All in the family: matrimonial mitral valve clicks.

PubMed

Desser, K B; Bokhari, S I; Benchimol, A; Romney, D

1981-05-01

Mitral valve clicks with or without late systolic murmurs were detected in genetically unrelated marital partners of 5 families. The first family represented 2 successive nonconsanguineous marital unions with 3 generations of mitral valve clicks. The second family included 1 natural and 2 adopted children with clinical and echographic evidence of mitral valve prolapse. The third family was comprised of asymptomatic parents, both with nonejection clicks and mitral valve prolapse, whose daughter presented 3 years previously with syncope, palpitations, and combined mitral and tricuspid valve prolapse. The fourth family had 3 members with auscultatory and ultrasonic manifestations of billowing mitral valve, whereas the fourth member had "silent mitral valve prolapse." The fifth family represented a mother with auscultatory and echographic evidence of mitral valve prolapse; her 14-year-old daughter had both mitral and tricuspid valve prolapse, whereas the son had a bicuspid aortic valve. Both children were products of a prior marriage, and her husband has symptomatic mitral valve prolapse. We conclude that matrimonial mitral valve prolapse probably reflects the purported (6--10%) prevalence of this disorder in the general population. The consequences of such marital union on progeny is currently unclear and warrants future investigation.

Ultrasound features in trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) in a consecutive series of 47 cases.

PubMed

Kroes, I; Janssens, S; Defoort, P

2014-01-01

To determine and list the variety of the predominant appeal signs leading to referral and their accompanying features found during specialized ultrasound evaluation in foetuses with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18. In a period of thirty years, 1110 cases of foetal malformations were detected during specialized echographic evaluation. 47 Of these cases were foetuses with trisomy 13 or trisomy 18. We evaluated the predominant signs leading to referral, the difference and overlap in presenting signs between both syndromes and when the data were available, we also compared the echographic signs with the foetal pathology. In foetuses with trisomy 13 the most common malformations were craniofacial defects, cerebral malformations and genitourinary tract anomalies. The most common malformations associated with trisomy 18 were limb abnormalities and intrauterine growth restriction. Most malformations were predominant in trisomy 18, except for genitourinary tract anomalies. In most cases the sonographic signs correlated with the pathology findings. Trisomy 13 as well as trisomy 18 are characterized by a number of various malformations in the foetus. Most of the ultrasound features were predominant in foetuses with trisomy 18. Mostly the foetal pathology correlated with the sonographic evaluation.

Attenuation Coefficient Estimation of the Healthy Human Thyroid In Vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouyer, J.; Cueva, T.; Portal, A.; Yamamoto, T.; Lavarello, R.

Previous studies have demonstrated that attenuation coefficients can be useful towards characterizing thyroid tissues. In this work, ultrasonic attenuation coefficients were estimated from healthy human thyroids in vivo using a clinical scanner. The selected subjects were five young, healthy volunteers (age: 26 ± 6 years old, gender: three females, two males) with no reported history of thyroid diseases, no palpable thyroid nodules, no smoking habits, and body mass index less than 30 kg/m2. Echographic examinations were conducted by a trained sonographer using a SonixTouch system (Ultrasonix Medical Corporation, Richmond, BC) equipped with an L14-5 linear transducer array (nominal center frequency of 10 MHz, transducer footprint of 3.8 cm). Radiofrequency data corresponding to the collected echographic images in both transverse and longitudinal views were digitized at a sampling rate of 40 MHz and processed with Matlab codes (MathWorks, Natick, MA) to estimate attenuation coefficients using the spectral log difference method. The estimation was performed using an analysis bandwidth spanning from 4.0 to 9.0 MHz. The average value of the estimated ultrasonic attenuation coefficients was equal to 1.34 ± 0.15 dB/(cm.MHz). The standard deviation of the estimated average attenuation coefficient across different volunteers suggests a non-negligible inter-subject variability in the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient of the human thyroid.

Subclassification of the "grey zone" of thyroid cytology; a retrospective descriptive study with clinical, cytological, and histological correlation.

PubMed

Bonzanini, Mariella; Amadori, Pierluigi; Morelli, Luca; Fasanella, Silvia; Pertile, Riccardo; Mattiuzzi, Angela; Marini, Giorgio; Niccolini, Mauro; Tirone, Giuseppe; Rigamonti, Marco; Dalla Palma, Paolo

2011-01-01

Undetermined thyroid cytology precludes any definitive distinction between malignant and benign lesions. Recently several classifications have been proposed to split this category into two or more cytological subcategories related to different malignancy risk rates. The current study was performed retrospectively to investigate the results obtained separating "undetermined" cytologic reports into two categories: "follicular lesion" (FL) and "atypia of undetermined significance" (AUS). Biochemical, clinical, and echographic features of each category were also retrospectively analyzed. Altogether, 316 undetermined fine-needle aspirated cytologies (FNACs) were reclassified as 74 FL and 242 AUS. Histological control leads to a diagnosis of carcinomas, adenomas, and nonneoplastic lesions, respectively, in 42.2%, 20%, and 37.8% of AUS and in 8.3%, 69.4%, and 22.2% of FL. Among biochemical, clinical, cytological, and echographic outcomes, altered thyroid autoantibodies, multiple versus single nodule, AUS versus FL, and presence of intranodular vascular flow were statistically significant to differentiate adenoma from carcinoma and from nonneoplastic lesions, whereas no significant differences were found between carcinomas and nonneoplastic lesions for these parameters. The results of this retrospective study show that undetermined FNAC category can further be subclassified in AUS and FL, the former showing higher malignancy rate. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm our results.

Ultrasound features in trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) in a consecutive series of 47 cases

PubMed Central

Kroes, I.; Janssens, S.; Defoort, P.

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine and list the variety of the predominant appeal signs leading to referral and their accompanying features found during specialized ultrasound evaluation in foetuses with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18. Materials and Methods: In a period of thirty years, 1110 cases of foetal malformations were detected during specialized echographic evaluation. 47 Of these cases were foetuses with trisomy 13 or trisomy 18. We evaluated the predominant signs leading to referral, the difference and overlap in presenting signs between both syndromes and when the data were available, we also compared the echographic signs with the foetal pathology. Results: In foetuses with trisomy 13 the most common malformations were craniofacial defects, cerebral malformations and genitourinary tract anomalies. The most common malformations associated with trisomy 18 were limb abnormalities and intrauterine growth restriction. Most malformations were predominant in trisomy 18, except for genitourinary tract anomalies. In most cases the sonographic signs correlated with the pathology findings. Conclusion: Trisomy 13 as well as trisomy 18 are characterized by a number of various malformations in the foetus. Most of the ultrasound features were predominant in foetuses with trisomy 18. Mostly the foetal pathology correlated with the sonographic evaluation. PMID:25593701

The mechanism of transient myopia induced by sulfonamide therapy.

PubMed

Bovino, J A; Marcus, D F

1982-07-01

We performed acute and convalescent A-scan echographic ocular measurements documenting the anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and axial length of a patient with acute transient sulfamethoxazole-induced myopia. Shallowing of the anterior chamber, independent of changes in the thickness of the lens, was the only anatomic variation found that could explain the myopia. Swelling of the ciliary body, with forward movement of the lens-iris diaphragm, could produce this transient anatomic change.

Antepartum transabdominal amnioinfusion to facilitate external cephalic version after initial failure.

PubMed

Benifla, J L; Goffinet, F; Darai, E; Madelenat, P

1994-12-01

Transabdominal amnioinfusion can be used to facilitate external cephalic version. Our technique involves filling the uterine cavity with 700 or 900 mL of 37C saline under continuous echographic monitoring. External cephalic version is done the next morning. We have used this procedure in six women, all of whom had previous unsuccessful attempts at external cephalic version. After amnioinfusion, all six patients were converted to cephalic presentation and delivered normally, without obstetric or neonatal complications.

Buckling shells are also swimmers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quilliet, Catherine; Dyfcom Bubbleboost Team

We present an experimental and numerical study on the displacement of shells undergoing deformations in a fluid. When submitted to cycles of pressure difference between outside and inside, a shell buckles and debuckles, showing a succession of shapes and a dynamics that are different during the two phases. Hence such objects are likely to swim, including at low Reynolds (microscopic scale). We studied the swimming of buckling/debuckling shells at macroscopic scale using different approaches (force quantization, shape recording, displacement along a frictionless rail, study of external flow using PIV), and showed that inertia plays a role in propulsion, even in situations where dimensionless numbers correspond also to microswimmers in water. Different fluid viscosities were explored, showing an optimum for the displacement. Interestingly, the most favorable cases lead to displacements in the same direction and sense during both motor stroke (buckling phase) and recovery stroke (de-buckling phase). This work opens the route for the synthesis with high throughput of abusively simple synthetic swimmers, possibly gathered into nanorobots, actuated by a scalar field such as the pressure in echographic devices. Universite Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, European Research Council.

Female orgasm(s): one, two, several.

PubMed

Jannini, Emmanuele A; Rubio-Casillas, Alberto; Whipple, Beverly; Buisson, Odile; Komisaruk, Barry R; Brody, Stuart

2012-04-01

There is general agreement that it is possible to have an orgasm thru the direct simulation of the external clitoris. In contrast, the possibility of achieving climax during penetration has been controversial. Six scientists with different experimental evidence debate the existence of the vaginally activated orgasm (VAO). To give reader of The Journal of Sexual Medicine sufficient data to form her/his own opinion on an important topic of female sexuality. Expert #1, the Controversy's section Editor, together with Expert #2, reviewed data from the literature demonstrating the anatomical possibility for the VAO. Expert #3 presents validating women's reports of pleasurable sexual responses and adaptive significance of the VAO. Echographic dynamic evidence induced Expert # 4 to describe one single orgasm, obtained from stimulation of either the external or internal clitoris, during penetration. Expert #5 reviewed his elegant experiments showing the uniquely different sensory responses to clitoral, vaginal, and cervical stimulation. Finally, the last Expert presented findings on the psychological scenario behind VAO. The assumption that women may experience only the clitoral, external orgasm is not based on the best available scientific evidence. © 2012 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

[Asymptomatic subcapsular splenic hematoma in infectious mononucleosis (Pfeiffer disease)].

PubMed

Stahlknecht, T; Majewski, A

1986-09-01

Splenic rupture in infectious mononucleosis (Pfeiffer disease, or glandular fever) is a rare but life-threatening complication. The exact mechanism of rupture of the spleen is unknown to date. A case of a spontaneous, asymptomatic, subcapsular haematoma of the spleen of an eighteen-year old female with infectious mononucleosis is presented with special reference to the echographic findings. A complete remission without any complication was obtained. The contribution of the sonographic examination and follow-up in the diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis is emphasised.

Underwater Intruder Detection Sonar for Harbour Protection: State of the Art Review and Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

intruder would appear as a small moving “ blob ” of energetic echo in the echograph, and the operator could judge whether the contact is a threat that calls...visually then as a small fluctuating “ blob ” against a fluctuating background of sound clutter and reverberation, making it difficult to visually...4. Non-random false alarms caused by genuine underwater contacts that happened not to be intruders—by large fish , or schools of fish , or marine

Classification Features of US Images Liver Extracted with Co-occurrence Matrix Using the Nearest Neighbor Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moldovanu, Simona; Bibicu, Dorin; Moraru, Luminita; Nicolae, Mariana Carmen

2011-12-01

Co-occurrence matrix has been applied successfully for echographic images characterization because it contains information about spatial distribution of grey-scale levels in an image. The paper deals with the analysis of pixels in selected regions of interest of an US image of the liver. The useful information obtained refers to texture features such as entropy, contrast, dissimilarity and correlation extract with co-occurrence matrix. The analyzed US images were grouped in two distinct sets: healthy liver and steatosis (or fatty) liver. These two sets of echographic images of the liver build a database that includes only histological confirmed cases: 10 images of healthy liver and 10 images of steatosis liver. The healthy subjects help to compute four textural indices and as well as control dataset. We chose to study these diseases because the steatosis is the abnormal retention of lipids in cells. The texture features are statistical measures and they can be used to characterize irregularity of tissues. The goal is to extract the information using the Nearest Neighbor classification algorithm. The K-NN algorithm is a powerful tool to classify features textures by means of grouping in a training set using healthy liver, on the one hand, and in a holdout set using the features textures of steatosis liver, on the other hand. The results could be used to quantify the texture information and will allow a clear detection between health and steatosis liver.

MR and CT imaging of pulmonary valved conduits in children and adolescents: normal appearance and complications.

PubMed

Tenisch, Estelle V; Alamo, Leonor T; Sekarski, Nicole; Hurni, Michel; Gudinchet, François

2014-12-01

The Contegra® is a conduit made from the bovine jugular vein and then interposed between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. It is used for cardiac malformations in the reconstruction of right ventricular outflow tract. To describe both normal and pathological appearances of the Contegra® in radiological imaging, to describe imaging of complications and to define the role of CT and MRI in postoperative follow-up. Forty-three examinations of 24 patients (17 boys and 7 girls; mean age: 10.8 years old) with Contegra® conduits were reviewed. Anatomical description and measurements of the conduits were performed. Pathological items examined included stenosis, dilatation, plicature or twist, thrombus or vegetations, calcifications and valvular regurgitation. Findings were correlated to the echographic gradient through the conduit when available. CT and MR work-up showed Contegra® stenosis (n = 12), dilatation (n = 9) and plicature or twist (n = 7). CT displayed thrombus or vegetations in the Contegra® in three clinically infected patients. Calcifications of the conduit were present at CT in 12 patients and valvular regurgitation in three patients. The comparison between CT and/or MR results showed a good correlation between the echographic gradient and the presence of stenosis in the Contegra®. CT and MR bring additional information about permeability and postoperative anatomy especially when echocardiography is inconclusive. Both techniques depict the normal appearance of the conduit, and allow comparison and precise evaluation of changes in the postoperative follow-up.

Efficient scatter model for simulation of ultrasound images from computed tomography data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Amato, J. P.; Lo Vercio, L.; Rubi, P.; Fernandez Vera, E.; Barbuzza, R.; Del Fresno, M.; Larrabide, I.

2015-12-01

Background and motivation: Real-time ultrasound simulation refers to the process of computationally creating fully synthetic ultrasound images instantly. Due to the high value of specialized low cost training for healthcare professionals, there is a growing interest in the use of this technology and the development of high fidelity systems that simulate the acquisitions of echographic images. The objective is to create an efficient and reproducible simulator that can run either on notebooks or desktops using low cost devices. Materials and methods: We present an interactive ultrasound simulator based on CT data. This simulator is based on ray-casting and provides real-time interaction capabilities. The simulation of scattering that is coherent with the transducer position in real time is also introduced. Such noise is produced using a simplified model of multiplicative noise and convolution with point spread functions (PSF) tailored for this purpose. Results: The computational efficiency of scattering maps generation was revised with an improved performance. This allowed a more efficient simulation of coherent scattering in the synthetic echographic images while providing highly realistic result. We describe some quality and performance metrics to validate these results, where a performance of up to 55fps was achieved. Conclusion: The proposed technique for real-time scattering modeling provides realistic yet computationally efficient scatter distributions. The error between the original image and the simulated scattering image was compared for the proposed method and the state-of-the-art, showing negligible differences in its distribution.

[Cortico-suprarenal carcinoma].

PubMed

Alecu, L; Costan, I; Viţalariu, Adriana; Lungu, C; Obrocea, F; Gulinescu, L

2002-01-01

The authors show the case of a 69 years old male with a large corticosuprarenalian tumor that was detected on an random abdominal echographic examination. The patient was operated in the General Surgery Department. of Prof. Agrippa Ionescu Hospital, Bucharest. We performed ablation of the large left suprarenalian gland malign tumor with left nephrectomy, splenectomy and partial pancreatectomy. The hystopathological examination reveals a diffuse corticosuprenalian carcinoma. The case is interesting because of low incidence of this kind of malign tumor and also of the unusual tumor evolution in a long time up to its large size (12 cm in diameter).

A teaching phantom for sonographers.

PubMed

Zagzebski, J A; Madsen, E L; Frank, G R

1991-01-01

An anthropomorphic torso section phantom is described that is intended for use during initial stages of ultrasonographer training. The phantom represents a section of the upper abdomen, with simulated ribs, liver, kidney with fat pad, gallbladder, aorta, and bowel gas. Positioned in the liver are ten simulated soft tissue masses, which produce a variety of typical echographic patterns. All simulated soft tissue components are formed of tissue-mimicking materials that match their corresponding tissue counterparts in terms of speed of sound, ultrasonic attenuation, and density. Construction details are presented and examples of images are shown.

Left Recumbent Position Decreases Heart Rate without Alterations in Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Activity in Healthy Young Adults.

PubMed

Sasaki, Konosuke; Haga, Mayu; Endo, Yoichi; Fujiwara, Junko; Maruyama, Ryoko

2017-04-01

Some studies have reported that recumbent position may have advantages in patients with heart disease and in pregnancy. However, it remains controversial whether recumbent position affects autonomic nervous system activity and hemodynamics in healthy adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate alterations in heart rate variability (HRV) and hemodynamics in the supine, left recumbent and right recumbent positions in healthy young adults. A total of 80 participants aged 22.8 ± 3.1 years were enrolled in this observational study. Fifty-eight volunteers (29 men and 29 women) maintained the supine position followed by the left and right recumbent positions, while electrocardiographic data were recorded for spectral analysis of HRV to assess cardiac vagal nerve and sympathetic nerve activities. The heart rate (HR) was significantly lower in the left recumbent position than in the other positions. There were no statistically significant differences in HRV among the three positions. Considering the possibility that the echographic procedure affects autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, the other 22 participants (11 men and 11 women) underwent an echographic evaluation of hemodynamics in the heart and inferior vena cava (IVC) across the three positions. Although a low HR was also observed, there were no statistically significant differences in the IVC or the heart blood volume between the supine and the left recumbent positions. A postural change to the left recumbent position does not affect the cardiac blood circulation or ANS activity, though it does decrease HR in healthy young adults. This finding indicates that the lower HR in the left recumbent position is not attributable to the ANS activity.

Evaluation of parathyroid autograft growth and function in hemodialysis patients

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

Karsenty, G.; Petraglia, A.; Bourdeau, A.

1986-07-01

The aim of our study was to evaluate the function and growth of parathyroid tissue autografted into the forearm of hemodialysis patients using several presently available methods. In a dynamic study, the secretory function of autografted tissue was evaluated in seven patients using either zero calcium dialysate or calcium infusion. In an additional prospective study, seven patients had repeated determinations of plasma immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH) concentration on samples from both forearms, a radionuclide evaluation of autograft function using thallium-201 chloride, and real time ultrasonography. Light microscopy analysis was performed in two patients. The dynamic study demonstrated that induction ofmore » hypocalcemia was followed by an increase, and induction of hypercalcemia by a decrease in circulating iPTH in both forearms using three different radioimmunoassays similar to what has been reported for normal parathyroid tissue. A significant gradient (ie, greater than 2.0) of plasma iPTH concentration in samples from both forearms was observed in only three out of the seven patients of the prospective study. Two of these patients disclosed an increased uptake of /sup 201/TI chloride at the site of autografted tissue and had an echographically detectable mass. In both, hyperplastic parathyroid tissue was removed. At present, the remaining third patient does not have other features of recurrent hyperparathyroidism. In conclusion, autotransplanted parathyroid tissue of hemodialysis patients shows an adequate response to physiologic stimuli such as hypo- and hypercalcemia. Dynamic tests, therefore, appear to be a useful tool in the assessment of its function. In addition, radionuclide and echographic studies may be reliable adjuncts in the detection of marked parathyroid autograft hyperplasia.« less

[Technical and biological evolution of medically assisted procreation (MAP)].

PubMed

Camier, B

1990-12-01

Compared to IUI (to which one knows that an ovulation induction must not be associated and where 6 cycles must not be exceeded), in vitro fertilization has undergone an important evolution. It has now become ambulatory. Its evolution has been marked by the use of LH-RH agonists, the vaginal route for the echographic puncture and freezing of the embryos. The two progresses expected are: in the short term, the mastering of the retrograde catheterization of the tube, to enable the embryo replacement in sterilities of healthy tubes and, in middle term, a better assessment of the quality of the conceptus to carry out a selective embryo transfer and to reduce the rate of multiple pregnancies.

Using IMPRINT to Guide Experimental Design with Simulated Task Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-18

USING IMPRINT TO GUIDE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN OF SIMULATED TASK ENVIRONMENTS THESIS Gregory...ENG-MS-15-J-052 USING IMPRINT TO GUIDE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN WITH SIMULATED TASK ENVIRONMENTS THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department...Civilian, USAF June 2015 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. AFIT-ENG-MS-15-J-052 USING IMPRINT

Vector Doppler: spatial sampling analysis and presentation techniques for real-time systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capineri, Lorenzo; Scabia, Marco; Masotti, Leonardo F.

2001-05-01

The aim of the vector Doppler (VD) technique is the quantitative reconstruction of a velocity field independently of the ultrasonic probe axis to flow angle. In particular vector Doppler is interesting for studying vascular pathologies related to complex blood flow conditions. Clinical applications require a real-time operating mode and the capability to perform Doppler measurements over a defined volume. The combination of these two characteristics produces a real-time vector velocity map. In previous works the authors investigated the theory of pulsed wave (PW) vector Doppler and developed an experimental system capable of producing off-line 3D vector velocity maps. Afterwards, for producing dynamic velocity vector maps, we realized a new 2D vector Doppler system based on a modified commercial echograph. The measurement and presentation of a vector velocity field requires a correct spatial sampling that must satisfy the Shannon criterion. In this work we tackled this problem, establishing a relationship between sampling steps and scanning system characteristics. Another problem posed by the vector Doppler technique is the data representation in real-time that should be easy to interpret for the physician. With this in mine we attempted a multimedia solution that uses both interpolated images and sound to represent the information of the measured vector velocity map. These presentation techniques were experimented for real-time scanning on flow phantoms and preliminary measurements in vivo on a human carotid artery.

Efficacy of probing for children with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction: a retrospective study using fluorescein dye disappearance test and lacrimal sac echography.

PubMed

Steindler, Piero; Mantovani, Enrico; Incorvaia, Carlo; Parmeggiani, Francesco

2009-06-01

To evaluate B-scan echography for the assessment of lacrimal sac (LS) in pediatric epiphora secondary to congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO), and to verify its predictive role in functional efficacy of nasolacrimal duct probing. Thirty-nine eyes of 23 consecutive children, treated with a single probing for persistent CNLDO-related epiphora, were retrospectively studied. These cases were investigated both collectively and considering two sub-groups: group A (ten patients [20 eyes] 13 months. Fluorescein dye disappearance test at 10 minutes (FDDT-10) and ultrasound examination of LS were performed before and after probing. An echographic LS scoring system (grade 0 = no LS enlargement; grade 1 = slight longitudinal LS enlargement; grade 2 = longitudinal and slight transverse LS enlargement; grade 3 = marked longitudinal and transverse LS enlargement) was introduced as a predictor of probing efficacy, estimating FDDT-10 modification between pre- and post-operative checks. Echographic LS evaluation was easily practicable without sedation. In the total cluster and in both age sub-groups, post-probing FDDT-10 decreased with respect to pre-probing value (p < 0.001). Post-probing LS score improved with respect to pre-probing check within the total cluster and group A (p < 0.05). Strong correlation between pre-probing LS alteration and functional probing failure was present in each studied cluster (all p values <0.0001). Within group B, a greater gain of post-probing FDDT-10 was more frequent in patients with a better pre-probing LS score, as well as in younger children (both p values <0.0001). In children with CNLDO-related epiphora, B-scan echography of the LS can represent a reliable and useful examination for a better understanding of the functional prognosis after probing treatment.

Ultrasonographic assessment of the diaphragm in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: relationships with pulmonary function and the influence of body composition - a pilot study.

PubMed

Smargiassi, Andrea; Inchingolo, Riccardo; Tagliaboschi, Linda; Di Marco Berardino, Alessandro; Valente, Salvatore; Corbo, Giuseppe Maria

2014-01-01

Skeletal muscle weakness with loss of fat-free mass (FFM) is one of the main systemic effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The diaphragm is also involved, leading to disadvantageous conditions and poor contractile capacities. We measured the thickness of the diaphragm (TD) by ultrasonography to evaluate the relationships between echographic measurements, parameters of respiratory function and body composition data. Thirty-two patients (23 males) underwent (1) pulmonary function tests, (2) echographic assessment of TD in the zone of apposition at various lung volumes, i.e. TD at residual volume (TDRV), TD at functional residual capacity (TDFRC) and TD at total lung capacity (TDTLC), and (3) bioelectrical body impedance analysis. The BMI and the BODE (BMI-Obstruction-Dyspnea-Exercise) index values were reported. TDRV, TDFRC and TDTLC measured 3.3, 3.6 and 6 mm, respectively, with good intraobserver reproducibility (0.97, 0.97 and 0.96, respectively). All the TDs were found to be related to FFM, with the relationship being greater for TDFRC (r(2) = 0.39 and p = 0.0002). With regard to lung volumes, inspiratory capacity (IC) was found to be closely related to TDTLC (r(2) = 0.42 and p = 0.0001). The difference between TDTLC and TDRV, as a thickening value (TDTLCRV), was closely related to FVC (r(2) = 0.34 and p = 0.0004) and to air-trapping indices (RV/TLC, FRC/TLC and IC/TLC): the degree of lung hyperinflation was greater and the TDTLCRV was less. Finally, we found a progressive reduction of both thicknesses and thickenings as the severity of IC/TLC increased, with a significant p value for the trend in both analyses (p = 0.02). Ultrasonographic assessment of the diaphragm could be a useful tool for studying disease progression in COPD patients, in terms of lung hyperinflation and the loss of FFM. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Techniques and applications of noninvasive high-resolution ultrasound imaging].

PubMed

Grégoire, J-M; Serrière, S; Georgesco, G; Jamet, F; Bleuzen, A; Ossant, F; Levassort, F; Tranquart, F; Patat, F

2006-12-01

Today manufacturers propose echographic systems with a resolution ranging from 100 microm down to 30 microm. This requires ultrasonic frequencies ranging from 20 to 60 MHz. However, when associated with an increase in the attenuation of the wave in the media this limits the applications to superficial exploration. High frequencies also bring special technological limitations mainly in the fields of transducers, electronics, and acoustic coupling. Although high-resolution echography has long remained marginal and been used for the exploration of the skin or the anterior chamber of the eye, new powerful and easy-to-use devices have recently appeared on the market. With these new products, new applications have also appeared such as the exploration of the oral cavity or small laboratory animals (mice).

The rational use of fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in diagnosing thyroid nodules.

PubMed

Sidoti, M; Marino, G; Resmini, E; Augeri, C; Cappi, C; Cavallero, D; Lagasio, C; Ceppa, P; Minuto, F; Giusti, M

2006-06-01

Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules and enables the number of surgical operations to be reduced. Theoretically, FNAB should be carried out on all nodules, though currently only those displaying certain characteristics are biopsied. Indeed, to perform FNAB on all nodules may be regarded as an excess of zeal. Therefore, it seems advisable that the endocrinologist should be able to confirm on the spot the necessity and utility of FNAB. We evaluated on a sample of 263 consecutive requests (209 female, 57 male; age 56.7+/-13.7 years) for FNAB in 2004: 1) the appropriateness of the investigation, 2) expected efficacy, 3) practical efficacy, 4) efficiency. FNAB was performed under echo-guidance in accordance with the standard technique. In 50%, 36%, 6%, 3%, 2% and 1% of cases, the echographic diagnosis was of MNG, UNG, pseudo-nodular lesion in ATD, lymph-node, neck cyst, suspected parathyroid lesion and tumefaction of the salivary glands, respectively. A pre-FNAB clinical risk score was assigned to each case on the basis of clinical and echographic data, with a maximum possible score of 11. The results of FNAB were subdivided into 5 categories according to the criteria of the BTA (Thy1-Thy5). After FNAB, a decisional category was assigned, ranging from ''observation'' to ''surgery''; this was subsequently (7-18 months) compared with the management strategy adopted by the attending physician. Information was gathered by means of telephone enquiry. 1) Appropriateness: on the basis of clinical and echographic findings, FNAB was not judged appropriate in 24% of cases because of either the lack of confirmation of a significant target (34%) or a low pre-FNAB risk score (range 0-2) (66%). The decisional category was ''observation'' in 87% of cases and ''further investigation'' in 13%. 2) Expected efficacy: FNAB was performed in 76% of cases. The biopsies (3%) performed on swollen lymph-nodes and extra-thyroid neck tumefactions, in which biochemical evaluation was positive, proved to be diagnostic but not classifiable according to the BTA. In 82% of the remaining cases, the result was Thy2 (observation) or Thy 4-5 (surgery). Thy3 results (surgery) were rare (1%). Thy1 results (16%) were yielded by the aspiration of colloid cysts (29%), solid lesions (10%) characterised by means of PTH-FNAB and Tg-FNAB, nodules (9%) no longer detectable on repetition of FNAB, nodules (16%) in which FNAB was already a repetition of a non-diagnostic investigation (2003), and nodules (9%) in which the presence of normal thyrocytes, ''hot'' scintigraphic image and prior decision of the surgeon advised against repeating FNAB. Of the patients with Thy1 results, 26% refused to repeat FNAB. In all, 95% of FNAB supported by biochemical evaluation yielded results that usefully contributed to patient management. The correlation between pre-FNAB clinical risk and cytological score according to the BTA proved significant (P<0.001). No difference in diameter was recorded between nodules with adequate cytology (23.3+/-0.9 mm) and those with inadequate cytology (25.2+/-1.6 mm). 3) Practical efficacy: 75% of patients were reached by telephone. In most cases, observation was the most frequent clinical choice, after echography and/or FNAB. The decisional category assigned after FNAB correlated significantly (P<0.001) with the approach adopted by the attending physician. d) Efficiency: following FNAB, 11 patients were assigned to surgery. DTC was detected in 100% of these cases (1 follicular carcinoma, 1 insular carcinoma, 9 papillary carcinoma). The success of FNAB (9/11) in detecting lesions that proved malignant on histological examination (11/11) was significant (P<0.05). Of the 2 Thy 3 cases, 1 was follicular carcinoma and 1 was follicular adenoma with adjacent papillary carcinoma. The incidence of thyroid carcinomas in the population studied was 5.5%. 1) Together with clinical-biochemical evaluation, echo-guided FNAB re-mains the first-line diagnostic test in the management of thyroid nodules; 2) a pre-FNAB clinical risk score is useful in limiting the number of probably inappropriate investigations; 3) efficacy, in terms of cytology results that are useful for patient management after FNAB (and after biochemical evaluation, when indicated) is high, enabling patients to be stratified in classes with different subsequent pathways; 4) in the vast majority of cases, FNAB influences subsequent clinical decisions; 5) false negatives cannot be excluded, while false positives are practically nil; 6) further indications may be yielded by studies on larger populations, and new prospects may emerge from the application of other techniques associated to FNAB.

Teacher's Guide to SERAPHIM Software I. Chemistry: Experimental Foundations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bogner, Donna J.

Designed to assist chemistry teachers in selecting appropriate software programs, this publication is the first in a series of six teacher's guides from Project SERAPHIM, a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. This guide is keyed to the chapters of the text "Chemistry: Experimental Foundations." Program suggestions are…

In vivo swine myocardial tissue characterization and monitoring during open chest surgery by time-resolved diffuse near-infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinelli, Lorenzo; Contini, Davide; Farina, Andrea; Torricelli, Alessandro; Pifferi, Antonio; Cubeddu, Rinaldo; Ascari, Luca; Potì, Luca; Trivella, Maria Giovanna; L'Abbate, Antonio; Puzzuoli, Stefano

2011-03-01

Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in industrialized countries. Worldwide, a large number of patients suffering from cardiac diseases are treated by surgery. Despite the advances achieved in the last decades with myocardial protection, surgical failure can still occur. This is due at least in part to the imperfect control of the metabolic status of the heart in the various phases of surgical intervention. At present, this is indirectly controlled by the electrocardiogram and the echographic monitoring of cardiac mechanics as direct measurements are lacking. Diffuse optical technologies have recently emerged as promising tools for the characterization of biological tissues like breast, muscles and bone, and for the monitoring of important metabolic parameters such as blood oxygenation, volume and flow. As a matter of fact, their utility has been demonstrated in a variety of applications for functional imaging of the brain, optical mammography and monitoring of muscle metabolism. However, due to technological and practical difficulties, their potential for cardiac monitoring has not yet been exploited. In this work we show the feasibility of the in-vivo determination of absorption and scattering spectra of the cardiac muscle in the 600-1100 nm range, and of monitoring myocardial tissue hemodynamics by time domain near-infrared spectroscopy at 690 nm and 830 nm. Both measurements have been performed on the exposed beating heart during open chest surgery in pigs, an experimental model closely mimicking the clinical cardio-surgical setting.

An Experimental Text in Transformational Geometry; Teachers' Guide; Cambridge Conference on School Mathematics Feasibility Study No. 43b.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cambridge Conference on School Mathematics, Newton, MA.

This teachers' guide was written to be used in conjunction with the student text, An Experimental Text in Transformational Geometry. The guide is intended to help teachers who have responsibility for teaching the topics Motions and Transformations in the Plane. Each section commences with a general discussion concerning the major ideas which are…

The Effect of Guided-Inquiry Instruction on 6th Grade Turkish Students' Achievement, Science Process Skills, and Attitudes Toward Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koksal, Ela Ayse; Berberoglu, Giray

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of guided-inquiry approach in science classes over existing science and technology curriculum in developing content-based science achievement, science process skills, and attitude toward science of grade level 6 students in Turkey. Non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design was used to investigate the treatment effect. There were 162 students in the experimental group and 142 students in the control group. Both the experimental and control group students took the Achievement Test in Reproduction, Development, and Growth in Living Things (RDGLT), Science Process Skills Test, and Attitudes Toward Science Questionnaire, as pre-test and post-test. Repeated analysis of variance design was used in analyzing the data. Both the experimental and control group students were taught in RDGLT units for 22 class hours. The results indicated the positive effect of guided-inquiry approach on the Turkish students' cognitive as well as affective characteristics. The guided inquiry enhanced the experimental group students' understandings of the science concepts as well as the inquiry skills more than the control group students. Similarly, the experimental group students improved their attitudes toward science more than the control group students as a result of treatment. The guided inquiry seems a transition between traditional teaching method and student-centred activities in the Turkish schools.

Theoretical, Experimental, and Computational Evaluation of Disk-Loaded Circular Wave Guides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallett, Thomas M.; Qureshi, A. Haq

1994-01-01

A disk-loaded circular wave guide structure and test fixture were fabricated. The dispersion characteristics were found by theoretical analysis, experimental testing, and computer simulation using the codes ARGUS and SOS. Interaction impedances were computed based on the corresponding dispersion characteristics. Finally, an equivalent circuit model for one period of the structure was chosen using equivalent circuit models for cylindrical wave guides of different radii. Optimum values for the discrete capacitors and inductors describing discontinuities between cylindrical wave guides were found using the computer code TOUCHSTONE.

[Hematometra & Listeria monocytogenes].

PubMed

Gómez Arzapalo, E; Pérez Mendizábal, A; Herrera Avalos, I; Gorozpe Calvillo, J I

2001-05-01

The hematometra is a nosological entity that may not always be attributed to an embryonic defect of the paramesonefros; cervical-vaginal infections such as etiological possibilities due to Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), cervix malignant neoplasias, iatrogenias due to endometrial ablation with Lasser, traumatic bloody uterine curetage and because of cervical cryocoagulation or electrocoagulation are also mentioned. The case to be reported is from a woman in reproductive stage, who is 32 years old, and had menarca at the age of 13, starting her sexual life at 31, not using any method to control her fertility. When having an eight-week amenorrhea after 8 months of marriage, she visited the doctor for assumed pregnancy, within the prenatal analysis a pelvic echographic study was requested, finding out images that we concluded as hematometra, having been drained and demonstrated the presence of LM by anti-Lm antibodies, being administered Azitromicina and Espiramicina.

Pulmonary hypertension in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and portal hypertension. An echographic study.

PubMed

Gurghean, Adriana V; Tudor, Ioana A

2017-01-01

The aim of the study is to determine the frequency of pulmonary hypertension in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and portal hypertension, to determine the possibility of an accurate ultrasound diagnosis of the characteristics of this complication. 347 patients with liver cirrhosis consecutively hospitalized at Coltea Clinical Hospital were screened. 61 were excluded because of other possible causes of portal or pulmonary hypertension. All patients were investigated clinically and by abdominal and cardiac ultrasonography. Of the remaining 286 patients, 116 had portal hypertension, 27 of them (23%) having pulmonary hypertension. In this group we found a higher cardiac index and right atrial volume, higher pressures in the right atrium, suggesting a hyperdynamic state. Porto-pulmonary hypertension was found in only one patient. Echocardiography permits characterization of patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

Vaginal intratubal insemination (VITI) and vaginal GIFT, endosonographic technique: early experience.

PubMed

Lucena, E; Ruiz, J A; Mendoza, J C; Ortiz, J A; Lucena, C; Gomez, M; Arango, A

1989-08-01

A new technique for vaginal intratubal insemination (VITI) and transvaginal gamete intra-Fallopian transfer (TV-GIFT) using endosonography has been developed. A total of 47 infertile couples were treated using a K-JITS 1000-1100 catheter (William Cook, Australia; Jansen Anderson Intratubal Transfer Set) introduced by Jansen and Anderson in Sydney, Australia, and endosonographic control with a Kretz Combison 310 echograph and a 5/7.5 MHz vaginal sectorial transducer. In 40 couples, the VITI technique was used, and in the other seven couples, TV-GIFT was used. Fifteen pregnancies (37.5%) were obtained in 63 VITI cycles (23.8% per treatment cycle) and three with TV-GIFT (42% per treatment cycle). A review is also presented of the migration--sedimentation technique used for management of male factor in an artificial insemination programme.

