=.056 FWE-corrected). The evidence suggests that abnormalities in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, temporal and limbic regions play a central role in the pathophysiology of OCD. Moreover, regional brain volumes in OCD may vary depending on specific OCD symptom dimensions, indicating the clinical heterogeneity of the condition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Normal dimensions of the posterior pituitary bright spot on magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Côté, Martin; Salzman, Karen L; Sorour, Mohammad; Couldwell, William T

2014-02-01

The normal pituitary bright spot seen on unenhanced T1-weighted MRI is thought to result from the T1-shortening effect of the vasopressin stored in the posterior pituitary. Individual variations in its size may be difficult to differentiate from pathological conditions resulting in either absence of the pituitary bright spot or in T1-hyperintense lesions of the sella. The objective of this paper was to define a range of normal dimensions of the pituitary bright spot and to illustrate some of the most commonly encountered pathologies that result in absence or enlargement of the pituitary bright spot. The authors selected normal pituitary MRI studies from 106 patients with no pituitary abnormality. The size of each pituitary bright spot was measured in the longest axis and in the dimension perpendicular to this axis to describe the typical dimensions. The authors also present cases of patients with pituitary abnormalities to highlight the differences and potential overlap between normal and pathological pituitary imaging. All of the studies evaluated were found to have pituitary bright spots, and the mean dimensions were 4.8 mm in the long axis and 2.4 mm in the short axis. The dimension of the pituitary bright spot in the long axis decreased with patient age. The distribution of dimensions of the pituitary bright spot was normal, indicating that 99.7% of patients should have a pituitary bright spot measuring between 1.2 and 8.5 mm in its long axis and between 0.4 and 4.4 mm in its short axis, an interval corresponding to 3 standard deviations below and above the mean. In cases where the dimension of the pituitary bright spot is outside this range, pathological conditions should be considered. The pituitary bright spot should always be demonstrated on T1-weighted MRI, and its dimensions should be within the identified normal range in most patients. Outside of this range, pathological conditions affecting the pituitary bright spot should be considered.

Growth pattern of the eye from birth to maturity: an Indian study.

PubMed

Purkait, Ruma

2013-02-01

The aim of the study was to follow the growth dynamics of ocular dimensions from birth to 18 years of age. The norms of dimensions at different ages, peak growth period, and maturity age of the dimensions are essential information for a physician in delineating syndromes or in deciding the optimal time for undertaking surgery to correct an abnormality. Lack of a comprehensive study in India has prompted us to undertake our own. A total of 1,960 healthy subjects from central India were included in the study. An anthropometric technique was used to measure medial (MICD) and lateral intercanthal distances (LICD), palpebral fissure length (PFL), and derived interpupillary distance (IPD). Two indices incorporating medial intercanthal distance with bizygomatic width (BZW) and maximum head breadth (HB) were derived. During infancy the growth rate of ocular dimensions range from 13 to 23 % in males and from 17 to 30 % in females. After infancy the growth rate falls below average in all dimensions except MICD. MICD matures at 9 and 11 years in females and males, respectively. The other dimensions follow in 2-3 years time. The indices MICD-HB and MICD-BZW vary between 20-22 and 24-25, respectively, during the normal growth period. Outside the range delineates a syndrome or abnormality. The present study has generated metric norms for all growing ages and also the growth dynamics for ocular dimensions of healthy Indian subjects. The knowledge will be useful to physicians as a guideline in correcting ocular deformity. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

River meanders and channel size

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, G.P.

1986-01-01

This study uses an enlarged data set to (1) compare measured meander geometry to that predicted by the Langbein and Leopold (1966) theory, (2) examine the frequency distribution of the ratio radius of curvature/channel width, and (3) derive 40 empirical equations (31 of which are original) involving meander and channel size features. The data set, part of which comes from publications by other authors, consists of 194 sites from a large variety of physiographic environments in various countries. The Langbein-Leopold sine-generated-curve theory for predicting radius of curvature agrees very well with the field data (78 sites). The ratio radius of curvature/channel width has a modal value in the range of 2 to 3, in accordance with earlier work; about one third of the 79 values is less than 2.0. The 40 empirical relations, most of which include only two variables, involve channel cross-section dimensions (bankfull area, width, and mean depth) and meander features (wavelength, bend length, radius of curvature, and belt width). These relations have very high correlation coefficients, most being in the range of 0.95-0.99. Although channel width traditionally has served as a scale indicator, bankfull cross-sectional area and mean depth also can be used for this purpose. ?? 1986.

Molecular dynamics studies of polyethylene oxide and polyethylene glycol: hydrodynamic radius and shape anisotropy.

PubMed

Lee, Hwankyu; Venable, Richard M; Mackerell, Alexander D; Pastor, Richard W

2008-08-01

A revision (C35r) to the CHARMM ether force field is shown to reproduce experimentally observed conformational populations of dimethoxyethane. Molecular dynamics simulations of 9, 18, 27, and 36-mers of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and 27-mers of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in water based on C35r yield a persistence length lambda = 3.7 A, in quantitative agreement with experimentally obtained values of 3.7 A for PEO and 3.8 A for PEG; agreement with experimental values for hydrodynamic radii of comparably sized PEG is also excellent. The exponent upsilon relating the radius of gyration and molecular weight (R(g) proportional, variantM(w)(upsilon)) of PEO from the simulations equals 0.515 +/- 0.023, consistent with experimental observations that low molecular weight PEG behaves as an ideal chain. The shape anisotropy of hydrated PEO is 2.59:1.44:1.00. The dimension of the middle length for each of the polymers nearly equals the hydrodynamic radius R(h)obtained from diffusion measurements in solution. This explains the correspondence of R(h) and R(p), the pore radius of membrane channels: a polymer such as PEG diffuses with its long axis parallel to the membrane channel, and passes through the channel without substantial distortion.

Trigonometry-Integrated 'Lift' Technique (TILT) for Restoring Volar Tilt in Distal Radius Fractures: Description of Technique and Preliminary Results.

PubMed

Sechachalam, Sreedharan; Satku, Mala; Wong, Jian Hao Kevin; Tan, Lester Teong Jin; Yong, Fok Chuan

2017-03-01

Restoration of extra-articular and intra-articular parameters are important considerations during operative fixation of distal radius fractures. Restoration of volar tilt by using visual estimation and the 'lift' technique has previously been described. The aim of our study was to describe a mathematical technique for accurately restoring the volar tilt of the distal radius to acceptable anatomic values. A retrospective review of cases performed using the trigonometry-integrated ' lift' technique (TILT) was performed. This technique uses the pre-operative volar tilt angle as well as the dimensions of the implant to calculate the 'lift' required to restore volar tilt. Intra-operative angles were measured using a marked transparency overlay on fluoroscopic images. Pre-operative and post-operative volar tilt were measured and analysed. Twenty-seven fractures were included in the study, with 20 being classified as Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) C-type. Pre-'lift' volar tilt ranged from 0° to -20°. Post-'lift' volar tilt ranged from 2° to 16°, with all but three cases ranging from 5° to 15°. The mean volar tilt achieved was 10.2°. The trigonometry-integrated 'lift' technique resulted in reliable intra-operative restoration of anatomic volar tilt in distal radius fractures.

Cluster structure in the correlation coefficient matrix can be characterized by abnormal eigenvalues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Chun-Xiao

2018-02-01

In a large number of previous studies, the researchers found that some of the eigenvalues of the financial correlation matrix were greater than the predicted values of the random matrix theory (RMT). Here, we call these eigenvalues as abnormal eigenvalues. In order to reveal the hidden meaning of these abnormal eigenvalues, we study the toy model with cluster structure and find that these eigenvalues are related to the cluster structure of the correlation coefficient matrix. In this paper, model-based experiments show that in most cases, the number of abnormal eigenvalues of the correlation matrix is equal to the number of clusters. In addition, empirical studies show that the sum of the abnormal eigenvalues is related to the clarity of the cluster structure and is negatively correlated with the correlation dimension.

Centrifuge Impact Cratering Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, R. M.; Housen, K. R.; Bjorkman, M. D.

1985-01-01

The kinematics of crater growth, impact induced target flow fields and the generation of impact melt were determined. The feasibility of using scaling relationships for impact melt and crater dimensions to determine impactor size and velocity was studied. It is concluded that a coupling parameter determines both the quantity of melt and the crater dimensions for impact velocities greater than 10km/s. As a result impactor radius, a, or velocity, U cannot be determined individually, but only as a product in the form of a coupling parameter, delta U micron. The melt volume and crater volume scaling relations were applied to Brent crater. The transport of melt and the validity of the melt volume scaling relations are examined.

Small angle neutron scattering study on the structural variation of lysozyme in bioprotectants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koda, Shota; Takayama, Haruki; Shibata, Tomohiko; Mori, Tatsuya; Kojima, Seiji; Park, In-Sung; Shin, Tae-Gyu

2015-05-01

The thermal denaturation and subsequent structural variation of lysozyme in various bioprotectant candidate solutions such as trehalose and choline acetate have been investigated by using small angle neutron scattering and differential scanning calorimetry. The gyration radius shows little change with the addition of additives in a native state at room temperature. On heating the lysozyme solution, a remarkable increase in the gyration radius is observed at temperatures above the denaturation temperature without any bioprotectants. Such an increase is suppressed by the additives owing to the intermolecular interactions between the lysozyme molecules and the bioprotectants of trehalose and choline acetate. The fractal dimension of lysozyme varies slightly with the addition of the bioprotectant solutions, and shows a remarkable drop in the vicinity of the denaturation temperature for all the solutions.

Stability of anti-de sitter space in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity.

PubMed

Deppe, Nils; Kolly, Allison; Frey, Andrew; Kunstatter, Gabor

2015-02-20

Recently it has been argued that in Einstein gravity anti-de Sitter spacetime is unstable against the formation of black holes for a large class of arbitrarily small perturbations. We examine the effects of including a Gauss-Bonnet term. In five dimensions, spherically symmetric Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity has two key features: Choptuik scaling exhibits a radius gap, and the mass function goes to a finite value as the horizon radius vanishes. These suggest that black holes will not form dynamically if the total mass-energy content of the spacetime is too small, thereby restoring the stability of anti-de Sitter spacetime in this context. We support this claim with numerical simulations and uncover a rich structure in horizon radii and formation times as a function of perturbation amplitude.

Synthetic optimization of air turbine for dental handpieces.

PubMed

Shi, Z Y; Dong, T

2014-01-01

A synthetic optimization of Pelton air turbine in dental handpieces concerning the power output, compressed air consumption and rotation speed in the mean time is implemented by employing a standard design procedure and variable limitation from practical dentistry. The Pareto optimal solution sets acquired by using the Normalized Normal Constraint method are mainly comprised of two piecewise continuous parts. On the Pareto frontier, the supply air stagnation pressure stalls at the lower boundary of the design space, the rotation speed is a constant value within the recommended range from literature, the blade tip clearance insensitive to while the nozzle radius increases with power output and mass flow rate of compressed air to which the residual geometric dimensions are showing an opposite trend within their respective "pieces" compared to the nozzle radius.

The Characteristic Dimension of Lyman-Alpha Forest Clouds Toward Q0957+561

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dolan, J. F.; Michalitsianos, A. G.; Hill, R. J.; Nguyen, Q. T.; Fisher, Richard (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Far-ultraviolet spectra of the gravitational lens components Q0957+561 A and B were obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope Faint Object Spectrograph to investigate the characteristic dimension of Lyman-alpha forest clouds in the direction of the quasar. If one makes the usual assumption that the absorbing structures are spherical clouds with a single radius, that radius can be found analytically from the ratio of Lyman-alpha lines in only one line of sight to the number in both. A simple power series approximation to this solution, accurate everywhere to better than 1%, will be presented. Absorption lines in Q0957+561 having equivalent width greater than 0.3 A in the observer's frame not previously identified as interstellar lines, metal lines, or higher order Lyman lines were taken to be Ly-alpha forest lines. The existence of each line in this consistently selected set was then verified by its presence in two archival FOS spectra with approximately 1.5 times higher signal to noise than our spectra. Ly-alpha forest lines appear at 41 distinct wavelengths in the spectra of the two images. One absorption line in the spectrum of image A has no counterpart in the spectrum of image B, and one line in image B has no counterpart in image A. Based on the separation of the lines of sight over the redshift range searched for Ly-alpha forest lines, the density of the absorbing clouds in the direction of Q0957+561 must change significantly over a radius R = 160 (+120, -70) h (sup -1) (sub 50) kpc (H (sub 0) 50 h (sub 50) km s (sup -1) kpc (sup -1), q (sub 0) = 1/2). The 95% confidence interval on R extends from (50 950) h (sup -1) (sub 50) kpc.

Asteroid (2867) Steins: Shape, topography and global physical properties from OSIRIS observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorda, L.; Lamy, P. L.; Gaskell, R. W.; Kaasalainen, M.; Groussin, O.; Besse, S.; Faury, G.

2012-11-01

The Rosetta spacecraft flew by Asteroid (2867) Steins on 5 September 2008, allowing the onboard OSIRIS cameras to collect the first images of an E-type asteroid. We implemented several three-dimensional reconstruction techniques to retrieve its shape. Limb profiles, combined with stereo control points, were used to reconstruct an approximate shape model. This model was refined using a stereophotoclinometry technique to accurately retrieve the topography of the hemisphere observed by OSIRIS. The unseen part of the surface was constrained by the technique of light curves inversion. The global shape resembles a top with dimensions along the principal axes of inertia of 6.83 × 5.70 × 4.42 km. It is conspicuously more regular than other small asteroids like (233) Eros and (25143) Itokawa. Its mean radius is Rm = 2.70 km and its equivalent radius (radius of a sphere of equivalent volume) is Rv = 2.63 km. The north pole is oriented at RA = 99 ± 5° and Dec = -59 ± 5°, which implies a very large obliquity of 172° and a retrograde rotation. Maps of the gravitational field and slopes were calculated for the well-imaged part of the asteroid. Together with the shape, they helped characterizing the most prominent topographic features identified at the surface of (2867) Steins: an equatorial ridge restricted to the extremities of the long axis, a large crater having dimensions of 2100 × 1800 m in the southern hemisphere, and an elongated hill in the northern hemisphere. We conjecture that the equatorial ridge was formed by centrifugal acceleration as the asteroid was spun up by the Yarkovsky-O’Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack effect.

Passenger flow analysis of Beijing urban rail transit network using fractal approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaohong; Chen, Peiwen; Chen, Feng; Wang, Zijia

2018-04-01

To quantify the spatiotemporal distribution of passenger flow and the characteristics of an urban rail transit network, we introduce four radius fractal dimensions and two branch fractal dimensions by combining a fractal approach with passenger flow assignment model. These fractal dimensions can numerically describe the complexity of passenger flow in the urban rail transit network and its change characteristics. Based on it, we establish a fractal quantification method to measure the fractal characteristics of passenger follow in the rail transit network. Finally, we validate the reasonability of our proposed method by using the actual data of Beijing subway network. It has been shown that our proposed method can effectively measure the scale-free range of the urban rail transit network, network development and the fractal characteristics of time-varying passenger flow, which further provides a reference for network planning and analysis of passenger flow.

Experimental validation of the intrinsic spatial efficiency method over a wide range of sizes for cylindrical sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ortiz-Ramŕez, Pablo, E-mail: rapeitor@ug.uchile.cl; Larroquette, Philippe; Camilla, S.

The intrinsic spatial efficiency method is a new absolute method to determine the efficiency of a gamma spectroscopy system for any extended source. In the original work the method was experimentally demonstrated and validated for homogeneous cylindrical sources containing {sup 137}Cs, whose sizes varied over a small range (29.5 mm radius and 15.0 to 25.9 mm height). In this work we present an extension of the validation over a wide range of sizes. The dimensions of the cylindrical sources vary between 10 to 40 mm height and 8 to 30 mm radius. The cylindrical sources were prepared using the referencemore » material IAEA-372, which had a specific activity of 11320 Bq/kg at july 2006. The obtained results were better for the sources with 29 mm radius showing relative bias lesser than 5% and for the sources with 10 mm height showing relative bias lesser than 6%. In comparison with the obtained results in the work where we present the method, the majority of these results show an excellent agreement.« less

New holographic dark energy model inspired by the DGP braneworld

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheykhi, A.; Dehghani, M. H.; Ghaffari, S.

2016-11-01

The energy density of the holographic dark energy (HDE) is based on the area law of entropy, and thus any modification of the area law leads to a modified holographic energy density. Inspired by the entropy expression associated with the apparent horizon of a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe in DGP braneworld, we propose a new model for the HDE in the framework of DGP brane cosmology. We investigate the cosmological consequences of this new model and calculate the equation of state (EoS) parameter by choosing the Hubble radius, L = H-1, as the system’s IR cutoff. Our study show that, due to the effects of the extra dimension (bulk), the identification of IR cutoff with Hubble radius, can reproduce the present acceleration of the universe expansion. This is in contrast to the ordinary HDE in standard cosmology which leads to the zero EoS parameter in the case of choosing the Hubble radius as system’s IR cutoff in the absence of interaction between dark matter (DM) and dark energy (DE).

Study on the radial vibration and acoustic field of an isotropic circular ring radiator.

PubMed

Lin, Shuyu; Xu, Long

2012-01-01

Based on the exact analytical theory, the radial vibration of an isotropic circular ring is studied and its electro-mechanical equivalent circuit is obtained. By means of the equivalent circuit model, the resonance frequency equation is derived; the relationship between the radial resonance frequency, the radial displacement amplitude magnification and the geometrical dimensions, the material property is analyzed. For comparison, numerical method is used to simulate the radial vibration of isotropic circular rings. The resonance frequency and the radial vibrational displacement distribution are obtained, and the radial radiation acoustic field of the circular ring in radial vibration is simulated. It is illustrated that the radial resonance frequencies from the analytical method and the numerical method are in good agreement when the height is much less than the radius. When the height becomes large relative to the radius, the frequency deviation from the two methods becomes large. The reason is that the exact analytical theory is limited to thin circular ring whose height must be much less than its radius. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cathode fall thickness of abnormal glow discharges between parallel-plane electrodes in different radii at low pressure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fu, Yangyang; Luo, Haiyun; Zou, Xiaobing

2015-02-15

In order to investigate the influence of electrode radius on the characteristics of cathode fall thickness, experiments of low-pressure (20 Pa ≤ p ≤ 30 Pa) abnormal glow discharge were carried out between parallel-plane electrodes in different radii keeping gap distance unchanged. Axial distributions of light intensity were obtained from the discharge images captured using a Charge Coupled Device camera. The assumption that the position of the negative glow peak coincides with the edge of cathode fall layer was verified based on a two-dimensional model, and the cathode fall thicknesses, d{sub c}, were calculated from the axial distributions of light intensity. It was observedmore » that the position of peak emission shifts closer to the cathode as current or pressure grows. The dependence of cathode fall thickness on the gas pressure and normalized current J/p{sup 2} was presented, and it was found that for discharges between electrodes in large radius the curves of pd{sub c} against J/p{sup 2} were superimposed on each other, however, this phenomenon will not hold for discharges between the smaller electrodes. The reason for this phenomenon is that the transverse diffusions of charged particles are not the same in two gaps between electrodes with different radii.« less

Thyroid ultrasound abnormalities in persons exposed during childhood to 131I from the Hanford nuclear site.

PubMed

Kopecky, Kenneth J; Onstad, Lynn; Hamilton, Thomas E; Davis, Scott

2005-06-01

Approximately 740,000 Ci of 131I were released into the atmosphere from the Hanford Nuclear Site in Washington State during 1944-1957. The Hanford Thyroid Disease Study (HTDS), conducted to determine if thyroid disease is increased among persons exposed as children to that 131I, also investigated whether thyroid ultrasound (US) abnormalities might be increased. The HTDS cohort (n = 5199) was selected from 1940-1946 births to mothers with usual residence in seven Washington counties. Of these, 4350 were located alive, 3447 attended HTDS clinics (1992-1997), and 3440 (1747 females) had evaluable clinical results and sufficient data to characterize their Hanford 131I exposures. US abnormalities were observed in 55.5% of women and 37.4% of men. Thyroid radiation doses from Hanford 131I, which could be estimated for 3191 evaluable participants, ranged from 0.0029 to 2823 mGy (mean, 174 mGy). Estimated dose was not significantly associated with the prevalence of any US abnormality (p = 0.21), US nodules with maximum dimension 5 mm or more (p = 0.64), or average number of US nodules per person (p = 0.80 for nodules with maximum dimension 5 mm or more). These results remained unchanged after accounting for factors that might confound or modify dose-response relationships and for uncertainty of the dose estimates. This study does not support the hypothesis that 131I exposure at Hanford's dose levels and dose rates during infancy and childhood increases the prevalence of adult thyroid US abnormalities.

Bone density of the radius, spine, and proximal femur in osteoporosis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mazess, R.B.; Barden, H.; Ettinger, M.

1988-02-01

Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 140 normal young women (aged 20 to 39 years) and in 423 consecutive women over age 40 referred for evaluation of osteoporosis. Lumbar spine and proximal femur BMD was measured using dual-photon absorptiometry (/sup 153/Gd), whereas the radius shaft measurement used single-photon absorptiometry (/sup 125/I). There were 324 older women with no fractures, of which 278 aged 60 to 80 years served as age-matched controls. There were 99 women with fractures including 32 with vertebral and 22 with hip fractures. Subsequently, another 25 women with hip fractures had BMD measured in another laboratory;more » their mean BMD was within 2% of that of the original series. The mean age in both the nonfracture and fracture groups was 70 +/- 5 years. The BMD in the age-matched controls was 20% to 25% below that of normal young women for the radius, spine, and femur, but the Ward's triangle region of the femur showed even greater loss (35%). The mean BMD at all sites in the crush fracture cases was about 10% to 15% below that of age-matched controls. Spinal abnormality was best discriminated by spine and femoral measurements (Z score about 0.9). In women with hip fractures, the BMD was 10% below that of age-matched controls for the radius and the spine, and the BMD for the femoral sites was about 25% to 30% below that of age-matched control (Z score about 1.6). Femoral densities gave the best discrimination of hip fracture cases and even reflected spinal osteopenia. In contrast, neither the spine nor the radius reflected the full extent of femoral osteopenia in hip fracture.« less

Theoretical foundations of the chronometric cosmology.

PubMed

Segal, I E

1976-03-01

The derivation of the redshift (z)-distance (r) relation in the chronometric theory of the Cosmos is amplified. The basic physical quantities are represented by precisely defined self-adjoint operators in global Hilbert spaces. Computations yielding explicit bounds for the deviation of the theoretical prediction from the relation z = tan(2)(r/2R) (where R denotes the radius of the universe), earlier derived employing less formal procedures, are carried out for: (a) a cut-off plane wave in two dimensions; (b) a scalar spherical wave in four dimensions; (c) the same as (b) with appropriate incorporation of the photon spin. Both this deviation and the (quantum) dispersion in redshift are shown to be unobservably small. A parallel classical treatment is possible and leads to similar results.

Quantum critical dynamics of the boson system in the Ginzburg-Landau model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasin, M. G.

2014-12-01

The quantum critical dynamics of the quantum phase transitions is considered. In the framework of the unified theory, based on the Keldysh technique, we consider the crossover from the classical to the quantum description of the boson many-body system dynamics close to the second order quantum phase transition. It is shown that in this case the upper critical space dimension of this model is dc+=2, therefore the quantum critical dynamics approach is useful in case of d<2. In the one-dimension system the phase coherence time does diverge at the quantum critical point, gc, and has the form of τ∝-ln∣g-gc∣/∣g-gc∣, the correlation radius diverges as rc∝∣g-gc∣(ν=0.6).

General approach to polymer chains confined by interacting boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freed, Karl F.; Dudowicz, Jacek; Stukalin, Evgeny B.; Douglas, Jack F.

2010-09-01

Polymer chains, confined to cavities or polymer layers with dimensions less than the chain radius of gyration, appear in many phenomena, such as gel chromatography, rubber elasticity, viscolelasticity of high molar mass polymer melts, the translocation of polymers through nanopores and nanotubes, polymer adsorption, etc. Thus, the description of how the constraints alter polymer thermodynamic properties is a recurrent theoretical problem. A realistic treatment requires the incorporation of impenetrable interacting (attractive or repulsive) boundaries, a process that introduces significant mathematical complications. The standard approach involves developing the generalized diffusion equation description of the interaction of flexible polymers with impenetrable confining surfaces into a discrete eigenfunction expansion, where the solutions are normally truncated at the first mode (the "ground state dominance" approximation). This approximation is mathematically well justified under conditions of strong confinement, i.e., a confinement length scale much smaller than the chain radius of gyration, but becomes unreliable when the polymers are confined to dimensions comparable to their typically nanoscale size. We extend a general approach to describe polymers under conditions of weak to moderate confinement and apply this semianalytic method specifically to determine the thermodynamics and static structure factor for a flexible polymer confined between impenetrable interacting parallel plate boundaries. The method is first illustrated by analyzing chain partitioning between a pore and a large external reservoir, a model system with application to chromatography. Improved agreement is found for the partition coefficients of a polymer chain in the pore geometry. An expression is derived for the structure factor S(k ) in a slit geometry to assist in more accurately estimating chain dimensions from scattering measurements for thin polymer films.

Case report. Pediatric carpal fracture dislocation.

PubMed

DeCoster, T A; Faherty, S; Morris, A L

1994-01-01

Transcarpal fractures in children are rare in the orthopaedic literature. This is a case report of a 10-year-old boy who sustained fractures across the distal radius, scaphoid, lunate, and triquetrum with gross displacement. Treatment consisted of open reduction with internal fixation of the fractures and ligamentous repair through a combined dorsal and palmar approach. The injury healed with good wrist function but abnormal carpal development. This unusual pattern of injury is described so that it may be more readily appreciated in the future.

Abnormal electron-heating mode and formation of secondary-energetic electrons in pulsed microwave-frequency atmospheric microplasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kwon, H. C.; Research and Development Division, SK Hynix Semiconductor Inc., Icheon 467-701; Jung, S. Y.

2014-03-15

The formation of secondary energetic electrons induced by an abnormal electron-heating mode in pulsed microwave-frequency atmospheric microplasmas was investigated using particle-in-cell simulation. We found that additional high electron heating only occurs during the first period of the ignition phase after the start of a second pulse at sub-millimeter dimensions. During this period, the electrons are unable to follow the abruptly retreating sheath through diffusion alone. Thus, a self-consistent electric field is induced to drive the electrons toward the electrode. These behaviors result in an abnormal electron-heating mode that produces high-energy electrons at the electrode with energies greater than 50 eV.

Reference ranges of kidney dimensions in term newborns: sonographic measurements.

PubMed

Erdemir, Aydin; Kahramaner, Zelal; Arik, Bilal; Bilgili, Gokmen; Tekin, Mehmet; Genc, Yeliz

2014-11-01

Ultrasonographic measurement of kidney dimensions is important in evaluation of renal disease during the neonatal period, when renal abnormalities are common and renal size rapidly changes with age. To determine the reference ranges of kidney dimensions in newborns and to provide a reference chart for daily practice. In this prospective study, kidney dimensions were evaluated in 385 healthy newborns with a gestational age ≥37 weeks. Each neonate seen at an obstetrics clinic and neonatal intensive care unit was examined with sonography within the first week of life. Relationships of all dimensions with gender, gestational age, height and weight were statistically analyzed. All dimensions of the kidneys were smaller in girls than in boys (P < 0.05). The dimensions of the left kidney were larger than those in the right kidney in both genders (P < 0.01). Longitudinal and anteroposterior dimensions of the right and left kidneys showed no correlation with the gestational age in either gender. The dimensions correlated with the height in boys (P < 0.01), while no correlation was seen between the dimensions and height in girls (P < 0.05). Weight had the best correlation with all dimensions in both genders. The reference values of kidney lengths and diagrams from this study may be useful in the sonographic evaluation of kidneys in newborns.

Donor impurity binding energies of coaxial GaAs / Alx Ga1 - x As cylindrical quantum wires in a parallel applied magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tshipa, M.; Winkoun, D. P.; Nijegorodov, N.; Masale, M.

2018-04-01

Theoretical investigations are carried out of binding energies of a donor charge assumed to be located exactly at the center of symmetry of two concentric cylindrical quantum wires. The intrinsic confinement potential in the region of the inner cylinder is modeled in any one of the three profiles: simple parabolic, shifted parabolic or the polynomial potential. The potential inside the shell is taken to be a potential step or potential barrier of a finite height. Additional confinement of the charge carriers is due to the vector potential of the axial applied magnetic field. It is found that the binding energies attain maxima in their variations with the radius of the inner cylinder irrespective of the particular intrinsic confinement of the inner cylinder. As the radius of the inner cylinder is increased further, the binding energies corresponding to either the parabolic or the polynomial potentials attain minima at some critical core-radius. Finally, as anticipated, the binding energies increase with the increase of the parallel applied magnetic field. This behaviour of the binding energies is irrespective of the particular electric potential of the nanostructure or its specific dimensions.

Forced and natural convection in laminar-jet diffusion flames. [normal-gravity, inverted-gravity and zero-gravity flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggard, J. B., Jr.

1981-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted on methane, laminar-jet, diffusion flames with coaxial, forced-air flow to examine flame shapes in zero-gravity and in situations where buoyancy aids (normal-gravity flames) or hinders (inverted-gravity flames) the flow velocities. Fuel nozzles ranged in size from 0.051 to 0.305 cm inside radius, while the coaxial, convergent, air nozzle had a 1.4 cm inside radius at the fuel exit plane. Fuel flows ranged from 1.55 to 10.3 cu cm/sec and air flows from 0 to 597 cu cm/sec. A computer program developed under a previous government contract was used to calculate the characteristic dimensions of normal and zero-gravity flames only. The results include a comparison between the experimental data and the computed axial flame lengths for normal gravity and zero gravity which showed good agreement. Inverted-gravity flame width was correlated with the ratio of fuel nozzle radius to average fuel velocity. Flame extinguishment upon entry into weightlessness was studied, and it was found that relatively low forced-air velocities (approximately 10 cm/sec) are sufficient to sustain methane flame combustion in zero gravity. Flame color is also discussed.

Anterior lens epithelium in cataract patients with retinitis pigmentosa - scanning and transmission electron microscopy study.

PubMed

Andjelic, Sofija; Drašlar, Kazimir; Hvala, Anastazija; Hawlina, Marko

2017-05-01

In retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients, relatively minor lens opacity in central part of posterior pole of the lens may cause disproportionate functional symptoms requiring cataract operation. To investigate the possible structural reasons for this opacity development, we studied the structure of the lens epithelium of patients with RP. The anterior lens capsule (aLC: basement membrane and associated lens epithelial cells, LECs) was obtained from cataract surgery and prepared for scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Both SEM and TEM show a number of abnormal features in the anterior lens epithelium of cataract patients with RP. The abnormalities appear mainly as holes, thinning and degradation of the epithelium, with the dimensions from <1 μm to more than 50 μm. Other types of holes in size up to 20 μm were seen that may be formed by gradual stretching of the lens epithelium. Another type of abnormalities was cracks that were seen between adjacent LECs, with dimensions 0.1-2 μm × up to 10 μm. Abnormal structural features were observed in the anterior lens epithelium that may cause water influx into the lens. This may lead to clouding along the water clefts leading towards the posterior pole in the RP cataractous lens. We suggest that the lens epithelium has a role in the development of the cataract in patients with RP. © 2016 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Radiative corrections to masses and couplings in universal extra dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freitas, Ayres; Kong, Kyoungchul; Wiegand, Daniel

2018-03-01

Models with an orbifolded universal extra dimension receive important loop-induced corrections to the masses and couplings of Kaluza-Klein (KK) particles. The dominant contributions stem from so-called boundary terms which violate KK number. Previously, only the parts of these boundary terms proportional to ln(Λ R) have been computed, where R is the radius of the extra dimension and Λ is cut-off scale. However, for typical values of Λ R ˜ 10 · · · 50, the logarithms are not particularly large and non-logarithmic contributions may be numerically important. In this paper, these remaining finite terms are computed and their phenomenological impact is discussed. It is shown that the finite terms have a significant impact on the KK mass spectrum. Furthermore, one finds new KK-number violating interactions that do not depend on ln(Λ R) but nevertheless are non-zero. These lead to new production and decay channels for level-2 KK particles at colliders.

Compositional Imprints in Density–Distance–Time: A Rocky Composition for Close-in Low-mass Exoplanets from the Location of the Valley of Evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Sheng; Mordasini, Christoph

2018-02-01

We use an end-to-end model of planet formation, thermodynamic evolution, and atmospheric escape to investigate how the statistical imprints of evaporation depend on the bulk composition of planetary cores (rocky versus icy). We find that the population-wide imprints like the location of the “evaporation valley” in the distance–radius plane and the corresponding bimodal radius distribution clearly differ depending on the bulk composition of the cores. Comparison with the observed position of the valley suggests that close-in low-mass Kepler planets have a predominantly Earth-like rocky composition. Combined with the excess of period ratios outside of MMR, this suggests that low-mass Kepler planets formed inside of the water iceline but were still undergoing orbital migration. The core radius becomes visible for planets losing all primordial H/He. For planets in this “triangle of evaporation” in the distance–radius plane, the degeneracy in composition is reduced. In the observed planetary mass–mean density diagram, we identify a trend to more volatile-rich compositions with an increasing radius (R/R ⊕ ≲ 1.6 rocky; 1.6–3.0 ices, and/or H/He ≳3: H/He). The mass–density diagram contains important information about formation and evolution. Its characteristic broken V-shape reveals the transitions from solid planets to low-mass core-dominated planets with H/He and finally to gas-dominated giants. Evaporation causes the density and orbital distance to be anticorrelated for low-mass planets in contrast to giants, where closer-in planets are less dense, likely due to inflation. The temporal evolution of the statistical properties reported here will be of interest for the PLATO 2.0 mission, which will observe the temporal dimension.

QCD Condensates and Holographic Wilson Loops for Asymptotically AdS Spaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quevedo, R. Carcasses; Goity, Jose L.; Trinchero, Roberto C.

2014-02-01

The minimization of the Nambu-Goto (NG) action for a surface whose contour defines a circular Wilson loop of radius a placed at a finite value of the coordinate orthogonal to the border is considered. This is done for asymptotically AdS spaces. The condensates of dimension n = 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 are calculated in terms of the coefficients in the expansion in powers of the radius a of the on-shell subtracted NG action for small a->0. The subtraction employed is such that it presents no conflict with conformal invariance in the AdS case and need not introduce anmore » additional infrared scale for the case of confining geometries. It is shown that the UV value of the gluon condensates is universal in the sense that it only depends on the first coefficients of the difference with the AdS case.« less

Anti-gravity device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palsingh, S. (Inventor)

1975-01-01

An educational toy useful in demonstrating fundamental concepts regarding the laws of gravity is described. The device comprises a sphere 10 of radius r resting on top of sphere 12 of radius R. The center of gravity of sphere 10 is displaced from its geometrical center by distance D. The dimensions are so related that D((R+r)/r) is greater than r. With the center of gravity of sphere 10 lying on a vertical line, the device is in equilibrium. When sphere 10 is rolled on the surface of sphere 12 it will return to its equilibrium position upon release. This creates an illusion that sphere 10 is defying the laws of gravity. In reality, due to the above noted relationship of D, R, and r, the center of gravity of sphere 10 rises from its equilibrium position as it rolls a short distance up or down the surface of sphere 12.

Zika Virus Infection as a Cause of Congenital Brain Abnormalities and Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Systematic Review.

PubMed

Krauer, Fabienne; Riesen, Maurane; Reveiz, Ludovic; Oladapo, Olufemi T; Martínez-Vega, Ruth; Porgo, Teegwendé V; Haefliger, Anina; Broutet, Nathalie J; Low, Nicola

2017-01-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in March 2016 that there was scientific consensus that the mosquito-borne Zika virus was a cause of the neurological disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and of microcephaly and other congenital brain abnormalities based on rapid evidence assessments. Decisions about causality require systematic assessment to guide public health actions. The objectives of this study were to update and reassess the evidence for causality through a rapid and systematic review about links between Zika virus infection and (a) congenital brain abnormalities, including microcephaly, in the foetuses and offspring of pregnant women and (b) GBS in any population, and to describe the process and outcomes of an expert assessment of the evidence about causality. The study had three linked components. First, in February 2016, we developed a causality framework that defined questions about the relationship between Zika virus infection and each of the two clinical outcomes in ten dimensions: temporality, biological plausibility, strength of association, alternative explanations, cessation, dose-response relationship, animal experiments, analogy, specificity, and consistency. Second, we did a systematic review (protocol number CRD42016036693). We searched multiple online sources up to May 30, 2016 to find studies that directly addressed either outcome and any causality dimension, used methods to expedite study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment, and summarised evidence descriptively. Third, WHO convened a multidisciplinary panel of experts who assessed the review findings and reached consensus statements to update the WHO position on causality. We found 1,091 unique items up to May 30, 2016. For congenital brain abnormalities, including microcephaly, we included 72 items; for eight of ten causality dimensions (all except dose-response relationship and specificity), we found that more than half the relevant studies supported a causal association with Zika virus infection. For GBS, we included 36 items, of which more than half the relevant studies supported a causal association in seven of ten dimensions (all except dose-response relationship, specificity, and animal experimental evidence). Articles identified nonsystematically from May 30 to July 29, 2016 strengthened the review findings. The expert panel concluded that (a) the most likely explanation of available evidence from outbreaks of Zika virus infection and clusters of microcephaly is that Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities including microcephaly, and (b) the most likely explanation of available evidence from outbreaks of Zika virus infection and GBS is that Zika virus infection is a trigger of GBS. The expert panel recognised that Zika virus alone may not be sufficient to cause either congenital brain abnormalities or GBS but agreed that the evidence was sufficient to recommend increased public health measures. Weaknesses are the limited assessment of the role of dengue virus and other possible cofactors, the small number of comparative epidemiological studies, and the difficulty in keeping the review up to date with the pace of publication of new research. Rapid and systematic reviews with frequent updating and open dissemination are now needed both for appraisal of the evidence about Zika virus infection and for the next public health threats that will emerge. This systematic review found sufficient evidence to say that Zika virus is a cause of congenital abnormalities and is a trigger of GBS.

Zika Virus Infection as a Cause of Congenital Brain Abnormalities and Guillain–Barré Syndrome: Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Reveiz, Ludovic; Oladapo, Olufemi T.; Martínez-Vega, Ruth; Haefliger, Anina

2017-01-01

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in March 2016 that there was scientific consensus that the mosquito-borne Zika virus was a cause of the neurological disorder Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) and of microcephaly and other congenital brain abnormalities based on rapid evidence assessments. Decisions about causality require systematic assessment to guide public health actions. The objectives of this study were to update and reassess the evidence for causality through a rapid and systematic review about links between Zika virus infection and (a) congenital brain abnormalities, including microcephaly, in the foetuses and offspring of pregnant women and (b) GBS in any population, and to describe the process and outcomes of an expert assessment of the evidence about causality. Methods and Findings The study had three linked components. First, in February 2016, we developed a causality framework that defined questions about the relationship between Zika virus infection and each of the two clinical outcomes in ten dimensions: temporality, biological plausibility, strength of association, alternative explanations, cessation, dose–response relationship, animal experiments, analogy, specificity, and consistency. Second, we did a systematic review (protocol number CRD42016036693). We searched multiple online sources up to May 30, 2016 to find studies that directly addressed either outcome and any causality dimension, used methods to expedite study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment, and summarised evidence descriptively. Third, WHO convened a multidisciplinary panel of experts who assessed the review findings and reached consensus statements to update the WHO position on causality. We found 1,091 unique items up to May 30, 2016. For congenital brain abnormalities, including microcephaly, we included 72 items; for eight of ten causality dimensions (all except dose–response relationship and specificity), we found that more than half the relevant studies supported a causal association with Zika virus infection. For GBS, we included 36 items, of which more than half the relevant studies supported a causal association in seven of ten dimensions (all except dose–response relationship, specificity, and animal experimental evidence). Articles identified nonsystematically from May 30 to July 29, 2016 strengthened the review findings. The expert panel concluded that (a) the most likely explanation of available evidence from outbreaks of Zika virus infection and clusters of microcephaly is that Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities including microcephaly, and (b) the most likely explanation of available evidence from outbreaks of Zika virus infection and GBS is that Zika virus infection is a trigger of GBS. The expert panel recognised that Zika virus alone may not be sufficient to cause either congenital brain abnormalities or GBS but agreed that the evidence was sufficient to recommend increased public health measures. Weaknesses are the limited assessment of the role of dengue virus and other possible cofactors, the small number of comparative epidemiological studies, and the difficulty in keeping the review up to date with the pace of publication of new research. Conclusions Rapid and systematic reviews with frequent updating and open dissemination are now needed both for appraisal of the evidence about Zika virus infection and for the next public health threats that will emerge. This systematic review found sufficient evidence to say that Zika virus is a cause of congenital abnormalities and is a trigger of GBS. PMID:28045901

Impact of anatomical parameters on optical coherence tomography retinal nerve fiber layer thickness abnormality patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baniasadi, Neda; Wang, Mengyu; Wang, Hui; Jin, Qingying; Mahd, Mufeed; Elze, Tobias

2017-02-01

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of four anatomical parameters (angle between superior and inferior temporal retinal arteries [inter-artery angle, IAA], optic disc [OD] rotation, retinal curvature, and central retinal vessel trunk entry point location [CRVTL]) on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) abnormality marks by OCT machines. Methods: Cirrus OCT circumpapillary RNFLT measurements and Humphrey visual fields (HVF 24-2) of 421 patients from a large glaucoma clinic were included. Ellipses were fitted to the OD borders. Ellipse rotation relative to the vertical axis defined OD rotation. CRVTL was manually marked on the horizontal axis of the ellipse on the OCT fundus image. IAA was calculated between manually marked retinal artery locations at the 1.73mm radius around OD. Retinal curvature was determined by the inner limiting membrane on the horizontal B-scan closest to the OD center. For each location on the circumpapillary scanning area, logistic regression was used to determine if each of the four parameters had a significant impact on RNFLT abnormality marks independent of disease severity. The results are presented on spatial maps of the entire scanning area. Results: Variations in IAA significantly influenced abnormality marks on 38.8% of the total scanning area, followed by CRVTL (19.2%) and retinal curvature (18.7%). The effect of OD rotation was negligible (<1%). Conclusions: A natural variation in IAA, retinal curvature, and CRVTL can affect OCT abnormality ratings, which may bias clinical diagnosis. Our spatial maps may help OCT manufacturers to introduce location specific norms to ensure that abnormality marks indicate ocular disease instead of variations in eye anatomy.

Classification of diabetic retinopathy using fractal dimension analysis of eye fundus image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safitri, Diah Wahyu; Juniati, Dwi

2017-08-01

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder when pancreas produce inadequate insulin or a condition when body resist insulin action, so the blood glucose level is high. One of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus is diabetic retinopathy which can lead to a vision problem. Diabetic retinopathy can be recognized by an abnormality in eye fundus. Those abnormalities are characterized by microaneurysms, hemorrhage, hard exudate, cotton wool spots, and venous's changes. The diabetic retinopathy is classified depends on the conditions of abnormality in eye fundus, that is grade 1 if there is a microaneurysm only in the eye fundus; grade 2, if there are a microaneurysm and a hemorrhage in eye fundus; and grade 3: if there are microaneurysm, hemorrhage, and neovascularization in the eye fundus. This study proposed a method and a process of eye fundus image to classify of diabetic retinopathy using fractal analysis and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN). The first phase was image segmentation process using green channel, CLAHE, morphological opening, matched filter, masking, and morphological opening binary image. After segmentation process, its fractal dimension was calculated using box-counting method and the values of fractal dimension were analyzed to make a classification of diabetic retinopathy. Tests carried out by used k-fold cross validation method with k=5. In each test used 10 different grade K of KNN. The accuracy of the result of this method is 89,17% with K=3 or K=4, it was the best results than others K value. Based on this results, it can be concluded that the classification of diabetic retinopathy using fractal analysis and KNN had a good performance.

Reaction rates for a generalized reaction-diffusion master equation

DOE PAGES

Hellander, Stefan; Petzold, Linda

2016-01-19

It has been established that there is an inherent limit to the accuracy of the reaction-diffusion master equation. Specifically, there exists a fundamental lower bound on the mesh size, below which the accuracy deteriorates as the mesh is refined further. In this paper we extend the standard reaction-diffusion master equation to allow molecules occupying neighboring voxels to react, in contrast to the traditional approach in which molecules react only when occupying the same voxel. We derive reaction rates, in two dimensions as well as three dimensions, to obtain an optimal match to the more fine-grained Smoluchowski model, and show inmore » two numerical examples that the extended algorithm is accurate for a wide range of mesh sizes, allowing us to simulate systems that are intractable with the standard reaction-diffusion master equation. In addition, we show that for mesh sizes above the fundamental lower limit of the standard algorithm, the generalized algorithm reduces to the standard algorithm. We derive a lower limit for the generalized algorithm which, in both two dimensions and three dimensions, is on the order of the reaction radius of a reacting pair of molecules.« less

Reaction rates for a generalized reaction-diffusion master equation

PubMed Central

Hellander, Stefan; Petzold, Linda

2016-01-01

It has been established that there is an inherent limit to the accuracy of the reaction-diffusion master equation. Specifically, there exists a fundamental lower bound on the mesh size, below which the accuracy deteriorates as the mesh is refined further. In this paper we extend the standard reaction-diffusion master equation to allow molecules occupying neighboring voxels to react, in contrast to the traditional approach in which molecules react only when occupying the same voxel. We derive reaction rates, in two dimensions as well as three dimensions, to obtain an optimal match to the more fine-grained Smoluchowski model, and show in two numerical examples that the extended algorithm is accurate for a wide range of mesh sizes, allowing us to simulate systems that are intractable with the standard reaction-diffusion master equation. In addition, we show that for mesh sizes above the fundamental lower limit of the standard algorithm, the generalized algorithm reduces to the standard algorithm. We derive a lower limit for the generalized algorithm which, in both two dimensions and three dimensions, is on the order of the reaction radius of a reacting pair of molecules. PMID:26871190

Spasmodic torticollis: the dental connection.

PubMed

Sims, Anthony B; Stack, Brendan C; Demerjian, G Gary

2012-07-01

Spasmodic torticollis or cervical dystonia (CD) is the most common form of focal dystonia and is characterized by sustained abnormal muscle contractions in the head and neck area resulting in abnormal positioning or posturing of the head. The dystonic muscle spasms associated with spasmodic torticollis may affect any combination of neck muscles. Three cases are reported of spasmodic torticollis that were treated by a dental appliance with individual varying occlusal heights to open the maxillomandibular vertical dimension. Upon increasing the vertical dimension of occlusion, there was a slowing and/or discontinuance of the symptoms of cervical dystonia. The proposed hypothesis for this reversal is that there may be neuritis of the auriculotemporal branch of the trigeminal nerve, which has direct input into the reticular formation (RF), and it may activate the cells of the pontine region of the RF known for the control and deviation of head posture. There is growing clinical evidence that temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction may be a factor in this neurological and painful disorder when it coexists.

Magnetic design constraints of helical solenoids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lopes, M. L.; Krave, S. T.; Tompkins, J. C.

2015-01-30

Helical solenoids have been proposed as an option for a Helical Cooling Channel for muons in a proposed Muon Collider. Helical solenoids can provide the required three main field components: solenoidal, helical dipole, and a helical gradient. In general terms, the last two are a function of many geometric parameters: coil aperture, coil radial and longitudinal dimensions, helix period and orbit radius. In this paper, we present design studies of a Helical Solenoid, addressing the geometric tunability limits and auxiliary correction system.

Strongly magnetized classical plasma models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, D. C.

1972-01-01

The class of plasma processes for which the so-called Vlasov approximation is inadequate is investigated. Results from the equilibrium statistical mechanics of two-dimensional plasmas are derived. These results are independent of the presence of an external dc magnetic field. The nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of the electrostatic guiding-center plasma, a two-dimensional plasma model, is discussed. This model is then generalized to three dimensions. The guiding-center model is relaxed to include finite Larmor radius effects for a two-dimensional plasma.

A Caltech MURI Center for Quantum Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-31

the code. Thus the dimension of the code space is n5uPfAu5detD , ~64! where PfA denotes the Pfaffian, the square root of the deter- minant of the...material properties, such as bulk ab- sorption and surface scattering. However, as one moves to very small spheres with radius a&10 mm, the intrinsic...1550 nm, which yields a quality factor of Qbulk;3.8310 11. The quality factor due to surface scattering Qs.s. and ab- sorption by adsorbed water Qw has

Micromechanics of Damage Accumulation in Micro- and Nano-Scale Laminates for Microelectromechanical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-06

samples to gauge their roughness. The study was conducted using a Dimension 3100 atomic force microscope produced by Veeco, and using tips produced...image of the sample, along with a close up of the gage section highlighting the notch. Gauge sections were 2 mm long, having 200, 160 and 100μm widths...and slots with semicircular ends which spanned 33% of the gauge widths and had a 3μm root radius. The thickness of the films was reported to be

Dimensions of Personality Pathology in Adolescence: Longitudinal Associations With Big Five Personality Dimensions Across Childhood and Adolescence.

PubMed

van den Akker, Alithe L; Prinzie, Peter; Overbeek, Geertjan

2016-04-01

To investigate validity of the dimensions that underlie pathological personality in adolescence, we delineated the hierarchical structure of the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Short Form-Adolescent version (DAPP-SF-A; Tromp & Koot, 2008) and examined longitudinal associations with Big Five personality dimensions assessed four times from middle childhood to late adolescence. A total of 426 adolescents provided self-reports on the DAPP-SF-A (age M = 18.6, SD = 1.17; 53% female). Mothers provided information on their child's personality eleven, eight, five, and three years earlier. Previous findings on the hierarchical structure of the DAPP-BQ replicated up to the four-component solution (emotional dysregulation, dissocial behavior, inhibition, and compulsivity). In the solution, a thought disturbance component emerged. Interestingly, the five-component solution already showed most differentiated associations with childhood personality in middle childhood. Childhood personality dimensions predicted four out of five adolescent pathological personality traits, indicating continuity of normal and abnormal personality across childhood and adolescence.

[Newborn with phocomelia and thrombocytopenia. Case report].

PubMed

Maas, C; Arand, J; Orlikowsky, Th; Goelz, R

2002-01-01

Associated malformations and symptoms may be decisive in the differential diagnosis of neonatal phocomelia. We report on a neonate with phocomelia, petechiae and thrombocytopenia. This constellation is typical for the phocomelia-thrombocytopenia-syndrome, a variant of the thrombocytopenia-absent radius-(TAR) syndrome. During the neonatal period platelet transfusions were necessary. Relevant bleeding and development delays were not evident until the age of seven months. Cardinal symptoms of the TAR syndrome are bilaterally absent radius and neonatal thrombocytopenia. The patient presented with phocomelia of the upper extremities which occurs in only 5 - 10 % of the patients with TAR syndrome. Further abnormalities include additional bone and joint disorders and haematopoietic problems, such as thrombocytopenia. Bleeding episodes mainly occur in the first year of life, hence platelet transfusions may be necessary during this period. A new experimental approach is the Interleukin-6-mediated stimulation of thrombopoiesis. Usually platelet counts reach normal values in adults. The main problem remains a satisfactory management of various limb defects.

Effects of Pannus Formation on the Flow around a Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Woojin; Choi, Haecheon; Kweon, Jihoon; Yang, Dong Hyun; Kim, Namkug; Kim, Young-Hak

2013-11-01

A pannus, an abnormal layer of fibrovascular tissue observed on a bileaflet mechanical heart valve (BMHV), induces dysfunctions of BMHV such as the time delay and incomplete valve closing. We numerically simulate the flows around an intra-annular type BMHV model with and without pannus formation, respectively, and investigate the flow and bileaflet-movement modifications due to the pannus formation. Simulations are conducted at a physiological condition (mean flow rate of 5 l/min, cycle duration of 866 ms, and the Reynolds number of 7200 based on the inflow peak bulk velocity and inflow diameter). We model the pannus as an annulus with fixed outer radius and vary the inner radius of the pannus. Our preliminary results indicate that the flow field changes significantly and the bileaflet does not close properly due to the pannus formation. The detailed results will be given at the final presentation. Supported by the NRF Programs (NRF-2011-0028032, NRF-2012M2A8A4055647).

Nuclear states with anomalously large radius (size isomers)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ogloblin, A. A.; Demyanova, A. S., E-mail: a.s.demyanova@bk.ru; Danilov, A. N.

2016-07-15

Methods of determination of the nuclear excited state radii are discussed together with the recently obtained data on the states of some light nuclei having abnormally large radii (size isomers). It is shown that such states include excited neutron-halo states in {sup 9}Be, {sup 11}Be, and {sup 13}C and some alpha-cluster states in {sup 12}C, {sup 11}B, and {sup 13}C. Among the latter ones, there is the well-known Hoyle state in {sup 12}C—the structure of this state exhibit rudimentary features of alpha-particle states.

The 3D scanner prototype utilize object profile imaging using line laser and octave software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurdini, Mugi; Manunggal, Trikarsa Tirtadwipa; Samsi, Agus

2016-11-01

Three-dimensional scanner or 3D Scanner is a device to reconstruct the real object into digital form on a computer. 3D Scanner is a technology that is being developed, especially in developed countries, where the current 3D Scanner devices is the advanced version with a very expensive prices. This study is basically a simple prototype of 3D Scanner with a very low investment costs. 3D Scanner prototype device consists of a webcam, a rotating desk system controlled by a stepper motor and Arduino UNO, and a line laser. Objects that limit the research is the object with same radius from its center point (object pivot). Scanning is performed by using object profile imaging by line laser which is then captured by the camera and processed by a computer (image processing) using Octave software. On each image acquisition, the scanned object on a rotating desk rotated by a certain degree, so for one full turn multiple images of a number of existing side are finally obtained. Then, the profile of the entire images is extracted in order to obtain digital object dimension. Digital dimension is calibrated by length standard, called gage block. Overall dimensions are then digitally reconstructed into a three-dimensional object. Validation of the scanned object reconstruction of the original object dimensions expressed as a percentage error. Based on the results of data validation, horizontal dimension error is about 5% to 23% and vertical dimension error is about +/- 3%.

GROWTH DISTURBANCES IN BONE AFTER X IRRADIATION AND RADIUM IRRADIATION FOR HEMANGIOMATA IN CHILDHOOD (in German)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weiss, J.; Gregl, A.

1961-08-01

A number of injuries from radiation treatment of hemangiomata have been reported in the literature; two additional instances are reported here. The left hand of a 9-monthold child was treated for hemangiomata by exposure to 480 mg-hr of Ra. This was followed by skin necrosis with poor healing, and a permanent flexion of the wrist toward the radial side. At age 13, corrective surgery was required. The wrist was scarred on the thumb side, and the flexion formed almost a right angle. The left underarm on the ulnar side was shortened by 4 cm, the reach was shortened by 3.5more » cm, arsi the ball of the thumb was atrophied by 2 cm. The thumb was shortened by 1.7 cm, and the middle and forefinger were each shortened by 0.5 cm. The skeleta1 injuries visualized by x ray showed hypoplasia and shortening of the radius. The radial epiphysis was displaced. The distal end of the ulna was raised and bent. The os naviculare was stunted, the os multangulum was completely missing, and there was hypoplasia of metacarpal I. A satisfactory correction was made by partial resection of the ulna and osteotomy of the radius with 90 deg traction on the peripheral fragments. The patient reported that the hand became occupationally useful. In the second case, hemangioma on the right hand of an 18-month-old child was exposed to five x-ray treatments of 700 r each. After about seven months radial abduction increased at the right wrist. X ray showed 3.5-cm shortening of the right radius, with the epiphysis turned approximates 30 deg toward the radius side. The metaphysis was abnormal and partly sclerotic. The epiphysial trabeculae were coarsened. The wrist bones were hypoplastic. The radius was straightened and the ulna was shortened by osteotomy. (BBB)« less

Kinetics of biochemical sensing by single cells and populations of cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saakian, David B.

2017-10-01

We investigate the collective stationary sensing using N communicative cells, which involves surface receptors, diffusive signaling molecules, and cell-cell communication messengers. We restrict the scenarios to the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) for both strong communication and extrinsic noise only. We modified a previous model [Bialek and Setayeshgar, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 10040 (2005), 10.1073/pnas.0504321102] to eliminate the singularities in the fluctuation correlations by considering a uniform receptor distribution over the surface of each cell with a finite radius a . The modified model enables a simple and rigorous mathematical treatment of the collective sensing phenomenon. We then derive the scaling of the SNR for both juxtacrine and autocrine cases in all dimensions. For the optimal locations of the cells in the autocrine case, we find identical scaling for both two and three dimensions.

Black p-branes versus black holes in non-asymptotically flat Einstein-Yang-Mills theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habib Mazharimousavi, S.; Halilsoy, M.

2016-09-01

We present a class of non-asymptotically flat (NAF) charged black p-branes (BpB) with p-compact dimensions in higher-dimensional Einstein-Yang-Mills theory. Asymptotically the NAF structure manifests itself as an anti-de sitter spacetime. We determine the total mass/energy enclosed in a thin shell located outside the event horizon. By comparing the entropies of BpB with those of black holes in the same dimensions we derive transition criteria between the two types of black objects. Given certain conditions satisfied, our analysis shows that BpB can be considered excited states of black holes. An event horizon r+ versus charge square Q2 plot for the BpB reveals such a transition where r+ is related to the horizon radius rh of the black hole (BH) both with the common charge Q.

Fluid simulations of plasma turbulence at ion scales: Comparison with Vlasov-Maxwell simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perrone, D.; Passot, T.; Laveder, D.; Valentini, F.; Sulem, P. L.; Zouganelis, I.; Veltri, P.; Servidio, S.

2018-05-01

Comparisons are presented between a hybrid Vlasov-Maxwell (HVM) simulation of turbulence in a collisionless plasma and fluid reductions. These include Hall-magnetohydrodynamics (HMHD) and Landau fluid (LF) or finite Larmor radius-Landau fluid (FLR-LF) models that retain pressure anisotropy and low-frequency kinetic effects such as Landau damping and, for the last model, finite Larmor radius (FLR) corrections. The problem is considered in two space dimensions, when initial conditions involve moderate-amplitude perturbations of a homogeneous equilibrium plasma subject to an out-of-plane magnetic field. LF turns out to provide an accurate description of the velocity field up to the ion Larmor radius scale, and even to smaller scales for the magnetic field. Compressibility nevertheless appears significantly larger at the sub-ion scales in the fluid models than in the HVM simulation. High frequency kinetic effects, such as cyclotron resonances, not retained by fluid descriptions, could be at the origin of this discrepancy. A significant temperature anisotropy is generated, with a bias towards the perpendicular component, the more intense fluctuations being rather spread out and located in a broad vicinity of current sheets. Non-gyrotropic pressure tensor components are measured and are shown to reach a significant fraction of the total pressure fluctuations, with intense regions closely correlated with current sheets.

Electroosmotic flows of non-Newtonian power-law fluids in a cylindrical microchannel.

PubMed

Zhao, Cunlu; Yang, Chun

2013-03-01

EOF of non-Newtonian power-law fluids in a cylindrical microchannel is analyzed theoretically. Specially, exact solutions of electroosmotic velocity corresponding to two special fluid behavior indices (n = 0.5 and 1.0) are found, while approximate solutions are derived for arbitrary values of fluid behavior index. It is found that because of the approximation for the first-order modified Bessel function of the first kind, the approximate solutions introduce largest errors for predicting electroosmotic velocity when the thickness of electric double layer is comparable to channel radius, but can accurately predict the electroosmotic velocity when the thickness of electric double layer is much smaller or larger than the channel radius. Importantly, the analysis reveals that the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski velocity of power-law fluids in cylindrical microchannels becomes dependent on geometric dimensions (radius of channel), standing in stark contrast to the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski velocity over planar surfaces or in parallel-plate microchannels. Such interesting and counterintuitive effects can be attributed to the nonlinear coupling among the electrostatics, channel geometry, and non-Newtonian hydrodynamics. Furthermore, a method for enhancement of EOFs of power-law fluids is proposed under a combined DC and AC electric field. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Schizophrenia and the corpus callosum: developmental, structural and functional relationships.

PubMed

David, A S

1994-10-20

Several empirical and theoretical connections exist between schizophrenia and the corpus callosum: (1) disconnection symptoms resemble certain psychotic phenomena; (2) abnormal interhemispheric transmission could explain typically schizophrenic phenomena; (3) cases of psychosis have been found in association with complete and partial agenesis of the callosum; (4) experimental neuropsychology with schizophrenic patients has revealed abnormal patterns of interhemispheric transfer; (5) studies using magnetic resonance imaging have shown abnormal callosal dimensions in schizophrenic patients. The evidence in support of these links is discussed critically. Novel neuropsychological approaches in the study of information transfer in the visual modality between the cerebral hemispheres, consistent with callosal hyperconnectivity in schizophrenic patients but not matched psychiatric controls are highlighted. Some suggestions for further work including integrating functional and structural measures are offered.

How coagulation zone size is underestimated in computer modeling of RF ablation by ignoring the cooling phase just after RF power is switched off.

PubMed

Irastorza, Ramiro M; Trujillo, Macarena; Berjano, Enrique

2017-11-01

All the numerical models developed for radiofrequency ablation so far have ignored the possible effect of the cooling phase (just after radiofrequency power is switched off) on the dimensions of the coagulation zone. Our objective was thus to quantify the differences in the minor radius of the coagulation zone computed by including and ignoring the cooling phase. We built models of RF tumor ablation with 2 needle-like electrodes: a dry electrode (5 mm long and 17G in diameter) with a constant temperature protocol (70°C) and a cooled electrode (30 mm long and 17G in diameter) with a protocol of impedance control. We observed that the computed coagulation zone dimensions were always underestimated when the cooling phase was ignored. The mean values of the differences computed along the electrode axis were always lower than 0.15 mm for the dry electrode and 1.5 mm for the cooled electrode, which implied a value lower than 5% of the minor radius of the coagulation zone (which was 3 mm for the dry electrode and 30 mm for the cooled electrode). The underestimation was found to be dependent on the tissue characteristics: being more marked for higher values of specific heat and blood perfusion and less marked for higher values of thermal conductivity. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Radiation-induced synthesis of poly(acrylic acid) nanogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matusiak, Malgorzata; Kadlubowski, Slawomir; Ulanski, Piotr

2018-01-01

Nanogel is a two-component system of a diameter in the range of tens of nanometers, consisting of an intramolecularly crosslinked polymer chain and solvent, typically water, filling the space between segments of the macromolecule. Microgels are bigger than nanogels and their size range is between 100 nm to 100 μm. One of the methods used for synthesizing nanogels is linking the segments of a single macromolecule with the use of ionizing radiation, by intramolecular recombination of radiation-generated polymer radicals. The main advantage of this technique is absence of monomers, catalysts, surfactants or crosslinking agents. This method is an interesting alternative way of synthesizing polymeric carriers for biomedical applications. The aim of the study was radiation synthesis and characterization of poly(acrylic acid) - PAA - nanogels and microgels. The physico-chemical properties were described by determination of weight-average molecular weight and dimensions (radius of gyration, hydrodynamic radius) of the nanogels and microgels. Influence of polymer concentration and dose on these parameters was analyzed. Adjusting the PAA concentration and absorbed dose, one can control the molecular weight and dimensions of nanogels. The solutions of PAA were irradiated with two sources of ionizing radiation: γ-source and electron accelerator. The former method yields mainly microgels due to prevailing intermolecular crosslinking, while the latter promotes intramolecular recombination of PAA-derived radicals and in consequence formation of nanogels. In the future radiation-synthesized PAA nanogels, after functionalization, will be tested as carriers for delivering radionuclides to the tumor cells.

Volar plating for distal radius fractures--do not trust the image intensifier when judging distal subchondral screw length.

PubMed

Park, Derek H; Goldie, Boyd S

2012-09-01

The use of the volar plate to treat distal radius fractures is increasing but despite the theoretical advantages of a volar approach there have been reports of extensor tendon ruptures due to prominent screw tips protruding past the dorsal cortex. The valley in the intermediate column between Lister tubercle and the sigmoid notch of the distal radius makes it difficult to rely on fluoroscopy to judge screw length. Our aim was to quantify the dimensions of this valley and to demonstrate the danger of relying on intraoperative image intensification fluoroscopy to determine lengths of distal screws. We measured the depth of this valley in the intermediate column of the distal radius in 33 patients with computed tomographic (9 patients) or magnetic resonance image (24 patients) scans of the wrist. There was a consistent valley in all images examined [average 1.8 mm (95% confidence interval, 1.6-2.0 mm)]. Thirty-nine percent of wrists had a valley depth of at least 2 mm. Standard lateral views or rotation of the forearm to obtain oblique views does not identify prominent screw tips; and whatever the rotation of the forearm, screw tips protruding beyond dorsal cortex may look as if it is within the bone when in fact it is out. When drilling we suggest noting the depth at which the drill bit just penetrates dorsal cortex and routinely downsize the distal screw length by 2 mm. We caution against relying on flourosocopy when judging the length of the distal subchondral screws.

D 6ℛ4 amplitudes in various dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pioline, Boris

2015-04-01

Four-graviton couplings in the low energy effective action of type II string vacua compactified on tori are strongly constrained by supersymmetry and U-duality. While the ℛ4 and D 4ℛ4 couplings are known exactly in terms of Langlands-Eisenstein series of the U-duality group, the D 6ℛ4 couplings are not nearly as well understood. Exploiting the coincidence of the U-duality group in D = 6 with the T-duality group in D = 5, we propose an exact formula for the D 6ℛ4 couplings in type II string theory compactified on T 4, in terms of a genus-two modular integral plus a suitable Eisenstein series. The same modular integral computes the two-loop correction to D 6ℛ4 in 5 dimensions, but here provides the non-perturbative completion of the known perturbative terms in D = 6. This proposal hinges on a systematic re-analysis of the weak coupling and large radius of the D 6ℛ4 in all dimensions D ≥ 3, which fills in some gaps and resolves some inconsistencies in earlier studies.

Three-dimensional ultrasonic trapping of micro-particles in water with a simple and compact two-element transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franklin, A.; Marzo, A.; Malkin, R.; Drinkwater, B. W.