[Left auricular hypertrophy in aortic stenosis in adults].

PubMed

Boschat, J; Le Mehaute, H; Le Potier, J; Roriz, R; Gilard, M; Bergez, C; Etienne, Y; Blanc, J J; Penther, P

1990-02-01

Left atrial hypertrophy (LAH) was noted from the electrocardiograms of 72 of 98 adult patients (81%) who underwent hemodynamic evaluation of calcified aortostenosis (CAS). The relations between LAH and clinical, echographic and hemodynamic findings are specified. The frequency of LAH was not higher in cases of a history of hypertension, angina pectoris, lipothymia or exercise-induced syncope. In contrast, dyspnea was more frequently associated with LAH (84%) than not (17%). An approximately linear relation was seen between LAH and the mean pulmonary capillary pressure, the mean rate of circumferential decrease (RCF), the coefficient of muscle rigidity (ks of Mirsky), the left ventricular mass (LVM) and the left ventricle-aorta gradient. LAH is, therefore, a frequent sign in patients presenting CAS. Its origin is multifactorial, with a predominance of increased mean capillary pressure in cases of clinical signs of poor safety.

[The best of valvular heart disease in 2002].

PubMed

Hanania, G; Acar, C; Michel, P L; Maroni, J P

2003-01-01

For AS, besides a very thorough update by Carabello on their management, new experimental work confirms that the pathophysiology of the condition is closer to atherosclerotic and inflammatory processes than pure degeneration. Moreover this year brings a batch of long term post-operative results, one of which is an important series relating to 2194 bioprostheses followed up for 15 years. The choice of valvular substitute between 60 and 70 years old is the subject for several studies. A series of 259 re-operations for bioprosthesis deterioration allows quantification of the operative risk to which those with this substitute are subjected in case of degeneration. Finally, the strategy to adopt in a patient with an indication for aortocoronary bypass but also with a not-tight AS is discussed (abstention, decalcification, or "preventive" valvular replacement?). For aortic insufficiency (AI) some new results for the Ross operation have been published and the first publications reporting on the attempts of experimental positioning of bioprostheses via the percutaneous route in animals are appearing. As for mitral valvulopathies, MI has carved a privileged place. Much work this year relates amongst other things to functional MI in dilated cardiomyopathies with dilatation of the ring, to the natural history of mitral valvular prolapse detailed in an important series of 833 patients, and to the evolutive risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) with MI and its treatment during plasty or mitral valvular replacement procedures. Anticoagulant treatment for mechanical prostheses is the subject of much work drawn from a large German prospective study (GELIA) confirming the general tendency for alleviation of intensity in aortic especially but also mitral valvulopathies, stressing the advantages of autocontrol. Finally, the Valvulopathy Working Group of the European Society of Cardiology publishes its recommendations for asymptomatic valvulopathies, recalling the echographic criteria of dilatation and left ventricular function to be retained for operative indications, emphasising furthermore the significance of the stress test in the follow up of asymptomatic AS.

Load Measurement in Structural Members Using Guided Acoustic Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Feng; Wilcox, Paul D.

2006-03-01

A non-destructive technique to measure load in structures such as rails and bridge cables by using guided acoustic waves is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Robust finite element models for predicting the effect of load on guided wave propagation are developed and example results are presented for rods. Reasonably good agreement of experimental results with modelling prediction is obtained. The measurement technique has been developed to perform tests on larger specimens.

The effects of guided inquiry instruction on student achievement in high school biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vass, Laszlo

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to measure the effect of a student-centered instructional method called guided inquiry on the achievement of students in a unit of study in high school biology. The study used a non-random sample of 109 students, the control group of 55 students enrolled in high school one, received teacher centered instruction while the experimental group of 54 students enrolled at high school two received student-centered, guided inquiry instruction. The pretest-posttest design of the study analyzed scores using an independent t-test, a dependent t-test (p = <.001), an ANCOVA (p = .007), mixed method ANOVA (p = .024) and hierarchical linear regression (p = <.001). The experimental group that received guided inquiry instruction had statistically significantly higher achievement than the control group.

Guiding of laser pulses in plasma waveguides created by linearly-polarized femtosecond laser pulses

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

Lemos, N.; Cardoso, L.; Geada, J.

We experimentally demonstrate that plasma waveguides produced with ultra-short laser pulses (sub-picosecond) in gas jets are capable of guiding high intensity laser pulses. This scheme has the unique ability of guiding a high-intensity laser pulse in a plasma waveguide created by the same laser system in the very simple and stable experimental setup. A hot plasma column was created by a femtosecond class laser that expands into an on-axis parabolic low density profile suitable to act as a waveguide for high intensity laser beams. We have successfully guided ~10 15 W cm -2 laser pulses in a 8 mm longmore » hydrogen plasma waveguide with a 35% guiding efficiency.« less

Guiding of laser pulses in plasma waveguides created by linearly-polarized femtosecond laser pulses

DOE PAGES

Lemos, N.; Cardoso, L.; Geada, J.; ...

2018-02-16

We experimentally demonstrate that plasma waveguides produced with ultra-short laser pulses (sub-picosecond) in gas jets are capable of guiding high intensity laser pulses. This scheme has the unique ability of guiding a high-intensity laser pulse in a plasma waveguide created by the same laser system in the very simple and stable experimental setup. A hot plasma column was created by a femtosecond class laser that expands into an on-axis parabolic low density profile suitable to act as a waveguide for high intensity laser beams. We have successfully guided ~10 15 W cm -2 laser pulses in a 8 mm longmore » hydrogen plasma waveguide with a 35% guiding efficiency.« less

GUIDE-0: An Experimental Information System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murai, Shinnichi

A description is provided of GUIDE-0, an experimental information system. The system serves as a bibliographic aid for students who are taking introductory computer science courses whose material is at least partially implemented via PLATO-IV lessons. Following a brief introduction to the system in Chapter I, the second Chapter describes the…

Guided-Inquiry Labs Using Bean Beetles for Teaching the Scientific Method & Experimental Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlueter, Mark A.; D'Costa, Allison R.

2013-01-01

Guided-inquiry lab activities with bean beetles ("Callosobruchus maculatus") teach students how to develop hypotheses, design experiments, identify experimental variables, collect and interpret data, and formulate conclusions. These activities provide students with real hands-on experiences and skills that reinforce their understanding of the…

Guided waves by axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric surface loading on hollow cylinders

PubMed

Shin; Rose

1999-06-01

Guided waves generated by axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric surface loading on a hollow cylinder are studied. For the theoretical analysis of the superposed guided waves, a normal mode concept is employed. The amplitude factors of individual guided wave modes are studied with respect to varying surface pressure loading profiles. Both theoretical and experimental focus is given to the guided waves generated by both axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric excitation. For the experiments, a comb transducer and high power tone burst function generator system are used on a sample Inconel tube. Surface loading conditions, such as circumferential loading angles and axial loading lengths, are used with the frequency and phase velocity to control the axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric mode excitations. The experimental study demonstrates the use of a practical non-axisymmetric partial loading technique in generating axisymmetric modes, particularly useful in the inspection of tubing and piping with limited circumferential access. From both theoretical and experimental studies, it also could be said that the amount of flexural modes reflected from a defect contains information on the reflector's circumferential angle, as well as potentially other classification and sizing feature information. The axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric guided wave modes should both be carefully considered for improvement of the overall analysis of guided waves generated in hollow cylinders.

A guide to experimental particle physics literature, 1991-1996

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

Ezhela, V.V.; Filimonov, B.B.; Lugovsky, S.B.

1996-10-01

We present an indexed guide to experimental particle physics literature for the years 1991 - 1996. Approximately 4200 papers are indexed by (1) Beam/Target/Momentum (2) Reaction/Momentum/Data-Descriptor (including the final state) (3) Particle/Decay (4) Accelerator/Experiment/Detector. All indices are cross-referenced to the paper`s title and references in the ID/Reference/Title index. The information presented in this guide is also publicly available on a regularly-updated DATAGUIDE database from the World Wide Web.

Biology, Environmental Education Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Project I-C-E, Green Bay, WI.

This biology guide, for use at the secondary level, is one of a series of guides, K-12, which were developed by teachers to help introduce environmental education into the total curriculum. The guides are supplementary in design, containing a series of episodes (minilessons) that emphasize experimentation and discussion relating to environmental…

Bicycle Safety, Grades K-6. Experimental Curriculum Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

This experimental curriculum guide for bicycle safety begins with a chapter listing vehicle and traffic laws pertaining to bicycling. Chapter 2 of the guide is organized by grade level. Appropriate lesson plans for bicycle safety are presented with aims, concepts activities and behavioral objectives. A 24-item list of activities summarizes these…

CSMP Mathematics for Kindergarten, Teacher's Guide [and] Worksheets. Final Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandeputte, Christiane

This guide represents the final experimental version of an extended pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The manner of presentation and the pedagogical ideas and tools are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized as having introduced colored arrow drawings…

Open-Ended versus Guided Laboratory Activities: Impact on Students' Beliefs about Experimental Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Bethany R.; Lewandowski, H. J.

2016-01-01

Improving students' understanding of the nature of experimental physics is often an explicit or implicit goal of undergraduate laboratory physics courses. However, lab activities in traditional lab courses are typically characterized by highly structured, guided labs that often do not require or encourage students to engage authentically in the…

The Effects of Reflection on Student's Technology Integration Self-Efficacy in an Educational Technology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Bi-Jen

2015-01-01

This study explored whether guided reflection using predetermined prompts can enhance preservice teachers' development of technology integration self-efficacy (TISE) beliefs. A quantitative approach and a quasi-experimental, pre- and posttest design with two experimental groups and a control group were used. Two types of guided reflection prompts…

[Thoracic aortic dissection revealed by systemic cholesterol embolism].

PubMed

Braem, L; Paule, P; Héno, P; Morand, J J; Mafart, B; La Folie, T; Varlet, P; Mioulet, D; Fourcade, L

2006-10-01

Systemic cholesterol embolism is a rare complication of atherosclerosis, and has various presentations. Arterial catheterisms are a common cause. However, the association with an aortic dissection has been exceptionally reported. We report the observation of a 70 year-old man, with coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia. Six months before hospitalization, a coronary angioplasty was performed due to recurrent angina. The association of purpuric lesions on the feet, with acute renal failure confirmed cholesterol embolism syndrome. Transoesophageal echocardiography showed a dissection of the descending thoracic aorta associated with complex atheroma. The evolution was marked by the pulpar necrosis of a toe and by a worsening of the renal failure, requiring definitive hemodialysis. Further echographic control highlighted the rupture of the intimal veil of the dissection. Cholesterol embolism syndrome may reveal an aortic dissection in patients without thoracic symptoms. In such cases, transoesophageal echocardiography is a useful and non-invasive examination.

Blue nevus of the prostate: incidental finding in radical prostatectomy specimen with a pre-operative echographic image of peripheral hypoechogenic nodule.

PubMed

Raspollini, Maria Rosaria; Masieri, Lorenzo; Tosi, Nicola; Santucci, Marco

2011-12-01

Blue nevus is a stromal melanin deposition, which is microscopically characterized by deeply pigmented melanin-filled spindle cells within the fibromuscular stroma. Cases with prominent melanosis such as those with grossly visible pigment are uncommon. Melanocytic lesions of the prostate are incidental findings with no evidence of malignant transformation. There have only been very few reports of a malignant melanoma of primary prostatic origin. We report an incidental finding of a blue nevus of the prostate, in a radical prostatectomy specimen, in a 64-years-old man with a pre-operative ecographic image of peripheral hypoechogenic nodule. The are very few reports of blue nevi associated to prostatic adenocarcinoma, but none has been evidentiated before surgery as a distinct ultrasound lesion interpreted as adenocarcinoma, therefore inducing the clinician to perform biopsies and consequently a radical prostatectomy.

Ultrasonography in lung pathologies: new perspectives.

PubMed

Demi, Libertario; Demi, Marcello; Smargiassi, Andrea; Inchingolo, Riccardo; Faita, Francesco; Soldati, Gino

2014-01-01

Nowadays, ultrasound techniques have not gained importance in the diagnosis and monitoring of lung pathologies yet because of the high mismatch in acoustic impedance between air and intercostal tissues. However, it is evident that B-mode imaging provides important information on pulmonary tissue, although in the form of image artifacts. Notwithstanding medical evidences, there exists no ultrasound-based method dedicated to the lung, hampering de facto the full exploitation of ultrasound potentials. A chance is given by the experience acquired in other fields, where acoustic attenuation is used to estimate concentrations of suspended particles in liquids and of air-bubbles in aerated foods. Custom hardware must be developed since commercial echographic equipment has been optimized to work with low acoustic impedance mismatches, and, in general, does not provide the primitive radiofrequency (RF) signals nor the possibility to tune key acquisition parameters such as ultrasound carrier frequency and pulse bandwidth, which are surely needed for our application.

Ultrasonography in lung pathologies: new perspectives

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Nowadays, ultrasound techniques have not gained importance in the diagnosis and monitoring of lung pathologies yet because of the high mismatch in acoustic impedance between air and intercostal tissues. However, it is evident that B-mode imaging provides important information on pulmonary tissue, although in the form of image artifacts. Findings Notwithstanding medical evidences, there exists no ultrasound-based method dedicated to the lung, hampering de facto the full exploitation of ultrasound potentials. A chance is given by the experience acquired in other fields, where acoustic attenuation is used to estimate concentrations of suspended particles in liquids and of air-bubbles in aerated foods. Conclusions Custom hardware must be developed since commercial echographic equipment has been optimized to work with low acoustic impedance mismatches, and, in general, does not provide the primitive radiofrequency (RF) signals nor the possibility to tune key acquisition parameters such as ultrasound carrier frequency and pulse bandwidth, which are surely needed for our application. PMID:24834347

Optimization of a phased-array transducer for multiple harmonic imaging in medical applications: frequency and topology.

PubMed

Matte, Guillaume M; Van Neer, Paul L M J; Danilouchkine, Mike G; Huijssen, Jacob; Verweij, Martin D; de Jong, Nico

2011-03-01

Second-harmonic imaging is currently one of the standards in commercial echographic systems for diagnosis, because of its high spatial resolution and low sensitivity to clutter and near-field artifacts. The use of nonlinear phenomena mirrors is a great set of solutions to improve echographic image resolution. To further enhance the resolution and image quality, the combination of the 3rd to 5th harmonics--dubbed the superharmonics--could be used. However, this requires a bandwidth exceeding that of conventional transducers. A promising solution features a phased-array design with interleaved low- and high-frequency elements for transmission and reception, respectively. Because the amplitude of the backscattered higher harmonics at the transducer surface is relatively low, it is highly desirable to increase the sensitivity in reception. Therefore, we investigated the optimization of the number of elements in the receiving aperture as well as their arrangement (topology). A variety of configurations was considered, including one transmit element for each receive element (1/2) up to one transmit for 7 receive elements (1/8). The topologies are assessed based on the ratio of the harmonic peak pressures in the main and grating lobes. Further, the higher harmonic level is maximized by optimization of the center frequency of the transmitted pulse. The achievable SNR for a specific application is a compromise between the frequency-dependent attenuation and nonlinearity at a required penetration depth. To calculate the SNR of the complete imaging chain, we use an approach analogous to the sonar equation used in underwater acoustics. The generated harmonic pressure fields caused by nonlinear wave propagation were modeled with the iterative nonlinear contrast source (INCS) method, the KZK, or the Burger's equation. The optimal topology for superharmonic imaging was an interleaved design with 1 transmit element per 6 receive elements. It improves the SNR by ~5 dB compared with the interleaved (1/2) design reported in literature. The optimal transmit frequency for superharmonic echocardiography was found to be 1.0 to 1.2 MHz. For superharmonic abdominal imaging this frequency was found to be 1.7 to 1.9 MHz. For 2nd-harmonic echocardiography, the optimal transmit frequency of 1.8 MHz reported in the literature was corroborated with our simulation results.

WAVE DELAYING STRUCTURE FOR RECTANGULAR WAVE-GUIDES

DOEpatents

Robertson-Shersby-Harvie, R.B.; Dain, J.

1956-11-13

This patent relates to wave-guides and in particular describes wave delaying structure located within a wave-guide. The disclosed wave-guide has an elongated fiat metal sheet arranged in a central plane of the guide and formed with a series of transverse inductive slots such that each face presents an inductive impedance to the guide. The sheet is thickened in the area between slots to increase the self capacity of the slots. Experimental results indicate that in a wave-guide loaded in accordance with the invention the guided wavelength changes more slowly as the air wavelength is changed than the guided wavelength does in wave-guides loaded by means of corrugations.

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part IV, Teacher's Guide. General Introduction. Workbooks. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Richard; And Others

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and the manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized for having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part I, Teacher's Guide. General Introduction. Workbooks. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Burt; And Others

This guide represents the final experimental version of an extended pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The manner of presentation and pedagogical ideas and tools are based on the works of George and Frederique Papy. They are recognized as having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams")…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part III, Teacher's Guide [and] Worksheets. General Introduction. Workbooks. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harpel, Jim; And Others

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and the manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized for having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part I, Teacher's Guide [and] Worksheets. The World of Numbers. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Ann, MO.

This guide represents the final experimental version of an extended pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The manner of presentation and pedagogical ideas and tools are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized as having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams")…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part III, Teacher's Guide. The World of Numbers. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Ann, MO.

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and the manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized for having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part II, Teacher's Guide. General Introduction. Workbooks. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harpel, Jim; And Others

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and the manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized for having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part IV, Teacher's Guide. The World of Numbers. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Ann, MO.

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and the manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized for having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration…

Elastic solitons in delaminated bars: splitting leads to fission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samsonov, A. M.; Dreiden, G. V.; Khusnutdinova, K. R.; Semenova, I. V.

2008-06-01

Recent theoretical and successful experimental studies confirmed existence and demonstrated main properties of bulk strain solitary waves in nonlinearly elastic solid wave guides. Our current research is devoted to nonlinear wave processes in layered elastic wave guides with inhomogeneities modelling delamination. We present first theoretical and experimental results showing the influence of delamination on the parameters of the longitudinal strain solitary wave.

Curriculum in Food Handling and Distribution; a Guide for Experimentation in High School and Post High School Vocational Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stiles, Philip G.; And Others

The project developed an experimental curriculum guide for training persons at the high school and post-high school levels in food handling and distribution. Data were gathered through interviews with over 200 food industries in Connecticut. Courses and curriculums were obtained from six secondary schools and seven post-secondary schools. Some of…

CSMP Mathematics for the Upper Primary Grades Part II, Teacher's Guide [and] Worksheets. General Introduction. The World of Numbers. Final Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heidema, Clare; Schweitzer, Janis

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized as having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration system (the…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part II, Teacher's Guide [and] Worksheets. The World of Numbers. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Ann, MO.

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and the manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized for having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration…

CSMP Mathematics for the Upper Primary Grades Part I, Teacher's Guide [and] Worksheets. General Introduction. The World of Numbers. Final Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heidema, Clare; Schweitzer, Janis

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized as having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration system (the…

WAVE DELAYING STRUCTURE FOR RECTANGULAR WAVE-GUIDES

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

Robertson-Shersby-Harvie, R.B.; Dain, J.

1956-11-13

This patent relates to wave-guides and in particular describes wave delaying structure located within a wave-guide. The disclosed wave-guide has an elongated fiat metal sheet arranged in a central plane of the guide and formed with a series of transverse inductive slots such that each face presents an inductive impedance to the guide. The sheet is thickened in the area between slots to increase the self capacity of the slots. Experimental results indicate that in a wave-guide loaded in accordance with the invention the guided wavelength changes more slowly as the air wavelength is changed than the guided wavelength doesmore » in wave-guides loaded by means of corrugations.« less

Effect of Relaxation With Guided Imagery on The Physical and Psychological Symptoms of Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.

PubMed

Chen, Shu-Fen; Wang, Hsiu-Ho; Yang, Hsing-Yu; Chung, Ue-Lin

2015-11-01

Breast cancer patients frequently experience psychological distress during the chemotherapy period. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of relaxation with guided imagery on patients with breast cancer. A two-group, pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design with a randomized controlled trial was conducted. Sixty-five breast cancer patients from one medical center in Taiwan were enrolled in the study. These patients were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 32) or to the control group (n = 33). Both groups received chemotherapy self-care education, but the experimental group also received relaxation with guided imagery training. The training on relaxation with guided imagery was conducted before chemotherapy, and the patients were supplied with a compact disc detailing the performance of relaxation with guided imagery for 20 minutes daily at home for 7 days after chemotherapy. The experimental group showed significant decreases in insomnia (-0.34 ± 0.83, P < 0.05), pain (-0.28 ± 0.58, P < 0.05), anxiety (-3.56 ± 2.94, P < 0.00), and depression (-2.38 ± 2.70, P < 0.00) between the pretest and the posttest. Comparing the two groups, statistically significant differences were found in the overall symptom distress (B = 0.11, P < 0.05), insomnia (B = 0.50, P <0.05), depression (B = 0.38, P < 0.05), and numbness in physical symptoms (B = 0.38, P < 0.05), as well as in anxiety (B = 3.08, P < 0.00) and depression (B = 1.86, P < 0.00) in psychological distress. One week of relaxation with guided imagery can significantly improve the overall symptoms of distress, insomnia, depression, physical symptoms, and anxiety, and can decrease psychological distress. Relaxation with guided imagery had a positive effect on mediating anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients.

CSMP Mathematics for the Upper Primary Grades Part I, Teacher's Guide. The Languages of Strings and Arrows. Geometry and Measurement. Workbooks. Final Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Ann, MO.

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project conducted in the Unites States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized as having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration system (the…

CSMP Mathematics for the Upper Primary Grades Part II, Teacher's Guide. The Languages of Strings and Arrows. Geometry and Measurement. Workbooks. Final Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Ann, MO.

This guide represents the final experimental version of an extended pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The manner of presentation and the pedagogical ideas and tools are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized as having introduced colored arrow drawings…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part II, Teacher's Guide. The Languages of Strings and Arrows. Geometry and Measurement. Probability and Statistics. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Ann, MO.

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and the manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized for having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part III, Teacher's Guide. The Languages of Strings and Arrows. Geometry and Measurement. Probability and Statistics. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Ann, MO.

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and the manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized for having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration…

DIUx Commercial Solutions Opening: How to Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-30

Secretary Carter charged ​ the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (​DIUx) to “develop new partnerships with the private sector in communities in Silicon...founded the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) to accelerate innovation to the warfighter. In the past, government funding spurred significant...philosophy on OTs. These are guiding principles through which DIUx designed the CSO that can easily be adopted by others as an additional tool in the

Non-invasive MR-guided HIFU Therapy of TSC-Associated Renal Angiomyolipomas

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-11-1-0299 TITLE: Non- invasive MR-guided HIFU Therapy...3. DATES COVERED 1 July 2011-30 June 2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Non- invasive MR-guided HIFU Therapy of TSC-Associated Renal Angiomyolipomas 5a... focused on technological development for thermal ablation in mice. Our goal was to establish a small-animal MR-guided HIFU experimental system that

An External Archive-Guided Multiobjective Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm.

PubMed

Zhu, Qingling; Lin, Qiuzhen; Chen, Weineng; Wong, Ka-Chun; Coello Coello, Carlos A; Li, Jianqiang; Chen, Jianyong; Zhang, Jun

2017-09-01

The selection of swarm leaders (i.e., the personal best and global best), is important in the design of a multiobjective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm. Such leaders are expected to effectively guide the swarm to approach the true Pareto optimal front. In this paper, we present a novel external archive-guided MOPSO algorithm (AgMOPSO), where the leaders for velocity update are all selected from the external archive. In our algorithm, multiobjective optimization problems (MOPs) are transformed into a set of subproblems using a decomposition approach, and then each particle is assigned accordingly to optimize each subproblem. A novel archive-guided velocity update method is designed to guide the swarm for exploration, and the external archive is also evolved using an immune-based evolutionary strategy. These proposed approaches speed up the convergence of AgMOPSO. The experimental results fully demonstrate the superiority of our proposed AgMOPSO in solving most of the test problems adopted, in terms of two commonly used performance measures. Moreover, the effectiveness of our proposed archive-guided velocity update method and immune-based evolutionary strategy is also experimentally validated on more than 30 test MOPs.

Open-ended versus guided laboratory activities:Impact on students' beliefs about experimental physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, Bethany R.; Lewandowski, H. J.

2016-12-01

Improving students' understanding of the nature of experimental physics is often an explicit or implicit goal of undergraduate laboratory physics courses. However, lab activities in traditional lab courses are typically characterized by highly structured, guided labs that often do not require or encourage students to engage authentically in the process of experimental physics. Alternatively, open-ended laboratory activities can provide a more authentic learning environment by, for example, allowing students to exercise greater autonomy in what and how physical phenomena are investigated. Engaging in authentic practices may be a critical part of improving students' beliefs around the nature of experimental physics. Here, we investigate the impact of open-ended activities in undergraduate lab courses on students' epistemologies and expectations about the nature of experimental physics, as well as their confidence and affect, as measured by the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS). Using a national data set of student responses to the E-CLASS, we find that the inclusion of some open-ended lab activities in a lab course correlates with more expertlike postinstruction responses relative to courses that include only traditional guided lab activities. This finding holds when examining postinstruction E-CLASS scores while controlling for the variance associated with preinstruction scores, course level, student major, and student gender.

Defect induced guided waves mode conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wandowski, Tomasz; Kudela, Pawel; Malinowski, Pawel; Ostachowicz, Wieslaw

2016-04-01

This paper deals with analysis of guided waves mode conversion phenomenon in fiber reinforced composite materials. Mode conversion phenomenon may take place when propagating elastic guided waves interact with discontinuities in the composite waveguide. The examples of such discontinuities are sudden thickness change or delamination between layers in composite material. In this paper, analysis of mode conversion phenomenon is based on full wave-field signals. In the full wave-field approach signals representing propagation of elastic waves are gathered from dense mesh of points that span over investigated area of composite part. This allow to animate the guided wave propagation. The reported analysis is based on signals resulting from numerical calculations and experimental measurements. In both cases defect in the form of delamination is considered. In the case of numerical research, Spectral Element Method (SEM) is utilized, in which a mesh is composed of 3D elements. Numerical model includes also piezoelectric transducer. Full wave-field experimental measurements are conducted by using piezoelectric transducer for guided wave excitation and Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer (SLDV) for sensing.

Accuracy assessment of surgical planning and three-dimensional-printed patient-specific guides for orthopaedic osteotomies.

PubMed

Sys, Gwen; Eykens, Hannelore; Lenaerts, Gerlinde; Shumelinsky, Felix; Robbrecht, Cedric; Poffyn, Bart

2017-06-01

This study analyses the accuracy of three-dimensional pre-operative planning and patient-specific guides for orthopaedic osteotomies. To this end, patient-specific guides were compared to the classical freehand method in an experimental setup with saw bones in two phases. In the first phase, the effect of guide design and oscillating versus reciprocating saws was analysed. The difference between target and performed cuts was quantified by the average distance deviation and average angular deviations in the sagittal and coronal planes for the different osteotomies. The results indicated that for one model osteotomy, the use of guides resulted in a more accurate cut when compared to the freehand technique. Reciprocating saws and slot guides improved accuracy in all planes, while oscillating saws and open guides lead to larger deviations from the planned cut. In the second phase, the accuracy of transfer of the planning to the surgical field with slot guides and a reciprocating saw was assessed and compared to the classical planning and freehand cutting method. The pre-operative plan was transferred with high accuracy. Three-dimensional-printed patient-specific guides improve the accuracy of osteotomies and bony resections in an experimental setup compared to conventional freehand methods. The improved accuracy is related to (1) a detailed and qualitative pre-operative plan and (2) an accurate transfer of the planning to the operation room with patient-specific guides by an accurate guidance of the surgical tools to perform the desired cuts.

Ultrasonographic Detection of Tooth Flaws

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertoncini, C. A.; Hinders, M. K.; Ghorayeb, S. R.

2010-02-01

The goal of our work is to adapt pulse-echo ultrasound into a high resolution imaging modality for early detection of oral diseases and for monitoring treatment outcome. In this talk we discuss our preliminary results in the detection of: demineralization of the enamel and dentin, demineralization or caries under and around existing restorations, caries on occlusal and interproximal surfaces, cracks of enamel and dentin, calculus, and periapical lesions. In vitro immersion tank experiments are compared to results from a handpiece which uses a compliant delay line to couple the ultrasound to the tooth surface. Because the waveform echoes are complex, and in order to make clinical interpretation of ultrasonic waveform data in real time, it is necessary to automatically interpret the signals. We apply the dynamic wavelet fingerprint algorithms to identify and delineate echographic features that correspond to the flaws of interest in teeth. The resulting features show a clear distinction between flawed and unflawed waveforms collected with an ultrasonic handpiece on both phantom and human cadaver teeth.

Functional Analysis of Internal Moving Organs Using Super-Resolution Echography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuda, Kohji; Ishihara, Ken; Nagakura, Toshiaki; Tsuda, Takao; Furukawa, Toshiyuki; Maeda, Hajime; Kumagai, Sadatoshi; Kodama, Shinzo

1994-05-01

We have developed super-resolution echography to visualize instantaneous velocity and acceleration of internal organs from time-series echograms recorded by a high-frame-rate echograph. The algorithm for this method involves subtraction of two echograms, dividing the difference by the brightness gradient of the first echogram, and normalization of that result by the time interval between the two echograms. Velocity or acceleration is classified into some suitable colors and superimposed on the original B-mode image. Functional diagnosis of moving organs can be made by visualizing instantaneous velocity. In the case of the heart, hypokinesis can be distinguished from a normal heart by the value and the variation of colored parts representing instantaneous velocity. This can also be applied to the liver to observe pulsatile motion. By visualizing instantaneous acceleration, increase or decrease of velocity can be detected. Throb timing and the location of arrhythmia in a heart can be observed. This method has the possibility of contributing to noninvasive functional and characteristic evaluation.

Sinus involvement in inflammatory orbital pseudotumor.

PubMed

Eshaghian, J; Anderson, R L

1981-04-01

Orbital pseudotumor is a difficult diagnosis to establish preoperatively. The relationship between sinus disease and orbital pseudotumor is controversial. We describe two patients with unilateral proptosis, diplopia, palpable orbital masses, ocular discomfort, and sinus problems of short duration. Echographically, both had low reflective masses in the orbit and the adjacent sinuses. Roentgenograms and echograms were interpreted as showing erosion of the bony orbital wall. A presumptive diagnosis of sinus malignant neoplasm with orbital extension was made. Sinus histopathologic examination in one case and nasal histopathologic examination in the other showed chronic inflammatory changes compatible with the diagnosis of pseudotumor. At orbitotomy, one patient had vessels communicating between the orbital and sinus lesions, and both patients had irregular pitting of the bone next to the histologically proved orbital pseudotumors. The lytic erosive changes predicted preoperatively were not present. Simultaneous orbital and sinus pseudotumors seem to be a distinct clinicopathologic entity. Those concerned with the diagnosis and management of orbital disease should be aware of this entity.

Guided Note Taking and Student Achievement in a Media Law Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blom, Robin

2017-01-01

In a quasi-experimental setting, a group of U.S. college students in an introductory media law course had higher test scores when the instructor provided access to guided worksheets than a group of students without access to guided worksheets. It also allows educators in journalism and mass communication to cover more materials during courses…

Jobs and Engines, Teacher's Guide: Political Issues. Comparing Political Experiences, Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillespie, Judith A.; Lazarus, Stuart

This teacher's guide to unit 5 of the 12th-grade second-semester "Comparing Political Experiences" course provides specific objectives and instructional procedures for each of the five activities that focus on the case study of the Cummins Engine Company. In addition, the guide provides instructions for coordinating the use of the…

E-Readers and the Effects on Students' Reading Motivation, Attitude and Comprehension during Guided Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Deanna; Szabo, Susan

2016-01-01

This quasi-experimental mixed methods study examined the use of e-readers during guided reading instruction and its impact on 5th grade students' reading motivation, attitude toward reading, and reading comprehension. For 10 weeks, 19 students received guided reading instruction by means of the traditional paper/text format, while 16 students…

Guiding Students to Develop an Understanding of Scientific Inquiry: A Science Skills Approach to Instruction and Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Elisa M.

2014-01-01

New approaches for teaching and assessing scientific inquiry and practices are essential for guiding students to make the informed decisions required of an increasingly complex and global society. The Science Skills approach described here guides students to develop an understanding of the experimental skills required to perform a scientific…

Nonlinear Reduced-Order Simulation Using An Experimentally Guided Modal Basis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rizzi, Stephen A.; Przekop, Adam

2012-01-01

A procedure is developed for using nonlinear experimental response data to guide the modal basis selection in a nonlinear reduced-order simulation. The procedure entails using nonlinear acceleration response data to first identify proper orthogonal modes. Special consideration is given to cases in which some of the desired response data is unavailable. Bases consisting of linear normal modes are then selected to best represent the experimentally determined transverse proper orthogonal modes and either experimentally determined inplane proper orthogonal modes or the special case of numerically computed in-plane companions. The bases are subsequently used in nonlinear modal reduction and dynamic response simulations. The experimental data used in this work is simulated to allow some practical considerations, such as the availability of in-plane response data and non-idealized test conditions, to be explored. Comparisons of the nonlinear reduced-order simulations are made with the surrogate experimental data to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.

Gaseous Sulfate Solubility in Glass: Experimental Method

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

Bliss, Mary

2013-11-30

Sulfate solubility in glass is a key parameter in many commercial glasses and nuclear waste glasses. This report summarizes key publications specific to sulfate solubility experimental methods and the underlying physical chemistry calculations. The published methods and experimental data are used to verify the calculations in this report and are expanded to a range of current technical interest. The calculations and experimental methods described in this report will guide several experiments on sulfate solubility and saturation for the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Enhanced Waste Glass Models effort. There are several tables of sulfate gas equilibrium values at high temperature tomore » guide experimental gas mixing and to achieve desired SO3 levels. This report also describes the necessary equipment and best practices to perform sulfate saturation experiments for molten glasses. Results and findings will be published when experimental work is finished and this report is validated from the data obtained.« less

Effects of Guided Written Disclosure Protocol on mood states and psychological symptoms among parents of off-therapy acute lymphoblastic leukemia children.

PubMed

Martino, Maria Luisa; Freda, Maria Francesca; Camera, Flavia

2013-06-01

This study assesses the effects of Guided Written Disclosure Protocol on psychological distress in mothers and fathers of off-therapy acute lymphoblastic leukemia children. An experimental group participated in the writing intervention with a control group subject only to test-taking standards. The Symptom Questionnaire and Profile of Mood States were administered at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. Guided Written Disclosure Protocol had significant effects on the progressive reduction of anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, hostility, tension-anxiety, and fatigue-inertia within the experimental group. However, the control group distress levels tended to worsen over time. The mediating role of emotional processing was highlighted.

Comparison of Performance of Experimental and Conventional Cage Designs and Materials for 75-millimeter-bore Cylindrical Roller Bearings at High Speed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, William J; Macks, E Fred; Nemeth, Zolton N

1954-01-01

The results of two investigations, one to determine the relative merits of four experimental and two conventional design 75-millimeter-bore (size 215) cylindrical roller bearings and one to determine the relative merits of nodular iron and bronze as cage materials for this size and type of bearing, are presented in this report. Nine test bearings were operated over a range of dn values (product of bearing bore in mm and shaft speed in r.p.m) from 0.3 x 10(6) to 2.3 x 20(6), radial loads for 7 to 1613 pounds, and oil flows from 2 to 8 pounds per minute with a single-jet circulatory oil feed. Of the six bearings used to evaluate designs, four were experimental types with outer-race-riding cages and inner-race-guided rollers, and two were conventional types, one with outer-race-guided rollers and cage and one with inner-race-guided rollers and cage. Each of these six test bearings was equipped with a different design cage made of nodular iron. The experimental combination of an outer-race-riding cage with a straight-through outer race and inner-race-guided rollers was found to give the best over-all performance based on limiting dn values and bearing temperatures.

A new adjustable parallel drill guide for internal fixation of femoral neck fracture: a developmental and experimental study.

PubMed

Yuenyongviwat, Varah; Tuntarattanapong, Pakjai; Tangtrakulwanich, Boonsin

2016-01-11

Internal fixation is one treatment for femoral neck fracture. Some devices and techniques reported improved accuracy and decreased fluoroscopic time. However, these are not widely used nowadays due to the lack of available special instruments and techniques. To improve the surgical procedure, the authors designed a new adjustable drill guide and tested the efficacy of the device. The authors developed a new adjustable drill guide for cannulated screw guide wire insertion for multiple screw fixation. Eight orthopaedic surgeons performed the experimental study to evaluate the efficacy of this device. Each surgeon performed guide wire insertion for multiple screw fixation in six synthetic femurs: three times with the new device and three times with the conventional technique. The fluoroscopic time, operative time and surgeon satisfaction were evaluated. In the operations with the new adjustable drill guide, the fluoroscopic and operative times were significantly lower than the operations with the conventional technique (p < 0.05). The mean score for the level of satisfaction of this device was also statistically significantly better (p = 0.02) than the conventional technique. The fluoroscopic and operative times with the new adjustable drill guide were reduced for multiple screw fixation of femoral neck fracture and the satisfaction of the surgeons was good.

The effectiveness of module based on guided inquiry method to improve students’ logical thinking ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ash-Shiddieqy, M. H.; Suparmi, A.; Sunarno, W.

2018-04-01

The purpose of this research is to understand the effectiveness of module based on guided inquiry method to improve students’ logical thinking ability. This research only evaluate the students’ logical ability after follows the learning activities that used developed physics module based on guided inquiry method. After the learning activities, students This research method uses a test instrument that adapts TOLT instrument. There are samples of 68 students of grade XI taken from SMA Negeri 4 Surakarta.Based on the results of the research can be seen that in the experimental class and control class, the posttest value aspect of probabilistic reasoning has the highest value than other aspects, whereas the posttest value of the proportional reasoning aspect has the lowest value. The average value of N-gain in the experimental class is 0.39, while in the control class is 0.30. Nevertheless, the N-gain values obtained in the experimental class are larger than the control class, so the guided inquiry-based module is considered more effective for improving students’ logical thinking. Based on the data obtained from the research shows the modules available to help teachers and students in learning activities. The developed Physics module is integrated with every syntax present in guided inquiry method, so it can be used to improve students’ logical thinking ability.

A Systemic-Based Interview Guide: Its Validity and Economy in Comparison with an Unstructured Interview Approach--Experimental Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubinger, Klaus D.; Wiesflecker, Sabine; Steindl, Renate

2008-01-01

An interview guide for children and adolescents, which is based on systemic therapy, has recently been added to the collection of published instruments for psychological interviews. This article aims to establish the amount of information gained during a psychological investigation using the Systemic-based Interview Guide rather than an intuitive,…

Effects of nanomaterial saturable absorption on gain-guide soliton in a positive group-dispersion fiber laser: Simulations and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Tuanjie; Wan, Xiaojiao; Yang, Runhua; Li, Weiwei; Ruan, Qiujun; Chen, Nan; Luo, Zhengqian

2018-01-01

In recent years, several kinds of nanomaterials have been discovered, and successfully used as saturable absorbers (SAs) for passively mode-locked fiber lasers. However, it is found that most of nanomaterials-based SAs cannot stably generate gain-guide solitons in positive group-dispersion fiber lasers, which is urgently expected to fully understand the inherent reasons. In this paper, we numerically and experimentally investigate the effects of nanomaterial saturable absorption (e.g. modulation depth and saturation optical power) on gain-guide soliton in positive group-dispersion Er3+-doped fiber laser (PGD-EDFL). By numerically solving the Ginzburg-Landau equation, the evolutions of both the mode-locked optical spectrum and pulse duration as a function of modulation depth and saturation optical power are analyzed, respectively. In experiment, we firstly prepare five nanomaterial SAs with the similar insertion loss, which have the different modulation depth from 1.80% to 23.36%, and the different saturation optical power from 8.8 to 536 W. We then perform the experimental comparison by incorporating the five SAs in a same PGD-EDFL cavity, respectively. The experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical ones. Our result reveals that: (1) a low modulation depth cannot support the formation of gain-guide soliton, (2) as the modulation depth increases, the spectral bandwidth of gain-guide soliton increases, the pulse duration decreases and the pulse chirp becomes large, (3) the saturation optical power has the weak influences on the gain-guide soliton performances.

Experimental search for Exact Coherent Structures in turbulent small aspect ratio Taylor-Couette flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowley, Christopher J.; Krygier, Michael; Grigoriev, Roman O.; Schatz, Michael F.

2017-11-01

Recent theoretical and experimental work suggests that the dynamics of turbulent flows are guided by unstable nonchaotic solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations. These solutions, known as exact coherent structures (ECS), play a key role in a fundamentally deterministic description of turbulence. In order to quantitatively demonstrate that actual turbulence in 3D flows is guided by ECS, high resolution, 3D-3C experimental measurements of the velocity need to be compared to solutions from direct numerical simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations. In this talk, we will present experimental measurements of fully time resolved, velocity measurements in a volume of turbulence in a counter-rotating, small aspect ratio Taylor-Couette flow. This work is supported by the Army Research Office (Contract # W911NF-16-1-0281).

Effect of pressurization on helical guided wave energy velocity in fluid-filled pipes.

PubMed

Dubuc, Brennan; Ebrahimkhanlou, Arvin; Salamone, Salvatore

2017-03-01

The effect of pressurization stresses on helical guided waves in a thin-walled fluid-filled pipe is studied by modeling leaky Lamb waves in a stressed plate bordered by fluid. Fluid pressurization produces hoop and longitudinal stresses in a thin-walled pipe, which corresponds to biaxial in-plane stress in a plate waveguide model. The effect of stress on guided wave propagation is accounted for through nonlinear elasticity and finite deformation theory. Emphasis is placed on the stress dependence of the energy velocity of the guided wave modes. For this purpose, an expression for the energy velocity of leaky Lamb waves in a stressed plate is derived. Theoretical results are presented for the mode, frequency, and directional dependent variations in energy velocity with respect to stress. An experimental setup is designed for measuring variations in helical wave energy velocity in a thin-walled water-filled steel pipe at different levels of pressure. Good agreement is achieved between the experimental variations in energy velocity for the helical guided waves and the theoretical leaky Lamb wave solutions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancing the performance of MOEAs: an experimental presentation of a new fitness guided mutation operator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liagkouras, K.; Metaxiotis, K.

2017-01-01

Multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) are currently a dynamic field of research that has attracted considerable attention. Mutation operators have been utilized by MOEAs as variation mechanisms. In particular, polynomial mutation (PLM) is one of the most popular variation mechanisms and has been utilized by many well-known MOEAs. In this paper, we revisit the PLM operator and we propose a fitness-guided version of the PLM. Experimental results obtained by non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II and strength Pareto evolutionary algorithm 2 show that the proposed fitness-guided mutation operator outperforms the classical PLM operator, based on different performance metrics that evaluate both the proximity of the solutions to the Pareto front and their dispersion on it.

Unsteady-State Heat Transfer Involving a Phase Change: An Example of a 'Project-Oriented' Undergraduate Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sundberg, Donald C.; Someshwar, Arun V.

1989-01-01

Describes the structure of an in-depth laboratory project chemical engineering. Provides modeling work to guide experimentation and experimental work on heat transfer analysis. Discusses the experimental results and evaluation of the project. (YP)

Guided-inquiry laboratory experiments to improve students' analytical thinking skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahyuni, Tutik S.; Analita, Rizki N.

2017-12-01

This study aims to improve the experiment implementation quality and analytical thinking skills of undergraduate students through guided-inquiry laboratory experiments. This study was a classroom action research conducted in three cycles. The study has been carried out with 38 undergraduate students of the second semester of Biology Education Department of State Islamic Institute (SII) of Tulungagung, as a part of Chemistry for Biology course. The research instruments were lesson plans, learning observation sheets and undergraduate students' experimental procedure. Research data were analyzed using quantitative-descriptive method. The increasing of analytical thinking skills could be measured using gain score normalized and statistical paired t-test. The results showed that guided-inquiry laboratory experiments model was able to improve both the experiment implementation quality and the analytical thinking skills. N-gain score of the analytical thinking skills was increased, in spite of just 0.03 with low increase category, indicated by experimental reports. Some of undergraduate students have had the difficulties in detecting the relation of one part to another and to an overall structure. The findings suggested that giving feedback the procedural knowledge and experimental reports were important. Revising the experimental procedure that completed by some scaffolding questions were also needed.

Validation of a fibula graft cutting guide for mandibular reconstruction: experiment with rapid prototyping mandible model.

PubMed

Lim, Se-Ho; Kim, Yeon-Ho; Kim, Moon-Key; Nam, Woong; Kang, Sang-Hoon

2016-12-01

We examined whether cutting a fibula graft with a surgical guide template, prepared with computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), would improve the precision and accuracy of mandibular reconstruction. Thirty mandibular rapid prototype (RP) models were allocated to experimental (N = 15) and control (N = 15) groups. Thirty identical fibular RP models were assigned randomly, 15 to each group. For reference, we prepared a reconstructed mandibular RP model with a three-dimensional printer, based on surgical simulation. In the experimental group, a stereolithography (STL) surgical guide template, based on simulation, was used for cutting the fibula graft. In the control group, the fibula graft was cut manually, with reference to the reconstructed RP mandible model. The mandibular reconstructions were compared to the surgical simulation, and errors were calculated for both the STL surgical guide and the manual methods. The average differences in three-dimensional, minimum distances between the reconstruction and simulation were 9.87 ± 6.32 mm (mean ± SD) for the STL surgical guide method and 14.76 ± 10.34 mm (mean ± SD) for the manual method. The STL surgical guide method incurred less error than the manual method in mandibular reconstruction. A fibula cutting guide improved the precision of reconstructing the mandible with a fibula graft.

2D Analytical Model for the Directivity Prediction of Ultrasonic Contact Type Transducers in the Generation of Guided Waves.

PubMed

Tiwari, Kumar Anubhav; Raisutis, Renaldas; Mazeika, Liudas; Samaitis, Vykintas

2018-03-26

In this paper, a novel 2D analytical model based on the Huygens's principle of wave propagation is proposed in order to predict the directivity patterns of contact type ultrasonic transducers in the generation of guided waves (GWs). The developed model is able to estimate the directivity patterns at any distance, at any excitation frequency and for any configuration and shape of the transducers with prior information of phase dispersive characteristics of the guided wave modes and the behavior of transducer. This, in turn, facilitates to choose the appropriate transducer or arrays of transducers, suitable guided wave modes and excitation frequency for the nondestructive testing (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) applications. The model is demonstrated for P1-type macro-fiber composite (MFC) transducer glued on a 2 mm thick aluminum (Al) alloy plate. The directivity patterns of MFC transducer in the generation of fundamental guided Lamb modes (the S0 and A0) and shear horizontal mode (the SH0) are successfully obtained at 80 kHz, 5-period excitation signal. The results are verified using 3D finite element (FE) modelling and experimental investigation. The results obtained using the proposed model shows the good agreement with those obtained using numerical simulations and experimental analysis. The calculation time using the analytical model was significantly shorter as compared to the time spent in experimental analysis and FE numerical modelling.

Optimization and experimental validation of stiff porous phononic plates for widest complete bandgap of mixed fundamental guided wave modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedayatrasa, Saeid; Kersemans, Mathias; Abhary, Kazem; Uddin, Mohammad; Van Paepegem, Wim

2018-01-01

Phononic crystal plates (PhPs) have promising application in manipulation of guided waves for design of low-loss acoustic devices and built-in acoustic metamaterial lenses in plate structures. The prominent feature of phononic crystals is the existence of frequency bandgaps over which the waves are stopped, or are resonated and guided within appropriate defects. Therefore, maximized bandgaps of PhPs are desirable to enhance their phononic controllability. Porous PhPs produced through perforation of a uniform background plate, in which the porous interfaces act as strong reflectors of wave energy, are relatively easy to produce. However, the research in optimization of porous PhPs and experimental validation of achieved topologies has been very limited and particularly focused on bandgaps of flexural (asymmetric) wave modes. In this paper, porous PhPs are optimized through an efficient multiobjective genetic algorithm for widest complete bandgap of mixed fundamental guided wave modes (symmetric and asymmetric) and maximized stiffness. The Pareto front of optimization is analyzed and variation of bandgap efficiency with respect to stiffness is presented for various optimized topologies. Selected optimized topologies from the stiff and compliant regimes of Pareto front are manufactured by water-jetting an aluminum plate and their promising bandgap efficiency is experimentally observed. An optimized Pareto topology is also chosen and manufactured by laser cutting a Plexiglas (PMMA) plate, and its performance in self-collimation and focusing of guided waves is verified as compared to calculated dispersion properties.

Scaffolded Instruction Improves Student Understanding of the Scientific Method & Experimental Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Costa, Allison R.; Schlueter, Mark A.

2013-01-01

Implementation of a guided-inquiry lab in introductory biology classes, along with scaffolded instruction, improved students' understanding of the scientific method, their ability to design an experiment, and their identification of experimental variables. Pre- and postassessments from experimental versus control sections over three semesters…

Mathematics Curriculum Guide for Spanish-Speaking Students, Levels E, F. Field Test. Working Draft = Guia didactica de matematicas, Niveles E, F. Edicion Experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The curriculum guide for mathematics instruction in the bilingual education program of the Chicago public schools is designed to assist teachers in the instruction of limited-English-speaking students in their native language. The guide outlines, for each of two levels, lessons on absolute and relative values of numbers, whole number operations,…

Guided ultrasonic wave beam skew in silicon wafers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pizzolato, Marco; Masserey, Bernard; Robyr, Jean-Luc; Fromme, Paul

2018-04-01

In the photovoltaic industry, monocrystalline silicon wafers are employed for solar cells with high conversion efficiency. Micro-cracks induced by the cutting process in the thin wafers can lead to brittle wafer fracture. Guided ultrasonic waves would offer an efficient methodology for the in-process non-destructive testing of wafers to assess micro-crack density. The material anisotropy of the monocrystalline silicon leads to variations of the guided wave characteristics, depending on the propagation direction relative to the crystal orientation. Selective guided ultrasonic wave excitation was achieved using a contact piezoelectric transducer with custom-made wedges for the A0 and S0 Lamb wave modes and a transducer holder to achieve controlled contact pressure and orientation. The out-of-plane component of the guided wave propagation was measured using a non-contact laser interferometer. The phase slowness (velocity) of the two fundamental Lamb wave modes was measured experimentally for varying propagation directions relative to the crystal orientation and found to match theoretical predictions. Significant wave beam skew was observed experimentally, especially for the S0 mode, and investigated from 3D finite element simulations. Good agreement was found with the theoretical predictions based on nominal material properties of the silicon wafer. The important contribution of guided wave beam skewing effects for the non-destructive testing of silicon wafers was demonstrated.

Guide to the Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest - A sustained yield experiment in ponderosa pine in northeastern California

Treesearch

E.I. Kotok

1938-01-01

Experimental forests, watersheds, and ranges are the field laboratories in the research structure of the Forest Service. The California Forest and Range Experiment Station maintains four experimental forests representing the more important timber types in the Pine Region.The Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest represents the ponderosa pine...

Residual Strength Predictions with Crack Buckling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawicke, D. S.; Gullerud, A. S.; Dodds, R. H., Jr.; Hampton, R. W.

1999-01-01

Fracture tests were conducted on middle crack tension, M(T), and compact tension, C(T), specimens of varying widths, constructed from 0.063 inch thick sheets of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy. Guide plates were used to restrict out-of-plane displacements in about half of the tests. Analyses using the three-dimensional, elastic-plastic finite element code WARP3D simulated the tests with and without guide plates using a critical CTOA fracture criterion. The experimental results indicate that crack buckling reduced the failure loads by up to 40%. Using a critical CTOA value of 5.5 deg., the WARP3D analyses predicted the failure loads for the tests with guide plates within +/- 10% of the experimentally measured values. For the M(T) tests without guide plates, the WARP3D analyses predicted the failure loads for the 12 and 24 inch tests within 10%, while over predicting the failure loads for the 40 inch wide tests by about 20%.

The effects of guided imagery on comfort, depression, anxiety, and stress of psychiatric inpatients with depressive disorders.

PubMed

Apóstolo, João Luís Alves; Kolcaba, Katharine

2009-12-01

This article describes the efficacy of a guided imagery intervention for decreasing depression, anxiety, and stress and increasing comfort in psychiatric inpatients with depressive disorders. A quasi-experimental design sampled 60 short-term hospitalized depressive patients selected consecutively. The experimental group listened to a guided imagery compact disk once a day for 10 days. The Psychiatric Inpatients Comfort Scale and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21) were self-administered at two time points: prior to the intervention (T1) and 10 days later (T2). Comfort and DASS-21 were also assessed in the usual care group at T1 and T2. Repeated measures revealed that the treatment group had significantly improved comfort and decreased depression, anxiety, and stress over time.

Graphene-based perfect optical absorbers harnessing guided mode resonances.

PubMed

Grande, M; Vincenti, M A; Stomeo, T; Bianco, G V; de Ceglia, D; Aközbek, N; Petruzzelli, V; Bruno, G; De Vittorio, M; Scalora, M; D'Orazio, A

2015-08-10

We investigate graphene-based optical absorbers that exploit guided mode resonances (GMRs) attaining theoretically perfect absorption over a bandwidth of few nanometers (over the visible and near-infrared ranges) with a 40-fold increase of the monolayer graphene absorption. We analyze the influence of the geometrical parameters on the absorption rate and the angular response for oblique incidence. Finally, we experimentally verify the theoretical predictions in a one-dimensional, dielectric grating by placing it near either a metallic or a dielectric mirror, thus achieving very good agreement between numerical predictions and experimental results.

Assessing Students' Experimentation Processes in Guided Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emden, Markus; Sumfleth, Elke

2016-01-01

In recent science education, experimentation features ever more strongly as a method of inquiry in science classes rather than as a means to illustrate phenomena. Ideas and materials to teach inquiry abound. Yet, tools for assessing students' achievement in their processes of experimentation are lacking. The present study assumes a basal,…

Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: A Guide for Parents

MedlinePlus

... for cures; participate in a clinical trial of experimental treatments. Interactive Disease Tracker Use GI Buddy to ... to target them and block inflammation. With many experimental treatments for IBD in clinical trials, experts predict ...

The Guide to the Ecology Box.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ontario Inst. for Studies in Education, Toronto.

Cooperating with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education has prepared boxes of experimental curriculum materials on the subject of ecology. This guide summarizes the design and contents of the boxes and provides instructions for those using the boxes--principals, teachers, parents, librarians, and…

The effect of conceptual metaphors through guided inquiry on student's conceptual change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menia, Meli; Mudzakir, Ahmad; Rochintaniawati, Diana

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to identify student's conceptual change of global warming after integrated science learning based guided inquiry through conceptual metaphors. This study used a quasi-experimental with a nonequivalent control group design. The subject was students of two classes of one of MTsN Salido. Data was collected using conceptual change test (pretest and posttest), observation sheet to observe the learning processes, questionnaire sheet to identify students responses, and interview to identifyteacher'srespons of science learning with conceptual metaphors. The results showed that science learning based guided inquiry with conceptual metaphors is better than science learning without conceptual metaphors. The average of posttest experimental class was 79,40 and control class was 66,09. The student's conceptual change for two classes changed significantly byusing mann whitney U testwith P= 0,003(P less than sig. value, P< 0,05). This means that there was differenceson student's conceptual changebeetwen integrated science learning based guided inquiry with conceptual metaphors class and integrated science learning without conceptual metaphors class. The study also showed that teachers and studentsgive positive responsesto implementation of integrated science learning based guided inquiry with conceptual metaphors.

Experimental Investigation of the Influence of the Laser Beam Waist on Cold Atom Guiding Efficiency.

PubMed

Song, Ningfang; Hu, Di; Xu, Xiaobin; Li, Wei; Lu, Xiangxiang; Song, Yitong

2018-02-28

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the vertical guiding laser beam waist on cold atom guiding efficiency. In this study, a double magneto-optical trap (MOT) apparatus is used. With an unbalanced force in the horizontal direction, a cold atomic beam is generated by the first MOT. The cold atoms enter the second chamber and are then re-trapped and cooled by the second MOT. By releasing a second atom cloud, the process of transferring the cold atoms from MOT to the dipole trap, which is formed by a red-detuned converged 1064-nm laser, is experimentally demonstrated. And after releasing for 20 ms, the atom cloud is guided to a distance of approximately 3 mm. As indicated by the results, the guiding efficiency depends strongly on the laser beam waist; the efficiency reaches a maximum when the waist radius ( w ₀) of the laser is in the range of 15 to 25 μm, while the initial atom cloud has a radius of 133 μm. Additionally, the properties of the atoms inside the dipole potential trap, such as the distribution profile and lifetime, are deduced from the fluorescence images.

Enhancement of Self Efficacy of Vocational School Students in Buffer Solution Topics through Guided Inquiry Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

M, Ardiany; W, Wahyu; A, Supriatna

2017-09-01

The more students who feel less confident in learning, so doing things that are less responsible, such as brawl, drunkenness and others. So researchers need to do research related to student self efficacy in learning, in order to reduce unwanted things. This study aims to determine the effect of guided inquiry learning on improving self-efficacy of learners in the buffer solution topics. The method used is the mixed method which is the two group pretest postest design. The subjects of the study are 60 students of class XI AK in one of the SMKN in Bandung, consisting of 30 experimental class students and 30 control class students. The instruments used in this study mix method consist of self-efficacy questionnaire of pretest and posttest learners, interview guides, and observation sheet. Data analysis using t test with significant α = 0,05. Based on the result of inquiry of guided inquiry study, there is a significant improvement in self efficacy aspect of students in the topic of buffer solution. Data of pretest and posttest interview, observation, questionnaire showed significant result, that is improvement of experimental class with conventionally guided inquiry learning. The mean of self-efficacy of student learning there is significant difference of experiment class than control class equal to 0,047. There is a significant relationship between guided inquiry learning with self efficacy and guided inquiry learning. Each correlation value is 0.737. The learning process with guided inquiry is fun and challenging so that students can expose their ideas and opinions without being forced. From the results of questionnaires students showed an attitude of interest, sincerity and a good response of learning. While the results of questionnaires teachers showed that guided inquiry learning can make students learn actively, increased self-efficacy.

Defensive Operations in a Decisive Action Training Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

the alpha reduced the likelihood of mistaking a false result for a true finding/effect. Control Versus Experimental Group Comparisons Chi...was made between control and experimental groups. The experimental group received a Guide for DO with the intent of improving performance on...Planning, Execution, and Overall performance. There were no significant differences between control and experimental groups. Further analysis revealed

Sixth Grade: Fall and Winter Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Joel Robert, Ed.

Activity plans for sixth grade outdoor education experiences comprise the bulk of this curriculum guide. Many of the outlines have been developed through practical application and experimentation by staff members of the Outdoor and Environmental Education Center (OEEC) of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, City Schools. Activities and studies for the…

Designing Classrooms that Work: Teacher Training Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsey, Kimberly; Stasz, Cathleen; Ormseth, Tor; Eden, Rick; Co, Jennifer

This document is a guide for teachers and trainers participating in the initial experimental offering of a 6-week minisabbatical, Designing Classrooms that Work (CTW). The minisabbatical is designed to help teachers learn how to make the kinds of curricular and pedagogical changes implied by reforms to integrate vocational and academic education…

Science, Medicine, and Animals: Teacher's Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Lisa C.

2005-01-01

"Science, Medicine, and Animals" explains the role that animals play in biomedical research and the ways in which scientists, governments, and citizens have tried to balance the experimental use of animals with a concern for all living creatures. An accompanying "Teacher's Guide" is available to help teachers of middle and high…

Fourth Grade: Late Fall and Early Spring Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Joel Robert, Ed.

Activity plans for fourth grade outdoor education experiences comprise the bulk of this curriculum guide. Many of the outlines have been developed through practical application and experimentation by staff members of the Outdoor and Environmental Education Center (OEEC) of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, City Schools. Activities and studies for the…

Fifth Grade: Winter and Spring Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Joel Robert, Ed.

Activity plans for fifth grade outdoor education experiences comprise the bulk of this curriculum guide. Many of the outlines have been developed through practical application and experimentation by staff members of the Outdoor and Environmental Education Center (OEEC) of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, City Schools. Activities and studies for the…

CUE (CULTURE, UNDERSTANDING, ENRICHMENT)--SOCIAL STUDIES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BROWN, ROBERT M.; AND OTHERS

THIS PUBLICATION IS A TEACHING GUIDE TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR INTEGRATING CAREFULLY SELECTED AUDIOVISUAL ITEMS INTO EXISTING NINTH-GRADE CURRICULUMS IN SOCIAL STUDIES. IT IS ONE OF FIVE GUIDES PREPARED FOR USE IN PROJECT CUE. AN EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO INCREASE CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND ENRICHMENT IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OF HIGH…

Long-term follow-up of functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and prognostic factors.

PubMed

Falsetti, Leopoldo; Gambera, Alessandro; Barbetti, Lorena; Specchia, Cristina

2002-02-01

This study evaluated the prognosis of functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) and the predictive factors of recovery, through a long-term follow-up. Ninety-three women affected by FHA underwent a follow-up for an average period of 8.1 yr (range 7-9 yr). At the end of the follow-up, 65 (70.7%) patients recovered. Statistical analysis showed that there was no association between recovery and anamnestic causes of FHA or with the echographic ovarian morphology but identified the predictive factors of recovery as the basal body mass index (BMI), the basal cortisol, and androstenedione plasma levels. A higher basal BMI and A, and lower cortisol values are positive prognostic factors for the recovery. Also the BMI, acquired during the follow-up, is important for FHA resolution: in fact, in recovered women the BMI increased or remained stable, whereas in nonrecovered women it decreased or remained stable. At the end of the follow-up, 52 (74.3%) patients treated with hormone replacement therapy and 8 (80%) with no therapy recovered, but only 5 (41.7%) with oral contraceptive pills recovered.

Valsalva's maneuver revisited: a quantitative method yielding insights into human autonomic control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, M. L.; Beightol, L. A.; Fritsch-Yelle, J. M.; Ellenbogen, K. A.; Porter, T. R.; Eckberg, D. L.

1996-01-01

Seventeen healthy supine subjects performed graded Valsalva maneuvers. In four subjects, transesophageal echographic aortic cross-sectional areas decreased during and increased after straining. During the first seconds of straining, when aortic cross-sectional area was declining and peripheral arterial pressure was rising, peroneal sympathetic muscle neurons were nearly silent. Then, as aortic cross-sectional area and peripheral pressure both declined, sympathetic muscle nerve activity increased, in proportion to the intensity of straining. Poststraining arterial pressure elevations were proportional to preceding increases of sympathetic activity. Sympathetic inhibition after straining persisted much longer than arterial and right atrial pressure elevations. Similarly, R-R intervals changed in parallel with peripheral arterial pressure, until approximately 45 s after the onset of straining, when R-R intervals were greater and arterial pressures were smaller than prestraining levels. Our conclusions are as follows: opposing changes of carotid and aortic baroreceptor inputs reduce sympathetic muscle and increase vagal cardiac motor neuronal firing; parallel changes of barorsensory inputs provoke reciprocal changes of sympathetic and direct changes of vagal firing; and pressure transients lasting only seconds reset arterial pressure-sympathetic and -vagal response relations.

Time reversal for ultrasonic transcranial surgery and echographic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanter, Mickael; Aubry, Jean-Francois; Vignon, Francois; Fink, Mathias

2005-09-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is able to induce non-invasively controlled and selective destruction of tissues by focusing ultrasonic beams within organs, analogous to a magnifying glass that concentrates enough sunlight to burn a hole in paper. The brain is an attractive organ in which to perform ultrasonic tissue ablation, but such an application has been hampered by the strong defocusing effect of the skull bone. Our group has been involved in this topic for several years, providing proofs of concept and proposing technological solutions to this problem. Thanks to a high-power time-reversal mirror, presented here are in vivo thermal lesions induced through the skull of 12 sheep. Thermal lesions were confirmed by T2-weighted magnetic resonance post-treatment images and histological examination. These results provide striking evidence that noninvasive ultrasound brain surgery is feasible. A recent approach for high-resolution brain ultrasonic imaging will also be discussed with a skull aberration correction technique based on twin arrays technology. The correction of transcranial ultrasonic images is implemented on a new generation of time-reversal mirrors relying on a fully programmable transmit and receive beamformer.

Experimental Validation of a Fast Forward Model for Guided Wave Tomography of Pipe Elbows.

PubMed

Brath, Alex J; Simonetti, Francesco; Nagy, Peter B; Instanes, Geir

2017-05-01

Ultrasonic guided wave tomography (GWT) methods for the detection of corrosion and erosion damage in straight pipe sections are now well advanced. However, successful application of GWT to pipe bends has not yet been demonstrated due to the computational burden associated with the complex forward model required to simulate guided wave propagation through the bend. In a previous paper [Brath et al., IEEE Trans. Ultrason., Ferroelectr., Freq. Control, vol. 61, pp. 815-829, 2014], we have shown that the speed of the forward model can be increased by replacing the 3-D pipe bend with a 2-D rectangular domain in which guided wave propagation is formulated based on an artificially inhomogeneous and elliptically anisotropic (INELAN) acoustic model. This paper provides further experimental validation of the INLEAN model by studying the traveltime shifts caused by the introduction of shallow defects on the elbow of a pipe bend. Comparison between experiments and simulations confirms that a defect can be modeled as a phase velocity perturbation to the INLEAN velocity field with accuracy that is within the experimental error of the measurements. In addition, it is found that the sensitivity of traveltime measurements to the presence of damage decreases as the damage position moves from the interior side of the bend (intrados) to the exterior one (extrados). This effect is due to the nonuniform ray coverage obtainable when transmitting the guided wave signals with one ring array of sources on one side of the elbow and receiving with a second array on the other side.

Magnetic resonance guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of musculoskeletal tumors

PubMed Central

Avedian, Raffi S.; Gold, Garry; Ghanouni, Pejman; Pauly, Kim Butts

2015-01-01

This article reviews the fundamental principles and clinical experimental uses of magnetic resonance guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU) ablation of musculoskeletal tumors. MRgHIFU is a noninvasive treatment modality that takes advantage of the ability of magnetic resonance to measure tissue temperature and uses this technology to guide high-intensity focused ultrasound waves to a specific focus within the human body that results in heat generation and complete thermal necrosis of the targeted tissue. Adjacent normal tissues are spared because of the accurate delivery of thermal energy, as well as, local blood perfusion that provides a cooling effect. MRgHIFU is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of uterine fibroids and is used on an experimental basis to treat breast, prostate, liver, bone, and brain tumors. PMID:26120376

Flora of the Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado

Treesearch

Steve J. Popovich; Wayne D. Shepperd; Donald W. Reichert; Michael A. Cone

1993-01-01

This report lists 441 vascular plant taxa in 228 genera and 63 families encountered on the 9,300-ha Fraser Experimental Forest in central Colorado. Synonyms appearing in previous publications and other works pertaining to the Fraser Experimental Forest, as well as appropriate Colorado floras and less-technical field guides, are included. Plant communities and habitats...

Global History. A Curriculum Guide. Third Semester. Theme VIII: Economic, Political, and Cultural Changes in the Post-War World Affect Our Lives Today. Teacher Strategies. Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

Designed for use in the New York City public secondary schools, this guide was developed to assist the teacher and supervisor in using a three semester, eight theme, global history course. This guide, which covers "Economic, Political, and Cultural Changes in the Post-War World Affect Our Lives Today" is divided into eight sub-themes: (1)…

Experimental investigation of in-cylinder air flow to optimize number of helical guide vanes to enhance DI diesel engine performance using mamey sapote biodiesel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, A. Raj; Janardhana Raju, G.; Hemachandra Reddy, K.

2018-03-01

The current research work investigates the influence of helical guide vanes in to the intake runner of a D.I diesel engine operating by the high viscous Mamey Sapote biodiesel to enhance in-cylinder suction air flow features. Helical guide vanes of different number of vanes are produced from 3D printing and placed in the intake manifold to examine the air flow characteristics. Four different helical guide vane devices namely 3, 4, 5 and 6 vanes of the same dimensions are tested in a D.I diesel engine operating with Mamey Sapote biodiesel blend. As per the experimental results of engine performance and emission characteristics, it is found that 5 vanes helical guide vane swirl device exhibited in addition number of increased improvements such as the brake power and bake thermal efficiency by 2.4% and 8.63% respectively and the HC, NOx, Carbon monoxide and, Smoke densities are reduced by 15.62%, 4.23%, 14.27% and 9.6% at peak load operating conditions as collate with normal engine at the same load. Hence this investigation concluded that Helical Guide Vane Devices successfully enhanced the in-cylinder air flow to improve better addition of Mamey Sapote biodiesel with air leading in better performance of the engine than without vanes.

Estimating state of charge and health of lithium-ion batteries with guided waves using built-in piezoelectric sensors/actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladpli, Purim; Kopsaftopoulos, Fotis; Chang, Fu-Kuo

2018-04-01

This work presents the feasibility of monitoring state of charge (SoC) and state of health (SoH) of lithium-ion pouch batteries with acousto-ultrasonic guided waves. The guided waves are propagated and sensed using low-profile, built-in piezoelectric disc transducers that can be retrofitted onto off-the-shelf batteries. Both experimental and analytical studies are performed to understand the relationship between guided waves generated in a pitch-catch mode and battery SoC/SoH. The preliminary experiments on representative pouch cells show that the changes in time of flight (ToF) and signal amplitude (SA) resulting from shifts in the guided wave signals correlate strongly with the electrochemical charge-discharge cycling and aging. An analytical acoustic model is developed to simulate the variations in electrode moduli and densities during cycling, which correctly validates the absolute values and range of experimental ToF. It is further illustrated via a statistical study that ToF and SA can be used in a prediction model to accurately estimate SoC/SoH. Additionally, by using multiple sensors in a network configuration on the same battery, a significantly more reliable and accurate SoC/SoH prediction is achieved. The indicative results from this study can be extended to develop a unified guided-wave-based framework for SoC/SoH monitoring of many lithium-ion battery applications.

The analysis of scientific communications and students’ character development through guided inquiry learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarwi, S.; Fauziah, N.; Astuti, B.

2018-03-01

This research is setting by the condition of students who have difficulty in ideas delivery, written scientific communication, and still need the development of student character. The objectives of the research are to determine the improvement of concept understanding, to analyze scientific communication skills and to develop the character of the students through guided inquiry learning. The design in this research is quasi experimental control group preposttest, with research subject of two group of grade X Senior High School in Semarang. One group of controller uses non tutorial and treatment group using tutorial in guided inquiry. Based on result of gain test analysis, obtained = 0.71 for treatment and control group = 0.60. The t-test result of mean mastery of concept of quantity and unit using t-test of right side is t count = 2.37 (p=0.003) while t table = 1.67 (α = 5%), which means that the results of the study differed significantly. The results of the students' scientific communication skills analysis showed that the experimental group was higher than the control, with an average of 69% and 63% scientific communication skills. The character values are effective developed through guided inquiry learning. The conclusion of the study is guided inquiry learning tutorial better than guided inquiry non tutorial learning in aspect understanding concept, scientific communication skills; but the character development result is almost the same.

Influence of Passive Muscle Tension on Electromechanical Delay in Humans

PubMed Central

Lacourpaille, Lilian; Hug, François; Nordez, Antoine

2013-01-01

Background Electromechanical delay is the time lag between onsets of muscle activation and muscle force production and reflects both electro-chemical processes and mechanical processes. The aims of the present study were two-fold: to experimentally determine the slack length of each head of the biceps brachii using elastography and to determine the influence of the length of biceps brachii on electromechanical delay and its electro-chemical/mechanical processes using very high frame rate ultrasound. Methods/Results First, 12 participants performed two passive stretches to evaluate the change in passive tension for each head of the biceps brachii. Then, they underwent two electrically evoked contractions from 120 to 20° of elbow flexion (0°: full extension), with the echographic probe maintained over the muscle belly and the myotendinous junction of biceps brachii. The slack length was found to occur at 95.5 ± 6.3° and 95.3 ± 8.2° of the elbow joint angle for the long and short heads of the biceps brachii, respectively. The electromechanical delay was significantly longer at 120° (16.9 ± 3.1 ms; p<0.001), 110° (15.0 ± 3.1 ms; p<0.001) and 100° (12.7 ± 2.5 ms; p = 0.01) of elbow joint angle compared to 90° (11.1 ± 1.7 ms). However, the delay between the onset of electrical stimulation and the onset of both muscle fascicles (3.9 ± 0.2 ms) and myotendinous junction (3.7 ± 0.3 ms) motion was not significantly affected by the joint angle (p>0.95). Conclusion In contrast to previous observations on gastrocnemius medialis, the onset of muscle motion and the onset of myotendinous junction motion occurred simultaneously regardless of the length of the biceps brachii. That suggests that the between-muscles differences reported in the literature cannot be explained by different muscle passive tension but instead may be attributable to muscle architectural differences. PMID:23308153

Study of turbine and guide vanes integration to enhance the performance of cross flow vertical axis wind turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibowo, Andreas; Tjahjana, Dominicus Danardono Dwi Prija; Santoso, Budi; Situmorang, Marcelinus Risky Clinton

2018-02-01

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the best configuration between guide vanes and cross flow vertical axis wind turbine with variation of several parameters including guide vanes tilt angle and the number of turbine and guide vane blades. The experimental test were conducted under various wind speed and directions for testing cross flow wind turbine, consisted of 8, 12 and 16 blades. Two types of guide vane were developed in this study, employing 20° and 60° tilt angle. Both of the two types of guide vane had three variations of blade numbers which had same blade numbers variations as the turbines. The result showed that the configurations between 60° guide vane with 16 blade numbers and turbine with 16 blade numbers had the best configurations. The result also showed that for certain configuration, guide vane was able to increase the power generated by the turbine significantly by 271.39% compared to the baseline configuration without using of guide vane.

Impact of guided reciprocal peer questioning on nursing students' self-esteem and learning.