2017-08-01

We report a simple and compact piezoelectric transducer capable of stably trapping single and multiple micro-particles in water. A 3D-printed Fresnel lens is bonded to a two-element kerfless piezoceramic disk and actuated in a split-piston mode to produce an acoustic radiation force trap that is stable in three-dimensions. Polystyrene micro-particles in the Rayleigh regime (radius λ/14 to λ/7) are trapped at the focus of the lens (F# = 0.4) and manipulated in two-dimensions on an acoustically transparent membrane with a peak trap stiffness of 0.43 mN/m. Clusters of Rayleigh particles are also trapped and manipulated in three-dimensions, suspended in water against gravity. This transducer represents a significant simplification over previous acoustic devices used for micro-particle manipulation in liquids as it operates at relatively low frequency (688 kHz) and only requires a single electrical drive signal. This simplified device has potential for widespread use in applications such as micro-scale manufacturing and handling of cells or drug capsules in biomedical assays.

Site-Specific Advantages in Skeletal Geometry and Strength at the Proximal Femur and Forearm in Young Female Gymnasts

PubMed Central

Dowthwaite, Jodi N.; Rosenbaum, Paula F.; Scerpella, Tamara A.

2012-01-01

Purpose We evaluated site-specific skeletal adaptation to loading during growth,comparing radius (RAD) and femoral neck (FN) DXA scans in young female gymnasts (GYM) and non-gymnasts (NON). Methods Subjects from an ongoing longitudinal study (8-26 yrs old) underwent annual DXA scans (proximal femur, forearm, total body) and anthropometry, completing maturity and physical activity questionnaires. This cross-sectional analysis used the most recent data meeting the following criteria: gynecological age ≤2.5 yrs post-menarche; GYM annual mean gymnastic exposure ≥5.0 h/wk in the prior year. Bone geometric and strength indices were derived from scans for 173 subjects (8-17 yrs old) via hip structural analysis (femoral narrow neck, NN) and similar radius formulae (1/3 and Ultradistal (UD)). Maturity was coded as M1 (Tanner I breast), M2 (pre-menarche, ≥Tanner II breast) or M3 (post-menarche). ANOVA and chi square compared descriptive data. Two factor ANCOVA adjusted for age, height, total body non-bone lean mass and percent body fat; significance was tested for main effects and interactions between gymnastic exposure and maturity. Results At the distal radius, GYM means were significantly greater than NON means for all variables (p<0.05). At the proximal femur, GYM exhibited narrower periosteal and endosteal dimensions, but greater indices of cortical thickness, BMC, aBMD and section modulus, with lower buckling ratio (p <0.05). However, significant interactions between maturity and loading were detected for the following: 1) FN bone mineral content (BMC), NN buckling ratio (GYM BMC advantages only in M1 and M3; for BMC and buckling ratio, M1 advantages were greatest; 2) 1/3 radius BMC, width, endosteal diameter, cortical cross-sectional area, section modulus (GYM advantages primarily post-menarche); 3) UD radius BMC and axial compressive strength (GYM advantages were larger with greater maturity, greatest post-menarche). Conclusions Maturity-specific comparisons suggested site-specific skeletal adaptation to loading during growth, with greater advantages at the radius versus the proximal femur. At the radius, GYM advantages included greater bone width, cortical cross-sectional area and cortical thickness; in contrast, at the femoral neck, GYM bone tissue cross-sectional area and cortical thickness were greater, but bone width was narrower than in NON. Future longitudinal analyses will evaluate putative maturity-specific differences. PMID:22342799

Distal Oblique Bundle Reinforcement for Treatment of DRUJ Instability.

PubMed

Brink, Peter R G; Hannemann, Pascal F W

2015-08-01

Background Chronic, dynamic bidirectional instability in the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) is diagnosed clinically, based on the patient's complaints and the finding of abnormal laxity in the vicinity of the distal ulna. In cases where malunion is ruled out or treated and there are no signs of osteoarthritis, stabilization of the DRUJ may offer relief. To this end, several different techniques have been investigated over the past 90 years. Materials and Methods In this article we outline the procedure for a new technique using a tendon graft to reinforce the distal edge of the interosseous membrane. Description of Technique A percutaneous technique is used to harvest the palmaris longus tendon and to create a tunnel, just proximal to the sigmoid notch, through the ulna and radius in an oblique direction. By overdrilling the radial cortex, the knotted tendon can be pulled through the radius and ulna and the knot blocked at the second radial cortex, creating a strong connection between the radius and ulna at the site of the distal oblique bundle (DOB). The tendon is fixed in the ulna with a small interference screw in full supination, preventing subluxation of the ulna out of the sigmoid notch during rotation. Results Fourteen patients were treated with this novel technique between 2011 and October 2013. The QuickDASH score at 25 months postoperatively (range 16-38 months) showed an improvement of 32 points. Similarly, an improvement of 33 points (67-34 months) was found on the PRWHE. Only one recurrence of chronic, dynamic bidirectional instability in the DRUJ was observed. Conclusion This simple percutaneous tenodesis technique between radius and ulna at the position of the distal edge of the interosseous membrane shows promise in terms of both restoring stability and relieving complaints related to chronic subluxation in the DRUJ.

Abnormal Grief: Should We Consider a More Patient-Centered Approach?

PubMed

Moayedoddin, Babak; Markowitz, John C

2015-01-01

Grief, the psychological reaction to the loss of a significant other, varies complexly in its cause, experience, evolution, and prognosis. Although most bereaved individuals experience a normal grieving process, some develop complicated grief (CG) or major depressive disorder (MDD). The DSM-5, which controversially altered the nosology, recognizes grief-related major depression (GRMD) as a diagnostic subtype if a patient meets MDD criteria two weeks post bereavement. The (DSM-5) tries to distinguish between grief and MDD, but remains a symptom-based, centered approach to grief that is not patient centered. This article reviews grief in its normal and abnormal dimensions. Using an illustrative clinical case in which interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) was employed, we discuss the need for a more patient-centered approach to treating abnormal grief, considering the patient's personal history, perceptions, experiences of bereavement, and interpersonal environment. Clinical studies need to better identify subgroups of individuals susceptible to abnormal grief and to evaluate their response to early interventions.

Nanoparticle Analysis by Online Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography combining Hydrodynamic Chromatography and Size-Exclusion Chromatography with Intermediate Sample Transformation

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Polymeric nanoparticles have become indispensable in modern society with a wide array of applications ranging from waterborne coatings to drug-carrier-delivery systems. While a large range of techniques exist to determine a multitude of properties of these particles, relating physicochemical properties of the particle to the chemical structure of the intrinsic polymers is still challenging. A novel, highly orthogonal separation system based on comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC × LC) has been developed. The system combines hydrodynamic chromatography (HDC) in the first-dimension to separate the particles based on their size, with ultrahigh-performance size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) in the second dimension to separate the constituting polymer molecules according to their hydrodynamic radius for each of 80 to 100 separated fractions. A chip-based mixer is incorporated to transform the sample by dissolving the separated nanoparticles from the first-dimension online in tetrahydrofuran. The polymer bands are then focused using stationary-phase-assisted modulation to enhance sensitivity, and the water from the first-dimension eluent is largely eliminated to allow interaction-free SEC. Using the developed system, the combined two-dimensional distribution of the particle-size and the molecular-size of a mixture of various polystyrene (PS) and polyacrylate (PACR) nanoparticles has been obtained within 60 min. PMID:28745485

Numerical approach to describe complementary drying of banana slices osmotically dehydrated

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva Júnior, Aluízio Freire; da Silva, Wilton Pereira; de Farias Aires, Juarez Everton; Farias Aires, Kalina Lígia C. A.

2018-02-01

In this work, diffusion model was used to describe the water loss in the complementary drying process of cylindrical slices of banana pretreated by osmotic dehydration. A numerical solution has been proposed for the diffusion equation in cylindrical coordinates, which was obtained through the Finite Volume Method. The diffusion equation was discretized assuming that the effective water diffusivity and the dimensions of a finite cylinder may vary; also considering the boundary condition of the third kind. The banana slices were cut in length of about 1.00 cm and average radius 1.70 cm before osmotic pretreatment, and completed the pretreatment with length of about 0.74 cm and average radius 1.40 cm. The complementary drying was carried out in a kiln with circulation and air exchange. Drying temperatures were the same as used in the osmotic pretreatment (40 to 70 °C). The proposed model described well the water loss, with good statistical indicators for all fits.

Analytic model for ring pattern formation by bacterial swarmers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arouh, Scott

2001-03-01

We analyze a model proposed by Medvedev, Kaper, and Kopell (the MKK model) for ring formation in two-dimensional bacterial colonies of Proteus mirabilis. We correct the model to formally include a feature crucial of the ring generation mechanism: a bacterial density threshold to the nonlinear diffusivity of the MKK model. We numerically integrate the model equations, and observe the logarithmic profiles of the bacterial densities near the front. These lead us to define a consolidation front distinct from the colony radius. We find that this consolidation front propagates outward toward the colony radius with a nearly constant velocity. We then implement the corrected MKK equations in two dimensions and compare our results with biological experiment. Our numerical results indicate that the two-dimensional corrected MKK model yields smooth (rather than branched) rings, and that colliding colonies merge if grown in phase but not if grown out of phase. We also introduce a model, based on coupling the MKK model to a nutrient field, for simulating experimentally observed branched rings.

Band Gap Optimization Design of Photonic Crystals Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Y.; Yu, B.; Gao, X.

2017-12-01

The photonic crystal has a fundamental characteristic - photonic band gap, which can prevent light to spread in the crystals. This paper studies the width variation of band gaps of two-dimension square lattice photonic crystals by changing the geometrical shape of the unit cells’ inner medium column. Using the finite element method, we conduct numerical experiments on MATLAB 2012a and COMSOL 3.5. By shortening the radius in vertical axis and rotating the medium column, we design a new unit cell, with a 0.3*3.85e-7 vertical radius and a 15 degree deviation to the horizontal axis. The new cell has a gap 1.51 percent wider than the circle medium structure in TE gap and creates a 0.0124 wide TM gap. Besides, the experiment shows the first TM gap is partially overlapped by the second TE gap in gap pictures. This is helpful to format the absolute photonic band gaps and provides favorable theoretical basis for designing photonic communication material.

Nanoporous Anodic Alumina Surface Modification by Electrostatic, Covalent, and Immune Complexation Binding Investigated by Capillary Filling.

PubMed

Eckstein, Chris; Acosta, Laura K; Pol, Laura; Xifré-Pérez, Elisabet; Pallares, Josep; Ferré-Borrull, Josep; Marsal, Lluis F

2018-03-28

The fluid imbibition-coupled laser interferometry (FICLI) technique has been applied to detect and quantify surface changes and pore dimension variations in nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) structures. FICLI is a noninvasive optical technique that permits the determination of the NAA average pore radius with high accuracy. In this work, the technique is applied after each step of different surface modification paths of the NAA pores: (i) electrostatic immobilization of bovine serum albumin (BSA), (ii) covalent attachment of streptavidin via (3-aminipropyl)-triethoxysilane and glutaraldehyde grafting, and (iii) immune complexation. Results show that BSA attachment can be detected as a reduction in estimated radius from FICLI with high accuracy and reproducibility. In the case of the covalent attachment of streptavidin, FICLI is able to recognize a multilayer formation of the silane and the protein. For immune complexation, the technique is able to detect different antibody-antigen bindings and distinguish different dynamics among different immune species.

Enhancement of structural stiffness in MEMS structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilias, Samir; Picard, Francis; Topart, Patrice; Larouche, Carl; Jerominek, Hubert

2006-01-01

Many optical applications require smooth micromirror reflective surfaces with large radius of curvature. Usually when using surface micromachining technology and as a result of residual stress and stress gradient in thin films, the control of residual curvature is a difficult task. In this work, two engineering approaches were developed to enhance structural stiffness of micromirrors. 1) By integrating stiffening structures and thermal annealing. The stiffening structures consist of U-shaped profiles integrated with the mirror (dimension 200×300 μm2). 2) By combining selective electroplating and flip-chip based technologies. Nickel was used as electroplated material with optimal stress values around +/-10 MPa for layer thicknesses of about 10 μm. With the former approach, typical curvature radii of about 1.5 cm and 0.6 cm along mirror width and length were obtained, respectively. With the latter approach, an important improvement in the micromirror planarity and flatness was achieved with curvature radius up to 23 cm and roughness lower than 5 nm rms for typical 1000×1000 μm2 micromirrors.

Mixed Lubrication Simulation of Hydrostatic Spherical Bearings for Hydraulic Piston Pumps and Motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazama, Toshiharu

Mixed and fluid film lubrication characteristics of hydrostatic spherical bearings for swash-plate-type axial piston pumps and motors are studied theoretically under non-steady-state conditions. The basic equations incorporating interference and contact of surface roughness are derived fundamentally through combination of the GW and PC models. Furthermore, a programming code that is applicable to the caulked-socket-type and open-socket-type bearings is developed. Effects of caulking, operating conditions, and the bearing dimension on the motion of the sphere and tribological performance of the bearings are examined. Salient conclusions are the following: The sphere's eccentricity increases in the low supply pressure period. The time-lag of the load change engenders greater motion of the sphere. Caulking of the bearing socket suppresses the sphere's motion. The bearing stiffness increases and power loss decreases for smaller recess angles. Minimum power loss is given under the condition that the bearing socket radius nearly equals the equivalent load radius.

On asphericity of convex bodies in linear normed spaces.

PubMed

Faried, Nashat; Morsy, Ahmed; Hussein, Aya M

2018-01-01

In 1960, Dvoretzky proved that in any infinite dimensional Banach space X and for any [Formula: see text] there exists a subspace L of X of arbitrary large dimension ϵ -iometric to Euclidean space. A main tool in proving this deep result was some results concerning asphericity of convex bodies. In this work, we introduce a simple technique and rigorous formulas to facilitate calculating the asphericity for each set that has a nonempty boundary set with respect to the flat space generated by it. We also give a formula to determine the center and the radius of the smallest ball containing a nonempty nonsingleton set K in a linear normed space, and the center and the radius of the largest ball contained in it provided that K has a nonempty boundary set with respect to the flat space generated by it. As an application we give lower and upper estimations for the asphericity of infinite and finite cross products of these sets in certain spaces, respectively.

Effect of hydrogen addition on soot formation in an ethylene/air premixed flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Iuliis, S.; Maffi, S.; Migliorini, F.; Cignoli, F.; Zizak, G.

2012-03-01

The effect of hydrogen addition to fuel in soot formation and growth mechanisms is investigated in a rich ethylene/air premixed flame. To this purpose, three-angle scattering and extinction measurements are carried out in flames with different hydrogen contents. By applying the Rayleigh-Debye-Gans theory and the fractal-like description, soot concentration and morphology, with the evaluation of radius of gyration, volume-mean diameter and primary particle diameter are retrieved. To derive fractal parameters such as fractal dimension and fractal prefactor to be used for optical measurements, sampling technique and TEM analysis are performed. In addition, data concerning soot morphology obtained from TEM analysis are compared with the optical results. A good agreement in the value of the primary particle diameter between optical and ex-situ measurements is found. Significant effects of hydrogen addition are detected and presented in this work. In particular, hydrogen addition to fuel is responsible for a reduction in soot concentration, radius of gyration and primary particle diameter.

Relationship between sensitizer concentration and resist performance of chemically amplified extreme ultraviolet resists in sub-10 nm half-pitch resolution region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozawa, Takahiro; Santillan, Julius Joseph; Itani, Toshiro

2017-01-01

The development of lithography processes with sub-10 nm resolution is challenging. Stochastic phenomena such as line width roughness (LWR) are significant problems. In this study, the feasibility of sub-10 nm fabrication using chemically amplified extreme ultraviolet resists with photodecomposable quenchers was investigated from the viewpoint of the suppression of LWR. The relationship between sensitizer concentration (the sum of acid generator and photodecomposable quencher concentrations) and resist performance was clarified, using the simulation based on the sensitization and reaction mechanisms of chemically amplified resists. For the total sensitizer concentration of 0.5 nm-3 and the effective reaction radius for the deprotection of 0.1 nm, the reachable half-pitch while maintaining 10% critical dimension (CD) LWR was 11 nm. The reachable half-pitch was 7 nm for 20% CD LWR. The increase in the effective reaction radius is required to realize the sub-10 nm fabrication with 10% CD LWR.

Search for squarks and gluinos in events with isolated leptons, jets and missing transverse momentum at $$\\sqrt{s}=8 $$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

DOE PAGES

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; ...

2015-04-21

The results of a search for supersymmetry in final states containing at least one isolated lepton (electron or muon), jets and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. The search is based on proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy √ = 8 TeV collected in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20 fb -1. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. Limits are set on supersymmetric particle masses for various supersymmetric models. Depending on the model, the search excludes gluino masses up to 1.32 TeV and squarkmore » masses up to 840 GeV. Limits are also set on the parameters of a minimal universal extra dimension model, excluding a compactification radius of 1/R c = 950 GeV for a cut-off scale times radius (ΛR c) of approximately 30.« less

Monte Carlo Criticality Analysis of Simple Geometrics COntaining Tungsten Rhenium Alloys Engrained with Uranium Dioxide and Uranium Mononitride

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jonathan A. Webb; Indrajit Charit

2011-08-01

The critical mass and dimensions of simple geometries containing highly enriched uraniumdioxide (UO2) and uraniummononitride (UN) encapsulated in tungsten-rhenium alloys are determined using MCNP5 criticality calculations. Spheres as well as cylinders with length to radius ratios of 1.82 are computationally built to consist of 60 vol.% fuel and 40 vol.% metal matrix. Within the geometries the uranium is enriched to 93 wt.% uranium-235 and the rhenium content within the metal alloy was modeled over a range of 0 to 30 at.%. The spheres containing UO2 were determined to have a critical radius of 18.29 cm to 19.11 cm and amore » critical mass ranging from 366 kg to 424 kg. The cylinders containing UO2 were found to have a critical radius ranging from 17.07 cm to 17.844 cm with a corresponding critical mass of 406 kg to 471 kg. Spheres engrained with UN were determined to have a critical radius ranging from 14.82 cm to 15.19 cm and a critical mass between 222 kg and 242 kg. Cylinders which were engrained with UN were determined to have a critical radius ranging from 13.811 cm to 14.155 cm with a corresponding critical mass of 245 kg to 267 kg. The critical geometries were also computationally submerged in a neutronaically infinite medium of fresh water to determine the effects of rhenium addition on criticality accidents due to water submersion. The monte carlo analysis demonstrated that rhenium addition of up to 30 at.% can reduce the excess reactivity due to water submersion by up to $5.07 for UO2 fueled cylinders, $3.87 for UO2 fueled spheres and approximately $3.00 for UN fueled spheres and cylinders.« less

Otologic manifestations of Fanconi anemia and other inherited bone marrow failure syndromes.

PubMed

Kalejaiye, Adedoyin; Giri, Neelam; Brewer, Carmen C; Zalewski, Christopher K; King, Kelly A; Adams, Charleen D; Rosenberg, Philip S; Kim, H Jeffrey; Alter, Blanche P

2016-12-01

The inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFSs) are diverse disorders with syndrome-specific features; their otologic and audiologic manifestations have not been well described. Our objective was to characterize these in patients with Fanconi anemia (FA), dyskeratosis congenita (DC), Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), and Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS), and to determine the association between physical findings and hearing loss. Patients with an IBMFS underwent comprehensive clinical and laboratory evaluations and testing for syndrome-specific gene mutations. Hearing loss was measured by pure tone audiometry and otologic abnormalities by otomicroscopy. Patients included 33 with FA, 37 with DC, 32 with DBA, and nine with SDS. Hearing loss was most frequent in patients with FA (45%) and DBA (14%). The most common type of hearing loss in FA was conductive (65%). Absent or hypoplastic radius, noted in 21% of the patients with FA, was associated with hearing loss in all cases. Otomicroscopy was abnormal in 66% of patients with FA. Characteristic ear abnormalities included small tympanic membrane (66%), malformed malleus (57%), aberrant tympanic bony island (48%), narrow external auditory canal (EAC) (32%), and abnormal course of chorda tympani (34%). Ear malformations were almost always associated with hearing loss. Hearing loss was rare in patients with DC and SDS. FA is the major IBMFS with associated hearing loss, which is most commonly conductive. Radial hypoplasia or aplasia and characteristic congenital ear malformations are associated with hearing loss in patients with FA. Recognition of these syndrome-specific abnormalities should lead to earlier management of hearing loss. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Relationship between pre-sarcopenia, sarcopenia and bone mineral density in elderly men.

PubMed

Pereira, Fernando Borges; Leite, André Ferreira; de Paula, Ana Patrícia

2015-02-01

Analyze the influence of sarcopenia in bone health of elderly men. This cross-sectional study evaluated 198 men aged over 60 years. Body composition was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The BMD was measured at the femoral neck, total hip, lumbar spine and 33% radius. The diagnosis of abnormal BMD was defined for men who presented densitometric diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis defined by T-score of femoral neck, total hip and lumbar spine. The pre-sarcopenia and sarcopenia were defined according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. The group diagnosed with normal BMD, compared to the group of abnormal BMD, have significantly higher body weight, body mass index, grip strength, lean mass, fat mass, and relative appendicular skeletal muscle mass (RASM). However, after multiple linear regression analysis, we found that only the RASM, lean mass, and handgrip strength in the dominant hand influenced the variability of the BMD after adjustment for age and weight. Regression analyzes showed a positive association between greater appendicular lean mass and a smaller number of elderly patients with abnormal BMD diagnostic. The regression analyzes showed that elderly men diagnosed with pre-sarcopenia and sarcopenia had more abnormal BMD than non-sarcopenic elderly men. We concluded that pre-sarcopenia and sarcopenia were associated with abnormal BMD. The lean mass, compared to fat mass, has a greater positive influence on the BMD of elderly men. This result suggests the importance of the increase in lean mass for the bone health of elderly men.

Obesity, metabolic abnormality, and health-related quality of life by gender: a cross-sectional study in Korean adults.

PubMed

Yang, Youngran; Herting, Jerald R; Choi, Jongsan

2016-06-01

This study sought to compare the association between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and four body health types by gender. The study included 6217 men and 8243 women over 30 years of age chosen from a population-based survey. Participants were grouped by body mass index and metabolic abnormality into four types: metabolically healthy normal weight, metabolically abnormal but normal weight (MANW), metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), and metabolically abnormal obesity (MAO). HRQoL was measured using the EQ-5D health questionnaire. The outcomes encompassed five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activity, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression), and the impaired HRQoL dichotomized by the EQ-5D preference score. Complex sample multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to adjust for sociodemographic variables, lifestyle factors, and disease comorbidity. Among men, those in the MANW group presented worse conditions on all dimensions and the impaired HRQoL compared to other men. However, no significant effect remained after adjusting for relevant covariates. For women, those in the MAO group had the most adversely affected HRQoL followed by those females in the MHO group. The domain of mobility and impaired HRQoL variable of the MAO and MHO groups remained significant when controlling for all covariates in the model. The MANW is the least favorable condition of HRQoL for men, suggesting that metabolic health may associate with HRQoL more than obesity for males. In women, the MAO and MHO groups had the most adversely affected HRQoL, implying that MHO is not a favorable health condition and that obesity, in general, may be strongly associated with HRQoL in women.

Relationship of neuromotor disturbances to psychosis symptoms in first-episode neuroleptic-naive schizophrenia patients.

PubMed

Cortese, Leonardo; Caligiuri, Michael P; Malla, Ashok K; Manchanda, Rahul; Takhar, Jatinder; Haricharan, Raj

2005-06-01

From the very inception of the modern diagnostic scheme for psychotic disorders, abnormalities in motor function have been observed in these conditions. Despite convergence from multiple areas of research supporting the notion that multiple frontal-subcortical circuits regulate motor and limbic behavior, the precise relationship between motor abnormalities and psychopathology has not been elucidated. The goals of this study were to examine the prevalence of extrapyramidal signs (EPS) in first-episode schizophrenia patients and their relationships to three psychopathological dimensions (positive psychosis syndrome, negative syndrome, and disorganization). We assessed EPS using traditional observer-based as well as quantitative instrumental measures in 39 neuroleptic-naive first-episode schizophrenia subjects. Subjects were followed for 6 months after initiating antipsychotic treatment to examine the stability of motor-limbic relationships. Four main findings emerged from this study. First, depending on the measure used the prevalence of dyskinesia prior to treatment ranged from 13% to 20%. The prevalence of parkinsonism ranged from 18% to 28%. Second, severity of dyskinesia was associated with the positive psychotic syndrome; whereas parkinsonism was associated with the positive psychosis, negative syndrome and disorganization. Third, psychopathology improved significantly across all symptom dimensions following antipsychotic treatment, while EPS remained stable. This suggests that some motor abnormalities in schizophrenia may reflect trait characteristics. Fourth, abnormalities on the pre-treatment instrumental measure of parkinsonism predicted greater improvement on positive psychosis symptoms following treatment (p=0.008). Our findings support the notion that neuromotor disturbances may be a core feature of schizophrenia in a substantial proportion of patients and implicate multiple fronto-striatal circuits regulating limbic and neuromotor behavior in schizophrenia.

Limitations of Airway Dimension Measurement on Images Obtained Using Multi-Detector Row Computed Tomography

PubMed Central

Oguma, Tsuyoshi; Hirai, Toyohiro; Niimi, Akio; Matsumoto, Hisako; Muro, Shigeo; Shigematsu, Michio; Nishimura, Takashi; Kubo, Yoshiro; Mishima, Michiaki

2013-01-01

Objectives (a) To assess the effects of computed tomography (CT) scanners, scanning conditions, airway size, and phantom composition on airway dimension measurement and (b) to investigate the limitations of accurate quantitative assessment of small airways using CT images. Methods An airway phantom, which was constructed using various types of material and with various tube sizes, was scanned using four CT scanner types under different conditions to calculate airway dimensions, luminal area (Ai), and the wall area percentage (WA%). To investigate the limitations of accurate airway dimension measurement, we then developed a second airway phantom with a thinner tube wall, and compared the clinical CT images of healthy subjects with the phantom images scanned using the same CT scanner. The study using clinical CT images was approved by the local ethics committee, and written informed consent was obtained from all subjects. Data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Results Errors noted in airway dimension measurement were greater in the tube of small inner radius made of material with a high CT density and on images reconstructed by body algorithm (p<0.001), and there was some variation in error among CT scanners under different fields of view. Airway wall thickness had the maximum effect on the accuracy of measurements with all CT scanners under all scanning conditions, and the magnitude of errors for WA% and Ai varied depending on wall thickness when airways of <1.0-mm wall thickness were measured. Conclusions The parameters of airway dimensions measured were affected by airway size, reconstruction algorithm, composition of the airway phantom, and CT scanner types. In dimension measurement of small airways with wall thickness of <1.0 mm, the accuracy of measurement according to quantitative CT parameters can decrease as the walls become thinner. PMID:24116105

Transitions induced by speed in self-propelled particles system with attractive interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cambui, Dorilson. S.; Rosas, Alexandre

2018-05-01

In this work, we consider a system of self-propelled particles with attractive interactions in two dimensions. The model presents an order-disorder transition with the speed playing the role of the control parameter. In order to characterize the transition, we investigate the behavior of the order parameter and the Binder cumulant as a function of the speed. Our main finding is that the transition can be either continuous or discontinuous depending on two parameter of the model: the strength of the noise and the radius of attraction.

The cam impinging femur has multiple morphologic abnormalities.

PubMed

Ellis, Andrew R; Noble, Philip C; Schroder, Steven J; Thompson, Matthew T; Stocks, Gregory W

2011-09-01

This study was performed to establish whether the "cam" impinging femur has a single deformity of the head-neck junction or multiple abnormalities. Average dimensions (anteversion angle, α angle of Notzli, β angle of Beaulé, normalized anterior head offset) were compared between normal and impinging femora. The results demonstrated that impinging femora had wider necks, larger heads, and decreased head-neck ratios. There was no difference in neck-shaft angle or anteversion angle. Forty-six percent of impinging femora had significant posterior head displacement (>2mm), which averaged 1.93 mm for the cam impinging group, and 0.78 mm for the normal group. In conclusion, surgical treatment limited to localized recontouring of the head-neck profile may fail to address significant components of the underlying abnormality. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coupled vibration of isotropic metal hollow cylinders with large geometrical dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Shuyu

2007-08-01

In this paper, the coupled vibration of isotropic metal hollow cylinders with large geometrical dimensions is studied by using an approximate analytic method. According to this method, when the equivalent mechanical coupling coefficient that is defined as the stress ratio is introduced, the coupled vibration of a metal hollow cylinder is reduced to two equivalent one-dimensional vibrations, one is an equivalent longitudinal extensional vibration in the height direction of the cylinder, and the other is an equivalent plane radial vibration in the radius direction. These two equivalent vibrations are coupled to each other by the equivalent mechanical coupling coefficient. The resonance frequency equation of metal hollow cylinders in coupled vibration is derived and longitudinal and radial resonance frequencies are computed. For comparison, the resonance frequencies of the hollow cylinders are also computed by using numerical method. The analysis shows that the results from these two methods are in a good agreement with each other.

A note on the sphere free energy of p-form gauge theory and Hodge duality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raj, Himanshu

2017-12-01

We consider a free p-form gauge theory on a d-dimensional sphere of radius R and calculate its free energy. We perform the calculation for generic values of p and obtain the free energy as a function of d, p and R. The result contains a \\renewcommand{\\r}ρ \\renewcommand{\\l}λ log R term with a coefficient proportional to \\renewcommand{\\r}ρ \\renewcommand{\\l}λ (2p+2-d) , which is consistent with lack of conformal invariance for p form theories in dimensions other than 2p+2 . We also compare the result for p-form and (d-p-2) -form theory which are classically Hodge dual to each other in d dimensions and find that they agree for odd values of d. Also, for even d, we find that the results disagree by an amount that is consistent with the reported values in the literature.

New dimensions for wound strings: The modular transformation of geometry to topology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGreevy, John; Silverstein, Eva; Starr, David

2007-02-15

We show, using a theorem of Milnor and Margulis, that string theory on compact negatively curved spaces grows new effective dimensions as the space shrinks, generalizing and contextualizing the results in E. Silverstein, Phys. Rev. D 73, 086004 (2006).. Milnor's theorem relates negative sectional curvature on a compact Riemannian manifold to exponential growth of its fundamental group, which translates in string theory to a higher effective central charge arising from winding strings. This exponential density of winding modes is related by modular invariance to the infrared small perturbation spectrum. Using self-consistent approximations valid at large radius, we analyze this correspondencemore » explicitly in a broad set of time-dependent solutions, finding precise agreement between the effective central charge and the corresponding infrared small perturbation spectrum. This indicates a basic relation between geometry, topology, and dimensionality in string theory.« less

A caveat concerning center of resistance

PubMed Central

Nägerl, Hans; Kubein-Meesenburg, Dietmar

2013-01-01

The center of resistance is a concept in theoretical orthodontics used to describe tooth movement under loads. It is commonly used to qualitatively predict tooth movement without recourse to complex equations or simulations. We start with a survey of the historical origin of the technical term. After this, the periodontal ligament is idealized as a linear elastic suspension. The mathematical formalism of vector and tensor calculus will clarify our reasoning. We show that a point such as the center of resistance basically only exists in two dimensions or in very special symmetric spatial configurations. In three dimensions, a simple counterexample of a suspension without a center of resistance is given. A second more tooth-like example illustrates the magnitude of the effects in question in dentistry. In conclusion, the center of resistance should be replaced by a newer and wider mathematical concept, the “center of elasticity,” together with a limiting parameter, the “radius of resistance.” PMID:24019849

Instability of black strings in the third-order Lovelock theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giacomini, Alex; Henríquez-Báez, Carla; Lagos, Marcela; Oliva, Julio; Vera, Aldo

2016-05-01

We show that homogeneous black strings of third-order Lovelock theory are unstable under s-wave perturbations. This analysis is done in dimension D =9 , which is the lowest dimension that allows the existence of homogeneous black strings in a theory that contains only the third-order Lovelock term in the Lagrangian. As is the case in general relativity, the instability is produced by long wavelength perturbations and it stands for the perturbative counterpart of a thermal instability. We also provide a comparative analysis of the instabilities of black strings at a fixed radius in general relativity, Gauss-Bonnet, and third-order Lovelock theories. We show that the minimum critical wavelength that triggers the instability grows with the power of the curvature defined in the Lagrangian. The maximum exponential growth during the time of the perturbation is the largest in general relativity and it decreases with the number of curvatures involved in the Lagrangian.

Psychobiology and treatment of borderline personality disorder.

PubMed

Cloninger, C Robert

2002-04-01

Borderline personality disorder can be characterized in terms of a profile of abnormal deviations on multiple personality dimensions using the temperament and character inventory (TCI). Borderline patients show poor character development, including low TCI self-directedness (irresponsible, blaming) and low TCI cooperativeness (hostile, intolerant). Their temperament is explosive or unstable due to a combination of high TCI harm avoidance (anxious, shy), high TCI novelty seeking (impulsive, quick-tempered), and low reward dependence (cold, aloof). Consequently they are usually dysthymic with an admixture of anxiety and anger, and regulate their social problems and intense emotions in immature ways. Genetic and psychobiological studies have led to identification of biological correlates of each of the TCI dimensions of personality, including individual differences in regional brain activity, psychophysiological variables, neuroendocrine abnormalities and specific gene polymorphisms. Each dimension of personality involves complex non-linear interaction of multiple genetic and environmental factors and, in turn, each personality dimension interacts with the others in influencing the way an individual directs and adapts to his or her life experiences. Systematic clinical trials have shown that these personality variables predict the response to pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments. For example, high harm avoidance and low self-directedness predict slower response and more rapid relapse with both antidepressants and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Treatment with drugs and/or psychotherapy can be individually matched to the patient's profile of temperament and character traits, rather than treating a heterogeneous group of patients as if they had a discrete, homogeneous illness. Fundamental change in cognitive schemas depends on attention to all aspects of character, especially self-transcendence, which has previously been neglected in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Personality integration requires non-resistance to our natural intuitive awareness, rather than intensified intellectual and emotional defenses.

Mentally abnormal homicide in New Zealand as defined by legal and clinical criteria: a national study.

PubMed

Simpson, Alexander I F; Skipworth, Jeremy; McKenna, Brian; Moskowitz, Andrew; Barry-Walsh, Justin

2006-09-01

Homicides by people with mental illness have been studied using either clinical or legal categorization of the homicide as abnormal. No previous study has employed both definitions in the same population. A retrospective study of all homicides in New Zealand between 1988 and 2000 considered mentally abnormal homicide using a legal definition (when the courts deemed a contribution of mental illness was present) and a clinical definition (defined as the presence of a discharge diagnosis from inpatient mental health treatment) of 'mentally abnormal'. Rates, characteristics and time trends were investigated. Of the 844 cases, 7.1% met legal criteria for being mentally abnormal, while 7.7% had ever received a diagnosis for a psychotic illness, and a further 14.5% had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital for any other reason. The majority (60%) of perpetrators with a psychotic diagnosis received a mental health disposition from the court. Of these, 60% were first diagnosed with their psychotic illness prior to the homicide, while 28% were first diagnosed at the time of the offence and a further 12% after imprisonment. Of all those who received a psychotic diagnosis, 89% had post-conviction admissions or a mental health disposition. Legal and clinical definitions of mentally abnormal homicide detect similar rates of mentally abnormal homicide, but illustrate somewhat different dimensions of the relationship between mental illness and homicide.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Remec, Igor; Ronningen, Reginald Martin

The research studied one-step and two-step Isotope Separation on Line (ISOL) targets for future radioactive beam facilities with high driver-beam power through advanced computer simulations. As a target material uranium carbide in the form of foils was used because of increasing demand for actinide targets in rare-isotope beam facilities and because such material was under development in ISAC at TRIUMF when this project started. Simulations of effusion were performed for one-step and two step targets and the effects of target dimensions and foil matrix were studied. Diffusion simulations were limited by availability of diffusion parameters for UC x material atmore » reduced density; however, the viability of the combined diffusion?effusion simulation methodology was demonstrated and could be used to extract physical parameters such as diffusion coefficients and effusion delay times from experimental isotope release curves. Dissipation of the heat from the isotope-producing targets is the limiting factor for high-power beam operation both for the direct and two-step targets. Detailed target models were used to simulate proton beam interactions with the targets to obtain the fission rates and power deposition distributions, which were then applied in the heat transfer calculations to study the performance of the targets. Results indicate that a direct target, with specification matching ISAC TRIUMF target, could operate in 500-MeV proton beam at beam powers up to ~40 kW, producing ~8 10 13 fission/s with maximum temperature in UCx below 2200 C. Targets with larger radius allow higher beam powers and fission rates. For the target radius in the range 9-mm to 30-mm the achievable fission rate increases almost linearly with target radius, however, the effusion delay time also increases linearly with target radius.« less

Three-dimensional computer simulation of radiostereometric analysis (RSA) in distal radius fractures.

PubMed

Madanat, Rami; Moritz, Niko; Aro, Hannu T

2007-01-01

Physical phantom models have conventionally been used to determine the accuracy and precision of radiostereometric analysis (RSA) in various orthopaedic applications. Using a phantom model of a fracture of the distal radius it has previously been shown that RSA is a highly accurate and precise method for measuring both translation and rotation in three-dimensions (3-D). The main shortcoming of a physical phantom model is its inability to mimic complex 3-D motion. The goal of this study was to create a realistic computer model for preoperative planning of RSA studies and to test the accuracy of RSA in measuring complex movements in fractures of the distal radius using this new model. The 3-D computer model was created from a set of tomographic scans. The simulation of the radiographic imaging was performed using ray-tracing software (POV-Ray). RSA measurements were performed according to standard protocol. Using a two-part fracture model (AO/ASIF type A2), it was found that for simple movements in one axis, translations in the range of 25microm-2mm could be measured with an accuracy of +/-2microm. Rotations ranging from 16 degrees to 2 degrees could be measured with an accuracy of +/-0.015 degrees . Using a three-part fracture model the corresponding values of accuracy were found to be +/-4microm and +/-0.031 degrees for translation and rotation, respectively. For complex 3-D motion in a three-part fracture model (AO/ASIF type C1) the accuracy was +/-6microm for translation and +/-0.120 degrees for rotation. The use of 3-D computer modelling can provide a method for preoperative planning of RSA studies in complex fractures of the distal radius and in other clinical situations in which the RSA method is applicable.

Errors in Martian paleodischarges skew interpretations of hydrologic history: Case study of the Aeolis Dorsa, Mars, with insights from the Quinn River, NV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobsen, Robert E.; Burr, Devon M.

2018-03-01

Changes in Martian fluvial geomorphology with time-stratigraphic age, including decreases in paleochannel widths, suggest waning paleodischarges through time. Where fluvial landforms do not preserve paleochannel widths (e.g., meander deposits), other landform dimensions (i.e., radius of curvature) may be used to estimate paleodischarges. In the Aeolis Dorsa region, topographically inverted and stacked fluvial deposits - wide meander point bars overlain by thin channel fills - preserve ostensible evidence of decreasing paleodischarges through time. However, a robust paleohydraulic analysis of these distinct deposits requires knowledge of the accuracy of a terrestrial-based empirical relationship that estimates channel width from point-bar radius of curvature. We assess the accuracy of this radius-width relationship by applying it to a well-studied terrestrial analog, the Quinn River, Nevada. We find that radii of curvature from the Quinn River exceed the values predicted from the empirical relationship. These anomalously high radii are associated with greater resistance in the channel cut banks, indicating that bank strength is a confounding factor in the radius-width relationship. Some deposits in the Aeolis Dorsa include irregular meander morphologies, suggesting variably resistant channel banks and overestimates of both paleochannel widths and paleodischarges. Furthermore, the morphometry of the overlying thin channel fills suggests their widths have been eroded, such that their paleodischarges are underestimates. These overestimates and underestimates, when considered together, suggest little change in paleodischarge during the stratigraphic transition from meander deposits to channel fills. This work demonstrates the importance of terrestrial analog studies for revealing confounding factors in Martian fluvial systems and cautions against simplistic interpretations of Martian fluvial history. The discovered inaccuracies of paleodischarge estimates expose sources of uncertainty in the extant paleodischarge data that bias inferences toward waning hydrologic activity through time.

Stress wave emission from plasmonic nanobubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brujan, Emil-Alexandru

2017-01-01

Stress wave emission from the collapse of cavitation nanobubbles, generated after irradiation of single-spherical gold nanoparticles with laser pulses, was investigated numerically. The significant parameters of this study are the nanoparticle radius, laser pulse duration, and laser fluence. For conditions comparable to those existing during plasmonic photothermal therapy, a purely compressive pressure wave is emitted during nanobubble collapse, not a shock. In the initial stage of its propagation, the stress wave amplitude is proportional to the inverse of the stress wave radius. The maximum amplitude and the duration of the stress wave decreases with the laser fluence, laser pulse duration, and gold nanoparticle radius. The full width at half maximum duration of the stress wave is almost constant up to a distance of 50 µm from the emission center. The stress wave amplitude is smaller than 5 MPa, while the stress wave duration is smaller than 35 ns. The stress wave propagation results in minor mechanical effects on biological tissue that are restricted to very small dimensions on a cellular or sub-cellular level. The stress wave is, however, able to produce breaching of the human cell membrane and bacterial wall even at distances as large as 50 µm from the emission centre. The experimentally observed melting of gold nanoparticles comes from the large temperature reached inside the nanoparticles during laser irradiation and not from the propagation of the stress wave into the surrounding liquid during nanobubble rebound.

Hypochondriasis and somatization in college women: a personal projects analysis.

PubMed

Karoly, P; Lecci, L

1993-03-01

Although the descriptive features of hypochondriasis and somatization have been widely studied, the motivational correlates (goal representations) of individuals manifesting abnormal illness patterns have not been considered. The Personal Projects Analysis method (Little, 1983) was used to contrast the health and nonhealth goals of female undergraduates. Subjects selected 10 goals for evaluation along a series of dimensions. When health pursuits alone were examined, hypochondriasis on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory was found to correlate directly with goal appraisal dimensions subsumed by an anxiety-absorption factor and inversely with dimensions characterizing rewardingness, thus suggesting a negativity of health goal construal. Somatizers also pursued more health-related projects than did nonsomatizers; nonhealth goal cognition did not relate as strongly to hypochondriasis. Finally, using discriminant function analysis, goal representations were shown to significantly and substantially differentiate somatizers from nonsomatizers.

BCS-Bose model of exotic superconductors: Generalized coherence length

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casas, M.; Getino, J.M.; de Llano, M.

1994-12-01

Analytic expressions are derived for the root-mean-square (rms) radius of a pair of fermions in a BCS many-fermion state in one, two, and three dimensions, in terms of the BCS gap energy and the associated chemical potential. These expressions are valid for any coupling strength of [ital any] pair interaction model implying a momentum-independent gap energy. The latter holds, e.g., for an attractive [delta] pair potential examined in the one-dimensional (1D) case (whose [ital N]-fermion ground state can be determined exactly) or for the BCS (electron-phonon) model interaction in any dimension. Weak-coupling and/or high-density limits for the rms radius aremore » identical in 1D, 2D, and 3D, and reduce to the familiar well-known Pippard result to within a factor of order unity. In contrast, strong-coupling and/or low-density limits coincide in 1D and 3D, but differ by a factor of order unity in the 2D limit, and in each case are essentially the size of a single, isolated pair. The 1D [delta] interaction McGuire-Yang-Gaudin many-fermion model is studied in detail. The interaction renormalization scheme of Miyake and of Randeria, Duan, and Shieh, and the BCS interaction model, both in 2D, are employed to analyze cuprate superconductor empirical results. Reasonable agreement between theoretical rms radii with experimental coherence lengths suggests that cuprates can be described moderately well as [ital weakly] [ital coupled] superconductors within the BCS-Bose formalism.« less

Normal versus High Tension Glaucoma: A Comparison of Functional and Structural Defects

PubMed Central

Thonginnetra, Oraorn; Greenstein, Vivienne C.; Chu, David; Liebmann, Jeffrey M.; Ritch, Robert; Hood, Donald C.

2009-01-01

Purpose To compare visual field defects obtained with both multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) and Humphrey visual field (HVF) techniques to topographic optic disc measurements in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and high tension glaucoma (HTG). Methods We studied 32 patients with NTG and 32 with HTG. All patients had reliable 24-2 HVFs with a mean deviation (MD) of −10 dB or better, a glaucomatous optic disc and an abnormal HVF in at least one eye. Multifocal VEPs were obtained from each eye and probability plots created. The mfVEP and HVF probability plots were divided into a central 10-degree (radius) and an outer arcuate subfield in both superior and inferior hemifields. Cluster analyses and counts of abnormal points were performed in each subfield. Optic disc images were obtained with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph III (HRT III). Eleven stereometric parameters were calculated. Moorfields regression analysis (MRA) and the glaucoma probability score (GPS) were performed. Results There were no significant differences in MD and PSD values between NTG and HTG eyes. However, NTG eyes had a higher percentage of abnormal test points and clusters of abnormal points in the central subfields on both mfVEP and HVF than HTG eyes. For HRT III, there were no significant differences in the 11 stereometric parameters or in the MRA and GPS analyses of the optic disc images. Conclusions The visual field data suggest more localized and central defects for NTG than HTG. PMID:19223786

Affective Determinants of Anxiety and Depression Development in Children and Adolescents: An Individual Growth Curve Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Bolle, Marleen; De Clercq, Barbara; Decuyper, Mieke; De Fruyt, Filip

2011-01-01

The tripartite model (in Clark and Watson, "J Abnorm Psychol" 100:316-336, 1991) comprises Negative Affect (NA), Positive Affect (PA), and Physiological Hyperarousal (PH), three temperamental-based dimensions. The current study examined the tripartite model's assumptions that (a) NA interacts with PA to predict subsequent depressive (but not…

Melorheostosis in the upper extremity.

PubMed

Yildirim, Cengiz; Ozyürek, Selahattin; Ciçek, Engin Ilker; Kuskucu, Mesih

2009-04-01

Melorheostosis is a rare mesodermal disease affecting the skeleton and adjacent soft tissues. Often it is incidentally detected on radiographs. In the standard radiology and orthopedics literature, melorheostosis is described as a "flowing hyperostosis, resembling dripping candle wax as an incidental radiographic finding." A 22-year-old man presented with a 2-year history of right-hand pain. Radiologic evaluation of the hand showed massive sclerotic changes in the first and second metacarpal and phalangeal bones on the right side. Further radiographic evaluation of the right upper extremity revealed the same sclerotic changes in the right scapula, humerus, radius, and scaphoid. Computed tomography (CT) scans showed a high attenuation undulating cortical hyperostosis with a "dripping candle wax appearance" involving the radial and/or dorsal aspects of humerus, radius, scaphoid, and first and second ray bones of the hand. Radionuclide triphasic bone scintigraphy showed diffuse homogenous radiotracer uptake within the entire right upper extremity involving the scapula, humerus, radius, scaphoid, and first and second metacarpals and phalangeal bones of the hand. The patient was followed conservatively, and 1-year follow-up revealed no change in the clinical, laboratory, or radiological findings. The diagnosis of melorheostosis was made on the basis of the characteristic distribution, location, and combined radiographic, CT, and radionuclide imaging features of the abnormalities. Conservative treatment was recommended for the patient. After 26 months of follow-up, despite the persistence of the radiologic findings, the patient is currently well, with no painful symptoms unless he performs forceful exercise.

Spatial correlations in polydisperse, frictionless, two-dimensional packings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donovan, C. B.; Möbius, M. E.

2011-08-01

We investigate next-nearest-neighbor correlations of the contact number in simulations of polydisperse, frictionless packings in two dimensions. We find that disks with few contacting neighbors are predominantly in contact with disks that have many neighbors and vice versa at all packing fractions. This counterintuitive result can be explained by drawing a direct analogy to the Aboav-Weaire law in cellular structures. We find an empirical one parameter relation similar to the Aboav-Weaire law that satisfies an exact sum rule constraint. Surprisingly, there are no correlations in the radii between neighboring particles, despite correlations between contact number and radius.

Splitter-bladed centrifugal compressor impeller designed for automotive gas turbine application. [at the Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pampreen, R. C.

1977-01-01

Mechanical design and fabrication of two splitter-bladed centrifugal compressor impellers were completed for rig testing at NASA Lewis Research Center. These impellers were designed for automotive gas turbine application. The mechanical design was based on NASA specifications for blade-shape and flowpath configurations. The contractor made engineering drawings and performed calculations for mass and center-of-gravity, for stress and vibration analyses, and for shaft critical speed analysis. One impeller was machined to print; the other had a blade height and exit radius of 2.54 mm larger than print dimensions.

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of voices before and after surgical excision of vocal polyps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yu; McGilligan, Clancy; Zhou, Liang; Vig, Mark; Jiang, Jack J.

2004-05-01

Phase space reconstruction, correlation dimension, and second-order entropy, methods from nonlinear dynamics, are used to analyze sustained vowels generated by patients before and after surgical excision of vocal polyps. Two conventional acoustic perturbation parameters, jitter and shimmer, are also employed to analyze voices before and after surgery. Presurgical and postsurgical analyses of jitter, shimmer, correlation dimension, and second-order entropy are statistically compared. Correlation dimension and second-order entropy show a statistically significant decrease after surgery, indicating reduced complexity and higher predictability of postsurgical voice dynamics. There is not a significant postsurgical difference in shimmer, although jitter shows a significant postsurgical decrease. The results suggest that jitter and shimmer should be applied to analyze disordered voices with caution; however, nonlinear dynamic methods may be useful for analyzing abnormal vocal function and quantitatively evaluating the effects of surgical excision of vocal polyps.

Engineering photonic nanojet by a graded-index micro-cuboid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Cheng-Yang; Yen, Tzu-Ping; Minin, Oleg V.; Minin, Igor V.

2018-04-01

In the present paper the basic characteristics (length, peak intensity, and full-width half-maximum) of nanojets formed in the vicinity of dielectric core-shell cuboids with different types of index grading are investigated by finite-difference time domain method. The latitudinal and longitudinal sizes of a nanojet and its peak intensity depending on the optical contrast variation of cuboids core-shells are numerically investigated. It has been shown that it is possible to control and elongate the nanojet abnormally. It also was shown that graded cuboid with dimensions of 4 × 4 × 4 wavelength may has FWHM of a jet less than uniform cuboid with dimensions of 1 × 1 × 1 wavelength. At wavelength of 600 nm graded index cuboid with dimensions of 4 × 4 × 4 wavelength and index grading = 2 allow to form photonic jet with FWHM about 232 nm or 0.39 wavelength.

Bilateral Carpus Valgus with Cranial Bowing of the Distal Radius in a Foal

PubMed Central

Caron, J. P.; Fretz, P. B.; Pharr, J. W.; Bailey, J. V.

1986-01-01

Bilateral carpus valgus with concomitant outward rotation and cranial bowing of the distal radii was diagnosed in a crossbred foal. The foal was not lame on admission and showed no radiographic evidence of carpal bone abnormalities. Surgery was limited to the most severely affected leg, and consisted of a combination of growth promotion (periosteal transection and stripping) and temporary physeal retardation (transphyseal bridging) procedures. Correction of the valgus deformity was nearly complete in the operated limb and substantial improvement was observed in the cranial bowing and outward rotation in both limbs, five months postoperatively. ImagesFigure 1.Figure 2. PMID:17422668

Nanoscale density variations induced by high energy heavy ions in amorphous silicon nitride and silicon dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mota-Santiago, P.; Vazquez, H.; Bierschenk, T.; Kremer, F.; Nadzri, A.; Schauries, D.; Djurabekova, F.; Nordlund, K.; Trautmann, C.; Mudie, S.; Ridgway, M. C.; Kluth, P.

2018-04-01

The cylindrical nanoscale density variations resulting from the interaction of 185 MeV and 2.2 GeV Au ions with 1.0 μm thick amorphous SiN x :H and SiO x :H layers are determined using small angle x-ray scattering measurements. The resulting density profiles resembles an under-dense core surrounded by an over-dense shell with a smooth transition between the two regions, consistent with molecular-dynamics simulations. For amorphous SiN x :H, the density variations show a radius of 4.2 nm with a relative density change three times larger than the value determined for amorphous SiO x :H, with a radius of 5.5 nm. Complementary infrared spectroscopy measurements exhibit a damage cross-section comparable to the core dimensions. The morphology of the density variations results from freezing in the local viscous flow arising from the non-uniform temperature profile in the radial direction of the ion path. The concomitant drop in viscosity mediated by the thermal conductivity appears to be the main driving force rather than the presence of a density anomaly.

Electron dynamics surrounding the X line in asymmetric magnetic reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zenitani, S.; Hasegawa, H.; Nagai, T.

2017-12-01

Electron dynamics surrounding the X line in magnetopause-type asymmetric reconnection is investigated using a two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. We study electron properties of three characteristic regions in the vicinity of the X line. The fluid properties, velocity distribution functions (VDFs), and orbits are studied and cross-compared. On the magnetospheric side of the X line, the normal electric field enhances the electron meandering motion from the magnetosheath side. The motion leads to a crescent-shaped component in the electron VDF, in agreement with recent studies. On the magnetosheath side of the X line, the magnetic field line is so stretched in the third dimension that its curvature radius is comparable with typical electron Larmor radius. The electron motion becomes nonadiabatic, and therefore the electron idealness is no longer expected to hold. Around the middle of the outflow regions, the electron nonidealness is coincident with the region of the nonadiabatic motion. Finally, we introduce a finite-time mixing fraction (FTMF) to evaluate electron mixing. The FTMF marks the magnetospheric side of the X line, where the nonideal energy dissipation occurs.

Optimum size of nanorods for heating application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seshadri, G.; Thaokar, Rochish; Mehra, Anurag

2014-08-01

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNP's) have become increasingly important in heating applications such as hyperthermia treatment of cancer due to their ability to release heat when a remote external alternating magnetic field is applied. It has been shown that the heating capability of such particles varies significantly with the size of particles used. In this paper, we theoretically evaluate the heating capability of rod-shaped MNP's and identify conditions under which these particles display highest efficiency. For optimally sized monodisperse particles, the power generated by rod-shaped particles is found to be equal to that generated by spherical particles. However, for particles which are not mono dispersed, rod-shaped particles are found to be more effective in heating as a result of the greater spread in the power density distribution curve. Additionally, for rod-shaped particles, a dispersion in the radius of the particle contributes more to the reduction in loss power when compared to a dispersion in the length. We further identify the optimum size, i.e the radius and length of nanorods, given a bi-variate log-normal distribution of particle size in two dimensions.

Comparative biokinetics of trivalent radionuclides with similar ionic dimensions: promethium-147, curium-242 and americium-241.

PubMed

Priest, N D

2007-09-01

Data on the distribution and redistribution patterns in the laboratory rat of three trivalent elements with a similar ionic radius have been compared. This showed that these distributions for the two ions with the same ionic radius (111 pm), i.e., those of promethium (a lanthanoid) and curium (an actinoid), were indistinguishable and that americium, with a slightly larger ion size (111.5 pm), behaved similarly. The results are consistent with the suggestion that ion size is the only important factor controlling the deposition and redistribution patterns of trivalent lanthanoids and actinoids in rats. The result is important because it suggests that the same radiological protection dosimetry models should be used for trivalent actinoids and lanthanoids, that human volunteer data generated for lanthanoid isotopes can be used to predict the behavior of actinoids with the same ion size, and that appropriate pairs of beta-particle-emitting lanthanoid and alpha-particle-emitting actinoids could be used to study the relative toxicity of alpha and beta particles in experimental animals.

Application of 3D Laser Scanner to Forensic Engineering.

PubMed

Park, Chan-Seong; Jeon, Hong-Pil; Choi, Kwang-Soo; Kim, Jin-Pyo; Park, Nam-Kyu

2018-05-01

In the case of building collapses and overturned structures, a three-dimensional (3D) collapse or overturn model is required to reconstruct the accident. As construction sites become increasingly complex and large, 3D laser scanning is sometimes the best tool to accurately document and store the site conditions. This case report presents one case of a structure collapse and one case of an overturned crane reconstructed by a 3D laser scanner. In the case of structural collapse of a prefabricated shoring system, a 3D model reconstructed all the members successfully, a task that is nearly impossible using a scale such as a tape measure. The reconstructed prefabricated shoring system was verified through a structural analysis through comparison with the construction drawings to investigate faults in construction. In the case of the overturned crane, the jib angle and other major dimensions were successfully acquired through 3D laser scanning and used to estimate the working radius. As a result, the propriety of the working radius with the given lifting load was successfully determined. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Solution properties of a heteropolysaccharide extracted from pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo, lady godiva).

PubMed

Song, Yi; Zhao, Jing; Ni, Yuanying; Li, Quanhong

2015-11-05

A water-soluble galactoglucofucomannan was extracted from pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo, lady godiva variety). GC-MS analysis indicated that the polysaccharide was composed of 1,6-linked-glucosyl, 1,2,6-linked-mannosyl, 1,3,6-linked-mannosyl, 1,2,6-linked-galactosyl, 1,2,6-linked-galactosyl, terminal fucosyl and terminal glucose. The solution properties of the polysaccharide were studied systematically by using size-exclusion chromatography combined with multi-angle laser light scattering, viscometry and dynamic light scattering at 25 °C. The weight average molecular masses (Mw), intrinsic viscosity [η], radius of gyration (Rg) and hydrodynamic radius (Rh) were found to be 12.7 × 10(5)g/mol, 780 ml/g, 68 nm and 116 nm, respectively. The fraction dimension and value of ρ (Rg/Rh) of the polysaccharide revealed that it existed in a sphere-like conformation in distilled water. The dependence of zero shear specific viscosity on the coil overlap parameter was analyzed using different models. Furthermore, degradation of samples upon autoclaving has been observed and quantified by intrinsic viscosity determination and SEC-MALLS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-gravity at the scale of the polar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huré, J.-M.; Pierens, A.; Hersant, F.

2009-06-01

We present the exact calculus of the gravitational potential and acceleration along the symmetry axis of a plane, homogeneous, polar cell as a function of mean radius bar{a}, radial extension Δ a, and opening angle Δ φ. Accurate approximations are derived in the limit of high numerical resolution at the geometrical mean < a > of the inner and outer radii (a key-position in current FFT-based Poisson solvers). Our results are the full extension of the approximate formula given in the textbook of Binney & Tremaine to all resolutions. We also clarify definitely the question about the existence (or not) of self-forces in polar cells. We find that there is always a self-force at radius < a > except if the shape factor ρ ≡ bar{a}Δ φ /Δ a → 3.531, asymptotically. Such cells are therefore well suited to build a polar mesh for high resolution simulations of self-gravitating media in two dimensions. A by-product of this study is a newly discovered indefinite integral involving complete elliptic integral of the first kind over modulus.

Sella turcica bridging and dental anomalies: is there an association?

PubMed

Scribante, Andrea; Sfondrini, Maria Francesca; Cassani, Marco; Fraticelli, Danilo; Beccari, Sergio; Gandini, Paola

2017-11-01

Sella turcica bridging (STB), or calcification of the interclinoid ligament of sella turcica, has been reported to be associated with some dental anomalies (palatal canine impaction and transposition). The aim of the study was to find any association between canine impaction, hyperdontia or hypodontia and sellar dimensions or bridging. Lateral cephalometric radiographs from 78 patients with impacted canines, 68 with dental agenesis and 17 with hyperdontia were collected. Linear dimensions of sella turcica were calculated and compared to those of a control group (47 individuals). A standardize scoring scale was used to quantify the extent of STB from each radiographs. The frequency of partial and complete calcifications of sella in patients with dental anomalies is increased when compared to controls. STB can influence the interclinoid distance but does not affect other linear dimensions of sella. No statistically significant difference has been found in sellar dimensions and STB expression when evaluating radiographs at different ages. STB is frequently found in patients with dental abnormalities. © 2017 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Implementation of Fractal Dimension and Self-Organizing Map to Detect Toxic Effects of Toluene on Movement Tracks of Daphnia magna.

PubMed

Liu, Yuedan; Xia, Chunlei; Fan, Zhongya; Wu, Renren; Chen, Xianglin; Liu, Zuoyi

2018-01-01

Movement behaviors of an indicator species, Daphnia magna , in response to contaminants have been implemented to monitor environmental disturbances. Complexity in movement tracks of Daphnia magna was characterized by use of fractal dimension and self-organizing map. The individual movement tracks of D. magna were continuously recorded for 24 hours before and after treatments with toluene at the concentration of 10 mg/L, respectively. The general complexity in movement tracks (10 minutes) was characterized by fractal dimension. Results showed that average fractal dimension of movement tracks was decreased from 1.62 to 1.22 after treatments. The instantaneous movement parameters of movement segments in 5 s were input into the self-organizing map to investigate the swimming pattern changes under stresses of toluene. Abnormal behaviors of D. magna are more frequently observed after treatments than before treatments. Computational methods in ecological informatics could be utilized to obtain the useful information in behavioral data of D. magna and would be further applied as an in situ monitoring tool in water environment.

Patient size and x-ray technique factors in head computed tomography examinations. I. Radiation doses.

PubMed

Huda, Walter; Lieberman, Kristin A; Chang, Jack; Roskopf, Marsha L

2004-03-01

We investigated how patient age, size and composition, together with the choice of x-ray technique factors, affect radiation doses in head computed tomography (CT) examinations. Head size dimensions, cross-sectional areas, and mean Hounsfield unit (HU) values were obtained from head CT images of 127 patients. For radiation dosimetry purposes patients were modeled as uniform cylinders of water. Dose computations were performed for 18 x 7 mm sections, scanned at a constant 340 mAs, for x-ray tube voltages ranging from 80 to 140 kV. Values of mean section dose, energy imparted, and effective dose were computed for patients ranging from the newborn to adults. There was a rapid growth of head size over the first two years, followed by a more modest increase of head size until the age of 18 or so. Newborns have a mean HU value of about 50 that monotonically increases with age over the first two decades of life. Average adult A-P and lateral dimensions were 186+/-8 mm and 147+/-8 mm, respectively, with an average HU value of 209+/-40. An infant head was found to be equivalent to a water cylinder with a radius of approximately 60 mm, whereas an adult head had an equivalent radius 50% greater. Adult males head dimensions are about 5% larger than for females, and their average x-ray attenuation is approximately 20 HU greater. For adult examinations performed at 120 kV, typical values were 32 mGy for the mean section dose, 105 mJ for the total energy imparted, and 0.64 mSv for the effective dose. Increasing the x-ray tube voltage from 80 to 140 kV increases patient doses by about a factor of 5. For the same technique factors, mean section doses in infants are 35% higher than in adults. Energy imparted for adults is 50% higher than for infants, but infant effective doses are four times higher than for adults. CT doses need to take into account patient age, head size, and composition as well as the selected x-ray technique factors.

Effective pore size and radius of capture for K(+) ions in K-channels.

PubMed

Moldenhauer, Hans; Díaz-Franulic, Ignacio; González-Nilo, Fernando; Naranjo, David

2016-02-02

Reconciling protein functional data with crystal structure is arduous because rare conformations or crystallization artifacts occur. Here we present a tool to validate the dimensions of open pore structures of potassium-selective ion channels. We used freely available algorithms to calculate the molecular contour of the pore to determine the effective internal pore radius (r(E)) in several K-channel crystal structures. r(E) was operationally defined as the radius of the biggest sphere able to enter the pore from the cytosolic side. We obtained consistent r(E) estimates for MthK and Kv1.2/2.1 structures, with r(E) = 5.3-5.9 Å and r(E) = 4.5-5.2 Å, respectively. We compared these structural estimates with functional assessments of the internal mouth radii of capture (r(C)) for two electrophysiological counterparts, the large conductance calcium activated K-channel (r(C) = 2.2 Å) and the Shaker Kv-channel (r(C) = 0.8 Å), for MthK and Kv1.2/2.1 structures, respectively. Calculating the difference between r(E) and r(C), produced consistent size radii of 3.1-3.7 Å and 3.6-4.4 Å for hydrated K(+) ions. These hydrated K(+) estimates harmonize with others obtained with diverse experimental and theoretical methods. Thus, these findings validate MthK and the Kv1.2/2.1 structures as templates for open BK and Kv-channels, respectively.

Effects of Environmental Air Pollution on Pulmonary Function Level of Residents in Korean Industrial Complexes.

PubMed

Hong, Eunju; Lee, Seokwon; Kim, Geun-Bae; Kim, Tae-Jong; Kim, Hyoung-Wook; Lee, Kyoungho; Son, Bu-Soon

2018-04-24

This study aims to identify environmental air pollution adversely affecting pulmonary function among a community-based general population living in Korean industrial complexes. A total of 1963 residents participated in a pulmonary function test (PFT). The sample population consisted of an exposed group ( n = 1487) living within a radius of 5 km of industrial complexes and a control group ( n = 476) living over a radius of 10 km from the industrial complexes in Gwangyang and Yeosu cities. PFT results were calculated for each resident of the study population. On-site questionnaire surveys with face-to-face interviews were also conducted to collect more detailed information on personal lifestyles, medical history, exposure to air pollution, and respiratory disease and related symptoms. A total of 486 measured samples were collected by eight automated air-monitoring stations installed in four counties of Gwangyang and four counties of Yeosu in South Korea from January 2006 to February 2007. Mean levels of SO₂ (0.012 ppm), CO (0.648 ppm), NO₂ (0.02 ppm), O₃ (0.034 ppm), and PM 10 (43.07 μg/m³), collected within a radius of 5 km, were significantly higher than those collected over a radius of 10 km from Gwangyang and Yeosu industrial complexes. Prevalence odds ratio (OR) of abnormal pulmonary function in the exposed group of residents (<5 km) was elevated at 1.24 (95% CI 0.71⁻1.96), but not statistically significant ( p > 0.05). In multiple linear regression analysis, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) levels significantly declined as SO₂, CO, and O₃ levels increased when adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), alcohol, smoking, secondhand smoke, and respiratory disease and related symptoms ( n = 1963) ( p < 0.05). These results suggest that exposure to air pollution affects pulmonary function levels of residents living in Korean industrial complexes.

A trans-ethnic genome-wide association study identifies gender-specific loci influencing pediatric aBMD and BMC at the distal radius.