PubMed

Lakdizaji, Sima; Abdollahzadeh, Farahnaz; Hassankhanih, Hadi; Kalantari, Manizhe

2013-07-01

Self-esteem is essential for clinical judgments. Nursing students in clinical environments should make a bridge between theoretical education and clinical function. This study was aimed to survey the effect of guided questioning in peer groups on nursing students' self-esteem and clinical learning. In this quasi-experimental study, all nursing students in semester 4 (60) were selected. The autumn semester students (n = 28) were chosen as the control group, and the spring semester students (n = 32) as the experimental group. The experimental group underwent the course of cardiac medical surgical training by the Guided Reciprocal Peer Questioning. The control group was trained by lecture. After confirmation of the validity and reliability of tools including Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and the researcher-made questionnaire, data were collected and analyzed by SPSS version 17.0. There was no significant difference concerning demographic and educational characteristics between the two groups. Mean score differences of self-esteem and learning were not significant before teaching, while they were significantly promoted after teaching in the experimental (P < 0.001) and control (P < 0.05) groups. Promotion in the experimental group was more considerable than in the control group. As revealed by the results, inquiry method, due to its more positive impact on self-esteem and students' learning, can be applied alone or in combination with the other methods. Conducting this study for other students and for theoretical courses is suggested.

Practical Guide to Functional Literacy: A Method of Training for Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellahsene, C.

The purpose of the publication is to disseminate, in circles directly concerned with the theory and practice of functional literacy training, the fundamental principles and essential pedagogical methods yielded by the pursuit of Unesco's Experimental World Literacy Program. The guide is an attempted synthesis of the many and various experiments…

Promoting, Guiding, and Surviving Change in School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deal, Terrence E.; Nutt, Samuel C.

Compiled for school administrators who must initiate or respond to external mandate for change, this guide draws on the experiences of 10 rural school districts that participated in the federally funded Experimental Schools (ES) program for perspectives that can be used in the successful management of change efforts in school districts. Organized…

General Science, Ninth Grade: Theme I and Theme II. Experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

This document was designed to assist teachers who are helping ninth grade students in New York City learn scientific concepts. In addition, the guide emphasizes basic reasoning skills which underlie problem-solving processes in scientific and nonscientific disciplines. The first section of the guide contains lessons on what a scientist does,…

Guide to testing insecticides on coniferous forest defoliators

Treesearch

Carroll B Jr. Williams; David A. Sharpnack; Liz Maxwell; Patrick J. Shea; Mark D. McGregor

1985-01-01

This report provides a guide to techniques for designing field tests of candidate insecticides, and for carrying out pilot tests and control projects. It describes experimental designs for testing hypotheses, and for sampling trees to estimate insect population densities and percent reduction after treatments. Directions for applying insecticides by aircraft and for...

A Constrained and Guided Approach for Managing Software Engineering Course Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Y.-P.; Lin, J. M.-C.

2010-01-01

This paper documents several years of experimentation with a new approach to organizing and managing projects in a software engineering course. The initial failure and subsequent refinements that the new approach has been through since 2004 are described herein. The "constrained and guided" approach, as it is called, has helped to reduce…

Project SMART: A Social Approach to Drug Abuse Prevention. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, C. Anderson; And Others

This document presents the teacher's guide for an experimental research and demonstration project which focuses on the prevention of drug abuse among youth through self-management and resistance training. The major purpose of the curriculum described in this document is to prevent and reduce the incidence of habitual cigarette smoking and of…

Rockets: A Teaching Guide for an Elementary Science Unit on Rocketry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogt, Gregory L.

Utilizing simple and inexpensive equipment, elementary and middle school science teachers can conduct interesting, exciting, and productive units on rockets, the oldest form of self-contained vehicles in existence. This teaching guide contains the following: (1) a brief history of experimentation and research on rockets and rocket propulsion from…

The Effects of Guided Video Analysis on Teacher Candidates' Reflective Ability and Instructional Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagro, Sarah A.; deBettencourt, Laurie U.; Rosenberg, Michael S.; Carran, Deborah T.; Weiss, Margaret P.

2017-01-01

Internships are central to teacher preparation, but many novice teachers do not feel such student teaching experiences prepared them for teaching realities. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to understand the effects of guiding teacher candidates through common video-recording and self-reflection activities during student teaching…

Promoting the Development of Mentor Teachers: Theory and Research Programs Using Guided Reflection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reiman, Alan J.; Thies-Sprinthall, Lois

1993-01-01

Describes theory and a research program that uses guided reflection to promote the development of mentor teachers. Significant findings from a quasi-experimental study and a replication study are presented. The paper can assist teacher educators, policymakers, and school personnel who are searching for a teacher induction model. (GLR)

Teacher-Guided Interactive Multimedia for Teaching English in an EFL Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Roland; Jenks, Michael

2009-01-01

This quasi-experimental study explored the effect of a "Teacher Guided Multimedia" CD-ROM program as a supplement in teaching vocabulary acquisition to EFL students. Eighty seven juniors in the Food and Beverage Management Department at Yuanpei University in northern Taiwan participated in the study. Students from two intact classes were…

Application of RMS for damage detection by guided elastic waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radzieński, M.; Doliński, Ł.; Krawczuk, M.; dot Zak, A.; Ostachowicz, W.

2011-07-01

This paper presents certain results of an experimental study related with a damage detection in structural elements based on deviations in guided elastic wave propagation patterns. In order to excite guided elastic waves within specimens tested piezoelectric transducers have been applied. As excitation signals 5 sine cycles modulated by Hanning window have been used. Propagation of guided elastic waves has been monitored by a scanning Doppler laser vibrometer. The time signals recorded during measurement have been utilised to calculate the values of RMS. It has turned out that the values of RMS differed significantly in damaged areas from the values calculated for the healthy ones. In this way it has become possible to pinpoint precisely the locations of damage over the entire measured surface. All experimental investigations have been carried out for thin aluminium or composite plates. Damage has been simulated by a small additional mass attached on the plate surface or by a narrow notch cut. It has been shown that proposed method allows one to localise damage of various shapes and sizes within structural elements over the whole area under investigation.

Does Guided Bone Regeneration Prevent Unfavorable Bone Shapes in Distraction Gap?

PubMed

Demetoglu, Umut; Alkan, Alper; Kiliç, Erdem; Ozturk, Mustafa; Bilge, Suheyb

2018-03-01

Complications related to distraction osteogenesis can cause degradation of newly regenerated bone. Additionally, an unfavorable shape of the regenerated bone at the distraction gap can reduce the quantity of regenerated bone. The aim of the present study was to report on the prevention of unfavorable shapes of regenerated bone using guided bone regeneration during distraction. Bilateral alveolar distraction was performed in 10 beagle dog mandibles. One side of the mandible formed the experimental group and the other side served as the control group. In the experimental group, guided bone regeneration was performed simultaneously with distraction osteogenesis. In the control group, only alveolar distraction was applied. At the end of a 1-week latent period, all mandibles were distracted 10 mm (1 mm/day). After the distraction period, 3 months were allowed for consolidation. After consolidation, all the dogs were euthanized, and the shape of the regenerated bone was determined to be either favorable or unfavorable. Densitometric evaluation and area measurements were performed using computed tomography scans. Statistical evaluation was performed using the independent t test, with a significance level of P < .05. In the experimental group, no unfavorable bone shape developed in the distraction gap, and the new bone had a surface and volume similar to those of the segments. In contrast, in the control group, 4 mandibles had an unfavorable bone shape in the distraction gap and 4 showed favorable bone healing with no defect. The surface area of the regenerating bone in the experimental group was significantly greater than that in the control group. Also, the surface area differed significantly between the experimental and control groups (P < .05). However, the densitometric values did not differ between the 2 groups (P < .05). Concomitant use of guided bone regeneration with distraction osteogenesis could be an optimal method for generating a favorable bone shape within the distraction gap. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attenuation characteristics of the leaky \\text{T}(0,1) mode guided wave propagating in piping coated with anticorrosion grease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishino, Hideo; Tateishi, Kohei; Ishikawa, Masashi; Furukawa, Takashi; Goka, Motoki

2018-07-01

Guided wave inspection is expected especially for buried piping because it can be applied easily to such piping requiring only its partial digging from the ground. However, in buried piping, the attenuation coefficient is extremely large compared with that in above-ground piping because the leaky \\text{T}(0,1) mode guided wave (LTGW) propagates in buried piping and its energy leaks into the adjacent surrounding material as a bulk shear wave. Petrolatum anticorrosion grease (PAG) is the most widely used as the coating material on the pipe surface before burying piping in sand or soil, which is a viscous material with a temperature-dependent shear wave velocity. In this paper, attenuation characteristics of the LTGW are shown theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical calculations explain very well the experimental results measured. The temperature dependence of the attenuation coefficient is discussed with the theoretical outcomes.

Preliminary experimental investigation of an X-band Cerenkov-type high power microwave oscillator without guiding magnetic field.

PubMed

Guo, Liming; Shu, Ting; Li, Zhiqiang; Ju, Jinchuan; Fang, Xiaoting

2017-02-01

Among high power microwave (HPM) generators without guiding magnetic field, Cerenkov-type oscillator is expected to achieve a relatively high efficiency, which has already been realized in X-band in our previous simulation work. This paper presents the preliminary experimental investigations into an X-band Cerenkov-type HPM oscillator without guiding magnetic field. Based on the previous simulation structure, some modifications regarding diode structure were made. Different cathode structures and materials were tested in the experiments. By using a ring-shaped graphite cathode, microwave of about one hundred megawatt level was generated with a pure center frequency of 9.14 GHz, and an efficiency of about 1.3%. As analyzed in the paper, some practical issues reduce the efficiency in experiments, such as real features of the electron beam, probable breakdown regions on the cathode surface which can damage the diode, and so forth.

The Influence of Guided Error-Based Learning on Motor Skills Self-Efficacy and Achievement.

PubMed

Chien, Kuei-Pin; Chen, Sufen

2018-01-01

The authors investigated the role of errors in motor skills teaching, specifically the influence of errors on skills self-efficacy and achievement. The participants were 75 undergraduate students enrolled in pétanque courses. The experimental group (guided error-based learning, n = 37) received a 6-week period of instruction based on the students' errors, whereas the control group (correct motion instruction, n = 38) received a 6-week period of instruction emphasizing correct motor skills. The experimental group had significantly higher scores in motor skills self-efficacy and outcomes than did the control group. Novices' errors reflect their schema in motor skills learning, which provides a basis for instructors to implement student-centered instruction and to facilitate the learning process. Guided error-based learning can effectively enhance beginners' skills self-efficacy and achievement in precision sports such as pétanque.

Investigation of guided waves propagation in pipe buried in sand

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

Leinov, Eli; Cawley, Peter; Lowe, Michael J.S.

The inspection of pipelines by guided wave testing is a well-established method for the detection of corrosion defects in pipelines, and is currently used routinely in a variety of industries, e.g. petrochemical and energy. When the method is applied to pipes buried in soil, test ranges tend to be significantly compromised because of attenuation of the waves caused by energy radiating into the soil. Moreover, the variability of soil conditions dictates different attenuation characteristics, which in-turn results in different, unpredictable, test ranges. We investigate experimentally the propagation and attenuation characteristics of guided waves in pipes buried in fine sand usingmore » a well characterized full scale experimental apparatus. The apparatus consists of an 8 inch-diameter, 5.6-meters long steel pipe embedded over 3 meters of its length in a rectangular container filled with fine sand, and an air-bladder for the application of overburden pressure. Longitudinal and torsional guided waves are excited in the pipe and recorded using a transducer ring (Guided Ultrasonics Ltd). Acoustic properties of the sand are measured independently in-situ and used to make model predictions of wave behavior in the buried pipe. We present the methodology and the systematic measurements of the guided waves under a range of conditions, including loose and compacted sand. It is found that the application of overburden pressure modifies the compaction of the sand and increases the attenuation, and that the measurement of the acoustic properties of sand allows model prediction of the attenuation of guided waves in buried pipes with a high level of confidence.« less

Versatile module for experiments with focussing neutron guides

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

Adams, T.; Pfleiderer, C.; Böni, P.

2014-09-22

We report the development of a versatile module that permits fast and reliable use of focussing neutron guides under varying scattering angles. A simple procedure for setting up the module and neutron guides is illustrated by typical intensity patterns to highlight operational aspects as well as typical parasitic artefacts. Combining a high-precision alignment table with separate housings for the neutron guides on kinematic mounts, the change-over between neutron guides with different focussing characteristics requires no readjustments of the experimental setup. Exploiting substantial gain factors, we demonstrate the performance of this versatile neutron scattering module in a study of the effectsmore » of uniaxial stress on the domain populations in the transverse spin density wave phase of single crystal Cr.« less

The Role of Gaze Direction and Mutual Exclusivity in Guiding 24-Month-Olds' Word Mappings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Susan A.; Nilsen, Elizabeth S.; Collins, Sarah; Olineck, Kara

2010-01-01

In these studies, we examined how a default assumption about word meaning, the mutual exclusivity assumption and an intentional cue, gaze direction, interacted to guide 24-month-olds' object-word mappings. In Expt 1, when the experimenter's gaze was consistent with the mutual exclusivity assumption, novel word mappings were facilitated. When the…

Teacher Beliefs about Implementing Guided-Inquiry Laboratory Experiments for Secondary School Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheung, Derek

2011-01-01

One of the characteristics of teaching chemistry through inquiry is that teachers need to encourage students to design their experimental procedures. Although the benefits of inquiry teaching are well documented in the literature, few teachers implement it in schools. The purpose of this study was to develop a guided-inquiry scale (GIS) to measure…

Effectiveness of Guided Multiple Choice Objective Questions Test on Students' Academic Achievement in Senior School Mathematics by School Location

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Igbojinwaekwu, Patrick Chukwuemeka

2015-01-01

This study investigated, using pretest-posttest quasi-experimental research design, the effectiveness of guided multiple choice objective questions test on students' academic achievement in Senior School Mathematics, by school location, in Delta State Capital Territory, Nigeria. The sample comprised 640 Students from four coeducation secondary…

Introduction to Engineering. Course I: Challenges of Engineering. Course II: Engineering Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrier, Lynn P.

This guide, which is designed to be used in a two-course sequence, is intended to prepare college-bound high school juniors and seniors for engineering and related courses at the college level. The guide was developed as part of an experimental competency-based curriculum that integrates the high-tech applications of mathematics and science…

CSMP Mathematics for the First Grade Part II, Teacher's Guide [and] Worksheets. Final Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Kevin; Schweitzer, Janis

This Teacher's Guide for first-grade mathematics is an outgrowth of an extended pilot project conducted nationwide between 1973 and 1976. The manner of presentation and the pedagogical ideas and tools are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized as having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and…

CSMP Mathematics for the First Grade Part I, Teacher's Guide [and] Worksheets. Final Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Kevin; And Others

This Teacher's Guide for first-grade mathematics is an outgrowth of an extended pilot project conducted nationwide between 1973 and 1976. The manner of presentation and the pedagogical ideas and tools are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized as having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and…

Guide to effective research-management collaboration at long-term environmental research sites

Treesearch

Frederick J. Swanson; Steve Eubanks; Mary Beth Adams; John C. Brissette

2010-01-01

The Forest Service system of experimental forests and ranges (EFRs) and other sites of long-term silvicultural, watershed, and ecological research have contributed to science and natural resource management for more than a century. An important aspect of the success of EFR programs is strong collaboration between the research and land manager communities. This guide...

Improving Second Grade Student's Reading Fluency and Comprehension Using Teacher-Guided iPad® App Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redcay, Jessica D.; Preston, Sean M.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to examine the differences in second grade students' reading fluency and comprehension scores when using varying levels of teacher-guided iPad® app instruction to determine effective reading practices. Design/methodology/approach: This study reports the results of the quasi-experimental pre-post study by providing…

An Instructional System in Physical Science, Teacher's Guide and Keys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington State Univ., Pullman.

This manual is a teacher's guide to a self-instructional program in basic physical science, designed for high school students who have not had a course in chemistry or physics. There are six units in the manual relating to these areas: problem solving and experimental procedures; universal standards, metric system and conversion; mechanics; the…

Masked Visual Analysis: Minimizing Type I Error in Visually Guided Single-Case Design for Communication Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byun, Tara McAllister; Hitchcock, Elaine R.; Ferron, John

2017-01-01

Purpose: Single-case experimental designs are widely used to study interventions for communication disorders. Traditionally, single-case experiments follow a response-guided approach, where design decisions during the study are based on participants' observed patterns of behavior. However, this approach has been criticized for its high rate of…

Status of the VEGA Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamanin, D. V.; Alexandrov, A. A.; Alexandrova, I. A.; Kondtatyev, N. A.; Kuznetsova, E. A.; Shvetsov, V. N.; Strekalovsky, A. O.; Strekalovsky, O. V.; Zhuchko, V. E.; Pyatkov, Yu. V.; Jacobs, N.; Malaza, V.

2015-06-01

Motivation and status of the VEGA (Velocity-Energy Guide based Array) project is presented. One armed fission fragments spectrometer with an electrostatic guide system is proposed for installation at the vertical experimental channel of the IBR-2 reactor. Scientific program aimed at investigation of new multi-body decays of actinides, shapeisomeric states in fission fragments and fission modes is reported.

RNase One Gene Isolation, Expression, and Affinity Purification Models Research Experimental Progression and Culminates with Guided Inquiry-Based Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Cheryl P.

2009-01-01

This new biochemistry laboratory course moves through a progression of experiments that generates a platform for guided inquiry-based experiments. RNase One gene is isolated from prokaryotic genomic DNA, expressed as a tagged protein, affinity purified, and tested for activity and substrate specificity. Student pairs present detailed explanations…

Study on the leakage flow through a clearance gap between two stationary walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, W.; Billdal, J. T.; Nielsen, T. K.; Brekke, H.

2012-11-01

In the present paper, the leakage flow in the clearance gap between stationary walls was studied experimentally, theoretically and numerically by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in order to find the relationship between leakage flow, pressure difference and clearance gap. The experimental set-up of the clearance gap between two stationary walls is the simplification of the gap between the guide vane faces and facing plates in Francis turbines. This model was built in the Waterpower laboratory at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The empirical formula for calculating the leakage flow rate between the two stationary walls was derived from the empirical study. The experimental model is simulated by computational fluid dynamics employing the ANSYS CFX commercial software in order to study the flow structure. Both numerical simulation results and empirical formula results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The correction of the empirical formula is verified by experimental data and has been proven to be very useful in terms of quickly predicting the leakage flow rate in the guide vanes for hydraulic turbines.

Theoretical Principles to Guide the Teaching of Adjectives to Children Who Struggle With Word Learning: Synthesis of Experimental and Naturalistic Research With Principles of Learning Theory.

PubMed

Ricks, Samantha L; Alt, Mary

2016-07-01

The purpose of this tutorial is to provide clinicians with a theoretically motivated and evidence-based approach to teaching adjectives to children who struggle with word learning. Given that there are almost no treatment studies to guide this topic, we have synthesized findings from experimental and theoretical literature to come up with a principles-based approach to treatment. We provide a sample lesson plan, incorporating our 3 theoretical principles, and describe the materials chosen and methods used during treatment and assessment. This approach is theoretically motivated, but it needs to be empirically tested.

The Performance of a Vaneless Diffuser Fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polikovsky, V.; Nevelson, M.

1942-01-01

The present paper is devoted to the theoretical and experimental investigation of one of the stationary elements of a fan, namely, the vaneless diffuser. The method of computation is based on the principles developed by Pfleiderer (Forschungsarbeiten No. 295). The practical interest of this investigation arises from the fact that the design of the fan guide elements - vaneless diffusers, guide vanes, spiral casing - is far behind the design of the impeller as regards accuracy and. reliability. The computations conducted by the method here presented have shown sufficiently good agreement with the experimental data and indicate the limits within which the values of the coefficient of friction lie.

Millimeter Wave Radar Clutter Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-30

conduct experimental measurments and develop theoretical models to Improve our understanding of electromagnetic wave interaction with terrain at...various types of terrain under a variety of conditions. The experimental data servos to guide the development of the models as well as to verify their... experimental measurement. Task 4 - Examination of Bistatic Scattering from Surfaces and Volumes: Prior to this program, no millimeter-wave bistatic

Resonant optical transmission through sub-wavelength annular apertures caused by a plasmonic transverse electromagnetic (TEM) mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ndao, A.; Salvi, J.; Salut, R.; Bernal, M.-P.; Alaridhee, T.; Belkhir, A.; Baida, F. I.

2014-12-01

We demonstrate enhanced transmission through annular aperture arrays (AAA) by the excitation of the transverse electromagnetic (TEM) guided mode. A complete numerical study is performed to correctly design the structure before it is experimentally characterized. Actually, the challenge was to get efficient TEM-based transmission in the visible range. It turned out to be a hard task because of the strong absorption associated with this guided mode. Nevertheless, we have succeeded to experimentally prove its excitation thanks to the enhanced transmission measured in the far-field. This is the first time we demonstrate experimental evidence of this phenomenon with such AAA structure illuminated at oblique incidence in the visible range. This increases the potential applications of such structures as well, single molecule spectroscopy, photovoltaic, spectral filtering, optical trapping, etc...

Dependence of astigmatism, far-field pattern, and spectral envelope width on active layer thickness of gain guided lasers with narrow stripe geometry

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

Mamine, T.

1984-06-15

The effects of active layer thickness on the astigmatism, the angle of far-field pattern width parallel to the junction, and the spectral envelope width of a gain guided laser with a narrow stripe geometry have been investigated analytically and experimentally. It is concluded that a large level of astigmatism, a narrow far-field pattern width, and a rapid convergence of the spectral envelope width are inherent to the gain guided lasers with thin active layers.

Why Does Experimentation Matter in Teaching Ecology?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finn, Hugh; Maxwell, Marika; Calver, Michael

2002-01-01

Suggests that because controlled experiments are used extensively by professional ecologists to solve both theoretical and applied problems, experimentation should be a key component of secondary school ecology curricula. Describes five teaching principles to guide secondary school biology teachers in providing a more realistic view of the…

A randomized controlled pilot study feasibility of a tablet-based guided audio-visual relaxation intervention for reducing stress and pain in adults with sickle cell disease.

PubMed

Ezenwa, Miriam O; Yao, Yingwei; Engeland, Christopher G; Molokie, Robert E; Wang, Zaijie Jim; Suarez, Marie L; Wilkie, Diana J

2016-06-01

To test feasibility of a guided audio-visual relaxation intervention protocol for reducing stress and pain in adults with sickle cell disease. Sickle cell pain is inadequately controlled using opioids, necessitating further intervention such as guided relaxation to reduce stress and pain. Attention-control, randomized clinical feasibility pilot study with repeated measures. Randomized to guided relaxation or control groups, all patients recruited between 2013-2014 during clinical visits, completed stress and pain measures via a Galaxy Internet-enabled Android tablet at the Baseline visit (pre/post intervention), 2-week posttest visit and also daily at home between the two visits. Experimental group patients were asked to use a guided relaxation intervention at the Baseline visit and at least once daily for 2 weeks. Control group patients engaged in a recorded sickle cell discussion at the Baseline visit. Data were analysed using linear regression with bootstrapping. At baseline, 27/28 of consented patients completed the study protocol. Group comparison showed that guided relaxation significantly reduced current stress and pain. At the 2-week posttest, 24/27 of patients completed the study, all of whom reported liking the study. Patients completed tablet-based measures on 71% of study days (69% in control group, 72% in experiment group). At the 2-week posttest, the experimental group had significantly lower composite pain index scores, but the two groups did not differ significantly on stress intensity. This study protocol appears feasible. The tablet-based guided relaxation intervention shows promise for reducing sickle cell pain and warrants a larger efficacy trial. The ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier is: NCT02501447. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comprehensive Approach to Pupil Planning: Stage I - Classroom Support (Includes Classroom Support Procedures). Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mabry, Ann; Kaufman, Martin J.

Presented is Stage I of the Comprehensive Approach to Pupil Planning (CAPP) System, a three-stage model for planning educational interventions in the regular and special education classrooms and for guiding placement decisions. The guide consists of the following: an overview of the CAPP System; an introduction to Stage I on classroom support…

Comprehensive Approach to Pupil Planning: Stage II - Planning and Placement (Includes Planning and Placement Team Meeting Agenda). Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vlasak, Frances Stetson; Kaufman, Martin J.

Presented is Stage II of the Comprehensive Approach to Pupil Planning (CAPP) System, a three-stage model for planning educational interventions in the regular and special education classrooms and for guiding placement decisions. The guide focuses on the evaluation services performed by the Planning and Placement Team (PPT) with sections on the…

The Effect of Guided-Inquiry Instruction on 6th Grade Turkish Students' Achievement, Science Process Skills, and Attitudes toward Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koksal, Ela Ayse; Berberoglu, Giray

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of guided-inquiry approach in science classes over existing science and technology curriculum in developing content-based science achievement, science process skills, and attitude toward science of grade level 6 students in Turkey. Non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design…

Quantitative Determination of Aluminum in Deodorant Brands: A Guided Inquiry Learning Experience in Quantitative Analysis Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sedwick, Victoria; Leal, Anne; Turner, Dea; Kanu, A. Bakarr

2018-01-01

The monitoring of metals in commercial products is essential for protecting public health against the hazards of metal toxicity. This article presents a guided inquiry (GI) experimental lab approach in a quantitative analysis lab class that enabled students' to determine the levels of aluminum in deodorant brands. The utility of a GI experimental…

The Effects of Guided Elaboration in a CSCL Programme on the Learning Outcomes of Primary School Students from Dutch and Immigrant Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prinsen, Fleur Ruth; Terwel, Jan; Zijlstra, Bonne J. H.; Volman, Monique M. L.

2013-01-01

This study examined the effects of guided elaboration on students' learning outcomes in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. The programme provided students with feedback on their elaborations, and students reflected on this feedback. It was expected that students in the experimental (elaboration) programme would show…

User’s Guide for T.E.S.T. (version 4.2) (Toxicity Estimation Software Tool) A Program to Estimate Toxicity from Molecular Structure

EPA Science Inventory

The user's guide describes the methods used by TEST to predict toxicity and physical properties (including the new mode of action based method used to predict acute aquatic toxicity). It describes all of the experimental data sets included in the tool. It gives the prediction res...

Methodology of Computer-Aided Design of Variable Guide Vanes of Aircraft Engines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falaleev, Sergei V.; Melentjev, Vladimir S.; Gvozdev, Alexander S.

2016-01-01

The paper presents a methodology which helps to avoid a great amount of costly experimental research. This methodology includes thermo-gas dynamic design of an engine and its mounts, the profiling of compressor flow path and cascade design of guide vanes. Employing a method elaborated by Howell, we provide a theoretical solution to the task of…

Guiding the Design of Lessons by Using the MAPLET Framework: Matching Aims, Processes, Learner Expertise and Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ifenthaler, Dirk; Gosper, Maree

2014-01-01

This paper introduces the MAPLET framework that was developed to map and link teaching aims, learning processes, learner expertise and technologies. An experimental study with 65 participants is reported to test the effectiveness of the framework as a guide to the design of lessons embedded within larger units of study. The findings indicate the…

Analyzing the effectiveness of teaching and factors in clinical decision-making.

PubMed

Hsieh, Ming-Chen; Lee, Ming-Shinn; Chen, Tsung-Ying; Tsai, Tsuen-Chiuan; Pai, Yi-Fong; Sheu, Min-Muh

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to prepare junior physicians, clinical education should focus on the teaching of clinical decision-making. This research is designed to explore teaching of clinical decision-making and to analyze the benefits of an "Analogy guide clinical decision-making" as a learning intervention for junior doctors. This study had a "quasi-experimental design" and was conducted in a medical center in eastern Taiwan. Participants and Program Description: Thirty junior doctors and three clinical teachers were involved in the study. The experimental group (15) received 1 h of instruction from the "Analogy guide for teaching clinical decision-making" every day for 3 months. Program Evaluation: A "Clinical decision-making self-evaluation form" was used as the assessment tool to evaluate participant learning efficiency before and after the teaching program. Semi-structured qualitative research interviews were also conducted. We found using the analogy guide for teaching clinical decision-making could help enhance junior doctors' self-confidence. Important factors influencing clinical decision-making included workload, decision-making, and past experience. Clinical teaching using the analogy guide for clinical decision-making may be a helpful tool for training and can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of decision-making.

Guided waves in anisotropic and quasi-isotropic aerospace composites: three-dimensional simulation and experiment.

PubMed

Leckey, Cara A C; Rogge, Matthew D; Raymond Parker, F

2014-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) elastic wave simulations can be used to investigate and optimize nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM) ultrasonic damage detection techniques for aerospace materials. 3D anisotropic elastodynamic finite integration technique (EFIT) has been implemented for ultrasonic waves in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite laminates. This paper describes 3D EFIT simulations of guided wave propagation in undamaged and damaged anisotropic and quasi-isotropic composite plates. Comparisons are made between simulations of guided waves in undamaged anisotropic composite plates and both experimental laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) wavefield data and dispersion curves. Time domain and wavenumber domain comparisons are described. Wave interaction with complex geometry delamination damage is then simulated to investigate how simulation tools incorporating realistic damage geometries can aid in the understanding of wave interaction with CFRP damage. In order to move beyond simplistic assumptions of damage geometry, volumetric delamination data acquired via X-ray microfocus computed tomography is directly incorporated into the simulation. Simulated guided wave interaction with the complex geometry delamination is compared to experimental LDV time domain data and 3D wave interaction with the volumetric damage is discussed. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Experimental Model for the Study of Periodontal Wound Healing

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

the soft tissue over the submerged root may occur. Models that communicate with the oral cavity (i.e., experimentally produced and naturally...membranes have been successfully utilized to demonstrate regeneration of periodontal tissues . Membranes made of collagen (Pitaru etal., 1987, 1988 a & b...1988. Progenitor cell kinetics during guided tissue regeneration in experimental periodontal wounds. J Periodont Res 23:107. Isidor, F., Karring, T

Single-Subject Experimental Research: Applications for Literacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuman, Susan B., Ed.; McCormick, Sandra, Ed.

Intended as a guide for both novice and experienced researchers, this collection of articles focuses on single-subject experimental research used for investigations in literacy. The premise of the collection is that this single-subject approach allows researchers--both those from outside the classroom and teacher-researchers--to discover how an…

Effects of Critical Discussions on Middle School Students' Written Historical Arguments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wissinger, Daniel R.; De La Paz, Susan

2016-01-01

In this experimental study, 151 middle school students explored 3 historical controversies, first reading and discussing primary source documents in groups, then writing arguments on their own. Students were either randomly assigned to an experimental condition, using argumentative schemes and critical questions as guides during discussions, or to…

Guided Inquiry in a Biochemistry Laboratory Course Improves Experimental Design Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodey, Nina M.; Talgar, Cigdem P.

2016-01-01

Many biochemistry laboratory courses expose students to laboratory techniques through pre-determined experiments in which students follow stepwise protocols provided by the instructor. This approach fails to provide students with sufficient opportunities to practice experimental design and critical thinking. Ten inquiry modules were created for a…

Guiding out-migrating juvenile sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) with pulsed direct current

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Nicholas S.; Miehls, Scott M.

2014-01-01

Non-physical stimuli can deter or guide fish without affecting water flow or navigation and therefore have been investigated to improve fish passage at anthropogenic barriers and to control movement of invasive fish. Upstream fish migration can be blocked or guided without physical structure by electrifying the water, but directional downstream fish guidance with electricity has received little attention. We tested two non-uniform pulsed direct current electric systems, each having different electrode orientations (vertical versus horizontal), to determine their ability to guide out-migrating juvenile sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Both systems guided significantly more juvenile sea lamprey to a specific location in our experimental raceway when activated than when deactivated, but guidance efficiency decreased at the highest water velocities tested. At the electric field setting that effectively guided sea lamprey, rainbow trout were guided by the vertical electrode system, but most were blocked by the horizontal electrode system. Additional research should characterize the response of other species to non-uniform fields of pulsed DC and develop electrode configurations that guide fish over a range of water velocity.

Optimization of a multi-channel parabolic guide for the material science diffractometer STRESS-SPEC at FRM II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebelo Kornmeier, Joana; Ostermann, Andreas; Hofmann, Michael; Gibmeier, Jens

2014-02-01

Neutron strain diffractometers usually use slits to define a gauge volume within engineering samples. In this study a multi-channel parabolic neutron guide was developed to be used instead of the primary slit to minimise the loss of intensity and vertical definition of the gauge volume when using slits placed far away from the measurement position in bulky components. The major advantage of a focusing guide is that the maximum flux is not at the exit of the guide as for a slit system but at the focal point relatively far away from the exit of the guide. Monte Carlo simulations were used to optimise the multi-channel parabolic guide with respect to the instrument characteristics of the diffractometer STRESS-SPEC at the FRM II neutron source. Also the simulations are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements using the optimised multi-channel parabolic guide at the neutron diffractometer. In addition the performance of the guide was compared to the standard slit setup at STRESS-SPEC using a single bead weld sample used in earlier round robin tests for residual strain measurements.

Experimental observation of spontaneous depolarized guided acoustic-wave Brillouin scattering in side cores of a multicore fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Neisei; Mizuno, Yosuke; Nakamura, Kentaro; Set, Sze Yun; Yamashita, Shinji

2018-06-01

Spontaneous depolarized guided acoustic-wave Brillouin scattering (GAWBS) was experimentally observed in one of the side cores of an uncoated multicore fiber (MCF). The frequency bandwidth in the side core was up to ∼400 MHz, which is 0.5 times that in the central core. The GAWBS spectrum of the side core of the MCF included intrinsic peaks, which had different acoustic resonance frequencies from those of the central core. In addition, the spontaneous depolarized GAWBS in the central/side core was unaffected by that in the other core. These results will lead to the development of polarization/phase modulators using an MCF.

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

Poloski, Adam P.; Adkins, Harold E.; Abrefah, John

The WTP pipe plugging issue, as stated by the External Flowsheet Review Team (EFRT) Executive Summary, is as follows: “Piping that transports slurries will plug unless it is properly designed to minimize this risk. This design approach has not been followed consistently, which will lead to frequent shutdowns due to line plugging.” A strategy was employed to perform critical-velocity tests on several physical simulants. Critical velocity is defined as the point where a stationary bed of particles deposits on the bottom of a straight horizontal pipe during slurry transport operations. Results from the critical velocity testing provide an indication ofmore » slurry stability as a function of fluid rheological properties and transport conditions. The experimental results are compared to the WTP design guide on slurry transport velocity in an effort to confirm minimum waste velocity and flushing velocity requirements as established by calculations and critical line velocity correlations in the design guide. The major findings of this testing is discussed below. Experimental results indicate that the use of the Oroskar and Turian (1980) correlation in the design guide is conservative—Slurry viscosity has a greater affect on particles with a large surface area to mass ratio. The increased viscous forces on these particles result in a decrease in predicted critical velocities from this traditional industry derived equations that focus on particles large than 100 μm in size. Since the Hanford slurry particles generally have large surface area to mass ratios, the reliance on such equations in the Hall (2006) design guide is conservative. Additionally, the use of the 95% percentile particle size as an input to this equation is conservative. However, test results indicate that the use of an average particle density as an input to the equation is not conservative. Particle density has a large influence on the overall result returned by the correlation. Lastly, the viscosity correlation used in the WTP design guide has been shown to be inaccurate for Hanford waste feed materials. The use of the Thomas (1979) correlation in the design guide is not conservative—In cases where 100% of the particles are smaller than 74 μm or particles are considered to be homogeneous due to yield stress forces suspending the particles the homogeneous fraction of the slurry can be set to 100%. In such cases, the predicted critical velocity based on the conservative Oroskar and Turian (1980) correlation is reduced to zero and the design guide returns a value from the Thomas (1979) correlation. The measured data in this report show that the Thomas (1979) correlation predictions often fall below that measured experimental values. A non-Newtonian deposition velocity design guide should be developed for the WTP— Since the WTP design guide is limited to Newtonian fluids and the WTP expects to process large quantities of such materials, the existing design guide should be modified address such systems. A central experimental finding of this testing is that the flow velocity required to reach turbulent flow increases with slurry rheological properties due to viscous forces dampening the formation of turbulent eddies. The flow becomes dominated by viscous forces rather than turbulent eddies. Since the turbulent eddies necessary for particle transport are not present, the particles will settle when crossing this boundary called the transitional deposition boundary. This deposition mechanism should be expected and designed for in the WTP.« less

[Visual input affects the expression of the early genes c-Fos and ZENK in auditory telencephalic centers of pied flycatcher nestlings during the acoustically-guided freezing].

PubMed

Korneeva, E V; Tiunova, A A; Aleksandrov, L I; Golubeva, T B; Anokhin, K V

2014-01-01

The present study analyzed expression of transcriptional factors c-Fos and ZENK in 9-day-old pied flycatcher nestlings' (Ficedula hypoleuca) telencephalic auditory centers (field L, caudomedial nidopallium and caudomedial mesopallium) involved in the acoustically-guided defense behavior. Species-typical alarm call was presented to the young in three groups: 1--intact group (sighted control), 2--nestlings visually deprived just before the experiment for a short time (unsighted control) 3--nestlings visually deprived right after hatching (experimental deprivation). Induction of c-Fos as well as ZENK in nestlings from the experimental deprivation group was decreased in both hemispheres as compared with intact group. In the group of unsighted control, only the decrease of c-Fos induction was observed exclusively in the right hemisphere. These findings suggest that limitation of visual input changes the population of neurons involved into the acoustically-guided behavior, the effect being dependant from the duration of deprivation.

Experiment of Enzyme Kinetics Using Guided Inquiry Model for Enhancing Generic Science Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amida, N.; Supriyanti, F. M. T.; Liliasari

2017-02-01

This study aims to enhance generic science skills of students using guided inquiry model through experiments of enzyme kinetics. This study used quasi-experimental methods, with pretest-posttestnonequivalent control group design. Subjects of this study were chemistry students enrolled in biochemistry lab course, consisted of 18 students in experimental class and 19 students in control class. Instrument in this study were essay test that involves 5 indicators of generic science skills (i.e. direct observation, causality, symbolic language, mathematical modeling, and concepts formation) and also student worksheets. The results showed that the experiments of kinetics enzyme using guided inquiry model have been enhance generic science skills in high category with a value of average of 0.77. Four indicators classified in the high category are direct observation, causality, symbolic language, and mathematical modeling with the value of 0,73 0,70; 0,96; dan 0,85. Meanwhile, indicator of concepts formation in the medium category with a value of 0.62

UBM-guided chamber angle surgery for glaucoma management: an experimental study.

PubMed

Dietlein, T S; Engels, B F; Jacobi, P C; Krieglstein, G K

2003-04-01

The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the potential of ultrasound bimicroscopy (UBM)-guided chamber angle surgery as an alternative or supplement to gonioscopy and intraocular microendoscopy for intraoperative control. In 15 porcine cadaver eyes, mechanical goniopuncture or punctual Er:YAG laser trabecular ablation was performed without operating microscope or gonioscopy, but with real-life ultrasound biomicroscopy monitoring with a 50 MHz transducer. Intraoperative localization of the microsurgical instruments and tissue-instrument contact were qualitatively evaluated. The instruments could be clearly visualized within the chamber angle and disturbing artefacts were only minimal when using mechanically fixed instruments in slow motion. Topographic localization, tissue contact, and penetration depth of the instruments entering the scleral were well illustrated as far as the technical resolution limits of UBM would allow. UBM can be used intraoperatively to monitor the correct manoeuvring of microsurgical instruments in selected ab interno procedures. Some adaptations and further modifications of the technique presented here will be necessary before UBM-guided surgery can be considered for clinical use in humans.

[Echographic diagnosis of missed early miscarriage: Assessment of image quality].

PubMed

Barthes, C; Mezan De Malartic, C; Baumann, C; Rousseaux, H; Morel, O

2018-02-01

Ultrasound examination plays a central role in case of suspected non-viable pregnancy. A wrong diagnosis might have major consequence in terms of inadequate care, especially in cases of false positive non-viable pregnancy diagnosis. Ultrasound criterions are today well defined. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of a novel image-quoting method of first-trimester non-viable pregnancy. Thirty images of non-viable pregnancy were twice evaluated with blinded proofreading. Two quotations were evaluated: the first for the images of gestational sacs without embryo (gestational sac score), the second for the images with embryo (embryo score). The ICC (interclass correlation coefficient) was>0.75 for inter- and intra-observer reproducibility both for the quotations of the gestational sac and for the embryo with a low variability. Reproducibility of quoting crown rump length measurements <5mm was low at first proofreading but after adjustment of the quoting modalities, ICC was also>0.75. The inter- and intra-observer reproducibility of our quoting methods is high with a low variability. They might be a useful tool in current practice in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Diffuse sclerosing variant of thyroid carcinoma presenting as Hashimoto thyroiditis: a case report.

PubMed

Vukasović, Anamarija; Kuna, Sanja Kusacić; Ostović, Karmen Trutin; Prgomet, Drago; Banek, Tomislav

2012-11-01

The aim of report is to present a case of a rare diffuse sclerosing variant of a papillary thyroid carcinoma. A 15-year old girl referred for ultrasound examination because of painless thyroid swelling lasting 10 days before. An ultrasound of the neck showed diffusely changed thyroid parenchyma, without nodes, looking as lymphocytic thyroiditis Hashimoto at first, but with snow-storm appearance, predominantly in the right lobe. Positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-AT) also suggested Hashimoto thyroiditis. Repeated US-FNAB (fine needle-aspiration biopsy) of the right lobe revealed diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma and patient underwent total thyreoidectomy. Patohistologic finding confirmed diffuse sclerosing variant of a papillary thyroid carcinoma in the both thyroid lobes and several metastatic lymph nodes. Two months later patient recived radioablative therapy with 3700 MBq (100 mCi) of 1-131 followed by levothyroxine replacement. At the moment, patient is without evidence of local or distant metastases and next regular control is scheduled in 6 months. In conclusion, a diffuse sclerosing variant is rare form of papillary thyroid carcinoma that echographically looks similar to Hashimoto thyroiditis and sometimes could be easily overlooked.

Model-Based Analysis of Flow-Mediated Dilation and Intima-Media Thickness

PubMed Central

Bartoli, G.; Menegaz, G.; Lisi, M.; Di Stolfo, G.; Dragoni, S.; Gori, T.

2008-01-01

We present an end-to-end system for the automatic measurement of flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and intima-media thickness (IMT) for the assessment of the arterial function. The video sequences are acquired from a B-mode echographic scanner. A spline model (deformable template) is fitted to the data to detect the artery boundaries and track them all along the video sequence. The a priori knowledge about the image features and its content is exploited. Preprocessing is performed to improve both the visual quality of video frames for visual inspection and the performance of the segmentation algorithm without affecting the accuracy of the measurements. The system allows real-time processing as well as a high level of interactivity with the user. This is obtained by a graphical user interface (GUI) enabling the cardiologist to supervise the whole process and to eventually reset the contour extraction at any point in time. The system was validated and the accuracy, reproducibility, and repeatability of the measurements were assessed with extensive in vivo experiments. Jointly with the user friendliness, low cost, and robustness, this makes the system suitable for both research and daily clinical use. PMID:19360110

Ultrasonic brain therapy: First trans-skull in vivo experiments on sheep using adaptive focusing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pernot, Mathieu; Aubry, Jean-Francois; Tanter, Michael; Fink, Mathias; Boch, Anne-Laure; Kujas, Michèle

2004-05-01

A high-power prototype dedicated to trans-skull therapy has been tested in vivo on 20 sheep. The array is made of 200 high-power transducers working at 1-MHz central and is able to reach 260 bars at focus in water. An echographic array connected to a Philips HDI 1000 system has been inserted in the therapeutic array in order to perform real-time monitoring of the treatment. A complete craniotomy has been performed on half of the treated animal models in order to get a reference model. On the other animals, a minimally invasive surgery has been performed thanks to a time-reversal experiment: a hydrophone was inserted at the target inside the brain thanks to a 1-mm2 craniotomy. A time-reversal experiment was then conducted through the skull bone with the therapeutic array to treat the targeted point. For all the animals a specified region around the target was treated thanks to electronic beam steering. Animals were finally divided into three groups and sacrificed, respectively, 0, 1, and 2 weeks after treatment. Finally, histological examination confirmed tissue damage. These in vivo experiments highlight the strong potential of high-power time-reversal technology.

Development and Assessment of a 3D-Printed Scaffold with rhBMP-2 for an Implant Surgical Guide Stent and Bone Graft Material: A Pilot Animal Study.

PubMed

Bae, Ji Cheol; Lee, Jin-Ju; Shim, Jin-Hyung; Park, Keun-Ho; Lee, Jeong-Seok; Bae, Eun-Bin; Choi, Jae-Won; Huh, Jung-Bo

2017-12-16

In this study, a new concept of a 3D-printed scaffold was introduced for the accurate placement of an implant and the application of a recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2)-loaded bone graft. This preliminary study was conducted using two adult beagles to evaluate the 3D-printed polycaprolactone (PCL)/ β -tricalcium phosphate ( β -TCP)/bone decellularized extracellular matrix (bdECM) scaffold conjugated with rhBMP-2 for the simultaneous use as an implant surgical guide stent and bone graft material that promotes new bone growth. Teeth were extracted from the mandible of the beagle model and scanned by computed tomography (CT) to fabricate a customized scaffold that would fit the bone defect. After positioning the implant guide scaffold, the implant was placed and rhBMP-2 was injected into the scaffold of the experimental group. The two beagles were sacrificed after three months. The specimen block was obtained and scanned by micro-CT. Histological analysis showed that the control and experimental groups had similar new bone volume (NBV, %) but the experimental group with BMP exhibited a significantly higher bone-to-implant contact ratio (BIC, %). Within the limitations of this preliminary study, a 3D-printed scaffold conjugated with rhBMP-2 can be used simultaneously as an implant surgical guide and a bone graft in a large bone defect site. Further large-scale studies will be needed to confirm these results.

Comprehensive Approach to Pupil Planning: Stage III - Instructional Planning (Includes Data Sources Within the CAPP System and Teacher's Instructional Plan). Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vlasak, Frances Stetson; Kaufman, Martin J.

Presented is Stage III of the Comprehensive Approach to Pupil Planning (CAPP) System, a three-stage model for planning educational interventions in the regular and special education classrooms and for guiding placement decisions. The guide focuses on the instructional planning team with sections on the following: Stage III personnel; roles and…

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

Alekhin, S.I.; Ezhela, V.V.; Filimonov, B.B.

We present an indexed guide to the literature experimental particle physics for the years 1988--1992. About 4,000 papers are indexed by Beam/Target/Momentum, Reaction Momentum (including the final state), Final State Particle, and Accelerator/Detector/Experiment. All indices are cross-referenced to the paper`s title and reference in the ID/Reference/Title Index. The information in this guide is also publicly available from a regularly updated computer database.

The Guiding Effects of a Critical Reading Program on the Use of External Reading Strategies When Confronting an Ironical Text

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karabay, Aysegul

2015-01-01

This study employed a sample of 60 pre-service teachers to examine the guiding effects of understanding critical reading theories on using external reading strategies such as note-taking and underlining when confronting an ironical literary text. The study broke down the teachers into one control group of 30 teachers and one experimental group of…

A two-dimensional finite-difference solution for the temperature distribution in a radial gas turbine guide vane blade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hosny, W. M.; Tabakoff, W.

1975-01-01

A two-dimensional finite difference numerical technique is presented to determine the temperature distribution in a solid blade of a radial guide vane. A computer program is written in Fortran IV for IBM 370/165 computer. The computer results obtained from these programs have a similar behavior and trend as those obtained by experimental results.

Curriculum Guide for Spanish Language Arts, Level D. Working Draft = Guia para la ensenanza de las artes del lenguaje espanol, nivel D. Edicion experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The curriculum guide for teachers of Spanish language arts for native Spanish-speaking primary students in the Chicago public schools' bilingual education program is introduced by a section outlining the program and defining the areas to be emphasized in the program: word attack, comprehension skills, study skills, and literature appreciation.…

Curriculum Guide for Spanish Language Arts, Level E. Working Draft = Guia para la ensenanza de las artes del lenguaje espanol, nivel E. Edicion experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The curriculum guide for teachers of Spanish language arts for native Spanish-speaking primary students in the Chicago public schools' bilingual education program is introduced by a section outlining the program and defining the areas to be emphasized in the program: word attack, comprehension skills, study skills, and literature appreciation.…

Geometry and Algebra: The Future Flight Equation. A Lesson Guide with Activities in Mathematics, Science, and Technology. NASA CONNECT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA. Langley Research Center.

This activity, part of the NASA CONNECT Series, is designed to help students in grades 6-8 learn how NASA engineers develop experimental aircraft. It consists of an overview of the program, details of the hands-on activity, a series of blackline master student worksheets, teacher materials, and a guide to further resources. (MM)

Supporting Scientific Experimentation and Reasoning in Young Elementary School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varma, Keisha

2014-06-01

Researchers from multiple perspectives have shown that young students can engage in the scientific reasoning involved in science experimentation. However, there is little research on how well these young students learn in inquiry-based learning environments that focus on using scientific experimentation strategies to learn new scientific information. This work investigates young children's science concept learning via inquiry-based instruction on the thermodynamics system in a developmentally appropriate, technology-supported learning environment. First- and third-grade students participate in three sets of guided experimentation activities that involve using handheld computers to measure change in temperature given different types of insulation materials. Findings from pre- and post-comparisons show that students at both grade levels are able to learn about the thermodynamics system through engaging in the guided experiment activities. The instruction groups outperformed the control groups on multiple measures of thermodynamics knowledge, and the older children outperform the younger children. Knowledge gains are discussed in the context of mental models of the thermodynamics system that include the individual concepts mentioned above and the relationships between them. This work suggests that young students can benefit from science instruction centered on experimentation activities. It shows the benefits of presenting complex scientific information authentic contexts and the importance of providing the necessary scaffolding for meaningful scientific inquiry and experimentation.

Effect of an intervention mapping approach to promote the consumption of fruits and vegetables among young adults in junior college: A quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Boucher, Danielle; Gagné, Camille; Côté, Françoise

2015-01-01

This study evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention mapping developed to promote fruit and vegetable consumption. Students (n = 394) from two similar public colleges in the Quebec City area (Canada) were asked to participate. A quasi-experimental design was used with a 14-week pause between the pretest and posttest. The control and experimental groups both received information on Canada's Food Guide recommendations. The experimental group was submitted to an intervention consisting of six interactive workshops carried out inside the college, and three personal exercises to be completed at home. proportion of respondents consuming at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. psychosocial variables assessed (theory of planned behaviour). The data collected from 344 participants by means of a self-administered questionnaire were analysed (167 experimental and 177 control). The posttest revealed a significant increase (15%) in the number of participants in the experimental group achieving the primary outcome (d = .38). The intervention also had a significant effect on the targeted psychosocial variables (η(2) = .03 to .06). Regularity of consumption acts as a mediator between intention and behaviour. These results may be used to guide health promoters working with college students.

Frequency guided methods for demodulation of a single fringe pattern.

PubMed

Wang, Haixia; Kemao, Qian

2009-08-17

Phase demodulation from a single fringe pattern is a challenging task but of interest. A frequency-guided regularized phase tracker and a frequency-guided sequential demodulation method with Levenberg-Marquardt optimization are proposed to demodulate a single fringe pattern. Demodulation path guided by the local frequency from the highest to the lowest is applied in both methods. Since critical points have low local frequency values, they are processed last so that the spurious sign problem caused by these points is avoided. These two methods can be considered as alternatives to the effective fringe follower regularized phase tracker. Demodulation results from one computer-simulated and two experimental fringe patterns using the proposed methods will be demonstrated. (c) 2009 Optical Society of America

Color image guided depth image super resolution using fusion filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Jin; Liang, Bin; He, Ying; Yang, Jun

2018-04-01

Depth cameras are currently playing an important role in many areas. However, most of them can only obtain lowresolution (LR) depth images. Color cameras can easily provide high-resolution (HR) color images. Using color image as a guide image is an efficient way to get a HR depth image. In this paper, we propose a depth image super resolution (SR) algorithm, which uses a HR color image as a guide image and a LR depth image as input. We use the fusion filter of guided filter and edge based joint bilateral filter to get HR depth image. Our experimental results on Middlebury 2005 datasets show that our method can provide better quality in HR depth images both numerically and visually.

MueLu User's Guid for Trilinos Version 11.12.

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

Hu, Jonathan Joseph; Prokopenko, Andrey; Wiesner, Tobias A.

This is the official user guide for the M UE L U multigrid library in Trilinos version 11.12. This guide provides an overview of M UE L U , its capabilities, and instructions for new users who want to start using M UE L U with a minimum of effort. Detailed information is given on how to drive M UE L U through its XML interface. Links to more advanced use cases are given. This guide gives information on how to achieve good parallel performance, as well as how to introduce new algorithms. Finally, readers will find a comprehensive listingmore » of available M UE L U options. Any options not documented in this manual should be considered strictly experimental.« less

Autonomic Responses to Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Needle Electrolysis: Effect of Needle Puncture or Electrical Current?

PubMed

García Bermejo, Paula; De La Cruz Torres, Blanca; Naranjo Orellana, José; Albornoz Cabello, Manuel

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to establish if the changes in sympathetic and parasympathetic activity (analyzed through heart-rate variability [HRV]) during ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) is due to the effect of needle puncture only or of the PNE technique per se where the puncture and galvanic current are combined. This was an experimental, case-control study that took place at the University of Seville. Subjects were 36 male footballers who were randomly allocated to three groups: a control group (CG; 12 players), for whom HRV was recorded for 10 min, both at rest and during an exhaustive US examination of the patellar tendon and adjacent structures; a first experimental group (PNE group; 12 players), for whom HRV was recorded for 10 min, both at rest and during application of US-guided PNE in the patellar tendon; and a second experimental group (needle group; 12 players), for whom HRV was recorded for 10 min, both at rest and during application of US-guided PNE without electrical current in the patellar tendon. The outcome measures were the diameters of the Poincaré plot (SD1, SD2), stress score, and sympathetic/parasympathetic ratio. There were no differences between groups in any baseline measurements, nor were there any significant differences between CG measurements (baseline vs. intervention). The PNE group exhibited statistically significant increases in SD1 (p = 0.01) and SD2 (p = 0.004) and statistically significant decreases in SS and S/PS ratio (p = 0.03), indicating increased parasympathetic and decreased sympathetic activity, respectively. The needle group exhibited statistically significant increases in SD2 (p = 0.02) and statistically significant decreases in SS (p = 0.02), indicating decreased sympathetic activity. The application of the US-guided PNE technique caused a measurable increase in parasympathetic activity (detected by HRV), which was due to the combination of needle puncture and electric current.

Students' Understanding of Analogy after a Core (Chemical Observations, Representations, Experimentation) Learning Cycle, General Chemistry Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avargil, Shirly; Bruce, Mitchell R. M.; Amar, Franc¸ois G.; Bruce, Alice E.

2015-01-01

Students' understanding about analogy was investigated after a CORE learning cycle general chemistry experiment. CORE (Chemical Observations, Representations, Experimentation) is a new three-phase learning cycle that involves (phase 1) guiding students through chemical observations while they consider a series of open-ended questions, (phase 2)…

GUIDEseq: a bioconductor package to analyze GUIDE-Seq datasets for CRISPR-Cas nucleases.

PubMed

Zhu, Lihua Julie; Lawrence, Michael; Gupta, Ankit; Pagès, Hervé; Kucukural, Alper; Garber, Manuel; Wolfe, Scot A

2017-05-15

Genome editing technologies developed around the CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease system have facilitated the investigation of a broad range of biological questions. These nucleases also hold tremendous promise for treating a variety of genetic disorders. In the context of their therapeutic application, it is important to identify the spectrum of genomic sequences that are cleaved by a candidate nuclease when programmed with a particular guide RNA, as well as the cleavage efficiency of these sites. Powerful new experimental approaches, such as GUIDE-seq, facilitate the sensitive, unbiased genome-wide detection of nuclease cleavage sites within the genome. Flexible bioinformatics analysis tools for processing GUIDE-seq data are needed. Here, we describe an open source, open development software suite, GUIDEseq, for GUIDE-seq data analysis and annotation as a Bioconductor package in R. The GUIDEseq package provides a flexible platform with more than 60 adjustable parameters for the analysis of datasets associated with custom nuclease applications. These parameters allow data analysis to be tailored to different nuclease platforms with different length and complexity in their guide and PAM recognition sequences or their DNA cleavage position. They also enable users to customize sequence aggregation criteria, and vary peak calling thresholds that can influence the number of potential off-target sites recovered. GUIDEseq also annotates potential off-target sites that overlap with genes based on genome annotation information, as these may be the most important off-target sites for further characterization. In addition, GUIDEseq enables the comparison and visualization of off-target site overlap between different datasets for a rapid comparison of different nuclease configurations or experimental conditions. For each identified off-target, the GUIDEseq package outputs mapped GUIDE-Seq read count as well as cleavage score from a user specified off-target cleavage score prediction algorithm permitting the identification of genomic sequences with unexpected cleavage activity. The GUIDEseq package enables analysis of GUIDE-data from various nuclease platforms for any species with a defined genomic sequence. This software package has been used successfully to analyze several GUIDE-seq datasets. The software, source code and documentation are freely available at http://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/GUIDEseq.html .

A 6-fr guiding catheter (slim guide(®)) for use with multiple microdevices. An experimental study.

PubMed

Kai, Y; Ohmori, Y; Watanabe, M; Kaku, Y; Morioka, M; Hirano, T; Yano, S; Kawano, T; Hamada, J-I; Kuratsu, J-I

2013-03-01

A modified technique is required in patients with wide-necked aneurysms whose treatment by the single microcatheter technique is difficult. We developed a 6-Fr guiding catheter (Slim Guide(®)) that features a large lumen (0.072 inch) for performing the modified technique. To evaluate the usefulness of Slim Guide(®) we carried out experiments using three types of 6-Fr guiding catheter. In experiment 1, the shaft hardness and kink resistance were compared among three different guiding catheters (Slim Guide(®), Launcher(®), Envoy(®)). In experiment 2, we inserted a microballoon catheter and a microcatheter into the three different guiding catheters and recorded the maximal infusion pressure. In experiment 3, we inserted 13 different types of microdevices into the three different guiding catheters and evaluated the resistance of the microdevices. Although the shaft of the Slim Guide(®) was softer than that of the other two guiding catheters, its kink resistance was comparable. The maximal infusion pressure was significantly lower than with Launcher(®) or Envoy(®) catheters. Furthermore, with Slim Guide(®), in 136 of 143 microdevice combinations examined (95.1%) there was no resistance; this was true for 125 (87.4%) and 116 (81.1%) combinations using the Launcher(®) - and the Envoy(®) guiding catheters, respectively. There was a significant difference between Slim Guide(®) and the other two guiding catheters with respect to their accommodation of double microsystems (p<0.05). Although the inner diameter of Slim Guide(®) is slightly larger than of the other two guiding catheters, it significantly increased the combination of microdevices that could be used for the coil embolization of difficult aneurysms.

Boundary Layer Transition Experiments in Support of the Hypersonics Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, Scott A.; Chen, Fang-Jenq; Wilder, Michael C.; Reda, Daniel C.

2007-01-01

Two experimental boundary layer transition studies in support of fundamental hypersonics research are reviewed. The two studies are the HyBoLT flight experiment and a new ballistic range effort. Details are provided of the objectives and approach associated with each experimental program. The establishment of experimental databases from ground and flight are to provide better understanding of high-speed flows and data to validate and guide the development of simulation tools.

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades Part IV, Teacher's Guide. The Languages of Strings and Arrows. Geometry and Measurement. Probability and Statistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Ann, MO.

This guide represents the final experimental version of a pilot project which was conducted in the United States between 1973 and 1976. The ideas and the manner of presentation are based on the works of Georges and Frederique Papy. They are recognized for having introduced colored arrow drawings ("papygrams") and models of our numeration…

CSMP Mathematics for the Intermediate Grades. Part V. Teacher's Guide. The Languages of Strings and Arrows. Geometry and Measurement. Probability and Statistics. Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEMREL, Inc., St. Louis, MO.

This Comprehensive School Mathematics Program (CSMP) guide is divided into three major parts. The first, the Languages of Strings and Arrows, opens with a suggested lesson order. Major sections cover instructional approaches for: (1) Games with Strings, (2) Necklaces, and (3) The Table Game. A Series of appendices is included. Part 2, Geometry and…

Mathematics Curriculum Guide for Spanish-Speaking Students, Levels A, B, C, D, Field Test. Working Draft = Guia didactica de Matematicas, Niveles A, B, C, D. Edicion Experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The introductory level curriculum guide for bilingual education for Spanish-speaking children in the Chicago public schools is divided into four difficulty levels and is designed to facilitate acquisition of mathematical concepts by presenting them in the children's native language. At each level, the concepts covered include the meaning of…

Teacher's Guide for Computational Models of Animal Behavior: A Computer-Based Curriculum Unit to Accompany the Elementary Science Study Guide "Behavior of Mealworms." Artificial Intelligence Memo No. 432.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abelson, Hal; Goldenberg, Paul

This experimental curriculum unit suggests how dramatic innovations in classroom content may be achieved through use of computers. The computational perspective is viewed as one which can enrich and transform traditional curricula, act as a focus for integrating insights from diverse disciplines, and enable learning to become more active and…

Curriculum Guide for Spanish Language Arts, Elementary Level L. Field Test, Working Draft = Guia para la ensenanza de las artes del lenguaje espanol, nivel elemental intermedio L. Edicion experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The curriculum guide for teachers of Spanish language arts for native Spanish-speaking students in the Chicago public schools' bilingual education program is introduced by a section outlining the program and defining the areas to be emphasized in the program: word attack, comprehension skills, study skills, and literature appreciation. Sections…

Curriculum Guide for Spanish Language Arts, Elementary Level N. Field Test, Working Draft = Guia para la ensenanza de las artes del lenguaje espanol, nivel elemental adelantado N. Edicion experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The curriculum guide for teachers of Spanish language arts for native Spanish-speaking students in the Chicago public schools' bilingual education program is introduced by a section outlining the program and defining the areas to be emphasized in the program: word attack, comprehension skills, study skills, and literature appreciation. Sections…

Curriculum Guide for Spanish Language Arts, Elementary Level F. Field Test = Guia para la ensenanza de las artes del lenguaje espanol, nivel elemental primario F. Edicion experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The curriculum guide for teachers of Spanish language arts for native Spanish-speaking primary students in the Chicago public schools' bilingual education program is introduced by a section outlining the program and defining the areas to be emphasized in the program: word attack, comprehension skills, study skills, and literature appreciation.…

Curriculum Guide for Spanish Language Arts, Elementary Level M. Field Test, Working Draft = Guia para la ensenanza de las artes del lenguaje espanol, nivel elemental adelantado M. Edicion experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The curriculum guide for teachers of Spanish language arts for native Spanish-speaking students in the Chicago public schools' bilingual education program is introduced by a section outlining the program and defining the areas to be emphasized in the program: word attack, comprehension skills, study skills, and literature appreciation. Sections…

Every Child and Family Matters: A Program Prepared for Campus Setting and Community Outreach. Leader's Guide (Experimental Edition).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salvation Army. New York, NY.

This guide is one of a series of Education for Parenthood manuals developed by the Salvation Army for use in programs to prepare teenagers for parenthood or for child care careers. This volume outlines four courses for troubled girls and young adult women who receive residential care or who may be served through community outreach. The program was…

Gun Control for VBE-E: User Guide and Technical Description

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

Defence R& D Canada – Atlantic DEFENCE DÉFENSE & Gun Control for VBE-E User Guide and Technical Description Tania E. Wentzell Technical Memorandum...Defence R& D Canada – Atlantic Technical Memorandum DRDC Atlantic TM 2006-245 November 2006 DRDC Atlantic TM 2006-245...component of the distributed experimentation environment used by the Virtual Combat System (VCS) Group at Defence R& D Canada – Atlantic (DRDC Atlantic

Assessing mental imagery in clinical psychology: A review of imagery measures and a guiding framework

PubMed Central

Pearson, David G.; Deeprose, Catherine; Wallace-Hadrill, Sophie M.A.; Heyes, Stephanie Burnett; Holmes, Emily A.

2013-01-01

Mental imagery is an under-explored field in clinical psychology research but presents a topic of potential interest and relevance across many clinical disorders, including social phobia, schizophrenia, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. There is currently a lack of a guiding framework from which clinicians may select the domains or associated measures most likely to be of appropriate use in mental imagery research. We adopt an interdisciplinary approach and present a review of studies across experimental psychology and clinical psychology in order to highlight the key domains and measures most likely to be of relevance. This includes a consideration of methods for experimentally assessing the generation, maintenance, inspection and transformation of mental images; as well as subjective measures of characteristics such as image vividness and clarity. We present a guiding framework in which we propose that cognitive, subjective and clinical aspects of imagery should be explored in future research. The guiding framework aims to assist researchers in the selection of measures for assessing those aspects of mental imagery that are of most relevance to clinical psychology. We propose that a greater understanding of the role of mental imagery in clinical disorders will help drive forward advances in both theory and treatment. PMID:23123567

Masked Visual Analysis: Minimizing Type I Error in Visually Guided Single-Case Design for Communication Disorders

PubMed Central

Hitchcock, Elaine R.; Ferron, John

2017-01-01

Purpose Single-case experimental designs are widely used to study interventions for communication disorders. Traditionally, single-case experiments follow a response-guided approach, where design decisions during the study are based on participants' observed patterns of behavior. However, this approach has been criticized for its high rate of Type I error. In masked visual analysis (MVA), response-guided decisions are made by a researcher who is blinded to participants' identities and treatment assignments. MVA also makes it possible to conduct a hypothesis test assessing the significance of treatment effects. Method This tutorial describes the principles of MVA, including both how experiments can be set up and how results can be used for hypothesis testing. We then report a case study showing how MVA was deployed in a multiple-baseline across-subjects study investigating treatment for residual errors affecting rhotics. Strengths and weaknesses of MVA are discussed. Conclusions Given their important role in the evidence base that informs clinical decision making, it is critical for single-case experimental studies to be conducted in a way that allows researchers to draw valid inferences. As a method that can increase the rigor of single-case studies while preserving the benefits of a response-guided approach, MVA warrants expanded attention from researchers in communication disorders. PMID:28595354

Masked Visual Analysis: Minimizing Type I Error in Visually Guided Single-Case Design for Communication Disorders.

PubMed

Byun, Tara McAllister; Hitchcock, Elaine R; Ferron, John

2017-06-10

Single-case experimental designs are widely used to study interventions for communication disorders. Traditionally, single-case experiments follow a response-guided approach, where design decisions during the study are based on participants' observed patterns of behavior. However, this approach has been criticized for its high rate of Type I error. In masked visual analysis (MVA), response-guided decisions are made by a researcher who is blinded to participants' identities and treatment assignments. MVA also makes it possible to conduct a hypothesis test assessing the significance of treatment effects. This tutorial describes the principles of MVA, including both how experiments can be set up and how results can be used for hypothesis testing. We then report a case study showing how MVA was deployed in a multiple-baseline across-subjects study investigating treatment for residual errors affecting rhotics. Strengths and weaknesses of MVA are discussed. Given their important role in the evidence base that informs clinical decision making, it is critical for single-case experimental studies to be conducted in a way that allows researchers to draw valid inferences. As a method that can increase the rigor of single-case studies while preserving the benefits of a response-guided approach, MVA warrants expanded attention from researchers in communication disorders.

Dynamics of alkali ions-neutral molecules reactions: Radio frequency-guided beam experimental cross-sections and direct quasiclassical trajectory studies

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

Aguilar, J.; Andres, J. de; Lucas, J. M.

2012-11-27

Different reactive processes taking place in collisions between alkali ions and neutral i-C{sub 3}H{sub 7}Cl molecules in the low (center of mass frame) energy range have been studied using an octopole radiofrequency guided-ion-beam apparatus developed in our laboratory. Cross-section energy dependences for all these reactions have been obtained in absolute units. Ab initio electronic structure calculations for those colliding systems evolving on the ground single potential surface have given relevant information on the main topological features of the surfaces. For some of the reactions a dynamic study by 'on the fly' trajectories has complemented the available experimental and electronic structuremore » information.« less

Santa Rita Experimental Range digital database: user's guide

Treesearch

Mitchel P. McClaran; Deborah L. Angell; Craig Wissler

2002-01-01

Long-term measurements and repeat photograph collections have been collected in a systematic manner on the approximately 21,000 ha Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) since its establishment in 1903. This research facility, located in the Desert Grassland vegetation of southern Arizona, was administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture until 1988, when it was...

Functional Assessment and Positive Support Strategies for Promoting Resilience: Effects on Teachers and High-Risk Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoiber, Karen Callan; Gettinger, Maribeth

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to conduct an experimental analysis of teachers' use of functional assessment (FA) and positive behavior support (PBS) for addressing challenging behaviors in young children. A group of 35 experimental teachers participated in professional development designed to provide step-by-step training and guided implementation…

General Science, Ninth Grade: Theme III and Theme IV. Student Laboratory Manual. Experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

This document is the student laboratory manual that was designed to accompany some of the experimental activities found in the teacher's guide to this general science course for ninth graders. It contains laboratory worksheets for lessons on such topics as: (1) soil; (2) hazardous waste; (3) wildlife refuges; (4) the water cycle; (5) water…

Beyond effective teaching: Enhancing students’ metacognitive skill through guided inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adnan; Bahri, Arsad

2018-01-01

This research was quasi experimental with pretest posttes non-equivalent control group design. This research aimed to compare metacognitive skill of students between tought by guided inquiry and traditional teaching. Sample of this research was the students at even semester at the first year, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia. The data of students’ metacognitive skill was measured by essay test. The data was analyzed by inferential statistic of ANCOVA test. The result of research showed that there was the effect of teaching model towards metacognitive skill of students. Students were tought by guided inquiry had higher metacognitive skill than tought by traditional teaching. The lecturer can use the guided inquiry model in others courses with considering the course materials and also student characteristics.

Astigmatism and spontaneous emission factor of laser diodes with parabolic gain

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

Mamine, T.

1983-04-01

An explicit relation between the astigmatism and the spontaneous emission factor of gain guiding lasers has been derived with the assumption that the gain profile can be approximated to be a parabola or that the lowest order mode in the cavity is approximately Gaussian. The maximum value of the spontaneous emission factor is shown to be ..sqrt..2 if index guiding is dominant. Beyond K = ..sqrt..2, where gain guiding is dominant in this region, the astigmatism decreases with the spontaneous emission factor. It is also shown that the spontaneous emission factor of the gain guiding lasers does not much exceedmore » ten and this conclusion has been confirmed experimentally for those whose stripe widths are larger than 4 ..mu..m.« less

Optical notch filter with tunable bandwidth based on guided-mode resonant polarization-sensitive spectral feature.

PubMed

Qian, Linyong; Zhang, Dawei; Dai, Bo; Wang, Qi; Huang, Yuanshen; Zhuang, Songlin

2015-07-13

A novel bandwidth-tunable notch filter is proposed based on the guided-mode resonance effect. The notch is created due to the superposition spectra response of two guided-mode resonant filters. The compact, bandwidth tuning capability is realized by taking advantage the effect of spectra-to-polarization sensitivity in one-dimensional classical guided-mode resonance filter, and using a liquid crystal polarization rotator for precise and simple polarization control. The operation principle and the design of the device are presented, and we demonstrate it experimentally. The central wavelength is fixed at 766.4 nm with a relatively symmetric profile. The full width at half maximum bandwidth could be tuned from 8.6 nm to 18.2 nm by controlling the applied voltage in electrically-driving polarization rotator.

Flora of the Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado. Forest Service general technical report (Final)

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

Popovich, S.J.; Shepperd, W.D.; Reichert, D.W.

1993-08-01

The report lists 441 vascular plant taxa in 228 genera and 63 families encountered on the 9,300-ha Fraser Experimental Forest in central Colorado. Synonyms appearing in previous publications and other works pertaining to the Fraser Experimental Forest, as well as appropriate Colorado floras and less-technical field guides, are included. Plant communities and habitats are discussed, and a list of 54 lichens is also presented. A glossary of related terms is included.

Experimental validation of ultrasonic guided modes in electrical cables by optical interferometry.

PubMed

Mateo, Carlos; de Espinosa, Francisco Montero; Gómez-Ullate, Yago; Talavera, Juan A

2008-03-01

In this work, the dispersion curves of elastic waves propagating in electrical cables and in bare copper wires are obtained theoretically and validated experimentally. The theoretical model, based on Gazis equations formulated according to the global matrix methodology, is resolved numerically. Viscoelasticity and attenuation are modeled theoretically using the Kelvin-Voigt model. Experimental tests are carried out using interferometry. There is good agreement between the simulations and the experiments despite the peculiarities of electrical cables.

Electrical Field Guided Electrospray Deposition for Production of Gradient Particle Patterns.

PubMed

Yan, Wei-Cheng; Xie, Jingwei; Wang, Chi-Hwa

2018-06-06

Our previous work demonstrated the uniform particle pattern formation on the substrates using electrical field guided electrospray deposition. In this work, we reported for the first time the fabrication of gradient particle patterns on glass slides using an additional point, line, or bar electrode based on our previous electrospray deposition configuration. We also demonstrated that the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating could result in the formation of uniform particle patterns instead of gradient particle patterns on glass slides using the same experimental setup. Meanwhile, we investigated the effect of experimental configurations on the gradient particle pattern formation by computational simulation. The simulation results are in line with experimental observations. The formation of gradient particle patterns was ascribed to the gradient of electric field and the corresponding focusing effect. Cell patterns can be formed on the particle patterns deposited on PDMS-coated glass slides. The formed particle patterns hold great promise for high-throughput screening of biomaterial-cell interactions and sensing.

A prestorage method to measure neutron transmission of ultracold neutron guides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blau, B.; Daum, M.; Fertl, M.; Geltenbort, P.; Göltl, L.; Henneck, R.; Kirch, K.; Knecht, A.; Lauss, B.; Schmidt-Wellenburg, P.; Zsigmond, G.

2016-01-01

There are worldwide efforts to search for physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. Precision experiments using ultracold neutrons (UCN) require very high intensities of UCN. Efficient transport of UCN from the production volume to the experiment is therefore of great importance. We have developed a method using prestored UCN in order to quantify UCN transmission in tubular guides. This method simulates the final installation at the Paul Scherrer Institute's UCN source where neutrons are stored in an intermediate storage vessel serving three experimental ports. This method allowed us to qualify UCN guides for their intended use and compare their properties.

History of Africa, Topic 2. Africa South of the Sahara: An Experimental Program of Study for Secondary School Social Studies Students. Teaching and Student Guides.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnegie-Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA. Project Africa.