PubMed

Chesi, Alessandra; Mitchell, Jonathan A; Kalkwarf, Heidi J; Bradfield, Jonathan P; Lappe, Joan M; McCormack, Shana E; Gilsanz, Vicente; Oberfield, Sharon E; Hakonarson, Hakon; Shepherd, John A; Kelly, Andrea; Zemel, Babette S; Grant, Struan F A

2015-09-01

Childhood fractures are common, with the forearm being the most common site. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 60 loci associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in adults but less is known about genetic influences specific to bone in childhood. To identify novel genetic factors that influence pediatric bone strength at a common site for childhood fractures, we performed a sex-stratified trans-ethnic genome-wide association study of areal BMD (aBMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) Z-scores measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at the one-third distal radius, in a cohort of 1399 children without clinical abnormalities in bone health. We tested signals with P < 5 × 10(-6) for replication in an independent, same-age cohort of 486 Caucasian children. Two loci yielded a genome-wide significant combined P-value: rs7797976 within CPED1 in females [P = 2.4 × 10(-11), β =- 0.30 standard deviations (SD) per T allele; aBMD-Z] and rs7035284 at 9p21.3 in males (P = 1.2 × 10(-8), β = 0.28 SD per G allele; BMC-Z). Signals at the CPED1-WNT16-FAM3C locus have been previously associated with BMD at other skeletal sites in adults and children. Our result at the distal radius underscores the importance of this locus at multiple skeletal sites. The 9p21.3 locus is within a gene desert, with the nearest gene flanking each side being MIR31HG and MTAP, neither of which has been implicated in BMD or BMC previously. These findings suggest that genetic determinants of childhood bone accretion at the radius, a skeletal site that is primarily cortical bone, exist and also differ by sex. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Impulsive-antisocial dimension of psychopathy linked to enlargement and abnormal functional connectivity of the striatum.

PubMed

Korponay, Cole; Pujara, Maia; Deming, Philip; Philippi, Carissa; Decety, Jean; Kosson, David S; Kiehl, Kent A; Koenigs, Michael

2017-03-01

Psychopathy is a mental health disorder characterized by callous and impulsive antisocial behavior, and is associated with a high incidence of violent crime, substance abuse, and recidivism. Recent studies suggest that the striatum may be a key component of the neurobiological basis for the disorder, though structural findings have been mixed and functional connectivity of the striatum in psychopathy has yet to be fully examined. We performed a multimodal neuroimaging study of striatum volume and functional connectivity in psychopathy, using a large sample of adult male prison inmates ( N =124). We conducted volumetric analyses in striatal subnuclei, and subsequently assessed resting-state functional connectivity in areas where volume was related to psychopathy severity. Total PCL-R and Factor 2 scores (which index the impulsive/antisocial traits of psychopathy) were associated with larger striatal subnuclei volumes and increased volume in focal areas throughout the striatum, particularly in the nucleus accumbens and putamen bilaterally. Furthermore, at many of the striatal areas where volume was positively associated with Factor 2 scores, psychopathy severity was also associated with abnormal functional connectivity with other brain regions, including dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventral midbrain and other areas of the striatum. The results were not attributable to age, race, IQ, substance use history, or intracranial volume. These findings associate the impulsive/antisocial dimension of psychopathy with enlarged striatal subnuclei and aberrant functional connectivity between the striatum and other brain regions. Furthermore, the co-localization of volumetric and functional connectivity findings suggests that these neural abnormalities may be pathophysiologically linked.

Impulsive-antisocial dimension of psychopathy linked to enlargement and abnormal functional connectivity of the striatum

PubMed Central

Korponay, Cole; Pujara, Maia; Deming, Philip; Philippi, Carissa; Decety, Jean; Kosson, David S.; Kiehl, Kent A.; Koenigs, Michael

2016-01-01

Background Psychopathy is a mental health disorder characterized by callous and impulsive antisocial behavior, and is associated with a high incidence of violent crime, substance abuse, and recidivism. Recent studies suggest that the striatum may be a key component of the neurobiological basis for the disorder, though structural findings have been mixed and functional connectivity of the striatum in psychopathy has yet to be fully examined. Methods We performed a multimodal neuroimaging study of striatum volume and functional connectivity in psychopathy, using a large sample of adult male prison inmates (N=124). We conducted volumetric analyses in striatal subnuclei, and subsequently assessed resting-state functional connectivity in areas where volume was related to psychopathy severity. Results Total PCL-R and Factor 2 scores (which index the impulsive/antisocial traits of psychopathy) were associated with larger striatal subnuclei volumes and increased volume in focal areas throughout the striatum, particularly in the nucleus accumbens and putamen bilaterally. Furthermore, at many of the striatal areas where volume was positively associated with Factor 2 scores, psychopathy severity was also associated with abnormal functional connectivity with other brain regions, including dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventral midbrain and other areas of the striatum. The results were not attributable to age, race, IQ, substance use history, or intracranial volume. Conclusion These findings associate the impulsive/antisocial dimension of psychopathy with enlarged striatal subnuclei and aberrant functional connectivity between the striatum and other brain regions. Furthermore, the co-localization of volumetric and functional connectivity findings suggests that these neural abnormalities may be pathophysiologically linked. PMID:28367514

Scaling and percolation in the small-world network model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, M. E. J.; Watts, D. J.

1999-12-01

In this paper we study the small-world network model of Watts and Strogatz, which mimics some aspects of the structure of networks of social interactions. We argue that there is one nontrivial length-scale in the model, analogous to the correlation length in other systems, which is well-defined in the limit of infinite system size and which diverges continuously as the randomness in the network tends to zero, giving a normal critical point in this limit. This length-scale governs the crossover from large- to small-world behavior in the model, as well as the number of vertices in a neighborhood of given radius on the network. We derive the value of the single critical exponent controlling behavior in the critical region and the finite size scaling form for the average vertex-vertex distance on the network, and, using series expansion and Padé approximants, find an approximate analytic form for the scaling function. We calculate the effective dimension of small-world graphs and show that this dimension varies as a function of the length-scale on which it is measured, in a manner reminiscent of multifractals. We also study the problem of site percolation on small-world networks as a simple model of disease propagation, and derive an approximate expression for the percolation probability at which a giant component of connected vertices first forms (in epidemiological terms, the point at which an epidemic occurs). The typical cluster radius satisfies the expected finite size scaling form with a cluster size exponent close to that for a random graph. All our analytic results are confirmed by extensive numerical simulations of the model.

Chemically Realistic Tetrahedral Lattice Models for Polymer Chains: Application to Polyethylene Oxide.

PubMed

Dietschreit, Johannes C B; Diestler, Dennis J; Knapp, Ernst W

2016-05-10

To speed up the generation of an ensemble of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) polymer chains in solution, a tetrahedral lattice model possessing the appropriate bond angles is used. The distance between noncovalently bonded atoms is maintained at realistic values by generating chains with an enhanced degree of self-avoidance by a very efficient Monte Carlo (MC) algorithm. Potential energy parameters characterizing this lattice model are adjusted so as to mimic realistic PEO polymer chains in water simulated by molecular dynamics (MD), which serves as a benchmark. The MD data show that PEO chains have a fractal dimension of about two, in contrast to self-avoiding walk lattice models, which exhibit the fractal dimension of 1.7. The potential energy accounts for a mild hydrophobic effect (HYEF) of PEO and for a proper setting of the distribution between trans and gauche conformers. The potential energy parameters are determined by matching the Flory radius, the radius of gyration, and the fraction of trans torsion angles in the chain. A gratifying result is the excellent agreement of the pair distribution function and the angular correlation for the lattice model with the benchmark distribution. The lattice model allows for the precise computation of the torsional entropy of the chain. The generation of polymer conformations of the adjusted lattice model is at least 2 orders of magnitude more efficient than MD simulations of the PEO chain in explicit water. This method of generating chain conformations on a tetrahedral lattice can also be applied to other types of polymers with appropriate adjustment of the potential energy function. The efficient MC algorithm for generating chain conformations on a tetrahedral lattice is available for download at https://github.com/Roulattice/Roulattice .

RPBS: Rotational Projected Binary Structure for point cloud representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Bin; Zhou, Zhiwei; Ma, Tao; Hu, Fangyu; Quan, Siwen; Ma, Jie

2018-03-01

In this paper, we proposed a novel three-dimension local surface descriptor named RPBS for point cloud representation. First, points cropped form the query point within a predefined radius is regard as a local surface patch. Then pose normalization is done to the local surface to equip our descriptor with the invariance to rotation transformation. To obtain more information about the cropped surface, multi-view representation is formed by successively rotating it along the coordinate axis. Further, orthogonal projections to the three coordinate plane are adopted to construct two-dimension distribution matrixes, and binarization is applied to each matrix by following the rule that whether the grid is occupied, if yes, set the grid one, otherwise zero. We calculate the binary maps from all the viewpoints and concatenate them together as the final descriptor. Comparative experiments for evaluating our proposed descriptor is conducted on the standard dataset named Bologna with several state-of-the-art 3D descriptors, and results show that our descriptor achieves the best performance on feature matching experiments.

Analysis of the interplay among charge, hydration and shape of proteins through the modeling of their CZE mobility data.

PubMed

Piaggio, Maria V; Peirotti, Marta B; Deiber, Julio A

2009-07-01

Electrophoretic mobility data of four proteins are analyzed and interpreted through a physicochemical CZE model, which provides estimates of quantities like equivalent hydrodynamic radius (size), effective charge number, shape orientation factor, hydration, actual pK values of ionizing groups, and pH near molecule, among others. Protein friction coefficients are simulated through the creeping flow theory of prolate spheroidal particles. The modeling of the effective electrophoretic mobility of proteins requires consideration of hydrodynamic size and shape coupled to hydration and effective charge. The model proposed predicts native protein hydration within the range of values obtained experimentally from other techniques. Therefore, this model provides consistently other physicochemical properties such as average friction and diffusion coefficients and packing fractal dimension. As the pH varies from native conditions to those that are denaturing the protein, hydration and packing fractal dimension change substantially. Needs for further research are also discussed and proposed.

Morphological characterization of diesel soot agglomerates based on the Beer-Lambert law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapuerta, Magín; Martos, Francisco J.; José Expósito, Juan

2013-03-01

A new method is proposed for the determination of the number of primary particles composing soot agglomerates emitted from diesel engines as well as their individual fractal dimension. The method is based on the Beer-Lambert law and it is applied to micro-photographs taken in high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Differences in the grey levels of the images lead to a more accurate estimation of the geometry of the agglomerate (in this case radius of gyration) than other methods based exclusively on the planar projections of the agglomerates. The method was validated by applying it to different images of the same agglomerate observed from different angles of incidence, and proving that the effect of the angle of incidence is minor, contrary to other methods. Finally, the comparisons with other methods showed that the size, number of primary particles and fractal dimension (the latter depending on the particle size) are usually underestimated when only planar projections of the agglomerates are considered.

Critical Dimensions of Water-tamped Slabs and Spheres of Active Material

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Greuling, E.; Argo, H.: Chew, G.; Frankel, M. E.; Konopinski, E.J.; Marvin, C.; Teller, E.

1946-08-06

The magnitude and distribution of the fission rate per unit area produced by three energy groups of moderated neutrons reflected from a water tamper into one side of an infinite slab of active material is calculated approximately in section II. This rate is directly proportional to the current density of fast neutrons from the active material incident on the water tamper. The critical slab thickness is obtained in section III by solving an inhomogeneous transport integral equation for the fast-neutron current density into the tamper. Extensive use is made of the formulae derived in "The Mathematical Development of the End-Point Method" by Frankel and Goldberg. In section IV slight alterations in the theory outlined in sections II and III were made so that one could approximately compute the critical radius of a water-tamper sphere of active material. The derived formulae were applied to calculate the critical dimensions of water-tamped slabs and spheres of solid UF{sub 6} leaving various (25) isotope enrichment fractions. Decl. Dec. 16, 1955.

The Genetic and Environmental Sources of Resemblance Between Normative Personality and Personality Disorder Traits.

PubMed

Kendler, K S; Aggen, S H; Gillespie, Nathan; Neale, M C; Knudsen, G P; Krueger, R F; Czajkowski, Nikolai; Ystrom, Eivind; Reichborn-Kjennerud, T

2017-04-01

Recent work has suggested a high level of congruence between normative personality, most typically represented by the "big five" factors, and abnormal personality traits. In 2,293 Norwegian adult twins ascertained from a population-based registry, the authors evaluated the degree of sharing of genetic and environmental influences on normative personality, assessed by the Big Five Inventory (BFI), and personality disorder traits (PDTs), assessed by the Personality Inventory for DSM-5-Norwegian Brief Form (PID-5-NBF). For four of the five BFI dimensions, the strongest genetic correlation was observed with the expected PID-5-NBF dimension (e.g., neuroticism with negative affectivity [+], conscientiousness with disinhibition [-]). However, neuroticism, conscientiousness, and agreeableness had substantial genetic correlations with other PID-5-NBF dimensions (e.g., neuroticism with compulsivity [+], agreeableness with detachment [-]). Openness had no substantial genetic correlations with any PID-5-NBF dimension. The proportion of genetic risk factors shared in aggregate between the BFI traits and the PID-5-NBF dimensions was quite high for conscientiousness and neuroticism, relatively robust for extraversion and agreeableness, but quite low for openness. Of the six PID-5-NBF dimensions, three (negative affectivity, detachment, and disinhibition) shared, in aggregate, most of their genetic risk factors with normative personality traits. Genetic factors underlying psychoticism, antagonism, and compulsivity were shared to a lesser extent, suggesting that they are influenced by etiological factors not well indexed by the BFI.

n-dimensional isotropic Finch-Skea stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chilambwe, Brian; Hansraj, Sudan

2015-02-01

We study the impact of dimension on the physical properties of the Finch-Skea astrophysical model. It is shown that a positive definite, monotonically decreasing pressure and density are evident. A decrease in stellar radius emerges as the order of the dimension increases. This is accompanied by a corresponding increase in energy density. The model continues to display the necessary qualitative features inherent in the 4-dimensional Finch-Skea star and the conformity to the Walecka theory is preserved under dimensional increase. The causality condition is always satisfied for all dimensions considered resulting in the proposed models demonstrating a subluminal sound speed throughout the interior of the distribution. Moreover, the pressure and density decrease monotonically outwards from the centre and a pressure-free hypersurface exists demarcating the boundary of the perfect-fluid sphere. Since the study of the physical conditions is performed graphically, it is necessary to specify certain constants in the model. Reasonable values for such constants are arrived at on examining the behaviour of the model at the centre and demanding the satisfaction of all elementary conditions for physical plausibility. Finally two constants of integration are settled on matching of our solutions with the appropriate Schwarzschild-Tangherlini exterior metrics. Furthermore, the solution admits a barotropic equation of state despite the higher dimension. The compactification parameter as well as the density variation parameter are also computed. The models satisfy the weak, strong and dominant energy conditions in the interior of the stellar configuration.

Role of Genetic Factors in the Pathogenesis of Radial Deficiencies in Humans

PubMed Central

Elmakky, Amira; Stanghellini, Ilaria; Landi, Antonio; Percesepe, Antonio

2015-01-01

Radial deficiencies (RDs), defined as under/abnormal development or absence of any of the structures of the forearm, radial carpal bones and thumb, occur with a live birth incidence ranging from 1 out of 30,000 to 1 out 6,000 newborns and represent about one third/one fourth of all the congenital upper limb anomalies. About half of radial disorders have a mendelian cause and pattern of inheritance, whereas the remaining half appears sporadic with no known gene involved. In sporadic forms certain anomalies, such as thumb or radial hypoplasia, may occur either alone or in association with systemic conditions, like vertebral abnormalities or renal defects. All the cases with a mendelian inheritance are syndromic forms, which include cardiac defects (in Holt-Oram syndrome), bone marrow failure (in Fanconi anemia), platelet deficiency (in thrombocytopenia-absent-radius syndrome), ocular motility impairment (in Okihiro syndrome). The genetics of radial deficiencies is complex, characterized by genetic heterogeneity and high inter- and intra-familial clinical variability: this review will analyze the etiopathogenesis and the genotype/phenotype correlations of the main radial deficiency disorders in humans. PMID:26962299

Psychopathic traits associated with abnormal hemodynamic activity in salience and default mode networks during auditory oddball task.

PubMed

Anderson, Nathaniel E; Maurer, J Michael; Steele, Vaughn R; Kiehl, Kent A

2018-06-01

Psychopathy is a personality disorder accompanied by abnormalities in emotional processing and attention. Recent theoretical applications of network-based models of cognition have been used to explain the diverse range of abnormalities apparent in psychopathy. Still, the physiological basis for these abnormalities is not well understood. A significant body of work has examined psychopathy-related abnormalities in simple attention-based tasks, but these studies have largely been performed using electrocortical measures, such as event-related potentials (ERPs), and they often have been carried out among individuals with low levels of psychopathic traits. In this study, we examined neural activity during an auditory oddball task using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a simple auditory target detection (oddball) task among 168 incarcerated adult males, with psychopathic traits assessed via the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Event-related contrasts demonstrated that the largest psychopathy-related effects were apparent between the frequent standard stimulus condition and a task-off, implicit baseline. Negative correlations with interpersonal-affective dimensions (Factor 1) of the PCL-R were apparent in regions comprising default mode and salience networks. These findings support models of psychopathy describing impaired integration across functional networks. They additionally corroborate reports which have implicated failures of efficient transition between default mode and task-positive networks. Finally, they demonstrate a neurophysiological basis for abnormal mobilization of attention and reduced engagement with stimuli that have little motivational significance among those with high psychopathic traits.

Characterization of tumor microvascular structure and permeability: comparison between magnetic resonance imaging and intravital confocal imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reitan, Nina Kristine; Thuen, Marte; Goa, Pa˚L. Erik; de Lange Davies, Catharina

2010-05-01

Solid tumors are characterized by abnormal blood vessel organization, structure, and function. These abnormalities give rise to enhanced vascular permeability and may predict therapeutic responses. The permeability and architecture of the microvasculature in human osteosarcoma tumors growing in dorsal window chambers in athymic mice were measured by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). Dextran (40 kDa) and Gadomer were used as molecular tracers for CLSM and DCE-MRI, respectively. A significant correlation was found between permeability indicators. The extravasation rate Ki as measured by CLSM correlated positively with DCE-MRI parameters, such as the volume transfer constant Ktrans and the initial slope of the contrast agent concentration-time curve. This demonstrates that these two techniques give complementary information. Extravasation was further related to microvascular structure and was found to correlate with the fractal dimension and vascular density. The structural parameter values that were obtained from CLSM images were higher for abnormal tumor vasculature than for normal vessels.

Dynamics of catalytic tubular microjet engines: Dependence on geometry and chemical environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LiJ. X. L.; G. S. H. Contributed Equally To This Work., Jinxing; Huang, Gaoshan; Ye, Mengmeng; Li, Menglin; Liu, Ran; Mei, Yongfeng

2011-12-01

Strain-engineered tubular microjet engines with various geometric dimensions hold interesting autonomous motions in an aqueous fuel solution when propelled by catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. The catalytically-generated oxygen bubbles expelled from microtubular cavities propel the microjet step by step in discrete increments. We focus on the dynamics of our tubular microjets in one step and build up a body deformation model to elucidate the interaction between tubular microjets and the bubbles they produce. The average microjet velocity is calculated analytically based on our model and the obtained results demonstrate that the velocity of the microjet increases linearly with the concentration of hydrogen peroxide. The geometric dimensions of the microjet, such as length and radius, also influence its dynamic characteristics significantly. A close consistency between experimental and calculated results is achieved despite a small deviation due to the existence of an approximation in the model. The results presented in this work improve our understanding regarding catalytic motions of tubular microjets and demonstrate the controllability of the microjet which may have potential applications in drug delivery and biology.Strain-engineered tubular microjet engines with various geometric dimensions hold interesting autonomous motions in an aqueous fuel solution when propelled by catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. The catalytically-generated oxygen bubbles expelled from microtubular cavities propel the microjet step by step in discrete increments. We focus on the dynamics of our tubular microjets in one step and build up a body deformation model to elucidate the interaction between tubular microjets and the bubbles they produce. The average microjet velocity is calculated analytically based on our model and the obtained results demonstrate that the velocity of the microjet increases linearly with the concentration of hydrogen peroxide. The geometric dimensions of the microjet, such as length and radius, also influence its dynamic characteristics significantly. A close consistency between experimental and calculated results is achieved despite a small deviation due to the existence of an approximation in the model. The results presented in this work improve our understanding regarding catalytic motions of tubular microjets and demonstrate the controllability of the microjet which may have potential applications in drug delivery and biology. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: I. Video of the catalytic motion of a typical microjet moving in a linear way. II. Detailed numerical analyses: Reynolds number calculation, displacement of the microjet and the bubble after separation, and example of experimental velocity calculation. See DOI: 10.1039/c1nr10840a

Psychological distress, social withdrawal, and coping following receipt of an abnormal mammogram among different ethnicities: a mediation model.

PubMed

Molina, Yamile; Beresford, Shirley A A; Espinoza, Noah; Thompson, Beti

2014-09-01

To explore ethnic differences in psychological distress and social withdrawal after receiving an abnormal mammogram result and to assess if coping strategies mediate ethnic differences. Descriptive correlational. Two urban mobile mammography units and a rural community hospital in the state of Washington. 41 Latina and 41 non-Latina Caucasian (NLC) women who had received an abnormal mammogram result. Women completed standard sociodemographic questions, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, the social dimension of the Psychological Consequences Questionnaire, and the Brief COPE. Ethnicity, psychological distress, social withdrawal, and coping. Latinas experienced greater psychological distress and social withdrawal compared to NLC counterparts. Denial as a coping strategy mediated ethnic differences in psychological distress. Religious coping mediated ethnic differences in social withdrawal. Larger population-based studies are necessary to understand how ethnic differences in coping strategies can influence psychological outcomes. This is an important finding that warrants additional study among women who are and are not diagnosed with breast cancer following an abnormal mammogram. Nurses may be able to work with Latina patients to diminish denial coping and consequent distress. Nurses may be particularly effective, given cultural values concerning strong interpersonal relationships and respect for authority figures.

Emotion disrupts neural activity during selective attention in psychopathy

PubMed Central

Spielberg, Jeffrey M.; Heller, Wendy; Herrington, John D.; Engels, Anna S.; Warren, Stacie L.; Crocker, Laura D.; Sutton, Bradley P.; Miller, Gregory A.

2013-01-01

Dimensions of psychopathy are theorized to be associated with distinct cognitive and emotional abnormalities that may represent unique neurobiological risk factors for the disorder. This hypothesis was investigated by examining whether the psychopathic personality dimensions of fearless-dominance and impulsive-antisociality moderated neural activity and behavioral responses associated with selective attention and emotional processing during an emotion-word Stroop task in 49 adults. As predicted, the dimensions evidenced divergent selective-attention deficits and sensitivity to emotional distraction. Fearless-dominance was associated with disrupted attentional control to positive words, and activation in right superior frontal gyrus mediated the relationship between fearless-dominance and errors to positive words. In contrast, impulsive-antisociality evidenced increased behavioral interference to both positive and negative words and correlated positively with recruitment of regions associated with motivational salience (amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, insula), emotion regulation (temporal cortex, superior frontal gyrus) and attentional control (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex). Individuals high on both dimensions had increased recruitment of regions related to attentional control (temporal cortex, rostral anterior cingulate cortex), response preparation (pre-/post-central gyri) and motivational value (orbitofrontal cortex) in response to negative words. These findings provide evidence that the psychopathy dimensions represent dual sets of risk factors characterized by divergent dysfunction in cognitive and affective processes. PMID:22210673

Fractal dimension to classify the heart sound recordings with KNN and fuzzy c-mean clustering methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juniati, D.; Khotimah, C.; Wardani, D. E. K.; Budayasa, K.

2018-01-01

The heart abnormalities can be detected from heart sound. A heart sound can be heard directly with a stethoscope or indirectly by a phonocardiograph, a machine of the heart sound recording. This paper presents the implementation of fractal dimension theory to make a classification of phonocardiograms into a normal heart sound, a murmur, or an extrasystole. The main algorithm used to calculate the fractal dimension was Higuchi’s Algorithm. There were two steps to make a classification of phonocardiograms, feature extraction, and classification. For feature extraction, we used Discrete Wavelet Transform to decompose the signal of heart sound into several sub-bands depending on the selected level. After the decomposition process, the signal was processed using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to determine the spectral frequency. The fractal dimension of the FFT output was calculated using Higuchi Algorithm. The classification of fractal dimension of all phonocardiograms was done with KNN and Fuzzy c-mean clustering methods. Based on the research results, the best accuracy obtained was 86.17%, the feature extraction by DWT decomposition level 3 with the value of kmax 50, using 5-fold cross validation and the number of neighbors was 5 at K-NN algorithm. Meanwhile, for fuzzy c-mean clustering, the accuracy was 78.56%.

Emotion disrupts neural activity during selective attention in psychopathy.

PubMed

Sadeh, Naomi; Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Heller, Wendy; Herrington, John D; Engels, Anna S; Warren, Stacie L; Crocker, Laura D; Sutton, Bradley P; Miller, Gregory A

2013-03-01

Dimensions of psychopathy are theorized to be associated with distinct cognitive and emotional abnormalities that may represent unique neurobiological risk factors for the disorder. This hypothesis was investigated by examining whether the psychopathic personality dimensions of fearless-dominance and impulsive-antisociality moderated neural activity and behavioral responses associated with selective attention and emotional processing during an emotion-word Stroop task in 49 adults. As predicted, the dimensions evidenced divergent selective-attention deficits and sensitivity to emotional distraction. Fearless-dominance was associated with disrupted attentional control to positive words, and activation in right superior frontal gyrus mediated the relationship between fearless-dominance and errors to positive words. In contrast, impulsive-antisociality evidenced increased behavioral interference to both positive and negative words and correlated positively with recruitment of regions associated with motivational salience (amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, insula), emotion regulation (temporal cortex, superior frontal gyrus) and attentional control (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex). Individuals high on both dimensions had increased recruitment of regions related to attentional control (temporal cortex, rostral anterior cingulate cortex), response preparation (pre-/post-central gyri) and motivational value (orbitofrontal cortex) in response to negative words. These findings provide evidence that the psychopathy dimensions represent dual sets of risk factors characterized by divergent dysfunction in cognitive and affective processes.

Single-molecule spectroscopy of the unexpected collapse of an unfolded protein at low pH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, Hagen; Nettels, Daniel; Schuler, Benjamin

2013-09-01

The dimensions of intrinsically disordered and unfolded proteins critically depend on the solution conditions, such as temperature, pH, ionic strength, and osmolyte or denarurant concentration. However, a quantitative understanding of how the complex combination of chain-chain and chain-solvent interactions is affected by the solvent is still missing. Here, we take a step towards this goal by investigating the combined effect of pH and denaturants on the dimensions of an unfolded protein. We use single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy to extract the dimensions of unfolded cold shock protein (CspTm) in mixtures of the denaturants urea and guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) at neutral and acidic pH. Surprisingly, even though a change in pH from 7 to 2.9 increases the net charge of CspTm from -3.8 to +10.2, the radius of gyration of the chain is very similar under both conditions, indicating that protonation of acidic side chains at low pH results in additional hydrophobic interactions. We use a simple shared binding site model that describes the joint effect of urea and GdmCl, together with polyampholyte theory and an ion cloud model that includes the chemical free energy of counterion interactions and side chain protonation, to quantify this effect.

Characterization of self-affinity in the global regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neimark, Alexander V.

1994-11-01

Methods for characterization of self-affine surfaces and measurements of their roughness exponents H are developed. It is shown that for smoothed surfaces, which underwent particular coarse graining or averaging of the small-scale fluctuations, the excess surface area Sex and the mean square root radius of curvature ac are related by two distinct asymptotic power laws if ac is well below or well above a certain crossover scale acr. In the local regime of self-affinity, when ac<>acr, Sex~(ac/acr)-2(1-H)/(2-H). The former scaling relationship is consistent with the well known definition of local fractal dimensions dloc=dtop+1-H. The latter scaling relationship offers alternatives for characterization of self-affinity over large scales by means of excess dimensions defined as dex=dtop+2(1-H)/(2-H) and can be used for determination of roughness exponents from the measurements provided in the global regime. The thermodynamic method of fractal analysis, proposed earlier for self-similar surfaces (A.V. Neimark, Pis'ma Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 51, 535 (1990) [JETP Lett. 51, 607 (1990)]; Physica A 191, 258 (1992)), is extended for self-affine surfaces for determination of fractal dimensions and roughness exponents from adsorption and capillary experimental data.

Exploring the temperature dependence of failure mechanisms in fragmenting metal cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, David; Chapman, David; Hazell, Paul; Bland, Simon; Eakins, Daniel

2011-06-01

We present current work to investigate the influence of temperature on the dynamic fragmentation of metals. Pre-heated/cooled cylinders of Ti-6Al-4V were subjected to rapid radial expansion up to and past the point of failure using a modified expanding insert method on a single stage gas gun. Additional experiments were performed using an electromagnetic drive system to produce uniform deformations on targets of differing dimensions (radius, wall thickness). Issues concerning the geometry of the experiments, methods of heating and cooling the sample and diagnostics are covered. Finally, the role of temperature on adiabatic shear banding and fragment distribution statistics is discussed.

AGARD Flight Test Instrumentation Series. Volume 15. Gyroscopic Instruments and Their Application to Flight Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

center of gravity, Eq. (J.Z.,5)r [in radius of light been, Eq. (3.5.1) r aplitude of baCkscattere•d light with respect to incident light of a mirror , Eq...output, see Eq. (3.5.9)). High quality sensors are being4 built using three or more mirrors within a linear dimension of 10 co. At the present time...Fig. 3.5.1, showed an effect. The SRI shown in fjt.ýj consists of a light source (LS). a beam splitter (8S). three fully re- flecting; mirrors ,. M1I.iF

On the fractal morphology of combustion-generated soot aggregates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koylu, U.O.

1995-12-31

The fractal properties of soot aggregates were investigated using ex-situ and in-situ experimental methods as well as computer simulations. Ex-situ experiments involved thermophoretic sampling and analysis by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while in-situ measurements employed angular static light scattering and data inversion based on Rayleigh-Debye-Gans (RDG) approximation. Computer simulations used a sequential algorithm which mimics mass fractal-like structures. So from a variety of hydrocarbon-fueled laminar and turbulent nonpremixed flame environments were considered in the present study. The TEM analysis of projected soot images sampled from fuel-rich conditions of buoyant and weakly-buoyant laminar flames indicated that the fractal dimension of sootmore » was relatively independent of position in flames, fuel type and flame condition. These measurements yielded an average fractal dimension of 1.8, although other structure parameters such as the primary particle diameters and number of primary particles in aggregates had wide range of values. Fractal prefactor (lacunarity) was also measured for soot sampled from the fuel-lean conditions of turbulent flames, considering the actual morphology by tilting the samples during TEM analysis. These measurements yielded a fractal dimension of 1.65 and a lacunarity of 8.5, with experimental uncertainties (95% confidence) of 0.08 and 0.5, respectively. Relationships between the actual and projected structure properties of soot were also developed by combining TEM observations with numerical simulations. Practical approximate formulae were suggested to find radius of gyration of an aggregate from its maximum dimension, and number of primary particles in an aggregate from projected area. Finally, the fractal dimension and lacunarity of soot were obtained using light scattering for the same conditions of the above TEM measurements.« less

NMR ({sup 1}H and {sup 13}C) based signatures of abnormal choline metabolism in oral squamous cell carcinoma with no prominent Warburg effect

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bag, Swarnendu, E-mail: Swarna.bag@gmail.com; Banerjee, Deb Ranjan, E-mail: debranjan2@gmail.com; Basak, Amit, E-mail: absk@chem.iitkgp.ernet.in

At functional levels, besides genes and proteins, changes in metabolome profiles are instructive for a biological system in health and disease including malignancy. It is understood that metabolomic alterations in association with proteomic and transcriptomic aberrations are very fundamental to unravel malignant micro-ambient criticality and oral cancer is no exception. Hence deciphering intricate dimensions of oral cancer metabolism may be contributory both for integrated appreciation of its pathogenesis and to identify any critical but yet unexplored dimension of this malignancy with high mortality rate. Although several methods do exist, NMR provides higher analytical precision in identification of cancer metabolomic signature.more » Present study explored abnormal signatures in choline metabolism in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) using {sup 1}H and {sup 13}C NMR analysis of serum. It has demonstrated down-regulation of choline with concomitant up-regulation of its break-down product in the form of trimethylamine N-oxide in OSCC compared to normal counterpart. Further, no significant change in lactate profile in OSCC possibly indicated that well-known Warburg effect was not a prominent phenomenon in such malignancy. Amongst other important metabolites, malonate has shown up-regulation but D-glucose, saturated fatty acids, acetate and threonine did not show any significant change. Analyzing these metabolomic findings present study proposed trimethyl amine N-oxide and malonate as important metabolic signature for oral cancer with no prominent Warburg effect. - Highlights: • NMR ({sup 1}H and {sup 13}C) study of Oral Squamous cell Carcinoma Serum. • Abnormal Choline metabolomic signatures. • Up-regulation of Trimethylamine N-oxide. • Unchanged lactate profile indicates no prominent Warburg effect. • Proposed alternative glucose metabolism path through up-regulation of malonate.« less

Effective pore size and radius of capture for K+ ions in K-channels

PubMed Central

Moldenhauer, Hans; Díaz-Franulic, Ignacio; González-Nilo, Fernando; Naranjo, David

2016-01-01

Reconciling protein functional data with crystal structure is arduous because rare conformations or crystallization artifacts occur. Here we present a tool to validate the dimensions of open pore structures of potassium-selective ion channels. We used freely available algorithms to calculate the molecular contour of the pore to determine the effective internal pore radius (rE) in several K-channel crystal structures. rE was operationally defined as the radius of the biggest sphere able to enter the pore from the cytosolic side. We obtained consistent rE estimates for MthK and Kv1.2/2.1 structures, with rE = 5.3–5.9 Å and rE = 4.5–5.2 Å, respectively. We compared these structural estimates with functional assessments of the internal mouth radii of capture (rC) for two electrophysiological counterparts, the large conductance calcium activated K-channel (rC = 2.2 Å) and the Shaker Kv-channel (rC = 0.8 Å), for MthK and Kv1.2/2.1 structures, respectively. Calculating the difference between rE and rC, produced consistent size radii of 3.1–3.7 Å and 3.6–4.4 Å for hydrated K+ ions. These hydrated K+ estimates harmonize with others obtained with diverse experimental and theoretical methods. Thus, these findings validate MthK and the Kv1.2/2.1 structures as templates for open BK and Kv-channels, respectively. PMID:26831782

Influence of an anomalous dimension effect on thermal instability in amorphous-InGaZnO thin-film transistors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Kuan-Hsien; Chou, Wu-Ching, E-mail: tcchang3708@gmail.com, E-mail: wuchingchou@mail.nctu.edu.tw; Chang, Ting-Chang, E-mail: tcchang3708@gmail.com, E-mail: wuchingchou@mail.nctu.edu.tw

2014-10-21

This paper investigates abnormal dimension-dependent thermal instability in amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors. Device dimension should theoretically have no effects on threshold voltage, except for in short channel devices. Unlike short channel drain-induced source barrier lowering effect, threshold voltage increases with increasing drain voltage. Furthermore, for devices with either a relatively large channel width or a short channel length, the output drain current decreases instead of saturating with an increase in drain voltage. Moreover, the wider the channel and the shorter the channel length, the larger the threshold voltage and output on-state current degradation that is observed. Because of themore » surrounding oxide and other thermal insulating material and the low thermal conductivity of the IGZO layer, the self-heating effect will be pronounced in wider/shorter channel length devices and those with a larger operating drain bias. To further clarify the physical mechanism, fast I{sub D}-V{sub G} and modulated peak/base pulse time I{sub D}-V{sub D} measurements are utilized to demonstrate the self-heating induced anomalous dimension-dependent threshold voltage variation and on-state current degradation.« less

Precursor or Sequela: Pathological Disorders in People with Internet Addiction Disorder

PubMed Central

Dong, Guangheng; Lu, Qilin; Zhou, Hui; Zhao, Xuan

2011-01-01

Background This study aimed to evaluate the roles of pathological disorders in Internet addiction disorder and identify the pathological problems in IAD, as well as explore the mental status of Internet addicts prior to addiction, including the pathological traits that may trigger Internet addiction disorder. Methods and Findings 59 students were measured by Symptom CheckList-90 before and after they became addicted to the Internet. A comparison of collected data from Symptom Checklist-90 before Internet addiction and the data collected after Internet addiction illustrated the roles of pathological disorders among people with Internet addiction disorder. The obsessive-compulsive dimension was found abnormal before they became addicted to the Internet. After their addiction, significantly higher scores were observed for dimensions on depression, anxiety, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, and psychoticism, suggesting that these were outcomes of Internet addiction disorder. Dimensions on somatisation, paranoid ideation, and phobic anxiety did not change during the study period, signifying that these dimensions are not related to Internet addiction disorder. Conclusions We can not find a solid pathological predictor for Internet addiction disorder. Internet addiction disorder may bring some pathological problems to the addicts in some ways. PMID:21358822

Detecting early functional damage in glaucoma suspect and ocular hypertensive patients with the multifocal VEP technique.

PubMed

Thienprasiddhi, Phamornsak; Greenstein, Vivienne C; Chu, David H; Xu, Li; Liebmann, Jeffrey M; Ritch, Robert; Hood, Donald C

2006-08-01

To determine whether the multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) technique can detect early functional damage in ocular hypertensive (OHT) and glaucoma suspect (GS) patients with normal standard achromatic automated perimetry (SAP) results. Twenty-five GS patients (25 eyes), 25 patients with OHT (25 eyes), and 50 normal controls (50 eyes) were enrolled in this study. All GS, OHT and normal control eyes had normal SAP as defined by a pattern standard deviation and mean deviation within the 95% confidence interval and a glaucoma hemifield test within normal limits on the Humphrey visual field 24-2 program. Eyes with GS had optic disc changes consistent with glaucoma with or without raised intraocular pressure (IOP), and eyes with OHT showed no evidence of glaucomatous optic neuropathy and IOPs >or=22 mm Hg. Monocular mfVEPs were obtained from both eyes of each subject using a pattern-reversal dartboard array with 60 sectors. The entire display had a radius of 22.3 degrees. The mfVEPs, for each eye, were defined as abnormal when either the monocular or interocular probability plot had a cluster of 3 or more contiguous points with P<0.05 and at least 2 of these points with P<0.01. The mfVEP results were abnormal in 4% of the eyes from normal subjects. Abnormal mfVEPs were detected in 20% of the eyes of GS patients and 16% of the eyes of OHT patients. Significantly more mfVEP abnormalities were detected in GS patients than in normal controls. However, there was no significant difference in mfVEP results between OHT patients and normal controls. The mfVEP technique can detect visual field deficits in a minority of eyes with glaucomatous optic disks and normal SAP results.

A systematic comparison of two-equation Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence models applied to shock-cloud interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodson, Matthew D.; Heitsch, Fabian; Eklund, Karl; Williams, Virginia A.

2017-07-01

Turbulence models attempt to account for unresolved dynamics and diffusion in hydrodynamical simulations. We develop a common framework for two-equation Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence models, and we implement six models in the athena code. We verify each implementation with the standard subsonic mixing layer, although the level of agreement depends on the definition of the mixing layer width. We then test the validity of each model into the supersonic regime, showing that compressibility corrections can improve agreement with experiment. For models with buoyancy effects, we also verify our implementation via the growth of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a stratified medium. The models are then applied to the ubiquitous astrophysical shock-cloud interaction in three dimensions. We focus on the mixing of shock and cloud material, comparing results from turbulence models to high-resolution simulations (up to 200 cells per cloud radius) and ensemble-averaged simulations. We find that the turbulence models lead to increased spreading and mixing of the cloud, although no two models predict the same result. Increased mixing is also observed in inviscid simulations at resolutions greater than 100 cells per radius, which suggests that the turbulent mixing begins to be resolved.

On the generalized wormhole in the Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamang, Amarjit; Potapov, Alexander A.; Lukmanova, Regina; Izmailov, Ramil; Nandi, Kamal K.

2015-12-01

In this paper, we wish to investigate certain observable effects in the recently obtained wormhole solution of the Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld (EiBI) theory, which generalizes the zero-mass Ellis-Bronnikov wormhole of general relativity. The solutions of EiBI theory contain an extra parameter κ having the inverse dimension of the cosmological constant Λ, and which is expected to modify various general relativistic observables such as the masses of wormhole mouths, tidal forces and light deflection. A remarkable result is that a non-zero κ could prevent the tidal forces in the geodesic orthonormal frame from becoming arbitrarily large near a small throat radius ({r}0˜ 0) contrary to what happens near a small Schwarzschild horizon radius (M˜ 0). The role of κ in the flare-out and energy conditions is also analyzed, which reveals that the energy conditions are violated. We show that the exotic matter in the EiBI wormhole cannot be interpreted as a phantom (ω =\\frac{{p}{{r}}}{ρ }\\lt -1) or ghost field ϕ of general relativity due to the fact that both ρ and p r are negative for all κ.

Performance Analysis of Local Ensemble Kalman Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Xin T.

2018-03-01

Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is an important data assimilation method for high-dimensional geophysical systems. Efficient implementation of EnKF in practice often involves the localization technique, which updates each component using only information within a local radius. This paper rigorously analyzes the local EnKF (LEnKF) for linear systems and shows that the filter error can be dominated by the ensemble covariance, as long as (1) the sample size exceeds the logarithmic of state dimension and a constant that depends only on the local radius; (2) the forecast covariance matrix admits a stable localized structure. In particular, this indicates that with small system and observation noises, the filter error will be accurate in long time even if the initialization is not. The analysis also reveals an intrinsic inconsistency caused by the localization technique, and a stable localized structure is necessary to control this inconsistency. While this structure is usually taken for granted for the operation of LEnKF, it can also be rigorously proved for linear systems with sparse local observations and weak local interactions. These theoretical results are also validated by numerical implementation of LEnKF on a simple stochastic turbulence in two dynamical regimes.

Theoretical assessment of the maximum obtainable power in wireless power transfer constrained by human body exposure limits in a typical room scenario.

PubMed

Chen, Xi Lin; De Santis, Valerio; Umenei, Aghuinyue Esai

2014-07-07

In this study, the maximum received power obtainable through wireless power transfer (WPT) by a small receiver (Rx) coil from a relatively large transmitter (Tx) coil is numerically estimated in the frequency range from 100 kHz to 10 MHz based on human body exposure limits. Analytical calculations were first conducted to determine the worst-case coupling between a homogeneous cylindrical phantom with a radius of 0.65 m and a Tx coil positioned 0.1 m away with the radius ranging from 0.25 to 2.5 m. Subsequently, three high-resolution anatomical models were employed to compute the peak induced field intensities with respect to various Tx coil locations and dimensions. Based on the computational results, scaling factors which correlate the cylindrical phantom and anatomical model results were derived. Next, the optimal operating frequency, at which the highest transmitter source power can be utilized without exceeding the exposure limits, is found to be around 2 MHz. Finally, a formulation is proposed to estimate the maximum obtainable power of WPT in a typical room scenario while adhering to the human body exposure compliance mandates.

Dynamical behavior and Jacobi stability analysis of wound strings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lake, Matthew J.; Harko, Tiberiu

2016-06-01

We numerically solve the equations of motion (EOM) for two models of circular cosmic string loops with windings in a simply connected internal space. Since the windings cannot be topologically stabilized, stability must be achieved (if at all) dynamically. As toy models for realistic compactifications, we consider windings on a small section of mathbb {R}^2, which is valid as an approximation to any simply connected internal manifold if the winding radius is sufficiently small, and windings on an S^2 of constant radius mathcal {R}. We then use Kosambi-Cartan-Chern (KCC) theory to analyze the Jacobi stability of the string equations and determine bounds on the physical parameters that ensure dynamical stability of the windings. We find that, for the same initial conditions, the curvature and topology of the internal space have nontrivial effects on the microscopic behavior of the string in the higher dimensions, but that the macroscopic behavior is remarkably insensitive to the details of the motion in the compact space. This suggests that higher-dimensional signatures may be extremely difficult to detect in the effective (3+1)-dimensional dynamics of strings compactified on an internal space, even if configurations with nontrivial windings persist over long time periods.

Theoretical assessment of the maximum obtainable power in wireless power transfer constrained by human body exposure limits in a typical room scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xi Lin; De Santis, Valerio; Esai Umenei, Aghuinyue

2014-07-01

In this study, the maximum received power obtainable through wireless power transfer (WPT) by a small receiver (Rx) coil from a relatively large transmitter (Tx) coil is numerically estimated in the frequency range from 100 kHz to 10 MHz based on human body exposure limits. Analytical calculations were first conducted to determine the worst-case coupling between a homogeneous cylindrical phantom with a radius of 0.65 m and a Tx coil positioned 0.1 m away with the radius ranging from 0.25 to 2.5 m. Subsequently, three high-resolution anatomical models were employed to compute the peak induced field intensities with respect to various Tx coil locations and dimensions. Based on the computational results, scaling factors which correlate the cylindrical phantom and anatomical model results were derived. Next, the optimal operating frequency, at which the highest transmitter source power can be utilized without exceeding the exposure limits, is found to be around 2 MHz. Finally, a formulation is proposed to estimate the maximum obtainable power of WPT in a typical room scenario while adhering to the human body exposure compliance mandates.

Quantitative analysis of nailfold capillary morphology in patients with fibromyalgia

PubMed Central

Choi, Dug-Hyun

2015-01-01

Background/Aims Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) has been used to examine morphological and functional microcirculation changes in connective tissue diseases. It has been demonstrated that NFC patterns reflect abnormal microvascular dynamics, which may play a role in fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine NFC patterns in FM, and their association with clinical features of FM. Methods A total of 67 patients with FM, and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, were included. Nailfold capillary patterns were quantitatively analyzed using computerized NFC. The parameters of interest were as follows: number of capillaries within the central 3 mm, deletion score, apical limb width, capillary width, and capillary dimension. Capillary dimension was determined by calculating the number of capillaries using the Adobe Photoshop version 7.0. Results FM patients had a lower number of capillaries and higher deletion scores on NFC compared to healthy controls (17.3 ± 1.7 vs. 21.8 ± 2.9, p < 0.05; 2.2 ± 0.9 vs. 0.7 ± 0.6, p < 0.05, respectively). Both apical limb width (µm) and capillary width (µm) were significantly decreased in FM patients (1.1 ± 0.2 vs. 3.7 ± 0.6; 5.4 ± 0.5 vs. 7.5 ± 1.4, respectively), indicating that FM patients have abnormally decreased digital capillary diameter and density. Interestingly, there was no difference in capillary dimension between the two groups, suggesting that the length or tortuosity of capillaries in FM patients is increased to compensate for diminished microcirculation. Conclusions FM patients had altered capillary density and diameter in the digits. Diminished microcirculation on NFC may alter capillary density and increase tortuosity. PMID:26161020

An efficient sampling algorithm for uncertain abnormal data detection in biomedical image processing and disease prediction.

PubMed

Liu, Fei; Zhang, Xi; Jia, Yan

2015-01-01

In this paper, we propose a computer information processing algorithm that can be used for biomedical image processing and disease prediction. A biomedical image is considered a data object in a multi-dimensional space. Each dimension is a feature that can be used for disease diagnosis. We introduce a new concept of the top (k1,k2) outlier. It can be used to detect abnormal data objects in the multi-dimensional space. This technique focuses on uncertain space, where each data object has several possible instances with distinct probabilities. We design an efficient sampling algorithm for the top (k1,k2) outlier in uncertain space. Some improvement techniques are used for acceleration. Experiments show our methods' high accuracy and high efficiency.

Abnormal Size-Dependent Modulation of Motion Perception in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

PubMed

Sysoeva, Olga V; Galuta, Ilia A; Davletshina, Maria S; Orekhova, Elena V; Stroganova, Tatiana A

2017-01-01

Excitation/Inhibition (E/I) imbalance in neural networks is now considered among the core neural underpinnings of autism psychopathology. In motion perception at least two phenomena critically depend on E/I balance in visual cortex: spatial suppression (SS), and spatial facilitation (SF) corresponding to impoverished or improved motion perception with increasing stimuli size, respectively. While SS is dominant at high contrast, SF is evident for low contrast stimuli, due to the prevalence of inhibitory contextual modulations in the former, and excitatory ones in the latter case. Only one previous study (Foss-Feig et al., 2013) investigated SS and SF in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Our study aimed to replicate previous findings, and to explore the putative contribution of deficient inhibitory influences into an enhanced SF index in ASD-a cornerstone for interpretation proposed by Foss-Feig et al. (2013). The SS and SF were examined in 40 boys with ASD, broad spectrum of intellectual abilities (63 < IQ < 127) and 44 typically developing (TD) boys, aged 6-15 years. The stimuli of small (1°) and large (12°) radius were presented under high (100%) and low (1%) contrast conditions. Social Responsiveness Scale and Sensory Profile Questionnaire were used to assess the autism severity and sensory processing abnormalities. We found that the SS index was atypically reduced, while SF index abnormally enhanced in children with ASD. The presence of abnormally enhanced SF in children with ASD was the only consistent finding between our study and that of Foss-Feig et al. While the SS and SF indexes were strongly interrelated in TD participants, this correlation was absent in their peers with ASD. In addition, the SF index but not the SS index correlated with the severity of autism and the poor registration abilities. The pattern of results is partially consistent with the idea of hypofunctional inhibitory transmission in visual areas in ASD. Nonetheless, the absence of correlation between SF and SS indexes paired with a strong direct link between abnormally enhanced SF and autism symptoms in our ASD sample emphasizes the role of the enhanced excitatory influences by themselves in the observed abnormalities in low-level visual phenomena found in ASD.

The continuous spin representations of the Poincare and super-Poincare groups and their construction by the Inonu-Wigner group contraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Abu M. A. S.

We study the continuous spin representation (CSR) of the Poincare group in arbitrary dimensions. In d dimensions, the CSRs are characterized by the length of the light-cone vector and the Dynkin labels of the SO(d-3) short little group which leaves the light-cone vector invariant. In addition to these, a solid angle Od-3 which specifies the direction of the light-cone vector is also required to label the states. We also find supersymmetric generalizations of the CSRs. In four dimensions, the supermultiplet contains one bosonic and one fermionic CSRs which transform into each other under the action of the supercharges. In a five dimensional case, the supermultiplet contains two bosonic and two fermionic CSRs which is like N = 2 supersymmetry in four dimensions. When constructed using Grassmann parameters, the light-cone vector becomes nilpotent. This makes the representation finite dimensional, but at the expense of introducing central charges even though the representation is massless. This leads to zero or negative norm states. The nilpotent constructions are valid only for even dimensions. We also show how the CSRs in four dimensions can be obtained from five dimensions by the combinations of Kaluza-Klein (KK) dimensional reduction and the Inonu-Wigner group contraction. The group contraction is a singular transformation. We show that the group contraction is equivalent to imposing periodic boundary condition along one direction and taking a double singular limit. In this form the contraction parameter is interpreted as the inverse KK radius. We apply this technique to both five dimensional regular massless and massive representations. For the regular massless case, we find that the contraction gives the CSR in four dimensions under a double singular limit and the representation wavefunction is the Bessel function. For the massive case, we use Majorana's infinite component theory as a model for the SO(4) little group. In this case, a triple singular limit is required to yield any CSR in four dimensions. The representation wavefunction is the Bessel function, as expected, but the scale factor is not the length of the light-cone vector. The amplitude and the scale factor are implicit functions of the parameter y which is a ratio of the internal and external coordinates. We also state under what conditions our solutions become identical to Wigner's solution.

Porosity of the Marcellus Shale: A contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bahadur, Jitendra; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Pipich, Vitaliy; Sakurovs, Richard; Melnichenko, Yuri B.

2018-01-01

Neutron scattering techniques were used to determine the effect of mineral matter on the accessibility of water and toluene to pores in the Devonian Marcellus Shale. Three Marcellus Shale samples, representing quartz-rich, clay-rich, and carbonate-rich facies, were examined using contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering (CM-SANS) at ambient pressure and temperature. Contrast matching compositions of H2O, D2O and toluene, deuterated toluene were used to probe open and closed pores of these three shale samples. Results show that although the mean pore radius was approximately the same for all three samples, the fractal dimension of the quartz-rich sample was higher than for the clay-rich and carbonate-rich samples, indicating different pore size distributions among the samples. The number density of pores was highest in the clay-rich sample and lowest in the quartz-rich sample. Contrast matching with water and toluene mixtures shows that the accessibility of pores to water and toluene also varied among the samples. In general, water accessed approximately 70–80% of the larger pores (>80 nm radius) in all three samples. At smaller pore sizes (~5–80 nm radius), the fraction of accessible pores decreases. The lowest accessibility to both fluids is at pore throat size of ~25 nm radii with the quartz-rich sample exhibiting lower accessibility than the clay- and carbonate-rich samples. The mechanism for this behaviour is unclear, but because the mineralogy of the three samples varies, it is likely that the inaccessible pores in this size range are associated with organics and not a specific mineral within the samples. At even smaller pore sizes (~<2.5 nm radius), in all samples, the fraction of accessible pores to water increases again to approximately 70–80%. Accessibility to toluene generally follows that of water; however, in the smallest pores (~<2.5 nm radius), accessibility to toluene decreases, especially in the clay-rich sample which contains about 30% more closed pores than the quartz- and carbonate-rich samples. Results from this study show that mineralogy of producing intervals within a shale reservoir can affect accessibility of pores to water and toluene and these mineralogic differences may affect hydrocarbon storage and production and hydraulic fracturing characteristics

Dwarf planet Ceres: Ellipsoid dimensions and rotational pole from Keck and VLT adaptive optics images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drummond, J. D.; Carry, B.; Merline, W. J.; Dumas, C.; Hammel, H.; Erard, S.; Conrad, A.; Tamblyn, P.; Chapman, C. R.

2014-07-01

The dwarf planet (1) Ceres, the largest object between Mars and Jupiter, is the target of the NASA Dawn mission, and we seek a comprehensive description of the spin-axis orientation and dimensions of Ceres in order to support the early science operations at the rendezvous in 2015. We have obtained high-angular resolution images using adaptive optics cameras at the W.M. Keck Observatory and the ESO VLT over ten dates between 2001 and 2010, confirming that the shape of Ceres is well described by an oblate spheroid. We derive equatorial and polar diameters of 967 ± 10 km and 892 ± 10 km, respectively, for a model that includes fading of brightness towards the terminator, presumably linked to limb darkening. These dimensions lie between values derived from a previous analysis of a subset of these images obtained at Keck by Carry et al. (Carry et al. [2008]. Astron. Astrophys. 478 (4), 235-244) and a study of Hubble Space Telescope observations (Thomas et al. [2005]. Nature 437, 224-226). Although the dimensions are 1-2% smaller than those found from the HST, the oblateness is similar. We find the spin-vector coordinates of Ceres to lie at (287°, +64°) in equatorial EQJ2000 reference frame (346°, +82° in ecliptic ECJ2000 coordinates), yielding a small obliquity of 3°. While this is in agreement with the aforementioned studies, we have improved the accuracy of the pole determination, which we set at a 3° radius.

Three-dimension finite-element analyses of multiple electrodes bipolar RF global endometrial ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Tao; Panhao, Tang; Xiao, Jiahua

2015-03-01

Radio-frequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure to thermally ablate the targeted diseased tissue. There have been many finite-element method (FEM) studies of cardiac and hepatic RFA, but hardly find any FEM study on endometrial ablation for abnormal uterine bleeding. In this paper, a FEM model was generated to analyze the temperature distribution of bipolar RF global endometrial ablation with three pairs of bipolar electrodes placed at the perimeter of the uterine cavity. COMSOL was utilized to calculate the RF electric fields and temperature fields by numerically solving the bioheat equation in the triangle uterine cavity range. The 55°C isothermal surfaces show the shape of the ablation dimensions (depth and width), which reasonably matched the experimental results.

Temperament and substance abuse in schizophrenia: is there a relationship?

PubMed

Van Ammers, E C; Sellman, J D; Mulder, R T

1997-05-01

The influence of temperament on substance abuse in schizophrenia is poorly understood, whereas it is known to play an important role in other clinical populations. In a sample of 28 male schizophrenics, Cloninger's dimensions of temperament were measured with the use of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). Levels of four commonly used substances were recorded. There was a significant correlation between the novelty-seeking dimension and past use of alcohol, cannabis, and caffeine and current use of caffeine and nicotine. There was no relationship between substance use and clinical symptoms or demographic variables. The possible implications of abnormal mean TPQ scores in the sample as well as a weak correlation between symptom patterns and TPQ scores are discussed. The findings suggest that novelty-seeking type behaviors contribute to substance use in schizophrenia.

Exact ∇4ℛ4 couplings and helicity supertraces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bossard, Guillaume; Pioline, Boris

2017-01-01

In type II string theory compactified on a d-dimensional torus T d down to D = 10- ddimensions,the ℛ4 and ∇4ℛ4 four-gravitoncouplingsareknownexactly,forall values of the moduli, in terms of certain Eisenstein series of the U-duality group E d ( ℤ). In the limit where one circle in the torus becomes large, these couplings are expected to reduce to their counterpart in dimension D +1, plus threshold effects and exponentially suppressed corrections corresponding to BPS black holes in dimension D + 1 whose worldline winds around the circle. By combining the weak coupling and large radius limits, we determine these exponentially suppressed corrections exactly, and demonstrate that the contributions of 1/4-BPS black holes to the ∇4ℛ4 coupling are proportional to the appropriate helicity supertrace. Mathematically, our results provide the complete Fourier expansion of the next-to-minimal theta series of E d + 1( ℤ) with respect to the maximal parabolic subgroup with Levi component E d for d ≤ 6, and the complete Abelian part of the Fourier expansion of the same for d = 7.

Numerical Analysis of Heat Transfer During Quenching Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madireddi, Sowjanya; Krishnan, Krishnan Nambudiripad; Reddy, Ammana Satyanarayana

2018-04-01

A numerical model is developed to simulate the immersion quenching process of metals. The time of quench plays an important role if the process involves a defined step quenching schedule to obtain the desired characteristics. Lumped heat capacity analysis used for this purpose requires the value of heat transfer coefficient, whose evaluation requires large experimental data. Experimentation on a sample work piece may not represent the actual component which may vary in dimension. A Fluid-Structure interaction technique with a coupled interface between the solid (metal) and liquid (quenchant) is used for the simulations. Initial times of quenching shows boiling heat transfer phenomenon with high values of heat transfer coefficients (5000-2.5 × 105 W/m2K). Shape of the work piece with equal dimension shows less influence on the cooling rate Non-uniformity in hardness at the sharp corners can be reduced by rounding off the edges. For a square piece of 20 mm thickness, with 3 mm fillet radius, this difference is reduced by 73 %. The model can be used for any metal-quenchant combination to obtain time-temperature data without the necessity of experimentation.

Symmetry of the gradient profile as second experimental dimension in the short-time expansion of the apparent diffusion coefficient as measured with NMR diffusometry.

PubMed

Laun, Frederik Bernd; Kuder, Tristan Anselm; Zong, Fangrong; Hertel, Stefan; Galvosas, Petrik

2015-10-01

The time-dependent apparent diffusion coefficient as measured by pulsed gradient NMR can be used to estimate parameters of porous structures including the surface-to-volume ratio and the mean curvature of pores. In this work, the short-time diffusion limit and in particular the influence of the temporal profile of diffusion gradients on the expansion as proposed by Mitra et al. (1993) is investigated. It is shown that flow-compensated waveforms, i.e. those whose first moment is zero, are blind to the term linear in observation time, which is the term that is proportional to mean curvature and surface permeability. A gradient waveform that smoothly interpolates between flow-compensated and bipolar waveform is proposed and the degree of flow-compensation is used as a second experimental dimension. This two-dimensional ansatz is shown to yield an improved precision when characterizing the confining domain. This technique is demonstrated with simulations and in experiments performed with cylindrical capillaries of 100 μm radius. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantum gravity in three dimensions, Witten spinors and the quantisation of length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieland, Wolfgang

2018-05-01

In this paper, I investigate the quantisation of length in euclidean quantum gravity in three dimensions. The starting point is the classical hamiltonian formalism in a cylinder of finite radius. At this finite boundary, a counter term is introduced that couples the gravitational field in the interior to a two-dimensional conformal field theory for an SU (2) boundary spinor, whose norm determines the conformal factor between the fiducial boundary metric and the physical metric in the bulk. The equations of motion for this boundary spinor are derived from the boundary action and turn out to be the two-dimensional analogue of the Witten equations appearing in Witten's proof of the positive mass theorem. The paper concludes with some comments on the resulting quantum theory. It is shown, in particular, that the length of a one-dimensional cross section of the boundary turns into a number operator on the Fock space of the theory. The spectrum of this operator is discrete and matches the results from loop quantum gravity in the spin network representation.

CARDIAC STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL ABNORMALITIES IN FEMALES WITH UNTREATED HYPOPITUITARISM DUE TO SHEEHAN SYNDROME: RESPONSE TO HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY.

PubMed

Laway, Bashir Ahmad; Ramzan, Mahroosa; Allai, Mohd Sultan; Wani, Arshad Iqbal; Misgar, Raiz Ahmad

2016-09-01

Data on cardiac abnormalities in females with untreated hypopituitarism are limited. We investigated echocardiographic abnormalities in females with untreated hypopituitarism and their response to treatment. Twenty-three females with treatment-naïve hypopituitarism and 30 matched healthy controls were evaluated for cardiac structure and function. Echocardiographic evaluation was done at presentation and after achieving a euthyroid and eucortisol state. Fourteen (61%) patients had mitral regurgitation, and 11 (48%) had pericardial effusion as against none among controls. Indices of left ventricular (LV) size like LV end diastolic dimension (LVEDD; 44.5 ± 3.5 mm in cases vs. 47.6 ± 3.8 mm in controls, P = .004), and LV diastolic volume (LVEDV; 91.8 ± 18.0 mL versus 106.5 ± 20.4 mL, P = .009) were significantly lower in the SS group compared with controls. LV mass (LVM) was 70.8 ± 19.2 g in cases and 108.0 ± 33.2 g in controls (P = .02). Similarly, indices of LV systolic function like stroke volume (SV; 59.1 ± 12.0 mL in cases and 74.4 ± 15.8 mL in controls; P = .000), ejection fraction (EF; 64.3 ± 6.2 % in cases against 69.9 ± 9.2 % in controls; P = .03), and fractional shortening (FS; 34.9 ± 4.7% versus 40.1 ± 4.4%, P = .000) were significantly decreased in patients compared with controls. Cardiac abnormalities normalized with restoration of a euthyroid and eucortisol state. Pericardial effusion, mitral regurgitation, and diminished LVM are common in females with untreated hypopituitarism. ACTH = adrenocorticotrophic hormone BMI = body mass index DT = deceleration time EDV = end-diastolic volume EF = ejection fraction FS = fractional shortening GH = growth hormone IGF-1 = insulin growth factor-1 ITT = insulin tolerance test IVSd = interventricular septal diameter LH = luteinizing hormone LV = left ventricular LVEDD = LV end diastolic dimension LVEDV = LV end diastolic volume LVM = LV mass MRI = magnetic resonance imaging MVP = mitral value prolapse PPH = postpartum hemorrhage PWd = posterior wall diameter SS = Sheehan syndrome SV = stroke volume T3 = triiodothyronine T4 = thyroxine TSH = thyroid-stimulating hormone.

Differential photoelectric charging of nonconducting surfaces in space. [on sunlit strip

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pelizzari, M. A.; Criswell, D. R.

1978-01-01

The photoelectric charging caused by an infinitely long strip of sunlight across a nonconducting plane is studied by use of a model which contains an electrical cutoff radius, and the results of numerical calculations are presented. The model simulates charging of a sunlit area with dimensions equal to the strip's width, exposed to a plasma with a comparatively large Debye length. Uniform potential is quickly established on a uniformly sunlit strip as a result of charge redistribution by low-energy photoelectrons. The results are in accord with a theoretical surface conductivity derived for photoelectron sheaths above highly charged sunlit areas. The surface potential, which drops sharply across the sunlight-shadow boundary, is discussed.

Fast variability of tera-electron volt gamma rays from the radio galaxy M87.

PubMed

Aharonian, F; Akhperjanian, A G; Bazer-Bachi, A R; Beilicke, M; Benbow, W; Berge, D; Bernlöhr, K; Boisson, C; Bolz, O; Borrel, V; Braun, I; Brown, A M; Bühler, R; Büsching, I; Carrigan, S; Chadwick, P M; Chounet, L-M; Coignet, G; Cornils, R; Costamante, L; Degrange, B; Dickinson, H J; Djannati-Ataï, A; Drury, L O'c; Dubus, G; Egberts, K; Emmanoulopoulos, D; Espigat, P; Feinstein, F; Ferrero, E; Fiasson, A; Fontaine, G; Funk, Seb; Funk, S; Füssling, M; Gallant, Y A; Giebels, B; Glicenstein, J F; Goret, P; Hadjichristidis, C; Hauser, D; Hauser, M; Heinzelmann, G; Henri, G; Hermann, G; Hinton, J A; Hoffmann, A; Hofmann, W; Holleran, M; Hoppe, S; Horns, D; Jacholkowska, A; de Jager, O C; Kendziorra, E; Kerschhaggl, M; Khélifi, B; Komin, Nu; Konopelko, A; Kosack, K; Lamanna, G; Latham, I J; Le Gallou, R; Lemière, A; Lemoine-Goumard, M; Lenain, J-P; Lohse, T; Martin, J M; Martineau-Huynh, O; Marcowith, A; Masterson, C; Maurin, G; McComb, T J L; Moulin, E; de Naurois, M; Nedbal, D; Nolan, S J; Noutsos, A; Orford, K J; Osborne, J L; Ouchrif, M; Panter, M; Pelletier, G; Pita, S; Pühlhofer, G; Punch, M; Ranchon, S; Raubenheimer, B C; Raue, M; Rayner, S M; Reimer, A; Ripken, J; Rob, L; Rolland, L; Rosier-Lees, S; Rowell, G; Sahakian, V; Santangelo, A; Saugé, L; Schlenker, S; Schlickeiser, R; Schröder, R; Schwanke, U; Schwarzburg, S; Schwemmer, S; Shalchi, A; Sol, H; Spangler, D; Spanier, F; Steenkamp, R; Stegmann, C; Superina, G; Tam, P H; Tavernet, J-P; Terrier, R; Tluczykont, M; van Eldik, C; Vasileiadis, G; Venter, C; Vialle, J P; Vincent, P; Völk, H J; Wagner, S J; Ward, M

2006-12-01

The detection of fast variations of the tera-electron volt (TeV) (10(12) eV) gamma-ray flux, on time scales of days, from the nearby radio galaxy M87 is reported. These variations are about 10 times as fast as those observed in any other wave band and imply a very compact emission region with a dimension similar to the Schwarzschild radius of the central black hole. We thus can exclude several other sites and processes of the gamma-ray production. The observations confirm that TeV gamma rays are emitted by extragalactic sources other than blazars, where jets are not relativistically beamed toward the observer.

Hydrodynamic interaction of trapped active Janus particles in two dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debnath, Tanwi; Li, Yunyun; Ghosh, Pulak K.; Marchesoni, Fabio

2018-04-01

The dynamics of a pair of identical artificial microswimmers bound inside two harmonic traps, in a thin sheared fluid film, is numerically investigated. In a two-dimensional Oseen approximation, the hydrodynamic pair coupling is long-ranged and proportional to the particle radius to film thickness ratio. On increasing such ratio above a certain threshold, a transition occurs between a free regime, where each swimmer orbits in its own trap with random phase, and a strong synchronization regime, where the two swimmers strongly repel each other to an average distance larger than both the trap distance and their free orbit diameter. Moreover, the swimmers tend to synchronize their positions opposite the center of the system.

Analysis of the stress field in a wedge using the fast expansions with pointwise determined coefficients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernyshov, A. D.; Goryainov, V. V.; Danshin, A. A.

2018-03-01

The stress problem for the elastic wedge-shaped cutter of finite dimensions with mixed boundary conditions is considered. The differential problem is reduced to the system of linear algebraic equations by applying twice the fast expansions with respect to the angular and radial coordinate. In order to determine the unknown coefficients of fast expansions, the pointwise method is utilized. The problem solution derived has explicit analytical form and it’s valid for the entire domain including its boundary. The computed profiles of the displacements and stresses in a cross-section of the cutter are provided. The stress field is investigated for various values of opening angle and cusp’s radius.

Neutron stars, ungravity, and the I-Love-Q relations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariji, Hodjat; Bertolami, Orfeu

2017-10-01

We study neutron stars (NSs) in an ungravity (UG) inspired model. We examine the UG effects on the static properties of the selected NSs, in different mass and radius regimes, i.e., ultralow, moderate, and ultrahigh mass NSs, using a polytropic equation of state approach. Based on the observational data, we obtain bounds on the characteristic length and scaling dimension of the UG model. Furthermore, we obtain dynamic properties, such as inertial moment (I), Love number (Love), and quadrupole moment (Q) of a slowly rotating NS in the presence of the exterior gravity and ungravity fields. The UG model is also examined with respect to the I-Love-Q universal relation.

Left bundle branch block, an old-new entity.

PubMed

Breithardt, Günter; Breithardt, Ole-Alexander

2012-04-01

Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is generally associated with a poorer prognosis in comparison to normal intraventricular conduction, but also in comparison to right bundle branch block which is generally considered to be benign in the absence of an underlying cardiac disorder like congenital heart disease. LBBB may be the first manifestation of a more diffuse myocardial disease. The typical surface ECG feature of LBBB is a prolongation of QRS above 0.11 s in combination with a delay of the intrinsic deflection in leads V5 and V6 of more than 60 ms and no septal q waves in leads I, V5, and V6 due to the abnormal septal activation from right to left. LBBB may induce abnormalities in left ventricular performance due to abnormal asynchronous contraction patterns which can be compensated by biventricular pacing (resynchronization therapy). Asynchronous electrical activation of the ventricles causes regional differences in workload which may lead to asymmetric hypertrophy and left ventricular dilatation, especially due to increased wall mass in late-activated regions, which may aggravate preexisting left ventricular pumping performance or even induce it. Of special interest are patients with LBBB and normal left ventricular dimensions and normal ejection fraction at rest but who may present with an abnormal increase in pulmonary artery pressure during exercise, production of lactate during high-rate pacing, signs of ischemia on myocardial scintigrams (but no coronary artery narrowing), and abnormal ultrastructural findings on myocardial biopsy. For this entity, the term latent cardiomyopathy had been suggested previously.

Non-contact measurement of linear external dimensions of the mouse eye

PubMed Central

Wisard, Jeffrey; Chrenek, Micah A.; Wright, Charles; Dalal, Nupur; Pardue, Machelle T.; Boatright, Jeffrey H.; Nickerson, John M.

2010-01-01

Biometric analyses of quantitative traits in eyes of mice can reveal abnormalities related to refractive or ocular development. Due to the small size of the mouse eye, highly accurate and precise measurements are needed to detect meaningful differences. We sought a non-contact measuring technique to obtain highly accurate and precise linear dimensions of the mouse eye. Laser micrometry was validated with gauge block standards. Simple procedures to measure eye dimensions on three axes were devised. Mouse eyes from C57BL/6J and rd10 on a C57BL/6J background were dissected and extraocular muscle and fat removed. External eye dimensions of axial length (anterior-posterior (A-P) axis) and equatorial diameter (superior-inferior (S-I) and nasal-temporal (N-T) axes) were obtained with a laser micrometer. Several approaches to prevent or ameliorate evaporation due to room air were employed. The resolution of the laser micrometer was less than 0.77 microns, and it provided accurate and precise non-contact measurements of eye dimensions on three axes. External dimensions of the eye strongly correlated with eye weight. The N-T and S-I dimensions of the eye correlated with each other most closely from among the 28 pair-wise combinations of the several parameters that were collected. The equatorial axis measurements correlated well from the right and left eye of each mouse. The A-P measurements did not correlate or correlated poorly in each pair of eyes. The instrument is well suited for the measurement of enucleated eyes and other structures from most commonly used species in experimental vision research and ophthalmology. PMID:20067806

Non-contact measurement of linear external dimensions of the mouse eye.

PubMed

Wisard, Jeffrey; Chrenek, Micah A; Wright, Charles; Dalal, Nupur; Pardue, Machelle T; Boatright, Jeffrey H; Nickerson, John M

2010-03-30

Biometric analyses of quantitative traits in eyes of mice can reveal abnormalities related to refractive or ocular development. Due to the small size of the mouse eye, highly accurate and precise measurements are needed to detect meaningful differences. We sought a non-contact measuring technique to obtain highly accurate and precise linear dimensions of the mouse eye. Laser micrometry was validated with gauge block standards. Simple procedures to measure eye dimensions on three axes were devised. Mouse eyes from C57BL/6J and rd10 on a C57BL/6J background were dissected and extraocular muscle and fat removed. External eye dimensions of axial length (anterior-posterior (A-P) axis) and equatorial diameter (superior-inferior (S-I) and nasal-temporal (N-T) axes) were obtained with a laser micrometer. Several approaches to prevent or ameliorate evaporation due to room air were employed. The resolution of the laser micrometer was less than 0.77 microm, and it provided accurate and precise non-contact measurements of eye dimensions on three axes. External dimensions of the eye strongly correlated with eye weight. The N-T and S-I dimensions of the eye correlated with each other most closely from among the 28 pair-wise combinations of the several parameters that were collected. The equatorial axis measurements correlated well from the right and left eye of each mouse. The A-P measurements did not correlate or correlated poorly in each pair of eyes. The instrument is well suited for the measurement of enucleated eyes and other structures from most commonly used species in experimental vision research and ophthalmology. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolated pseudohypoplasia of the right ventricle.

PubMed

Pastor, Esteban; Aramendi, José I; Luis, Maite; Voces, Roberto; Rodríguez, Miguel A; Galdeano, José M

2007-08-01

We present a case of a 12-year-old girl with severe cyanosis due to abnormal moderator band producing a hidden trabecular component of the right ventricle, mimicking isolated hypoplasia of the right ventricle. A marked hypoplasia was confirmed by echocardiography and catheterization. At operation an anomalously thickened moderator band obstructing the apical infundibulum was found. Repair consisted of a section of the moderator band and closure of the atrial septal defect. Postoperatively the right ventricle showed normal dimension and function.

Towards early detection of cervical cancer: Fractal dimension of AFM images of human cervical epithelial cells at different stages of progression to cancer.

PubMed

Guz, Nataliia V; Dokukin, Maxim E; Woodworth, Craig D; Cardin, Andrew; Sokolov, Igor

2015-10-01

We used AFM HarmoniX modality to analyse the surface of individual human cervical epithelial cells at three stages of progression to cancer, normal, immortal (pre-malignant) and carcinoma cells. Primary cells from 6 normal strains, 6 cancer, and 6 immortalized lines (derived by plasmid DNA-HPV-16 transfection of cells from 6 healthy individuals) were tested. This cell model allowed for good control of the cell phenotype down to the single cell level, which is impractical to attain in clinical screening tests (ex-vivo). AFM maps of physical (nonspecific) adhesion are collected on fixed dried cells. We show that a surface parameter called fractal dimension can be used to segregate normal from both immortal pre-malignant and malignant cells with sensitivity and specificity of more than 99%. The reported method of analysis can be directly applied to cells collected in liquid cytology screening tests and identified as abnormal with regular optical methods to increase sensitivity. Despite cervical smear screening, sometimes it is very difficult to differentiate cancers cells from pre-malignant cells. By using AFM to analyze the surface properties of human cervical epithelial cells, the authors were able to accurately identify normal from abnormal cells. This method could augment existing protocols to increase diagnostic accuracy. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Manufacturing and advanced characterization of sub-25nm diameter CD-AFM probes with sub-10nm tip edges radius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foucher, Johann; Filippov, Pavel; Penzkofer, Christian; Irmer, Bernd; Schmidt, Sebastian W.

2013-04-01

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is increasingly used in the semiconductor industry as a versatile monitoring tool for highly critical lithography and etching process steps. Applications range from the inspection of the surface roughness of new materials, over accurate depth measurements to the determination of critical dimension structures. The aim to address the rapidly growing demands on measurement uncertainty and throughput more and more shifts the focus of attention to the AFM tip, which represents the crucial link between AFM tool and the sample to be monitored. Consequently, in order to reach the AFM tool's full potential, the performance of the AFM tip has to be considered as a determining parameter. Currently available AFM tips made from silicon are generally limited by their diameter, radius, and sharpness, considerably restricting the AFM measurement capabilities on sub-30nm spaces. In addition to that, there's lack of adequate characterization structures to accurately characterize sub-25nm tip diameters. Here, we present and discuss a recently introduced AFM tip design (T-shape like design) with precise tip diameters down to 15nm and tip radii down to 5nm fabricated from amorphous, high density diamond-like carbon (HDC/DLC) using electron beam induced processing (EBIP). In addition to that advanced design, we propose a new characterizer structure, which allows for accurate characterization and design control of sub-25nm tip diameters and sub-10nm tip edges radii. We demonstrate the potential advantages of combining a small tip shape design, i.e. tip diameter and tip edge radius, and an advanced tip characterizer for the semiconductor industry by the measurement of advanced lithography patterns.

Attenuating trabecular morphology associated with low magnesium diet evaluated using micro computed tomography.

PubMed

Tu, Shu-Ju; Wang, Shun-Ping; Cheng, Fu-Chou; Weng, Chia-En; Huang, Wei-Tzu; Chang, Wei-Jeng; Chen, Ying-Ju

2017-01-01

The literature shows that bone mineral density (BMD) and the geometric architecture of trabecular bone in the femur may be affected by inadequate dietary intake of Mg. In this study, we used microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to characterize and quantify the impact of a low-Mg diet on femoral trabecular bones in mice. Four-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were randomly assigned to 2 groups and supplied either a normal or low-Mg diet for 8weeks. Samples of plasma and urine were collected for biochemical analysis, and femur tissues were removed for micro-CT imaging. In addition to considering standard parameters, we regarded trabecular bone as a cylindrical rod and used computational algorithms for a technical assessment of the morphological characteristics of the bones. BMD (mg-HA/cm3) was obtained using a standard phantom. We observed a decline in the total tissue volume, bone volume, percent bone volume, fractal dimension, number of trabecular segments, number of connecting nodes, bone mineral content (mg-HA), and BMD, as well as an increase in the structural model index and surface-area-to-volume ratio in low-Mg mice. Subsequently, we examined the distributions of the trabecular segment length and radius, and a series of specific local maximums were identified. The biochemical analysis revealed a 43% (96%) decrease in Mg and a 40% (71%) decrease in Ca in plasma (urine excretion). This technical assessment performed using micro-CT revealed a lower population of femoral trabecular bones and a decrease in BMD at the distal metaphysis in the low-Mg mice. Examining the distributions of the length and radius of trabecular segments showed that the average length and radius of the trabecular segments in low-Mg mice are similar to those in normal mice.

Rms-flux relation and fast optical variability simulations of the nova-like system MV Lyr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobrotka, A.; Mineshige, S.; Ness, J.-U.

2015-03-01

The stochastic variability (flickering) of the nova-like system (subclass of cataclysmic variable) MV Lyr yields a complicated power density spectrum with four break frequencies. Scaringi et al. analysed high-cadence Kepler data of MV Lyr, taken almost continuously over 600 d, giving the unique opportunity to study multicomponent Power Density Spectra (PDS) over a wide frequency range. We modelled this variability with our statistical model based on disc angular momentum transport via discrete turbulent bodies with an exponential distribution of the dimension scale. Two different models were used, a full disc (developed from the white dwarf to the outer radius of ˜1010 cm) and a radially thin disc (a ring at a distance of ˜1010 cm from the white dwarf) that imitates an outer disc rim. We succeed in explaining the two lowest observed break frequencies assuming typical values for a disc radius of 0.5 and 0.9 times the primary Roche lobe and an α parameter of 0.1-0.4. The highest observed break frequency was also modelled, but with a rather small accretion disc with a radius of 0.3 times the primary Roche lobe and a high α value of 0.9 consistent with previous findings by Scaringi. Furthermore, the simulated light curves exhibit the typical linear rms-flux proportionality linear relation and the typical log-normal flux distribution. As the turbulent process is generating fluctuations in mass accretion that propagate through the disc, this confirms the general knowledge that the typical rms-flux relation is mainly generated by these fluctuations. In general, a higher rms is generated by a larger amount of superposed flares which is compatible with a higher mass accretion rate expressed by a larger flux.

Automated airway evaluation system for multi-slice computed tomography using airway lumen diameter, airway wall thickness and broncho-arterial ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odry, Benjamin L.; Kiraly, Atilla P.; Novak, Carol L.; Naidich, David P.; Lerallut, Jean-Francois

2006-03-01

Pulmonary diseases such as bronchiectasis, asthma, and emphysema are characterized by abnormalities in airway dimensions. Multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) has become one of the primary means to depict these abnormalities, as the availability of high-resolution near-isotropic data makes it possible to evaluate airways at oblique angles to the scanner plane. However, currently, clinical evaluation of airways is typically limited to subjective visual inspection only: systematic evaluation of the airways to take advantage of high-resolution data has not proved practical without automation. We present an automated method to quantitatively evaluate airway lumen diameter, wall thickness and broncho-arterial ratios. In addition, our method provides 3D visualization of these values, graphically illustrating the location and extent of disease. Our algorithm begins by automatic airway segmentation to extract paths to the distal airways, and to create a map of airway diameters. Normally, airway diameters decrease as paths progress distally; failure to taper indicates abnormal dilatation. Our approach monitors airway lumen diameters along each airway path in order to detect abnormal profiles, allowing even subtle degrees of pathologic dilatation to be identified. Our method also systematically computes the broncho-arterial ratio at every terminal branch of the tree model, as a ratio above 1 indicates potentially abnormal bronchial dilatation. Finally, the airway wall thickness is computed at corresponding locations. These measurements are used to highlight abnormal branches for closer inspection, and can be summed to compute a quantitative global score for the entire airway tree, allowing reproducible longitudinal assessment of disease severity. Preliminary tests on patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis demonstrated rapid identification of lack of tapering, which also was confirmed by corresponding demonstration of elevated broncho-arterial ratios.

Multidimensional analysis of the abnormal neural oscillations associated with lexical processing in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Xu, Tingting; Stephane, Massoud; Parhi, Keshab K

2013-04-01

The neural mechanisms of language abnormalities, the core symptoms in schizophrenia, remain unclear. In this study, a new experimental paradigm, combining magnetoencephalography (MEG) techniques and machine intelligence methodologies, was designed to gain knowledge about the frequency, brain location, and time of occurrence of the neural oscillations that are associated with lexical processing in schizophrenia. The 248-channel MEG recordings were obtained from 12 patients with schizophrenia and 10 healthy controls, during a lexical processing task, where the patients discriminated correct from incorrect lexical stimuli that were visually presented. Event-related desynchronization/synchronization (ERD/ERS) was computed along the frequency, time, and space dimensions combined, that resulted in a large spectral-spatial-temporal ERD/ERS feature set. Machine intelligence techniques were then applied to select a small subset of oscillation patterns that are abnormal in patients with schizophrenia, according to their discriminating power in patient and control classification. Patients with schizophrenia showed abnormal ERD/ERS patterns during both lexical encoding and post-encoding periods. The top-ranked features were located at the occipital and left frontal-temporal areas, and covered a wide frequency range, including δ (1-4 Hz), α (8-12 Hz), β (12-32 Hz), and γ (32-48 Hz) bands. These top features could discriminate the patient group from the control group with 90.91% high accuracy, which demonstrates significant brain oscillation abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia at the specific frequency, time, and brain location indicated by these top features. As neural oscillation abnormality may be due to the mechanisms of the disease, the spectral, spatial, and temporal content of the discriminating features can offer useful information for helping understand the physiological basis of the language disorder in schizophrenia, as well as the pathology of the disease itself.

A cone beam computed tomographic evaluation of the size of the sella turcica in patients with cleft lip and palate.

PubMed

Paknahad, Maryam; Shahidi, Shoaleh; Khaleghi, Iman

2017-09-01

Changes in the size of the sella turcica are frequently related to pathologies and syndromes. The aim of this was to compare the sella turcica dimensions in patients with unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate and non-cleft subjects. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of three groups consisted of 20 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate; 20 patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate and a control group consisting of 20 non-cleft subjects were the research population in this pilot study. The sella turcica linear dimensions in terms of length, depth and diameter were measured for all subjects. One-way ANOVA test was used to determine any significant differences among the three groups for the measured parameters. The length, depth and diameter of sella turcica were found to be significantly smaller in the unilateral and bilateral groups compared with the normal age and gender matched group. No significant differences were found in the measured variables between the unilateral and bilateral cleft patients. CBCT images showed a greater likelihood of abnormal sella turcica dimensions in patients with unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate. Therefore, the sella turcica dimensions may have an intrinsic relationship to the cleft condition.

Validating dimensions of psychosis symptomatology: Neural correlates and 20-year outcomes.

PubMed

Kotov, Roman; Foti, Dan; Li, Kaiqiao; Bromet, Evelyn J; Hajcak, Greg; Ruggero, Camilo J

2016-11-01

Heterogeneity of psychosis presents significant challenges for classification. Between 2 and 12 symptom dimensions have been proposed, and consensus is lacking. The present study sought to identify uniquely informative models by comparing the validity of these alternatives. An epidemiologic cohort of 628 first-admission inpatients with psychosis was interviewed 6 times over 2 decades and completed an electrophysiological assessment of error processing at year 20. We first analyzed a comprehensive set of 49 symptoms rated by interviewers at baseline, progressively extracting from 1 to 12 factors. Next, we compared the ability of resulting factor solutions to (a) account for concurrent neural dysfunction and (b) predict 20-year role, social, residential, and global functioning, and life satisfaction. A four-factor model showed incremental validity with all outcomes, and more complex models did not improve explanatory power. The 4 dimensions-reality distortion, disorganization, inexpressivity, and apathy/asociality-were replicable in 5 follow-ups, internally consistent, stable across assessments, and showed strong discriminant validity. These results reaffirm the value of separating disorganization and reality distortion, are consistent with recent findings distinguishing inexpressivity and apathy/asociality, and suggest that these 4 dimensions are fundamental to understanding neural abnormalities and long-term outcomes in psychosis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Relativistic Thomas-Fermi treatment of compressed atoms and compressed nuclear matter cores of stellar dimensions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rotondo, M.; Rueda, Jorge A.; Xue, S.-S.

The Feynman-Metropolis-Teller treatment of compressed atoms is extended to the relativistic regimes. Each atomic configuration is confined by a Wigner-Seitz cell and is characterized by a positive electron Fermi energy. The nonrelativistic treatment assumes a pointlike nucleus and infinite values of the electron Fermi energy can be attained. In the relativistic treatment there exists a limiting configuration, reached when the Wigner-Seitz cell radius equals the radius of the nucleus, with a maximum value of the electron Fermi energy (E{sub e}{sup F}){sub max}, here expressed analytically in the ultrarelativistic approximation. The corrections given by the relativistic Thomas-Fermi-Dirac exchange term are alsomore » evaluated and shown to be generally small and negligible in the relativistic high-density regime. The dependence of the relativistic electron Fermi energies by compression for selected nuclei are compared and contrasted to the nonrelativistic ones and to the ones obtained in the uniform approximation. The relativistic Feynman-Metropolis-Teller approach here presented overcomes some difficulties in the Salpeter approximation generally adopted for compressed matter in physics and astrophysics. The treatment is then extrapolated to compressed nuclear matter cores of stellar dimensions with A{approx_equal}(m{sub Planck}/m{sub n}){sup 3}{approx}10{sup 57} or M{sub core}{approx}M{sub {circle_dot}}. A new family of equilibrium configurations exists for selected values of the electron Fermi energy varying in the range 0

Asteroid (16) Psyche: Triaxial Ellipsoid Dimensions and Rotational Pole from Keck II NIRC2 AO Images and Keck I OSIRIS Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drummond, Jack D.; Conrad, Al; Reddy, Vishnu; de Kleer, Katherine R.; Adamkovics, Mate; de Pater, Imke; Merline, William J.; Tamblyn, Peter

2016-10-01

Adaptive optics (AO) images of asteroid (16) Psyche obtained at 4 epochs with the NIRC2 camera at the 10m W. M. Keck Observatory (Keck II) on UT 2015 December 25 lead to triaxial ellipsoid diameters of 279±4 x 230±2 x 195±14 km, and a rotational pole at RA=29° and Dec=-2°. Adding 6 more epochs obtained nearly simultaneously with the OSIRIS system at Keck I, as well as two more epochs from Keck II in 2009, yields diameters of 273±2 x 232±2 x 165±3 km, and a pole at RA=37° and Dec=+1°. (Errors are formal fit parameter uncertainties; an additional 4% uncertainty is possible from systematic biases.) The differing perspectives between 2015 (sub-Earth latitude Θ=-50°) and 2009 (Θ=-6°) improves primarily the c dimension and the location of the rotational pole, but illustrates how well images from even a single night can determine the size, shape, and pole of an asteroid. The 2015 observations were obtained as part of a campaign to study Psyche with many techniques over a few months, including radar from Arecibo and images from Magellan.These handful of images show the same rugged outline as the radius vector model available on the DAMIT website, constructed from many lightcurves and scaled by previous Keck AO images. In fact Psyche has rotated some 125,350 times between the first lightcurve in 1955 and our 2015 AO images, exactly 60 years apart to the day. Since the asteroid has such a high obliquity, these lightcurves have scanned well into both northern and southern hemispheres. The difference between the pole derived from our images and the radius vector model pole is only 7°, and the mean diameters of Psyche are 219 and 211 km, respectively.

Molecular Dynamics Studies of Polyethylene Oxide and Polyethylene Glycol: Hydrodynamic Radius and Shape Anisotropy

PubMed Central

Lee, Hwankyu; Venable, Richard M.; MacKerell, Alexander D.; Pastor, Richard W.

2008-01-01

A revision (C35r) to the CHARMM ether force field is shown to reproduce experimentally observed conformational populations of dimethoxyethane. Molecular dynamics simulations of 9, 18, 27, and 36-mers of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and 27-mers of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in water based on C35r yield a persistence length λ = 3.7 Å, in quantitative agreement with experimentally obtained values of 3.7 Å for PEO and 3.8 Å for PEG; agreement with experimental values for hydrodynamic radii of comparably sized PEG is also excellent. The exponent υ relating the radius of gyration and molecular weight (\\documentclass[10pt]{article} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{pmc} \\usepackage[Euler]{upgreek} \\pagestyle{empty} \\oddsidemargin -1.0in \\begin{document} \\begin{equation*}R_{{\\mathrm{g}}}{\\propto}M_{{\\mathrm{w}}}^{{\\upsilon}}\\end{equation*}\\end{document}) of PEO from the simulations equals 0.515 ± 0.023, consistent with experimental observations that low molecular weight PEG behaves as an ideal chain. The shape anisotropy of hydrated PEO is 2.59:1.44:1.00. The dimension of the middle length for each of the polymers nearly equals the hydrodynamic radius \\documentclass[10pt]{article} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{pmc} \\usepackage[Euler]{upgreek} \\pagestyle{empty} \\oddsidemargin -1.0in \\begin{document} \\begin{equation*}R_{{\\mathrm{h}}}\\end{equation*}\\end{document}obtained from diffusion measurements in solution. This explains the correspondence of \\documentclass[10pt]{article} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{pmc} \\usepackage[Euler]{upgreek} \\pagestyle{empty} \\oddsidemargin -1.0in \\begin{document} \\begin{equation*}R_{{\\mathrm{h}}}\\end{equation*}\\end{document} and \\documentclass[10pt]{article} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{pmc} \\usepackage[Euler]{upgreek} \\pagestyle{empty} \\oddsidemargin -1.0in \\begin{document} \\begin{equation*}R_{{\\mathrm{p}}},\\end{equation*}\\end{document} the pore radius of membrane channels: a polymer such as PEG diffuses with its long axis parallel to the membrane channel, and passes through the channel without substantial distortion. PMID:18456821

Progression of growth in the external ear from birth to maturity: a 2-year follow-up study in India.

PubMed

Purkait, Ruma

2013-06-01

This study aimed to follow the growth dynamics of auricular dimensions from birth to the age of 18 years. The norms of dimensions at different ages, the peak growth period and the maturity age of the dimensions are essential information to Physicians for early clinical diagnosis or for deciding the optimal time for surgery to correct abnormalities. For this study, 2,147 children belonging to central Indian population were measured in at least three sequential sessions. Eight dimensions including the physiognomic length and width of the ear and its morphologic width; conchal length, width, and depth; and lobular length and width were measured using anthropometric technique. Three new dimensions (tragal length and height and maximum width of the antihelix) were introduced in the study. Three indices (auricular, conchal, and lobular) also were derived. Most dimensions exhibited very rapid growth during the first 3-6 months of infancy and thereafter proceeded at a slow pace until adulthood. The smaller dimensions (conchal depth, tragal height, and maximum width of the antihelix) increased continuously throughout the growth period. At birth, most of the dimensions were 52-76 % of their adult size, while tragal length and height were less than half their adult size. Unlike the other dimensions, the lobule length was smaller in males, probably due to the higher frequency of hypoplastic and bow-shaped lobules among them. The width dimensions matured earlier, at 5.6-11 years, whereas the maturity age of lengths varied from 12 to 16 years. The data generated in the current study will be useful to Physicians as a guideline in correcting auricular deformity and in constructing age progression charts of the external ear. Knowledge concerning the maturation age of the ear will help law enforcement authorities in deciding when to use it for establishing personal identification. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Auditory hallucinations: A review of the ERC “VOICE” project

PubMed Central

Hugdahl, Kenneth

2015-01-01

In this invited review I provide a selective overview of recent research on brain mechanisms and cognitive processes involved in auditory hallucinations. The review is focused on research carried out in the “VOICE” ERC Advanced Grant Project, funded by the European Research Council, but I also review and discuss the literature in general. Auditory hallucinations are suggested to be perceptual phenomena, with a neuronal origin in the speech perception areas in the temporal lobe. The phenomenology of auditory hallucinations is conceptualized along three domains, or dimensions; a perceptual dimension, experienced as someone speaking to the patient; a cognitive dimension, experienced as an inability to inhibit, or ignore the voices, and an emotional dimension, experienced as the “voices” having primarily a negative, or sinister, emotional tone. I will review cognitive, imaging, and neurochemistry data related to these dimensions, primarily the first two. The reviewed data are summarized in a model that sees auditory hallucinations as initiated from temporal lobe neuronal hyper-activation that draws attentional focus inward, and which is not inhibited due to frontal lobe hypo-activation. It is further suggested that this is maintained through abnormal glutamate and possibly gamma-amino-butyric-acid transmitter mediation, which could point towards new pathways for pharmacological treatment. A final section discusses new methods of acquiring quantitative data on the phenomenology and subjective experience of auditory hallucination that goes beyond standard interview questionnaires, by suggesting an iPhone/iPod app. PMID:26110121

Shape characteristics of equilibrium and non-equilibrium fractal clusters.

PubMed

Mansfield, Marc L; Douglas, Jack F

2013-07-28

It is often difficult in practice to discriminate between equilibrium and non-equilibrium nanoparticle or colloidal-particle clusters that form through aggregation in gas or solution phases. Scattering studies often permit the determination of an apparent fractal dimension, but both equilibrium and non-equilibrium clusters in three dimensions frequently have fractal dimensions near 2, so that it is often not possible to discriminate on the basis of this geometrical property. A survey of the anisotropy of a wide variety of polymeric structures (linear and ring random and self-avoiding random walks, percolation clusters, lattice animals, diffusion-limited aggregates, and Eden clusters) based on the principal components of both the radius of gyration and electric polarizability tensor indicates, perhaps counter-intuitively, that self-similar equilibrium clusters tend to be intrinsically anisotropic at all sizes, while non-equilibrium processes such as diffusion-limited aggregation or Eden growth tend to be isotropic in the large-mass limit, providing a potential means of discriminating these clusters experimentally if anisotropy could be determined along with the fractal dimension. Equilibrium polymer structures, such as flexible polymer chains, are normally self-similar due to the existence of only a single relevant length scale, and are thus anisotropic at all length scales, while non-equilibrium polymer structures that grow irreversibly in time eventually become isotropic if there is no difference in the average growth rates in different directions. There is apparently no proof of these general trends and little theoretical insight into what controls the universal anisotropy in equilibrium polymer structures of various kinds. This is an obvious topic of theoretical investigation, as well as a matter of practical interest. To address this general problem, we consider two experimentally accessible ratios, one between the hydrodynamic and gyration radii, the other between the viscosity and hydrodynamic radii, as potential measures of shape anisotropy. We also find a strong correlation between anisotropy and effective fractal dimension. These observations should provide new practical methods for quantifying the nature of particle clustering in diverse contexts.

Gas-liquid nucleation in a two dimensional system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santra, Mantu; Chakrabarty, Suman; Bagchi, Biman

2008-12-01

We study the nucleation of liquid phase from a supersaturated vapor in two dimensions, where the particles interact through Lennard-Jones (LJ) pairwise potential. Using different Monte Carlo simulation methods, we calculate the free energy barrier for nucleation, the line tension, and bulk densities of equilibrium liquid and vapor phases, and also investigate the size and shape of the critical nucleus. The study is carried out at an intermediate level of supersaturation (away from the spinodal limit). In two dimensions, a surprisingly large cutoff (rc≥7.0σ, σ is the diameter of LJ particles) in the truncation of the LJ potential is required to obtain converged results. A lower cutoff [typically 2.5σ which is generally sufficient in three dimensional (3D) studies] leads to a substantial error in the values of the line tension, nucleation barrier, and characteristics of the critical cluster. It is found that in two dimensions, the classical nucleation theory (CNT) fails to provide a reliable estimate of the free energy barrier. It underestimates the barrier by as much as 50% at the saturation ratio S =1.1 (defined as S =P/PC, where PC is the coexistence pressure) and at the reduced temperature T∗=0.427 (defined as T∗=kBT/ɛ, where ɛ is the depth of the potential well). Interestingly, CNT has been found to overestimate the nucleation free energy barrier in 3D systems near the triple point. In fact, the agreement of the calculated nucleation rate with CNT is much worse in two dimensions than in three dimensions. The reason for the inadequacy of the CNT can be attributed to the noncircular nature of the critical clusters. Although the shape becomes increasingly circular and the clusters become more compact with increase in cutoff radius, an appreciable noncircular nature remains even without any cutoff to make the simple CNT inaccurate.

On the formation and evolution of sinuous rilles: Morphologic and morphometric insights from the Marius Hills and Aristarchus Plateau regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Carolyn Eve

Lunar sinuous rilles are characteristically long (100-350 km), narrow (< 1 km wide) volcanic channels that shallow distally from their source. Despite the vast knowledge accumulated over decades of lunar exploration, sinuous rille formation remains poorly understood. To constrain formation processes, the morphology and morphometry of many rilles were examined using Lunar Orbiter IV/V and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter imagery. Morphologic observations suggest that sinuous rilles initially formed within expansive sheet flows as preferred pathways along the pre-eruptive surface that developed into lava tubes as the eruption continued. Geologic sketch maps reveal outcrop layering, exposed in rille walls, that is consistent with sheet flow emplacement and small, anastomosing "rillettes" around Rima Marius, suggesting that initial tubes intermingled and coalesced to form larger tubes. From terrestrial basalt flow emplacement observations, I infer that as the outer boundaries of the Rima Marius-forming sheet flow cooled, the remaining lava was forced toward the main tube and downcutting transpired at the flow base. Once the eruption concluded, lava drained out of the main tube; the dimensions of the hollow tube lead to roof collapse, resulting in the general rille structure observed today. Results from the morphometric analysis indicate that sinuous rille characteristics (length, width, sinuosity, radius of curvature, number of curves, and fractal dimension) are similar between the two highest lunar sinuous rille populations at Marius Hills and Aristarchus Plateau. Moreover, the number of curves increases linearly with rille length and a weak correlation exists between sinuosity and fractal dimension. Compared to terrestrial rivers, sinuous rilles have lower amplitudes, smaller sinuosity values and fractal dimension values. The preponderance of evidence indicates sinuous rilles formed through a combination of both constructional and erosional processes.

Flow of a circulating tumor cell and red blood cells in microvessels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeishi, Naoki; Imai, Yohsuke; Yamaguchi, Takami; Ishikawa, Takuji

2015-12-01

Quantifying the behavior of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood stream is of fundamental importance for understanding metastasis. Here, we investigate the flow mode and velocity of CTCs interacting with red blood cells (RBCs) in various sized microvessels. The flow of leukocytes in microvessels has been described previously; a leukocyte forms a train with RBCs in small microvessels and exhibits margination in large microvessels. Important differences in the physical properties of leukocytes and CTCs result from size. The dimensions of leukocytes are similar to those of RBCs, but CTCs are significantly larger. We investigate numerically the size effects on the flow mode and the cell velocity, and we identify similarities and differences between leukocytes and CTCs. We find that a transition from train formation to margination occurs when (R -a ) /tR≈1 , where R is the vessel radius, a is the cell radius, and tR is the thickness of RBCs, but that the motion of RBCs differs from the case of leukocytes. Our results also show that the velocities of CTCs and leukocytes are larger than the average blood velocity, but only CTCs move faster than RBCs for microvessels of R /a ≈1.5 -2.0 . These findings are expected to be useful not only for understanding metastasis, but also for developing microfluidic devices.

Multidimensional Cyclic Voltammetry Simulations of Pseudocapacitive Electrodes with a Conducting Nanorod Scaffold

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mei, Bing-Ang; Li, Bin; Lin, Jie

This paper aims to understand the effect of nanoarchitecture on the performance of pseudocapacitive electrodes consisting of conducting scaffold coated with pseudocapacitive material. To do so, two-dimensional numerical simulations of ordered conducting nanorods coated with a thin film of pseudocapacitive material were performed. The simulations reproduced three-electrode cyclic voltammetry measurements based on a continuum model derived from first principles. Two empirical approaches commonly used experimentally to characterize the contributions of surface-controlled and diffusion-controlled charge storage mechanisms to the total current density with respect to scan rate were theoretically validated for the first time. Moreover, the areal capacitive capacitance, attributed tomore » EDL formation, remained constant and independent of electrode dimensions, at low scan rates. However, at high scan rates, it decreased with decreasing conducting nanorod radius and increasing pseudocapacitive layer thickness due to resistive losses. By contrast, the gravimetric faradaic capacitance, due to reversible faradaic reactions, decreased continuously with increasing scan rate and pseudocapacitive layer thickness but was independent of conducting nanorod radius. Note that the total gravimetric capacitance predicted numerically featured values comparable to experimental measurements. Finally, an optimum pseudocapacitive layer thickness that maximizes total areal capacitance was identified as a function of scan rate and confirmed by scaling analysis.« less

Multidimensional Cyclic Voltammetry Simulations of Pseudocapacitive Electrodes with a Conducting Nanorod Scaffold

DOE PAGES

Mei, Bing-Ang; Li, Bin; Lin, Jie; ...

2017-10-27

This paper aims to understand the effect of nanoarchitecture on the performance of pseudocapacitive electrodes consisting of conducting scaffold coated with pseudocapacitive material. To do so, two-dimensional numerical simulations of ordered conducting nanorods coated with a thin film of pseudocapacitive material were performed. The simulations reproduced three-electrode cyclic voltammetry measurements based on a continuum model derived from first principles. Two empirical approaches commonly used experimentally to characterize the contributions of surface-controlled and diffusion-controlled charge storage mechanisms to the total current density with respect to scan rate were theoretically validated for the first time. Moreover, the areal capacitive capacitance, attributed tomore » EDL formation, remained constant and independent of electrode dimensions, at low scan rates. However, at high scan rates, it decreased with decreasing conducting nanorod radius and increasing pseudocapacitive layer thickness due to resistive losses. By contrast, the gravimetric faradaic capacitance, due to reversible faradaic reactions, decreased continuously with increasing scan rate and pseudocapacitive layer thickness but was independent of conducting nanorod radius. Note that the total gravimetric capacitance predicted numerically featured values comparable to experimental measurements. Finally, an optimum pseudocapacitive layer thickness that maximizes total areal capacitance was identified as a function of scan rate and confirmed by scaling analysis.« less

Optical force and torque on a dielectric Rayleigh particle by a circular Airy vortex beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Musheng; Huang, Sujuan; Shao, Wei; Liu, Xianpeng

2018-03-01

Optical force and torque exerted on the Rayleigh particles by tightly focused circularly polarized circular Airy vortex beams (CAVB) in the far field are studied in this paper. The relation between parameters of circularly polarized CAVB and the trapping properties is numerically analyzed based on Rayleigh models and the Debye diffraction theory. The results show that both the high refractive index and low refractive index particles can be fully stably trapped in three dimensions by circularly polarized CAVB. The parameters of circularly polarized CAVB greatly affect the optical force. The longitudinal and transverse gradient force increase with the increase of decay factor and scaling factor, and decrease with the increase of the radius of the first primary ring and topological charges. The positions of the longitudinal stable equilibrium move toward the high numerical aperture lens when the scaling factor and the radius of the primary ring increase. The trapping range is broadened with the decrease of scaling factor. The optical orbital torque (OOT) of circularly polarized CAVB has circular symmetry and remains positive or negative. With the increase of topological charges, the peak value of OOT first increases and then decreases after reaches a maximum. These results are useful for optical trapping, optical levitation and particle acceleration.

Probabilistic Design and Analysis Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strack, William C.; Nagpal, Vinod K.

2010-01-01

PRODAF is a software package designed to aid analysts and designers in conducting probabilistic analysis of components and systems. PRODAF can integrate multiple analysis programs to ease the tedious process of conducting a complex analysis process that requires the use of multiple software packages. The work uses a commercial finite element analysis (FEA) program with modules from NESSUS to conduct a probabilistic analysis of a hypothetical turbine blade, disk, and shaft model. PRODAF applies the response surface method, at the component level, and extrapolates the component-level responses to the system level. Hypothetical components of a gas turbine engine are first deterministically modeled using FEA. Variations in selected geometrical dimensions and loading conditions are analyzed to determine the effects of the stress state within each component. Geometric variations include the cord length and height for the blade, inner radius, outer radius, and thickness, which are varied for the disk. Probabilistic analysis is carried out using developing software packages like System Uncertainty Analysis (SUA) and PRODAF. PRODAF was used with a commercial deterministic FEA program in conjunction with modules from the probabilistic analysis program, NESTEM, to perturb loads and geometries to provide a reliability and sensitivity analysis. PRODAF simplified the handling of data among the various programs involved, and will work with many commercial and opensource deterministic programs, probabilistic programs, or modules.

Computed tomographic analysis of deformity and dimensional changes in the eyeball

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osborne, D.R.; Foulks, G.N.

1984-12-01

Computed tomography (CT) was performed in 40 patients with a confirmed ophthalmic diagnosis and a change in the dimensions or configuration of the eyeball. Abnormalities studied included coloboma, microphthalmus, buphthalmos, axial myopia, macrophthalmus, phthisis bulbi, trauma, neoplasm, posterior staphyloma, granuloma, pseudotumor, and surgicalscleral banding for retinal detachment. CT findings could be grouped into three categories depending upon whether the eye was small, large, or normal in size, with the findings in each group allowing distinction of most disease processes.

The assessment of fetal brain function in fetuses with ventrikulomegaly: the role of the KANET test.

PubMed

Talic, Amira; Kurjak, Asim; Stanojevic, Milan; Honemeyer, Ulrich; Badreldeen, Ahmed; DiRenzo, Gian Carlo

2012-08-01

To assess differences in fetal behavior in both normal fetuses and fetuses with cerebral ventriculomegaly (VM). In a period of eighteen months, in a longitudinal prospective cohort study, Kurjak Antenatal NeuorogicalTest (KANET) was applied to assess fetal behavior in both normal pregnancies and pregnancies with cerebral VM using four-dimensional ultrasound (4D US). According to the degree of enlargement of the ventricles, VM was divided into three groups: mild, moderate and severe. Moreover fetuses with isolated VM were separated from those with additional abnormalities. According to the KANET, fetuses with scores ≥ 14 were considered normal, those with scores 6-13 borderline and abnormal if the score was ≤ 5. Differences between two groups were examined by Fisher's exact test. Differences within the subgroups were examined by Kruskal-Wallis test and contingency table test. KANET scores in normal pregnancies and pregnancies with VM showed statistically significant differences. Most of the abnormal KANET scores as well as most of the borderline-scores were found among the fetuses with severe VM associated with additional abnormalities. There were no statistically significant differences between the control group and the groups with isolated and mild and /or moderate VM. Evaluation of the fetal behavior in fetuses with cerebral VM using KANET test has the potential to detect fetuses with abnormal behavior, and to add the dimension of CNS function to the morphological criteria of VM. Long-term postnatal neurodevelopmental follow-up should confirm the data from prenatal investigation of fetal behavior.

Right heart dilatation in a fetus with an abnormal foramen ovale valve: an indicator of interatrial communication restriction.

PubMed

Lei, Wenjia; Fan, Miao; Wang, Meilian; Wang, Yu; Sun, Wei; Sun, Xue; Zhang, Ying

2018-05-02

Foramen ovale (FO) valve with a shape or motion abnormality is frequently detected during routine obstetric ultrasonic examinations. However, the hemodynamics mechanism of this entity remains unclear. The purpose of the study is to determine the relevance of interatrial communication restriction and resultant morphological modifications. We reviewed the echocardiographic records of fetuses with isolated abnormal FO valve evaluated between January of 2010 and december of 2016. The size (DFO) of the FO orifice, opening angle (α) of the FO valve, and dimensions of cardiac chambers, FO channel outlet (DOUT) and inferior vena cava (DIVC) were measured. We evaluated their (DFO, DOUT, α) relationships to the diameters of RA and DIVC. Five hundred and seventy normal fetuses were selected to establish the normal range of the DOUT/DIVC ratio so as to provide a criterion for restriction. An abnormal FO valve was identified in 89 fetuses without congenital heart disease, with restriction noted in 62 fetuses (45 fetuses with RA dilatation, 12 fetuses with RA and RV dilatation, and 5 fetuses with no RA dilatation). There were no significant correlations between RA/LA and DFO/DIVC, RA/ LA and α. RA/LA was negatively correlated with DOUT/DIVC (R2=0.97, p<0.01). For a fetus with an abnormal FO valve, right heart dilatation could be considered as an indicator of interatrial communication restriction, which could be assessed by evaluating the FO channel outlet. The degree of right atrium dilatation indicates the severity of the restriction.

Hush puppy: a new mouse mutant with pinna, ossicle, and inner ear defects.

PubMed

Pau, Henry; Fuchs, Helmut; de Angelis, Martin Hrabé; Steel, Karen P

2005-01-01

Deafness can be associated with abnormalities of the pinna, ossicles, and cochlea. The authors studied a newly generated mouse mutant with pinna defects and asked whether these defects are associated with peripheral auditory or facial skeletal abnormalities, or both. Furthermore, the authors investigated where the mutation responsible for these defects was located in the mouse genome. The hearing of hush puppy mutants was assessed by Preyer reflex and electrophysiological measurement. The morphological features of their middle and inner ears were investigated by microdissection, paint-filling of the labyrinth, and scanning electron microscopy. Skeletal staining of skulls was performed to assess the craniofacial dimensions. Genome scanning was performed using microsatellite markers to localize the mutation to a chromosomal region. Some hush puppy mutants showed early onset of hearing impairment. They had small, bat-like pinnae and normal malleus but abnormal incus and stapes. Some mutants had asymmetrical defects and showed reduced penetrance of the ear abnormalities. Paint-filling of newborns' inner ears revealed no morphological abnormality, although half of the mice studied were expected to carry the mutation. Reduced numbers of outer hair cells were demonstrated in mutants' cochlea on scanning electron microscopy. Skeletal staining showed that the mutants have significantly shorter snouts and mandibles. Genome scan revealed that the mutation lies on chromosome 8 between markers D8Mit58 and D8Mit289. The study results indicate developmental problems of the first and second branchial arches and otocyst as a result of a single gene mutation. Similar defects are found in humans, and hush puppy provides a mouse model for investigation of such defects.

Larger medial femoral to tibial condylar dimension may trigger posterior root tear of medial meniscus.

PubMed

Chung, Jun Young; Song, Hyung Keun; Jung, Myung Kuk; Oh, Hyeong Tak; Kim, Joon Ho; Yoon, Ji-Sang; Min, Byoung-Hyun

2016-05-01

The major meniscal functions are load bearing, load distribution, and shock absorption by increasing the tibiofemoral joint (TFJ) contact area and dissipating axial loads by conversion into hoop stresses. The increased hoop strain stretches the meniscus in outward direction towards radius, causing extrusion, which is associated with the root tear and resultant degenerative osteoarthritis. Since the larger contact area of medial TFJ may increase the hoop stresses, we hypothesized that the larger medial femoral to tibial condylar dimension would contribute to the development of medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT). Thus, the purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between MMPRT and medial femoral to tibial condylar dimension. A case-control study was conducted to compare medial femoral to tibial condylar dimensions of patients with complete MMPRT (n = 59) with those of demography-matched controls (n = 59) during the period from 2010 to 2013. In each patient, MRIs were reviewed and several parameters were measured including articulation width of medial femoral condyle (MFC) at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°, medial tibial condyle (MTC) width, degree of meniscal extrusion, and medial femoral to tibial condylar width ratio (MFC/MTC) at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°, respectively. Demographic and radiographic data were assessed. A larger medial femoral to tibial condylar dimension was associated with MMPRT at 0° and 30° knee angles. Patients with MFC/MTC greater than 0.9 at 0° also showed about 2.5-fold increase in the chance of MMPRT. Those with meniscal extrusion greater than 3 mm also had about 17.1 times greater chance for the presence of MMPRT accordingly. A larger medial femoral to tibial condylar dimension may be considered as one of the regional contributors to the outbreak of MMPRT, and medial femoral to tibial condylar width ratio greater than 0.9 at 0° knee angle may be considered as a significant risk factor for MMPRT. III.

A magnetic trap for living cells suspended in a paramagnetic buffer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkleman, Adam; Gudiksen, Katherine L.; Ryan, Declan; Whitesides, George M.; Greenfield, Derek; Prentiss, Mara

2004-09-01

This manuscript describes the fabrication and use of a three-dimensional magnetic trap for diamagnetic objects in an aqueous solution of paramagnetic ions; this trap uses permanent magnets. It demonstrates trapping of polystyrene spheres, and of various types of living cells: mouse fibroblast (NIH-3T3), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii). For a 40mM solution of gadolinium (III) diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd .DTPA) in aqueous buffer, the smallest cell (particle) that could be trapped had a radius of ˜2.5μm. The trapped particle and location of the magnetic trap can be translated in three dimensions by independent manipulation of the permanent magnets. This letter a1so characterizes the biocompatibility of the trapping solution.

Super-BMS3 algebras from {N}=2 flat supergravities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lodato, Ivano; Merbis, Wout

2016-11-01

We consider two possible flat space limits of three dimensional {N}=(1, 1) AdS supergravity. They differ by how the supercharges are scaled with the AdS radius ℓ: the first limit (democratic) leads to the usual super-Poincaré theory, while a novel `twisted' theory of supergravity stems from the second (despotic) limit. We then propose boundary conditions such that the asymptotic symmetry algebras at null infinity correspond to supersymmetric extensions of the BMS algebras previously derived in connection to non- and ultra-relativistic limits of the {N}=(1, 1) Virasoro algebra in two dimensions. Finally, we study the supersymmetric energy bounds and find the explicit form of the asymptotic and global Killing spinors of supersymmetric solutions in both flat space supergravity theories.

Optimization of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell for sensing applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shirzaditabar, Farzad; Saliminasab, Maryam

2013-08-15

In this paper, resonance light scattering (RLS) properties of a silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell, based on quasi-static approach and plasmon hybridization theory, are investigated. Scattering spectrum of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell has two intense and clearly separated RLS peaks and provides a potential for biosensing based on surface plasmon resonance and surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The two RLS peaks in silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell are optimized by tuning the geometrical dimensions. In addition, the optimal geometry is discussed to obtain the high sensitivity of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell. As the silver core radius increases, the sensitivity of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell decreases whereas increasing the middle dielectric thickness increases the sensitivitymore » of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell.« less

Elastic moduli in nano-size samples of amorphous solids: System size dependence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, Yossi; Procaccia, Itamar

2012-08-01

This letter is motivated by some recent experiments on pan-cake-shaped nano-samples of metallic glass that indicate a decline in the measured shear modulus upon decreasing the sample radius. Similar measurements on crystalline samples of the same dimensions showed a much more modest change. In this letter we offer a theory of this phenomenon; we argue that such results are generically expected for any amorphous solid, with the main effect being related to the increased contribution of surfaces with respect to the bulk when the samples get smaller. We employ exact relations between the shear modulus and the eigenvalues of the system's Hessian matrix to explore the role of surface modes in affecting the elastic moduli.

Extended inflation from higher dimensional theories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holman, Richard; Kolb, Edward W.; Vadas, Sharon L.; Wang, Yun

1990-01-01

The possibility is considered that higher dimensional theories may, upon reduction to four dimensions, allow extended inflation to occur. Two separate models are analayzed. One is a very simple toy model consisting of higher dimensional gravity coupled to a scalar field whose potential allows for a first-order phase transition. The other is a more sophisticated model incorporating the effects of non-trivial field configurations (monopole, Casimir, and fermion bilinear condensate effects) that yield a non-trivial potential for the radius of the internal space. It was found that extended inflation does not occur in these models. It was also found that the bubble nucleation rate in these theories is time dependent unlike the case in the original version of extended inflation.

Sub-Doppler Frequency Metrology in HD for Tests of Fundamental Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cozijn, F. M. J.; Dupré, P.; Salumbides, E. J.; Eikema, K. S. E.; Ubachs, W.

2018-04-01

Weak transitions in the (2,0) overtone band of the hydrogen deuteride molecule at λ =1.38 μ m were measured in saturated absorption using the technique of noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy. Narrow Doppler-free lines were interrogated with a spectroscopy laser locked to a frequency comb laser referenced to an atomic clock to yield transition frequencies [R (1 )=217105181895 (20 ) kHz ; R (2 )=219042856621 (28 ) kHz ; R (3 )=220704304951 (28 ) kHz ] at three orders of magnitude improved accuracy. These benchmark values provide a test of QED in the smallest neutral molecule, and they open up an avenue to resolve the proton radius puzzle, as well as constrain putative fifth forces and extra dimensions.

Abnormal Size-Dependent Modulation of Motion Perception in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

PubMed Central

Sysoeva, Olga V.; Galuta, Ilia A.; Davletshina, Maria S.; Orekhova, Elena V.; Stroganova, Tatiana A.

2017-01-01

Excitation/Inhibition (E/I) imbalance in neural networks is now considered among the core neural underpinnings of autism psychopathology. In motion perception at least two phenomena critically depend on E/I balance in visual cortex: spatial suppression (SS), and spatial facilitation (SF) corresponding to impoverished or improved motion perception with increasing stimuli size, respectively. While SS is dominant at high contrast, SF is evident for low contrast stimuli, due to the prevalence of inhibitory contextual modulations in the former, and excitatory ones in the latter case. Only one previous study (Foss-Feig et al., 2013) investigated SS and SF in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Our study aimed to replicate previous findings, and to explore the putative contribution of deficient inhibitory influences into an enhanced SF index in ASD—a cornerstone for interpretation proposed by Foss-Feig et al. (2013). The SS and SF were examined in 40 boys with ASD, broad spectrum of intellectual abilities (63 < IQ < 127) and 44 typically developing (TD) boys, aged 6–15 years. The stimuli of small (1°) and large (12°) radius were presented under high (100%) and low (1%) contrast conditions. Social Responsiveness Scale and Sensory Profile Questionnaire were used to assess the autism severity and sensory processing abnormalities. We found that the SS index was atypically reduced, while SF index abnormally enhanced in children with ASD. The presence of abnormally enhanced SF in children with ASD was the only consistent finding between our study and that of Foss-Feig et al. While the SS and SF indexes were strongly interrelated in TD participants, this correlation was absent in their peers with ASD. In addition, the SF index but not the SS index correlated with the severity of autism and the poor registration abilities. The pattern of results is partially consistent with the idea of hypofunctional inhibitory transmission in visual areas in ASD. Nonetheless, the absence of correlation between SF and SS indexes paired with a strong direct link between abnormally enhanced SF and autism symptoms in our ASD sample emphasizes the role of the enhanced excitatory influences by themselves in the observed abnormalities in low-level visual phenomena found in ASD. PMID:28405183

Oxytocin and Social Cognition in Affective and Psychotic Disorders

PubMed Central

Perez-Rodriguez, M. Mercedes; Mahon, Katie; Russo, Manuela; Ungar, Allison K.; Burdick, Katherine E.

2014-01-01

Impairments in social cognition are now recognized as core illness features in psychotic and affective disorders. Despite the significant disability caused by social cognitive abnormalities, treatments for this symptom dimension are lacking. Here, we describe the evidence demonstrating abnormalities in social cognition in schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder, as well as the neurobiology of social cognition including the role of oxytocin. We then review clinical trials of oxytocin administration in psychotic and affective disorders and the impact of this agent on social cognition. To date, several studies have demonstrated that oxytocin may improve social cognition in schizophrenia; too few studies have been conducted in affective disorders to determine the effect of oxytocin on social cognition in these disorders. Future work is needed to clarify which aspects of social cognition may be improved with oxytocin treatment in psychotic and affective disorders. PMID:25153535

Integrated Genomic Analysis Identifies Clinically Relevant Subtypes of Glioblastoma Characterized by Abnormalities in PDGFRA, IDH1, EGFR, and NF1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Verhaak, Roel GW; Hoadley, Katherine A; Purdom, Elizabeth

The Cancer Genome Atlas Network recently cataloged recurrent genomic abnormalities in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We describe a robust gene expression-based molecular classification of GBM into Proneural, Neural, Classical, and Mesenchymal subtypes and integrate multidimensional genomic data to establish patterns of somatic mutations and DNA copy number. Aberrations and gene expression of EGFR, NF1, and PDGFRA/IDH1 each define the Classical, Mesenchymal, and Proneural subtypes, respectively. Gene signatures of normal brain cell types show a strong relationship between subtypes and different neural lineages. Additionally, response to aggressive therapy differs by subtype, with the greatest benefit in the Classical subtype and no benefitmore » in the Proneural subtype. We provide a framework that unifies transcriptomic and genomic dimensions for GBM molecular stratification with important implications for future studies.« less

Voxel-by-voxel analysis of brain SPECT perfusion in Fibromyalgia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guedj, Eric; Taïeb, David; Cammilleri, Serge; Lussato, David; de Laforte, Catherine; Niboyet, Jean; Mundler, Olivier

2007-02-01

We evaluated brain perfusion SPECT at rest, without noxious stiumuli, in a homogeneous group of hyperalgesic FM patients. We performed a voxel-based analysis in comparison to a control group, matched for age and gender. Under such conditions, we made the assumption that significant cerebral perfusion abnormalities could be demonstrated, evidencing altered cerebral processing associated with spontaneous pain in FM patients. The secondary objective was to study the reversibility and the prognostic value of such possible perfusion abnormalities under specific treatment. Eighteen hyperalgesic FM women (mean age 48 yr; range 25-63 yr; ACR criteria) and 10 healthy women matched for age were enrolled in the study. A voxel-by-voxel group analysis was performed using SPM2 ( p<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons). All brain SPECT were performed before any change was made in therapy in the pain care unit. A second SPECT was performed a month later after specific treatment by Ketamine. Compared to control subjects, we observed individual brain SPECT abnormalities in FM patients, confirmed by SPM2 analysis with hyperperfusion of the somatosensory cortex and hypoperfusion of the frontal, cingulate, medial temporal and cerebellar cortices. We also found that a medial frontal and anterior cingulate hypoperfusions were highly predictive (PPV=83%; NPV=91%) of non-response on Ketamine, and that only responders showed significant modification of brain perfusion, after treatment. In the present study performed without noxious stimuli in hyperalgesic FM patients, we found significant hyperperfusion in regions of the brain known to be involved in sensory dimension of pain processing and significant hypoperfusion in areas assumed to be associated with the affective dimension. As current pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies act differently on both components of pain, we hypothesize that SPECT could be a valuable and readily available tool to guide individual therapeutic strategy and provide objective follow-up of pain-processing recovery under treatment.

Open reduction and internal fixation versus casting for highly comminuted and intra-articular fractures of the distal radius (ORCHID): protocol for a randomized clinical multi-center trial.

PubMed

Bartl, Christoph; Stengel, Dirk; Bruckner, Thomas; Rossion, Inga; Luntz, Steffen; Seiler, Christoph; Gebhard, Florian

2011-03-22

Fractures of the distal radius represent the most common fracture in elderly patients, and often indicate the onset of symptomatic osteoporosis. A variety of treatment options is available, including closed reduction and plaster casting, K-wire-stabilization, external fixation and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with volar locked plating. The latter is widely promoted by clinicians and hardware manufacturers. Closed reduction and cast stabilization for six weeks is a simple, convenient, and ubiquitously available intervention. In contrast, ORIF requires hospitalization, but allows for functional rehabilitation.Given the lack of randomized controlled trials, it remains unclear whether ORIF leads to better functional outcomes one year after injury than closed reduction and casting. ORCHID (Open reduction and internal fixation versus casting for highly comminuted intra-articular fractures of the distal radius) is a pragmatic, randomized, multi-center, clinical trial with two parallel treatment arms. It is planned to include 504 patients in 15 participating centers throughout Germany over a three-year period. Patients are allocated by a central web-based randomization tool.The primary objective is to determine differences in the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Physical Component Score (PCS) between volar locked plating and closed reduction and casting of intraarticular, comminuted distal radius fractures in patients > 65 years of age one year after the fracture. Secondary outcomes include differences in other SF-36 dimensions, the EuroQol-5D questionnaire, the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) instrument. Also, the range of motion in the affected wrist, activities of daily living, complications (including secondary ORIF and revision surgery), as well as serious adverse events will be assessed. Data obtained during the trial will be used for later health-economic evaluations. The trial architecture involves a central statistical unit, an independent monitoring institute, and a data safety monitoring board. Following approval by the institutional review boards of all participating centers, conduct and reporting will strictly adhere to national and international rules, regulations, and recommendations (e.g., Good Clinical Practice, data safety laws, and EQUATOR/CONSORT proposals). To our knowledge, ORCHID is the first multicenter RCT designed to assess quality of life and functional outcomes following operative treatment compared to conservative treatment of complex, intra-articular fractures of the distal radius in elderly patients. The results are expected to influence future treatment recommendations and policies on an international level. ISRCTN: ISRCTN76120052 Registration date: 31.07.2008; Randomization of first patient: 15.09.2008.

NDARC NASA Design and Analysis of Rotorcraft - Input, Appendix 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Wayne

2016-01-01

The NDARC code performs design and analysis tasks. The design task involves sizing the rotorcraft to satisfy specified design conditions and missions. The analysis tasks can include off-design mission performance analysis, flight performance calculation for point operating conditions, and generation of subsystem or component performance maps. The principal tasks (sizing, mission analysis, flight performance analysis) are shown in the figure as boxes with heavy borders. Heavy arrows show control of subordinate tasks. The aircraft description consists of all the information, input and derived, that denes the aircraft. The aircraft consists of a set of components, including fuselage, rotors, wings, tails, and propulsion. This information can be the result of the sizing task; can come entirely from input, for a fixed model; or can come from the sizing task in a previous case or previous job. The aircraft description information is available to all tasks and all solutions. The sizing task determines the dimensions, power, and weight of a rotorcraft that can perform a specified set of design conditions and missions. The aircraft size is characterized by parameters such as design gross weight, weight empty, rotor radius, and engine power available. The relations between dimensions, power, and weight generally require an iterative solution. From the design flight conditions and missions, the task can determine the total engine power or the rotor radius (or both power and radius can be fixed), as well as the design gross weight, maximum takeoff weight, drive system torque limit, and fuel tank capacity. For each propulsion group, the engine power or the rotor radius can be sized. Missions are defined for the sizing task, and for the mission performance analysis. A mission consists of a number of mission segments, for which time, distance, and fuel burn are evaluated. For the sizing task, certain missions are designated to be used for design gross weight calculations; for transmission sizing; and for fuel tank sizing. The mission parameters include mission takeoff gross weight and useful load. For specified takeoff fuel weight with adjustable segments, the mission time or distance is adjusted so the fuel required for the mission equals the takeoff fuel weight. The mission iteration is on fuel weight or energy. Flight conditions are specified for the sizing task, and for the flight performance analysis. For the sizing task, certain flight conditions are designated to be used for design gross weight calculations; for transmission sizing; for maximum takeoff weight calculations; and for anti-torque or auxiliary thrust rotor sizing. The flight condition parameters include gross weight and useful load. For flight conditions and mission takeoff, the gross weight can be maximized, such that the power required equals the power available. A flight state is defined for each mission segment and each flight condition. The aircraft performance can be analyzed for the specified state, or a maximum effort performance can be identified. The maximum effort is specified in terms of a quantity such as best endurance or best range, and a variable such as speed, rate of climb, or altitude.

Reference right atrial dimensions and volume estimation by steady state free precession cardiovascular magnetic resonance

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) steady state free precession (SSFP) cine sequences with high temporal resolution and improved post-processing can accurately measure RA dimensions. We used this technique to define ranges for normal RA volumes and dimensions normalized, when necessary, to the influence of gender, body surface area (BSA) and age, and also to define the best 2D images-derived predictors of RA enlargement. Methods For definition of normal ranges of RA volume we studied 120 healthy subjects (60 men, 60 women; 20 subjects per age decile from 20 to 80 years), after careful exclusion of cardiovascular abnormality. We also studied 120 patients (60 men, 60 women; age range 20 to 80 years) with a clinical indication for CMR in order to define the best 1D and 2D predictors of RA enlargement. Data were generated from SSFP cine CMR, with 3-dimensional modeling, including tracking of the atrioventricular ring motion and time-volume curves analysis. Results In the group of healthy individuals, age influenced RA 2-chamber area and transverse diameter. Gender influenced most absolute RA dimensions and volume. Interestingly, right atrial volumes did not change with age and gender when indexed to body surface area. New CMR normal ranges for RA dimensions were modeled and displayed for clinical use with normalization for BSA and gender and display of parameter variation with age. Finally, the best 2D images-derived independent predictors of RA enlargement were indexed area and indexed longitudinal diameter in the 2-chamber view. Conclusion Reference RA dimensions and predictors of RA enlargement are provided using state-of-the-art CMR techniques. PMID:23566426

Abnormal illness behaviour: physiological, psychological and social dimensions of coping with distress.

PubMed

Kirmayer, Laurence J; Looper, Karl J

2006-01-01

Pilowsky introduced the term 'abnormal illness behaviour' to characterize syndromes of excessive or inadequate response to symptoms, including hypochondriasis, somatization, and denial of illness. This review summarizes recent work from sociology, health psychology and psychiatry that contributes to an understanding of the processes that may underlie abnormal illness behaviour. Disturbances in the regulation of physiological systems may account for many 'unexplained' symptoms and sickness behaviour. Increased attention to bodily sensations, sensitivity to pain and catastrophizing play important roles in illness behaviour in medical illness. Developmental adversities and parental modelling of illness behaviour in childhood may increase bodily preoccupation and health care utilization. Apparent cross-national differences in illness behaviour may reflect differences in health care systems, but cultural models of illness and social stigma remain important determinants of illness denial and avoidance of mental health services. Research into illness behaviour is relevant to efforts to rethink the psychiatric nosology of somatoform disorders. The discrete somatoform disorders might well be replaced by a dimensional framework that identifies specific pathological processes in cognition, perception and social behaviour that contribute to bodily distress, impaired coping, inappropriate use of health services, chronicity and disability.

Bone growth, limb proportions and non-specific stress in archaeological populations from Croatia.

PubMed

Pinhasi, R; Timpson, A; Thomas, M; Slaus, M

2014-01-01

The effect of environmental factors and, in particular, non-specific stress on the growth patterns of limbs and other body dimensions of children from past populations is not well understood. This study assesses whether growth of mediaeval and post-mediaeval children aged between 0-11.5 years from Adriatic (coastal) and continental Croatia varies by region and by the prevalence and type of non-specific stress. Dental ages were estimated using the Moorrees, Fanning and Hunt (MFH) scoring method. Growth of long bone diaphyses (femur, tibia, humerus, radius and ulna) was assessed by using a composite Z-score statistic (CZS). Clavicular length was measured as a proxy for upper trunk width, distal metaphyseal width of the femur was measured as a proxy for body mass and upper and lower intra-limb indices were calculated. Differences between sub-sets sampled by (a) region and (b) active vs healed non-specific stress indicators and (c) intra-limb indices were tested by Mann--Whitney U-tests and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Adriatic children attained larger dimensions-per-age than continental children. Children with healed stress lesions had larger dimensions-per-age than those with active lesions. No inter-regional difference was found in intra-limb indices. These findings highlight the complexity of growth patterns in past populations and indicate that variation in environmental conditions such as diet and differences in the nature of non-specific stress lesions both exert a significant effect on long bone growth.