An historical perspective on the social, political, and economic events of the past which were instrumental in shaping modern Africa is presented in this curriculum program. Contained in the teaching guide and student text are units on (1) prehistoric Africa and the mystery of the Zimbabwe kingdom, (2) pre-twentieth century black African kingdoms,…

Curriculum Guide for Spanish Language Arts, Elementary Level G. Field Test, Working Draft = Guia para la ensenanza de las artes del lenguaje expanol, nivel elemental primario G. Edicion experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The curriculum guide for teachers of Spanish language arts for native Spanish-speaking primary students in the Chicago public schools' bilingual education program is introduced by a section outlining the program and defining the areas to be emphasized in the program: word attack, comprehension skills, study skills, and literature appreciation.…

Curriculum Guide for Spanish Language Arts, Elementary Level H. Field Test, Working Draft = Guia para la ensenanza de las artes del lenguaje espanol, nivel elemental primario H. Edicion experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Board of Education, IL. Dept. of Curriculum.

The curriculum guide for teachers of Spanish language arts for native Spanish-speaking primary students in the Chicago public schools' bilingual education program is introduced by a section outlining the program and defining the areas to be emphasized in the program: word attack, comprehension skills, study skills, and literature appreciation.…

A Guide for Developing Human-Robot Interaction Experiments in the Robotic Interactive Visualization and Experimentation Technology (RIVET) Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

research, Kunkler (2006) suggested that the similarities between computer simulation tools and robotic surgery systems (e.g., mechanized feedback...distribution is unlimited. 49 Davies B. A review of robotics in surgery . Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal...ARL-TR-7683 ● MAY 2016 US Army Research Laboratory A Guide for Developing Human- Robot Interaction Experiments in the Robotic

Running Behavioral Experiments with Human Participants: A Practical Guide (Revised Version)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-20

R. (2000). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. This is a relatively large book. It covers...guide will be useful to anyone who is starting to run research studies, training people to run studies, or studying the experimental process. When...behavior. Running an experiment in exactly the same way regardless of who is conducting it or where (e.g., different research teams or laboratories) is

The effect of inquiry-flipped classroom model toward students' achievement on chemical reaction rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paristiowati, Maria; Fitriani, Ella; Aldi, Nurul Hanifah

2017-08-01

The aim of this research is to find out the effect of Inquiry-Flipped Classroom Models toward Students' Achievement on Chemical Reaction Rate topic. This study was conducted at SMA Negeri 3 Tangerang in Eleventh Graders. The Quasi Experimental Method with Non-equivalent Control Group design was implemented in this study. 72 students as the sample was selected by purposive sampling. Students in experimental group were learned through inquiry-flipped classroom model. Meanwhile, in control group, students were learned through guided inquiry learning model. Based on the data analysis, it can be seen that there is significant difference in the result of the average achievement of the students. The average achievement of the students in inquiry-flipped classroom model was 83,44 and the average achievement of the students in guided inquiry learning model was 74,06. It can be concluded that the students' achievement with inquiry-flipped classroom better than guided inquiry. The difference of students' achievement were significant through t-test which is tobs 3.056 > ttable 1.994 (α = 0.005).

Human machine interface to manually drive rhombic like vehicles in remote handling operations

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

Lopes, Pedro; Vale, Alberto; Ventura, Rodrigo

2015-07-01

In the thermonuclear experimental reactor ITER, a vehicle named CTS is designed to transport a container with activated components inside the buildings. In nominal operations, the CTS is autonomously guided under supervision. However, in some unexpected situations, such as in rescue and recovery operations, the autonomous mode must be overridden and the CTS must be remotely guided by an operator. The CTS is a rhombic-like vehicle, with two drivable and steerable wheels along its longitudinal axis, providing omni-directional capabilities. The rhombic kinematics correspond to four control variables, which are difficult to manage in manual mode operation. This paper proposes amore » Human Machine Interface (HMI) to remotely guide the vehicle in manual mode. The proposed solution is implemented using a HMI with an encoder connected to a micro-controller and an analog 2-axis joystick. Experimental results were obtained comparing the proposed solution with other controller devices in different scenarios and using a software platform that simulates the kinematics and dynamics of the vehicle. (authors)« less

Turbofan Engine Post-Instability Behavior - Computer Simulations, Test Validation, and Application of Simulations,

DTIC Science & Technology

COMPRESSORS, *AIR FLOW, TURBOFAN ENGINES , TRANSIENTS, SURGES, STABILITY, COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION, EXPERIMENTAL DATA, VALIDATION, DIGITAL SIMULATION, INLET GUIDE VANES , ROTATION, STALLING, RECOVERY, HYSTERESIS

[Experimental intervention study of safe injection in basic-level hospitals in Hunan by medical staff].

PubMed

Li, Li; Li, Yinglan; Long, Yanfang; Zhou, Yang; Lu, Jingmei; Wu, Ying

2013-07-01

To experimentally intervene safe injection by medical staff in basic-level hospitals and observe the recent and long-term effect after the intervention and to provide practical measures to improve safe injection. We used random sampling methods to set up groups in county hospitals and township hospitals of Hunan Province, and offered lectures, delivered safe injection guide, brochure and on-site guidance in the experimental group. We surveyed the 2 groups after the intervention at 1 month and 6 months to compare the effect of unsafe injection behaviors and safe injection behaviors. One month after the intervention, the unsafe injection rate in the experimental group decreased from 27.8% to 21.7%, while in the control group injection the unsafe injection rate rose from 26.0% to 27.9%, with significant difference (P<0.01). Six months after the intervention, the unsafe injection rate in the experimental group declined to 18.4% while the unsafe injection rate in the control group also dropped to 22.4%, with significant difference (P<0.01). Unsafe injection rate was decreased in the experimental group at different intervention points, with significant difference (P<0.01). The safe injection behavior scores in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group after the intervention of 1 month and 6 month intervention (P<0.01); the experimental group got higher scores after the intervention (P<0.01). Training of safe injection, distribution of safe injection guide, and comprehensive intervention model can significantly change the primary care practitioners' behaviors in unsafe injections and it is worth promoting.

Ultrasonic guided wave interpretation for structural health inspections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bingham, Jill Paisley

Structural Health Management (SHM) combines the use of onboard sensors with artificial intelligence algorithms to automatically identify and monitor structural health issues. A fully integrated approach to SHM systems demands an understanding of the sensor output relative to the structure, along with sophisticated prognostic systems that automatically draw conclusions about structural integrity issues. Ultrasonic guided wave methods allow us to examine the interaction of multimode signals within key structural components. Since they propagate relatively long distances within plate- and shell-like structures, guided waves allow inspection of greater areas with fewer sensors, making this technique attractive for a variety of applications. This dissertation describes the experimental development of automatic guided wave interpretation for three real world applications. Using the guided wave theories for idealized plates we have systematically developed techniques for identifying the mass loading of underwater limpet mines on US Navy ship hulls, characterizing type and bonding of protective coatings on large diameter pipelines, and detecting the thinning effects of corrosion on aluminum aircraft structural stringers. In each of these circumstances the signals received are too complex for interpretation without knowledge of the guided wave physics. We employ a signal processing technique called the Dynamic Wavelet Fingerprint Technique (DFWT) in order to render the guided wave mode information in two-dimensional binary images. The use of wavelets allows us to keep track of both time and scale features from the original signals. With simple image processing we have developed automatic extraction algorithms for features that correspond to the arrival times of the guided wave modes of interest for each of the applications. Due to the dispersive nature of the guided wave modes, the mode arrival times give details of the structure in the propagation path. For further understanding of how the guided wave modes propagate through the real structures, we have developed parallel processing, 3D elastic wave simulations using the finite integration technique (EFIT). This full field, numeric simulation technique easily examines models too complex for analytical solutions. We have developed the algorithm to handle built up 3D structures as well as layers with different material properties and surface detail. The simulations produce informative visualizations of the guided wave modes in the structures as well as the output from sensors placed in the simulation space to mimic the placement from experiment. Using the previously developed mode extraction algorithms we were then able to compare our 3D EFIT data to their experimental counterparts with consistency.

ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF ROTATING STALL PHENOMENA IN TURBINE ENGINE COMPRESSORS.

DTIC Science & Technology

AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSORS, STALLING), TURBOJET ENGINES , AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSOR BLADES , LIFT, HYSTERESIS, TURBULENCE, INLET GUIDE VANES , RINGS, STABILITY, THREE DIMENSIONAL FLOW, VISCOSITY, VORTICES, FLUIDICS.

Wild bees preferentially visit Rudbeckia flower heads with exaggerated ultraviolet absorbing floral guides

PubMed Central

Horth, Lisa; Campbell, Laura; Bray, Rebecca

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Here, we report on the results of an experimental study that assessed the visitation frequency of wild bees to conspecific flowers with different sized floral guides. UV absorbent floral guides are ubiquitous in Angiosperms, yet surprisingly little is known about conspecific variation in these guides and very few studies have evaluated pollinator response to UV guide manipulation. This is true despite our rich understanding about learning and color preferences in bees. Historical dogma indicates that flower color serves as an important long-range visual signal allowing pollinators to detect the flowers, while floral guides function as close-range signals that direct pollinators to a reward. We initiated the work presented here by first assessing the population level variation in UV absorbent floral guides for conspecific flowers. We assessed two species, Rudbeckia hirta and R. fulgida. We then used several petal cut-and-paste experiments to test whether UV floral guides can also function to attract visitors. We manipulated floral guide size and evaluated visitation frequency. In all experiments, pollinator visitation rates were clearly associated with floral guide size. Diminished floral guides recruited relatively few insect visitors. Exaggerated floral guides recruited more visitors than smaller or average sized guides. Thus, UV floral guides play an important role in pollinator recruitment and in determining the relative attractiveness of conspecific flower heads. Consideration of floral guides is therefore important when evaluating the overall conspicuousness of flower heads relative to background coloration. This work raises the issue of whether floral guides serve as honest indicators of reward, since guide size varies in nature for conspecific flowers at the same developmental stage and since preferences for larger guides were found. To our knowledge, these are the first cut-and-paste experiments conducted to examine whether UV absorbent floral guides affect visitation rates and pollinator preference. PMID:24585774

Wild bees preferentially visit Rudbeckia flower heads with exaggerated ultraviolet absorbing floral guides.

PubMed

Horth, Lisa; Campbell, Laura; Bray, Rebecca

2014-03-15

Here, we report on the results of an experimental study that assessed the visitation frequency of wild bees to conspecific flowers with different sized floral guides. UV absorbent floral guides are ubiquitous in Angiosperms, yet surprisingly little is known about conspecific variation in these guides and very few studies have evaluated pollinator response to UV guide manipulation. This is true despite our rich understanding about learning and color preferences in bees. Historical dogma indicates that flower color serves as an important long-range visual signal allowing pollinators to detect the flowers, while floral guides function as close-range signals that direct pollinators to a reward. We initiated the work presented here by first assessing the population level variation in UV absorbent floral guides for conspecific flowers. We assessed two species, Rudbeckia hirta and R. fulgida. We then used several petal cut-and-paste experiments to test whether UV floral guides can also function to attract visitors. We manipulated floral guide size and evaluated visitation frequency. In all experiments, pollinator visitation rates were clearly associated with floral guide size. Diminished floral guides recruited relatively few insect visitors. Exaggerated floral guides recruited more visitors than smaller or average sized guides. Thus, UV floral guides play an important role in pollinator recruitment and in determining the relative attractiveness of conspecific flower heads. Consideration of floral guides is therefore important when evaluating the overall conspicuousness of flower heads relative to background coloration. This work raises the issue of whether floral guides serve as honest indicators of reward, since guide size varies in nature for conspecific flowers at the same developmental stage and since preferences for larger guides were found. To our knowledge, these are the first cut-and-paste experiments conducted to examine whether UV absorbent floral guides affect visitation rates and pollinator preference.

Guided wave propagation and spectral element method for debonding damage assessment in RC structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ying; Zhu, Xinqun; Hao, Hong; Ou, Jinping

2009-07-01

A concrete-steel interface spectral element is developed to study the guided wave propagation along the steel rebar in the concrete. Scalar damage parameters characterizing changes in the interface (debonding damage) are incorporated into the formulation of the spectral finite element that is used for damage detection of reinforced concrete structures. Experimental tests are carried out on a reinforced concrete beam with embedded piezoelectric elements to verify the performance of the proposed model and algorithm. Parametric studies are performed to evaluate the effect of different damage scenarios on wave propagation in the reinforced concrete structures. Numerical simulations and experimental results show that the method is effective to model wave propagation along the steel rebar in concrete and promising to detect damage in the concrete-steel interface.

Guiding of relativistic electron beams in solid targets by resistively controlled magnetic fields.

PubMed

Kar, S; Robinson, A P L; Carroll, D C; Lundh, O; Markey, K; McKenna, P; Norreys, P; Zepf, M

2009-02-06

Guided transport of a relativistic electron beam in solid is achieved experimentally by exploiting the strong magnetic fields created at the interface of two metals of different electrical resistivities. This is of substantial relevance to the Fast Ignitor approach to fusion energy production [M. Tabak, Phys. Plasmas 12, 057305 (2005)10.1063/1.1871246], since it allows the electron deposition to be spatially tailored-thus adding substantial design flexibility and preventing inefficiencies due to electron beam spreading. In the experiment, optical transition radiation and thermal emission from the target rear surface provide a clear signature of the electron confinement within a high resistivity tin layer sandwiched transversely between two low resistivity aluminum slabs. The experimental data are found to agree well with numerical simulations.

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

Bucholz, J.A.

The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is in the midst of a massive upgrade program to enhance experimental facilities. The reactor presently has four horizontal experimental beam tubes, all of which will be replaced or redesigned. The HB-2 beam tube will be enlarged to support more guide tubes, while the HB-4 beam tube will soon include a cold neutron source.

Trees and Shrubs of the Penobscot Experimental Forest, Penobscot County, Maine

Treesearch

Lawrence O. Safford; Robert M. Frank; Elbert L., Jr. Little

1969-01-01

A reference guide for scientists, students, and visitors to the Penobscot Experimental Forest. A research unit of the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, the 4,000-acre site is located in southern Penobscot County near Bangor. Includes the history and a description of the physical features of the Penobscot, an annotated list of 103 species of woody plants and...

Acousto-Optic Interactions.

DTIC Science & Technology

The document reports the results of the experimental and theoretical investigation of acousto - optic interactions in guided wave structure for optical...waves and acoustic surface waves and experimental results of isotropic and anisotropic diffraction in LiNbO3 and quartz. A simple acousto - optic plate...CVD ZnO films on sapphire, which may be needed for the acousto - optic devices in thin films are also included. (Author)

Theoretical and experimental study of aerodynamics, heat transfer and performance of a radial turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tabakoff, W.

1975-01-01

A two-dimensional finite difference numerical technique is presented to determine the temperature distribution in a solid blade of a radial turbine guide vane. A computer program is written in FORTRAN 4 for the IBM 370/165 computer. The computer results obtained from these programs have a similar behavior and trend as those obtained by experimental results.

An Increasing of Primary School Teachers' Competency in Brain-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waree, Chaiwat

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study was to develop a powerful and empowering guide (CBT) of elementary school teachers, to compare the ability of elementary school teachers. Management learning uses brain as a base. The experimental group with a control group the experimental group used in this research was a teacher at the grade level. 4-6 in province By…

THE EFFECTS OF A PRESCHOOL PROGRAM UPON YOUNG EDUCABLE MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN--VOLUME 1, THE EXPERIMENTAL PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FOURACRE, MAURICE H.; AND OTHERS

THIS CURRICULUM REPORT DESCRIBES A SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR EDUCABLE PRESCHOOL RETARDATES TOGETHER WITH AN ACCOUNT OF ITS DEVELOPMENT IN EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES OF NEW YORK CITY. THE SETTING AND PROCESS OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL CURRICULUM, THE CURRICULUM GUIDE AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION, AND THE OBSERVED BEHAVIOR AND GROWTH OF THE PARTICIPATING CHILDREN…

The Experimental Design Assistant.

PubMed

Percie du Sert, Nathalie; Bamsey, Ian; Bate, Simon T; Berdoy, Manuel; Clark, Robin A; Cuthill, Innes; Fry, Derek; Karp, Natasha A; Macleod, Malcolm; Moon, Lawrence; Stanford, S Clare; Lings, Brian

2017-09-01

Addressing the common problems that researchers encounter when designing and analysing animal experiments will improve the reliability of in vivo research. In this article, the Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) is introduced. The EDA is a web-based tool that guides the in vivo researcher through the experimental design and analysis process, providing automated feedback on the proposed design and generating a graphical summary that aids communication with colleagues, funders, regulatory authorities, and the wider scientific community. It will have an important role in addressing causes of irreproducibility.

The Experimental Design Assistant

PubMed Central

Bamsey, Ian; Bate, Simon T.; Berdoy, Manuel; Clark, Robin A.; Cuthill, Innes; Fry, Derek; Karp, Natasha A.; Macleod, Malcolm; Moon, Lawrence; Stanford, S. Clare; Lings, Brian

2017-01-01

Addressing the common problems that researchers encounter when designing and analysing animal experiments will improve the reliability of in vivo research. In this article, the Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) is introduced. The EDA is a web-based tool that guides the in vivo researcher through the experimental design and analysis process, providing automated feedback on the proposed design and generating a graphical summary that aids communication with colleagues, funders, regulatory authorities, and the wider scientific community. It will have an important role in addressing causes of irreproducibility. PMID:28957312

A magnetic flux leakage and magnetostrictive guided wave hybrid transducer for detecting bridge cables.

PubMed

Xu, Jiang; Wu, Xinjun; Cheng, Cheng; Ben, Anran

2012-01-01

Condition assessment of cables has gained considerable attention for the bridge safety. A magnetic flux leakage and magnetostrictive guided wave hybrid transducer is provided to inspect bridge cables. The similarities and differences between the two methods are investigated. The hybrid transducer for bridge cables consists of an aluminum framework, climbing modules, embedded magnetizers and a ribbon coil. The static axial magnetic field provided by the magnetizers meets the needs of the magnetic flux leakage testing and the magnetostrictive guided wave testing. The magnetizers also provide the attraction for the climbing modules. In the magnetic flux leakage testing for the free length of cable, the coil induces the axial leakage magnetic field. In the magnetostrictive guided wave testing for the anchorage zone, the coil provides a pulse high power variational magnetic field for generating guided waves; the coil induces the magnetic field variation for receiving guided waves. The experimental results show that the transducer with the corresponding inspection system could be applied to detect the broken wires in the free length and in the anchorage zone of bridge cables.

A Magnetic Flux Leakage and Magnetostrictive Guided Wave Hybrid Transducer for Detecting Bridge Cables

PubMed Central

Xu, Jiang; Wu, Xinjun; Cheng, Cheng; Ben, Anran

2012-01-01

Condition assessment of cables has gained considerable attention for the bridge safety. A magnetic flux leakage and magnetostrictive guided wave hybrid transducer is provided to inspect bridge cables. The similarities and differences between the two methods are investigated. The hybrid transducer for bridge cables consists of an aluminum framework, climbing modules, embedded magnetizers and a ribbon coil. The static axial magnetic field provided by the magnetizers meets the needs of the magnetic flux leakage testing and the magnetostrictive guided wave testing. The magnetizers also provide the attraction for the climbing modules. In the magnetic flux leakage testing for the free length of cable, the coil induces the axial leakage magnetic field. In the magnetostrictive guided wave testing for the anchorage zone, the coil provides a pulse high power variational magnetic field for generating guided waves; the coil induces the magnetic field variation for receiving guided waves. The experimental results show that the transducer with the corresponding inspection system could be applied to detect the broken wires in the free length and in the anchorage zone of bridge cables. PMID:22368483

Resonant scattering of light from a glass/Ag/MgF2/air system with rough interfaces and supporting guided modes in attenuated total reflection.

PubMed

Ramírez-Duverger, Aldo S; Gaspar-Armenta, Jorge A; García-Llamas, Raúl

2003-08-01

We report experimental results of the resonant scattering of light from a prism-glass/Ag/MgF2/air system with use of the attenuated total reflection technique for p and s polarized light. Two MgF2 film thicknesses were used. The system with the thinner dielectric layer supports two transverse magnetic (TM) and two transverse electric (TE) guided modes at a wavelength of 632.8 nm, and the system with the thicker dielectric layer supports three TM and three TE guided modes. In both cases we found dips in the specular reflection as a function of incident angle that is due to excitation of guided modes in the MgF2 film. The scattered light shows peaks at angles corresponding to the measured excitation of the guided modes. These peaks are due to single-order scattering and occur for any angle of the incident light. All features in the scattering response are enhanced in resonance conditions, and the efficiency of injecting light into the guide is reduced.

Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Performance Improvements of a Cross-Flow Fan

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

volume xvi HPC h High-pressure cavity—referred to as “Secondary Vortex Cavity” in Ref [11] Enthalpy IGV Inlet guide vane k Turbulent kinetic...Cordero [13], the pressure ratio. Assuming constant mass flow rate with the use of the inlet guide vane ( IGV ), the increase in pressure means higher...exit velocity and so higher thrust. The concept of using IGVs did not have the desired results because of higher losses being induced and the

Experimental Program for the Evaluation of Turbofan/Turboshaft Conversion Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

Wenzel National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center Cleveland, Ohio 44135 SUMMARY -A TF34 turbofan engine is being modified to...of a Part-Span Variable Inlet Guide Vane on the Performance of a High-Bypass Turbofan Engine . NASA TM 82617, 1981. 5. Nieberding, W. C.; and Pollack...produce shaft power from an output coupling on the fan disk when variable inlet guide vanes are closed to reduce fan airflow. The engine , called a

Laser-sodium interaction for the polychromatic laser guide star project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellanger, Veronique; Petit, Alain D.

2002-02-01

We developed a code aimed at determining the laser parameters leading to the maximum return flux of photons at 0.33 micrometers for a polychromatic sodium Laser Guide Star. This software relies upon a full 48-level collisionless and magnetic-field-free density-matrix description of the hyperfine structure of Na and includes Doppler broadening and Zeeman degeneracy. Experimental validation of BEACON was conducted on the SILVA facilities and will also be discussed in this paper.

Guided self-help on the Internet for Turkish migrants with depression: the design of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Unlü, Burçin; Riper, Heleen; van Straten, Annemieke; Cuijpers, Pim

2010-11-04

The Turkish population living in The Netherlands has a high prevalence of psychological complaints and has a high threshold for seeking professional help for these problems. Seeking help through the Internet can overcome these barriers. This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a guided self-help problem-solving intervention for depressed Turkish migrants that is culturally adapted and web-based. This study is a randomized controlled trial with two arms: an experimental condition group and a wait list control group. The experimental condition obtains direct access to the guided web-based self-help intervention, which is based on Problem Solving Treatment (PST) and takes 6 weeks to complete. Turkish adults with mild to moderate depressive symptoms will be recruited from the general population and the participants can choose between a Turkish and a Dutch version. The primary outcome measure is the reduction of depressive symptoms, the secondary outcome measures are somatic symptoms, anxiety, acculturation, quality of life and satisfaction. Participants are assessed at baseline, post-test (6 weeks), and 4 months after baseline. Analysis will be conducted on the intention-to-treat sample. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a guided problem-solving intervention for Turkish adults living in The Netherlands that is culturally adapted and web-based. Nederlands Trial Register: NTR2303.

Application of scanning laser Doppler vibrometry for delamination detection in composite structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudela, Pawel; Wandowski, Tomasz; Malinowski, Pawel; Ostachowicz, Wieslaw

2017-12-01

In this paper application of scanning laser Doppler vibrometry for delamination detection in composite structures was presented. Delamination detection was based on a guided wave propagation method. In this papers results from numerical and experimental research were presented. In the case of numerical research, the Spectral Element Method (SEM) was utilized, in which a mesh was composed of 3D spectral elements. SEM model included also a piezoelectric transducer. In the experimental research guided waves were excited using the piezoelectric transducer whereas the sensing process was conducted using scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV). Analysis of guided wave propagation and its interaction with delamination was based on a full wavefield approach. Attention was focused on interactions of guided waves with delamination manifested by A0 mode reflection, A0 mode entrapment, and S0/A0 mode conversion. Delamination was simulated by a teflon insert located between plies of composite material. Results of interaction with symmetrically and nonsymmetrical placed delamination (in respect to the composite sample thickness) were presented. Moreover, the authors investigated different size of delaminations. Damage detection was based on a new signal processing algorithm proposed by the authors. In this approach the weighted RMS was utilized selectively. It means that the summation in RMS formula was performed only for a specially selected time instances. Results for simple composite panels, panel with honeycomb core, and real stiffened composite panel from the aircraft were presented.

Combating mutations in genetic disease and drug resistance: understanding molecular mechanisms to guide drug design.

PubMed

Albanaz, Amanda T S; Rodrigues, Carlos H M; Pires, Douglas E V; Ascher, David B

2017-06-01

Mutations introduce diversity into genomes, leading to selective changes and driving evolution. These changes have contributed to the emergence of many of the current major health concerns of the 21st century, from the development of genetic diseases and cancers to the rise and spread of drug resistance. The experimental systematic testing of all mutations in a system of interest is impractical and not cost-effective, which has created interest in the development of computational tools to understand the molecular consequences of mutations to aid and guide rational experimentation. Areas covered: Here, the authors discuss the recent development of computational methods to understand the effects of coding mutations to protein function and interactions, particularly in the context of the 3D structure of the protein. Expert opinion: While significant progress has been made in terms of innovative tools to understand and quantify the different range of effects in which a mutation or a set of mutations can give rise to a phenotype, a great gap still exists when integrating these predictions and drawing causality conclusions linking variants. This often requires a detailed understanding of the system being perturbed. However, as part of the drug development process it can be used preemptively in a similar fashion to pharmacokinetics predictions, to guide development of therapeutics to help guide the design and analysis of clinical trials, patient treatment and public health policy strategies.

Moving without a purpose: an experimental study of swarm guidance in the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera.

PubMed

Makinson, James C; Beekman, Madeleine

2014-06-01

During reproductive swarming, honey bee scouts perform two very important functions. Firstly, they find new nesting locations and return to the swarm cluster to communicate their discoveries. Secondly, once the swarm is ready to depart, informed scout bees act as guides, leading the swarm to its final destination. We have previously hypothesised that the two processes, selecting a new nest site and swarm guidance, are tightly linked in honey bees. When swarms can be laissez faire about where they nest, reaching directional consensus prior to lift off seems unnecessary. If, in contrast, it is essential that the swarm reaches a precise location, either directional consensus must be near unanimous prior to swarm departure or only a select subgroup of the scouts guide the swarm. Here, we tested experimentally whether directional consensus is necessary for the successful guidance of swarms of the Western honey bee Apis mellifera by forcing swarms into the air prior to the completion of the decision-making process. Our results show that swarms were unable to guide themselves prior to the swarm reaching the pre-flight buzzing phase of the decision-making process, even when directional consensus was high. We therefore suggest that not all scouts involved in the decision-making process attempt to guide the swarm. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Value of artisanal simulators to train veterinary students in performing invasive ultrasound-guided procedures.

PubMed

Hage, Maria Cristina F N S; Massaferro, Ana Beatriz; Lopes, Érika Rondon; Beraldo, Carolina Mariano; Daniel, Jéssika

2016-03-01

Pericardial effusion can lead to cardiac tamponade, which endangers an animal's life. Ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis is used to remove abnormal liquid; however, it requires technical expertise. In veterinary medical education, the opportunity to teach this procedure to save lives during emergencies is rare; therefore, simulators are recommended for this practice. The present study aimed to create a model that can be made "at home" at low cost for ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis training and to gather feedback about this model through questionnaires given to the participants. Eighteen professionals and thirty-six students were introduced to the simulator in pairs. After the simulation training session, participants filled out the questionnaire. Participants considered the model strong in the following areas: visualization of the pericardium, the heart, fluid in the pericardium, and fluid decrease during fictitious pericardiocentesis and its realism. They considered the model weak or moderate in the following areas: visualization of the surrounding tissues, difficulty of pericardial puncture, and visualization of the catheter. The professionals classified the realism of the experimental heart as moderate, whereas the undergraduate students classified it as strong. All participants believed that the experimental model could be useful in preparing for a future real situation. This model fulfills the need for a practical, realistic, and cost-effective model for ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis training. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Laser pulse coded signal frequency measuring device based on DSP and CPLD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hai-bo; Cao, Li-hua; Geng, Ai-hui; Li, Yan; Guo, Ru-hai; Wang, Ting-feng

2011-06-01

Laser pulse code is an anti-jamming measures used in semi-active laser guided weapons. On account of the laser-guided signals adopting pulse coding mode and the weak signal processing, it need complex calculations in the frequency measurement process according to the laser pulse code signal time correlation to meet the request in optoelectronic countermeasures in semi-active laser guided weapons. To ensure accurately completing frequency measurement in a short time, it needed to carry out self-related process with the pulse arrival time series composed of pulse arrival time, calculate the signal repetition period, and then identify the letter type to achieve signal decoding from determining the time value, number and rank number in a signal cycle by Using CPLD and DSP for signal processing chip, designing a laser-guided signal frequency measurement in the pulse frequency measurement device, improving the signal processing capability through the appropriate software algorithms. In this article, we introduced the principle of frequency measurement of the device, described the hardware components of the device, the system works and software, analyzed the impact of some system factors on the accuracy of the measurement. The experimental results indicated that this system improve the accuracy of the measurement under the premise of volume, real-time, anti-interference, low power of the laser pulse frequency measuring device. The practicality of the design, reliability has been demonstrated from the experimental point of view.

A step-by-step guide to systematically identify all relevant animal studies.

PubMed

Leenaars, Marlies; Hooijmans, Carlijn R; van Veggel, Nieky; ter Riet, Gerben; Leeflang, Mariska; Hooft, Lotty; van der Wilt, Gert Jan; Tillema, Alice; Ritskes-Hoitinga, Merel

2012-01-01

Before starting a new animal experiment, thorough analysis of previously performed experiments is essential from a scientific as well as from an ethical point of view. The method that is most suitable to carry out such a thorough analysis of the literature is a systematic review (SR). An essential first step in an SR is to search and find all potentially relevant studies. It is important to include all available evidence in an SR to minimize bias and reduce hampered interpretation of experimental outcomes. Despite the recent development of search filters to find animal studies in PubMed and EMBASE, searching for all available animal studies remains a challenge. Available guidelines from the clinical field cannot be copied directly to the situation within animal research, and although there are plenty of books and courses on searching the literature, there is no compact guide available to search and find relevant animal studies. Therefore, in order to facilitate a structured, thorough and transparent search for animal studies (in both preclinical and fundamental science), an easy-to-use, step-by-step guide was prepared and optimized using feedback from scientists in the field of animal experimentation. The step-by-step guide will assist scientists in performing a comprehensive literature search and, consequently, improve the scientific quality of the resulting review and prevent unnecessary animal use in the future.

A step-by-step guide to systematically identify all relevant animal studies

PubMed Central

Leenaars, Marlies; Hooijmans, Carlijn R; van Veggel, Nieky; ter Riet, Gerben; Leeflang, Mariska; Hooft, Lotty; van der Wilt, Gert Jan; Tillema, Alice; Ritskes-Hoitinga, Merel

2012-01-01

Before starting a new animal experiment, thorough analysis of previously performed experiments is essential from a scientific as well as from an ethical point of view. The method that is most suitable to carry out such a thorough analysis of the literature is a systematic review (SR). An essential first step in an SR is to search and find all potentially relevant studies. It is important to include all available evidence in an SR to minimize bias and reduce hampered interpretation of experimental outcomes. Despite the recent development of search filters to find animal studies in PubMed and EMBASE, searching for all available animal studies remains a challenge. Available guidelines from the clinical field cannot be copied directly to the situation within animal research, and although there are plenty of books and courses on searching the literature, there is no compact guide available to search and find relevant animal studies. Therefore, in order to facilitate a structured, thorough and transparent search for animal studies (in both preclinical and fundamental science), an easy-to-use, step-by-step guide was prepared and optimized using feedback from scientists in the field of animal experimentation. The step-by-step guide will assist scientists in performing a comprehensive literature search and, consequently, improve the scientific quality of the resulting review and prevent unnecessary animal use in the future. PMID:22037056

Investigation of Blade-row Flow Distributions in Axial-flow-compressor Stage Consisting of Guide Vanes and Rotor-blade Row

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahoney, John J; Dugan, Paul D; Budinger, Raymond E; Goelzer, H Fred

1950-01-01

A 30-inch tip-diameter axial-flow compressor stage was investigated with and without rotor to determine individual blade-row performance, interblade-row effects, and outer-wall boundary-layer conditions. Velocity gradients at guide-vane outlet without rotor approximated design assumptions, when the measured variation of leaving angle was considered. With rotor in operation, Mach number and rotor-blade effects changed flow distribution leaving guide vanes and invalidated design assumption of radial equilibrium. Rotor-blade performance correlated interpolated two-dimensional results within 2 degrees, although tip stall was indicated in experimental and not two-dimensional results. Boundary-displacement thickness was less than 1.0 and 1.5 percent of passage height after guide vanes and after rotor, respectively, but increased rapidly after rotor when tip stall occurred.

Low-Power Light Guiding and Localization in Optoplasmonic Chains Obtained by Directed Self-Assembly

PubMed Central

Ahn, Wonmi; Zhao, Xin; Hong, Yan; Reinhard, Björn M.

2016-01-01

Optoplasmonic structures contain plasmonic components embedded in a defined photonic environment to create synergistic interactions between photonic and plasmonic components. Here, we show that chains of optical microspheres containing gold nanoparticles in their evanescent field combine the light guiding properties of a microsphere chain with the light localizing properties of a plasmonic nanoantenna. We implement these materials through template guided self-assembly and investigate their fundamental electromagnetic working principles through combination of electromagnetic simulations and experimental characterization. We demonstrate that optoplasmonic chains implemented by directed self-assembly achieve a significant reduction in guiding losses when compared with conventional plasmonic waveguides and, at the same time, retain the light localizing properties of plasmonic antennas at pre-defined locations. The results reinforce the potential of optoplasmonic structures for realizing low-loss optical interconnects with high bandwidth. PMID:26931149

Effectiveness of inquiry-based learning in an undergraduate exercise physiology course.

PubMed

Nybo, Lars; May, Michael

2015-06-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of changing a laboratory physiology course for undergraduate students from a traditional step-by-step guided structure to an inquiry-based approach. With this aim in mind, quantitative and qualitative evaluations of learning outcomes (individual subject-specific tests and group interviews) were performed for a laboratory course in cardiorespiratory exercise physiology that was conducted in one year with a traditional step-by-step guided manual (traditional course) and the next year completed with an inquiry-based structure (I-based course). The I-based course was a guided inquiry course where students had to design the experimental protocol and conduct their own study on the basis of certain predefined criteria (i.e., they should evaluate respiratory responses to submaximal and maximal exercise and provide indirect and direct measures of aerobic exercise capacity). The results indicated that the overall time spent on the experimental course as well as self-evaluated learning outcomes were similar across groups. However, students in the I-based course used more time in preparation (102 ± 5 min) than students in the traditional course (42 ± 3 min, P < 0.05), and 65 ± 5% students in the I-based course searched for additional literature before experimentation compared with only 2 ± 1% students in the traditional course. Furthermore, students in the I-based course achieved a higher (P < 0.05) average score on the quantitative test (45 ± 3%) compared with students in the traditional course (31 ± 4%). Although students were unfamiliar with cardiorespiratory exercise physiology and the experimental methods before the course, it appears that an inquiry-based approach rather than one that provides students with step-by-step instructions may benefit learning outcomes in a laboratory physiology course. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

[Management of chronic kidney disease guided by the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine: an experimental study].

PubMed

Wen, Ji; Xie, Xi-Sheng; Zhang, Ming-Hua; Mao, Nan; Zhang, Cheng-Long; Xie, Lin-Shen; Cheng, Yuan; Zhang, Zi-Yuan; Fan, Jun-Ming

2014-01-01

To determine the impact of Traditional Chinese Medicine on patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). A total of 225 CKD patients in an outpatient department were recruited for this study, among whom 170 received regular Western and Chinese medicine treatments (control group) and 55 received treatments guided by the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (experimental group). The effectiveness of the treatments was determined through a pre-post comparison. Significant pre-intervention differences in age (P < 0.01), stage of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (P = 0.007) and urine protein (P < 0.01) were found between the two groups of patients. But age, gender and proteinuria were not significant predictors on clinical outcomes of the patients in the multivariate regression models. The experimental group had a greater level of decrease in blood urea nitrogen (P < 0.01) and serum creatine (P < 0. 01) than the control group. No significant differences between the groups were found in changes of uric acid (P = 0.475), urine protein (P = 0.058), urine red cells (P = 0.577), and urine white cells (P = 0.01). A greater level of increase in estimated glomerular filtration rate was found in the experimental group compared with the control (P < 0.001). The multivariate linear regression analysis identified group (B = 0.395, P < 0.001) and stage of GFR (B = 0.165, P = 0.008) as significant predictors on the outcomes of treatment. The treatment of CKD patients guided by the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine can improve renal function through influencing glomerular filtration rate. The effect is more prominent than the regular treatment regime.

Image-guided filtering for improving photoacoustic tomographic image reconstruction.