VORTICAL MOTIONS OF BARYONIC GAS IN THE COSMIC WEB: GROWTH HISTORY AND SCALING RELATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Weishan; Feng, Long-long

The vortical motions of the baryonic gas residing in large-scale structures are investigated by cosmological hydrodynamic simulations. Proceeding in the formation of the cosmic web, the vortical motions of baryonic matter are pumped up by baroclinity in two stages, i.e., the formation of sheets and filaments. The mean curl velocities are about <1, 1–10, 10–150, and 5–50 km s{sup −1} in voids, sheets, filaments, and knots at z = 0, respectively. The scaling of the vortical velocity of gas can be well described by the She–Leveque hierarchical turbulence model in the range of l < 0.65(1.50) h{sup −1} Mpc inmore » a simulation with a box of size 25(100) h{sup −1} Mpc. The fractal Hausdorff dimension of vortical motions, d, revealed by velocity structure functions, is ∼2.1–2.3(∼1.8–2.1). It is slightly larger than the fractal dimension of mass distribution in filaments, D{sup f} ∼ 1.9–2.2, and smaller than the fractal dimension of sheets, D{sup s} ∼ 2.4–2.7. The vortical kinetic energy of baryonic gas is mainly transported by filaments. Both scalings of mass distribution and vortical velocity increments show distinctive transitions at the turning scale of ∼0.65(1.50) h{sup −1} Mpc, which may be closely related to the characteristic radius of density filaments.« less

A dual-satellite study of the spatial properties of FTEs. [flux transfer events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saunders, M. A.; Russell, C. T.; Sckopke, N.

1984-01-01

Reconnection at the earth's dayside magnetopause may manifest itself primarily as a localized and transient process called a flux-transfer event (FTE). The spatial properties of FTEs are investigated directly by examining data from the ISEE satellite pair when the satellites were separated by more than 1000 km in the vicinity of the magnetopause. Examples of magnetosheath and boundary layer FTEs, each having a dimension normal to the magnetopause of order an earth radius, R(E), are shown, and this scale-size result is substantiated statistically for magnetosheath FTEs. When combined with other information, a 1-R(E) normal dimension implies that the voltage associated with the FTE process at one magnetopause location is at least 10 kV. These findings strengthen the view that the magnetic field comprising an FTE is twisted, this twisting appearing to be continuous in sense across the magnetopause and corresponding to a core field-aligned current of magnitude a few hundred kA. Changes in plasma flow speed and direction are found to be associated with FTEs. The transverse field and flow perturbations accompanying the three magnetosheath FTEs studied here satisfy approximately the Walen relation, the relation which describes a propagating Alfven wave.

Investigation of aggregation in solvent extraction of lanthanides by acidic extractants (organophosphorus and naphthenic acid)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhou, N.; Wu, J.; Yu, Z.; Neuman, R.D.; Wang, D.; Xu, G.

1997-01-01

Three acidic extractants (I) di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP), (II) 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (HEHPEHE) and (III) naphthenic acid were employed in preparing the samples for the characterization of the coordination structure of lanthanide-extractant complexes and the physicochemical nature of aggregates formed in the organic diluent of the solvent extraction systems. Photo correlation spectroscopy (PCS) results on the aggregates formed by the partially saponified HDEHP in n-heptane showed that the hydrodynamic radius of the aggregates was comparable to the molecular dimensions of HDEHP. The addition of 2-octanol into the diluent, by which the mixed solvent was formed, increased the dimensions of the corresponding aggregates. Aggregates formed from the lanthanide ions and HDEHP in the organic phase of the extraction systems were found very unstable. In the case of naphthenic acid, PCS data showed the formation of w/o microemulsion from the saponified naphthenic acid in the mixed solvent. The extraction of lanthanides by the saponified naphthenic acid in the mixed solvent under the given experimental conditions was a process of destruction of the w/o microemulsion. A possible mechanism of the breakdown of the w/o microemulsion droplets is discussed.

Why do measures of normal and disordered personality correlate? A study of genetic comorbidity.

PubMed

Jang, K L; Livesley, W J

1999-01-01

The genetic and environmental correlations between measures of normal (NEO-FFI) and abnormal personality (Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology: DAPP-BQ) were estimated in a sample of 545 volunteer general population twin pairs (269 monozygotic and 276 dizygotic pairs). The largest genetic correlations were observed between the 18 DAPP-BQ dimensions and NEO-FFI neuroticism (range = .05 to .81; median = .48), extraversion (range = -.65 to .33; median = -.28), agreeableness (range = -.65 to .00; median = -.38), and conscientiousness (range = -.76 to .52; median = -.31). The smallest genetic correlations were found between the DAPP-BQ dimensions and NEO-FFI openness (range = -.17 to .20; median = -.04). The environmental correlations are lower in magnitude but show the same pattern of correlations between DAPP-BQ and NEO-FFI scales. These results indicate that these two scales share a common broad-based genetic architecture, whereas the environmental influences show greater scale specificity.

[Influence of trematode invasion and zinc ions on the histometric peculiarities of haemocytes and some hematological indices of Planorbarius purpura (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Bulinidae)].

PubMed

Kirichuk, G E; Stadnichenko, A P

2010-01-01

Cellular components of the Planorbarius purpura hemolymph are represented by three phyla of haemocytes (prohemocytes, eosinophilis microgranulocytes, and basophilis granulocytes) and vesicular cells. As a result of the invasions of P. purpura with the trematode Echinoparyphium aconiatum, changes of the linear dimensions of granular hemocytes and their nuclei took place. Moreover, an increase of the hemocytes' number per l mm3 of hemolymph and change of the percentages of different hemocyte types were recorded. Under the influence of zinc ions, linear dimensions of prohemocytes and their nuclei (at 10 MPCns of the toxicant) were changed. In granular hemocytes and abnormalities of all histometrical and hematological parameters were observed. All cytometrical, karyometrical, and hematological alterations were expressed more clearly in infested mollusks than in non-infested ones, and occurred usually under lower concentrations of zinc ions.

Sectoral risk research about input-output structure of the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Mao

2018-02-01

There exist rare researches about economic risk in sectoral level, which is significantly important for risk prewarning. This paper employed status coefficient to measure the symmetry of economic subnetwork, which is negatively correlated with sectoral risk. Then, we do empirical research in both cross section and time series dimensions. In cross section dimension, we study the correlation between sectoral status coefficient and sectoral volatility, earning rate and Sharpe ratio respectively in the year 2015. Next, in the perspective of time series, we first investigate the correlation change between sectoral status coefficient and annual total output from 1997 to 2015. Then, we divide the 71 sectors in America into agriculture, manufacturing, services and government, compare the trend terms of average sectoral status coefficients of the four industries and illustrate the causes behind it. We also find obvious abnormality in the sector of housing. At last, this paper puts forward some suggestions for the federal government.

Mandibular asymmetry and the fourth dimension.

PubMed

Kaban, Leonard B

2009-03-01

This paper represents more than 30 years of discussion and collaboration with Drs Joseph Murray and John Mulliken in an attempt to understand growth patterns over time (ie, fourth dimension) in patients with hemifacial microsomia (HFM). This is essential for the development of rational treatment protocols for children and adults with jaw asymmetry. Traditionally, HFM was thought of as a unilateral deformity, but it was recognized that 20% to 30% of patients had bilateral abnormalities. However, early descriptions of skeletal correction addressed almost exclusively lengthening of the short (affected) side of the face. Based on longitudinal clinical observations of unoperated HFM patients, we hypothesized that abnormal mandibular growth is the earliest skeletal manifestation and that restricted growth of the mandible plays a pivotal role in progressive distortion of both the ipsilateral and contralateral facial skeleton. This hypothesis explains the progressive nature of the asymmetry in patients with HFM and provides the rationale for surgical lengthening of the mandible in children to prevent end-stage deformity. During the past 30 years, we have learned that this phenomenon of progressive distortion of the adjacent and contralateral facial skeleton occurs with other asymmetric mandibular undergrowth (tumor resection, radiation therapy, or posttraumatic defects) and overgrowth (mandibular condylar hyperplasia) conditions. In this paper, I describe the progression of deformity with time in patients with mandibular asymmetry as a result of undergrowth and overgrowth. Understanding these concepts is critical for the development of rational treatment protocols for adults with end-stage asymmetry and for children to minimize secondary deformity.

The linguistics of schizophrenia: thought disturbance as language pathology across positive symptoms.

PubMed

Hinzen, Wolfram; Rosselló, Joana

2015-01-01

We hypothesize that linguistic (dis-)organization in the schizophrenic brain plays a more central role in the pathogenesis of this disease than commonly supposed. Against the standard view, that schizophrenia is a disturbance of thought or selfhood, we argue that the origins of the relevant forms of thought and selfhood at least partially depend on language. The view that they do not is premised by a theoretical conception of language that we here identify as 'Cartesian' and contrast with a recent 'un-Cartesian' model. This linguistic model empirically argues for both (i) a one-to-one correlation between human-specific thought or meaning and forms of grammatical organization, and (ii) an integrative and co-dependent view of linguistic cognition and its sensory-motor dimensions. Core dimensions of meaning mediated by grammar on this model specifically concern forms of referential and propositional meaning. A breakdown of these is virtually definitional of core symptoms. Within this model the three main positive symptoms of schizophrenia fall into place as failures in language-mediated forms of meaning, manifest either as a disorder of speech perception (Auditory Verbal Hallucinations), abnormal speech production running without feedback control (Formal Thought Disorder), or production of abnormal linguistic content (Delusions). Our hypothesis makes testable predictions for the language profile of schizophrenia across symptoms; it simplifies the cognitive neuropsychology of schizophrenia while not being inconsistent with a pattern of neurocognitive deficits and their correlations with symptoms; and it predicts persistent findings on disturbances of language-related circuitry in the schizophrenic brain.

Deviations of the visual upright in three dimensions in disorders of the brainstem: a clinical exploration.

PubMed

Frisén, Lars

2010-12-01

Deviations of the subjective visual vertical in the roll or fronto-parallel plane occur commonly in disorders of the brainstem and have been extensively explored. In contrast, little is known about deviations in other directions. The present retrospective study focused on deviations in the pitch (sagittal) direction in 176 patients with a wide variety of disorders. The test task was to set a self-illuminated rod in the apparent upright position, in total darkness. Abnormal results (outside ± 4°) were recorded in 58% of the subjects. Negative (top backward) deviations were the most common, particularly with mass lesions in the pineal region, obstructive hydrocephalus, cerebellar lesions and crowding at the craniocervical junction. Positive and negative deviations were about equally common with focal intra-axial lesions. Negative deviations appeared related to dorsal locations of lesions and vice versa. Normal pressure hydrocephalus, Parkinson's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy were associated with smaller deviations, without a clear directional preponderance, and a larger individual variability. Most subjects lacked overt clinical corollaries. The most common ocular signs were aqueduct syndromes (n = 17) and ocular tilt reactions (n = 12), which were associated with deviations in 47 and 92% of instances, respectively. Subjective corollaries of deviation were never reported, not even by those subjects who showed a dramatic improvement upon resolution of the underlying condition. Deviations were also assessed in roll in a subgroup of 40 patients with focal lesions. Thirty subjects returned abnormal results: 13% in roll, 47% in pitch and 40% in pitch and roll. The direction of roll deviation appeared primarily related to laterality, with clockwise deviations with right-sided lesions and vice versa. All subjects with ocular tilt reactions had combined pitch and roll deviations, implying a common neural substrate. Correlation analyses, geometrical modelling and experimental self-observations indicated that deviations in pitch were attributable to cyclotorsional asymmetries between the eyes. The frequent co-existence of abnormal pitch and roll results implies that the true axis of deviation in focal brainstem disorders commonly falls outside traditional reference planes. The term 'visual upright in three dimensions' is suggested to identify unrestricted measurements, preserving the established term 'visual vertical' for measurements confined to the roll plane. Assessment of the visual upright in three dimensions provides a new, quantitative angle on brainstem disorders. The test appears useful for identifying a ubiquitous yet clinically silent feature of brainstem disease and also for monitoring the evolution of underlying conditions. More detailed explorations appear well motivated.

The g - 2 muon anomaly in di-muon production with the torsion in LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syromyatnikov, A. G.

2016-06-01

It was considered within the framework of the conformal gauge gravitational theory CGTG coupling of the standard model fermions to the axial torsion and preliminary discusses the impact of extra dimensions, in particular, in a five-dimensional space-time with Randall-Sundrum metric, where the fifth dimension is compactified on an S1/Z 2 orbifold, which as it turns out is conformally to the fifth dimension flat Euclidean space with permanent trace of torsion, with a compactification radius R in terms of the radius of a CGTG gravitational screening, through torsion in a process Z → μ+μ- and LHC data. In general, have come to the correct set of the conformal calibration curvature the Faddeev-Popov diagram technique type, that follows directly from dynamics. This leads to the effect of restrictions on neutral spin currents of gauge fields by helicity and the Regge’s form theory. The diagrams reveals the fact of opening of the fine spacetime structure in a process pp → γ/Z/T → μ+μ- with a center-of-mass energy of 14TeV, indicated by dotted lines and texture columns, as a result of p-p collision on 1.3 ṡ 10-18cm scales from geometric shell gauge bosons of the SM continued by the heavy axial torsion resonance, and even by emerging from the inside into the outside of the ultra-light (freely-frozen in muon’s spin) axial torsion. We then evaluate the contribution of the torsion to the muon anomaly to derive new constraints on the torsion parameters. It was obtained that on the πN scattering through the exchange of axial torsion accounting, the nucleon anomalous magnetic moment in the eikonal phase leads to additive additives which is responsible for the spin-flip in the scattering process, the scattering amplitude is classical and characterized by a strong the torsion coupling ηT≅1. So the scattering of particles, occurs as on the Coulomb center with the charge fT This is the base model which is the g-2 muon anomaly. The muon anomaly contribution due to the heavy axial vector torsion arises from coupling the muon with torsion as external field. This leads to negative energy additive to mass of muons which makes the missing part of the g-2 muon anomaly. It takes place at reasonable values of the transverse front size of the exact solution CGTG equations types of torsion waves with the spin-flip close to the size of the Compton length muon.

Sampling Long- versus Short-Range Interactions Defines the Ability of Force Fields To Reproduce the Dynamics of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins.

PubMed

Mercadante, Davide; Wagner, Johannes A; Aramburu, Iker V; Lemke, Edward A; Gräter, Frauke

2017-09-12

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have valuably complemented experiments describing the dynamics of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), particularly since the proposal of models to solve the artificial collapse of IDPs in silico. Such models suggest redefining nonbonded interactions, by either increasing water dispersion forces or adopting the Kirkwood-Buff force field. These approaches yield extended conformers that better comply with experiments, but it is unclear if they all sample the same intrachain dynamics of IDPs. We have tested this by employing MD simulations and single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer spectroscopy to sample the dimensions of systems with different sequence compositions, namely strong and weak polyelectrolytes. For strong polyelectrolytes in which charge effects dominate, all the proposed solutions equally reproduce the expected ensemble's dimensions. For weak polyelectrolytes, at lower cutoffs, force fields abnormally alter intrachain dynamics, overestimating excluded volume over chain flexibility or reporting no difference between the dynamics of different chains. The TIP4PD water model alone can reproduce experimentally observed changes in extensions (dimensions), but not quantitatively and with only weak statistical significance. Force field limitations are reversed with increased interaction cutoffs, showing that chain dynamics are critically defined by the presence of long-range interactions. Force field analysis aside, our study provides the first insights into how long-range interactions critically define IDP dimensions and raises the question of which length range is crucial to correctly sample the overall dimensions and internal dynamics of the large group of weakly charged yet highly polar IDPs.

An Echocardiographic Study of Left Ventricular Size and Cardiac Function in Adolescent Females with Anorexia Nervosa.

PubMed

Escudero, Carolina A; Potts, James E; Lam, Pei-Yoong; De Souza, Astrid M; Mugford, Gerald J; Sandor, George G S

2016-01-01

This retrospective case-control study investigated cardiac dimensions and ventricular function in female adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) compared with controls. Echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular (LV) dimensions, LV mass index, left atrial size and cardiac index were made. Detailed measures of systolic and diastolic ventricular function were made including tissue Doppler imaging. Patients were stratified by body mass index ≤10th percentile (AN ≤ 10th) and >10th percentile (AN > 10th). Ninety-five AN patients and 58 controls were included. AN and AN ≤ 10th groups had reduced LV dimensions, LV mass index, left atrial size and cardiac index compared with controls. There were no differences between groups in measures of systolic function. Measures of diastolic tissue Doppler imaging were decreased in AN and AN ≤ 10th. No differences in echocardiographic measurements existed between controls and AN > 10th. Female adolescents with AN have preserved systolic function and abnormalities of diastolic ventricular function. AN ≤ 10th may be a higher risk group. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Validating Dimensions of Psychosis Symptomatology: Neural Correlates and 20-year Outcomes

PubMed Central

Kotov, Roman; Foti, Dan; Li, Kaiqiao; Bromet, Evelyn J.; Hajcak, Greg; Ruggero, Camilo J.

2016-01-01

Heterogeneity of psychosis presents significant challenges for classification. Between two and 12 symptom dimensions have been proposed, and consensus is lacking. The present study sought to identify uniquely informative models by comparing the validity of these alternatives. An epidemiologic cohort of 628 first-admission inpatients with psychosis was interviewed 6 times over two decades and completed an electrophysiological assessment of error processing at year 20. We first analyzed a comprehensive set of 49 symptoms rated by interviewers at baseline, progressively extracting from one to 12 factors. Next, we compared the ability of resulting factor solutions to (a) account for concurrent neural dysfunction and (b) predict 20-year role, social, residential, and global functioning, and life satisfaction. A four-factor model showed incremental validity with all outcomes, and more complex models did not improve explanatory power. The four dimensions—reality distortion, disorganization, inexpressivity, and apathy/asociality—were replicable in 5 follow-ups, internally consistent, stable across assessments, and showed strong discriminant validity. These results reaffirm the value of separating disorganization and reality distortion, are consistent with recent findings distinguishing inexpressivity and apathy/asociality, and suggest that these four dimensions are fundamental to understanding neural abnormalities and long-term outcomes in psychosis. PMID:27819471

Multivariate genetic determinants of EEG oscillations in schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar disorder from the BSNIP study

PubMed Central

Narayanan, B; Soh, P; Calhoun, V D; Ruaño, G; Kocherla, M; Windemuth, A; Clementz, B A; Tamminga, C A; Sweeney, J A; Keshavan, M S; Pearlson, G D

2015-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) and psychotic bipolar disorder (PBP) are disabling psychiatric illnesses with complex and unclear etiologies. Electroencephalogram (EEG) oscillatory abnormalities in SZ and PBP probands are heritable and expressed in their relatives, but the neurobiology and genetic factors mediating these abnormalities in the psychosis dimension of either disorder are less explored. We examined the polygenic architecture of eyes-open resting state EEG frequency activity (intrinsic frequency) from 64 channels in 105 SZ, 145 PBP probands and 56 healthy controls (HCs) from the multisite BSNIP (Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes) study. One million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were derived from DNA. We assessed eight data-driven EEG frequency activity derived from group-independent component analysis (ICA) in conjunction with a reduced subset of 10 422 SNPs through novel multivariate association using parallel ICA (para-ICA). Genes contributing to the association were examined collectively using pathway analysis tools. Para-ICA extracted five frequency and nine SNP components, of which theta and delta activities were significantly correlated with two different gene components, comprising genes participating extensively in brain development, neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. Delta and theta abnormality was present in both SZ and PBP, while theta differed between the two disorders. Theta abnormalities were also mediated by gene clusters involved in glutamic acid pathways, cadherin and synaptic contact-based cell adhesion processes. Our data suggest plausible multifactorial genetic networks, including novel and several previously identified (DISC1) candidate risk genes, mediating low frequency delta and theta abnormalities in psychoses. The gene clusters were enriched for biological properties affecting neural circuitry and involved in brain function and/or development. PMID:26101851

Genetic aberrations in multiple myeloma characterized by cIg-FISH: a Brazilian context

PubMed Central

Segges, P.; Braggio, E.; Minnicelli, C.; Hassan, R.; Zalcberg, I.R.; Maiolino, A.

2016-01-01

Genetic abnormalities are critical prognostic factors for patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM). This retrospective, multicenter study aimed to contribute with the genetic and clinical characterization of MM patients in a country with continental dimensions such as Brazil. Genetic abnormalities were assessed by cIg-fluorescent in situ hybridization (cIg-FISH) in a series of 152 MM patients (median age 55 years, 58.5% men). Overall, genetic abnormalities were detected in 52.7% (80/152) of patients. A 14q32 rearrangement was detected in 33.5% (n=51), including t(11;14), t(4;14) and t(14;16) in 18.4, 14.1, and 1% of cases, respectively. del(13q) was identified in 42.7% (n=65) of patients, of whom 49.2% (32/65) presented a concomitant 14q32 rearrangement. del(17p) had a frequency of 5.2% (n=8). del(13q) was associated with high plasma cell burden (≥50%, P=0.02), and del(17p) with advanced ISS stages (P=0.05) and extramedullary disease (P=0.03). t(4;14) was associated with advanced Durie-Salmon stages (P=0.008), renal insufficiency (P=0.01) and was more common in patients over 60 years old. This study reports similar frequencies of genetic abnormalities to most series worldwide, whereas the t(14;16) and del(17p), two high risk factors for newly diagnosed patients, exhibited lower frequencies. Our results expand the knowledge on the molecular features of MM in Brazil, a country where innovative therapies that could overcome a poor prognosis for some genetic abnormalities are not always available. PMID:27074166

Genetic aberrations in multiple myeloma characterized by cIg-FISH: a Brazilian context.

PubMed

Segges, P; Braggio, E; Minnicelli, C; Hassan, R; Zalcberg, I R; Maiolino, A

2016-01-01

Genetic abnormalities are critical prognostic factors for patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM). This retrospective, multicenter study aimed to contribute with the genetic and clinical characterization of MM patients in a country with continental dimensions such as Brazil. Genetic abnormalities were assessed by cIg-fluorescent in situ hybridization (cIg-FISH) in a series of 152 MM patients (median age 55 years, 58.5% men). Overall, genetic abnormalities were detected in 52.7% (80/152) of patients. A 14q32 rearrangement was detected in 33.5% (n=51), including t(11;14), t(4;14) and t(14;16) in 18.4, 14.1, and 1% of cases, respectively. del(13q) was identified in 42.7% (n=65) of patients, of whom 49.2% (32/65) presented a concomitant 14q32 rearrangement. del(17p) had a frequency of 5.2% (n=8). del(13q) was associated with high plasma cell burden (≥50%, P=0.02), and del(17p) with advanced ISS stages (P=0.05) and extramedullary disease (P=0.03). t(4;14) was associated with advanced Durie-Salmon stages (P=0.008), renal insufficiency (P=0.01) and was more common in patients over 60 years old. This study reports similar frequencies of genetic abnormalities to most series worldwide, whereas the t(14;16) and del(17p), two high risk factors for newly diagnosed patients, exhibited lower frequencies. Our results expand the knowledge on the molecular features of MM in Brazil, a country where innovative therapies that could overcome a poor prognosis for some genetic abnormalities are not always available.

Assessment of radiocesium contamination in frogs 18 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

PubMed Central

Matsushima, Noe; Ihara, Sadao; Takase, Minoru; Horiguchi, Toshihiro

2015-01-01

We investigated the accumulation of radionuclides in frogs inhabiting radioactively contaminated areas around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) to search for possible adverse effects due to radionuclides. We collected 5 frog species and soil samples in areas within and outside a 20-km radius from FDNPP in August and September 2012 and determined their radiocesium concentrations (134Cs and 137Cs). There was a positive correlation between radiocesium concentrations in the soil samples and frogs, and the highest concentration in frogs was 47,278.53 Bq/kg-wet. Although we conducted a histological examination of frog ovaries and testes by light microscopy to detect possible effects of radionuclides on the morphology of germ cells, there were no clear abnormalities in the gonadal tissues of frogs collected from sites with different contamination levels. PMID:25857262

Assessment of radiocesium contamination in frogs 18 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsushima, Noe; Ihara, Sadao; Takase, Minoru; Horiguchi, Toshihiro

2015-04-01

We investigated the accumulation of radionuclides in frogs inhabiting radioactively contaminated areas around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) to search for possible adverse effects due to radionuclides. We collected 5 frog species and soil samples in areas within and outside a 20-km radius from FDNPP in August and September 2012 and determined their radiocesium concentrations (134Cs and 137Cs). There was a positive correlation between radiocesium concentrations in the soil samples and frogs, and the highest concentration in frogs was 47,278.53 Bq/kg-wet. Although we conducted a histological examination of frog ovaries and testes by light microscopy to detect possible effects of radionuclides on the morphology of germ cells, there were no clear abnormalities in the gonadal tissues of frogs collected from sites with different contamination levels.

Assessment of radiocesium contamination in frogs 18 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

PubMed

Matsushima, Noe; Ihara, Sadao; Takase, Minoru; Horiguchi, Toshihiro

2015-04-10

We investigated the accumulation of radionuclides in frogs inhabiting radioactively contaminated areas around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) to search for possible adverse effects due to radionuclides. We collected 5 frog species and soil samples in areas within and outside a 20-km radius from FDNPP in August and September 2012 and determined their radiocesium concentrations ((134)Cs and (137)Cs). There was a positive correlation between radiocesium concentrations in the soil samples and frogs, and the highest concentration in frogs was 47,278.53 Bq/kg-wet. Although we conducted a histological examination of frog ovaries and testes by light microscopy to detect possible effects of radionuclides on the morphology of germ cells, there were no clear abnormalities in the gonadal tissues of frogs collected from sites with different contamination levels.

Aggregation of alpha-synuclein by a coarse-grained Monte Carlo simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farmer, Barry; Pandey, Ras

Alpha-synuclein, an intrinsic protein abundant in neurons, is believed to be a major cause of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer, Parkinson's disease). Abnormal aggregation of ASN leads to Lewy bodies with specific morphologies. We investigate the self-organizing structures in a crowded environment of ASN proteins by a coarse-grained Monte Carlo simulation. ASN is a chain of 140 residues. Structure detail of residues is neglected but its specificity is captured via unique knowledge-based residue-residue interactions. Large-scale simulations are performed to analyze a number local and global physical quantities (e.g. mobility profile, contact map, radius of gyration, structure factor) as a function of temperature and protein concentration. Trend in multi-scale structural variations of the protein in a crowded environment is compared with that of a free protein chain.

Hot spot formation and stagnation properties in simulations of direct-drive NIF implosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, Andrew J.; Obenschain, Stephen P.

2016-05-01

We investigate different proposed methods of increasing the hot spot energy and radius in inertial confinement fusion implosions. In particular, shock mistiming (preferentially heating the inner edge of the target's fuel) and increasing the initial vapor gas density are investigated as possible control mechanisms. We find that only the latter is effective in substantially increasing the hot spot energy and dimensions while achieving ignition. In all cases an increase in the hot spot energy is accompanied by a decrease in the hot spot energy density (pressure) and both the yield and the gain of the target drop substantially. 2D simulations of increased vapor density targets predict an increase in the robustness of the target with respect to surface perturbations but are accompanied by significant yield degradation.

d=4 attractors, effective horizon radius, and fake supergravity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferrara, Sergio; INFN-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via Enrico Fermi 40, I-00044 Frascati; Gnecchi, Alessandra

2008-09-15

We consider extremal black hole attractors [both Bogomol'nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield (BPS) and non-BPS] for N=3 and N=5 supergravity in d=4 space-time dimensions. Attractors for matter-coupled N=3 theory are similar to attractors in N=2 supergravity minimally coupled to Abelian vector multiplets. On the other hand, N=5 attractors are similar to attractors in N=4 pure supergravity, and in such theories only (1/N)-BPS nondegenerate solutions exist. All the above-mentioned theories have a simple interpretation in the first order (fake supergravity) formalism. Furthermore, such theories do not have a d=5 uplift. Finally we comment on the duality relations among the attractor solutions of N{>=}2 supergravities sharingmore » the same full bosonic sector.« less

A fractal model of effective stress of porous media and the analysis of influence factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei; Zhao, Huan; Li, Siqi; Sun, Wenfeng; Wang, Lei; Li, Bing

2018-03-01

The basic concept of effective stress describes the characteristics of fluid and solid interaction in porous media. In this paper, based on the theory of fractal geometry, a fractal model was built to analyze the relationship between the microstructure and the effective stress of porous media. From the microscopic point of view, the influence of effective stress on pore structure of porous media was demonstrated. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that: (i) the fractal model of effective stress can be used to describe the relationship between effective stress and the microstructure of porous media; (ii) a linear increase in the effective stress leads to exponential increases in fractal dimension, porosity and pore number of the porous media, and causes a decreasing trend in the average pore radius.

Sub-Doppler Frequency Metrology in HD for Tests of Fundamental Physics.

PubMed

Cozijn, F M J; Dupré, P; Salumbides, E J; Eikema, K S E; Ubachs, W

2018-04-13

Weak transitions in the (2,0) overtone band of the hydrogen deuteride molecule at λ=1.38  μm were measured in saturated absorption using the technique of noise-immune cavity-enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy. Narrow Doppler-free lines were interrogated with a spectroscopy laser locked to a frequency comb laser referenced to an atomic clock to yield transition frequencies [R(1)=217105181895(20)  kHz; R(2)=219042856621(28)  kHz; R(3)=220704304951(28)  kHz] at three orders of magnitude improved accuracy. These benchmark values provide a test of QED in the smallest neutral molecule, and they open up an avenue to resolve the proton radius puzzle, as well as constrain putative fifth forces and extra dimensions.

A method to calculate the gamma ray detection efficiency of a cylindrical NaI (Tl) crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadi, S.; Ashrafi, S.; Yazdansetad, F.

2018-05-01

Given a wide range application of NaI(Tl) detector in industrial and medical sectors, computation of the related detection efficiency in different distances of a radioactive source, especially for calibration purposes, is the subject of radiation detection studies. In this work, a 2in both in radius and height cylindrical NaI (Tl) scintillator was used, and by changing the radial, axial, and diagonal positions of an isotropic 137Cs point source relative to the detector, the solid angles and the interaction probabilities of gamma photons with the detector's sensitive area have been calculated. The calculations present the geometric and intrinsic efficiency as the functions of detector's dimensions and the position of the source. The calculation model is in good agreement with experiment, and MCNPX simulation.

Lovelock black holes surrounded by quintessence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Sushant G.; Maharaj, Sunil D.; Baboolal, Dharmanand; Lee, Tae-Hun

2018-02-01

Lovelock gravity consisting of the dimensionally continued Euler densities is a natural generalization of general relativity to higher dimensions such that equations of motion are still second order, and the theory is free of ghosts. A scalar field with a positive potential that yields an accelerating universe has been termed quintessence. We present exact black hole solutions in D-dimensional Lovelock gravity surrounded by quintessence matter and also perform a detailed thermodynamical study. Further, we find that the mass, entropy and temperature of the black hole are corrected due to the quintessence background. In particular, we find that a phase transition occurs with a divergence of the heat capacity at the critical horizon radius, and that specific heat becomes positive for r_h

Dynamics of spherical metallic particles in cylinder electrostatic separators/purifiers.

PubMed

Lu, Hong-Zhou; Li, Jia; Guo, Jie; Xu, Zhen-Ming

2008-08-15

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the dynamics of spherical metallic particles in electrostatic separators/purifiers (ESPs). The particle equations of motion are numerically solved in two dimensions using a computational algorithm. The ESPs consist of a pair of conductor cylinder electrodes. The upper cylinder is energized by HVdc, while the lower one is grounded and fixed horizontally on a revolvable axis. Some phenomena and aspects of separation process are explained and depicted including lifting off, impact, "motion collapse" and "sudden bouncing". The results reveal that the several phenomena depend on initial position, radius and density of the particle, curvature of the cylinder electrodes, distance between the electrodes and amplitude of the applied voltage. Optimization of the parameters is presented in order to get better separation/purification processes.

Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities in Chagas disease: findings in residents of rural Bolivian communities hyperendemic for Chagas disease.

PubMed

Fernandez, Antonio B; Nunes, Maria Carmo P; Clark, Eva H; Samuels, Aaron; Menacho, Silvio; Gomez, Jesus; Bozo Gutierrez, Ricardo W; Crawford, Thomas C; Gilman, Robert H; Bern, Caryn

2015-09-01

Chagas disease is a neglected and preventable tropical disease that causes significant cardiac morbidity and mortality in Latin America. This study sought to describe cardiac findings among inhabitants of rural communities of the Bolivian Chaco. The cardiac study drew participants from an epidemiologic study in 7 indigenous Guarani communities. All infected participants 10 years or older were asked to undergo a brief physical examination and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). A subset had echocardiograms. ECG and echocardiograms were read by 1 or more cardiologists. Of 1,137 residents 10 years or older, 753 (66.2%) had Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Cardiac evaluations were performed for 398 infected participants 10 years or older. Fifty-five participants (13.8%) had 1 or more ECG abnormalities suggestive of Chagas cardiomyopathy. The most frequent abnormalities were bundle branch blocks in 42 (11.3%), followed by rhythm disturbances or ventricular ectopy in 13 (3.3%), and atrioventricular blocks (AVB) in 10 participants (2.6%). The prevalence of any abnormality rose from 1.1% among those 10 to 19 years old to 14.2%, 17.3%, and 26.4% among those 20 to 39, 40 to 59, and older than 60 years, respectively. First-degree AVB was seen most frequently in participants 60 years or older, but the 4 patients with third-degree AVB were all under 50 years old. Eighteen and 2 participants had a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% to 54% and <40%, respectively. An increasing number of ECG abnormalities was associated with progressively larger left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions and lower left ventricular ejection fraction. We found a high prevalence of ECG abnormalities and substantial evidence of Chagas cardiomyopathy. Programs to improve access to basic cardiac care (annual ECG, antiarrhythmics, pacemakers) could have an immediate impact on morbidity and mortality in these highly endemic communities. Copyright © 2015 World Heart Federation (Geneva). All rights reserved.

Dynamic baseline detection method for power data network service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei

2017-08-01

This paper proposes a dynamic baseline Traffic detection Method which is based on the historical traffic data for the Power data network. The method uses Cisco's NetFlow acquisition tool to collect the original historical traffic data from network element at fixed intervals. This method uses three dimensions information including the communication port, time, traffic (number of bytes or number of packets) t. By filtering, removing the deviation value, calculating the dynamic baseline value, comparing the actual value with the baseline value, the method can detect whether the current network traffic is abnormal.

Design of a dee vacuum vessel for Doublet III

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, L.G.

1983-04-01

The Doublet III tokamak is to be modified wherein the original 'doublet' plasma containment vacuum vessel will be exchanged with one of a large dee-shaped cross section. The basic dimensions of the dee vessel will allow plasmas of 1.7-m major radius, 0.7-m minor radius, and a vertical elongation of 1.8. Installation of a large dee vessel in Doublet III is made possible by the demountable toroidal field coils and the large, low-ripple volume they include. Ripple at the plasma edge will be less than one percent. The plasma parameters affecting the design of the vessel will be reviewed including plasmamore » current, power, disruption time, allowable error field, impurity control techniques, pulse length, and limiter schemes. A driving requirement for the design of the vessel is to maximize the access to the plasma for auxiliary heating (both neutral beam injection and radio frequency heating), diagnostics, developmental component and material testing, and pumping. The dee vessel is structurally designed along the same lines as the present vessel: an Inconel 625, all-welded, continuous chamber in a corrugated sandwich construction. An overview of the vessel design and its solutions to the design criteria will be presented. An overview will also be presented of the entire modification project which includes replacement of some coils, and addition of support structure, limiters and vessel armor, and power system components.« less

Modified TOV in gravity’s rainbow: properties of neutron stars and dynamical stability conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendi, S.H.; Research Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics of Maragha; Bordbar, G.H.

In this paper, we consider a spherical symmetric metric to extract the hydrostatic equilibrium equation of stars in (3+1)-dimensional gravity’s rainbow in the presence of cosmological constant. Then, we generalize the hydrostatic equilibrium equation to d-dimensions and obtain the hydrostatic equilibrium equation for this gravity. Also, we obtain the maximum mass of neutron star using the modern equations of state of neutron star matter derived from the microscopic calculations. It is notable that, in this paper, we consider the effects of rainbow functions on the diagrams related to the mass-central mass density (M-ρ{sub c}) relation and also the mass-radius (M-R)more » relation of neutron star. We also study the effects of rainbow functions on the other properties of neutron star such as the Schwarzschild radius, average density, strength of gravity and gravitational redshift. Then, we apply the cosmological constant to this theory to obtain the diagrams of M-ρ{sub c} (or M-R) and other properties of these stars. Next, we investigate the dynamical stability condition for these stars in gravity’s rainbow and show that these stars have dynamical stability. We also obtain a relation between mass of neutron stars and Planck mass. In addition, we compare obtained results of this theory with the observational data.« less

Search for Higgs boson pair production in the [Formula: see text] final state from pp collisions at [Formula: see text] TeVwith the ATLAS detector.

PubMed

Aad, G; Abbott, B; Abdallah, J; Abdinov, O; Aben, R; Abolins, M; AbouZeid, O S; Abramowicz, H; Abreu, H; Abreu, R; Abulaiti, Y; Acharya, B S; Adamczyk, L; Adams, D L; Adelman, J; Adomeit, S; Adye, T; Affolder, A A; Agatonovic-Jovin, T; Aguilar-Saavedra, J A; Ahlen, S P; Ahmadov, F; Aielli, G; Akerstedt, H; Åkesson, T P A; Akimoto, G; Akimov, A V; Alberghi, G L; Albert, J; Albrand, S; Alconada Verzini, M J; Aleksa, M; Aleksandrov, I N; Alexa, C; Alexander, G; Alexopoulos, T; Alhroob, M; Alimonti, G; Alio, L; Alison, J; Alkire, S P; Allbrooke, B M M; Allport, P P; Aloisio, A; Alonso, A; Alonso, F; Alpigiani, C; Altheimer, A; Alvarez Gonzalez, B; Álvarez Piqueras, D; Alviggi, M G; Amadio, B T; Amako, K; Amaral Coutinho, Y; Amelung, C; Amidei, D; Amor Dos Santos, S P; Amorim, A; Amoroso, S; Amram, N; Amundsen, G; Anastopoulos, C; Ancu, L S; Andari, N; Andeen, T; Anders, C F; Anders, G; Anders, J K; Anderson, K J; Andreazza, A; Andrei, V; Angelidakis, S; Angelozzi, I; Anger, P; Angerami, A; Anghinolfi, F; Anisenkov, A V; Anjos, N; Annovi, A; Antonelli, M; Antonov, A; Antos, J; Anulli, F; Aoki, M; Aperio Bella, L; Arabidze, G; Arai, Y; Araque, J P; Arce, A T H; Arduh, F A; Arguin, J-F; Argyropoulos, S; Arik, M; Armbruster, A J; Arnaez, O; Arnal, V; Arnold, H; Arratia, M; Arslan, O; Artamonov, A; Artoni, G; Asai, S; Asbah, N; Ashkenazi, A; Åsman, B; Asquith, L; Assamagan, K; Astalos, R; Atkinson, M; Atlay, N B; Auerbach, B; Augsten, K; Aurousseau, M; Avolio, G; Axen, B; Ayoub, M K; Azuelos, G; Baak, M A; Baas, A E; Bacci, C; Bachacou, H; Bachas, K; Backes, M; Backhaus, M; Bagiacchi, P; Bagnaia, P; Bai, Y; Bain, T; Baines, J T; Baker, O K; Balek, P; Balestri, T; Balli, F; Banas, E; Banerjee, Sw; Bannoura, A A E; Bansil, H S; Barak, L; Barberio, E L; Barberis, D; Barbero, M; Barillari, T; Barisonzi, M; Barklow, T; Barlow, N; Barnes, S L; Barnett, B M; Barnett, R M; Barnovska, Z; Baroncelli, A; Barone, G; Barr, A J; Barreiro, F; Barreiro Guimarães da Costa, J; Bartoldus, R; Barton, A E; Bartos, P; Basalaev, A; Bassalat, A; Basye, A; Bates, R L; Batista, S J; Batley, J R; Battaglia, M; Bauce, M; Bauer, F; Bawa, H S; Beacham, J B; Beattie, M D; Beau, T; Beauchemin, P H; Beccherle, R; Bechtle, P; Beck, H P; Becker, K; Becker, M; Becker, S; Beckingham, M; Becot, C; Beddall, A J; Beddall, A; Bednyakov, V A; Bee, C P; Beemster, L J; Beermann, T A; Begel, M; Behr, J K; Belanger-Champagne, C; Bell, W H; Bella, G; Bellagamba, L; Bellerive, A; Bellomo, M; Belotskiy, K; Beltramello, O; Benary, O; Benchekroun, D; Bender, M; Bendtz, K; Benekos, N; Benhammou, Y; Benhar Noccioli, E; Benitez Garcia, J A; Benjamin, D P; Bensinger, J R; Bentvelsen, S; Beresford, L; Beretta, M; Berge, D; Bergeaas Kuutmann, E; Berger, N; Berghaus, F; Beringer, J; Bernard, C; Bernard, N R; Bernius, C; Bernlochner, F U; Berry, T; Berta, P; Bertella, C; Bertoli, G; Bertolucci, F; Bertsche, C; Bertsche, D; Besana, M I; Besjes, G J; Bessidskaia Bylund, O; Bessner, M; Besson, N; Betancourt, C; Bethke, S; Bevan, A J; Bhimji, W; Bianchi, R M; Bianchini, L; Bianco, M; Biebel, O; Biedermann, D; Bieniek, S P; Biglietti, M; Bilbao De Mendizabal, J; Bilokon, H; Bindi, M; Binet, S; Bingul, A; Bini, C; Black, C W; Black, J E; Black, K M; Blackburn, D; Blair, R E; Blanchard, J-B; Blanco, J E; Blazek, T; Bloch, I; Blocker, C; Blum, W; Blumenschein, U; Bobbink, G J; Bobrovnikov, V S; Bocchetta, S S; Bocci, A; Bock, C; Boehler, M; Bogaerts, J A; Bogavac, D; Bogdanchikov, A G; Bohm, C; Boisvert, V; Bold, T; Boldea, V; Boldyrev, A S; Bomben, M; Bona, M; Boonekamp, M; Borisov, A; Borissov, G; Borroni, S; Bortfeldt, J; Bortolotto, V; Bos, K; Boscherini, D; Bosman, M; Boudreau, J; Bouffard, J; Bouhova-Thacker, E V; Boumediene, D; Bourdarios, C; Bousson, N; Boveia, A; Boyd, J; Boyko, I R; Bozic, I; Bracinik, J; Brandt, A; Brandt, G; Brandt, O; Bratzler, U; Brau, B; Brau, J E; Braun, H M; Brazzale, S F; Breaden Madden, W D; Brendlinger, K; Brennan, A J; Brenner, L; Brenner, R; Bressler, S; Bristow, K; Bristow, T M; Britton, D; Britzger, D; Brochu, F M; Brock, I; Brock, R; Bronner, J; Brooijmans, G; Brooks, T; Brooks, W K; Brosamer, J; Brost, E; Brown, J; Bruckman de Renstrom, P A; Bruncko, D; Bruneliere, R; Bruni, A; Bruni, G; Bruschi, M; Bruscino, N; Bryngemark, L; Buanes, T; Buat, Q; Buchholz, P; Buckley, A G; Buda, S I; Budagov, I A; Buehrer, F; Bugge, L; Bugge, M K; Bulekov, O; Bullock, D; Burckhart, H; Burdin, S; Burghgrave, B; Burke, S; Burmeister, I; Busato, E; Büscher, D; Büscher, V; Bussey, P; Butler, J M; Butt, A I; Buttar, C M; Butterworth, J M; Butti, P; Buttinger, W; Buzatu, A; Buzykaev, A R; Cabrera Urbán, S; Caforio, D; Cairo, V M; Cakir, O; Calafiura, P; Calandri, A; Calderini, G; Calfayan, P; Caloba, L P; Calvet, D; Calvet, S; Camacho Toro, R; Camarda, S; Camarri, P; Cameron, D; Caminada, L M; Caminal Armadans, R; Campana, S; Campanelli, M; Campoverde, A; Canale, V; Canepa, A; Cano Bret, M; Cantero, J; Cantrill, R; Cao, T; Capeans Garrido, M D M; Caprini, I; Caprini, M; Capua, M; Caputo, R; Cardarelli, R; Cardillo, F; Carli, T; Carlino, G; Carminati, L; Caron, S; Carquin, E; Carrillo-Montoya, G D; Carter, J R; Carvalho, J; Casadei, D; Casado, M P; Casolino, M; Castaneda-Miranda, E; Castelli, A; Castillo Gimenez, V; Castro, N F; Catastini, P; Catinaccio, A; Catmore, J R; Cattai, A; Caudron, J; Cavaliere, V; Cavalli, D; Cavalli-Sforza, M; Cavasinni, V; Ceradini, F; Cerio, B C; Cerny, K; Cerqueira, A S; Cerri, A; Cerrito, L; Cerutti, F; Cerv, M; Cervelli, A; Cetin, S A; Chafaq, A; Chakraborty, D; Chalupkova, I; Chang, P; Chapleau, B; Chapman, J D; Charlton, D G; Chau, C C; Chavez Barajas, C A; Cheatham, S; Chegwidden, A; Chekanov, S; Chekulaev, S V; Chelkov, G A; Chelstowska, M A; Chen, C; Chen, H; Chen, K; Chen, L; Chen, S; Chen, X; Chen, Y; Cheng, H C; Cheng, Y; Cheplakov, A; Cheremushkina, E; Cherkaoui El Moursli, R; Chernyatin, V; Cheu, E; Chevalier, L; Chiarella, V; Childers, J T; Chiodini, G; Chisholm, A S; Chislett, R T; Chitan, A; Chizhov, M V; Choi, K; Chouridou, S; 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Da Cunha Sargedas De Sousa, M J; Da Via, C; Dabrowski, W; Dafinca, A; Dai, T; Dale, O; Dallaire, F; Dallapiccola, C; Dam, M; Dandoy, J R; Dang, N P; Daniells, A C; Danninger, M; Dano Hoffmann, M; Dao, V; Darbo, G; Darmora, S; Dassoulas, J; Dattagupta, A; Davey, W; David, C; Davidek, T; Davies, E; Davies, M; Davison, P; Davygora, Y; Dawe, E; Dawson, I; Daya-Ishmukhametova, R K; De, K; de Asmundis, R; De Castro, S; De Cecco, S; De Groot, N; de Jong, P; De la Torre, H; De Lorenzi, F; De Nooij, L; De Pedis, D; De Salvo, A; De Sanctis, U; De Santo, A; De Vivie De Regie, J B; Dearnaley, W J; Debbe, R; Debenedetti, C; Dedovich, D V; Deigaard, I; Del Peso, J; Del Prete, T; Delgove, D; Deliot, F; Delitzsch, C M; Deliyergiyev, M; Dell'Acqua, A; Dell'Asta, L; Dell'Orso, M; Della Pietra, M; Della Volpe, D; Delmastro, M; Delsart, P A; Deluca, C; DeMarco, D A; Demers, S; Demichev, M; Demilly, A; Denisov, S P; Derendarz, D; Derkaoui, J E; Derue, F; Dervan, P; Desch, K; Deterre, C; Deviveiros, P O; Dewhurst, A; 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A search for Higgs boson pair production [Formula: see text] is performed with 19.5 fb[Formula: see text] of proton-proton collision data at [Formula: see text] TeV, which were recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012. The decay products of each Higgs boson are reconstructed as a high-momentum [Formula: see text] system with either a pair of small-radius jets or a single large-radius jet, the latter exploiting jet substructure techniques and associated b -tagged track-jets. No evidence for resonant or non-resonant Higgs boson pair production is observed. The data are interpreted in the context of the Randall-Sundrum model with a warped extra dimension as well as the two-Higgs-doublet model. An upper limit on the cross-section for [Formula: see text] of 3.2 (2.3) fb is set for a Kaluza-Klein graviton [Formula: see text] mass of 1.0 (1.5) TeV, at the 95 % confidence level. The search for non-resonant Standard Model hh production sets an observed 95 % confidence level upper limit on the production cross-section [Formula: see text] of 202 fb, compared to a Standard Model prediction of [Formula: see text] fb.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Margaret A. Marshall

In the early 1970’s Dr. John T. Mihalczo (team leader), J.J. Lynn, and J.R. Taylor performed experiments at the Oak Ridge Critical Experiments Facility (ORCEF) with highly enriched uranium (HEU) metal (called Oak Ridge Alloy or ORALLOY) in an attempt to recreate GODIVA I results with greater accuracy than those performed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1950’s (HEU-MET-FAST-001). The purpose of the Oak Ridge ORALLOY Sphere (ORSphere) experiments was to estimate the unreflected and unmoderated critical mass of an idealized sphere of uranium metal corrected to a density, purity, and enrichment such that it could be compared withmore » the GODIVA I experiments. “The very accurate description of this sphere, as assembled, establishes it as an ideal benchmark for calculational methods and cross-section data files.” (Reference 1) While performing the ORSphere experiments care was taken to accurately document component dimensions (±0. 0001 in. for non-spherical parts), masses (±0.01 g), and material data The experiment was also set up to minimize the amount of structural material in the sphere proximity. A three part sphere was initially assembled with an average radius of 3.4665 in. and was then machined down to an average radius of 3.4420 in. (3.4425 in. nominal). These two spherical configurations were evaluated and judged to be acceptable benchmark experiments; however, the two experiments are highly correlated.« less

A flickering study of nova-like systems KR Aur and UU Aqr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobrotka, A.; Mineshige, S.; Casares, J.

2012-03-01

We present a study of the flickering activity in two nova-like systems, KR Aur and UU Aqr. We applied a statistical model of flickering simulations in accretion discs based on turbulent angular momentum transport between two adjacent rings with an exponential distribution of the turbulence dimension scale. The model is based on a steady-state disc model, which is satisfied in the case of hot ionized discs of nova-like cataclysmic variables. Our model successfully fits the observed power-density spectrum of KR Aur with the disc parameter α= 0.10-0.40 and an inner-disc truncation radius in the range Rin= 0.88-1.67 × 109 cm. The exact values depend on the mass-transfer rate in the sense that α decreases and Rin increases with mass-transfer rate. In any case, the inner-disc radius found for KR Aur is considerably smaller than those for quiescent dwarf novae, as predicted by the disc instability model. On the other hand, our simulations fail to reproduce the power-density spectrum of UU Aqr. A tantalizing explanation involves the possible presence of spiral waves, which are expected in UU Aqr because of its low mass ratio but not in KR Aur. In general our model predicts the observed concentration of flickering in the central disc. We explain this by the radial dependence of the angular-momentum gradient.

Particle transport in a wave spectrum with a thermal distribution of Larmor radii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinell, Julio; Kryukov, Nikolay; Del Castillo-Negrete, Diego

2017-10-01

Test particle E × B transport is studied due to an infinite spectrum of drift waves in two dimensions using a Hamiltonian approach, which can be reduced to a 2D mapping. Finite Larmor radius (FLR) effects are included taking a gyroaverage. When the wave amplitude is increased there is a gradual transition to chaos but the chaos level is reduced when FLR grows, implying that fast particles are better confined. The fraction of confined particles is found to be reduced as the wave amplitude rises. The statistical properties of transport are studied finding that, in the absence of a background flow, it is diffusive with a Gaussian PDF, when all particles have the same FLR. In contrast, for a thermal FLR distribution, the PDF is non-Gaussian but the transport remains diffusive. A theoretical explanation of this is given showing that a superposition of Gaussians produces a PDF with long tails. When a background flow is introduced that varies monotonically with radius, the transport becomes strongly super-diffusive due to the appearance of long Levy flights which dominate the particles. The PDF develops long tails as the flow strength is increased. The particle variance scales as σ t3 for chaotic regime but reduces to ballistic ( t2) for low chaos. Work funded by PAPIIT-UNAM project IN109115.

Closer look at the effect of AFM imaging conditions on the apparent dimensions of surface nanobubbles.

PubMed

Walczyk, Wiktoria; Schönherr, Holger

2013-01-15

To date, TM AFM (tapping mode or intermittent contact mode atomic force microscopy) is the most frequently applied direct imaging technique to visualize surface nanobubbles at the solid-aqueous interface. On one hand, AFM is the only profilometric technique that provides estimates of the bubbles' nanoscopic dimensions. On the other hand, the nanoscopic contact angles of surface nanobubbles estimated from their apparent dimensions that are deduced from AFM "height" images of nanobubbles differ markedly from the macrocopic water contact angles on the identical substrates. Here we show in detail how the apparent bubble height and width of surface nanobubbles on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) depend on the free amplitude of the cantilever oscillations and the amplitude setpoint ratio. (The role of these two AFM imaging parameters and their interdependence has not been studied so far for nanobubbles in a systematic way.) In all experiments, even with optimal scanning parameters, nanobubbles at the HOPG-water interface appeared to be smaller in the AFM images than their true size, which was estimated using a method presented herein. It was also observed that the severity of the underestimate increased with increasing bubble height and radius of curvature. The nanoscopic contact angle of >130° for nanobubbles on HOPG extrapolated to zero interaction force was only slightly overestimated and hence significantly higher than the macroscopic contact angle of water on HOPG (63 ± 2°). Thus, the widely reported contact angle discrepancy cannot be solely attributed to inappropriate AFM imaging conditions.

Fast Conformal Thermal Ablation in the Prostate with Transurethral Multi-Sectored Ultrasound Devices and MR Guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinsey, Adam M.; Diederich, Chris J.; Nau, William H.; Ross, Anthony B.; Pauly, Kim Butts; Rieke, Viola; Sommer, Graham

2007-05-01

Transurethral ultrasound applicators incorporating an array of multisectored tubular transducers were evaluated in theoretical simulations and in vivo canine prostates under MR guidance as a method for fast, conformal thermal therapy of the prostate. Comprehensive simulations with a biothermal model investigated the effect on lesion creation of sector size, perfusion, treatment time, rectal cooling, prostate target dimensions, and feedback controller parameters (maximum temperature, pilot points at boundary, update times). In vivo canine prostates (n = 4) were treated with trisectored ultrasound transducers (3 mm OD) under MR temperature monitoring to contour the ablation zone (>52 C for 1-2 min) to the boundary of the prostate. Contiguous thermal lesions extended 2 cm in radius from the urethra in less than 15 min and independent sector control simultaneously allowed for conformal treatment in the angular dimension. Experiments investigated sequential translation of the transducer assembly within the catheter for tailoring heat treatments to different partitions in the prostate (base, apex) without changing the initial setup. This treatment method offered greater lesion shape control in three dimensions and slightly lengthened the overall treatment time. The MR temperature images correlated with post-treatment histology and accurately controlled the heating to the target boundary. MR-based control of transurethral ultrasound devices appeared more practical with multisectored transducers compared to rotating curvilinear and planar applicators due to less stringent requirements on spatial and temporal MR parameters. This study demonstrated the applicability of these devices in the prostate for anterior-lateral BPH treatment, and whole gland or quadrant target volumes for cancer treatment.

Revisiting the use of the immersed-boundary lattice-Boltzmann method for simulations of suspended particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mountrakis, L.; Lorenz, E.; Hoekstra, A. G.

2017-07-01

The immersed-boundary lattice-Boltzmann method (IB-LBM) is increasingly being used in simulations of dense suspensions. These systems are computationally very expensive and can strongly benefit from lower resolutions that still maintain the desired accuracy for the quantities of interest. IB-LBM has a number of free parameters that have to be defined, often without exact knowledge of the tradeoffs, since their behavior in low resolutions is not well understood. Such parameters are the lattice constant Δ x , the number of vertices Nv, the interpolation kernel ϕ , and the LBM relaxation time τ . We investigate the effect of these IB-LBM parameters on a number of straightforward but challenging benchmarks. The systems considered are (a) the flow of a single sphere in shear flow, (b) the collision of two spheres in shear flow, and (c) the lubrication interaction of two spheres. All benchmarks are performed in three dimensions. The first two systems are used for determining two effective radii: the hydrodynamic radius rhyd and the particle interaction radius rinter. The last system is used to establish the numerical robustness of the lubrication forces, used to probe the hydrodynamic interactions in the limit of small gaps. Our results show that lower spatial resolutions result in larger hydrodynamic and interaction radii, while surface densities should be chosen above two vertices per LU2 result to prevent fluid penetration in underresolved meshes. Underresolved meshes also failed to produce the migration of particles toward the center of the domain due to lift forces in Couette flow, mostly noticeable for IBM-kernel ϕ2. Kernel ϕ4, despite being more robust toward mesh resolution, produces a notable membrane thickness, leading to the breakdown of the lubrication forces in larger gaps, and its use in dense suspensions where the mean particle distances are small can result in undesired behavior. rhyd is measured to be different from rinter, suggesting that there is no consistent measure to recalibrate the radius of the suspended particle.

Harnessing electrical power from vortex-induced vibration of a circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soti, Atul Kumar; Thompson, Mark C.; Sheridan, John; Bhardwaj, Rajneesh

2017-04-01

The generation of electrical power from Vortex-Induced Vibration (VIV) of a cylinder is investigated numerically. The cylinder is free to oscillate in the direction transverse to the incoming flow. The cylinder is attached to a magnet that can move along the axis of a coil made from conducting wire. The magnet and the coil together constitute a basic electrical generator. When the cylinder undergoes VIV, the motion of the magnet creates a voltage across the coil, which is connected to a resistive load. By Lenz's law, induced current in the coil applies a retarding force to the magnet. Effectively, the electrical generator applies a damping force on the cylinder with a spatially varying damping coefficient. For the initial investigation reported here, the Reynolds number is restricted to Re < 200, so that the flow is laminar and two-dimensional (2D). The incompressible 2D Navier-Stokes equations are solved using an extensively validated spectral-element based solver. The effects of the electromagnetic (EM) damping constant xi_m, coil dimensions (radius a, length L), and mass ratio on the electrical power extracted are quantified. It is found that there is an optimal value of xi_m (xi_opt) at which maximum electrical power is generated. As the radius or length of the coil is increased, the value of xi_opt is observed to increase. Although the maximum average power remains the same, a larger coil radius or length results in a more robust system in the sense that a relatively large amount of power can be extracted when xi_m is far from xi_opt, unlike the constant damping ratio case. The average power output is also a function of Reynolds number, primarily through the increased maximum oscillation amplitude that occurs with increased Reynolds number at least within the laminar range, although the general qualitative findings seem likely to carry across to high Reynolds number VIV.

Application of the kappa-omega Turbulence Model to Quasi-Three-Dimensional Turbomachinery Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chima, Rodrick V.

1996-01-01

Many computational fluid dynamics codes for turbomachinery use the Baldwin-Lomax (B-L) turbulence model. It is easy to implement in two dimensions and works well for predicting overall turbomachinery performance. However, it is awkward to implement in three dimensions, often has difficulty finding the length scale, has a crude transition model, and neglects freestream turbulence, surface roughness, and mass injection. The kappa-omega model developed by Wilcox is an appealing alternative for several reasons. First, it is the only two-equation model that can be integrated to the wall without requiring damping functions or the distance to the wall, and hence, should behave well numerically. Second, the effects of freestream turbulence, surface roughness, and mass injection are easily included in the model. Finally, transition can be simulated using the low Reynolds number version of the model. Menter applied the kappa-model to external flows and showed very good results for flows with adverse pressure gradients. Liu and Zheng described their implementation of the kappa-model in a cascade code that included an area change term to account for endwall convergence. They validated the model for a flat plate, and compared the B-L and kappa-models to measured surface pressures for a low-pressure turbine cascade. Since they did not use the low Reynolds number version of the model, their results showed problems resulting from early transition. In this Note the low Reynolds number kappa-model was incorporated in the author's quasi-three-dimensional turbomachinery analysis code. The code includes the effects of rotation, radius change, and stream-surface thickness variation, and also includes the B-L turbulence model. The kappa-omega model was implemented using many of Menter's recommendations and an implicit approximate-factorization scheme described by Baldwin and Barth. The model was tested for a transonic compressor with rotation and variable stream-surface radius and height, and for a transonic turbine vane with transition and heat transfer. Results were compared to the B-L model and to experimental data.

Left ventricular function in Friedreich's ataxia. An echocardiographic study.

PubMed Central

Sutton, M G; Olukotun, A Y; Tajik, A J; Lovett, J L; Giuliani, E R

1980-01-01

Left ventricular function was assessed in seven patients with Friedreich's ataxia using computer-assisted analysis of the left ventricular echocardiograms and compared with those of 45 normal children matched for age and sex. The left ventricle in Friedreich's ataxia was symmetrically hypertrophied, cavity dimension was normal or small, and septal motion and peak velocity of circumferential shortening were normal in all patients. In diastole the duration of rapid filling was normal, peak rate of increase in left ventricular dimension was reduced in two patients, mitral valve opening was delayed with respect to minimum cavity dimension in seven, and there were significantly greater than normal increases in left ventricular dimension during the isovolumic period to mitral valve opening in seven, indicating abnormal and incoordinate relaxation. Peak rates of posterior wall systolic thickening and diastolic thinning were reduced in four and six patients, respectively, whereas peak rates of septal systolic thickening and diastolic thinning were reduced in one and four, respectively, suggesting a disproportionately greater impairment of the posterior wall than of septal function. The absence of asymmetric septal hypertrophy and mid-systolic closure of the aortic valve, the presence of normal septal motion, and the greater reduction in posterior wall than in septal dynamics are inconsistent with previous ideas that the heart disease of Friedreich's ataxia is identical to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Computer-assisted analysis of echocardiograms permits recognition of heart disease in Friedreich's ataxia before the onset of cardiac symptoms or development of clinical signs of heart disease. Images PMID:7426188

Cardiovascular and Musculoskeletal Assessment of Elite US Volleyball Players.

PubMed

Davis, Christopher K; Dyar, Dan A; Vargas, Lisa A; Grossfeld, Paul D

2015-11-01

The aim of this study was to characterize the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems of elite volleyball players, including aortic dimensions. Previous studies have shown that the upper limit of normal aortic sinus diameter for male and female athletes is 4 and 3.4 cm, respectively. Cross-sectional analysis. United States Olympic Volleyball Training Facility and Rady Children's Hospital San Diego. Seventy (37 male) members of the US national volleyball team. Athletes underwent evaluation that included medical and family histories, targeted physical examinations specifically focusing on abnormalities present in Marfan syndrome (MFS), and transthoracic echocardiograms. Cardiac chamber and great artery size, valve function, and coronary artery origins were assessed. Three male athletes (8%) had an aortic sinus diameter ≥4 cm, one of whom also had an ascending aorta >4 cm. Two female athletes (6%) had aortic sinus diameter ≥3.4 cm, and another had an ascending aorta of 3.4 cm. There were no other intracardiac or arterial abnormalities. Individual musculoskeletal characteristics of MFS were common among the athletes but not more frequent or numerous in those with aortic dilation. The prevalence of aortic root dilation in this population of athletes was higher than what has previously been reported in other similar populations. Further study is needed to determine whether these represent pathological changes or normal variations in tall athletes. This study adds to the existing knowledge base of athlete's heart, with specific attention to aortic dimensions in elite volleyball players. The data are relevant to similar athletes' medical care and to preparticipation cardiac screening in general.

The linguistics of schizophrenia: thought disturbance as language pathology across positive symptoms

PubMed Central

Hinzen, Wolfram; Rosselló, Joana

2015-01-01

We hypothesize that linguistic (dis-)organization in the schizophrenic brain plays a more central role in the pathogenesis of this disease than commonly supposed. Against the standard view, that schizophrenia is a disturbance of thought or selfhood, we argue that the origins of the relevant forms of thought and selfhood at least partially depend on language. The view that they do not is premised by a theoretical conception of language that we here identify as ‘Cartesian’ and contrast with a recent ‘un-Cartesian’ model. This linguistic model empirically argues for both (i) a one-to-one correlation between human-specific thought or meaning and forms of grammatical organization, and (ii) an integrative and co-dependent view of linguistic cognition and its sensory-motor dimensions. Core dimensions of meaning mediated by grammar on this model specifically concern forms of referential and propositional meaning. A breakdown of these is virtually definitional of core symptoms. Within this model the three main positive symptoms of schizophrenia fall into place as failures in language-mediated forms of meaning, manifest either as a disorder of speech perception (Auditory Verbal Hallucinations), abnormal speech production running without feedback control (Formal Thought Disorder), or production of abnormal linguistic content (Delusions). Our hypothesis makes testable predictions for the language profile of schizophrenia across symptoms; it simplifies the cognitive neuropsychology of schizophrenia while not being inconsistent with a pattern of neurocognitive deficits and their correlations with symptoms; and it predicts persistent findings on disturbances of language-related circuitry in the schizophrenic brain. PMID:26236257

Common and Dissociable Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Differences Associate with Dimensions of Psychopathology Across Categorical Diagnoses

PubMed Central

Kaczkurkin, Antonia N.; Moore, Tyler M.; Calkins, Monica E.; Ciric, Rastko; Detre, John A.; Elliott, Mark A.; Foa, Edna B.; de La Garza, Angel Garcia; Roalf, David R.; Rosen, Adon; Ruparel, Kosha; Shinohara, Russell T.; Xia, Cedric H.; Wolf, Daniel H.; Gur, Raquel E.; Gur, Ruben C.; Satterthwaite, Theodore D.

2017-01-01

The high comorbidity among neuropsychiatric disorders suggests a possible common neurobiological phenotype. Resting-state regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) can be measured noninvasively with MRI and abnormalities in regional CBF are present in many neuropsychiatric disorders. Regional CBF may also provide a useful biological marker across different types of psychopathology. To investigate CBF changes common across psychiatric disorders, we capitalized upon a sample of 1,042 youths (ages 11 to 23 years) who completed cross-sectional imaging as part of the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort. CBF during a resting state was quantified on a voxelwise basis using arterial spin labeled perfusion MRI at 3T. A dimensional measure of psychopathology was constructed using a bifactor model of item-level data from a psychiatric screening interview, which delineated four factors (fear, anxious-misery, psychosis, and behavioral symptoms) plus a general factor: overall psychopathology. Overall psychopathology was associated with elevated perfusion in several regions including the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left rostral ACC. Furthermore, several clusters were associated with specific dimensions of psychopathology. Psychosis symptoms were related to reduced perfusion in the left frontal operculum and insula, whereas fear symptoms were associated with less perfusion in the right occipital/fusiform gyrus and left subgenual ACC. Follow-up functional connectivity analyses using resting-state fMRI collected in the same participants revealed that overall psychopathology was associated with decreased connectivity between the dorsal ACC and bilateral caudate. Together, the results of this study demonstrate common and dissociable CBF abnormalities across neuropsychiatric disorders in youth. PMID:28924181

A small number of abnormal brain connections predicts adult autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Yahata, Noriaki; Morimoto, Jun; Hashimoto, Ryuichiro; Lisi, Giuseppe; Shibata, Kazuhisa; Kawakubo, Yuki; Kuwabara, Hitoshi; Kuroda, Miho; Yamada, Takashi; Megumi, Fukuda; Imamizu, Hiroshi; Náñez Sr, José E.; Takahashi, Hidehiko; Okamoto, Yasumasa; Kasai, Kiyoto; Kato, Nobumasa; Sasaki, Yuka; Watanabe, Takeo; Kawato, Mitsuo

2016-01-01

Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious lifelong condition, its underlying neural mechanism remains unclear. Recently, neuroimaging-based classifiers for ASD and typically developed (TD) individuals were developed to identify the abnormality of functional connections (FCs). Due to over-fitting and interferential effects of varying measurement conditions and demographic distributions, no classifiers have been strictly validated for independent cohorts. Here we overcome these difficulties by developing a novel machine-learning algorithm that identifies a small number of FCs that separates ASD versus TD. The classifier achieves high accuracy for a Japanese discovery cohort and demonstrates a remarkable degree of generalization for two independent validation cohorts in the USA and Japan. The developed ASD classifier does not distinguish individuals with major depressive disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder from their controls but moderately distinguishes patients with schizophrenia from their controls. The results leave open the viable possibility of exploring neuroimaging-based dimensions quantifying the multiple-disorder spectrum. PMID:27075704

Contact Kinematics Correlates to Tibial Component Migration Following Single Radius Posterior Stabilized Knee Replacement.

PubMed

Teeter, Matthew G; Perry, Kevin I; Yuan, Xunhua; Howard, James L; Lanting, Brent A

2018-03-01

Contact kinematics between total knee arthroplasty components is thought to affect implant migration; however, the interaction between kinematics and tibial component migration has not been thoroughly examined in a modern implant system. A total of 24 knees from 23 patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty with a single radius, posterior stabilized implant were examined. Patients underwent radiostereometric analysis at 2 and 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months, and 1 and 2 years to measure migration of the tibial component in all planes. At 1 year, patients also had standing radiostereometric analysis examinations acquired in 0°, 20°, 40°, and 60° of flexion, and the location of contact and magnitude of any condylar liftoff was measured for each flexion angle. Regression analysis was performed between kinematic variables and migration at 1 year. The average magnitude of maximum total point motion across all patients was 0.671 ± 0.270 mm at 1 year and 0.608 ± 0.359 mm at 2 years (P = .327). Four implants demonstrated continuous migration of >0.2 mm between the first and second year of implantation. There were correlations between the location of contact and tibial component anterior-posterior tilt, varus-valgus tilt, and anterior-posterior translation. The patients with continuous migration demonstrated atypical kinematics and condylar liftoff in some instances. Kinematics can influence tibial component migration, likely through alterations of force transmission. Abnormal kinematics may play a role in long-term implant loosening. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scale-Free Compact Routing Schemes in Networks of Low Doubling Dimension

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Konjevod, Goran; Richa, Andréa W.; Xia, Donglin

In this work, we consider compact routing schemes in networks of low doubling dimension, where the doubling dimension is the least value α such that any ball in the network can be covered by at most 2 α balls of half radius. There are two variants of routing-scheme design: (i) labeled (name-dependent) routing, in which the designer is allowed to rename the nodes so that the names (labels) can contain additional routing information, for example, topological information; and (ii) name-independent routing, which works on top of the arbitrary original node names in the network, that is, the node names aremore » independent of the routing scheme. In this article, given any constant ε ϵ (0, 1) and an n-node edge-weighted network of doubling dimension α ϵ O(loglog n), we present —a (1 + ε)-stretch labeled compact routing scheme with Γlog n-bit routing labels, O(log 2 n/loglog n)-bit packet headers, and ((1/ε) O(α) log 3 n)-bit routing information at each node; —a (9 + ε)-stretch name-independent compact routing scheme with O(log 2 n/loglog n)-bit packet headers, and ((1/ε) O(α) log 3 n)-bit routing information at each node. In addition, we prove a lower bound: any name-independent routing scheme with o(n (ε/60)2) bits of storage at each node has stretch no less than 9 - ε for any ε ϵ (0, 8). Therefore, our name-independent routing scheme achieves asymptotically optimal stretch with polylogarithmic storage at each node and packet headers. Note that both schemes are scale-free in the sense that their space requirements do not depend on the normalized diameter Δ of the network. Finally, we also present a simpler nonscale-free (9 + ε)-stretch name-independent compact routing scheme with improved space requirements if Δ is polynomial in n.« less

Self-organization of local magnetoplasma structures in the upper layers of the solar convection zone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chumak, O. V., E-mail: chuo@yandex.ru

Self-organization and evolution of magnetoplasma structures in the upper layers of the solar convection zone are discussed as a process of diffuse aggregation of magnetic flux tubes. Equations describing the tube motion under the action of magnetic interaction forces, hydrodynamic forces, and random forces are written explicitly. The process of aggregation of magnetic flux tubes into magnetic flux clusters of different shapes and dimensions is simulated numerically. The obtained structures are compared with the observed morphological types of sunspot groups. The quantitative comparison with the observational data was performed by comparing the fractal dimensions of the photospheric magnetic structures observedmore » in solar active regions with those of structures obtained in the numerical experiment. The model has the following free parameters: the numbers of magnetic flux tubes with opposite polarities on the considered area element (Nn and Ns), the average radius of the cross section of the magnetic flux tube (a), its effective length (l), the twist factor of the tube field (k), and the absolute value of the average velocity of chaotic tube displacements (d). Variations in these parameters in physically reasonable limits leads to the formation of structures (tube clusters of different morphological types) having different fractal dimensions. Using the NOAA 10488 active region, which appeared and developed into a complicated configuration near the central meridian, as an example, it is shown that good quantitative agreement between the fractal dimensions is achieved at the following parameters of the model: Nn = Ns = 250 ± 50; a = 150 ± 50 km; l ∼ 5000 km, and d = 80 ± 10 m/s. These results do not contradict the observational data and theoretical estimates obtained in the framework of the Parker “spaghetti” model and provide new information on the physical processes resulting in the origin and evolution of local magnetic plasma structures in the near-photospheric layers of the solar convection zone.« less

A Strict Test of Stellar Evolution Models: The Absolute Dimensions of the Massive Benchmark Eclipsing Binary V578 Mon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, E. V.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Pavlovski, K.; Hensberge, H.; Gómez Maqueo Chew, Y.; Claret, A.

2014-09-01

We determine the absolute dimensions of the eclipsing binary V578 Mon, a detached system of two early B-type stars (B0V + B1V, P = 2.40848 days) in the star-forming region NGC 2244 of the Rosette Nebula. From the light curve analysis of 40 yr of photometry and the analysis of HERMES spectra, we find radii of 5.41 ± 0.04 R⊙ and 4.29 ± 0.05 R⊙, and temperatures of 30,000 ± 500 K and 25,750 ± 435 K, respectively. We find that our disentangled component spectra for V578 Mon agree well with previous spectral disentangling from the literature. We also reconfirm the previous spectroscopic orbit of V578 Mon finding that masses of 14.54 ± 0.08 M⊙ and 10.29 ± 0.06 M⊙ are fully compatible with the new analysis. We compare the absolute dimensions to the rotating models of the Geneva and Utrecht groups and the models of the Granada group. We find that all three sets of models marginally reproduce the absolute dimensions of both stars with a common age within the uncertainty for gravity-effective temperature isochrones. However, there are some apparent age discrepancies for the corresponding mass-radius isochrones. Models with larger convective overshoot, >0.35, worked best. Combined with our previously determined apsidal motion of 0.07089^{+0.00021}_{-0.00013} deg cycle-1, we compute the internal structure constants (tidal Love number) for the Newtonian and general relativistic contribution to the apsidal motion as log k 2 = -1.975 ± 0.017 and log k 2 = -3.412 ± 0.018, respectively. We find the relativistic contribution to the apsidal motion to be small, <4%. We find that the prediction of log k 2, theo = -2.005 ± 0.025 of the Granada models fully agrees with our observed log k 2.

Scale-Free Compact Routing Schemes in Networks of Low Doubling Dimension

DOE PAGES

Konjevod, Goran; Richa, Andréa W.; Xia, Donglin

2016-06-15

In this work, we consider compact routing schemes in networks of low doubling dimension, where the doubling dimension is the least value α such that any ball in the network can be covered by at most 2 α balls of half radius. There are two variants of routing-scheme design: (i) labeled (name-dependent) routing, in which the designer is allowed to rename the nodes so that the names (labels) can contain additional routing information, for example, topological information; and (ii) name-independent routing, which works on top of the arbitrary original node names in the network, that is, the node names aremore » independent of the routing scheme. In this article, given any constant ε ϵ (0, 1) and an n-node edge-weighted network of doubling dimension α ϵ O(loglog n), we present —a (1 + ε)-stretch labeled compact routing scheme with Γlog n-bit routing labels, O(log 2 n/loglog n)-bit packet headers, and ((1/ε) O(α) log 3 n)-bit routing information at each node; —a (9 + ε)-stretch name-independent compact routing scheme with O(log 2 n/loglog n)-bit packet headers, and ((1/ε) O(α) log 3 n)-bit routing information at each node. In addition, we prove a lower bound: any name-independent routing scheme with o(n (ε/60)2) bits of storage at each node has stretch no less than 9 - ε for any ε ϵ (0, 8). Therefore, our name-independent routing scheme achieves asymptotically optimal stretch with polylogarithmic storage at each node and packet headers. Note that both schemes are scale-free in the sense that their space requirements do not depend on the normalized diameter Δ of the network. Finally, we also present a simpler nonscale-free (9 + ε)-stretch name-independent compact routing scheme with improved space requirements if Δ is polynomial in n.« less

Search for high-mass resonances in final states with a lepton and missing transverse momentum at $$\\sqrt{s}=$$ 13 TeV

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sirunyan, Albert M; et al.

A search for new high-mass resonances in proton-proton collisions having final states with an electron or muon and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data collected in 2016 with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fbmore » $$^{-1}$$. The transverse mass distribution of the charged lepton-neutrino system is used as the discriminating variable. No significant deviation from the standard model prediction is found. The best limit, from the combination of electron and muon channels, is 5.2 TeV at 95% confidence level for the mass of a W$'$ boson with the same couplings as those of the standard model W boson. Exclusion limits of 2.9 TeV are set on the inverse radius of the extra dimension in the framework of split universal extra dimensions. In addition, model-independent limits are set on the production cross section and coupling strength of W$'$ bosons decaying into this final state. An interpretation is also made in the context of an R parity violating supersymmetric model with a slepton as a mediator and flavor violating decay.« less

On holographic entanglement density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gushterov, Nikola I.; O'Bannon, Andy; Rodgers, Ronnie

2017-10-01

We use holographic duality to study the entanglement entropy (EE) of Conformal Field Theories (CFTs) in various spacetime dimensions d, in the presence of various deformations: a relevant Lorentz scalar operator with constant source, a temperature T , a chemical potential μ, a marginal Lorentz scalar operator with source linear in a spatial coordinate, and a circle-compactified spatial direction. We consider EE between a strip or sphere sub-region and the rest of the system, and define the "entanglement density" (ED) as the change in EE due to the deformation, divided by the sub-region's volume. Using the deformed CFTs above, we show how the ED's dependence on the strip width or sphere radius, L, is useful for characterizing states of matter. For example, the ED's small- L behavior is determined either by the dimension of the perturbing operator or by the first law of EE. For Lorentz-invariant renormalization group (RG) flows between CFTs, the "area theorem" states that the coefficient of the EE's area law term must be larger in the UV than in the IR. In these cases the ED must therefore approach zero from below as L→∞. However, when Lorentz symmetry is broken and the IR fixed point has different scaling from the UV, we find that the ED often approaches the thermal entropy density from above, indicating area theorem violation.

One-dimensional Si/Ge nanowires and their heterostructures for multifunctional applications—a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, Samit K.; Katiyar, Ajit K.; Raychaudhuri, Arup K.

2017-03-01

Remarkable progress has been made in the field of one-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures for electronic and photonic devices. Group-IV semiconductors and their heterostructures have dominated the years of success in microelectronic industry. However their use in photonic devices is limited since they exhibit poor optical activity due to indirect band gap nature of Si and Ge. Reducing their dimensions below a characteristic length scale of various fundamental parameters like exciton Bohr radius, phonon mean free path, critical size of magnetic domains, exciton diffusion length etc result in the significant modification of bulk properties. In particular, light emission from Si/Ge nanowires due to quantum confinement, strain induced band structure modification and impurity doping may lead to the integration of photonic components with mature silicon CMOS technology in near future. Several promising applications based on Si and Ge nanowires have already been well established and studied, while others are now at the early demonstration stage. The control over various forms of energy and carrier transport through the unconstrained dimension makes Si and Ge nanowires a promising platform to manufacture advanced solid-state devices. This review presents the progress of the research with emphasis on their potential application of Si/Ge nanowires and their heterostructures for electronic, photonic, sensing and energy devices.

Characterising infant inter-breath interval patterns during active and quiet sleep using recurrence plot analysis.

PubMed

Terrill, Philip I; Wilson, Stephen J; Suresh, Sadasivam; Cooper, David M

2009-01-01

Breathing patterns are characteristically different between active and quiet sleep states in infants. It has been previously identified that breathing dynamics are governed by a non-linear controller which implies the need for a nonlinear analytical tool. Further, it has been shown that quantified nonlinear variables are different between adult sleep states. This study aims to determine whether a nonlinear analytical tool known as recurrence plot analysis can characterize breath intervals of active and quiet sleep states in infants. Overnight polysomnograms were obtained from 32 healthy infants. The 6 longest periods each of active and quiet sleep were identified and a software routine extracted inter-breath interval data for recurrence plot analysis. Determinism (DET), laminarity (LAM) and radius (RAD) values were calculated for an embedding dimension of 4, 6, 8 and 16, and fixed recurrence of 0.5, 1, 2, 3.5 and 5%. Recurrence plots exhibited characteristically different patterns for active and quiet sleep. Active sleep periods typically had higher values of RAD, DET and LAM than for quiet sleep, and this trend was invariant to a specific choice of embedding dimension or fixed recurrence. These differences may provide a basis for automated sleep state classification, and the quantitative investigation of pathological breathing patterns.

A pseudospectra-based approach to non-normal stability of embedded boundary methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapaka, Narsimha; Samtaney, Ravi

2017-11-01

We present non-normal linear stability of embedded boundary (EB) methods employing pseudospectra and resolvent norms. Stability of the discrete linear wave equation is characterized in terms of the normalized distance of the EB to the nearest ghost node (α) in one and two dimensions. An important objective is that the CFL condition based on the Cartesian grid spacing remains unaffected by the EB. We consider various discretization methods including both central and upwind-biased schemes. Stability is guaranteed when α <=αmax ranges between 0.5 and 0.77 depending on the discretization scheme. Also, the stability characteristics remain the same in both one and two dimensions. Sharper limits on the sufficient conditions for stability are obtained based on the pseudospectral radius (the Kreiss constant) than the restrictive limits based on the usual singular value decomposition analysis. We present a simple and robust reclassification scheme for the ghost cells (``hybrid ghost cells'') to ensure Lax stability of the discrete systems. This has been tested successfully for both low and high order discretization schemes with transient growth of at most O (1). Moreover, we present a stable, fourth order EB reconstruction scheme. Supported by the KAUST Office of Competitive Research Funds under Award No. URF/1/1394-01.

Critical non-Abelian vortex in four dimensions and little string theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shifman, M.; Yung, A.

2017-08-01

As was shown recently, non-Abelian vortex strings supported in four-dimensional N =2 supersymmetric QCD with the U(2) gauge group and Nf=4 quark multiplets (flavors) become critical superstrings. In addition to the translational moduli, non-Abelian strings under consideration carry six orientational and size moduli. Together, they form a ten-dimensional target space required for a superstring to be critical. The target space of the string sigma model is a product of the flat four-dimensional space and a Calabi-Yau noncompact threefold, namely, the conifold. We study closed string states which emerge in four dimensions and identify them with hadrons of four-dimensional N =2 QCD. One massless state was found previously; it emerges as a massless hypermultiplet associated with the deformation of the complex structure of the conifold. In this paper, we find a number of massive states. To this end, we exploit the approach used in LST little string theory, namely, the equivalence between the critical string on the conifold and noncritical c =1 string with the Liouville field and a compact scalar at the self-dual radius. The states we find carry "baryonic" charge (its definition differs from standard). We interpret them as "monopole necklaces" formed (at strong coupling) by the closed string with confined monopoles attached.

Transcranial measurements of the acoustic field produced by a low frequency focused ultrasound system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voie, Arne; Fisher, David; Ahadi, Golnaz; Hölscher, Thilo

2012-11-01

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effects of the skull on the location, shape and power of the acoustic field produced by a 150 mm radius hemispherical array operating at 220 kHz. We wanted to determine whether phase aberrations were significant at this frequency, the amount of attenuation, and whether CT data could be predictive of the trans-skull field. The effects of five calvaria were evaluated. Acoustic field data and CT scans for each skull specimen were imported into MATLAB® for measurements and visualization in two and three dimensions. We examined the effects of skull density, porosity, thickness, and sonication incident angles, and estimated the relative contributions of longitudinal and shear transmission to the total transmitted power. Power transmission through the skulls varied between 4% and 23% (mean: 12%). The range of focal position shifts was from 0.50 mm to 4.32 mm (mean: 1.95 mm). The 3 dB dimensions of the focused ultrasound (FUS) intensity focal volume increased on average by 39% (low: 4%, high: 122%). The 6 dB pressure focal volume increased by an average of 130 ± 75%. In general, the main effects of the skulls were power reduction, field dispersion and slight shift of focal peak location.

Women’s Experiences of Abnormal Cervical Cytology: Illness Representations, Care Processes, and Outcomes

PubMed Central

Karasz, Alison; McKee, M. Diane; Roybal, Krista

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND We wanted to explore the conceptual representations of illness and experiences with care among women who have learned of an abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smear result. METHODS The study took place in 2 primary care, family practice clinics serving low-income, multiethnic patients in the Bronx, New York City. We conducted qualitative, semistructured telephone interviews with 17 patients who had recently learned of abnormal findings on a Pap smear. After a preliminary coding phase, the investigators identified 2 important outcomes: distress and dissatisfaction with care, and factors affecting these outcomes. A model was developed on a subset of the data, which was then tested on each transcript with an explicit search for disconfirming cases. A revised coding scheme conforming to the dimensions of the model was used to recode transcripts. RESULTS Women reported complex, syncretic models of illness that included both biomedical and folk elements. Many concerns, especially nonbiomedical concerns, were not addressed in interactions with physicians. An important source of both distress and dissatisfaction with care was the women’s lack of understanding of the inherent ambiguity of Pap smear results. When perceived care needs, which included emotional support as well as information, were not met, distress and dissatisfaction were greatly increased. CONCLUSION In this study, patients’ illness models and expectations of care were not routinely addressed in their conversations with physicians about abnormal Pap smear results. When physicians can take the time to review patients’ illness models carefully, distress and dissatisfaction with care can be reduced considerably. PMID:15055408

Cardiac abnormalities in patients with mitochondrial DNA mutation 3243A>G.

PubMed

Majamaa-Voltti, Kirsi; Peuhkurinen, Keijo; Kortelainen, Marja-Leena; Hassinen, Ilmo E; Majamaa, Kari

2002-08-01

Tissues that depend on aerobic energy metabolism suffer most in diseases caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Cardiac abnormalities have been described in many cases, but their frequency and clinical spectrum among patients with mtDNA mutations is unknown. Thirty-nine patients with the 3243A>G mtDNA mutation were examined, methods used included clinical evaluation, electrocardiogram, Holter recording and echocardiography. Autopsy reports on 17 deceased subjects were also reviewed. The degree of 3243A>G mutation heteroplasmy was determined using an Apa I restriction fragment analysis. Better hearing level (BEHL0.5-4 kHz) was used as a measure of the clinical severity of disease. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was diagnosed in 19 patients (56%) by echocardiography and in six controls (15%) giving an odds ratio of 7.5 (95% confidence interval; 1.74-67). The dimensions of the left ventricle suggested a concentric hypertrophy. Left ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction was observed in 11 patients. Holter recording revealed frequent ventricular extrasystoles (>10/h) in five patients. Patients with LVH differed significantly from those without LVH in BEHL0.5-4 kHz, whereas the contribution of age or the degree of the mutant heteroplasmy in skeletal muscle to the risk of LVH was less remarkable. Structural and functional abnormalities of the heart were common in patients with 3243A>G. The risk of LVH was related to the clinical severity of the phenotype, and to a lesser degree to age, suggesting that patients presenting with any symptoms from the mutation should also be evaluated for cardiac abnormalities.

Travelling wave resonators fabricated with low-loss hydrogenated amorphous silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipka, Timo; Amthor, Julia; Trieu, Hoc Khiem; Müller, Jörg

2013-05-01

Low-loss hydrogenated amorphous silicon is employed for the fabrication of various planar integrated travelling wave resonators. Microring, racetrack, and disk resonators of different dimensions were fabricated with CMOS-compatible processes and systematically investigated. The key properties of notch filter ring resonators as extinction ratio, Q-factor, free spectral range, and the group refractive index were determined for resonators of varying radius, thereby achieving critically coupled photonic systems with high extinction ratios of about 20 dB for both polarizations. Racetrack resonators that are arranged in add/drop configuration and high quality factor microdisk resonators were optically characterized, with the microdisks exhibiting Q-factors of greater than 100000. Four-channel add/drop wavelength-division multiplexing filters that are based on cascaded racetrack resonators are studied. The design, the fabrication, and the optical characterization are presented.

Interpretation of BM Orionis. [eclipsing binary model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, S.-S.

1975-01-01

The entire light curve of the BM Ori system both inside and outside primary and secondary eclipses has been examined on the basis of two models for the disk around the secondary component: one with the luminous energy of the disk coming entirely from the secondary, and another with the luminous energy coming at least partly from the primary. It has been found that if the disk is highly opaque, as is suggested by the fitting of the light curve, there exist in the first model discrepancies between what has been derived from the luminosity consideration for the secondary component and what has been derived from the radius consideration. Hence the second model is accepted. Based on this model the nature of both component stars has been examined from a consideration of the luminosity and the dimensions of the disk.

A model for the massive binary V340 Muscae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauck, Norbert

2016-02-01

A synthetic light curve has been fitted to photometric data from the ASAS-3 database. The parameters of the best solution are well consistent with those derived from stellar models for both components for an initial metallicity Z=0.020 and a common age of 5 Myr. Therefore, we can reliably estimate the absolute dimensions of this close eclipsing binary system. Apparently, the O-type primary star has a mass of about 22.65 Msun and a radius of 10.35 Rsun. For the secondary star, likely a late B-type dwarf, we obtain about 3.1 Msun and 2.1 Rsun. Their mass ratio of about 0.138 might be the lowest found so far in O-type binaries. [English and German online-version of this paper available under www.bav-astro.eu/rb/rb2016-2/1.html].

Contact Dependence and Velocity Crossover in Friction between Microscopic Solid/Solid Contacts.

PubMed

McGraw, Joshua D; Niguès, Antoine; Chennevière, Alexis; Siria, Alessandro

2017-10-11

Friction at the nanoscale differs markedly from that between surfaces of macroscopic extent. Characteristically, the velocity dependence of friction between apparent solid/solid contacts can strongly deviate from the classically assumed velocity independence. Here, we show that a nondestructive friction between solid tips with radius on the scale of hundreds of nanometers and solid hydrophobic self-assembled monolayers has a strong velocity dependence. Specifically, using laterally oscillating quartz tuning forks, we observe a linear scaling in the velocity at the lowest accessed velocities, typically hundreds of micrometers per second, crossing over into a logarithmic velocity dependence. This crossover is consistent with a general multicontact friction model that includes thermally activated breaking of the contacts at subnanometric elongation. We find as well a strong dependence of the friction on the dimensions of the frictional probe.

Dynamics of a fluctuating semi-flexible membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tukdarian, Nathaniel; Huang, Aiqun; Adhikari, Ramesh; Bhattacharya, Aniket

2015-03-01

We report our preliminary studies of conformations and dynamics of a fluctuating semi-flexible membrane. Our model of membrane with linear dimension L consists of N2 (L = Nbl) excluded volume beads connected by anharmonic springs. The stiffness of the membrane is controlled by adjusting the strength κb of the bending potential Ubend =κb(1-n̂i .n̂j) between adjacent elementary plaquettes consisting of three beads at the corners connected by bonds and characterized by normal unit vectors n̂i and n̂j. We study the conformations and dynamic fluctuations of the membrane using Brownian dynamics simulation. We show how the radius of gyration scales with N and κb, and study characteristics of the transverse fluctuations, the root-mean-square displacement of the center of mass, and the dynamics of the end monomers at each corner.

The evolution of helicopters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, R.; Wen, C. Y.; Lorente, S.; Bejan, A.

2016-07-01

Here, we show that during their half-century history, helicopters have been evolving into geometrically similar architectures with surprisingly sharp correlations between dimensions, performance, and body size. For example, proportionalities emerge between body size, engine size, and the fuel load. Furthermore, the engine efficiency increases with the engine size, and the propeller radius is roughly the same as the length scale of the whole body. These trends are in accord with the constructal law, which accounts for the engine efficiency trend and the proportionality between "motor" size and body size in animals and vehicles. These body-size effects are qualitatively the same as those uncovered earlier for the evolution of aircraft. The present study adds to this theoretical body of research the evolutionary design of all technologies [A. Bejan, The Physics of Life: The Evolution of Everything (St. Martin's Press, New York, 2016)].

Pathology and the posture of the La Chapelle-aux-Saints Neandertal.

PubMed

Trinkaus, E

1985-05-01

The depiction of the Neandertals as incompletely erect was based primarily on Boule's (1911, 1912a, 1913) analysis of the La Chapelle-aux-Saints 1 partial skeleton. The inaccurate aspects of Boule's postural reconstruction were corrected during the 1950s. However, it has come to be believed, following Straus and Cave (1957), that Boule's errors of reconstruction were due to the diseased condition of the La Chapelle-aux-Saints 1 remains, rather than to Boule's misinterpretation of morphology. The abnormalities on the La Chapelle-aux-Saints 1 postcranium include: lower cervical, upper thoracic, and lower thoracic intervertebral degenerative joint disease (DJD), a distal fracture of a mid-thoracic rib, extensive DJD of the left hip, DJD of the right fifth proximal interphalangeal articulation, bilateral humeral head eburnation, and minor exostosis formation on the right humerus, ulna, and radius. These were associated with extensive alveolar inflammation including apical abscesses and antemortem tooth loss, some temporomandibular DJD, bilateral auditory exostoses, and minimal occipital condyle DJD. None of these abnormalities significantly affected Boule's Neandertal postural reconstruction, and a review of his analysis indicates that early twentieth century interpretations of skeletal morphology (primarily of the cranium, cervical vertebrae, lumbar and sacral vertebrae, proximal femora and tibiae, posterior tarsals, and hallucial tarsometatarsal joint), combined with Boule's evolutionary preconceptions, were responsible for his mistaken view of Neandertal posture.

Future and Advances in Endoscopy

PubMed Central

Elahi, Sakib F.; Wang, Thomas D.

2012-01-01

The future of endoscopy will be dictated by rapid technological advances in the development of light sources, optical fibers, and miniature scanners that will allow for images to be collected in multiple spectral regimes, with greater tissue penetration, and in three dimensions. These engineering breakthroughs will be integrated with novel molecular probes that are highly specific for unique proteins to target diseased tissues. Applications include early cancer detection by imaging molecular changes that occur before gross morphological abnormalities, personalized medicine by visualizing molecular targets specific to individual patients, and image guided therapy by localizing tumor margins and monitoring for recurrence. PMID:21751414

Kenny-Caffey Syndrome: oral findings and 4-year follow-up of overlay denture therapy.

PubMed

Demir, Tahsin; Kecik, Defne; Cehreli, Zafer C

2007-01-01

Kenny-Caffey Syndrome (KCS) is an extremely rare osteosclerotic bone dysplasia associated with hypocalcemia and ocular abnormalities. Although the condition is well reported in the medical literature, dental manifestations have not been discussed in great detail. The purpose of this report is to present specific oral features and prosthetic management in a KCS patient. Overlay dentures were utilized in the management of low vertical dimension of occlusion, congenital absence of several permanent teeth, and problems associated with function and esthetics. Results of the 4-year follow-up overlay denture therapy are presented.

Fetal ECG extraction using independent component analysis by Jade approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giraldo-Guzmán, Jader; Contreras-Ortiz, Sonia H.; Lasprilla, Gloria Isabel Bautista; Kotas, Marian

2017-11-01

Fetal ECG monitoring is a useful method to assess the fetus health and detect abnormal conditions. In this paper we propose an approach to extract fetal ECG from abdomen and chest signals using independent component analysis based on the joint approximate diagonalization of eigenmatrices approach. The JADE approach avoids redundancy, what reduces matrix dimension and computational costs. Signals were filtered with a high pass filter to eliminate low frequency noise. Several levels of decomposition were tested until the fetal ECG was recognized in one of the separated sources output. The proposed method shows fast and good performance.

On the geometry dependence of differential pathlength factor for near-infrared spectroscopy. I. Steady-state with homogeneous medium

PubMed Central

Piao, Daqing; Barbour, Randall L.; Graber, Harry L.; Lee, Daniel C.

2015-01-01

Abstract. This work analytically examines some dependences of the differential pathlength factor (DPF) for steady-state photon diffusion in a homogeneous medium on the shape, dimension, and absorption and reduced scattering coefficients of the medium. The medium geometries considered include a semi-infinite geometry, an infinite-length cylinder evaluated along the azimuthal direction, and a sphere. Steady-state photon fluence rate in the cylinder and sphere geometries is represented by a form involving the physical source, its image with respect to the associated extrapolated half-plane, and a radius-dependent term, leading to simplified formula for estimating the DPFs. With the source-detector distance and medium optical properties held fixed across all three geometries, and equal radii for the cylinder and sphere, the DPF is the greatest in the semi-infinite and the smallest in the sphere geometry. When compared to the results from finite-element method, the DPFs analytically estimated for 10 to 25 mm source–detector separations on a sphere of 50 mm radius with μa=0.01  mm−1 and μs′=1.0  mm−1 are on average less than 5% different. The approximation for sphere, generally valid for a diameter ≥20 times of the effective attenuation pathlength, may be useful for rapid estimation of DPFs in near-infrared spectroscopy of an infant head and for short source–detector separation. PMID:26465613

Multiscale Morphology of Organic Semiconductor Thin Films Controls the Adhesion and Viability of Human Neural Cells

PubMed Central

Tonazzini, I.; Bystrenova, E.; Chelli, B.; Greco, P.; Stoliar, P.; Calò, A.; Lazar, A.; Borgatti, F.; D'Angelo, P.; Martini, C.; Biscarini, F.

2010-01-01

Abstract We investigate how multiscale morphology of functional thin films affects the in vitro behavior of human neural astrocytoma 1321N1 cells. Pentacene thin film morphology is precisely controlled by means of the film thickness, Θ (here expressed in monolayers (ML)). Fluorescence and atomic force microscopy allow us to correlate the shape, adhesion, and proliferation of cells to the morphological properties of pentacene films controlled by saturated roughness, σ, correlation length, ξ, and fractal dimension, df. At early incubation times, cell adhesion exhibits a transition from higher to lower values at Θ ≈ 10 ML. This is explained using a model of conformal adhesion of the cell membrane onto the growing pentacene islands. From the model fitting of the data, we show that the cell explores the surface with a deformation of the membrane whose minimum curvature radius is 90 (± 45) nm. The transition in the adhesion at ∼10 ML arises from the saturation of ξ accompanied by the monotonic increase of σ, which leads to a progressive decrease of the pentacene local radius of curvature and hence to the surface area accessible to the cell. Cell proliferation is also enhanced for Θ < 10 ML, and the optimum morphology parameter ranges for cell deployment and growth are σ ≤ 6 nm, ξ > 500 nm, and df > 2.45. The characteristic time of cell proliferation is τ ≈ 10 ± 2 h. PMID:20550892

Design of biomimetic fibrillar interfaces: 2. Mechanics of enhanced adhesion.

PubMed Central

Hui, C-Y; Glassmaker, N. J.; Tang, T.; Jagota, A.

2004-01-01

This study addresses the strength and toughness of generic fibrillar structures. We show that the stress sigmac required to pull a fibril out of adhesive contact with a substrate has the form sigma(c) = sigma(0)Phi(chi). In this equation, sigma(0) is the interfacial strength, Phi(chi) is a dimensionless function satisfying 0 > 1, but is flaw insensitive for chi < 1. The important parameter chi also controls the stability of a homogeneously deformed non-fibrillar (flat) interface. Using these results, we show that the work to fail a unit area of fibrillar surface can be much higher than the intrinsic work of adhesion for a flat interface of the same material. In addition, we show that cross-sectional fibril dimensions control the pull-off force, which increases with decreasing fibril radius. Finally, an increase in fibril length is shown to increase the work necessary to separate a fibrillar interface. Besides our calculations involving a single fibril, we study the concept of equal load sharing (ELS) for a perfect interface containing many fibrils. We obtain the practical work of adhesion for an idealized fibrillated interface under equal load sharing. We then analyse the peeling of a fibrillar surface from a rigid substrate and establish a criterion for ELS. PMID:16849151

Dichroic Filter for Separating W-Band and Ka-Band

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Epp, Larry W.; Durden, Stephen L.; Jamnejad, Vahraz; Long, Ezra M.; Sosnowski, John B.; Higuera, Raymond J.; Chen, Jacqueline C.

2012-01-01

The proposed Aerosol/Cloud/Ecosystems (ACEs) mission development would advance cloud profiling radar from that used in CloudSat by adding a 35-GHz (Ka-band) channel to the 94-GHz (W-band) channel used in CloudSat. In order to illuminate a single antenna, and use CloudSat-like quasi-optical transmission lines, a spatial diplexer is needed to add the Ka-band channel. A dichroic filter separates Ka-band from W-band by employing advances in electrical discharge machining (EDM) and mode-matching analysis techniques developed and validated for designing dichroics for the Deep Space Network (DSN), to develop a preliminary design that both met the requirements of frequency separation and mechanical strength. First, a mechanical prototype was built using an approximately 102-micron-diameter EDM process, and tolerances of the hole dimensions, wall thickness, radius, and dichroic filter thickness measured. The prototype validated the manufacturing needed to design a dichroic filter for a higher-frequency usage than previously used in the DSN. The initial design was based on a Ka-band design, but thicker walls are required for mechanical rigidity than one obtains by simply scaling the Ka-band dichroic filter. The resulting trade of hole dimensions for mechanical rigidity (wall thickness) required electrical redesign of the hole dimensions. Updates to existing codes in the linear solver decreased the analysis time using mode-matching, enabling the electrical design to be realized quickly. This work is applicable to missions and instruments that seek to extend W-band cloud profiling measurements to other frequencies. By demonstrating a dichroic filter that passes W-band, but reflects a lower frequency, this opens up the development of instruments that both compare to and enhance CloudSat.

Particle-in-cell Simulation of Dipolarization Front Associated Whistlers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, D.; Scales, W.; Ganguli, G.; Crabtree, C. E.

2017-12-01

Dipolarization fronts (DFs) are dipolarized magnetic field embedded in the Earthward propagating bursty bulk flows (BBFs), which separates the hot, tenuous high-speed flow from the cold, dense, and slowly convecting surrounding plasma [Runov et al. 2011]. Broadband fluctuations have been observed at DFs including the electromagnetic whistler waves and electrostatic lower hybrid waves in the Very Low Frequency (VLF) range [e.g., Zhou et al. 2009, Deng et al. 2010]. There waves are suggested to be able heat electrons and play a critical role in the plasma sheet dynamics [Chaston et al., 2012, Angelopoulos et al., 2013]. However, their generation mechanism and role in the energy conversion are still under debate. The gradient scale of magnetic field, plasma density at DFs in the near-Earth magnetotail is comparable to or lower than the ion gyro radius [Runov et al., 2011, Fu et al., 2012, Breuillard et al., 2016]. Such strongly inhomogeneous configuration could be unstable to the electron-ion hybrid (EIH) instability, which arises from strongly sheared transverse flow and is in the VLF range [Ganguli et al. 1988, Ganguli et al. 2014]. The equilibrium of the EIH theory implies an anisotropy of electron temperature, which are likely to drive the whistler waves observed in DFs [Deng et al., 2010, Gary et al., 2011]. In order to better understand how the whistler waves are generated in DFs and whether the EIH theory is applicable, a fully electromagnetic particle-in-cell (EMPIC) model is used to simulate the EIH instability with similar equilibrium configurations in DF observations. The EMPIC model deals with three dimensions in the velocity space and two dimensions in the configuration space, which is quite ready to include the third configuration dimension. Simulation results will be shown in this presentation.

Electrical switching and oscillations in vanadium dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pergament, Alexander; Velichko, Andrey; Belyaev, Maksim; Putrolaynen, Vadim

2018-05-01

We have studied electrical switching with S-shaped I-V characteristics in two-terminal MOM devices based on vanadium dioxide thin films. The switching effect is associated with the metal-insulator phase transition. Relaxation oscillations are observed in circuits with VO2-based switches. Dependences of the oscillator critical frequency Fmax, threshold power and voltage, as well as the time of current rise, on the switching structure size are obtained by numerical simulation. The empirical dependence of the threshold voltage on the switching region dimensions and film thickness is found. It is shown that, for the VO2 channel sizes of 10 × 10 nm, Fmax can reach the value of 300 MHz at a film thickness of 20 nm. Next, it is shown that oscillatory neural networks can be implemented on the basis of coupled VO2 oscillators. For the weak capacitive coupling, we revealed the dependence of the phase difference upon synchronization on the coupling capacitance value. When the switches are scaled down, the limiting time of synchronization is reduced to Ts 13 μs, and the number of oscillation periods for the entering to the synchronization mode remains constant, Ns 17. In the case of weak thermal coupling in the synchronization mode, we observe in-phase behavior of oscillators, and there is a certain range of parameters of the supply current, in which the synchronization effect becomes possible. With a decrease in dimensions, a decrease in the thermal coupling action radius is observed, which can vary in the range from 0.5 to 50 μm for structures with characteristic dimensions of 0.1-5 μm, respectively. Thermal coupling may have a promising effect for realization of a 3D integrated oscillatory neural network.

Common and Dissociable Mechanisms of Executive System Dysfunction Across Psychiatric Disorders in Youth

PubMed Central

Shanmugan, Sheila; Wolf, Daniel H.; Calkins, Monica E.; Moore, Tyler M.; Ruparel, Kosha; Hopson, Ryan D.; Vandekar, Simon N.; Roalf, David R.; Elliott, Mark A.; Jackson, Chad; Gennatas, Efstathios D.; Leibenluft, Ellen; Pine, Daniel S.; Shinohara, Russell T.; Hakonarson, Hakon; Gur, Ruben C.; Gur, Raquel E.; Satterthwaite, Theodore D.

2016-01-01

Objective Disruption of executive function is present in many neuropsychiatric disorders. However, determining the specificity of executive dysfunction within these disorders is challenging given high comorbidity of conditions. Here we investigated executive system deficits in association with dimensions of psychiatric symptoms in youth using a working memory paradigm, hypothesizing that common and dissociable patterns of dysfunction would be present. Methods We studied 1,129 youths who completed a fractal n-back task during fMRI at 3T as part of the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort. Factor scores of clinical psychopathology were calculated using an itemwise confirmatory bifactor model, describing overall psychopathology as well as four orthogonal dimensions of symptoms including anxious-misery (mood / anxiety), behavioral disturbance (ADHD / conduct), psychosis-spectrum symptoms, and fear (phobias). The impact of psychopathology dimensions on behavioral performance and executive system recruitment (2-back > 0-back) were examined using both multivariate (matrix regression) and mass-univariate (linear regression) analyses. Results Overall psychopathology was associated with both abnormal multivariate patterns of activation and a failure to activate executive regions within the cingulo-opercular control network including the frontal pole, cingulate cortex, and anterior insula. Additionally, psychosis-spectrum symptoms were associated with hypo-activation of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, whereas behavioral symptoms were associated with hypo-activation of fronto-parietal cortex and cerebellum. In contrast, anxious-misery symptoms were associated with widespread hyper-activation of the executive network. Conclusions These findings provide novel evidence that common and dissociable deficits within the brain’s executive system are present in association with dimensions of psychopathology in youth. PMID:26806874

Abnormalities of thalamic activation and cognition in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Andrews, Jessica; Wang, Lei; Csernansky, John G; Gado, Mokhtar H; Barch, Deanna M

2006-03-01

Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to investigate relationships among structure, functional activation, and cognitive deficits related to the thalamus in individuals with schizophrenia and healthy comparison subjects. Thirty-six schizophrenia subjects and 28 healthy comparison subjects matched by age, gender, race, and parental socioeconomic status underwent structural and functional MRI while performing a series of memory tasks, including an N-back task (working memory), intentional memorization of a series of pictures or words (episodic encoding), and a yes/no recognition task. Functional activation magnitudes in seven regions of interest within the thalamic complex, as defined by anatomical and functional criteria, were computed for each group. Participants with schizophrenia exhibited decreased activation within the whole thalamus, the anterior nuclei, and the medial dorsal nucleus. These nuclei overlap with subregions of the thalamic surface that the authors previously reported to exhibit morphological abnormalities in schizophrenia. However, there were no significant correlations between specific dimensions of thalamic shape variation (i.e., eigenvectors) and the activation patterns within thalamic regions of interest. Better performance on the working memory task among individuals with schizophrenia was significantly associated with increased activation in the anterior nuclei, the centromedian nucleus, the pulvinar, and the ventrolateral nuclei. These results suggest that there are limited relationships between morphological and functional abnormalities of the thalamus in schizophrenia subjects and highlight the importance of investigating relationships between brain structure and function.

Prefrontal cortical and striatal activity to happy and fear faces in bipolar disorder is associated with comorbid substance abuse and eating disorder.

PubMed

Hassel, Stefanie; Almeida, Jorge R; Frank, Ellen; Versace, Amelia; Nau, Sharon A; Klein, Crystal R; Kupfer, David J; Phillips, Mary L

2009-11-01

The spectrum approach was used to examine contributions of comorbid symptom dimensions of substance abuse and eating disorder to abnormal prefrontal-cortical and subcortical-striatal activity to happy and fear faces previously demonstrated in bipolar disorder (BD). Fourteen remitted BD-type I and sixteen healthy individuals viewed neutral, mild and intense happy and fear faces in two event-related fMRI experiments. All individuals completed Substance-Use and Eating-Disorder Spectrum measures. Region-of-Interest analyses for bilateral prefrontal and subcortical-striatal regions were performed. BD individuals scored significantly higher on these spectrum measures than healthy individuals (p<0.05), and were distinguished by activity in prefrontal and subcortical-striatal regions. BD relative to healthy individuals showed reduced dorsal prefrontal-cortical activity to all faces. Only BD individuals showed greater subcortical-striatal activity to happy and neutral faces. In BD individuals, negative correlations were shown between substance use severity and right PFC activity to intense happy faces (p<0.04), and between substance use severity and right caudate nucleus activity to neutral faces (p<0.03). Positive correlations were shown between eating disorder and right ventral putamen activity to intense happy (p<0.02) and neutral faces (p<0.03). Exploratory analyses revealed few significant relationships between illness variables and medication upon neural activity in BD individuals. Small sample size of predominantly medicated BD individuals. This study is the first to report relationships between comorbid symptom dimensions of substance abuse and eating disorder and prefrontal-cortical and subcortical-striatal activity to facial expressions in BD. Our findings suggest that these comorbid features may contribute to observed patterns of functional abnormalities in neural systems underlying mood regulation in BD.

Effects of changes in vertical occlusal dimension on heart rate fluctuations in guinea pigs.

PubMed

Taga, Hitoshi; Azuma, Yukio; Maehara, Kiyoshi; Nomura, Shuichi

2012-01-01

We have previously reported that the decrease of the vertical occlusal dimension (VOD) led to heart failure and abnormalities in creatine phosphokinase (CPK) in guinea pigs. In the present study, we investigated the autonomic activity and the origin of the abnormality in CPK under different occlusal conditions. Guinea pigs were separated into the following five groups: untreated control, reduced VOD, slit, restored VOD and increased VOD groups and compared for their electrocardiogram and heart rate fluctuations for two weeks using Fluclet, computer software. The control group revealed no changes in heart rate fluctuations or posture. The reduced VOD group exhibited a two-phase wave of heart rate fluctuations, with the first peak 0-2 days after teeth grinding, and the second peak starting from 4 days after teeth grinding until sudden death (usually 12th day), accompanied by head drop. The slit and the restored VOD groups exhibited only the first peak. The increased VOD group, with approximately 3 mm-thick acrylic pellets bonded to the posterior teeth, showed no heart rate fluctuations. Body weight loss was most prominent in the reduced VOD group, and became much milder in the order of increased VOD, restored and slit groups. The reduced VOD group exhibited transient elevation of skeletal muscle type of CPK isozyme activity within two days after treatment. The present study suggests that the first peak of heart rate fluctuations is caused by pulpal stimulation, and the second peak by excessive contraction (excessive excitation of the motor output system and the autonomic nervous system) of the masticatory muscles. On the other hand, increased VOD did not influence either the motor or the autonomic nervous system.

Quantitative assessment of the entire right ventricle from one acoustic window: an attractive approach.

PubMed

McGhie, Jackie S; Menting, Myrthe E; Vletter, Wim B; Frowijn, René; Roos-Hesselink, Jolien W; van der Zwaan, Heleen B; Soliman, Osama I I; Geleijnse, Marcel L; van den Bosch, Annemien E

2017-07-01

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility and establish normal values of functional right ventricle (RV) parameters as assessed in our four, long-axis view RV model using iRotate echocardiography. Furthermore, we evaluated the potential use of this model in patients with abnormally loaded RVs. One hundred and fifty-five healthy subjects aged 20-72 years (≥28 subjects per decile) were prospectively recruited. We used non-dedicated RV speckle-tracking software to test the feasibility and to establish normal range values of peak systolic global longitudinal RV strain (RV-GLS) from the RV free-walls (septum was excluded). Also normal range values for: dimensions, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and tricuspid annular peak systolic velocity (TDI-S') were established. The feasibility of RV-GLS was 88, 84, and 62%, respectively, in the lateral, inferior, and anterior free wall. Mean RV-GLS normal values were -24.5 ± 4.9% for lateral wall and -25.4 ± 5.0% for anterior wall. Mean RV-GLS in the inferior wall was -23.2 ± 4.4% in the aortic (Ao) view and -20.7 ± 5.0% in the coronal (CV) view. The feasibility of mean RV-GLS was 100% in the anterior, lateral, and inferior walls in abnormally dilated RVs. The feasibility of all RV parameters assessed in the four-view iRotate model is good to excellent. Normal values for RV dimension and function of the anterior, inferior, and lateral RV walls have been established. Further studies and dedicated RV speckle-tracking software are warranted to discover the full potential of this new technique. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Contact areas of the scaphoid and lunate with the distal radius in neutral and extension: correlation of falling strategies and distal radial anatomy.

PubMed

Chen, Y R; Wu, Y F; Tang, J B; Giddins, G

2014-05-01

The functional neutral of wrist movement is about 10° extension yet the distal radius has a volar tilt. This has not previously been explained. Assuming that the contact area between the carpus and the distal radius increased in wrist extension this would also help stabilize the carpus on the distal radius in positions where typically there is greater loading. To test this hypothesis we reconstructed three-dimensional structures of the carpal bones and distal radius using computed tomography scans of 13 normal wrists. The contact areas of the scaphoid with the distal radius were measured and were found progressively increased from flexion 20°, neutral, extension 20°, to extension 40°. The maximal increases in the contact area of the scaphoid and the distal radius was at full wrist extension. No significant changes in the contact areas of the lunate with the distal radius were found between the different positions. The contact characteristics provide greater stability to the carpus on the distal radius, and to help spread forces from impact to the wrist reducing the transmitted peak forces and thus the risk of distal radius and carpal injuries.

Cardiac abnormalities in patients with mitochondrial DNA mutation 3243A>G

PubMed Central

Majamaa-Voltti, Kirsi; Peuhkurinen, Keijo; Kortelainen, Marja-Leena; Hassinen, Ilmo E; Majamaa, Kari

2002-01-01

Background Tissues that depend on aerobic energy metabolism suffer most in diseases caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Cardiac abnormalities have been described in many cases, but their frequency and clinical spectrum among patients with mtDNA mutations is unknown. Methods Thirty-nine patients with the 3243A>G mtDNA mutation were examined, methods used included clinical evaluation, electrocardiogram, Holter recording and echocardiography. Autopsy reports on 17 deceased subjects were also reviewed. The degree of 3243A>G mutation heteroplasmy was determined using an Apa I restriction fragment analysis. Better hearing level (BEHL0.5–4 kHz) was used as a measure of the clinical severity of disease. Results Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was diagnosed in 19 patients (56%) by echocardiography and in six controls (15%) giving an odds ratio of 7.5 (95% confidence interval; 1.74–67). The dimensions of the left ventricle suggested a concentric hypertrophy. Left ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction was observed in 11 patients. Holter recording revealed frequent ventricular extrasystoles (>10/h) in five patients. Patients with LVH differed significantly from those without LVH in BEHL0.5–4 kHz, whereas the contribution of age or the degree of the mutant heteroplasmy in skeletal muscle to the risk of LVH was less remarkable. Conclusions Structural and functional abnormalities of the heart were common in patients with 3243A>G. The risk of LVH was related to the clinical severity of the phenotype, and to a lesser degree to age, suggesting that patients presenting with any symptoms from the mutation should also be evaluated for cardiac abnormalities. PMID:12150714

Deformed Skull Morphology Is Caused by the Combined Effects of the Maldevelopment of Calvarias, Cranial Base and Brain in FGFR2-P253R Mice Mimicking Human Apert Syndrome

PubMed Central

Luo, Fengtao; Xie, Yangli; Xu, Wei; Huang, Junlan; Zhou, Siru; Wang, Zuqiang; Luo, Xiaoqing; Liu, Mi; Chen, Lin; Du, Xiaolan

2017-01-01

Apert syndrome (AS) is a common genetic syndrome in humans characterized with craniosynostosis. Apert patients and mouse models showed abnormalities in sutures, cranial base and brain, that may all be involved in the pathogenesis of skull malformation of Apert syndrome. To distinguish the differential roles of these components of head in the pathogenesis of the abnormal skull morphology of AS, we generated mouse strains specifically expressing mutant FGFR2 in chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and progenitor cells of central nervous system (CNS) by crossing Fgfr2+/P253R-Neo mice with Col2a1-Cre, Osteocalcin-Cre (OC-Cre), and Nestin-Cre mice, respectively. We then quantitatively analyzed the skull and brain morphology of these mutant mice by micro-CT and micro-MRI using Euclidean distance matrix analysis (EDMA). Skulls of Col2a1-Fgfr2+/P253R mice showed Apert syndrome-like dysmorphology, such as shortened skull dimensions along the rostrocaudal axis, shortened nasal bone, and evidently advanced ossification of cranial base synchondroses. The OC-Fgfr2+/P253R mice showed malformation in face at 8-week stage. Nestin-Fgfr2+/P253R mice exhibited increased dorsoventral height and rostrocaudal length on the caudal skull and brain at 8 weeks. Our study indicates that the abnormal skull morphology of AS is caused by the combined effects of the maldevelopment in calvarias, cranial base, and brain tissue. These findings further deepen our knowledge about the pathogenesis of the abnormal skull morphology of AS, and provide new clues for the further analyses of skull phenotypes and clinical management of AS. PMID:28123344

Deformed Skull Morphology Is Caused by the Combined Effects of the Maldevelopment of Calvarias, Cranial Base and Brain in FGFR2-P253R Mice Mimicking Human Apert Syndrome.

PubMed

Luo, Fengtao; Xie, Yangli; Xu, Wei; Huang, Junlan; Zhou, Siru; Wang, Zuqiang; Luo, Xiaoqing; Liu, Mi; Chen, Lin; Du, Xiaolan

2017-01-01

Apert syndrome (AS) is a common genetic syndrome in humans characterized with craniosynostosis. Apert patients and mouse models showed abnormalities in sutures, cranial base and brain, that may all be involved in the pathogenesis of skull malformation of Apert syndrome. To distinguish the differential roles of these components of head in the pathogenesis of the abnormal skull morphology of AS, we generated mouse strains specifically expressing mutant FGFR2 in chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and progenitor cells of central nervous system (CNS) by crossing Fgfr2 +/P253R-Neo mice with Col2a1-Cre, Osteocalcin-Cre (OC-Cre), and Nestin-Cre mice, respectively. We then quantitatively analyzed the skull and brain morphology of these mutant mice by micro-CT and micro-MRI using Euclidean distance matrix analysis (EDMA). Skulls of Col2a1-Fgfr2 +/P253R mice showed Apert syndrome-like dysmorphology, such as shortened skull dimensions along the rostrocaudal axis, shortened nasal bone, and evidently advanced ossification of cranial base synchondroses. The OC-Fgfr2 +/P253R mice showed malformation in face at 8-week stage. Nestin-Fgfr2 +/P253R mice exhibited increased dorsoventral height and rostrocaudal length on the caudal skull and brain at 8 weeks. Our study indicates that the abnormal skull morphology of AS is caused by the combined effects of the maldevelopment in calvarias, cranial base, and brain tissue. These findings further deepen our knowledge about the pathogenesis of the abnormal skull morphology of AS, and provide new clues for the further analyses of skull phenotypes and clinical management of AS.

The albino chick as a model for studying ocular developmental anomalies, including refractive errors, associated with albinism.

PubMed

Rymer, Jodi; Choh, Vivian; Bharadwaj, Shrikant; Padmanabhan, Varuna; Modilevsky, Laura; Jovanovich, Elizabeth; Yeh, Brenda; Zhang, Zhan; Guan, Huanxian; Payne, W; Wildsoet, Christine F

2007-10-01

Albinism is associated with a variety of ocular anomalies including refractive errors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ocular development of an albino chick line. The ocular development of both albino and normally pigmented chicks was monitored using retinoscopy to measure refractive errors and high frequency A-scan ultrasonography to measure axial ocular dimensions. Functional tests included an optokinetic nystagmus paradigm to assess visual acuity, and flash ERGs to assess retinal function. The underlying genetic abnormality was characterized using a gene microarray, PCR and a tyrosinase assay. The ultrastructure of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) was examined using transmission electron microscopy. PCR confirmed that the genetic abnormality in this line is a deletion in exon 1 of the tyrosinase gene. Tyrosinase gene expression in isolated RPE cells was minimally detectable, and there was minimal enzyme activity in albino feather bulbs. The albino chicks had pink eyes and their eyes transilluminated, reflecting the lack of melanin in all ocular tissues. All three main components, anterior chamber, crystalline lens and vitreous chamber, showed axial expansion over time in both normal and albino animals, but the anterior chambers of albino chicks were consistently shallower than those of normal chicks, while in contrast, their vitreous chambers were longer. Albino chicks remained relatively myopic, with higher astigmatism than the normally pigmented chicks, even though both groups underwent developmental emmetropization. Albino chicks had reduced visual acuity yet the ERG a- and b-wave components had larger amplitudes and shorter than normal implicit times. Developmental emmetropization occurs in the albino chick but is impaired, likely because of functional abnormalities in the RPE and/or retina as well as optical factors. In very young chicks the underlying genetic mutation may also contribute to refractive error and eye shape abnormalities.

Integrated Design of Undepressed Collector for Low Power Gyrotron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Anil; Goswami, Uttam K.; Poonia, Sunita; Singh, Udaybir; Kumar, Nitin; Alaria, M. K.; Bera, A.; Khatun, Hasina; Sinha, A. K.

2011-06-01

A 42 GHz, 200 kW continuous wave (CW) gyrotron, operating at TE03 mode is under development for the electron cyclotron resonance plasma heating of the Indian TOKAMAK system. The gyrotron is made up of an undepressed collector. The undepressed collector is simple to design and cost effective. In this paper, a detailed design study of the undepressed collector for the 42 GHz gyrotron is presented. The EGUN code is used to analyze the spent electron beam trajectory for the maximum spread to reduce the power loading on the collector surface. To achieve wall loading ≤1 kW/cm2, a collector with a length of 800 mm and a radius of 42.5 mm is designed. The design also includes the three magnet systems around the collector for maximum and uniform beam spread. The thermal and the structural analyses are done using the ANSYS code to optimize the collector structure and dimensions with tolerance.

Performance Enhancement of Unsteady Ejectors Investigated Using a Pulsejet Driver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paxson, Daniel E.

2003-01-01

Unsteady ejectors are currently under investigation for use in some pulse detonation engine (PDE) propulsion systems. This is due primarily to their potential high performance in comparison to steady ejectors of similar dimensions relative to the source or driver jet. Although some experimental work has been done in the past to study thrust augmentation with unsteady ejectors, there is no proven theory by which optimal design parameters can be selected and an effective ejector constructed for a given pulsed flow. Therefore, an experimental facility was developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center to study the correlation between ejector design and performance, and to get a better understanding of the flow phenomena that result in thrust augmentation. A commercially available pulsejet was used for the unsteady driving jet. This was paired with a basic, yet flexible, ejector design that allowed parametric evaluation of the effects that length, diameter, and inlet radius have on performance.

Search for diphoton events with large missing transverse energy in 6.3  fb(-1) of pp collisions at √s=1.96  TeV.

PubMed

Abazov, V M; Abbott, B; Abolins, M; Acharya, B S; Adams, M; Adams, T; Alexeev, G D; Alkhazov, G; Alton, A; Alverson, G; Alves, G A; Ancu, L S; Aoki, M; Arnoud, Y; Arov, M; Askew, A; Asman, B; Atramentov, O; Avila, C; Backusmayes, J; Badaud, F; Bagby, L; Baldin, B; Bandurin, D V; Banerjee, S; Barberis, E; Baringer, P; Barreto, J; Bartlett, J F; Bassler, U; Beale, S; Bean, A; Begalli, M; Begel, M; Belanger-Champagne, C; Bellantoni, L; Benitez, J A; Beri, S B; Bernardi, G; Bernhard, R; Bertram, I; Besançon, M; Beuselinck, R; Bezzubov, V A; Bhat, P C; Bhatnagar, V; Blazey, G; Blessing, S; Bloom, K; Boehnlein, A; Boline, D; Bolton, T A; Boos, E E; Borissov, G; Bose, T; Brandt, A; Brandt, O; Brock, R; Brooijmans, G; Bross, A; Brown, D; Brown, J; Bu, X B; Buchholz, D; Buehler, M; Buescher, V; Bunichev, V; Burdin, S; Burnett, T H; Buszello, C P; Calpas, B; Calvet, S; Camacho-Pérez, E; Carrasco-Lizarraga, M A; Carrera, E; Casey, B C K; Castilla-Valdez, H; Chakrabarti, S; Chakraborty, D; Chan, K M; Chandra, A; Chen, G; Chevalier-Théry, S; Cho, D K; Cho, S W; Choi, S; Choudhary, B; Christoudias, T; Cihangir, S; Claes, D; Clutter, J; Cooke, M S; Cooke, M; Cooper, W E; Corcoran, M; Couderc, F; Cousinou, M-C; Croc, A; Cutts, D; Cwiok, M; Das, A; Davies, G; De, K; de Jong, S J; De La Cruz-Burelo, E; Déliot, F; Demarteau, M; Demina, R; Denisov, D; Denisov, S P; Desai, S; Devaughan, K; Diehl, H T; Diesburg, M; Dominguez, A; Dorland, T; Dubey, A; Dudko, L V; Duggan, D; Duperrin, A; Dutt, S; Dyshkant, A; Eads, M; Edmunds, D; Ellison, J; Elvira, V D; Enari, Y; Eno, S; Evans, H; Evdokimov, A; Evdokimov, V N; Facini, G; Ferapontov, A V; Ferbel, T; Fiedler, F; Filthaut, F; Fisher, W; Fisk, H E; Fortner, M; Fox, H; Fuess, S; Gadfort, T; Garcia-Bellido, A; Gavrilov, V; Gay, P; Geist, W; Geng, W; Gerbaudo, D; Gerber, C E; Gershtein, Y; Ginther, G; Golovanov, G; Goussiou, A; Grannis, P D; Greder, S; Greenlee, H; Greenwood, Z D; Gregores, E M; Grenier, G; Gris, Ph; Grivaz, J-F; Grohsjean, A; Grünendahl, S; Grünewald, M W; Guo, F; Guo, J; Gutierrez, G; Gutierrez, P; Haas, A; Hagopian, S; Haley, J; Han, L; Harder, K; Harel, A; Hauptman, J M; Hays, J; Hebbeker, T; Hedin, D; Hegab, H; Heinson, A P; Heintz, U; Hensel, C; Heredia-De La Cruz, I; Herner, K; Hesketh, G; Hildreth, M D; Hirosky, R; Hoang, T; Hobbs, J D; Hoeneisen, B; Hohlfeld, M; Hossain, S; Hubacek, Z; Huske, N; Hynek, V; Iashvili, I; Illingworth, R; Ito, A S; Jabeen, S; Jaffré, M; Jain, S; Jamin, D; Jesik, R; Johns, K; Johnson, M; Johnston, D; Jonckheere, A; Jonsson, P; Joshi, J; Juste, A; Kaadze, K; Kajfasz, E; Karmanov, D; Kasper, P A; Katsanos, I; Kehoe, R; Kermiche, S; Khalatyan, N; Khanov, A; Kharchilava, A; Kharzheev, Y N; Khatidze, D; Kirby, M H; Kohli, J M; Kozelov, A V; Kraus, J; Kumar, A; Kupco, A; Kurča, T; Kuzmin, V A; Kvita, J; Lammers, S; Landsberg, G; Lebrun, P; Lee, H S; Lee, S W; Lee, W M; Lellouch, J; Li, L; Li, Q Z; Lietti, S M; Lim, J K; Lincoln, D; Linnemann, J; Lipaev, V V; Lipton, R; Liu, Y; Liu, Z; Lobodenko, A; Lokajicek, M; Love, P; Lubatti, H J; Luna-Garcia, R; Lyon, A L; Maciel, A K A; Mackin, D; Madar, R; Magaña-Villalba, R; Malik, S; Malyshev, V L; Maravin, Y; Martínez-Ortega, J; McCarthy, R; McGivern, C L; Meijer, M M; Melnitchouk, A; Menezes, D; Mercadante, P G; Merkin, M; Meyer, A; Meyer, J; Mondal, N K; Muanza, G S; Mulhearn, M; Nagy, E; Naimuddin, M; Narain, M; Nayyar, R; Neal, H A; Negret, J P; Neustroev, P; Nilsen, H; Novaes, S F; Nunnemann, T; Obrant, G; Onoprienko, D; Orduna, J; Osman, N; Osta, J; Otero Y Garzón, G J; Owen, M; Padilla, M; Pangilinan, M; Parashar, N; Parihar, V; Park, S K; Parsons, J; Partridge, R; Parua, N; Patwa, A; Penning, B; Perfilov, M; Peters, K; Peters, Y; Petrillo, G; Pétroff, P; Piegaia, R; Piper, J; Pleier, M-A; Podesta-Lerma, P L M; Podstavkov, V M; Pol, M-E; Polozov, P; Popov, A V; Prewitt, M; Price, D; Protopopescu, S; Qian, J; Quadt, A; Quinn, B; Rangel, M S; Ranjan, K; Ratoff, P N; Razumov, I; Renkel, P; Rich, P; Rijssenbeek, M; Ripp-Baudot, I; Rizatdinova, F; Rominsky, M; Royon, C; Rubinov, P; Ruchti, R; Safronov, G; Sajot, G; Sánchez-Hernández, A; Sanders, M P; Sanghi, B; Santos, A S; Savage, G; Sawyer, L; Scanlon, T; Schamberger, R D; Scheglov, Y; Schellman, H; Schliephake, T; Schlobohm, S; Schwanenberger, C; Schwienhorst, R; Sekaric, J; Severini, H; Shabalina, E; Shary, V; Shchukin, A A; Shivpuri, R K; Simak, V; Sirotenko, V; Skubic, P; Slattery, P; Smirnov, D; Smith, K J; Snow, G R; Snow, J; Snyder, S; Söldner-Rembold, S; Sonnenschein, L; Sopczak, A; Sosebee, M; Soustruznik, K; Spurlock, B; Stark, J; Stolin, V; Stoyanova, D A; Strauss, E; Strauss, M; Strom, D; Stutte, L; Svoisky, P; Takahashi, M; Tanasijczuk, A; Taylor, W; Titov, M; Tokmenin, V V; Tsybychev, D; Tuchming, B; Tully, C; Tuts, P M; Uvarov, L; Uvarov, S; Uzunyan, S; Van Kooten, R; van Leeuwen, W M; Varelas, N; Varnes, E W; Vasilyev, I A; Verdier, P; Vertogradov, L S; Verzocchi, M; Vesterinen, M; Vilanova, D; Vint, P; Vokac, P; Wahl, H D; Wang, M H L S; Warchol, J; Watts, G; Wayne, M; Weber, M; Wetstein, M; White, A; Wicke, D; Williams, M R J; Wilson, G W; Wimpenny, S J; Wobisch, M; Wood, D R; Wyatt, T R; Xie, Y; Xu, C; Yacoob, S; Yamada, R; Yang, W-C; Yasuda, T; Yatsunenko, Y A; Ye, Z; Yin, H; Yip, K; Yoo, H D; Youn, S W; Yu, J; Zelitch, S; Zhao, T; Zhou, B; Zhou, N; Zhu, J; Zielinski, M; Zieminska, D; Zivkovic, L

2010-11-26

We report a search for diphoton events with large missing transverse energy produced in pp collisions at √s=1.96  TeV. The data were collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider and correspond to 6.3  fb(-1) of integrated luminosity. The observed missing transverse energy distribution is well described by the standard model prediction, and 95% C.L. limits are derived on two realizations of theories beyond the standard model. In a gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking scenario, the breaking scale Λ is excluded for Λ<124  TeV. In a universal extra dimension model including gravitational decays, the compactification radius R(c) is excluded for R(c)(-1)<477  GeV.