PubMed

Awasthi, Navchetan; Kalva, Sandeep Kumar; Pramanik, Manojit; Yalavarthy, Phaneendra K

2018-06-01

Several algorithms exist to solve the photoacoustic image reconstruction problem depending on the expected reconstructed image features. These reconstruction algorithms promote typically one feature, such as being smooth or sharp, in the output image. Combining these features using a guided filtering approach was attempted in this work, which requires an input and guiding image. This approach act as a postprocessing step to improve commonly used Tikhonov or total variational regularization method. The result obtained from linear backprojection was used as a guiding image to improve these results. Using both numerical and experimental phantom cases, it was shown that the proposed guided filtering approach was able to improve (as high as 11.23 dB) the signal-to-noise ratio of the reconstructed images with the added advantage being computationally efficient. This approach was compared with state-of-the-art basis pursuit deconvolution as well as standard denoising methods and shown to outperform them. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Effects of Pump-turbine S-shaped Characteristics on Transient Behaviours: Experimental Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Wei; Yang, Jiandong; Hu, Jinhong; Tang, Renbo

2017-05-01

A pumped storage stations model was set up and introduced in the previous paper. In the model station, the S-shaped characteristic curves was measured at the load rejection condition with the guide vanes stalling. Load rejection tests where guide-vane closed linearly were performed to validate the effect of the S-shaped characteristics on hydraulic transients. Load rejection experiments with different guide vane closing schemes were also performed to determine a suitable scheme considering the S-shaped characteristics. The condition of one pump turbine rejecting its load after another defined as one-after-another (OAA) load rejection was performed to validate the possibility of S-induced extreme draft tube pressure.

Transparent Solar Concentrator for Flat Panel Display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Chia-Hung; Chang, Fuh-Yu; Young, Hong-Tsu; Hsieh, Tsung-Yen; Chang, Chia-Hsiung

2012-06-01

A new concept of the transparent solar concentrator for flat panel display is experimentally demonstrated without adversely affecting the visual effects. The solar concentrator is based on a solar light-guide plate with micro prisms, not only increasing the absorption area of solar energy but also enhancing the conversion efficiency. The incident light is guided by the designed solar light-guide plate according to the total internal reflection (TIR), and converted into electrical power by photovoltaic solar cells. The designed transparent solar concentrator was made and measured with high transparency, namely 94.8%. The developed solar energy system for display can store energy and supply the bias voltage to light on two light-emitting diodes (LEDs) successfully.

SWITCH user's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

The planning program, SWITCH, and its surrounding changed-goal-replanning program, Runaround, are described. The evolution of SWITCH and Runaround from an earlier planner, DEVISER, is recounted. SWITCH's plan representation, and its process of building a plan by backward chaining with strict chronological backtracking, are described. A guide for writing knowledge base files is provided, as are narrative guides for installing the program, running it, and interacting with it while it is running. Some utility functions are documented. For the sake of completeness, a narrative guide to the experimental discrepancy-replanning feature is provided. Appendices contain knowledge base files for a blocksworld domain, and a DRIBBLE file illustrating the output from, and user interaction with, the program in that domain.

[The contribution made by neurophysiological and ultrasound imaging studies to the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Surgical correlation].

PubMed

de Pablos, C; Velasco-Zarzosa, M; Landeras-Alvaro, R; Rubio-Lorenzo, M; Martínez-Zubieta, P

Electrophysiological study has been for long time the elected approach for the diagnosis and clinical evaluation of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). More recently, echography and other imaging techniques have been introduced in current medicine for their potential in the anatomical evaluation of the neural compression. To asses the usefulness of both diagnostic procedures we have compared the findings obtained by electrophysiological and echographic approaches in a group of 60 CTS patients with different degrees of the disease. In all patients the conduction velocity was evaluated in the median and cubital nerves using surface electrodes. For echography lineal transductors of 5-10 Hz and 5-12.5 MHz were employed. The patients were distributed for each test on a scale depending of the severity of the alterations detected by the corresponding technique and both files were subsequently compared by regression analysis, Pearson test and paired-test. No correlation was detected in any of the statistical test. The lack of correlation between the results of both proofs emphasizes the usefulness of the two diagnostic approaches in CTS. While electrophysiological study provides information about nerve function, ecography unravels the morphological alterations accounting for the syndrome, therefore being non-excluding complementary approaches.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy: a diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

PubMed

Grio, R; Porpiglia, M; Vetro, E; Uligini, R; Piacentino, R; Minì, D; Marchino, G L

1994-12-01

Pregnancy is a predisposing factor for urinary tract infection and pregnant women suffering from this pathology are exposed to dangerous risks which may condition maternal wellbeing and fetal prognosis. The apparently paradoxal finding of a higher incidence of perinatal problems in pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria compared to those with manifest infections may be explained by the fact that the latter are adequately treated, whereas asymptomatic bacteriuria, which is difficult to diagnose, may continue in a subtle form for the entire duration of pregnancy. This emphasises the importance of the early diagnosis of infection using a protocol based on urine tests and urine culture and the adequate treatment of all cases of asymptomatic bacteriuria in order to reduce the incidence of maternal and fetal complications (acute pyelonephritis, increased fetal morbidity and mortality). The choice of the antibiotic to be used must be made on the basis of the urine culture test, the stage of gestation, maternal clinical data and the characteristics of the antibiotic itself (pharmacokinetics, maternal and fetal toxicity). With regard to the treatment protocol, the "single-dose" protocol is currently preferred. After negative urine culture tests, all patients must carry out a complete urine test each month with hormonal and echographic monitoring of the fetoplacental unit.

Echographic imaging of tumoral cells through novel nanosystems for image diagnosis

PubMed Central

Di Paola, Marco; Chiriacò, Fernanda; Soloperto, Giulia; Conversano, Francesco; Casciaro, Sergio

2014-01-01

Since the recognition of disease molecular basis, it has become clear that the keystone moments of medical practice, namely early diagnosis, appropriate therapeutic treatment and patient follow-up, must be approached at a molecular level. These objectives will be in the near future more effectively achievable thanks to the impressive developments in nanotechnologies and their applications to the biomedical field, starting-up the nanomedicine era. The continuous advances in the development of biocompatible smart nanomaterials, in particular, will be crucial in several aspects of medicine. In fact, the possibility of manufacturing nanoparticle contrast agents that can be selectively targeted to specific pathological cells has extended molecular imaging applications to non-ionizing techniques and, at the same time, has made reachable the perspective of combining highly accurate diagnoses and personalized therapies in a single theranostic intervention. Main developing applications of nanosized theranostic agents include targeted molecular imaging, controlled drug release, therapeutic monitoring, guidance of radiation-based treatments and surgical interventions. Here we will review the most recent findings in nanoparticles contrast agents and their applications in the field of cancer molecular imaging employing non-ionizing techniques and disease-specific contrast agents, with special focus on recent findings on those nanomaterials particularly promising for ultrasound molecular imaging and simultaneous treatment of cancer. PMID:25071886

Guide to Instrumentation Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

1955-12-14

equipment design , 1287f]-040. 166 refs. 5059. A. Chapanis, W. Ro Garner and C& T. Morgan, Applied experImental psychology. Human factors in enginering...Complete details of the work are presented, including laboratory data, experimental procedures, and theoretical and mathematical analyses. Annual...Instrumentation . . . . . . ....... 16 2.3 Books * • • •••••••••.• 1 Automatic Control; Design ; lhteory; Servomechanisms; Applications . . . . . . . . . 18

Learning to Fly: The Wright Brothers' Adventure. A Guide for Educators and Students with Activities in Aeronautics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benson, T.; Galica, C.; McCredie, P.; Storm, R.

2003-01-01

This guide was produced by the NASA Glenn Research Center Office of Educational Programs in Cleveland, OH, and the NASA Aerospace Educational Coordinating Committee. It includes activity modules for students, including the history of the Wright Brothers and their family in Dayton, Ohio and flight experimentation in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Student activities such as building models of the Wright Brothers glider and writing press releases of the initial flight are included.

Chiral behaviour of the wave functions for three wave guides in the vicinity of an exceptional point of third order

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heiss, Walter Dieter; Wunner, Günter

2017-12-01

A matrix model that has been used to describe essential features of a parity-time symmetric set-up of three coupled wave guides is investigated. The emphasis of the study lies on the occurrence of an exceptional point of third order. It is demonstrated that the eigenfunctions in close vicinity of the exceptional point have a distinctive chiral behaviour. Using data describing realistic situations it is argued that such chiral behaviour can be tested experimentally.

Electromagnetically driven radiative shocks and their measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondo, K.; Nakajima, M.; Kawamura, T.; Horioka, K.

2006-06-01

Experimental results on a generation of strong shocks in a compact pulse power device are reported. To make a strong and plain shock wave, electrodes are tapered and an acrylic guiding tube is located on the top of the electrodes. It drives a quasi-one-dimensional strong shock in the guiding tube. When the front speed is more than the critical speed Drad, an interesting structure is confirmed at the shock front, which indicate a phenomenon proceeded by the radiative transport.

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

Lee, Jaesun; Cho, Younho; Park, Jun-Pil

Guided wave was widely studied for plate and pipe due to the great application area. Guided wave has advantage on long distance inspection for an inaccessible area and apart from transducer. Quite often shrink fit structures were found in nuclear power facilities. In this paper, two pipes were designed with perfect shrink fit condition for Stainless Steel 316. The displacement distribution was calculated with boundary condition. The interface wave propagation pattern was analyzed by the numerical modeling. The experimental results show a possibility of weld delamination and defect detection.

Transport Test Problems for Hybrid Methods Development

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

Shaver, Mark W.; Miller, Erin A.; Wittman, Richard S.

2011-12-28

This report presents 9 test problems to guide testing and development of hybrid calculations for the ADVANTG code at ORNL. These test cases can be used for comparing different types of radiation transport calculations, as well as for guiding the development of variance reduction methods. Cases are drawn primarily from existing or previous calculations with a preference for cases which include experimental data, or otherwise have results with a high level of confidence, are non-sensitive, and represent problem sets of interest to NA-22.

Formation of ECR Plasma in a Dielectric Plasma Guide under Self-Excitation of a Standing Ion-Acoustic Wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balmashnov, A. A.; Kalashnikov, A. V.; Kalashnikov, V. V.; Stepina, S. P.; Umnov, A. M.

2018-01-01

The formation of a spatially localized plasma with a high brightness has been experimentally observed in a dielectric plasma guide under the electron cyclotron resonance discharge at the excitation of a standing ion-acoustic wave. The results obtained show the possibility of designing compact high-intensity radiation sources with a spectrum determined by the working gas or gas mixture type, high-intensity chemically active particle flow sources, and plasma thrusters for correcting orbits of light spacecraft.

Predicting the stochastic guiding of kinesin-driven microtubules in microfabricated tracks: a statistical-mechanics-based modeling approach.

PubMed

Lin, Chih-Tin; Meyhofer, Edgar; Kurabayashi, Katsuo

2010-01-01

Directional control of microtubule shuttles via microfabricated tracks is key to the development of controlled nanoscale mass transport by kinesin motor molecules. Here we develop and test a model to quantitatively predict the stochastic behavior of microtubule guiding when they mechanically collide with the sidewalls of lithographically patterned tracks. By taking into account appropriate probability distributions of microscopic states of the microtubule system, the model allows us to theoretically analyze the roles of collision conditions and kinesin surface densities in determining how the motion of microtubule shuttles is controlled. In addition, we experimentally observe the statistics of microtubule collision events and compare our theoretical prediction with experimental data to validate our model. The model will direct the design of future hybrid nanotechnology devices that integrate nanoscale transport systems powered by kinesin-driven molecular shuttles.

Laser generated guided waves and finite element modeling for the thickness gauging of thin layers.

PubMed

Lefevre, F; Jenot, F; Ouaftouh, M; Duquennoy, M; Ourak, M

2010-03-01

In this paper, nondestructive testing has been performed on a thin gold layer deposited on a 2 in. silicon wafer. Guided waves were generated and studied using a laser ultrasonic setup and a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform technique was employed to obtain the dispersion curves. A gold layer thickness of 1.33 microm has been determined with a +/-5% margin of error using the shape of the two first propagating modes, assuming for the substrate and the layer an uncertainty on the elastic parameters of +/-2.5%. A finite element model has been implemented to validate the data post-treatment and the experimental results. A good agreement between the numerical simulation, the analytical modeling and the experimentations has been observed. This method was considered suitable for thickness layer higher than 0.7 microm.

Establishing the first institutional animal care and use committee in Egypt.

PubMed

Fahmy, Sohair R; Gaafar, Khadiga

2016-04-09

Although animal research ethics committees (AREC) are well established in Western countries, this field is weakly developed and its concept is poorly understood in the Middle East and North Africa region. Our main objective was to introduce the concept and requirements of ethical approaches in dealing with experimental animal in research and teaching in Egypt. Due to its very recent inception, Cairo University, Faculty of Science IACUC decided to operate in accordance with Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals 8th Edition 2011 (the Guide) since Egypt has not yet compiled its own guide. Fifty protocols were reviewed in 2013-2014. Only ten protocols were reviewed in 2013, but in 2014, forty protocols were reviewed. In 2013 all protocols were approved and in 2014, number of approvals were 35, the number of deferrals were 4, and one refused protocol. Master's theses (MSc) research protocols constituted the majority of the total reviewed protocols. This is attributed to the decision of the Board of the Faculty of Science, Cairo University in September, 2013 that the approval of the IACUC is mandatory before conducting any research involving animals or theses registration. The first IACUC was established in the Cairo University, Faculty of Science, since 2012. The challenges encountered by the committee were diverse, such as the absence of laws that control the use of animal models in scientific research, lack of guidelines (protocols for experimental animals in research) and, mandatory ethical approval for any experimental animal research.

[Effects of special mouth care with an aroma solution on oral status and oral cavity microorganism growth in elderly stroke patients].

PubMed

Lee, Eun-Hye; Park, Hyojung

2015-02-01

This study was conducted to examine the effect of oral care with an aroma solution on oral status and oral cavity microorganism growth in elderly patients with stroke. A non-equivalent control group, with a pretest-posttest design was used in this study. The participants were assigned to the experimental group (n=30) that received oral care with an aroma solution or the control group (n=31) that received 0.9% saline solution. To identify the effect of the experimental treatments, objective/subjective assessments of oral status and oral cavity microorganism growth were performed using the oral assessment guide, oral perception guide, and oral swab culture. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and t-test with the SPSS version 21.0 program. The objective oral status was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (t= -3.64, p<.001). There was no significant difference between the subjective oral status of the experimental group and control groups (t= -1.24, p=.109). Oral microorganism growth was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (t= -7.39, p<.001). These findings indicate that special mouth care using an aroma solution could be an effective oral health nursing intervention for elderly patients with stroke.

Autonomic responses to ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle electrolysis of the patellar tendon in healthy male footballers.

PubMed

de la Cruz Torres, Blanca; Albornoz Cabello, Manuel; García Bermejo, Paula; Naranjo Orellana, José

2016-08-01

Ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) is a novel minimally invasive approach, which involves the application of a galvanic current via an acupuncture needle. As in any procedure involving needling, vagal reactions have been reported during PNE. To examine for changes in autonomic activity during the US-guided PNE technique on healthy patellar tendons by measurement and analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). Twenty-two male footballers were randomly allocated to: a control group (11 players), for whom HRV was recorded for 10 min, both at rest and during an exhaustive US examination of the patellar tendon and adjacent structures; and an experimental group (11 players), for whom HRV was recorded for 10 min, both at rest and during application of US-guided PNE on the patellar tendon. The following HRV parameters were assessed: mean NN interval, mean heart rate, time domain parameters (SDNN, rMSSD, pNN50), diameters of the Poincaré plot (SD1, SD2), stress score, and sympathetic/parasympathetic ratio. There were no differences between groups in any baseline measurements, nor were there any significant differences between control group measurements (baseline vs intervention). The experimental group exhibited statistically significant increases in SDNN/SD1 (p=0.02/p=0.03) and SD2 (p=0.03), indicating increased parasympathetic and decreased sympathetic activity, respectively. US-guided PNE was associated with an autonomic imbalance characterised by greater parasympathetic activity, which could potentially result in a vasovagal reaction. Care should be taken to monitor for adverse reactions during US-guided PNE and simple HRV indicators may have a role in early detection. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Damage evaluation by a guided wave-hidden Markov model based method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, Hanfei; Yuan, Shenfang; Qiu, Lei; Zhang, Jinjin

2016-02-01

Guided wave based structural health monitoring has shown great potential in aerospace applications. However, one of the key challenges of practical engineering applications is the accurate interpretation of the guided wave signals under time-varying environmental and operational conditions. This paper presents a guided wave-hidden Markov model based method to improve the damage evaluation reliability of real aircraft structures under time-varying conditions. In the proposed approach, an HMM based unweighted moving average trend estimation method, which can capture the trend of damage propagation from the posterior probability obtained by HMM modeling is used to achieve a probabilistic evaluation of the structural damage. To validate the developed method, experiments are performed on a hole-edge crack specimen under fatigue loading condition and a real aircraft wing spar under changing structural boundary conditions. Experimental results show the advantage of the proposed method.

Low-power light guiding and localization in optoplasmonic chains obtained by directed self-assembly

DOE PAGES

Ahn, Wonmi; Zhao, Xin; Hong, Yan; ...

2016-03-02

Here, optoplasmonic structures contain plasmonic components embedded in a defined photonic environment to create synergistic interactions between photonic and plasmonic components. Here, we show that chains of optical microspheres containing gold nanoparticles in their evanescent field combine the light guiding properties of a microsphere chain with the light localizing properties of a plasmonic nanoantenna. We implement these materials through template guided self-assembly and investigate their fundamental electromagnetic working principles through combination of electromagnetic simulations and experimental characterization. We demonstrate that optoplasmonic chains implemented by directed self-assembly achieve a significant reduction in guiding losses when compared with conventional plasmonic waveguides and,more » at the same time, retain the light localizing properties of plasmonic antennas at pre-defined locations. The results reinforce the potential of optoplasmonic structures for realizing low-loss optical interconnects with high bandwidth.« less

Accuracy of computer-guided implantation in a human cadaver model.

PubMed

Yatzkair, Gustavo; Cheng, Alice; Brodie, Stan; Raviv, Eli; Boyan, Barbara D; Schwartz, Zvi

2015-10-01

To examine the accuracy of computer-guided implantation using a human cadaver model with reduced experimental variability. Twenty-eight (28) dental implants representing 12 clinical cases were placed in four cadaver heads using a static guided implantation template. All planning and surgeries were performed by one clinician. All radiographs and measurements were performed by two examiners. The distance of the implants from buccal and lingual bone and mesial implant or tooth was analyzed at the apical and coronal levels, and measurements were compared to the planned values. No significant differences were seen between planned and implanted measurements. Average deviation of an implant from its planning radiograph was 0.8 mm, which is within the range of variability expected from CT analysis. Guided implantation can be used safely with a margin of error of 1 mm. © 2014 The Authors. Clinical Oral Implants Research Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Guided wave crack detection and size estimation in stiffened structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhuiyan, Md Yeasin; Faisal Haider, Mohammad; Poddar, Banibrata; Giurgiutiu, Victor

2018-03-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) deals with the nondestructive inspection of defects, corrosion, leaks in engineering structures by using ultrasonic guided waves. In the past, simplistic structures were often considered for analyzing the guided wave interaction with the defects. In this study, we focused on more realistic and relatively complicated structure for detecting any defect by using a non-contact sensing approach. A plate with a stiffener was considered for analyzing the guided wave interactions. Piezoelectric wafer active transducers were used to produce excitation in the structures. The excitation generated the multimodal guided waves (aka Lamb waves) that propagate in the plate with stiffener. The presence of stiffener in the plate generated scattered waves. The direct wave and the additional scattered waves from the stiffener were experimentally recorded and studied. These waves were considered as a pristine case in this research. A fine horizontal semi-circular crack was manufactured by using electric discharge machining in the same stiffener. The presence of crack in the stiffener produces additional scattered waves as well as trapped waves. These scattered waves and trapped wave modes from the cracked stiffener were experimentally measured by using a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV). These waves were analyzed and compared with that from the pristine case. The analyses suggested that both size and shape of the horizontal crack may be predicted from the pattern of the scattered waves. Different features (reflection, transmission, and mode-conversion) of the scattered wave signals are analyzed. We found direct transmission feature for incident A0 wave mode and modeconversion feature for incident S0 mode are most suitable for detecting the crack in the stiffener. The reflection feature may give a better idea of sizing the crack.

Experimental and numerical measurements of adhesion energies between PHEMA and PGLYMA with hydroxyapatite crystal.

PubMed

Youssefian, Sina; Liu, Pingsheng; Askarinejad, Sina; Shalchy, Faezeh; Song, Jie; Rahbar, Nima

2015-07-16

Synthetic orthopaedic materials consisting of a single bioinert polymeric material do not meet the complex biological and physical requirements of scaffold-guided bone tissue repair and regeneration. Of particular interest is the design of biocompatible hydrogel-hydroxyapatite composite bone substitutes with outstanding interfacial adhesion that would warranty the ability for the composite to withstand functional loadings without exhibiting brittle fractures during the dynamic guided tissue regeneration. For this purpose, the hydroxylated side chain of chemically cross-linked poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) is substitute with a carboxylated side chain to make poly (glycerol methacrylate) (pGLYMA). Here, we carry out atomistic simulations and atomic force microscopy to predict and experimentally determine the interfacial adhesion energies of pHEMA and pGLYMA with the surface of single-crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) whiskers. Both experimental and numerical results showed that pGLYMA has stronger adhesion forces with HA and may be used for preparing a high-affinity polymer-HA composite. The high adhesive interactions between pGLYMA and HA were found to be due to strong electrostatic energies.

Preliminary experimental investigation of a Ku-band radial line oscillator based on transition radiation effect

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

Dang, Fangchao, E-mail: dangfangchao@sina.com; Zhang, Xiaoping; Zhong, Huihuang

2015-09-15

A Ku-band radial line oscillator (RLO) with low guiding magnetic field was proposed in our previous work. In order to weaken the impedance mismatch between the oscillator and an intense electron accelerator with higher impedance, a transverse electromagnetic reflector is added to improve the RLO, which is favorable to increase the Q-factor and accelerate the device saturation. A preliminary experiment is carried out to investigate the performance of the improved RLO. The radial-radiated electron beam is restrained well under the designed guiding magnetic field of 0.52 T. The preliminary experimental results indicates that high power microwaves with a power of 120 MWmore » and a frequency of 14.12 GHz are generated when the diode voltage is 420 kV and the beam current 14.2 kA. The experimental results suggest the feasibility of the presented RLO generating high power microwaves at a high frequency band. Additionally, more work is needed regarding promotion of the electron beam quality and the impedance match between the electron beam accelerator and the oscillator.« less

Lamb wave propagation in monocrystalline silicon wafers.

PubMed

Fromme, Paul; Pizzolato, Marco; Robyr, Jean-Luc; Masserey, Bernard

2018-01-01

Monocrystalline silicon wafers are widely used in the photovoltaic industry for solar panels with high conversion efficiency. Guided ultrasonic waves offer the potential to efficiently detect micro-cracks in the thin wafers. Previous studies of ultrasonic wave propagation in silicon focused on effects of material anisotropy on bulk ultrasonic waves, but the dependence of the wave propagation characteristics on the material anisotropy is not well understood for Lamb waves. The phase slowness and beam skewing of the two fundamental Lamb wave modes A 0 and S 0 were investigated. Experimental measurements using contact wedge transducer excitation and laser measurement were conducted. Good agreement was found between the theoretically calculated angular dependency of the phase slowness and measurements for different propagation directions relative to the crystal orientation. Significant wave skew and beam widening was observed experimentally due to the anisotropy, especially for the S 0 mode. Explicit finite element simulations were conducted to visualize and quantify the guided wave beam skew. Good agreement was found for the A 0 mode, but a systematic discrepancy was observed for the S 0 mode. These effects need to be considered for the non-destructive testing of wafers using guided waves.

Guided-mode resonance nanophotonics in materially sparse architectures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magnusson, Robert; Niraula, Manoj; Yoon, Jae W.; Ko, Yeong H.; Lee, Kyu J.

2016-03-01

The guided-mode resonance (GMR) concept refers to lateral quasi-guided waveguide modes induced in periodic layers. Whereas these effects have been known for a long time, new attributes and innovations continue to appear. Here, we review some recent progress in this field with emphasis on sparse, or minimal, device embodiments. We discuss properties of wideband resonant reflectors designed with gratings in which the grating ridges are matched to an identical material to eliminate local reflections and phase changes. This critical interface therefore possesses zero refractive-index contrast; hence we call them "zero-contrast gratings." Applying this architecture, we present single-layer, wideband reflectors that are robust under experimentally realistic parametric variations. We introduce a new class of reflectors and polarizers fashioned with dielectric nanowire grids that are mostly empty space. Computed results predict high reflection and attendant polarization extinction for these sparse lattices. Experimental verification with Si nanowire grids yields ~200-nm-wide band of high reflection for one polarization state and free transmission of the orthogonal state. Finally, we present bandpass filters using all-dielectric resonant gratings. We design, fabricate, and test nanostructured single layer filters exhibiting high efficiency and sub-nanometer-wide passbands surrounded by 100-nm-wide stopbands.

Guided-Mode-Leaky-Mode-Guided-Mode Fiber Interferometer and Its High Sensitivity Refractive Index Sensing Technology.

PubMed

Wang, Qi; Li, Chunyue; Zhao, Chengwu; Li, Weizheng

2016-06-01

A cascaded symmetrical dual-taper Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure based on guided-mode and leaky-mode interference is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the interference spectrum characteristics of interferometer has been analyzed by the Finite Difference-Beam Propagation Method (FD-BPM). When the diameter of taper waist is 20 μm-30 μm, dual-taper length is 1 mm and taper distance is 4 cm-6 cm, the spectral contrast is higher, which is suitable for sensing. Secondly, experimental research on refractive index sensitivity is carried out. A refractive index sensitivity of 62.78 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) can achieved in the RI range of 1.3333-1.3792 (0%~25% NaCl solution), when the sensor structure parameters meet the following conditions: diameter of taper waist is 24 μm, dual-taper length is 837 μm and taper distance is 5.5 cm. The spectrum contrast is 0.8 and measurement resolution is 1.6 × 10(-5) RIU. The simulation analysis is highly consistent with experimental results. Research shows that the sensor has promising application in low RI fields where high-precision measurement is required due to its high sensitivity and stability.

PCA Based Stress Monitoring of Cylindrical Specimens Using PZTs and Guided Waves

PubMed Central

Mujica, Luis; Ruiz, Magda; Camacho, Johanatan

2017-01-01

Since mechanical stress in structures affects issues such as strength, expected operational life and dimensional stability, a continuous stress monitoring scheme is necessary for a complete integrity assessment. Consequently, this paper proposes a stress monitoring scheme for cylindrical specimens, which are widely used in structures such as pipelines, wind turbines or bridges. The approach consists of tracking guided wave variations due to load changes, by comparing wave statistical patterns via Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Each load scenario is projected to the PCA space by means of a baseline model and represented using the Q-statistical indices. Experimental validation of the proposed methodology is conducted on two specimens: (i) a 12.7 mm (1/2″) diameter, 0.4 m length, AISI 1020 steel rod, and (ii) a 25.4 mm (1″) diameter, 6m length, schedule 40, A-106, hollow cylinder. Specimen 1 was subjected to axial loads, meanwhile specimen 2 to flexion. In both cases, simultaneous longitudinal and flexural guided waves were generated via piezoelectric devices (PZTs) in a pitch-catch configuration. Experimental results show the feasibility of the approach and its potential use as in-situ continuous stress monitoring application. PMID:29194384

Experimental generation of discrete ultraviolet wavelength by cascaded intermodal four-wave mixing in a multimode photonic crystal fiber.

PubMed

Yuan, Jinhui; Kang, Zhe; Li, Feng; Zhang, Xianting; Mei, Chao; Zhou, Guiyao; Sang, Xinzhu; Wu, Qiang; Yan, Binbin; Zhou, Xian; Zhong, Kangping; Wang, Kuiru; Yu, Chongxiu; Farrell, Gerald; Lu, Chao; Tam, Hwa Yaw; Wai, P K A

2017-09-15

In this Letter, we demonstrate experimentally for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, discrete ultraviolet (UV) wavelength generation by cascaded intermodal FWM when femtosecond pump pulses at 800 nm are launched into the deeply normal dispersion region of the fundamental guided mode of a multimode photonic crystal fiber (MPCF). For pump pulses at average input powers of P av =450, 550, and 650 mW, the first anti-Stokes waves are generated at the visible wavelength of 538.1 nm through intermodal phase matching between the fundamental and second-order guided mode of the MPCF. The first anti-Stokes waves generated then serve as the secondary pump for the next intermodal FWM process. The second anti-Stokes waves in the form of the third-order guided mode are generated at the UV wavelength of 375.8 nm. The maximum output power is above 10 mW for P av =650  mW. We also confirm that the influences of fiber bending and intermodal walk-offs on the cascaded intermodal FWM-based frequency conversion process are negligible.

Books on Experiments and Projects at A Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tawney, D. A.

1975-01-01

Outlines the aims of practical work by students through investigations and projects. Provides a list of sources found useful as experimental guides, ideas for projects, and background information for A level Nuffield physics. (GS)

Practical Doping Principles

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

Zunger, A.

2003-05-01

'Theoretical investigations of doping of several wide-gap materials suggest a number of rather general, practical"doping principles" that may help guide experimental strategies of overcoming doping bottlenecks. This paper will be published as a journal article in the future.

Effect of using guide walls and piers with different geometries on the flow at entrance of a spillway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahani, Matin; Sarkardeh, Hamed; Jabbari, Ebrahim

2018-03-01

In the present paper, the effect of guide wall and pier geometry on the flow pattern of a dam spillway was studied. Different scenarios were numerically simulated to optimize the geometry of the guide walls and piers of the spillway in different hydraulic conditions. The RNG and VOF models were used for turbulence and free surface simulations, respectively. Numerical results were validated with experimental data and good agreement was found with an average relative deviation of less than 10%. Results showed that the vertical inclination of the guide wall and pier was the main affecting factor in the approach flow condition through the spillway. A 44% increase in the vertical inclination of the guide wall resulted in a 43% reduction of the turbulence factor and in a 13% increment of the discharge coefficient of the spillway. By increasing the vertical inclination of the piers of the spillway by 28%, the flow behaviour becomes more uniform and the discharge coefficient increases by as much as 11%. Moreover, the results indicate that increasing the straight length of the guide wall leads to a reduction of the depth-averaged velocity and of the turbulence energy in the approach channel.

An adaptive sparse deconvolution method for distinguishing the overlapping echoes of ultrasonic guided waves for pipeline crack inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Yong; Zi, Yanyang; Zhao, Jiyuan; Yang, Zhe; He, Wangpeng; Sun, Hailiang

2017-03-01

In guided wave pipeline inspection, echoes reflected from closely spaced reflectors generally overlap, meaning useful information is lost. To solve the overlapping problem, sparse deconvolution methods have been developed in the past decade. However, conventional sparse deconvolution methods have limitations in handling guided wave signals, because the input signal is directly used as the prototype of the convolution matrix, without considering the waveform change caused by the dispersion properties of the guided wave. In this paper, an adaptive sparse deconvolution (ASD) method is proposed to overcome these limitations. First, the Gaussian echo model is employed to adaptively estimate the column prototype of the convolution matrix instead of directly using the input signal as the prototype. Then, the convolution matrix is constructed upon the estimated results. Third, the split augmented Lagrangian shrinkage (SALSA) algorithm is introduced to solve the deconvolution problem with high computational efficiency. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, guided wave signals obtained from pipeline inspection are investigated numerically and experimentally. Compared to conventional sparse deconvolution methods, e.g. the {{l}1} -norm deconvolution method, the proposed method shows better performance in handling the echo overlap problem in the guided wave signal.

Modeling the Structure of Helical Assemblies with Experimental Constraints in Rosetta.

PubMed

André, Ingemar

2018-01-01

Determining high-resolution structures of proteins with helical symmetry can be challenging due to limitations in experimental data. In such instances, structure-based protein simulations driven by experimental data can provide a valuable approach for building models of helical assemblies. This chapter describes how the Rosetta macromolecular package can be used to model homomeric protein assemblies with helical symmetry in a range of modeling scenarios including energy refinement, symmetrical docking, comparative modeling, and de novo structure prediction. Data-guided structure modeling of helical assemblies with experimental information from electron density, X-ray fiber diffraction, solid-state NMR, and chemical cross-linking mass spectrometry is also described.

Adaptive Harmonic Balance Method for Unsteady, Nonlinear, One-Dimensional Periodic Flows

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-01

Design and Implemen- tation. May 1999. REF-2 23. Toro , Eleuterio F . Fiemann Solvers and Numerical Methods for Fluid Dynamics, chapter 15. New York...prominent for high-frequency unsteady-flows. Experimental Analysis of Splitting-induced Error To assess the actual effect of splitting error on a...VITA-1 vi List of Figures Figure Page 1.1. Experimental Pressure Data on Inlet Guide Vane Upstream of Transonic Rotating

Assessing Sustainment Operations in a Decisive Action Training Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-01

The findings in this Research Product are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position, unless so designated by other authorized...Combat Training Center (CTC) rotations. The research design allowed for comparison of a control and experimental group. The experimental group received...CP Operations performance. The pocket-sized guide was designed as a quick reference for the proper planning, execution, and follow up of CP

Experimental and Computational Studies on the Scattering of an Edge-Guided Wave by a Hidden Crack on a Racecourse Shaped Hole.

PubMed

Vien, Benjamin Steven; Rose, Louis Raymond Francis; Chiu, Wing Kong

2017-07-01

Reliable and quantitative non-destructive evaluation for small fatigue cracks, in particular those in hard-to-inspect locations, is a challenging problem. Guided waves are advantageous for structural health monitoring due to their slow geometrical decay of amplitude with propagating distance, which is ideal for rapid wide-area inspection. This paper presents a 3D laser vibrometry experimental and finite element analysis of the interaction between an edge-guided wave and a small through-thickness hidden edge crack on a racecourse shaped hole that occurs, in practice, as a fuel vent hole. A piezoelectric transducer is bonded on the straight edge of the hole to generate the incident wave. The excitation signal consists of a 5.5 cycle Hann-windowed tone burst of centre frequency 220 kHz, which is below the cut-off frequency for the first order Lamb wave modes (SH1). Two-dimensional fast Fourier transformation (2D FFT) is applied to the incident and scattered wave field along radial lines emanating from the crack mouth, so as to identify the wave modes and determine their angular variation and amplitude. It is shown experimentally and computationally that mid-plane symmetric edge waves can travel around the hole's edge to detect a hidden crack. Furthermore, the scattered wave field due to a small crack length, a , (compared to the wavelength λ of the incident wave) is shown to be equivalent to a point source consisting of a particular combination of body-force doublets. It is found that the amplitude of the scattered field increases quadratically as a function of a/λ , whereas the scattered wave pattern is independent of crack length for small cracks a < λ . This study of the forward scattering problem from a known crack size provides a useful guide for the inverse problem of hidden crack detection and sizing.

Examining the impact of the Guided Constructivist teaching method on students' misconceptions about concepts of Newtonian physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Hyatt Abdelhaleem

The effect of Guided Constructivism (Interactivity-Based Learning Environment) and Traditional Expository instructional methods on students' misconceptions about concepts of Newtonian Physics was investigated. Four groups of 79 of University of Central Florida students enrolled in Physics 2048 participated in the study. A quasi-experimental design of nonrandomized, nonequivalent control and experimental groups was employed. The experimental group was exposed to the Guided Constructivist teaching method, while the control group was taught using the Traditional Expository teaching approach. The data collection instruments included the Force Concept Inventory Test (FCI), the Mechanics Baseline Test (MBT), and the Maryland Physics Expectation Survey (MPEX). The Guided Constructivist group had significantly higher means than the Traditional Expository group on the criterion variables of: (1) conceptions of Newtonian Physics, (2) achievement in Newtonian Physics, and (3) beliefs about the content of Physics knowledge, beliefs about the role of Mathematics in learning Physics, and overall beliefs about learning/teaching/appropriate roles of learners and teachers/nature of Physics. Further, significant relationships were found between (1) achievement, conceptual structures, beliefs about the content of Physics knowledge, and beliefs about the role of Mathematics in learning Physics; (2) changes in misconceptions about the physical phenomena, and changes in beliefs about the content of Physics knowledge. No statistically significant difference was found between the two teaching methods on achievement of males and females. These findings suggest that differences in conceptual learning due to the nature of the teaching method used exist. Furthermore, greater conceptual learning is fostered when teachers use interactivity-based teaching strategies to train students to link everyday experience in the real physical world to formal school concepts. The moderate effect size and power of the study suggest that the effect may not be subtle, but reliable. Physics teachers can use these results to inform their decisions about structuring learning environment when conceptual learning is important.

Design of Epoxy based Resin Composites for Automotive Applications: A Case Study on IC Engine Valve Guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidhu, J. S.; Lathkar, G. S.; Sharma, S. B.

2018-01-01

The present attempt in this project is to reduce the vibrations, temperature due to friction, noise and weight of I C engine valve guide by replacing conventional metal valve guide with composite valve guide. Composite materials have been used in automotive components because of their properties such as low weight, high specific stiffness, corrosion resistance, ability to produce complex shapes, high specific strength and good impact energy absorption etc. The Internal combustion engine valve guides are the parts that support the valves in the cylinder head, besides this it keeps lubricating oil from getting sucked into the combustion chamber past the intake valve stem, it keeps exhaust gases from getting into the crankcase past the exhaust valve stem and it also keeps the valve face in perfect alignment with the valve seat. A valve guide test rig is indigenously fabricated. Valve guides are manufactured using the developed composite material (Resin ARL-136, Hardener AH-126 and 4 vol% WS2), on a CNC lathe. The performance of the developed composite guide under varied conditions of speeds, that is, fixed change in rpm and modulated changes in rpm is assessed. Noise, temperature and vibrations are measured. The experimental data revealed that contribution of composite guide in respect of acceleration, velocity and displacement components of vibration is not substantial. A substantial reduction in noise levels is seen. As far as temperature rise due to friction is concerned maximum components fail at elevated temperatures, with composite guides the temperature generated due to friction at higher speeds is less, a considerable weight reduction is also observed.