Vibration characteristics of a steadily rotating slender ring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lallman, F. J.

1980-01-01

Partial differential equations are derived to describe the structural vibrations of a uniform homogeneous ring which is very flexible because the radius is very large compared with the cross sectional dimensions. Elementary beam theory is used and small deflections are assumed in the derivation. Four sets of structural modes are examined: bending and compression modes in the plane of the ring; bending modes perpendicular to the plane of the ring; and twisting modes about the centroid of the ring cross section. Spatial and temporal characteristics of these modes, presented in terms of vibration frequencies and ratios between vibration amplitudes, are demonstrated in several figures. Given a sufficiently high rotational rate, the dynamics of the ring approach those of a vibrating string. In this case, the velocity of traveling wave in the material of the ring approaches in velocity of the material relative to inertial space, resulting in structural modes which are almost stationary in space.

Global Structure of HIV-1 Neutralizing Antibody IgG1 b12 is Asymmetric

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ashish, F.; Solanki, A; Boone, C

2010-01-01

Human antibody IgG1 b12 is one of the four antibodies known to neutralize a broad range of human immunodeficiency virus-1. The crystal structure of this antibody displayed an asymmetric disposition of the Fab arms relative to its Fc portion. Comparison of structures solved for other IgG1 antibodies led to a notion that crystal packing forces entrapped a 'snap-shot' of different conformations accessible to this antibody. To elucidate global structure of this unique antibody, we acquired small-angle X-ray scattering data from its dilute solution. Data analysis indicated that b12 adopts a bilobal globular structure in solution with a radius of gyrationmore » and a maximum linear dimension of {approx}54 and {approx}180 {angstrom}, respectively. Extreme similarity between its solution and crystal structure concludes that non-flexible, asymmetric shape is an inherent property of this rare antibody.« less

On the power output of some idealized source configurations with one or more characteristic dimensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, H.

1982-01-01

The calculation of power output from a (finite) linear array of equidistant point sources is investigated with allowance for a relative phase shift and particular focus on the circumstances of small/large individual source separation. A key role is played by the estimates found for a twin parameter definite integral that involves the Fejer kernel functions, where N denotes a (positive) integer; these results also permit a quantitative accounting of energy partition between the principal and secondary lobes of the array pattern. Continuously distributed sources along a finite line segment or an open ended circular cylindrical shell are considered, and estimates for the relatively lower output in the latter configuration are made explicit when the shell radius is small compared to the wave length. A systematic reduction of diverse integrals which characterize the energy output from specific line and strip sources is investigated.

Hawking radiation power equations for black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mistry, Ravi; Upadhyay, Sudhaker; Ali, Ahmed Farag; Faizal, Mir

2017-10-01

We derive the Hawking radiation power equations for black holes in asymptotically flat, asymptotically Anti-de Sitter (AdS) and asymptotically de Sitter (dS) black holes. This is done by using the greybody factor for these black holes. We observe that the radiation power equation for asymptotically flat black holes, corresponding to greybody factor at low frequency, depends on both the Hawking temperature and the horizon radius. However, for the greybody factors at asymptotic frequency, it only depends on the Hawking temperature. We also obtain the power equation for asymptotically AdS black holes both below and above the critical frequency. The radiation power equation for at asymptotic frequency is same for both Schwarzschild AdS and Reissner-Nordström AdS solutions and only depends on the Hawking temperature. We also discuss the power equation for asymptotically dS black holes at low frequency, for both even or odd dimensions.

MESSENGER Observations of Large Flux Transfer Events at Mercury

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slavin, James A.; Lepping, Ronald P.; Wu, Chin-Chun; Anderson, Brian J.; Baker, Daniel N.; Benna, Mehdi; Boardsen, Scott A.; Killen, Rosemary M.; Korth, Haje; Krimigis, Stamatios M.;

Effect of chronic centrifugation of the musculoskeletal system of the dog.

PubMed

Amtmann, E; Oyama, J; Fisher, G L

1976-04-21

Sixteen male Beagle dogs, 293 to 509 days old, were exposed almost continuously for 3 months to 2.0 G on a 7.9 meter radius centrifuge. The dogs were maintained on the centrifuge, by means of a specially designed automated waste disposal and life support system. As compared to the mean values of normal gravity controls, centrifuged dogs showed no differences in femur length; cross-sectional area, outer and inner radii at mid-shaft of the femur; dry weights of the biceps femoris, quadriceps femoris, and gastrocnemius muscles. It was shown by analysis of covariance that chronic centrifugation has no effect on the relationship between the length and the cross-sectional dimensions at mid-shaft of the femur. Photon absorptiometry, however, revealed significant mineral content increases averaging 1.5% at 3 sites, i.e., at the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 length of the femur.

Effective phase function of light scattered at small angles by polydisperse particulate media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turcu, I.

2008-06-01

Particles with typical dimensions higher than the light wavelength and relative refraction indexes close to one, scatter light mainly in the forward direction where the scattered light intensity has a narrow peak. For particulate media accomplishing these requirements the light scattered at small angles in a far-field detecting set-up can be described analytically by an effective phase function (EPF) even in the multiple scattering regime. The EPF model which was built for monodispersed systems has been extended to polydispersed media. The main ingredients consist in the replacement of the single particle phase function and of the optical thickness with their corresponding averaged values. Using a Gamma particle size distribution (PSD) as a testing model, the effect of polydispersity was systematically investigated. The increase of the average radius or/and of the PSD standard deviation leads to the decrease of the angular spreading of the small angle scattered light.

Electromagnetic deep-probing (100-1000 KMS) of the Earth's interior from artificial satellites: Constraints on the regional emplacement of crustal resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hermance, J. F. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

Model simulations show that induction in a spherical Earth by distant magnetospheric sources can contribute magnetic field fluctuations at MAGSAT altitudes which are 30 to 40 percent of the external field amplitudes. When the characteristic dimensions (e.g. depth of penetration, etc) of a particular situations are small compared with the Earth's radius, the Earth can be approximated by a plane horizontal half space. In this case, electromagnetic energy is reflected with close to 100 percent efficiency from the Earth's surface. This implies that the total horizontal field is twice the source field when the source is above the satellite, but is reduced to values which are much smaller than the source field when the source is below the satellite. This latter effect tends to enhance the signature of gross electrical discontinuities in the lithosphere when observed at satellite altitudes.

Acoustic trapping of active matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takatori, Sho C.; de Dier, Raf; Vermant, Jan; Brady, John F.

2016-03-01

Confinement of living microorganisms and self-propelled particles by an external trap provides a means of analysing the motion and behaviour of active systems. Developing a tweezer with a trapping radius large compared with the swimmers' size and run length has been an experimental challenge, as standard optical traps are too weak. Here we report the novel use of an acoustic tweezer to confine self-propelled particles in two dimensions over distances large compared with the swimmers' run length. We develop a near-harmonic trap to demonstrate the crossover from weak confinement, where the probability density is Boltzmann-like, to strong confinement, where the density is peaked along the perimeter. At high concentrations the swimmers crystallize into a close-packed structure, which subsequently `explodes' as a travelling wave when the tweezer is turned off. The swimmers' confined motion provides a measurement of the swim pressure, a unique mechanical pressure exerted by self-propelled bodies.

Modification of Lightweight Aggregates' Microstructure by Used Motor Oil Addition.

PubMed

Franus, Małgorzata; Jozefaciuk, Grzegorz; Bandura, Lidia; Lamorski, Krzysztof; Hajnos, Mieczysław; Franus, Wojciech

2016-10-18

An admixture of lightweight aggregate substrates (beidellitic clay containing 10 wt % of natural clinoptilolite or Na-P1 zeolite) with used motor oil (1 wt %-8 wt %) caused marked changes in the aggregates' microstructure, measured by a combination of mercury porosimetry (MIP), microtomography (MT), and scanning electron microscopy. Maximum porosity was produced at low (1%-2%) oil concentrations and it dropped at higher concentrations, opposite to the aggregates' bulk density. Average pore radii, measured by MIP, decreased with an increasing oil concentration, whereas larger (MT) pore sizes tended to increase. Fractal dimension, derived from MIP data, changed similarly to the MIP pore radius, while that derived from MT remained unaltered. Solid phase density, measured by helium pycnometry, initially dropped slightly and then increased with the amount of oil added, which was most probably connected to changes in the formation of extremely small closed pores that were not available for He atoms.

Constraining the braneworld with gravitational wave observations.

PubMed

McWilliams, Sean T

2010-04-09

Some braneworld models may have observable consequences that, if detected, would validate a requisite element of string theory. In the infinite Randall-Sundrum model (RS2), the AdS radius of curvature, l, of the extra dimension supports a single bound state of the massless graviton on the brane, thereby reproducing Newtonian gravity in the weak-field limit. However, using the AdS/CFT correspondence, it has been suggested that one possible consequence of RS2 is an enormous increase in Hawking radiation emitted by black holes. We utilize this possibility to derive two novel methods for constraining l via gravitational wave measurements. We show that the EMRI event rate detected by LISA can constrain l at the approximately 1 microm level for optimal cases, while the observation of a single galactic black hole binary with LISA results in an optimal constraint of l < or = 5 microm.

Recurrence plots of discrete-time Gaussian stochastic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramdani, Sofiane; Bouchara, Frédéric; Lagarde, Julien; Lesne, Annick

2016-09-01

We investigate the statistical properties of recurrence plots (RPs) of data generated by discrete-time stationary Gaussian random processes. We analytically derive the theoretical values of the probabilities of occurrence of recurrence points and consecutive recurrence points forming diagonals in the RP, with an embedding dimension equal to 1. These results allow us to obtain theoretical values of three measures: (i) the recurrence rate (REC) (ii) the percent determinism (DET) and (iii) RP-based estimation of the ε-entropy κ(ε) in the sense of correlation entropy. We apply these results to two Gaussian processes, namely first order autoregressive processes and fractional Gaussian noise. For these processes, we simulate a number of realizations and compare the RP-based estimations of the three selected measures to their theoretical values. These comparisons provide useful information on the quality of the estimations, such as the minimum required data length and threshold radius used to construct the RP.

Effects of Notch Misalignment and Tip Radius on Displacement Field in V-Notch Rail Shear Test as Determined by Photogrammetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Charles S.; Oliveras, Ovidio M.

2011-01-01

Evolution of the 3D strain field during ASTM-D-7078 v-notch rail shear tests on 8-ply quasi-isotropic carbon fiber/epoxy laminates was determined by optical photogrammetry using an ARAMIS system. Specimens having non-optimal geometry and minor discrepancies in dimensional tolerances were shown to display non-symmetry and/or stress concentration in the vicinity of the notch relative to a specimen meeting the requirements of the standard, but resulting shear strength and modulus values remained within acceptable bounds of standard deviation. Based on these results, and reported difficulty machining specimens to the required tolerances using available methods, it is suggested that a parametric study combining analytical methods and experiment may provide rationale to increase the tolerances on some specimen dimensions, reducing machining costs, increasing the proportion of acceptable results, and enabling a wider adoption of the test method.

A Close-Coupled, Heavy Ion ICF Target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callahan-Miller, Debra A.; Tabak, Max

1998-11-01

A ``close-coupled'' version of the distributed radiator, heavy ion ICF target has produced gain > 130 from 3.1 MJ of ion beam energy. To achieve these results, we reduced the hohlraum dimensions by 27% from our previous designs(M. Tabak, D. Callahan-Miller, D. D.-M. Ho, G. B. Zimmerman, Nuc. Fusion, 38, 509 (1998)) (M. Tabak, D. A. Callahan-Miller, Phys. Plasmas, 5, 1895 (1998).) while driving the same capsule. This reduced the beam energy required from 5.9-6.5 MJ to 3.1 MJ. The smaller hohlraum resulted in a smaller beam spot; elliptically shaped beams with effective radius 1.7 mm were used in this design. In addition to describing this target, we will discuss the effect of the close-coupled hohlraum on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and scaling this design down to 1.5-2 MJ for an ETF (Engineering Test Facility).

Initiation Capacity of a Specially Shaped Booster Pellet and Numerical Simulation of Its Initiation Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Li-Shuang; Hu, Shuang-Qi; Cao, Xiong; Zhang, Jian-Ren

2014-01-01

The insensitive main charge explosive is creating new requirements for the booster pellet of detonation trains. The traditional cylindrical booster pellet has insufficient energy output to reliably initiate the insensitive main charge explosive. In this research, a concave spherical booster pellet was designed. The initiation capacity of the concave spherical booster pellet was studied using varied composition and axial steel dent methods. The initiation process of the concave spherical booster pellet was also simulated by ANSYS/LS-DYNA. The results showed that using a concave spherical booster allows a 42% reduction in the amount of explosive needed to match the initiation capacity of a conventional cylindrical booster of the same dimensions. With the other parameters kept constant, the initiation capacity of the concave spherical booster pellet increases with decreased cone angle and concave radius. The numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Calculated photonic structures for infrared emittance control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rung, Andreas; Ribbing, Carl G.

2002-06-01

Using an available program package based on the transfer-matrix method, we calculated the photonic band structure for two different structures: a quasi-three-dimensional crystal of square air rods in a high-index matrix and an opal structure of high-index spheres in a matrix of low index, epsilon = 1.5. The high index used is representative of gallium arsenide in the thermal infrared range. The geometric parameters of the rod dimension, sphere radius, and lattice constants were chosen to give total reflectance for normal incidence, i.e., minimum thermal emittance, in either one of the two infrared atmospheric windows. For these four photonic crystals, the bulk reflectance spectra and the wavelength-averaged thermal emittance as a function of crystal thickness were calculated. The results reveal that potentially useful thermal signature suppression is obtained for crystals as thin as 20-50 mum, i.e., comparable with that of a paint layer.

Acoustic trapping of active matter

PubMed Central

Takatori, Sho C.; De Dier, Raf; Vermant, Jan; Brady, John F.

2016-01-01

Confinement of living microorganisms and self-propelled particles by an external trap provides a means of analysing the motion and behaviour of active systems. Developing a tweezer with a trapping radius large compared with the swimmers' size and run length has been an experimental challenge, as standard optical traps are too weak. Here we report the novel use of an acoustic tweezer to confine self-propelled particles in two dimensions over distances large compared with the swimmers' run length. We develop a near-harmonic trap to demonstrate the crossover from weak confinement, where the probability density is Boltzmann-like, to strong confinement, where the density is peaked along the perimeter. At high concentrations the swimmers crystallize into a close-packed structure, which subsequently ‘explodes' as a travelling wave when the tweezer is turned off. The swimmers' confined motion provides a measurement of the swim pressure, a unique mechanical pressure exerted by self-propelled bodies. PMID:26961816

Constraining the Braneworld with Gravitational Wave Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McWilliams, Sean T.

2011-01-01

Some braneworld models may have observable consequences that, if detected, would validate a requisite element of string theory. In the infinite Randall-Sundrum model (RS2), the AdS radius of curvature, L, of the extra dimension supports a single bound state of the massless graviton on the brane, thereby reproducing Newtonian gravity in the weak-field limit. However, using the AdS/CFT correspondence, it has been suggested that one possible consequence of RS2 is an enormous increase in Hawking radiation emitted by black holes. We utilize this possibility to derive two novel methods for constraining L via gravitational wave measurements. We show that the EMRI event rate detected by LISA can constrain L at the approximately 1 micron level for optimal cases, while the observation of a single galactic black hole binary with LISA results in an optimal constraint of L less than or equal to 5 microns.

Iris Segmentation and Normalization Algorithm Based on Zigzag Collarette

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizky Faundra, M.; Ratna Sulistyaningrum, Dwi

2017-01-01

In this paper, we proposed iris segmentation and normalization algorithm based on the zigzag collarette. First of all, iris images are processed by using Canny Edge Detection to detect pupil edge, then finding the center and the radius of the pupil with the Hough Transform Circle. Next, isolate important part in iris based zigzag collarette area. Finally, Daugman Rubber Sheet Model applied to get the fixed dimensions or normalization iris by transforming cartesian into polar format and thresholding technique to remove eyelid and eyelash. This experiment will be conducted with a grayscale eye image data taken from a database of iris-Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Automation (CASIA). Data iris taken is the data reliable and widely used to study the iris biometrics. The result show that specific threshold level is 0.3 have better accuracy than other, so the present algorithm can be used to segmentation and normalization zigzag collarette with accuracy is 98.88%

Modification of Lightweight Aggregates’ Microstructure by Used Motor Oil Addition

PubMed Central

Franus, Małgorzata; Jozefaciuk, Grzegorz; Bandura, Lidia; Lamorski, Krzysztof; Hajnos, Mieczysław; Franus, Wojciech

2016-01-01

An admixture of lightweight aggregate substrates (beidellitic clay containing 10 wt % of natural clinoptilolite or Na-P1 zeolite) with used motor oil (1 wt %–8 wt %) caused marked changes in the aggregates’ microstructure, measured by a combination of mercury porosimetry (MIP), microtomography (MT), and scanning electron microscopy. Maximum porosity was produced at low (1%–2%) oil concentrations and it dropped at higher concentrations, opposite to the aggregates’ bulk density. Average pore radii, measured by MIP, decreased with an increasing oil concentration, whereas larger (MT) pore sizes tended to increase. Fractal dimension, derived from MIP data, changed similarly to the MIP pore radius, while that derived from MT remained unaltered. Solid phase density, measured by helium pycnometry, initially dropped slightly and then increased with the amount of oil added, which was most probably connected to changes in the formation of extremely small closed pores that were not available for He atoms. PMID:28773964

Shape fluctuations of nearly spherical lipid vesicles and emulsion droplets.

PubMed

Bivas, Isak

2010-06-01

It is known that the relaxation of the shape fluctuations of nearly spherical lipid vesicles is accompanied by a lateral displacement of the monolayers, comprising their bilayers. In this work a dissipation mechanism of the mechanical energy stored in the fluctuation is revealed that concerns the viscous friction of the flow in the liquid around the vesicle caused by this displacement. The time correlation functions of each of the vesicle's fluctuation modes are calculated as a function of the mechanical and rheological properties of the system which are the tension of the vesicle bilayer, its bending elasticities at free and blocked flip-flop, the viscosities of the liquids bathing the bilayer, the friction coefficient between the two monolayers, as well as the vesicle's dimensions: its bilayer thickness and radius. The correlations of the shape fluctuations of nearly spherical emulsion droplets are also calculated for different viscosities of the liquid inside and outside the droplet.

Semi-analytic model of plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion

DOE PAGES

Langendorf, Samuel J.; Hsu, Scott C.

2017-03-01

A semi-analytic model for plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion is presented here. Compressions of a magnetized plasma target by a spherically imploding plasma liner are calculated in one dimension (1D), accounting for compressible hydrodynamics and ionization of the liner material, energy losses due to conduction and radiation, fusion burn and alpha deposition, separate ion and electron temperatures in the target, magnetic pressure, and fuel burn-up. Results show 1D gains of 3–30 at spherical convergence ratio <15 and 20–40 MJ of liner energy, for cases in which the liner thickness is 1 cm and the initial radius of a preheated magnetized target ismore » 4 cm. Some exploration of parameter space and physics settings is presented. The yields observed suggest that there is a possibility of igniting additional dense fuel layers to reach high gain.« less

Application of focused ion beam for the fabrication of AFM probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolomiytsev, A. S.; Lisitsyn, S. A.; Smirnov, V. A.; Fedotov, A. A.; Varzarev, Yu N.

2017-10-01

The results of an experimental study of the probe tips fabrication for critical-dimension atomic force microscopy (CD-AFM) using the focused ion beam (FIB) induced deposition are presented. Methods of the FIB-induced deposition of tungsten and carbon onto the tip of an AFM probe are studied. Based on the results obtained in the study, probes for the CD-AFM technique with a tip height about 1 μm and radius of 20 nm were created. The formation of CD-AFM probes by FIB-induced deposition allows creating a high efficiency tool for nanotechnology and nanodiagnostics. The use of modified cantilevers allows minimizing the artefacts of AFM images and increasing the accuracy of the relief measurement. The obtained results can be used for fabrication of AFM probes for express monitoring of the technological process in the manufacturing of the elements for micro- and nanoelectronics.

Targeting Neural Endophenotypes of Eating Disorders with Non-invasive Brain Stimulation

PubMed Central

Dunlop, Katharine A.; Woodside, Blake; Downar, Jonathan

2016-01-01

The term “eating disorders” (ED) encompasses a wide variety of disordered eating and compensatory behaviors, and so the term is associated with considerable clinical and phenotypic heterogeneity. This heterogeneity makes optimizing treatment techniques difficult. One class of treatments is non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). NIBS, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), are accessible forms of neuromodulation that alter the cortical excitability of a target brain region. It is crucial for NIBS to be successful that the target is well selected for the patient population in question. Targets may best be selected by stepping back from conventional DSM-5 diagnostic criteria to identify neural substrates of more basic phenotypes, including behavior related to rewards and punishment, cognitive control, and social processes. These phenotypic dimensions have been recently laid out by the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative. Consequently, this review is intended to identify potential dimensions as outlined by the RDoC and the underlying behavioral and neurobiological targets associated with ED. This review will also identify candidate targets for NIBS based on these dimensions and review the available literature on rTMS and tDCS in ED. This review systematically reviews abnormal neural circuitry in ED within the RDoC framework, and also systematically reviews the available literature investigating NIBS as a treatment for ED. PMID:26909013

Fractal analysis of scatter imaging signatures to distinguish breast pathologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eguizabal, Alma; Laughney, Ashley M.; Krishnaswamy, Venkataramanan; Wells, Wendy A.; Paulsen, Keith D.; Pogue, Brian W.; López-Higuera, José M.; Conde, Olga M.

2013-02-01

Fractal analysis combined with a label-free scattering technique is proposed for describing the pathological architecture of tumors. Clinicians and pathologists are conventionally trained to classify abnormal features such as structural irregularities or high indices of mitosis. The potential of fractal analysis lies in the fact of being a morphometric measure of the irregular structures providing a measure of the object's complexity and self-similarity. As cancer is characterized by disorder and irregularity in tissues, this measure could be related to tumor growth. Fractal analysis has been probed in the understanding of the tumor vasculature network. This work addresses the feasibility of applying fractal analysis to the scattering power map (as a physical modeling) and principal components (as a statistical modeling) provided by a localized reflectance spectroscopic system. Disorder, irregularity and cell size variation in tissue samples is translated into the scattering power and principal components magnitude and its fractal dimension is correlated with the pathologist assessment of the samples. The fractal dimension is computed applying the box-counting technique. Results show that fractal analysis of ex-vivo fresh tissue samples exhibits separated ranges of fractal dimension that could help classifier combining the fractal results with other morphological features. This contrast trend would help in the discrimination of tissues in the intraoperative context and may serve as a useful adjunct to surgeons.

Curvature and torsion in growing actin networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaevitz, Joshua W.; Fletcher, Daniel A.

2008-06-01

Intracellular pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Rickettsia rickettsii move within a host cell by polymerizing a comet-tail of actin fibers that ultimately pushes the cell forward. This dense network of cross-linked actin polymers typically exhibits a striking curvature that causes bacteria to move in gently looping paths. Theoretically, tail curvature has been linked to details of motility by considering force and torque balances from a finite number of polymerizing filaments. Here we track beads coated with a prokaryotic activator of actin polymerization in three dimensions to directly quantify the curvature and torsion of bead motility paths. We find that bead paths are more likely to have low rather than high curvature at any given time. Furthermore, path curvature changes very slowly in time, with an autocorrelation decay time of 200 s. Paths with a small radius of curvature, therefore, remain so for an extended period resulting in loops when confined to two dimensions. When allowed to explore a three-dimensional (3D) space, path loops are less evident. Finally, we quantify the torsion in the bead paths and show that beads do not exhibit a significant left- or right-handed bias to their motion in 3D. These results suggest that paths of actin-propelled objects may be attributed to slow changes in curvature, possibly associated with filament debranching, rather than a fixed torque.

Venous ligation: a novel strategy for glans enhancement in penile prosthesis implantation.

PubMed

Hsu, Geng-Long; Hill, James W; Hsieh, Cheng-Hsing; Liu, Shih-Ping; Hsu, Chih-Yuan

2014-01-01

Although penile implantation remains a final solution for patients with refractory impotence, undesirable postoperative effects, including penile size reduction and cold sensation of the glans penis, remain problematic. We report results of a surgical method designed to avoid these problems. From 2003 to 2013, 35 consecutive patients received a malleable penile implant. Of these, 15 men (the enhancing group) were also treated with venous ligation of the retrocoronal venous plexus, deep dorsal vein, and cavernosal veins. The remaining 20 men formed the control group, treated with only a penile implant. Follow-up ranged from 1.1 to 10.0 years, with an average of 6.7 ± 1.5 years. Although preoperative glanular dimension did not differ significantly between the two groups, significant respective difference at one day and one year postoperatively was found in the glanular circumference (128.8 ± 6.8 mm versus 115.3 ± 7.2 mm and 130.6 ± 7.2 mm versus 100.5 ± 7.3 mm; both P<0.05), radius (38.8 ± 2.7 mm versus 37.1 ± 2.8 mm and 41.5 ± 2.6 mm versus 33.8 ± 2.9 mm; latter P<0.01), and satisfaction rate (91.7% versus 53.3%, P<0.01) as well. Based on our results, selective venous ligation appears to enhance the glans penis dimension in implant patients.

SPIREs: A Finite-Difference Frequency-Domain electromagnetic solver for inhomogeneous magnetized plasma cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melazzi, D.; Curreli, D.; Manente, M.; Carlsson, J.; Pavarin, D.

2012-06-01

We present SPIREs (plaSma Padova Inhomogeneous Radial Electromagnetic solver), a Finite-Difference Frequency-Domain (FDFD) electromagnetic solver in one dimension for the rapid calculation of the electromagnetic fields and the deposited power of a large variety of cylindrical plasma problems. The two Maxwell wave equations have been discretized using a staggered Yee mesh along the radial direction of the cylinder, and Fourier transformed along the other two dimensions and in time. By means of this kind of discretization, we have found that mode-coupling of fast and slow branches can be fully resolved without singularity issues that flawed other well-established methods in the past. Fields are forced by an antenna placed at a given distance from the plasma. The plasma can be inhomogeneous, finite-temperature, collisional, magnetized and multi-species. Finite-temperature Maxwellian effects, comprising Landau and cyclotron damping, have been included by means of the plasma Z dispersion function. Finite Larmor radius effects have been neglected. Radial variations of the plasma parameters are taken into account, thus extending the range of applications to a large variety of inhomogeneous plasma systems. The method proved to be fast and reliable, with accuracy depending on the spatial grid size. Two physical examples are reported: fields in a forced vacuum waveguide with the antenna inside, and forced plasma oscillations in the helicon radiofrequency range.

Dynamics of cosmic strings with higher-dimensional windings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamauchi, Daisuke; Lake, Matthew J.; Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics, Ministry of Education,Bangkok 10400

2015-06-11

We consider F-strings with arbitrary configurations in the Minkowski directions of a higher-dimensional spacetime, which also wrap and spin around S{sup 1} subcycles of constant radius in an arbitrary internal manifold, and determine the relation between the higher-dimensional and the effective four-dimensional quantities that govern the string dynamics. We show that, for any such configuration, the motion of the windings in the compact space may render the string effectively tensionless from a four-dimensional perspective, so that it remains static with respect to the large dimensions. Such a critical configuration occurs when (locally) exactly half the square of the string lengthmore » lies in the large dimensions and half lies in the compact space. The critical solution is then seen to arise as a special case, in which the wavelength of the windings is equal to their circumference. As examples, long straight strings and circular loops are considered in detail, and the solutions to the equations of motion that satisfy the tensionless condition are presented. These solutions are then generalized to planar loops and arbitrary three-dimensional configurations. Under the process of dimensional reduction, in which higher-dimensional motion is equivalent to an effective worldsheet current (giving rise to a conserved charge), this phenomenon may be seen as the analogue of the tensionless condition which arises for superconducting and chiral-current carrying cosmic strings.« less

Dynamics of cosmic strings with higher-dimensional windings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamauchi, Daisuke; Lake, Matthew J., E-mail: yamauchi@resceu.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp, E-mail: matthewj@nu.ac.th

2015-06-01

We consider F-strings with arbitrary configurations in the Minkowski directions of a higher-dimensional spacetime, which also wrap and spin around S{sup 1} subcycles of constant radius in an arbitrary internal manifold, and determine the relation between the higher-dimensional and the effective four-dimensional quantities that govern the string dynamics. We show that, for any such configuration, the motion of the windings in the compact space may render the string effectively tensionless from a four-dimensional perspective, so that it remains static with respect to the large dimensions. Such a critical configuration occurs when (locally) exactly half the square of the string lengthmore » lies in the large dimensions and half lies in the compact space. The critical solution is then seen to arise as a special case, in which the wavelength of the windings is equal to their circumference. As examples, long straight strings and circular loops are considered in detail, and the solutions to the equations of motion that satisfy the tensionless condition are presented. These solutions are then generalized to planar loops and arbitrary three-dimensional configurations. Under the process of dimensional reduction, in which higher-dimensional motion is equivalent to an effective worldsheet current (giving rise to a conserved charge), this phenomenon may be seen as the analogue of the tensionless condition which arises for superconducting and chiral-current carrying cosmic strings.« less

Potential energy surface fitting by a statistically localized, permutationally invariant, local interpolating moving least squares method for the many-body potential: Method and application to N{sub 4}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bender, Jason D.; Doraiswamy, Sriram; Candler, Graham V., E-mail: truhlar@umn.edu, E-mail: candler@aem.umn.edu

2014-02-07

Fitting potential energy surfaces to analytic forms is an important first step for efficient molecular dynamics simulations. Here, we present an improved version of the local interpolating moving least squares method (L-IMLS) for such fitting. Our method has three key improvements. First, pairwise interactions are modeled separately from many-body interactions. Second, permutational invariance is incorporated in the basis functions, using permutationally invariant polynomials in Morse variables, and in the weight functions. Third, computational cost is reduced by statistical localization, in which we statistically correlate the cutoff radius with data point density. We motivate our discussion in this paper with amore » review of global and local least-squares-based fitting methods in one dimension. Then, we develop our method in six dimensions, and we note that it allows the analytic evaluation of gradients, a feature that is important for molecular dynamics. The approach, which we call statistically localized, permutationally invariant, local interpolating moving least squares fitting of the many-body potential (SL-PI-L-IMLS-MP, or, more simply, L-IMLS-G2), is used to fit a potential energy surface to an electronic structure dataset for N{sub 4}. We discuss its performance on the dataset and give directions for further research, including applications to trajectory calculations.« less

Simultaneous Constraints on the Mass and Radius of Aql X–1 from Quiescence and X-Ray Burst Observations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Zhaosheng; Falanga, Maurizio; Chen, Li

The measurement of neutron star mass and radius is one of the most direct ways to distinguish between various dense matter equations of state. The mass and radius of accreting neutron stars hosted in low-mass X-ray binaries can be constrained by several methods, including photospheric radius expansion from type I X-ray bursts and from quiescent spectra. In this paper, we apply for the first time these two methods simultaneously to constrain the mass and radius of Aql X–1. The quiescent spectra from Chandra and XMM-Newton , and photospheric radius expansion bursts from RXTE are used. The determination of the massmore » and radius of Aql X–1 is also used to verify the consistency between the two methods and to narrow down the uncertainties of the neutron star mass and radius. It is found that the distance to Aql X–1 should be in the range of 4.0–5.75 kpc, based on the overlapping confidence regions between photospheric radius expansion burst and quiescent spectra methods. In addition, we show that the mass and radius determined for the compact star in Aql X–1 are compatible with strange star equations of state and conventional neutron star models.« less

Research on key factors and their interaction effects of electromagnetic force of high-speed solenoid valve.

PubMed

Liu, Peng; Fan, Liyun; Hayat, Qaisar; Xu, De; Ma, Xiuzhen; Song, Enzhe

2014-01-01

Analysis consisting of numerical simulations along with lab experiments of interaction effects between key parameters on the electromagnetic force based on response surface methodology (RSM) has been also proposed to optimize the design of high-speed solenoid valve (HSV) and improve its performance. Numerical simulation model of HSV has been developed in Ansoft Maxwell environment and its accuracy has been validated through lab experiments. Effect of change of core structure, coil structure, armature structure, working air gap, and drive current on the electromagnetic force of HSV has been analyzed through simulation model and influence rules of various parameters on the electromagnetic force have been established. The response surface model of the electromagnetic force has been utilized to analyze the interaction effect between major parameters. It has been concluded that six interaction factors including working air gap with armature radius, drive current with armature thickness, coil turns with side pole radius, armature thickness with its radius, armature thickness with side pole radius, and armature radius with side pole radius have significant influence on the electromagnetic force. Optimal match values between coil turns and side pole radius; armature thickness and side pole radius; and armature radius and side pole radius have also been determined.

Research on Key Factors and Their Interaction Effects of Electromagnetic Force of High-Speed Solenoid Valve

PubMed Central

Fan, Liyun; Xu, De; Ma, Xiuzhen; Song, Enzhe

2014-01-01

Analysis consisting of numerical simulations along with lab experiments of interaction effects between key parameters on the electromagnetic force based on response surface methodology (RSM) has been also proposed to optimize the design of high-speed solenoid valve (HSV) and improve its performance. Numerical simulation model of HSV has been developed in Ansoft Maxwell environment and its accuracy has been validated through lab experiments. Effect of change of core structure, coil structure, armature structure, working air gap, and drive current on the electromagnetic force of HSV has been analyzed through simulation model and influence rules of various parameters on the electromagnetic force have been established. The response surface model of the electromagnetic force has been utilized to analyze the interaction effect between major parameters. It has been concluded that six interaction factors including working air gap with armature radius, drive current with armature thickness, coil turns with side pole radius, armature thickness with its radius, armature thickness with side pole radius, and armature radius with side pole radius have significant influence on the electromagnetic force. Optimal match values between coil turns and side pole radius; armature thickness and side pole radius; and armature radius and side pole radius have also been determined. PMID:25243217

Distal radius reconstruction with vascularized proximal fibular autograft after en-bloc resection of recurrent giant cell tumor.

PubMed

Yang, Yun-Fa; Wang, Jian-Wei; Huang, Pin; Xu, Zhong-He

2016-08-17

Giant cell tumors (GCTs) located in the distal radius are likely to recur, and the treatment of such recurrent tumors is very difficult. Here, we report our clinical experience in distal radius reconstruction with vascularized proximal fibular autografts after en-bloc excision of the entire distal radius in 17 patients with recurrent GCT (RGCT) of the distal radius. All 17 patients with RGCT in distal radius underwent plain radiography and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the distal radius as the initial evaluation after hospitalization. Then the distal radius were replaced by vascularized proximal fibular autografts after en-bloc RGCT resection. We assessed all patients by using clinical examinations, plain radiography of the wrist and chest, and Mayo wrist scores in the follow-ups. After an average follow-up of 4.3 years (range: 1.5-10.0 years), no lung metastasis or local recurrence was detected in any of the 17 patients. In total, 14 patients had excellent or good functional wrist scores, 16 were pain free or had occasional pain, and 15 patients returned to work. The mean range of motion of the wrist was 101° (flexion-extension), and the mean grip strength was 77.2 % of the contralateral normal hand. En-bloc excision of the entire distal radius and distal radius reconstruction with a vascularized proximal fibular autograft can effectively achieve local tumor control and preserve wrist function in patients with RGCT of the distal radius.

Radius of curvature variations for annular, dark hollow and flat topped beams in turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyyuboğlu, H. T.; Baykal, Y. K.; Ji, X. L.

2010-06-01

For propagation in turbulent atmosphere, the radius of curvature variations for annular, dark hollow and flat topped beams are examined under a single formulation. Our results show that for collimated beams, when examined against propagation length, the dark hollow, flat topped and annular Gaussian beams behave nearly the same as the Gaussian beam, but have larger radius of curvature values. Increased partial coherence and turbulence levels tend to lower the radius of curvature. Bigger source sizes on the other hand give rise to larger radius of curvature. Dark hollow and flat topped beams have reduced radius of curvature at longer wavelengths, whereas the annular Gaussian beam seems to be unaffected by wavelength changes; the radius of curvature of the Gaussian beam meanwhile rises with increasing wavelength.

SU-E-T-667: Radiosensitization Due to Gold Nanoparticles: A Monte Carlo Cellular Dosimetry Investigation of An Expansive Parameter Space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martinov, M; Thomson, R

2015-06-15

Purpose: To investigate dose enhancement to cellular compartments following gold nanoparticle (GNP) uptake in tissue, varying cell and tissue morphology, intra and extracellular GNP distribution, and source energy using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Methods: Models of single and multiple cells are developed for normal and cancerous tissues; cells (outer radii 5–10 µm) are modeled as concentric spheres comprising the nucleus (radii 2.5–7.5 µm) and cytoplasm. GNP distributions modeled include homogeneous distributions throughout the cytoplasm, variable numbers of GNP-containing endosomes within the cytoplasm, or distributed in a spherical shell about the nucleus. Gold concentrations range from 1 to 30 mg/g. Dosemore » to nucleus and to cytoplasm for simulations including GNPs are compared to simulations without GNPs to compute Nuclear and Cytoplasm Dose Enhancement Factors (NDEF, CDEF). Photon source energies are between 20 keV and 1.25 MeV. Results: DEFs are highly sensitive to GNP intracellular distribution; for a 2.5 µm radius nucleus irradiated by a 30 keV source, NDEF varies from 1.2 for a single endosome containing all GNPs to 8.2 for GNPs distributed about the nucleus (7 mg/g). DEFs vary with cell dimensions and source energy: NDEFs vary from 2.5 (90 keV) to 8.2 (30 keV) for a 2.5 µm radius nucleus and from 1.1 (90 keV) to 1.3 (30 keV) for a 7.5 µm radius nucleus, both with GNPs in a spherical shell about the nucleus (7 mg/g). NDEF and CDEF are generally different within a single cell. For multicell models, the presence of gold within intervening tissues between source and target perturbs the fluence reaching cellular targets, resulting in DEF inhomogeneities within a population of irradiated cells. Conclusion: DEFs vary by an order of magnitude for different cell models, GNP distributions, and source energies, demonstrating the importance of detailed modelling for advancing GNP development for radiotherapy. Funding provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRC)« less

2D convolution kernels of ionization chambers used for photon-beam dosimetry in magnetic fields: the advantage of small over large chamber dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khee Looe, Hui; Delfs, Björn; Poppinga, Daniela; Harder, Dietrich; Poppe, Björn

2018-04-01

This study aims at developing an optimization strategy for photon-beam dosimetry in magnetic fields using ionization chambers. Similar to the familiar case in the absence of a magnetic field, detectors should be selected under the criterion that their measured 2D signal profiles M(x,y) approximate the absorbed dose to water profiles D(x,y) as closely as possible. Since the conversion of D(x,y) into M(x,y) is known as the convolution with the ‘lateral dose response function’ K(x-ξ, y-η) of the detector, the ideal detector would be characterized by a vanishing magnetic field dependence of this convolution kernel (Looe et al 2017b Phys. Med. Biol. 62 5131–48). The idea of the present study is to find out, by Monte Carlo simulation of two commercial ionization chambers of different size, whether the smaller chamber dimensions would be instrumental to approach this aim. As typical examples, the lateral dose response functions in the presence and absence of a magnetic field have been Monte-Carlo modeled for the new commercial ionization chambers PTW 31021 (‘Semiflex 3D’, internal radius 2.4 mm) and PTW 31022 (‘PinPoint 3D’, internal radius 1.45 mm), which are both available with calibration factors. The Monte-Carlo model of the ionization chambers has been adjusted to account for the presence of the non-collecting part of the air volume near the guard ring. The Monte-Carlo results allow a comparison between the widths of the magnetic field dependent photon fluence response function K M(x-ξ, y-η) and of the lateral dose response function K(x-ξ, y-η) of the two chambers with the width of the dose deposition kernel K D(x-ξ, y-η). The simulated dose and chamber signal profiles show that in small photon fields and in the presence of a 1.5 T field the distortion of the chamber signal profile compared with the true dose profile is weakest for the smaller chamber. The dose responses of both chambers at large field size are shown to be altered by not more than 2% in magnetic fields up to 1.5 T for all three investigated chamber orientations.

Effects of the nucleon radius on neutron stars in a quark mean field model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhen-Yu; Li, Ang

2018-03-01

We study the effects of free space nucleon radius on nuclear matter and neutron stars within the framework of the quark mean field model. The nucleon radius is treated self-consistently with this model, where quark confinement is adjusted to fit different values of nucleon radius. Corrections due to center-of-mass motion, quark-pion coupling, and one gluon exchange are included to obtain the nucleon mass in vacuum. The meson coupling constants that describe the behavior of the many-body nucleonic system are constructed by reproducing the empirical saturation properties of nuclear matter, including the recent determinations of symmetry energy parameters. Our results show that the nucleon radius in free space has negligible effects on the nuclear matter equation of state and neutron star mass-radius relations, which is different from the conclusion drawn in previous studies. We further explore that the sensitivity of star radius on the nucleon radius found in earlier publications is actually from the symmetry energy and its slope.

Giant Ferroelectric Polarization in Ultrathin Ferroelectrics via Boundary-Condition Engineering.

PubMed

Xie, Lin; Li, Linze; Heikes, Colin A; Zhang, Yi; Hong, Zijian; Gao, Peng; Nelson, Christopher T; Xue, Fei; Kioupakis, Emmanouil; Chen, Longqing; Schlom, Darrel G; Wang, Peng; Pan, Xiaoqing

2017-08-01

Tailoring and enhancing the functional properties of materials at reduced dimension is critical for continuous advancement of modern electronic devices. Here, the discovery of local surface induced giant spontaneous polarization in ultrathin BiFeO 3 ferroelectric films is reported. Using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, it is found that the spontaneous polarization in a 2 nm-thick ultrathin BiFeO 3 film is abnormally increased up to ≈90-100 µC cm -2 in the out-of-plane direction and a peculiar rumpled nanodomain structure with very large variation in c/a ratios, which is analogous to morphotropic phase boundaries (MPBs), is formed. By a combination of density functional theory and phase-field calculations, it is shown that it is the unique single atomic Bi 2 O 3 - x layer at the surface that leads to the enhanced polarization and appearance of the MPB-like nanodomain structure. This finding clearly demonstrates a novel route to the enhanced functional properties in the material system with reduced dimension via engineering the surface boundary conditions. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Implications of the Hierarchical Structure of Psychopathology for Psychiatric Neuroimaging.

PubMed

Zald, David H; Lahey, Benjamin B

2017-05-01

Research into the neurobiological substrates of psychopathology has been impeded by heterogeneity within diagnostic categories, comorbidity among mental disorders, and the presence of symptoms that transcend diagnostic categories. Solutions to these issues increasingly focus neurobiological research on isolated or narrow groupings of symptoms or functional constructs rather than categorical diagnoses. Here we argue for a more integrative approach that also incorporates the broad hierarchical structure of psychopathological symptoms and their etiological mechanisms. This approach places clinical neuroscience research in the context of a hierarchy of empirically defined factors of symptoms such as internalizing disorders, externalizing disorders, and the general factor of psychopathology. Application of this hierarchical approach has the potential to reveal neural substrates that nonspecifically contribute to multiple forms of psychopathology and their comorbidity, and in doing so, facilitate the study of mechanisms that are specific to single dimensions and subsets of symptoms. Neurobiological research on the hierarchy of dimensions of psychopathology is only just beginning to emerge, but has the potential to radically alter our understanding of the neurobiology of abnormal behavior.

Changes in nuclear morphology and chromatin texture of basal keratinocytes in melasma.

PubMed

Brianezi, G; Handel, A C; Schmitt, J V; Miot, L D B; Miot, H A

2015-04-01

The pathogenesis of melasma and the role of keratinocytes in disease development and maintenance are not completely understood. Dermal abnormalities, the expression of inflammatory mediators, growth factors, epithelial expression of melanocortin and sexual hormones receptors suggest that not only melanocytes, but entire epidermal melanin unit is involved in melasma physiopathology. To compare nuclear morphological features and chromatin texture between basal keratinocytes in facial melasma and adjacent normal skin. We took facial skin biopsies (2 mm melasma and adjacent normal skin) from women processed for haematoxylin and eosin. Thirty non-overlapping basal keratinocyte nuclei were segmented and descriptors of area, highest diameter, perimeter, circularity, pixel intensity, profilometric index (Ra) and fractal dimension were extracted using ImageJ software. Basal keratinocyte nuclei from facial melasma epidermis displayed larger size, irregular shape, hyperpigmentation and chromatin heterogeneity by fractal dimension than perilesional skin. Basal keratinocytes from facial melasma display changes in nuclear form and chromatin texture, suggesting that the phenotype differences between melasma and adjacent facial skin can result from complete epidermal melanin unit alterations, not just hypertrophic melanocytes. © 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Implications of the Hierarchical Structure of Psychopathology for Psychiatric Neuroimaging

PubMed Central

Zald, David H.; Lahey, Benjamin B.

2017-01-01

Research into the neurobiological substrates of psychopathology has been impeded by heterogeneity within diagnostic categories, comorbidity among mental disorders, and the presence of symptoms that transcend diagnostic categories. Solutions to these issues increasingly focus neurobiological research on isolated or narrow groupings of symptoms or functional constructs rather than categorical diagnoses. Here we argue for a more integrative approach that also incorporates the broad hierarchical structure of psychopathological symptoms and their etiological mechanisms. This approach places clinical neuroscience research in the context of a hierarchy of empirically defined factors of symptoms such as internalizing disorders, externalizing disorders, and the general factor of psychopathology. Application of this hierarchical approach has the potential to reveal neural substrates that nonspecifically contribute to multiple forms of psychopathology and their comorbidity, and in doing so, facilitate the study of mechanisms that are specific to single dimensions and subsets of symptoms. Neurobiological research on the hierarchy of dimensions of psychopathology is only just beginning to emerge, but has the potential to radically alter our understanding of the neurobiology of abnormal behavior. PMID:28713866

A Survey of the Methods Developed in the National Coal Board's Pneumoconiosis Field Research for Correlating Environmental Exposure with Medical Condition

PubMed Central

Fay, J. W. J.; Ashford, J. R.

1961-01-01

The correlation of the medical and environmental data (i.e. the derivation of the dosage-response relationship) in a study such as the National Coal Board's Pneumoconiosis Field Research (P.F.R.) is subject to many complicating factors compared with the more conventional types of biological assay. Several methods have been developed within the Research to overcome these difficulties, and the new procedures are described. Each is concerned with the estimation of the direct relation between the radiological abnormality associated with simple pneumoconiosis and some single measure of the past hazard, but the basic techniques are sufficiently general to be applicable in other fields of study. The first development involves the definition of an underlying continuous scale of radiological abnormality. This prepares the way for the derivation of the “quantitative” relation between exposure and response, to replace the “semi-quantal” relation which is inherent in the use of a small number of discrete categories of radiological abnormality. The effect of errors of observation of dosage and response on the corresponding quantitative and quantal relationships is then determined. The second development concerns the use of a “multi-dimensional” representation of past hazard. Most of the men under observation had worked in a number of different mining occupations before their first chest radiograph was taken, but this exposure cannot be assessed in terms of dust concentrations, for which reliable data are not available. Nevertheless, it is shown that past hazard can usefully be represented by three “dimensions” corresponding to the periods spent in three main types of environment—(a) the coal-face (coal-getting shift), (b) the coal-face (preparation shift) and (c) elsewhere underground. Each man's past exposure up to the time of his first chest radiograph can be expressed in terms of these three dimensions and the effect of each environment separately can be determined. The third development extends the multi-dimensional approach to cover not only the working history before the first medical examination, but also the recorded exposure (in terms of measured dust concentrations), to which each man has been subject between the first and subsequent “follow-up” surveys. This measured exposure is regarded as one dimension of the man's total exposure up to the time of his second (or later) examination, and it is possible in this way to determine the direct relation between radiological abnormality and measured exposure, even when this component represents only part of the total hazard to which the man has been subject. The application of the methods is illustrated by the analysis of some of the data which have been obtained in the Pneumoconiosis Field Research. PMID:13698432

Reference left atrial dimensions and volumes by steady state free precession cardiovascular magnetic resonance

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Left atrial (LA) size is related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) provides high quality images of the left atrium with high temporal resolution steady state free precession (SSFP) cine sequences. We used SSFP cines to define normal ranges for LA volumes and dimensions relative to gender, age and body surface area (BSA), and examine the relative value of 2D atrial imaging techniques in patients. For definition of normal ranges of LA volume we studied 120 healthy subjects after careful exclusion of cardiovascular abnormality (60 men, 60 women; 20 subjects per age decile from 20 to 80 years). Data were generated from 3-dimensional modeling, including tracking of the atrioventricular ring motion and time-volume curves analysis. For definition of the best 2D images-derived predictors of LA enlargement, we studied 120 patients (60 men, 60 women; age range 20 to 80 years) with a clinical indication for CMR. Results In the healthy subjects, age was associated with LA 4-chamber transverse and 3-chamber anteroposterior diameters, but not with LA volume. Gender was an independent predictor of most absolute LA dimensions and volume, but following normalization to BSA, some associations became non-significant. CMR normal ranges were modeled and are tabled for clinical use with normalization, where appropriate, for BSA and gender and display of parameter variation with age. The best 2D predictors of LA volume were the 2-chamber area and 3-chamber area (both r = 0.90, p < 0.001). Conclusions These CMR data show that LA dimensions and volume in healthy, individuals vary significantly by BSA, with lesser effects of age and gender. PMID:21070636

An iterative algorithm for calculating stylus radius unambiguously

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorburger, T. V.; Zheng, A.; Renegar, T. B.; Song, J.-F.; Ma, L.

2011-08-01

The stylus radius is an important specification for stylus instruments and is commonly provided by instrument manufacturers. However, it is difficult to measure the stylus radius unambiguously. Accurate profiles of the stylus tip may be obtained by profiling over an object sharper than itself, such as a razor blade. However, the stylus profile thus obtained is a partial arc, and unless the shape of the stylus tip is a perfect sphere or circle, the effective value of the radius depends on the length of the tip profile over which the radius is determined. We have developed an iterative, least squares algorithm aimed to determine the effective least squares stylus radius unambiguously. So far, the algorithm converges to reasonable results for the least squares stylus radius. We suggest that the algorithm be considered for adoption in documentary standards describing the properties of stylus instruments.

Mirror with thermally controlled radius of curvature

DOEpatents

Neil, George R.; Shinn, Michelle D.

2010-06-22

A radius of curvature controlled mirror for controlling precisely the focal point of a laser beam or other light beam. The radius of curvature controlled mirror provides nearly spherical distortion of the mirror in response to differential expansion between the front and rear surfaces of the mirror. The radius of curvature controlled mirror compensates for changes in other optical components due to heating or other physical changes. The radius of curvature controlled mirror includes an arrangement for adjusting the temperature of the front surface and separately adjusting the temperature of the rear surface to control the radius of curvature. The temperature adjustment arrangements can include cooling channels within the mirror body or convection of a gas upon the surface of the mirror. A control system controls the differential expansion between the front and rear surfaces to achieve the desired radius of curvature.

Precise measurement of scleral radius using anterior eye profilometry.

PubMed

Jesus, Danilo A; Kedzia, Renata; Iskander, D Robert

2017-02-01

To develop a new and precise methodology to measure the scleral radius based on anterior eye surface. Eye Surface Profiler (ESP, Eaglet-Eye, Netherlands) was used to acquire the anterior eye surface of 23 emmetropic subjects aged 28.1±6.6years (mean±standard deviation) ranging from 20 to 45. Scleral radius was obtained based on the approximation of the topographical scleral data to a sphere using least squares fitting and considering the axial length as a reference point. To better understand the role of scleral radius in ocular biometry, measurements of corneal radius, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth and white-to-white corneal diameter were acquired with IOLMaster 700 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany). The estimated scleral radius (11.2±0.3mm) was shown to be highly precise with a coefficient of variation of 0.4%. A statistically significant correlation between axial length and scleral radius (R 2 =0.957, p<0.001) was observed. Moreover, corneal radius (R 2 =0.420, p<0.001), anterior chamber depth (R 2 =0.141, p=0.039) and white-to-white corneal diameter (R 2 =0.146, p=0.036) have also shown statistically significant correlations with the scleral radius. Lastly, no correlation was observed comparing scleral radius to the central corneal thickness (R 2 =0.047, p=0.161). Three-dimensional topography of anterior eye acquired with Eye Surface Profiler together with a given estimate of the axial length, can be used to calculate the scleral radius with high precision. Copyright © 2016 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A strict test of stellar evolution models: The absolute dimensions of the massive benchmark eclipsing binary V578 Mon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garcia, E. V.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Pavlovski, K.

We determine the absolute dimensions of the eclipsing binary V578 Mon, a detached system of two early B-type stars (B0V + B1V, P = 2.40848 days) in the star-forming region NGC 2244 of the Rosette Nebula. From the light curve analysis of 40 yr of photometry and the analysis of HERMES spectra, we find radii of 5.41 ± 0.04 R{sub ☉} and 4.29 ± 0.05 R{sub ☉}, and temperatures of 30,000 ± 500 K and 25,750 ± 435 K, respectively. We find that our disentangled component spectra for V578 Mon agree well with previous spectral disentangling from the literature. Wemore » also reconfirm the previous spectroscopic orbit of V578 Mon finding that masses of 14.54 ± 0.08 M{sub ☉} and 10.29 ± 0.06 M{sub ☉} are fully compatible with the new analysis. We compare the absolute dimensions to the rotating models of the Geneva and Utrecht groups and the models of the Granada group. We find that all three sets of models marginally reproduce the absolute dimensions of both stars with a common age within the uncertainty for gravity-effective temperature isochrones. However, there are some apparent age discrepancies for the corresponding mass-radius isochrones. Models with larger convective overshoot, >0.35, worked best. Combined with our previously determined apsidal motion of 0.07089{sub −0.00013}{sup +0.00021} deg cycle{sup –1}, we compute the internal structure constants (tidal Love number) for the Newtonian and general relativistic contribution to the apsidal motion as log k {sub 2} = –1.975 ± 0.017 and log k {sub 2} = –3.412 ± 0.018, respectively. We find the relativistic contribution to the apsidal motion to be small, <4%. We find that the prediction of log k {sub 2,theo} = –2.005 ± 0.025 of the Granada models fully agrees with our observed log k {sub 2}.« less

An analytical method for computing voxel S values for electrons and photons.

PubMed

Amato, Ernesto; Minutoli, Fabio; Pacilio, Massimiliano; Campenni, Alfredo; Baldari, Sergio

2012-11-01

The use of voxel S values (VSVs) is perhaps the most common approach to radiation dosimetry for nonuniform distributions of activity within organs or tumors. However, VSVs are currently available only for a limited number of voxel sizes and radionuclides. The objective of this study was to develop a general method to evaluate them for any spectrum of electrons and photons in any cubic voxel dimension of practical interest for clinical dosimetry in targeted radionuclide therapy. The authors developed a Monte Carlo simulation in Geant4 in order to evaluate the energy deposited per disintegration (E(dep)) in a voxelized region of soft tissue from monoenergetic electrons (10-2000 keV) or photons (10-1000 keV) homogeneously distributed in the central voxel, considering voxel dimensions ranging from 3 mm to 10 mm. E(dep) was represented as a function of a dimensionless quantity termed the "normalized radius," R(n) = R∕l, where l is the voxel size and R is the distance from the origin. The authors introduced two parametric functions in order to fit the electron and photon results, and they interpolated the parameters to derive VSVs for any energy and voxel side within the ranges mentioned above. In order to validate the results, the authors determined VSV for two radionuclides ((131)I and (89)Sr) and two voxel dimensions and they compared them with reference data. A validation study in a simple sphere model, accounting for tissue inhomogeneities, is presented. The E(dep)(R(n)) for both monoenergetic electrons and photons exhibit a smooth variation with energy and voxel size, implying that VSVs for monoenergetic electrons or photons may be derived by interpolation over the range of energies and dimensions considered. By integration, S values for continuous emission spectra from β(-) decay may be derived as well. The approach allows the determination of VSVs for monoenergetic (Auger or conversion) electrons and (x-ray or gamma-ray) photons by means of two functions whose parameters can be interpolated from tabular data provided. Through integration, it is possible to generalize the method to any continuous (beta) spectrum, allowing to calculate VSVs for any electron and photon emitter in a voxelized structure.

21 CFR 886.1430 - Ophthalmic contact lens radius measuring device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ophthalmic contact lens radius measuring device... lens radius measuring device. (a) Identification. An ophthalmic contact lens radius measuring device is... lens. (b) Classification. Class I (general controls). The device is exempt from the premarket...

21 CFR 886.1450 - Corneal radius measuring device.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Corneal radius measuring device. 886.1450 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES OPHTHALMIC DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 886.1450 Corneal radius measuring device. (a) Identification. A corneal radius measuring device is an AC-powered device intended to measure...

A simple and cost-effective method for cable root detection and extension measurement in estuary wetland forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vovides, Alejandra G.; Marín-Castro, Beatriz; Barradas, Guadalupe; Berger, Uta; López-Portillo, Jorge

2016-12-01

This work presents the development of a low-cost method to measure the length cable roots of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) trees to define the boundaries of central part of the anchoring root system (CPRS) without the need to fully expose root systems. The method was tested to locate and measure the length shallow woody root systems. An ultrasonic Doppler fetal monitor (UD) and a stock of steel rods (SR) were used to probe root locations without removing sediments from the surface, measure their length and estimate root-soil plate dimensions. The method was validated by comparing measurements with root lengths taken through direct measurement of excavated cable roots and from root-soil plate radii (exposed root-soil material when a tree tips over) of five up-rooted trees with stem diameters (D130) ranging between 10 and 50 cm. The mean CPRS radius estimated with the use of the Doppler was directly correlated with tree stem diameter and was not significantly different from the root-soil plate mean radius measured from up-rooted trees or from CPRS approximated by digging trenches. Our method proved to be effective and reliable in following cable roots for large amounts of trees of both black and white mangrove trees. In a period of 40 days of work, three people were capable of measuring 648 roots belonging to 81 trees, out of which 37% were found grafted to other tree roots. This simple method can be helpful in following shallow root systems with minimal impact and help map root connection networks of grafted trees.

An elongated model of the Xenopus laevis transcription factor IIIA-5S ribosomal RNA complex derived from neutron scattering and hydrodynamic measurements.

PubMed Central

Timmins, P A; Langowski, J; Brown, R S

1988-01-01

The precise molecular composition of the Xenopus laevis TFIIIA-5S ribosomal RNA complex (7S particle) has been established from small angle neutron and dynamic light scattering. The molecular weight of the particle was found to be 95,700 +/- 10,000 and 86,700 +/- 9000 daltons from these two methods respectively. The observed match point of 54.4% D2O obtained from contrast variation experiments indicates a 1:1 molar ratio. It is concluded that only a single molecule of TFIIIA, a zinc-finger protein, and of 5S RNA are present in this complex. At high neutron scattering contrast radius of gyration of 42.3 +/- 2 A was found for the 7S particle. In addition a diffusion coefficient of 4.4 x 10(-11) [m2 s-1] and a sedimentation coefficient of 6.2S were determined. The hydrodynamic radius obtained for the 7S particle is 48 +/- 5 A. A simple elongated cylindrical model with dimensions of 140 A length and 59 A diameter is compatible with the neutron results. A globular model can be excluded by the shallow nature of the neutron scattering curves. It is proposed that the observed difference of 15 A in length between the 7S particle and isolated 5S RNA most likely indicates that part(s) of the protein protrudes from the end(s) of the RNA molecule. There is no biochemical evidence for any gross alteration in 5S RNA conformation upon binding to TFIIIA. PMID:3419928

Improving the estimate of the effective elastic modulus derived from three-point bending tests of long bones.

PubMed

Kourtis, Lampros C; Carter, Dennis R; Beaupre, Gary S

2014-08-01

Three-point bending tests are often used to determine the apparent or effective elastic modulus of long bones. The use of beam theory equations to interpret such tests can result in a substantial underestimation of the true effective modulus. In this study three-dimensional, nonlinear finite element analysis is used to quantify the errors inherent in beam theory and to create plots that can be used to correct the elastic modulus calculated from beam theory. Correction plots are generated for long bones representative of a variety of species commonly used in research studies. For a long bone with dimensions comparable to the mouse femur, the majority of the error in the effective elastic modulus results from deformations to the bone cross section that are not accounted for in the equations from beam theory. In some cases, the effective modulus calculated from beam theory can be less than one-third of the true effective modulus. Errors are larger: (1) for bones having short spans relative to bone length; (2) for bones with thin vs. thick cortices relative to periosteal diameter; and (3) when using a small radius or "knife-edge" geometry for the center loading ram and the outer supports in the three-point testing system. The use of these correction plots will enable researchers to compare results for long bones from different animal strains and to compare results obtained using testing systems that differ with regard to length between the outer supports and the radius used for the loading ram and outer supports.

Lithographically patterned electrodeposition of gold, silver, and nickel nanoring arrays with widely tunable near-infrared plasmonic resonances.

PubMed

Halpern, Aaron R; Corn, Robert M

2013-02-26

A novel low-cost nanoring array fabrication method that combines the process of lithographically patterned nanoscale electrodeposition (LPNE) with colloidal lithography is described. Nanoring array fabrication was accomplished in three steps: (i) a thin (70 nm) sacrificial nickel or silver film was first vapor-deposited onto a plasma-etched packed colloidal monolayer; (ii) the polymer colloids were removed from the surface, a thin film of positive photoresist was applied, and a backside exposure of the photoresist was used to create a nanohole electrode array; (iii) this array of nanoscale cylindrical electrodes was then used for the electrodeposition of gold, silver, or nickel nanorings. Removal of the photoresist and sacrificial metal film yielded a nanoring array in which all of the nanoring dimensions were set independently: the inter-ring spacing was fixed by the colloidal radius, the radius of the nanorings was controlled by the plasma etching process, and the width of the nanorings was controlled by the electrodeposition process. A combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements and Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) absorption spectroscopy were used to characterize the nanoring arrays. Nanoring arrays with radii from 200 to 400 nm exhibited a single strong NIR plasmonic resonance with an absorption maximum wavelength that varied linearly from 1.25 to 3.33 μm as predicted by a simple standing wave model linear antenna theory. This simple yet versatile nanoring array fabrication method was also used to electrodeposit concentric double gold nanoring arrays that exhibited multiple NIR plasmonic resonances.

Radius of Curvature Measurements: An Independent Look at Accuracy Using Novel Optical Metrology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Bryon; Kahan, Mark; Russell, Kevin (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The AMSD (Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator) program mirror specifications include the ability to manufacture the mirror to a radius of curvature of 10 m +/- 1 mm and to control its radius at 30K to the same specification. Therefore, it is necessary for the Government Team to be able to measure mirror radius of curvature to an accuracy of better than 0.5 mm. This presentation discusses a novel optical metrology system for measuring radius of curvature.

Whole-brain functional connectivity identification of functional dyspepsia.

PubMed

Nan, Jiaofen; Liu, Jixin; Li, Guoying; Xiong, Shiwei; Yan, Xuemei; Yin, Qing; Zeng, Fang; von Deneen, Karen M; Liang, Fanrong; Gong, Qiyong; Qin, Wei; Tian, Jie

2013-01-01

Recent neuroimaging studies have shown local brain aberrations in functional dyspepsia (FD) patients, yet little attention has been paid to the whole-brain resting-state functional network abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether FD disrupts the patterns of whole-brain networks and the abnormal functional connectivity could reflect the severity of the disease. The dysfunctional interactions between brain regions at rest were investigated in FD patients as compared with 40 age- and gender- matched healthy controls. Multivariate pattern analysis was used to evaluate the discriminative power of our results for classifying patients from controls. In our findings, the abnormal brain functional connections were mainly situated within or across the limbic/paralimbic system, the prefrontal cortex, the tempo-parietal areas and the visual cortex. About 96% of the subjects among the original dataset were correctly classified by a leave one-out cross-validation approach, and 88% accuracy was also validated in a replication dataset. The classification features were significantly associated with the patients' dyspepsia symptoms, the self-rating depression scale and self-rating anxiety scale, but it was not correlated with duration of FD patients (p>0.05). Our results may indicate the effectiveness of the altered brain functional connections reflecting the disease pathophysiology underling FD. These dysfunctional connections may be the epiphenomena or causative agents of FD, which may be affected by clinical severity and its related emotional dimension of the disease rather than the clinical course.

Abnormal behaviour of lithium in coeval stars?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llorente de Andrés, F.; Morales-Durán, C.; Chavero, C.; de la Reza, R.

2015-05-01

Due to its fragility, the light element lithium (Li) is an excellent and very used indicator of stellar processes. Our interest here is to explore and try to understand the Li dispersion observed in some stellar open clusters which are not explained by the standard theories. A typical and historical case, for example, is that found for stars cooler than the stellar effective temperature Teff ˜ 5500 K in the Pleiades cluster with an age of ˜ 130 My (see details in Figure 2 of this poster). What is the mechanism that provoques this dispersion?. Up to now, mainly three mechanisms are being proposed : (1) Episodic accretion during the protostellar phase (Barafee et al. 2010). (2) Rotational stellar internal mixing shears due to a star-disk interaction (Eggenberger at al. 2012) and (3) Li depletion by an increased stellar radius (Somers et al. 2014). We will explore this problem using the rotational option (2) (Chavero et al. 2014) and also identifying stellar interlopers in some groups.

On the dust zoning of rapidly rotating cometary nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houpis, H. L. F.; Mendis, D. A.

1981-12-01

The effects of nuclear rotation on the surface of a cometary nucleus (a comet at 1 AU that is H2O dominated and has a radius of 1 km) are considered. It is shown that this dust does not accumulate uniformly on the surface, which here is considered spherical. While dust particles in the two polar cap regions and an equatorial belt remain at rest on the surface, those in two midlatitude bands migrate toward the equator, stopping at the two low latitudes to form dust ridges. As the nucleus spins up, both the polar caps and the equatorial belt shrink in size, and the dust ridges move toward the equator, eventually spinning off the dust from the nucleus when the nuclear rotation period is less than about 3.3 hr. For larger particles for which the gas buoyancy is negligible, migration takes place only if the rotation period is not significantly larger than the critical value of 3.3 hr or if the surface friction is abnormally small.

Balanced Orifice Plate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelley, Anthony R. (Inventor); Buskirk, Paul D. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

An orifice plate for use in a conduit through which fluid flows is defined by a central circular region having a radius R, and a ring-shaped region surrounding the central circular region. The ring-shaped region has holes formed therethrough with those holes centered at each radius R thereof satisfying a relationship A(sub R)=al(X(sub R)V(sub R)(sup b)) where A(sub R) is a sum of areas of those holes having centers at radius R, X(sub R) is a flow coefficient at radius R, V(sub R) is a velocity of the fluid that is to flow through the conduit at radius R, b is a constant selected to make at least one process variable (associated with the fluid that is to flow through the conduit) approximately equal at each radius R, and a is a constant that is equal to (X(sub R)A(sub R)V(sub R)(sup b)) at each radius R.

ON THE VARIATION OF SOLAR RADIUS IN ROTATION CYCLES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qu, Z. N.; Kong, D. F.; Xiang, N. B.

2015-01-10

The Date Compensated Discrete Fourier Transform and CLEANest algorithm are used to study the temporal variations of the solar radius observed at Rio de Janeiro Observatory from 1998 March 2 to 2009 November 6. The CLEANest spectra show several significant periodicities around 400, 312, 93.5, 86.2, 79.4, 70.9, 53.2, and 26.3 days. Then, combining the data on the daily solar radius measured at Calern Observatory and Rio de Janeiro Observatory and the corresponding daily sunspot areas, we study the short-term periodicity of the solar radius and the role of magnetic field in the variation of the solar radius. The rotation periodmore » of the daily solar radius is determined to be statistically significant. Moreover, its temporal evolution is anti-phase with that of sunspot activity, and it is found anti-phase with solar activity. Generally, the stronger solar activity is, the more obvious is the anti-phase relation of radius with solar activity. This indicates that strong magnetic fields have a greater inhibitive effect than weak magnetic fields on the variation of the radius.« less

The Sun's Seismic Radius as Measured from the Fundamental Modes of Oscillations and Its Implications for the TSI Variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Kiran; Tripathy, S. C.; Hill, F.

2018-05-01

In this Letter we explore the relationship between the solar seismic radius and total solar irradiance (TSI) during the last two solar cycles using the uninterrupted data from space-borne instruments on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO) and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The seismic radius is calculated from the fundamental (f) modes of solar oscillations utilizing the observations from SoHO/Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) and SDO/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI), and the TSI measurements are obtained from SoHO/VIRGO. Our study suggests that the major contribution to the TSI variation arises from the changes in magnetic field, while the radius variation plays a secondary role. We find that the solar irradiance increases with decreasing seismic radius; however, the anti-correlation between them is moderately weak. The estimated maximum change in seismic radius during a solar cycle is about 5 km, and is consistent in both solar cycles 23 and 24. Previous studies ;suggest a radius change at the surface of the order of 0.06 arcsec to explain the 0.1% variation in the TSI values during the solar cycle; however, our inferred seismic radius change is significantly smaller, hence the TSI variations cannot be fully explained by the temporal changes in seismic radius.

Tidal regime of intact planetoid capture model for the Earth-Moon system: Does it relate to the archean sedimentary rock record?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malcuit, Robert J.; Winters, Ronald R.

1993-01-01

Regardless of one's favorite model for the origin of the Earth-Moon system (fission, coformation, tidal capture, giant-impact) the early history of lunar orbital evolution would produce significant thermal and earth and ocean tidal effects on the primitive earth. Three of the above lunar origin models (fission, coformation, giant-impact) feature a circular orbit which undergoes a progressive increase in orbital radius from the time of origin to the present time. In contrast, a tidal capture model places the moon in an elliptical orbit undergoing progressive circularization from the time of capture (for model purposes about 3.9 billion years ago) for at least a few 10(exp 8) years following the capture event. Once the orbit is circularized, the subsequent tidal history for a tidal capture scenario is similar to that for other models of lunar origin and features a progressive increase in orbital radius to the current state of the lunar orbit. This elliptical orbit phase, if it occurred, should have left a distinctive signature in the terrestrial and lunar rock records. Depositional events would be associated terrestrial shorelines characterized by abnormally high, but progressively decreasing, ocean tidal amplitudes and ranges associated with such an orbital evolution. Several rock units in the age range 3.6-2.5 billion years before present are reported to have a major tidal component. Examples are the Warrawoona, Fortescue, and Hamersley Groups of Western Australia and the Pangola and Witwatersand Supergroups of South Africa. Detailed study of the features of these tidal sequences may be helpful in deciphering the style of lunar orbital evolution during the Archean Eon.

On the critical flame radius and minimum ignition energy for spherical flame initiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Zheng; Burke, M. P.; Ju, Yiguang

2011-01-01

Spherical flame initiation from an ignition kernel is studied theoretically and numerically using different fuel/oxygen/helium/argon mixtures (fuel: hydrogen, methane, and propane). The emphasis is placed on investigating the critical flame radius controlling spherical flame initiation and its correlation with the minimum ignition energy. It is found that the critical flame radius is different from the flame thickness and the flame ball radius and that their relationship depends strongly on the Lewis number. Three different flame regimes in terms of the Lewis number are observed and a new criterion for the critical flame radius is introduced. For mixtures with Lewis numbermore » larger than a critical Lewis number above unity, the critical flame radius is smaller than the flame ball radius but larger than the flame thickness. As a result, the minimum ignition energy can be substantially over-predicted (under-predicted) based on the flame ball radius (the flame thickness). The results also show that the minimum ignition energy for successful spherical flame initiation is proportional to the cube of the critical flame radius. Furthermore, preferential diffusion of heat and mass (i.e. the Lewis number effect) is found to play an important role in both spherical flame initiation and flame kernel evolution after ignition. It is shown that the critical flame radius and the minimum ignition energy increase significantly with the Lewis number. Therefore, for transportation fuels with large Lewis numbers, blending of small molecule fuels or thermal and catalytic cracking will significantly reduce the minimum ignition energy.« less

Experimental results of mesh fixation by a manual manipulator in a laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair model.

PubMed

Inaki, N; Waseda, M; Schurr, M O; Braun, M; Buess, G F

2007-02-01

Laparoscopic mesh fixation using a stapler can lead to complications such as nerve injury and bowel injury. However, mesh fixation by suturing with conventional laparoscopic instruments (CLI) is difficult because of limited degrees of freedom. A manual manipulator--Radius Surgical System (Radius)--whose tip can deflect and rotate, gives the surgeon two additional degrees of freedom. The aim of this study is to evaluate the introduction of Radius to mesh fixation in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. A model for inguinal hernia repair was prepared using animal organs in a trainer. Mesh fixation was performed using Radius, stapler, and CLI. Tensile strength during extraction of mesh toward the vertical direction, and execution time, were measured. The mean number of fixation points of Radius, stapler, and CLI was 9.3 +/- 1.5, 8.5 +/- 1.4, and 9.0 +/- 1.0, respectively. The mean tensile strength of fixation of mesh of Radius, stapler, and CLI was 140.7 +/- 48.9, 73.1 +/- 23.4, and 53.6 +/- 31.5 (N), respectively. The mean tensile strength per one fixation point by Radius, stapler, and CLI was 16.5 +/- 5.3, 8.7 +/- 2.8, and 6.3 +/- 3.6 (N), respectively. The mean execution time of Radius, stapler, and CLI was 479 +/- 108, 54 +/- 31, and 431 +/- 77 (sec), respectively. The mesh fixation by Radius was stronger than that by staples and CLI. Two additional degrees of freedom were useful in difficult angles. The introduction of Radius is feasible and facilitates the fixation of mesh with sutures in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

Recombination radius of a Frenkel pair and capture radius of a self-interstitial atom by vacancy clusters in bcc Fe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakashima, Kenichi; Stoller, Roger E.; Xu, Haixuan

2015-08-01

The recombination radius of a Frenkel pair is a fundamental parameter for the object kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) and mean field rate theory (RT) methods that are used to investigate irradiation damage accumulation in irradiated materials. The recombination radius in bcc Fe has been studied both experimentally and numerically, however there is no general consensus about its value. The detailed atomistic processes of recombination also remain uncertain. Values from 1.0a0 to 3.3a0 have been employed as a recombination radius in previous studies using OKMC and RT. The recombination process of a Frenkel pair is investigated at the atomic level using the self-evolved atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo (SEAKMC) method in this paper. SEAKMC calculations reveal that a self-interstitial atom recombines with a vacancy in a spontaneous reaction from several nearby sites following characteristic pathways. The recombination radius of a Frenkel pair is estimated to be 2.26a0 by taking the average of the recombination distances from 80 simulation cases. In addition, we apply these procedures to the capture radius of a self-interstitial atom by a vacancy cluster. The capture radius is found to gradually increase with the size of the vacancy cluster. The fitting curve for the capture radius is obtained as a function of the number of vacancies in the cluster.

A multiscale decomposition approach to detect abnormal vasculature in the optic disc.

PubMed

Agurto, Carla; Yu, Honggang; Murray, Victor; Pattichis, Marios S; Nemeth, Sheila; Barriga, Simon; Soliz, Peter

2015-07-01

This paper presents a multiscale method to detect neovascularization in the optic disc (NVD) using fundus images. Our method is applied to a manually selected region of interest (ROI) containing the optic disc. All the vessels in the ROI are segmented by adaptively combining contrast enhancement methods with a vessel segmentation technique. Textural features extracted using multiscale amplitude-modulation frequency-modulation, morphological granulometry, and fractal dimension are used. A linear SVM is used to perform the classification, which is tested by means of 10-fold cross-validation. The performance is evaluated using 300 images achieving an AUC of 0.93 with maximum accuracy of 88%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The radius of the quiescent neutron star in the globular cluster M13

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, A. W.; Heinke, C. O.; Steiner, A. W.; Campana, S.; Cohn, H. N.; Ho, W. C. G.; Lugger, P. M.; Servillat, M.

2018-06-01

X-ray spectra of quiescent low-mass X-ray binaries containing neutron stars can be fit with atmosphere models to constrain the mass and the radius. Mass-radius constraints can be used to place limits on the equation of state of dense matter. We perform fits to the X-ray spectrum of a quiescent neutron star in the globular cluster M13, utilizing data from ROSAT, Chandra, and XMM-Newton, and constrain the mass-radius relation. Assuming an atmosphere composed of hydrogen and a 1.4 M⊙ neutron star, we find the radius to be R_NS=12.2^{+1.5}_{-1.1} km, a significant improvement in precision over previous measurements. Incorporating an uncertainty on the distance to M13 relaxes the radius constraints slightly and we find R_NS=12.3^{+1.9}_{-1.7} km (for a 1.4M⊙ neutron star with a hydrogen atmosphere), which is still an improvement in precision over previous measurements, some of which do not consider distance uncertainty. We also discuss how the composition of the atmosphere affects the derived radius, finding that a helium atmosphere implies a significantly larger radius.

Emotional and non-emotional pathways to impulsive behavior and addiction

PubMed Central

Torres, Ana; Catena, Andrés; Megías, Alberto; Maldonado, Antonio; Cándido, Antonio; Verdejo-García, Antonio; Perales, José C.

2013-01-01

Impulsivity is tightly linked to addiction. However, there are several pathways by means of which impulsive individuals are more prone to become addicts, or to suffer an addiction more intensely and for a longer period. One of those pathways involves an inadequate appraisal or regulation of positive and negative emotions, leading to lack of control over hazardous behaviors, and inappropriate decisions. In the present work, we assessed cocaine-dependent individuals (CDI; n = 20), pathological gamblers (PG; n = 21), and healthy controls (HC; n = 23) in trait impulsivity measures (UPPS-P model's dimensions), and decision-making tasks (Go/No-go; delay-discounting task). During the Go/No-go task, electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was recorded, and Go/No-go stimuli-evoked potentials (ERP) were extracted. Theory-driven ERP analyses focused on the No-go > Go difference in the N2 ERP. Our results show that negative urgency is one of the several psychological features that distinguish addicts from HC. Nevertheless, among the dimensions of trait impulsivity, negative urgency is unique at independently covarying with gambling over-pathologization in the PG sample. Cocaine-dependent individuals performed more poorly than gamblers in the Go/No-go task, and showed abnormal Go/No-go stimuli-evoked potentials. The difference between the No-go stimulus-evoked N2, and the Go one was attenuated by severity and intensity of chronic cocaine use. Emotional dimensions of impulsivity, however, did not influence Go/No-go performance. PMID:23441001

Is early adulthood a critical developmental stage for psychosis proneness? A survey of delusional ideation in normal subjects.

PubMed

Verdoux, H; van Os, J; Maurice-Tison, S; Gay, B; Salamon, R; Bourgeois, M

1998-02-09

It has been hypothesized that late adolescence and early adulthood might be a brain developmental stage favoring the clinical expression of psychotic symptoms in psychiatric or neurological diseases. The aim of the present survey was to examine the relationship between age and delusional ideation in a sample of subjects with no psychiatric disorder. The survey was carried out with the Aquitaine Sentinel Network of general practitioners. Consecutive practice attenders were invited to complete the PDI-21 (Peters Delusional Inventory 21 items), a self-report questionnaire designed to measure delusional ideation in the normal population. The study concerned 444 patients who had no lifetime history of psychiatric disorder and who completed the PDI-21. A principal component analysis of the PDI-21 items was performed in order to identify delusional dimensions. An age-related decrease in the likelihood to report delusional ideas was found, younger subjects scoring higher on most dimensions of delusional ideation, such as 'persecution', 'thought disturbance', 'grandiosity' and 'paranormal beliefs'. 'Religiosity' was the only dimension positively associated with age. The results suggest that there may be a physiological neurodevelopmental stage favouring the expression of psychosis proneness in normal subjects, and support the hypothesis that the association between age and positive psychotic symptoms in functional and organic psychoses may be linked to the interaction between normal brain maturational processes and cerebral abnormalities involved in the aetiology of functional and organic psychoses.

Morphogenesis and Complexity of the Tumor Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izquierdo-Kulich, E.; Nieto-Villar, J. M.

A mechanism to describe the apoptosis process at mesoscopic level through p53 is proposed in this paper. A deterministic model given by three differential equations is deduced from the mesoscopic approach, which exhibits sustained oscillations caused by a supercritical Andronov-Hopf bifurcation. Taking as hypothesis that the p53 sustained oscillation is the fundamental mechanism for apoptosis regulation; the model predicts that it is necessary a strict control of p53 to stimulated it, which is an important consideration to established new therapy strategy to fight cancer. The mathematical modeling of tumor growth allows us to describe the most important regularities of these systems. A stochastic model, based on the most important processes that take place at the level of individual cells, is proposed to predict the dynamical behavior of the expected radius of the tumor and its fractal dimension. It was found that the tumor has a characteristic fractal dimension, which contains the necessary information to predict the tumor growth until it reaches a stationary state. The mathematical modeling of tumor growth is an approach to explain the complex nature of these systems. A model that describes tumor growth was obtained by using a mesoscopic formalism and fractal dimension. This model theoretically predicts the relation between the morphology of the cell pattern and the mitosis/apoptosis quotient that helps to predict tumor growth from tumoral cells fractal dimension. The relation between the tumor macroscopic morphology and the cell pattern morphology is also determined. This could explain why the interface fractal dimension decreases with the increase of the cell pattern fractal dimension and consequently with the increase of the mitosis/apoptosis relation. Indexes to characterize tumoral cell proliferation and invasion capacities are proposed and used to predict the growth of different types of tumors. These indexes also show that the proliferation capacity is directly proportional to the invasion capacity. The proposed model assumes: i) only interface cells proliferate and invade the host, and ii) the fractal dimension of tumoral cell patterns, can reproduce the Gompertzian growth law. A mathematical model was obtained to describe the relation between the tissue morphology of cervix carcinoma and both dynamic processes of mitosis and apoptosis, and an expression to quantify the tumor aggressiveness, which in this context is associated with the tumor growth rate. The proposed model was applied to Stage III cervix carcinoma in vivo studies. In this study we found that the apoptosis rate was significantly smaller in the tumor tissues and both the mitosis rate and aggressiveness index decrease with Stage III patient's age. These quantitative results correspond to observed behavior in clinical and genetics studies. Finally, the entropy production rate was determined for avascular tumor growth. The proposed formula relates the fractal dimension of the tumor contour with the quotient between mitosis and apoptosis rate, which can be used to characterize the degree of proliferation of tumor cells. The entropy production rate was determined for fourteen tumor cell lines as a physical function of cancer robustness. The entropy production rate is a hallmark that allows us the possibility of prognosis of tumor proliferation and invasion capacities, key factors to improve cancer therapy.

Neural processing of gravito-inertial cues in humans. II. Influence of the semicircular canals during eccentric rotation.

PubMed

Merfeld, D M; Zupan, L H; Gifford, C A

2001-04-01

All linear accelerometers, including the otolith organs, respond equivalently to gravity and linear acceleration. To investigate how the nervous system resolves this ambiguity, we measured perceived roll tilt and reflexive eye movements in humans in the dark using two different centrifugation motion paradigms (fixed radius and variable radius) combined with two different subject orientations (facing-motion and back-to-motion). In the fixed radius trials, the radius at which the subject was seated was held constant while the rotation speed was changed to yield changes in the centrifugal force. In variable radius trials, the rotation speed was held constant while the radius was varied to yield a centrifugal force that nearly duplicated that measured during the fixed radius condition. The total gravito-inertial force (GIF) measured by the otolith organs was nearly identical in the two paradigms; the primary difference was the presence (fixed radius) or absence (variable radius) of yaw rotational cues. We found that the yaw rotational cues had a large statistically significant effect on the time course of perceived tilt, demonstrating that yaw rotational cues contribute substantially to the neural processing of roll tilt. We also found that the orientation of the subject relative to the centripetal acceleration had a dramatic influence on the eye movements measured during fixed radius centrifugation. Specifically, the horizontal vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) measured in our human subjects was always greater when the subject faced the direction of motion than when the subjects had their backs toward the motion during fixed radius rotation. This difference was consistent with the presence of a horizontal translational VOR response induced by the centripetal acceleration. Most importantly, by comparing the perceptual tilt responses to the eye movement responses, we found that the translational VOR component decayed as the subjective tilt indication aligned with the tilt of the GIF. This was true for both the fixed radius and variable radius conditions even though the time course of the responses was significantly different for these two conditions. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the nervous system resolves the ambiguous measurements of GIF into neural estimates of gravity and linear acceleration. More generally, these findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the nervous system uses internal models to process and interpret sensory motor cues.

Bubble Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corrigan, Jackie

2004-01-01

A method of energy production that is capable of low pollutant emissions is fundamental to one of the four pillars of NASA s Aeronautics Blueprint: Revolutionary Vehicles. Bubble combustion, a new engine technology currently being developed at Glenn Research Center promises to provide low emissions combustion in support of NASA s vision under the Emissions Element because it generates power, while minimizing the production of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxides (NOx), both known to be Greenhouse gases. and allows the use of alternative fuels such as corn oil, low-grade fuels, and even used motor oil. Bubble combustion is analogous to the inverse of spray combustion: the difference between bubble and spray combustion is that spray combustion is spraying a liquid in to a gas to form droplets, whereas bubble combustion involves injecting a gas into a liquid to form gaseous bubbles. In bubble combustion, the process for the ignition of the bubbles takes place on a time scale of less than a nanosecond and begins with acoustic waves perturbing each bubble. This perturbation causes the local pressure to drop below the vapor pressure of the liquid thus producing cavitation in which the bubble diameter grows, and upon reversal of the oscillating pressure field, the bubble then collapses rapidly with the aid of the high surface tension forces acting on the wall of the bubble. The rapid and violent collapse causes the temperatures inside the bubbles to soar as a result of adiabatic heating. As the temperatures rise, the gaseous contents of the bubble ignite with the bubble itself serving as its own combustion chamber. After ignition, this is the time in the bubble s life cycle where power is generated, and CO2, and NOx among other species, are produced. However, the pollutants CO2 and NOx are absorbed into the surrounding liquid. The importance of bubble combustion is that it generates power using a simple and compact device. We conducted a parametric study using CAVCHEM, a computational model developed at Glenn, that simulates the cavitational collapse of a single bubble in a liquid (water) and the subsequent combustion of the gaseous contents inside the bubble. The model solves the time-dependent, compressible Navier-Stokes equations in one-dimension with finite-rate chemical kinetics using the CHEMKIN package. Specifically, parameters such as frequency, pressure, bubble radius, and the equivalence ratio were varied while examining their effect on the maximum temperature, radius, and chemical species. These studies indicate that the radius of the bubble is perhaps the most critical parameter governing bubble combustion dynamics and its efficiency. Based on the results of the parametric studies, we plan on conducting experiments to study the effect of ultrasonic perturbations on the bubble generation process with respect to the bubble radius and size distribution.

15. Amygdala pain mechanisms

PubMed Central

Neugebauer, Volker

2015-01-01

A limbic brain area the amygdala plays a key role in emotional responses and affective states and disorders such as learned fear, anxiety and depression. The amygdala has also emerged as an important brain center for the emotional-affective dimension of pain and for pain modulation. Hyperactivity in the laterocapsular division of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeLC, also termed the “nociceptive amygdala”) accounts for pain-related emotional responses and anxiety-like behavior. Abnormally enhanced output from the CeLC is the consequence of an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms. Impaired inhibitory control mediated by a cluster of GABAergic interneurons in the intercalated cell masses (ITC) allows the development of glutamate- and neuropeptide-driven synaptic plasticity of excitatory inputs from the brainstem (parabrachial area) and from the lateral-basolateral amygdala network (LA-BLA, site of integration of polymodal sensory information). BLA hyperactivity also generates abnormally enhanced feedforward inhibition of principal cells in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a limbic cortical area that is strongly interconnected with the amygdala. Pain-related mPFC deactivation results in cognitive deficits and failure to engage cortically driven ITC-mediated inhibitory control of amygdala processing. Impaired cortical control allows the uncontrolled persistence of amygdala pain mechanisms. PMID:25846623

Response inhibition in psychopathy: the frontal N2 and P3.

PubMed

Munro, Gillian E S; Dywan, Jane; Harris, Grant T; McKee, Shari; Unsal, Ayse; Segalowitz, Sidney J

2007-05-17

Psychopathy has been associated with atypical function of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and adjacent brain regions and with abnormalities in performance monitoring, which is thought to rely on these structures. The ACC and adjacent regions are also involved in the generation of two characteristic components of the event-related potential: the frontal N2 and P3. Both components are enhanced when a response is withheld (NoGo trial) within a series of positive-responses (Go trials) and are considered an index of response inhibition. We recorded event-related potentials while violent offenders who varied on the dimension of psychopathy and non-offender controls performed a Go/NoGo task. The offenders made more errors of commission on NoGo trials but this effect was unrelated to level of psychopathy within the group and, inconsistent with a previous report, they produced the enhanced frontal N2 and P3 effect in response to NoGo relative to Go conditions. We conclude that the neural processes involved in response inhibition are not abnormal in psychopaths when both stimuli and context are affectively neutral and suggest that a more nuanced perspective regarding impulsivity in this population be considered.

Good cognitive performances in a child with Prader-Willi syndrome.

PubMed

Nugnes, Rosa; Zito, Eugenio; Mozzillo, Enza; Camarca, Maria Erminia; Riccio, Maria Pia; Terrone, Gaetano; Melis, Daniela; Bravaccio, Carmela; Franzese, Adriana

2013-11-15

We report the case of a child affected by Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) with good cognitive performances and without relevant behavioral abnormalities.The diagnosis of PWS, suspected on the basis of clinical features and past history, was confirmed by DNA methylation analysis. Additional genetic testing revealed a maternal uniparental disomy. Intellectual profile was analyzed by WISC-III and Raven's Progressive Matrices CPM, while the behavior was evaluated by K-SADS-PL and Child Behavior Checklist/4-18 to the parents.WISC-III test showed a Total Intelligence Quotient (T-IQ = 79) at the border level for age. The Verbal Intelligence Quotient (V-IQ) showed a lower score than the Performance Intelligence Quotient (P-IQ) (78 and 85, respectively). Raven's Matrices CPM showed an intelligence level at 75-90° percentile for age. Concerning behavioral evaluation, a difficulty in impulse control was observed, with persistent but controllable search for food, without a clear psychopathological meaning. Also according to K-SADS-PL no areas of psychopathological dimensions were detected. In conclusion, in presence of consisting clinical features of PWS and high diagnostic suspicion, the diagnosis of PWS should be considered even in presence of a borderline IQ and in absence of psychopathological abnormalities.

Venous Ligation: A Novel Strategy for Glans Enhancement in Penile Prosthesis Implantation

PubMed Central

Hill, James W.; Liu, Shih-Ping

2014-01-01

Although penile implantation remains a final solution for patients with refractory impotence, undesirable postoperative effects, including penile size reduction and cold sensation of the glans penis, remain problematic. We report results of a surgical method designed to avoid these problems. From 2003 to 2013, 35 consecutive patients received a malleable penile implant. Of these, 15 men (the enhancing group) were also treated with venous ligation of the retrocoronal venous plexus, deep dorsal vein, and cavernosal veins. The remaining 20 men formed the control group, treated with only a penile implant. Follow-up ranged from 1.1 to 10.0 years, with an average of 6.7 ± 1.5 years. Although preoperative glanular dimension did not differ significantly between the two groups, significant respective difference at one day and one year postoperatively was found in the glanular circumference (128.8 ± 6.8 mm versus 115.3 ± 7.2 mm and 130.6 ± 7.2 mm versus 100.5 ± 7.3 mm; both P<0.05), radius (38.8 ± 2.7 mm versus 37.1 ± 2.8 mm and 41.5 ± 2.6 mm versus 33.8 ± 2.9 mm; latter P<0.01), and satisfaction rate (91.7% versus 53.3%, P<0.01) as well. Based on our results, selective venous ligation appears to enhance the glans penis dimension in implant patients. PMID:25165719

Unified approach to the entropy of an extremal rotating BTZ black hole: Thin shells and horizon limits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemos, José P. S.; Minamitsuji, Masato; Zaslavskii, Oleg B.

2017-10-01

Using a thin shell, the first law of thermodynamics, and a unified approach, we study the thermodymanics and find the entropy of a (2 +1 )-dimensional extremal rotating Bañados-Teitelbom-Zanelli (BTZ) black hole. The shell in (2 +1 ) dimensions, i.e., a ring, is taken to be circularly symmetric and rotating, with the inner region being a ground state of the anti-de Sitter spacetime and the outer region being the rotating BTZ spacetime. The extremal BTZ rotating black hole can be obtained in three different ways depending on the way the shell approaches its own gravitational or horizon radius. These ways are explicitly worked out. The resulting three cases give that the BTZ black hole entropy is either the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy, S =A/+ 4 G , or an arbitrary function of A+, S =S (A+) , where A+=2 π r+ is the area, i.e., the perimeter, of the event horizon in (2 +1 ) dimensions. We speculate that the entropy of an extremal black hole should obey 0 ≤S (A+)≤A/+ 4 G . We also show that the contributions from the various thermodynamic quantities, namely, the mass, the circular velocity, and the temperature, for the entropy in all three cases are distinct. This study complements the previous studies in thin shell thermodynamics and entropy for BTZ black holes. It also corroborates the results found for a (3 +1 )-dimensional extremal electrically charged Reissner-Nordström black hole.

Acoustic and microwave tests in a cylindrical cavity for acoustic gas thermometry at high temperature

PubMed Central

Zhang, K.; Feng, X.J.; Gillis, K.; Moldover, M.; Zhang, J.T.; Lin, H.; Qu, J.F.; Duan, Y.N.

2016-01-01

Relative primary acoustic gas thermometry determines the ratios of thermodynamic temperatures from measured ratios of acoustic and microwave resonance frequencies in a gas-filled metal cavity on isotherms of interest. When measured in a cavity with known dimensions, the frequencies of acoustic resonances in a gas determine the speed of sound, which is a known function of the thermodynamic temperature T. Changes in the dimensions of the cavity are measured using the frequencies of the cavity's microwave resonances. We explored techniques and materials for acoustic gas thermometry at high temperatures using a cylindrical cavity with remote acoustic transducers. We used gas-filled ducts as acoustic waveguides to transmit sound between the cavity at high temperatures and the acoustic transducers at room temperature. We measured non-degenerate acoustic modes in a cylindrical cavity in the range 295 K < T < 797 K. The fractional uncertainty of the measured acoustic frequencies increased from 2×10−6 at 295 K to 5×10−6 at 797 K. In addition, we measured the frequencies of several transverse magnetic (TM) microwave resonances up to 1000 K in order to track changes in the cavity's length L and radius R. The fractional standard deviation of the values of L deduced from three TM modes increased from 3×10−6 for T < 600 K to 57×10−6 at 1000 K. We observed similar inconsistencies in a previous study. PMID:26903106

High Field Side Lower Hybrid Current Drive Launcher Design for DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, G. M.; Leccacori, R.; Doody, J.; Vieira, R.; Shiraiwa, S.; Wukitch, S. J.; Holcomb, C.; Pinsker, R. I.

2017-10-01

Efficient off-axis current drive scalable to reactors is a key enabling technology for a steady-state tokamak. Simulations of DIII-D discharges have identified high performance scenarios with excellent lower hybrid (LH) wave penetration, single pass absorption and high current drive efficiency. The strategy was to adapt known launching technology utilized in previous experiments on C-Mod (poloidal splitter) and Tore Supra (bi-junction) and remain within power density limits established in JET and Tore Supra. For a 2 MW source power antenna, the launcher consists of 32 toroidal apertures and 4 poloidal rows. The aperture is 60 mm x 5 mm with 1 mm septa and the peak n| | is 2.7+/-0.2 for 90□ phasing. Eight WR187 waveguides are routed from the R-1 port down under the lower cryopump, under the existing divertor, and up the central column with the long waveguide dimension along the vacuum vessel. Above the inner strike point region, each waveguide is twisted to orient the long dimension perpendicular to the vacuum vessel and splits into 4 toroidal apertures via bi-junctions. To protect the waveguide, the inner wall radius will need to increase by 2.5 cm. RF, disruption, and thermal analysis of the latest design will be presented. Work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, using User Facility DIII-D, under Award Number DE-FC02-04ER54698 and by MIT PSFC cooperative agreement DE-SC0014264.

Theoretical uncertainties on the radius of low- and very-low-mass stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tognelli, E.; Prada Moroni, P. G.; Degl'Innocenti, S.

2018-05-01

We performed an analysis of the main theoretical uncertainties that affect the radius of low- and very-low-mass stars predicted by current stellar models. We focused on stars in the mass range 0.1-1 M⊙, on both the zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) and on 1, 2, and 5 Gyr isochrones. First, we quantified the impact on the radius of the uncertainty of several quantities, namely the equation of state, radiative opacity, atmospheric models, convection efficiency, and initial chemical composition. Then, we computed the cumulative radius error stripe obtained by adding the radius variation due to all the analysed quantities. As a general trend, the radius uncertainty increases with the stellar mass. For ZAMS structures the cumulative error stripe of very-low-mass stars is about ±2 and ±3 per cent, while at larger masses it increases up to ±4 and ±5 per cent. The radius uncertainty gets larger and age dependent if isochrones are considered, reaching for M ˜ 1 M⊙ about +12(-15) per cent at an age of 5 Gyr. We also investigated the radius uncertainty at a fixed luminosity. In this case, the cumulative error stripe is the same for both ZAMS and isochrone models and it ranges from about ±4 to +7 and +9(-5) per cent. We also showed that the sole uncertainty on the chemical composition plays an important role in determining the radius error stripe, producing a radius variation that ranges between about ±1 and ±2 per cent on ZAMS models with fixed mass and about ±3 and ±5 per cent at a fixed luminosity.

Accuracy of specimen-specific nonlinear finite element analysis for evaluation of distal radius strength in cadaver material.

PubMed

Matsuura, Yusuke; Kuniyoshi, Kazuki; Suzuki, Takane; Ogawa, Yasufumi; Sukegawa, Koji; Rokkaku, Tomoyuki; Takahashi, Kazuhisa

2014-11-01

Distal radius fracture, which often occurs in the setting of osteoporosis, can lead to permanent deformity and disability. Great effort has been directed toward developing noninvasive methods for evaluating the distal radius strength, with the goal of assessing fracture risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate distal radius strength using a finite element model and to gauge the accuracy of finite element model measurement using cadaver material. Ten wrists were obtained from cadavers with a mean age of 89.5 years at death. CT images of each wrist in an extended position were obtained. CT-based finite element models were prepared with Mechanical Finder software. Fracture on the models was simulated by applying a mechanical load to the palm in a direction parallel to the forearm axis, after which the fracture load and the site at which the fracture began were identified. For comparison, the wrists were fractured using a universal testing machine and the fracture load and the site of fracture were identified. The fracture load was 970.9 N in the finite element model group and 990.0 N in the actual measurement group. The site of the initial fracture was extra-articular to the distal radius in both groups. The finite element model was predictive for distal radius fracture when compared to the actual measurement. In this study, a finite element model for evaluation of distal radius strength was validated and can be used to predict fracture risk. We conclude that a finite element model is useful for the evaluation of distal radius strength. Knowing distal radius strength might avoid distal radius fracture because appropriate antiosteoporotic treatment can be initiated.

Free vibration of multiwall carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, C. Y.; Ru, C. Q.; Mioduchowski, A.

2005-06-01

A multiple-elastic shell model is applied to systematically study free vibration of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). Using Flugge [Stresses in Shells (Springer, Berlin, 1960)] equations of elastic shells, vibrational frequencies and associated modes are calculated for MWNTs of innermost radii 5 and 0.65 nm, respectively. The emphasis is placed on the effect of interlayer van der Waals (vdW) interaction on free vibration of MWNTs. Our results show that the interlayer vdW interaction has a crucial effect on radial (R) modes of large-radius MWNTs (e.g., of the innermost radius 5 nm), but is less pronounced for R modes of small-radius MWNTs (e.g., of the innermost radius 0.65 nm), and usually negligible for torsional (T) and longitudinal (L) modes of MWNTs. This is attributed to the fact that the interlayer vdW interaction, characterized by a radius-independent vdW interaction coefficient, depends on radial deflections only, and is dominant only for large-radius MWNTs of lower radial rigidity but less pronounced for small-radius MWNTs of much higher radial rigidity. As a result, the R modes of large-radius MWNTs are typically collective motions of almost all nested tubes, and the R modes of small-radius MWNTs, as well as the T and L modes of MWNTs, are basically vibrations of individual tubes. In particular, an approximate single-shell model is suggested to replace the multiple-shell model in calculating the lowest frequency of R mode of thin MWNTs (defined by the innermost radius-to-thickness ratio not less than 4) with relative errors less than 10%. In addition, the simplified Flugge single equation is adopted to substitute the exact Flugge equations in determining the R-mode frequencies of MWNTs with relative errors less than 10%.

Recombination radius of a Frenkel pair and capture radius of a self-interstitial atom by vacancy clusters in bcc Fe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakashima, Kenichi; Stoller, Roger E.; Xu, Haixuan

The recombination radius of a Frenkel pair is a fundamental parameter for the object kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) and mean field rate theory (RT) methods that are used to investigate irradiation damage accumulation in neutron irradiated nuclear materials. The recombination radius in bcc Fe has been studied both experimentally and numerically, however there is no general consensus about its value. The detailed atomistic processes of recombination also remain uncertain. Values from 1:0a₀ to 3:3a₀ have been employed as a recombination radius in previous studies using OKMC and RT. The recombination process of a Frenkel pair is investigated at the atomicmore » level using the self-evolved atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo (SEAKMC) method in this paper. SEAKMC calculations reveal that a self-interstitial atom recombines with a vacancy in a spontaneous reaction from several nearby sites following characteristic pathways. The recombination radius of a Frenkel pair is estimated to be 2.26a₀ by taking the average of the recombination distances from 80 simulation cases. This value agrees well with the experimental estimate. In addition, we apply these procedures to the capture radius of a self-interstitial atom by a vacancy cluster. The capture radius is found to gradually increase with the size of the vacancy cluster. The fitting curve for the capture radius is obtained as a function of the number of vacancies in the cluster.« less

Recombination radius of a Frenkel pair and capture radius of a self-interstitial atom by vacancy clusters in bcc Fe

DOE PAGES

Nakashima, Kenichi; Stoller, Roger E.; Xu, Haixuan

2015-08-04

The recombination radius of a Frenkel pair is a fundamental parameter for the object kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) and mean field rate theory (RT) methods that are used to investigate irradiation damage accumulation in neutron irradiated nuclear materials. The recombination radius in bcc Fe has been studied both experimentally and numerically, however there is no general consensus about its value. The detailed atomistic processes of recombination also remain uncertain. Values from 1:0a₀ to 3:3a₀ have been employed as a recombination radius in previous studies using OKMC and RT. The recombination process of a Frenkel pair is investigated at the atomicmore » level using the self-evolved atomistic kinetic Monte Carlo (SEAKMC) method in this paper. SEAKMC calculations reveal that a self-interstitial atom recombines with a vacancy in a spontaneous reaction from several nearby sites following characteristic pathways. The recombination radius of a Frenkel pair is estimated to be 2.26a₀ by taking the average of the recombination distances from 80 simulation cases. This value agrees well with the experimental estimate. In addition, we apply these procedures to the capture radius of a self-interstitial atom by a vacancy cluster. The capture radius is found to gradually increase with the size of the vacancy cluster. The fitting curve for the capture radius is obtained as a function of the number of vacancies in the cluster.« less

A Reynolds Number Study of Wing Leading-Edge Effects on a Supersonic Transport Model at Mach 0.3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, M. Susan; Owens, Lewis R., Jr.; Chu, Julio

1999-01-01

A representative supersonic transport design was tested in the National Transonic Facility (NTF) in its original configuration with small-radius leading-edge flaps and also with modified large-radius inboard leading-edge flaps. Aerodynamic data were obtained over a range of Reynolds numbers at a Mach number of 0.3 and angles of attack up to 16 deg. Increasing the radius of the inboard leading-edge flap delayed nose-up pitching moment to a higher lift coefficient. Deflecting the large-radius leading-edge flap produced an overall decrease in lift coefficient and delayed nose-up pitching moment to even higher angles of attack as compared with the undeflected large- radius leading-edge flap. At angles of attack corresponding to the maximum untrimmed lift-to-drag ratio, lift and drag coefficients decreased while lift-to-drag ratio increased with increasing Reynolds number. At an angle of attack of 13.5 deg., the pitching-moment coefficient was nearly constant with increasing Reynolds number for both the small-radius leading-edge flap and the deflected large-radius leading-edge flap. However, the pitching moment coefficient increased with increasing Reynolds number for the undeflected large-radius leading-edge flap above a chord Reynolds number of about 35 x 10 (exp 6).

Mass, Radius, and Composition of the Transiting Planet 55 Cnc e: Using Interferometry and Correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crida, Aurélien; Ligi, Roxanne; Dorn, Caroline; Lebreton, Yveline

2018-06-01

The characterization of exoplanets relies on that of their host star. However, stellar evolution models cannot always be used to derive the mass and radius of individual stars, because many stellar internal parameters are poorly constrained. Here, we use the probability density functions (PDFs) of directly measured parameters to derive the joint PDF of the stellar and planetary mass and radius. Because combining the density and radius of the star is our most reliable way of determining its mass, we find that the stellar (respectively planetary) mass and radius are strongly (respectively moderately) correlated. We then use a generalized Bayesian inference analysis to characterize the possible interiors of 55 Cnc e. We quantify how our ability to constrain the interior improves by accounting for correlation. The information content of the mass–radius correlation is also compared with refractory element abundance constraints. We provide posterior distributions for all interior parameters of interest. Given all available data, we find that the radius of the gaseous envelope is 0.08+/- 0.05{R}p. A stronger correlation between the planetary mass and radius (potentially provided by a better estimate of the transit depth) would significantly improve interior characterization and reduce drastically the uncertainty on the gas envelope properties.

The Dimensions and Pole of Asteroid (21) Lutetia from Adaptive Optics Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drummond, Jack D.; Conrad, A.; Merline, W.; Carry, B.

2009-09-01

In a campaign to study the Rosetta mission target, asteroid (21) Lutetia, we obtained 81 images on December 2, 2008, at 2.12 microns with adaptive optics (AO) on the Keck-II 10 m telescope. From these nearly consecutive images obtained over a quarter of rotation, we have determined the asteroid's triaxial ellipsoid diameters to be 132x101x76 km, with formal uncertainties of 1 km for the equatorial dimensions, and 31 km for the shortest axis. This latter uncertainty occurs because the observations were made at the relatively high sub-Earth latitude of -69 degrees. From these observations we determine that Lutetia's pole lies at 2000.0 coordinates of RA=48, Dec=+9, or Ecliptic coordinates of [49;-8], with a formal uncertainty radius of 3 deg. (The other possible pole is eliminated by considering its lightcurve history.) The rotational pole derived for the lightcurve inversion model (available at http://astro.troja.mff.cuni.cz/ projects/asteroids3D/web.php), is only 5 deg from ours, but comparing our images to the lightcurve inversion model we find that Lutetia is more pointed than the model. Our technique of deriving the dimensions of asteroids from AO images has been calibrated against Pluto and 4 satellites of Saturn with precise diameters, and we find that any systematic errors can be no more than 1-3%. We acknowledge the assistance of other team members Christophe Dumas (ESO), Peter Tamblyn (SwRI), and Clark Chapman (SwRI). We also thank Hal Weaver (JHU/APL) as the lead for our collaboration with the Rosetta mission. We are grateful for telescope time made available to us by S. Kulkarni and M. Busch (Cal Tech) for a portion of our overall Lutetia effort. We also thank our collaborators on Team Keck, the Keck science staff, for making possible some of the Lutetia observations and for their participation. Additional Lutetia observations were acquired at Gemini North under NOAO time allocation.

Brane-world extra dimensions in light of GW170817

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visinelli, Luca; Bolis, Nadia; Vagnozzi, Sunny

2018-03-01

The search for extra dimensions is a challenging endeavor to probe physics beyond the Standard Model. The joint detection of gravitational waves (GW) and electromagnetic (EM) signals from the merging of a binary system of compact objects like neutron stars can help constrain the geometry of extra dimensions beyond our 3 +1 spacetime ones. A theoretically well-motivated possibility is that our observable Universe is a 3 +1 -dimensional hypersurface, or brane, embedded in a higher 4 +1 -dimensional anti-de Sitter (AdS5 ) spacetime, in which gravity is the only force which propagates through the infinite bulk space, while other forces are confined to the brane. In these types of brane-world models, GW and EM signals between two points on the brane would, in general, travel different paths. This would result in a time lag between the detection of GW and EM signals emitted simultaneously from the same source. We consider the recent near-simultaneous detection of the GW event GW170817 from the LIGO/Virgo collaboration, and its EM counterpart, the short gamma-ray burst GRB170817A detected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor and the International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory Anti-Coincidence Shield spectrometer. Assuming the standard Λ -cold dark matter scenario and performing a likelihood analysis which takes into account astrophysical uncertainties associated to the measured time lag, we set an upper limit of ℓ≲0.535 Mpc at 68% confidence level on the AdS5 radius of curvature ℓ. Although the bound is not competitive with current Solar System constraints, it is the first time that data from a multimessenger GW-EM measurement is used to constrain extra-dimensional models. Thus, our work provides a proof of principle for the possibility of using multimessenger astronomy for probing the geometry of our space-time.

Critical cladding radius for hybrid cladding modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guyard, Romain; Leduc, Dominique; Lupi, Cyril; Lecieux, Yann

2018-05-01

In this article we explore some properties of the cladding modes guided by a step-index optical fiber. We show that the hybrid modes can be grouped by pairs and that it exists a critical cladding radius for which the modes of a pair share the same electromagnetic structure. We propose a robust method to determine the critical cladding radius and use it to perform a statistical study on the influence of the characteristics of the fiber on the critical cladding radius. Finally we show the importance of the critical cladding radius with respect to the coupling coefficient between the core mode and the cladding modes inside a long period grating.

Puzzling out the proton radius puzzle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mihovilovič, M.; Merkel, H.; Weber, A.

2016-01-22

The discrepancy between the proton charge radius extracted from the muonic hydrogen Lamb shift measurement and the best present value obtained from the elastic scattering experiments, remains unexplained and represents a burning problem of today’s nuclear physics: after more than 50 years of research the radius of a basic constituent of matter is still not understood. This paper presents a summary of the best existing proton radius measurements, followed by an overview of the possible explanations for the observed inconsistency between the hydrogen and the muonic-hydrogen data. In the last part the upcoming experiments, dedicated to remeasuring the proton radius,more » are described.« less

Doppler echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular diastolic function in 74 boxer dogs with aortic stenosis.

PubMed

Schober, Karsten E; Fuentes, Virginia Luis

2002-05-01

To evaluate left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in boxer dogs with aortic stenosis (AS). LV relaxation, elastic recoil, filling and stiffness have been found to be abnormal in people with AS and were related to disease severity, clinical signs and prognosis. 2-D, M-mode and Doppler echocardiography was done in 74 boxers with AS (55 with mild AS, 7 with moderate AS and 12 with severe AS) and compared with reference values from 66 normal boxers. Measurements included isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), peak early (E) and late (A) transmitral filling velocities, mitral E wave deceleration time, peak systolic, and early and late (AR) diastolic pulmonary wenous flow velocities and related variables. In addition, left atrial (LA) function, LV dimensions and hypertrophy and LV systolic performance were assessed. Eight dogs (15%) with mild AS had abnormal LV diastolic function, compared with 16 dogs (84%) with moderate or severe AS. Two dogs (3%) had also systolic abnormalities. The flow pattern of delayed relaxation, pseudonormal mitral inflow and restrictive flow were found in 10, 11 and 3 dogs, respectively. IVRT and E:A were heterogeneous in dogs with moderate or severe AS, being either high, normal, or low. Peak AR velocity was significantly higher (p

Incubation lighting schedules and their interaction with matched or mismatched post hatch lighting schedules: Effects on broiler bone development and leg health at slaughter age.

PubMed

van der Pol, Carla W; van Roovert-Reijrink, Inge A M; Aalbers, Gerald; Kemp, Bas; van den Brand, Henry

2017-10-01

The incidence of leg pathologies in broiler chickens with a developmental origin may be decreased by stimulating embryonic bone development through lighting schedules during incubation, but this may depend on post hatch lighting conditions. Aim was to investigate how lighting schedules during incubation and their interactions with matched or mismatched lighting schedules post hatch affected bone development and leg health at slaughter age. In a 3×2 factorial designed experiment, eggs were incubated under continuous cool white LED light (Inc 24L ), 16h of light, 8h of darkness (Inc 16L:8D ), or continuous darkness (Inc 24D ) from set till hatch. After hatch, broilers were housed under continuous light (PH 24L , to match Inc 24L and Inc 24D ) or 16h of light, 8h of darkness (PH 16L:8D , to match Inc 16L:8D ). Gait scores were determined on D21, D28, and D34. After slaughter on D35, legs were scored for varus-valgus deformities, rotated tibia, tibial dyschondroplasia, bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), epiphyseolysis, and epiphyseal plate abnormalities from 1=absent to 4=severe. Femur and tibia dimensions and mineral density were determined. Inc 24L led to more epiphyseal plate abnormalities than Inc 16L:8D or Inc 24D . Inc 24D led to more BCO than Inc 16L:8D . Gait scores on D21, D28, and D34, and bone dimensions did not differ between treatments. Inc 24L led to higher femur mineral density than Inc 24D with Inc 16L:8D intermediate. Providing a chicken with a matched post hatch lighting schedule did not affect most measurements of bone development and health. It can be concluded that a circadian incubation lighting schedule may improve leg health in broilers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do nanoparticles provide a new opportunity for diagnosis of distal airspace disease?

PubMed Central

Löndahl, Jakob; Jakobsson, Jonas KF; Broday, David M; Aaltonen, H Laura; Wollmer, Per

2017-01-01

There is a need for efficient techniques to assess abnormalities in the peripheral regions of the lungs, for example, for diagnosis of pulmonary emphysema. Considerable scientific efforts have been directed toward measuring lung morphology by studying recovery of inhaled micron-sized aerosol particles (0.4–1.5 µm). In contrast, it is suggested that the recovery of inhaled airborne nanoparticles may be more useful for diagnosis. The objective of this work is to provide a theoretical background for the use of nanoparticles in measuring lung morphology and to assess their applicability based on a review of the literature. Using nanoparticles for studying distal airspace dimensions is shown to have several advantages over other aerosol-based methods. 1) Nanoparticles deposit almost exclusively by diffusion, which allows a simpler breathing maneuver with minor artifacts from particle losses in the oropharyngeal and upper airways. 2) A higher breathing flow rate can be utilized, making it possible to rapidly inhale from residual volume to total lung capacity (TLC), thereby eliminating the need to determine the TLC before measurement. 3) Recent studies indicate better penetration of nanoparticles than micron-sized particles into poorly ventilated and diseased regions of the lungs; thus, a stronger signal from the abnormal parts is expected. 4) Changes in airspace dimensions have a larger impact on the recovery of nanoparticles. Compared to current diagnostic techniques with high specificity for morphometric changes of the lungs, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging with hyperpolarized gases, an aerosol-based method is likely to be less time consuming, considerably cheaper, simpler to use, and easier to interpret (providing a single value rather than an image that has to be analyzed). Compared to diagnosis by carbon monoxide (DL,CO), the uptake of nanoparticles in the lung is not affected by blood flow, hemoglobin concentration or alterations of the alveolar membranes, but relies only on lung morphology. PMID:28053522

Do nanoparticles provide a new opportunity for diagnosis of distal airspace disease?

PubMed

Löndahl, Jakob; Jakobsson, Jonas Kf; Broday, David M; Aaltonen, H Laura; Wollmer, Per

There is a need for efficient techniques to assess abnormalities in the peripheral regions of the lungs, for example, for diagnosis of pulmonary emphysema. Considerable scientific efforts have been directed toward measuring lung morphology by studying recovery of inhaled micron-sized aerosol particles (0.4-1.5 µm). In contrast, it is suggested that the recovery of inhaled airborne nanoparticles may be more useful for diagnosis. The objective of this work is to provide a theoretical background for the use of nanoparticles in measuring lung morphology and to assess their applicability based on a review of the literature. Using nanoparticles for studying distal airspace dimensions is shown to have several advantages over other aerosol-based methods. 1) Nanoparticles deposit almost exclusively by diffusion, which allows a simpler breathing maneuver with minor artifacts from particle losses in the oropharyngeal and upper airways. 2) A higher breathing flow rate can be utilized, making it possible to rapidly inhale from residual volume to total lung capacity (TLC), thereby eliminating the need to determine the TLC before measurement. 3) Recent studies indicate better penetration of nanoparticles than micron-sized particles into poorly ventilated and diseased regions of the lungs; thus, a stronger signal from the abnormal parts is expected. 4) Changes in airspace dimensions have a larger impact on the recovery of nanoparticles. Compared to current diagnostic techniques with high specificity for morphometric changes of the lungs, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging with hyperpolarized gases, an aerosol-based method is likely to be less time consuming, considerably cheaper, simpler to use, and easier to interpret (providing a single value rather than an image that has to be analyzed). Compared to diagnosis by carbon monoxide ( D L,CO ), the uptake of nanoparticles in the lung is not affected by blood flow, hemoglobin concentration or alterations of the alveolar membranes, but relies only on lung morphology.

Energies and densities of electrons confined in elliptical and ellipsoidal quantum dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Halder, Avik; Kresin, Vitaly V.

Here, we consider a droplet of electrons confined within an external harmonic potential well of elliptical or ellipsoidal shape, a geometry commonly encountered in work with semiconductor quantum dots and other nanoscale or mesoscale structures. For droplet sizes exceeding the effective Bohr radius, the dominant contribution to average system parameters in the Thomas– Fermi approximation comes from the potential energy terms, which allows us to derive expressions describing the electron droplet’s shape and dimensions, its density, total and capacitive energy, and chemical potential. Our analytical results are in very good agreement with experimental data and numerical calculations, and make itmore » possible to follow the dependence of the properties of the system on its parameters (the total number of electrons, the axial ratios and curvatures of the confinement potential, and the dielectric constant of the material). One interesting feature is that the eccentricity of the electron droplet is not the same as that of its confining potential well.« less

Energies and densities of electrons confined in elliptical and ellipsoidal quantum dots

DOE PAGES

Halder, Avik; Kresin, Vitaly V.

2016-08-09

Here, we consider a droplet of electrons confined within an external harmonic potential well of elliptical or ellipsoidal shape, a geometry commonly encountered in work with semiconductor quantum dots and other nanoscale or mesoscale structures. For droplet sizes exceeding the effective Bohr radius, the dominant contribution to average system parameters in the Thomas– Fermi approximation comes from the potential energy terms, which allows us to derive expressions describing the electron droplet’s shape and dimensions, its density, total and capacitive energy, and chemical potential. Our analytical results are in very good agreement with experimental data and numerical calculations, and make itmore » possible to follow the dependence of the properties of the system on its parameters (the total number of electrons, the axial ratios and curvatures of the confinement potential, and the dielectric constant of the material). One interesting feature is that the eccentricity of the electron droplet is not the same as that of its confining potential well.« less

A compact large-format streak tube for imaging lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, Dandan; Luo, Duan; Tian, Liping; Lu, Yu; Chen, Ping; Wang, Junfeng; Sai, Xiaofeng; Wen, Wenlong; Wang, Xing; Xin, Liwei; Zhao, Wei; Tian, Jinshou

2018-04-01

The streak tubes with a large effective photocathode area, large effective phosphor screen area, and high photocathode radiant sensitivity are essential for improving the field of view, depth of field, and detectable range of the multiple-slit streak tube imaging lidar. In this paper, a high spatial resolution, large photocathode area, and compact meshless streak tube with a spherically curved cathode and screen is designed and tested. Its spatial resolution reaches 20 lp/mm over the entire Φ28 mm photocathode working area, and the simulated physical temporal resolution is better than 30 ps. The temporal distortion in our large-format streak tube, which is shown to be a non-negligible factor, has a minimum value as the radius of curvature of the photocathode varies. Furthermore, the photocathode radiant sensitivity and radiant power gain reach 41 mA/W and 18.4 at the wavelength of 550 nm, respectively. Most importantly, the external dimensions of our streak tube are no more than Φ60 mm × 110 mm.

Calculation methods for steadily loaded, off-set pivot, tilting pad thrust bearings. (Guide to use of computer program A9235.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1992-12-01

ESDU 92035 provides details of a FORTRAN program that implements the calculation method of ESDU 83004. It allows performance analysis of an existing design, or the design of a bearing dimensions, subject to any space constraint, are recommended. The predicted performance includes the lubricant film thickness under load, its temperature and flow rate, the power loss, and the bearing temperature. Recommendations are also made on surface finish. Warning messages are output in the following cases, for each of which possible remedial actions are suggested: drain or pad temperature too high, churning losses too great, film thickness too small, pad number too high, ratio or inner to outer pad radius too large, flow rate too great, lubricant or pad temperature outside usable range. A lubricant database is provided that may be extended or edited. The program applies to Newtonian lubricants in laminar flow. Worked examples illustrate the use of the program.

Geometry and surface controlled formation of nanoparticle helical ribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Jonathan; Lawrence, Jimmy; Lee, Dong; Grason, Gregory; Emrick, Todd; Crosby, Alfred

2013-03-01

Helical structures are interesting because of their space efficiency, mechanical tunability and everyday uses in both the synthetic and natural world. In general, the mechanisms governing helix formation are limited to bilayer material systems and chiral molecular structures. However, in a special range of dimensions where surface energy dominates (i.e. high surface to volume ratio), geometry rather than specific materials can drive helical formation of thin asymmetric ribbons. In an evaporative assembly technique called flow coating, based from the commonly observed coffee ring effect, we create nanoparticle ribbons possessing non-rectangular nanoscale cross-sections. When released into a liquid medium of water, interfacial tension between the asymmetric ribbon and water balances with the elastic cost of bending to form helices with a preferred radius of curvature and a minimum pitch. We demonstrate that this is a universal mechanism that can be used with a wide range of materials, such as quantum dots, metallic nanoparticles, or polymers. Nanoparticle helical ribbons display excellent structural integrity with spring-like characteristics and can be extended high strains.

Cellulosic nanowhiskers. Theory and application of light scattering from polydisperse spheroids in the Rayleigh-Gans-Debye regime.

PubMed

Braun, Birgit; Dorgan, John R; Chandler, John P

2008-04-01

Mathematical treatment of light scattering within the Rayleigh-Gans-Debye limit for spheroids with polydispersity in both length and diameter is developed and experimentally tested using cellulosic nanowhiskers (CNW). Polydispersity indices are obtained by fitting the theoretical formfactor to experimental data. Good agreement is achieved using a polydispersity of 2.3 for the length, independent of the type of acid used. Diameter polydispersities are 2.1 and 3.0 for sulfuric and hydrochloric acids, respectively. These polydispersities allow the determination of average dimensions from the z-average mean-square radius (z) and the weight-average molecular weight (M w) easily obtained from Berry plots. For cotton linter hydrolyzed by hydrochloric acid, the average length and diameter are 244 and 22 nm. This compares to average length and diameter of 272 and 13 nm for sulfuric acid. This study establishes a new light-scattering methodology as a quick and robust tool for size characterization of polydisperse spheroidal nanoparticles.

Measurement of Flexed Posture for Flexible Mono-Tread Mobile Track

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinugasa, Tetsuya; Akagi, Tetsuya; Ishii, Kuniaki; Haji, Takafumi; Yoshida, Koji; Amano, Hisanori; Hayashi, Ryota; Tokuda, Kenichi; Iribe, Masatsugu; Osuka, Koichi

We have proposed Flexible Mono-tread mobile Track (FMT) as a mobile mechanism on rough terrain for rescue activity, environmental investigation and planetary explorer, etc. Generally speaking, one has to teleoperate robots under invisible condition. In order to operate the robots skillfully, it is necessary to detect not only condition around the robots and its position but also posture of the robots at any time. Since flexed posture of FMT decides turning radius and direction, it is important to know its posture. FMT has vertebral structure composed of vertebrae as rigid body and intervertebral disks made by flexible devices such as rubber cylinder and spring. Since the intervertebral disks flex in three dimension, traditional sensors such as potentiometers, rotary encoders and range finders can hardly use for measurement of its deformation. The purpose of the paper, therefore, is to measure flexed posture of FMT using a novel flexible displacement sensor. We prove that the flexed posture of FMT with five intervertebral disks can be detected through experiment.

Regular black holes in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Sushant G.; Singh, Dharm Veer; Maharaj, Sunil D.

2018-05-01

Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory, a natural generalization of general relativity to a higher dimension, admits a static spherically symmetric black hole which was obtained by Boulware and Deser. This black hole is similar to its general relativity counterpart with a curvature singularity at r =0 . We present an exact 5D regular black hole metric, with parameter (k >0 ), that interpolates between the Boulware-Deser black hole (k =0 ) and the Wiltshire charged black hole (r ≫k ). Owing to the appearance of the exponential correction factor (e-k /r2), responsible for regularizing the metric, the thermodynamical quantities are modified, and it is demonstrated that the Hawking-Page phase transition is achievable. The heat capacity diverges at a critical radius r =rC, where incidentally the temperature is maximum. Thus, we have a regular black hole with Cauchy and event horizons, and evaporation leads to a thermodynamically stable double-horizon black hole remnant with vanishing temperature. The entropy does not satisfy the usual exact horizon area result of general relativity.

Geophysical models for the formation and evolution of coronae on Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janes, Daniel M.; Squyres, Steven W.; Bindschadler, Duane L.; Baer, Gidon; Schubert, Gerald; Sharpton, Virgil L.; Stofan, Ellen R.

1992-01-01

The proposition that Venusian coronae form over sites of mantle upwelling and are modified by subsequent gravitational relaxation is examined using two geophysical models to determine whether and under what conditions these mechanisms can produce the topography and tectonics exhibited by coronae in the Magellan altimetry data and radar images. It is shown that mantle diapirism can produce the domical topography of novae, which may be coronae in the earliest stage of formation. The model stresses induced at the surface by a mantle diapir imply the formation of radially oriented extensional fracturing as observed in novae. The novae dimensions indicate that the diapirs responsible for them are smaller than about 100 km in radius and that the elastic lithosphere is less than 32 km thick. A flattened diapir at the top of the mantle is modeled and shown to result in plateaulike uplift. The volume of the flattened model diapir is similar to that of the spherical diapirs derived for novae.

Tunneling decay of false vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Bum-Hoon; Lee, Wonwoo; MacKenzie, Richard; Paranjape, M. B.; Yajnik, U. A.; Yeom, Dong-han

2013-10-01

We consider the decay of vortices trapped in the false vacuum of a theory of scalar electrodynamics in 2+1 dimensions. The potential is inspired by models with intermediate symmetry breaking to a metastable vacuum that completely breaks a U(1) symmetry, while in the true vacuum, the symmetry is unbroken. The false vacuum is unstable through the formation of true vacuum bubbles; however, the rate of decay can be extremely long. On the other hand, the false vacuum can contain metastable vortex solutions. These vortices contain the true vacuum inside in addition to a unit of magnetic flux and the appropriate topologically nontrivial false vacuum outside. We numerically establish the existence of vortex solutions which are classically stable; however, they can decay via tunneling. In general terms, they tunnel to a configuration which is a large, thin-walled vortex configuration that is now classically unstable to the expansion of its radius. We compute an estimate for the tunneling amplitude in the semiclassical approximation. We believe our analysis would be relevant to superconducting thin films or superfluids.

Perturbation of Large Anti-deSitter Black Holes and AdS/CFT Correspondence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadzadegan, Aida

As the main goal of this thesis, the canonical form of the perturbation metric of anti-de Sitter black holes in four dimensions is derived by choosing the Regge-Wheeler gauge in the standard Schwarzschild coordinates (t, r, theta, ϕ). By assuming the perturbations to be small, the differential equations governing the perturbations are obtained from the equations deltaRmunu(h ) = 0. Then, by taking the limit of m > > R where R is the radius of AdS space, the perturbation metric and field equations of large AdS black holes are found. Finally, under the shadow of AdS/CFT correspondence, these perturbations can be compared to their corresponding three-dimensional theory of fluid dynamics on the dual space, R x S2. Furthermore, by using the definitions of stress-energy tensor and its perturbation, we can find energy density, pressure and shear viscosity which are the quantities we need to describe the behavior of the fluid on the boundary of the AdS space.

Ancient igneous intrusions and early expansion of the Moon revealed by GRAIL gravity gradiometry.

PubMed

Andrews-Hanna, Jeffrey C; Asmar, Sami W; Head, James W; Kiefer, Walter S; Konopliv, Alexander S; Lemoine, Frank G; Matsuyama, Isamu; Mazarico, Erwan; McGovern, Patrick J; Melosh, H Jay; Neumann, Gregory A; Nimmo, Francis; Phillips, Roger J; Smith, David E; Solomon, Sean C; Taylor, G Jeffrey; Wieczorek, Mark A; Williams, James G; Zuber, Maria T

2013-02-08

The earliest history of the Moon is poorly preserved in the surface geologic record due to the high flux of impactors, but aspects of that history may be preserved in subsurface structures. Application of gravity gradiometry to observations by the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission results in the identification of a population of linear gravity anomalies with lengths of hundreds of kilometers. Inversion of the gravity anomalies indicates elongated positive-density anomalies that are interpreted to be ancient vertical tabular intrusions or dikes formed by magmatism in combination with extension of the lithosphere. Crosscutting relationships support a pre-Nectarian to Nectarian age, preceding the end of the heavy bombardment of the Moon. The distribution, orientation, and dimensions of the intrusions indicate a globally isotropic extensional stress state arising from an increase in the Moon's radius by 0.6 to 4.9 kilometers early in lunar history, consistent with predictions of thermal models.

L-alpha intensity in coronal streamers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noci, G.; Poletto, G.; Suess, S. T.; Wang, A.-H.; Wu, S. T.

1993-01-01

White-light images are presently the primary source of information on physical conditions in the solar corona at distances greater than a few tenths of a solar radius above the limb. As a consequence, we still only have an incomplete description of structures extending beyond the solar limb. In particular, streamers, although observed for decades, represent a poorly known phenomenon. SOHO, to be launched in 1995, will be able to make long-term observations of these features up to heights of a few solar radii, both in white light and UV. In this paper we present simulations of L-alpha intensity in coronal streamers, based on the two-dimensional (2D) model developed by Wang et at. (1992, 1993) via a time-dependent numerical relaxation approach. Because the model is 2D, we make an a priori hypothesis about the extension of streamers in the third dimension. L-alpha data, obtained from a rocket (Kohl et al., 1983), allowed us to identify a shape which fits the observations.

Equilibrium theory of cylindrical discharges with special application to helicons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curreli, Davide; Chen, Francis F.

2011-11-01

Radiofrequency discharges used in industry often have centrally peaked plasma density profiles n(r) although ionization is localized at the edge, even in the presence of a dc magnetic field. This can be explained with a simple cylindrical model in one dimension as long as the short-circuit effect at the endplates causes a Maxwellian electron distribution. Surprisingly, a universal profile can be obtained, which is self-similar for all discharges with uniform electron temperature Te and neutral density nn. When all collisions and ionizations are radially accounted for, the ion drift velocity toward the wall reaches the Bohm velocity at a radius which can be identified with the sheath edge, thus obviating a pre-sheath calculation. For non-uniform Te and nn, the profiles change slightly but are always peaked on axis. For helicon discharges, iteration with the HELIC code for antenna-wave coupling yields profiles consistent with both energy deposition and diffusion profiles. Calculated density is in absolute-value agreement with experiment.