Experimental verification of the role of electron pressure in fast magnetic reconnection with a guide field

DOE PAGES

Fox, W.; Sciortino, F.; v. Stechow, A.; ...

2017-03-21

We report detailed laboratory observations of the structure of a reconnection current sheet in a two-fluid plasma regime with a guide magnetic field. We observe and quantitatively analyze the quadrupolar electron pressure variation in the ion-diffusion region, as originally predicted by extended magnetohydrodynamics simulations. The projection of the electron pressure gradient parallel to the magnetic field contributes significantly to balancing the parallel electric field, and the resulting cross-field electron jets in the reconnection layer are diamagnetic in origin. Furthermore, these results demonstrate how parallel and perpendicular force balance are coupled in guide field reconnection and confirm basic theoretical models ofmore » the importance of electron pressure gradients for obtaining fast magnetic reconnection.« less

Augmented Reality-Guided Lumbar Facet Joint Injections.

PubMed

Agten, Christoph A; Dennler, Cyrill; Rosskopf, Andrea B; Jaberg, Laurenz; Pfirrmann, Christian W A; Farshad, Mazda

2018-05-08

The aim of this study was to assess feasibility and accuracy of augmented reality-guided lumbar facet joint injections. A spine phantom completely embedded in hardened opaque agar with 3 ring markers was built. A 3-dimensional model of the phantom was uploaded to an augmented reality headset (Microsoft HoloLens). Two radiologists independently performed 20 augmented reality-guided and 20 computed tomography (CT)-guided facet joint injections each: for each augmented reality-guided injection, the hologram was manually aligned with the phantom container using the ring markers. The radiologists targeted the virtual facet joint and tried to place the needle tip in the holographic joint space. Computed tomography was performed after each needle placement to document final needle tip position. Time needed from grabbing the needle to final needle placement was measured for each simulated injection. An independent radiologist rated images of all needle placements in a randomized order blinded to modality (augmented reality vs CT) and performer as perfect, acceptable, incorrect, or unsafe. Accuracy and time to place needles were compared between augmented reality-guided and CT-guided facet joint injections. In total, 39/40 (97.5%) of augmented reality-guided needle placements were either perfect or acceptable compared with 40/40 (100%) CT-guided needle placements (P = 0.5). One augmented reality-guided injection missed the facet joint space by 2 mm. No unsafe needle placements occurred. Time to final needle placement was substantially faster with augmented reality guidance (mean 14 ± 6 seconds vs 39 ± 15 seconds, P < 0.001 for both readers). Augmented reality-guided facet joint injections are feasible and accurate without potentially harmful needle placement in an experimental setting.

Raphanus sativus, Germination, and Inquiry: A Learning Cycle Approach for Novice Experimenters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rillero, Peter

1999-01-01

Describes open-ended experiments with seeds from the common garden radish (Raphanus sativus). The phases of the 5-E learning cycle--Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Extension, and Evaluation--guide this activity series. (Author/MM)

When Seeing Isn't Believing: How Math Can Guide Our Interpretation of Measurements and Experiments.

PubMed

Macklin, Paul

2017-08-23

Mathematical thought experiments probe the meaning and pitfalls of experimental measurements and demonstrate that caution is in order when measuring heterogeneity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Damage Detection Based on Power Dissipation Measured with PZT Sensors through the Combination of Electro-Mechanical Impedances and Guided Waves

PubMed Central

Sevillano, Enrique; Sun, Rui; Perera, Ricardo

2016-01-01

The use of piezoelectric ceramic transducers (such as Lead-Zirconate-Titanate—PZT) has become more and more widespread for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) applications. Among all the techniques that are based on this smart sensing solution, guided waves and electro-mechanical impedance techniques have found wider acceptance, and so more studies and experimental works can be found containing these applications. However, even though these two techniques can be considered as complementary to each other, little work can be found focused on the combination of them in order to define a new and integrated damage detection procedure. In this work, this combination of techniques has been studied by proposing a new integrated damage indicator based on Electro-Mechanical Power Dissipation (EMPD). The applicability of this proposed technique has been tested through different experimental tests, with both lab-scale and real-scale structures. PMID:27164104

Damage Detection Based on Power Dissipation Measured with PZT Sensors through the Combination of Electro-Mechanical Impedances and Guided Waves.

PubMed

Sevillano, Enrique; Sun, Rui; Perera, Ricardo

2016-05-05

The use of piezoelectric ceramic transducers (such as Lead-Zirconate-Titanate-PZT) has become more and more widespread for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) applications. Among all the techniques that are based on this smart sensing solution, guided waves and electro-mechanical impedance techniques have found wider acceptance, and so more studies and experimental works can be found containing these applications. However, even though these two techniques can be considered as complementary to each other, little work can be found focused on the combination of them in order to define a new and integrated damage detection procedure. In this work, this combination of techniques has been studied by proposing a new integrated damage indicator based on Electro-Mechanical Power Dissipation (EMPD). The applicability of this proposed technique has been tested through different experimental tests, with both lab-scale and real-scale structures.

Electrothermally actuated tunable clamped-guided resonant microbeams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcheikh, N.; Hajjaj, A. Z.; Jaber, N.; Younis, M. I.

2018-01-01

We present simulation and experimental investigation demonstrating active alteration of the resonant and frequency response behavior of resonators by controlling the electrothermal actuation method on their anchors. In-plane clamped-guided arch and straight microbeams resonators are designed and fabricated with V-shaped electrothermal actuators on their anchors. These anchors not only offer various electrothermal actuation options, but also serve as various mechanical stiffness elements that affect the operating resonance frequency of the structures. We have shown that for an arch, the first mode resonance frequency can be increased up to 50% of its initial value. For a straight beam, we have shown that before buckling, the resonance frequency decreases to very low values and after buckling, it increases up to twice of its initial value. These results can be promising for the realization of different wide-range tunable microresonator. The experimental results have been compared to multi-physics finite-element simulations showing good agreement among them.

Guided wave imaging of oblique reflecting interfaces in pipes using common-source synthetic focusing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Zeqing; Sun, Anyu; Ju, Bing-Feng

2018-04-01

Cross-mode-family mode conversion and secondary reflection of guided waves in pipes complicate the processing of guided waves signals, and can cause false detection. In this paper, filters operating in the spectral domain of wavenumber, circumferential order and frequency are designed to suppress the signal components of unwanted mode-family and unwanted traveling direction. Common-source synthetic focusing is used to reconstruct defect images from the guided wave signals. Simulations of the reflections from linear oblique defects and a semicircle defect are separately implemented. Defect images, which are reconstructed from the simulation results under different excitation conditions, are comparatively studied in terms of axial resolution, reflection amplitude, detectable oblique angle and so on. Further, the proposed method is experimentally validated by detecting linear cracks with various oblique angles (10-40°). The proposed method relies on the guided wave signals that are captured during 2-D scanning of a cylindrical area on the pipe. The redundancy of the signals is analyzed to reduce the time-consumption of the scanning process and to enhance the practicability of the proposed method.

Sediment traps with guiding channel and hybrid check dams improve controlled sediment retention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwindt, Sebastian; Franca, Mário J.; Reffo, Alessandro; Schleiss, Anton J.

2018-03-01

Sediment traps with partially open check dams are crucial elements for flood protection in alpine regions. The trapping of sediment is necessary when intense sediment transport occurs during floods that may endanger urban areas at downstream river reaches. In turn, the unwanted permanent trapping of sediment during small, non-hazardous floods can result in the ecological and morphological degradation of downstream reaches. This study experimentally analyses a novel concept for permeable sediment traps. For ensuring the sediment transfer up to small floods, a guiding channel implemented in the deposition area of a sediment trap was systematically studied. The bankfull discharge of the guiding channel corresponds to a dominant morphological discharge. At the downstream end of the guiding channel, a permeable barrier (check dam) triggers sediment retention and deposition. The permeable barrier consists of a bar screen for mechanical deposition control, superposed to a flow constriction for the hydraulic control. The barrier obstructs hazardous sediment transport for discharges that are higher than the bankfull discharge of the guiding channel without the risk of unwanted sediment flushing (massive self-cleaning).

Optimization of an angle-beam ultrasonic approach for characterization of impact damage in composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, Christine; Kramb, Victoria; Welter, John T.; Wertz, John N.; Lindgren, Eric A.; Aldrin, John C.; Zainey, David

2018-04-01

Advances in NDE method development are greatly improved through model-guided experimentation. In the case of ultrasonic inspections, models which provide insight into complex mode conversion processes and sound propagation paths are essential for understanding the experimental data and inverting the experimental data into relevant information. However, models must also be verified using experimental data obtained under well-documented and understood conditions. Ideally, researchers would utilize the model simulations and experimental approach to efficiently converge on the optimal solution. However, variability in experimental parameters introduce extraneous signals that are difficult to differentiate from the anticipated response. This paper discusses the results of an ultrasonic experiment designed to evaluate the effect of controllable variables on the anticipated signal, and the effect of unaccounted for experimental variables on the uncertainty in those results. Controlled experimental parameters include the transducer frequency, incidence beam angle and focal depth.

Acoustic guided waves in cylindrical solid-fluid structures: Modeling with a sweeping frequency finite element method and experimental validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; D'Angelo, Ralph M.; Sinha, Bikash K.; Zeroug, Smaine

2017-02-01

Modeling and understanding the complex elastic-wave physics prevalent in solid-fluid cylindrically-layered structures is of importance in many NDE fields, and most pertinently in the domain of well integrity evaluation of cased holes in the oil and gas industry. Current sonic measurements provide viable techniques for well integrity evaluation yet their practical effectiveness is hampered by the current lack of knowledge of acoustic wave fields particularly in complicated cased-hole geometry where for instance two or more nested steel strings are present in the borehole. In this article, we propose and implement a Sweeping Frequency Finite Element Method (SFFEM) for acoustic guided waves simulation in complex geometries that include double steel strings cemented to each other and to the formation and where the strings may be non-concentric. Transient dynamic finite element models are constructed with sweeping frequency signals being applied as the excitation sources. The sources and receivers disposition simulate current sonic measurement tools deployed in the oilfield. Synthetic wavetrains are recorded and processed with modified matrix pencil method to isolate both the dispersive and non-dispersive propagating guided wave modes. Scaled experiments of fluid-filled double strings with dimensions mimicking the real ones encountered in the field have also been carried out to generate reference data. A comparison of the experimental and numerical results indicates that the SFFEM is capable of accurately reproducing the rich and intricate higher-order multiple wave fields observed experimentally in the fluid-filled double string geometries.

5.3.2 Optical measurements

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A comprehensive guide to experimental hydraulics is long overdue. The proposed book first highlights the intrinsic connection between theory and experiment,emphasizing the need for their complementary use. Described next are considerations for the effective design of experiments, including the selec...

Template-guided vs. non-guided drilling in site preparation of dental implants.

PubMed

Scherer, Uta; Stoetzer, Marcus; Ruecker, Martin; Gellrich, Nils-Claudius; von See, Constantin

2015-07-01

Clinical success of oral implants is related to primary stability and osseointegration. These parameters are associated with delicate surgical techniques. We herein studied whether template-guided drilling has a significant influence on drillholes diameter and accuracy in an in vitro model. Fresh cadaveric porcine mandibles were used for drilling experiments of four experimental groups. Each group consisted of three operators, comparing guide templates for drilling with free-handed procedure. Operators without surgical knowledge were grouped together, contrasting highly experienced oral surgeons in other groups. A total of 180 drilling actions were performed, and diameters were recorded at multiple depth levels, with a precision measuring instrument. Template-guided drilling procedure improved accuracy on a very significant level in comparison with free-handed drilling operation (p ≤ 0.001). Inaccuracy of free-handed drilling became more significant in relation to measurement depth. High homogenic uniformity of template-guided drillholes was significantly stronger than unguided drilling operations by highly experienced oral surgeons (p ≤ 0.001). Template-guided drilling procedure leads to significantly enhanced accuracy. Significant results compared to free-handed drilling actions were achieved, irrespective of the clinical experience level of the operator. Template-guided drilling procedures lead to a more predictable clinical diameter. It shows that any set of instruments has to be carefully chosen to match the specific implant system. The current in vitro study is implicating an improvement of implant bed preparation but needs to be confirmed in clinical studies.

Distinction between Externally vs. Internally Guided Decision-Making: Operational Differences, Meta-Analytical Comparisons and Their Theoretical Implications

PubMed Central

Nakao, Takashi; Ohira, Hideki; Northoff, Georg

2012-01-01

Most experimental studies of decision-making have specifically examined situations in which a single less-predictable correct answer exists (externally guided decision-making under uncertainty). Along with such externally guided decision-making, there are instances of decision-making in which no correct answer based on external circumstances is available for the subject (internally guided decision-making). Such decisions are usually made in the context of moral decision-making as well as in preference judgment, where the answer depends on the subject’s own, i.e., internal, preferences rather than on external, i.e., circumstantial, criteria. The neuronal and psychological mechanisms that allow guidance of decisions based on more internally oriented criteria in the absence of external ones remain unclear. This study was undertaken to compare decision-making of these two kinds empirically and theoretically. First, we reviewed studies of decision-making to clarify experimental–operational differences between externally guided and internally guided decision-making. Second, using multi-level kernel density analysis, a whole-brain-based quantitative meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies was performed. Our meta-analysis revealed that the neural network used predominantly for internally guided decision-making differs from that for externally guided decision-making under uncertainty. This result suggests that studying only externally guided decision-making under uncertainty is insufficient to account for decision-making processes in the brain. Finally, based on the review and results of the meta-analysis, we discuss the differences and relations between decision-making of these two types in terms of their operational, neuronal, and theoretical characteristics. PMID:22403525

Experimental Investigation on Design Enhancement of Axial Fan Using Fixed Guide Vane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munisamy, K. M.; Govindasamy, R.; Thangaraju, S. K.

2015-09-01

Airflow passes through the rotating blade in an axial flow fan will experience a helical flow pattern. This swirling effect leads the system to experience swirl energy losses or pressure drop yet reducing the total efficiency of the fan system. A robust tool to encounter this air spin past the blade is by introducing guide vane to the system. Owing to its importance, a new approach in designing outlet guide vane design for a commercial usage 1250mm diameter axial fan with a 30° pitch angle impeller has been introduced in this paper. A single line metal of proper curvature guide vane design technique has been adopted for this study. By choosing fan total efficiency as a target variable to be improved, the total and static pressure on the design point were set to be constraints. Therefore, the guide vane design was done based on the improvement target on the static pressure in system. The research shows that, with the improvement in static pressure by 29.63% through guide vane installation, the total fan efficiency is increased by 5.12%, thus reduces the fan power by 5.32%. Good agreement were found, that when the fan total efficiency increases, the power consumption of the fan is reduced. Therefore, this new approach of guide vane design can be applied to improve axial fan performance.

Comprehensive ab initio calculation and simulation on the low-lying electronic states of TlX (X = F, Cl, Br, I, and At).

PubMed

Zou, Wenli; Liu, Wenjian

2009-03-01

The low-lying electronic states of TlX (X=F, Cl, Br, I, and At) are investigated using the configuration interaction based complete active space third-order perturbation theory [CASPT3(CI)] with spin-orbit coupling accounted for. The potential energy curves and the corresponding spectroscopic constants are reported. The results are grossly in good agreement with the available experimental data. The absorption spectra are simulated as well to reassign the experimental bands. The present results are also useful for guiding future experimental measurements.

Eukaryotic Chemotaxis

PubMed Central

Rappel, Wouter-Jan; Loomis, William F.

2009-01-01

During eukaryotic chemotaxis, external chemical gradients guide the crawling motion of cells. This process plays an important role in a large variety of biological systems and has wide ranging medical implications. New experimental techniques including confocal microscopy and microfluidics have advanced our understanding of chemotaxis while numerical modeling efforts are beginning to offer critical insights. In this short review, we survey the current experimental status of the field by dividing chemotaxis into three distinct “modules”: directional sensing, polarity and motility. For each module, we attempt to point out potential new directions of research and discuss how modeling studies interact with experimental investigations. PMID:20648241

Experimental study of isolas in nonlinear systems featuring modal interactions

PubMed Central

Noël, Jean-Philippe; Virgin, Lawrence N.; Kerschen, Gaëtan

2018-01-01

The objective of the present paper is to provide experimental evidence of isolated resonances in the frequency response of nonlinear mechanical systems. More specifically, this work explores the presence of isolas, which are periodic solutions detached from the main frequency response, in the case of a nonlinear set-up consisting of two masses sliding on a horizontal guide. A careful experimental investigation of isolas is carried out using responses to swept-sine and stepped-sine excitations. The experimental findings are validated with advanced numerical simulations combining nonlinear modal analysis and bifurcation monitoring. In particular, the interactions between two nonlinear normal modes are shown to be responsible for the creation of the isolas. PMID:29584758

Drought Adaptation Mechanisms Should Guide Experimental Design.

PubMed

Gilbert, Matthew E; Medina, Viviana

2016-08-01

The mechanism, or hypothesis, of how a plant might be adapted to drought should strongly influence experimental design. For instance, an experiment testing for water conservation should be distinct from a damage-tolerance evaluation. We define here four new, general mechanisms for plant adaptation to drought such that experiments can be more easily designed based upon the definitions. A series of experimental methods are suggested together with appropriate physiological measurements related to the drought adaptation mechanisms. The suggestion is made that the experimental manipulation should match the rate, length, and severity of soil water deficit (SWD) necessary to test the hypothesized type of drought adaptation mechanism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear-bound quarkonia and heavy-flavor hadrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krein, G.; Thomas, A. W.; Tsushima, K.

2018-05-01

In our quest to win a deeper understanding of how QCD actually works, the study of the binding of heavy quarkonia and heavy-flavor hadrons to atomic nuclei offers enormous promise. Modern experimental facilities such as FAIR, Jefferson Lab at 12 GeV and J-PARC offer exciting new experimental opportunities to study such systems. These experimental advances are complemented by new theoretical approaches and predictions, which will both guide these experimental efforts and be informed and improved by them. This review will outline the main theoretical approaches, beginning with QCD itself, summarize recent theoretical predictions and relate them both to past experiments and those from which we may expect results in the near future.

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

Ahn, Wonmi; Zhao, Xin; Hong, Yan

Here, optoplasmonic structures contain plasmonic components embedded in a defined photonic environment to create synergistic interactions between photonic and plasmonic components. Here, we show that chains of optical microspheres containing gold nanoparticles in their evanescent field combine the light guiding properties of a microsphere chain with the light localizing properties of a plasmonic nanoantenna. We implement these materials through template guided self-assembly and investigate their fundamental electromagnetic working principles through combination of electromagnetic simulations and experimental characterization. We demonstrate that optoplasmonic chains implemented by directed self-assembly achieve a significant reduction in guiding losses when compared with conventional plasmonic waveguides and,more » at the same time, retain the light localizing properties of plasmonic antennas at pre-defined locations. The results reinforce the potential of optoplasmonic structures for realizing low-loss optical interconnects with high bandwidth.« less

How cognitive theory guides neuroscience.

PubMed

Frank, Michael J; Badre, David

2015-02-01

The field of cognitive science studies latent, unobservable cognitive processes that generate observable behaviors. Similarly, cognitive neuroscience attempts to link latent cognitive processes with the neural mechanisms that generate them. Although neural processes are partially observable (with imaging and electrophysiology), it would be a mistake to 'skip' the cognitive level and pursue a purely neuroscientific enterprise to studying behavior. In fact, virtually all of the major advances in understanding the neural basis of behavior over the last century have relied fundamentally on principles of cognition for guiding the appropriate measurements, manipulations, tasks, and interpretations. We provide several examples from the domains of episodic memory, working memory and cognitive control, and decision making in which cognitive theorizing and prior experimentation has been essential in guiding neuroscientific investigations and discoveries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the phase velocities of guided acoustic waves in soft porous layers.

PubMed

Boeckx, L; Leclaire, P; Khurana, P; Glorieux, C; Lauriks, W; Allard, J F

2005-02-01

A new experimental method for measuring the phase velocities of guided acoustic waves in soft poroelastic or poroviscoelastic plates is proposed. The method is based on the generation of standing waves in the material and on the spatial Fourier transform of the displacement profile of the upper surface. The plate is glued on a rigid substrate so that it has a free upper surface and a nonmoving lower surface. The displacement is measured with a laser Doppler vibrometer along a line corresponding to the direction of propagation of plane surface waves. A continuous sine with varying frequencies was chosen as excitation signal to maximize the precision of the measurements. The spatial Fourier transform provides the wave numbers, and the phase velocities are obtained from the relationship between wave number and frequency. The phase velocities of several guided modes could be measured in a highly porous foam saturated by air. The modes were also studied theoretically and, from the theoretical results, the experimental results, and a fitting procedure, it was possible to determine the frequency behavior of the complex shear modulus and of the complex Poisson ratio from 200 Hz to 1.4 kHz, in a frequency range higher than the traditional methods.

Narrow band imaging combined with water immersion technique in the diagnosis of celiac disease.

PubMed

Valitutti, Francesco; Oliva, Salvatore; Iorfida, Donatella; Aloi, Marina; Gatti, Silvia; Trovato, Chiara Maria; Montuori, Monica; Tiberti, Antonio; Cucchiara, Salvatore; Di Nardo, Giovanni

2014-12-01

The "multiple-biopsy" approach both in duodenum and bulb is the best strategy to confirm the diagnosis of celiac disease; however, this increases the invasiveness of the procedure itself and is time-consuming. To evaluate the diagnostic yield of a single biopsy guided by narrow-band imaging combined with water immersion technique in paediatric patients. Prospective assessment of the diagnostic accuracy of narrow-band imaging/water immersion technique-driven biopsy approach versus standard protocol in suspected celiac disease. The experimental approach correctly diagnosed 35/40 children with celiac disease, with an overall diagnostic sensitivity of 87.5% (95% CI: 77.3-97.7). An altered pattern of narrow-band imaging/water immersion technique endoscopic visualization was significantly associated with villous atrophy at guided biopsy (Spearman Rho 0.637, p<0.001). Concordance of narrow-band imaging/water immersion technique endoscopic assessments was high between two operators (K: 0.884). The experimental protocol was highly timesaving compared to the standard protocol. An altered narrow-band imaging/water immersion technique pattern coupled with high anti-transglutaminase antibodies could allow a single guided biopsy to diagnose celiac disease. When no altered mucosal pattern is visible even by narrow-band imaging/water immersion technique, multiple bulbar and duodenal biopsies should be obtained. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Guided-Mode-Leaky-Mode-Guided-Mode Fiber Interferometer and Its High Sensitivity Refractive Index Sensing Technology

PubMed Central

Wang, Qi; Li, Chunyue; Zhao, Chengwu; Li, Weizheng

2016-01-01

A cascaded symmetrical dual-taper Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure based on guided-mode and leaky-mode interference is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the interference spectrum characteristics of interferometer has been analyzed by the Finite Difference-Beam Propagation Method (FD-BPM). When the diameter of taper waist is 20 μm–30 μm, dual-taper length is 1 mm and taper distance is 4 cm–6 cm, the spectral contrast is higher, which is suitable for sensing. Secondly, experimental research on refractive index sensitivity is carried out. A refractive index sensitivity of 62.78 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) can achieved in the RI range of 1.3333–1.3792 (0%~25% NaCl solution), when the sensor structure parameters meet the following conditions: diameter of taper waist is 24 μm, dual-taper length is 837 μm and taper distance is 5.5 cm. The spectrum contrast is 0.8 and measurement resolution is 1.6 × 10−5 RIU. The simulation analysis is highly consistent with experimental results. Research shows that the sensor has promising application in low RI fields where high-precision measurement is required due to its high sensitivity and stability. PMID:27258281

Study of guided wave transmission through complex junction in sodium cooled reactor

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

Elie, Q.; Le Bourdais, F.; Jezzine, K.

2015-07-01

Ultrasonic guided wave techniques are seen as suitable candidates for the inspection of welded structures within sodium cooled fast reactors (SFR), as the long range propagation of guided waves without amplitude attenuation can overcome the accessibility problem due to the liquid sodium. In the context of the development of the Advanced Sodium Test Reactor for Industrial Demonstration (ASTRID), the French Atomic Commission (CEA) investigates non-destructive testing techniques based on guided wave propagation. In this work, guided wave NDT methods are applied to control the integrity of welds located in a junction-type structure welded to the main vessel. The method presentedmore » in this paper is based on the analysis of scattering matrices peculiar to each expected defect, and takes advantage of the multi-modal and dispersive characteristics of guided wave generation. In a simulation study, an algorithm developed using the CIVA software is presented. It permits selecting appropriate incident modes to optimize detection and identification of expected flawed configurations. In the second part of this paper, experimental results corresponding to a first validation step of the simulation results are presented. The goal of the experiments is to estimate the effectiveness of the incident mode selection in plates. The results show good agreement between experience and simulation. (authors)« less

Design and optimization of surface profilometer based on coplanar guide rail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shuai; Dai, Yifan; Hu, Hao; Tie, Guipeng

2017-10-01

In order to implement the sub-micron precision measurement, a surface profilometer which based on the coplanar guide rail is designed. This profilometer adopts the open type air floating load and is driven by the magnetic force. As to achieve sub-micron accuracy, the flatness of granite guide working face and aerodynamic block are both processed to the micron level based on the homogenization of air flotation film theory. Permanent magnet which could reduce the influence of the driving disturbance to the measurement accuracy is used as the driving part. In this paper, the bearing capacity and the air floating stiffness of air floating block are both simulated and analyzed as to optimize the design parameters firstly. The layout and magnetic force of the magnet are also simulated. According to the simulation results, type selection and the position arrangement of the magnets are then confirmed. The test results on the experimental platform show that the surface profilometer based on coplanar guide rail possess the basis for realizing the submicron precision measurement.

Multiscale infrared and visible image fusion using gradient domain guided image filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jin; Jin, Weiqi; Li, Li; Han, Zhenghao; Wang, Xia

2018-03-01

For better surveillance with infrared and visible imaging, a novel hybrid multiscale decomposition fusion method using gradient domain guided image filtering (HMSD-GDGF) is proposed in this study. In this method, hybrid multiscale decomposition with guided image filtering and gradient domain guided image filtering of source images are first applied before the weight maps of each scale are obtained using a saliency detection technology and filtering means with three different fusion rules at different scales. The three types of fusion rules are for small-scale detail level, large-scale detail level, and base level. Finally, the target becomes more salient and can be more easily detected in the fusion result, with the detail information of the scene being fully displayed. After analyzing the experimental comparisons with state-of-the-art fusion methods, the HMSD-GDGF method has obvious advantages in fidelity of salient information (including structural similarity, brightness, and contrast), preservation of edge features, and human visual perception. Therefore, visual effects can be improved by using the proposed HMSD-GDGF method.

Is Substance Abuse an Issue for Creative People?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mabee, Bev

1985-01-01

The author proposes a model for lessons on substance abuse that gives children alternative ways to satisfy the natural desire for altered states of consciousness. The model incorporates stages of progressive relaxation, visualization/guided fantasy, sensory experiences, information, and experimentation. (CL)

The influence of platelet-rich fibrin on angiogenesis in guided bone regeneration using xenogenic bone substitutes: a study of rabbit cranial defects.

PubMed

Yoon, Jong-Suk; Lee, Sang-Hwa; Yoon, Hyun-Joong

2014-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on angiogenesis and osteogenesis in guided bone regeneration (GBR) using xenogenic bone in rabbit cranial defects. In each rabbit, 2 circular bone defects, one on either side of the midline, were prepared using a reamer drill. Each of the experimental sites received bovine bone with PRF, and each of the control sites received bovine bone alone. The animals were sacrificed at 1 week (n = 4), 2 weeks (n = 3) and 4 weeks (n = 3). Biopsy samples were examined histomorphometrically by light microscopy, and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was determined by immunohistochemical staining. At all experimental time points, immunostaining intensity for VEGF was consistently higher in the experimental group than in the control group. However, the differences between the control group and the experimental group were not statistically significant in the histomorphometrical and immunohistochemical examinations. The results of this study suggest that PRF may increase the number of marrow cells. However, PRF along with xenogenic bone substitutes does not show a significant effect on bony regeneration. Further large-scale studies are needed to confirm our results. Copyright © 2014 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precision of a CAD/CAM-engineered surgical template based on a facebow for orthognathic surgery: an experiment with a rapid prototyping maxillary model.

PubMed

Lee, Jae-Won; Lim, Se-Ho; Kim, Moon-Key; Kang, Sang-Hoon

2015-12-01

We examined the precision of a computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing-engineered, manufactured, facebow-based surgical guide template (facebow wafer) by comparing it with a bite splint-type orthognathic computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing-engineered surgical guide template (bite wafer). We used 24 rapid prototyping (RP) models of the craniofacial skeleton with maxillary deformities. Twelve RP models each were used for the facebow wafer group and the bite wafer group (experimental group). Experimental maxillary orthognathic surgery was performed on the RP models of both groups. Errors were evaluated through comparisons with surgical simulations. We measured the minimum distances from 3 planes of reference to determine the vertical, lateral, and anteroposterior errors at specific measurement points. The measured errors were compared between experimental groups using a t test. There were significant intergroup differences in the lateral error when we compared the absolute values of the 3-D linear distance, as well as vertical, lateral, and anteroposterior errors between experimental groups. The bite wafer method exhibited little lateral error overall and little error in the anterior tooth region. The facebow wafer method exhibited very little vertical error in the posterior molar region. The clinical precision of the facebow wafer method did not significantly exceed that of the bite wafer method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of Plasma Waveguides to High Energy Accelerators

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

Milchberg, Howard M

2013-03-30

The eventual success of laser-plasma based acceleration schemes for high-energy particle physics will require the focusing and stable guiding of short intense laser pulses in reproducible plasma channels. For this goal to be realized, many scientific issues need to be addressed. These issues include an understanding of the basic physics of, and an exploration of various schemes for, plasma channel formation. In addition, the coupling of intense laser pulses to these channels and the stable propagation of pulses in the channels require study. Finally, new theoretical and computational tools need to be developed to aid in the design and analysismore » of experiments and future accelerators. Here we propose a 3-year renewal of our combined theoretical and experimental program on the applications of plasma waveguides to high-energy accelerators. During the past grant period we have made a number of significant advances in the science of laser-plasma based acceleration. We pioneered the development of clustered gases as a new highly efficient medium for plasma channel formation. Our contributions here include theoretical and experimental studies of the physics of cluster ionization, heating, explosion, and channel formation. We have demonstrated for the first time the generation of and guiding in a corrugated plasma waveguide. The fine structure demonstrated in these guides is only possible with cluster jet heating by lasers. The corrugated guide is a slow wave structure operable at arbitrarily high laser intensities, allowing direct laser acceleration, a process we have explored in detail with simulations. The development of these guides opens the possibility of direct laser acceleration, a true miniature analogue of the SLAC RF-based accelerator. Our theoretical studies during this period have also contributed to the further development of the simulation codes, Wake and QuickPIC, which can be used for both laser driven and beam driven plasma based acceleration schemes. We will continue our development of advanced simulation tools by modifying the QuickPIC algorithm to allow for the simulation of plasma particle pick-up by the wake fields. We have also performed extensive simulations of plasma slow wave structures for efficient THz generation by guided laser beams or accelerated electron beams. We will pursue experimental studies of direct laser acceleration, and THz generation by two methods, ponderomotive-induced THz polarization, and THz radiation by laser accelerated electron beams. We also plan to study both conventional and corrugated plasma channels using our new 30 TW in our new lab facilities. We will investigate production of very long hydrogen plasma waveguides (5 cm). We will study guiding at increasing power levels through the onset of laser-induced cavitation (bubble regime) to assess the role played by the preformed channel. Experiments in direct acceleration will be performed, using laser plasma wakefields as the electron injector. Finally, we will use 2-colour ionization of gases as a high frequency THz source (<60 THz) in order for femtosecond measurements of low plasma densities in waveguides and beams.« less

Echographic and kinetic changes in the shoulder joint after manual wheelchair propulsion under two different workload settings.

PubMed

Gil-Agudo, Ángel; Solís-Mozos, Marta; Crespo-Ruiz, Beatriz; Del-Ama Eng, Antonio J; Pérez-Rizo, Enrique; Segura-Fragoso, Antonio; Jiménez-Díaz, Fernando

2014-01-01

Manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI) have a high prevalence of shoulder pain due to the use of the upper extremity for independent mobility, transfers, and other activities of daily living. Indeed, shoulder pain dramatically affects quality of life of these individuals. There is limited evidence obtained through radiographic techniques of a relationship between the forces acting on the shoulder during different propulsion conditions and shoulder pathologies. Today, ultrasound is widely accepted as a precise tool in diagnosis, displaying particularly effectiveness in screening the shoulder rotator cuff. Thus, we set out to perform an ultrasound-based study of the acute changes to the shoulder soft tissues after propelling a manual wheelchair in two workload settings. Shoulder joint kinetics was recorded from 14 manual wheelchair users with SCI while they performed high- and low-intensity wheelchair propulsion tests (constant and incremental). Shoulder joint forces and moments were obtained from inverse dynamic methods, and ultrasound screening of the shoulder was performed before and immediately after the test. Kinetic changes were more relevant after the most intensive task, showing the significance of high-intensity activity, yet no differences were found in ultrasound-related parameters before and after each propulsion task. It therefore appears that further studies will be needed to collect clinical data and correlate data regarding shoulder pain with both ultrasound images and data from shoulder kinetics.

Echographic and Kinetic Changes in the Shoulder Joint after Manual Wheelchair Propulsion Under Two Different Workload Settings

PubMed Central

Gil-Agudo, Ángel; Solís-Mozos, Marta; Crespo-Ruiz, Beatriz; del-Ama Eng, Antonio J.; Pérez-Rizo, Enrique; Segura-Fragoso, Antonio; Jiménez-Díaz, Fernando

2014-01-01

Manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI) have a high prevalence of shoulder pain due to the use of the upper extremity for independent mobility, transfers, and other activities of daily living. Indeed, shoulder pain dramatically affects quality of life of these individuals. There is limited evidence obtained through radiographic techniques of a relationship between the forces acting on the shoulder during different propulsion conditions and shoulder pathologies. Today, ultrasound is widely accepted as a precise tool in diagnosis, displaying particularly effectiveness in screening the shoulder rotator cuff. Thus, we set out to perform an ultrasound-based study of the acute changes to the shoulder soft tissues after propelling a manual wheelchair in two workload settings. Shoulder joint kinetics was recorded from 14 manual wheelchair users with SCI while they performed high- and low-intensity wheelchair propulsion tests (constant and incremental). Shoulder joint forces and moments were obtained from inverse dynamic methods, and ultrasound screening of the shoulder was performed before and immediately after the test. Kinetic changes were more relevant after the most intensive task, showing the significance of high-intensity activity, yet no differences were found in ultrasound-related parameters before and after each propulsion task. It therefore appears that further studies will be needed to collect clinical data and correlate data regarding shoulder pain with both ultrasound images and data from shoulder kinetics. PMID:25566539

Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroid surgery: how can we improve the learning curve?

PubMed

Castagnola, G; Giulii Cappone, M; Tierno, S M; Mezzetti, G; Centanini, F; Vetrone, I; Bellotti, C

2012-10-01

Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT) is a technically demanding procedure and requires a surgical team skilled in both endocrine and endoscopic surgery. A time consuming learning and training period is mandatory at the beginning of the experience. The aim of our report is to focus some aspects of the learning curve of the surgeon who practices video-assisted thyroid procedures for the first time, through the analysis of our preliminary series of 36 cases. From September 2004 to April 2005 we selected 36 patients for minimally invasive video-assisted surgery of the thyroid. The patients were considered eligible if they presented with a nodule not exceeding 35 mm in maximum diameter; total thyroid volume within normal range; absence of biochemical and echographic signs of thyroiditis. We analyzed surgical results, conversion rate, operating time, post-operative complications, hospital stay, cosmetic outcome of the series. We performed 36 total thyroidectomy. The procedure was successfully carried out in 33/36 cases. Post-operative complications included 3 transient recurrent nerve palsies and 2 transient hypocalcemias; no definitive hypoparathyroidism was registered. All patients were discharged 2 days after operation. The cosmetic result was considered excellent by most patients. Advances in skills and technology have enabled surgeons to reproduce most open surgical techniques with video-assistance or laparoscopically. Training is essential to acquire any new surgical technique and it should be organized in detail to exploit it completely.

Surgical treatment for infective endocarditis in elderly patients.

PubMed

Ramírez-Duque, N; García-Cabrera, E; Ivanova-Georgieva, R; Noureddine, M; Lomas, J M; Hidalgo-Tenorio, C; Plata, A; Gálvez-Acebal, J; Ruíz-Morales, J; de la Torre-Lima, J; Reguera, J M; Martínez-Marcos, F J; de Alarcón, A

2011-08-01

We evaluate the clinical, echographic and prognostic characteristics of infective endocarditis (IE) in a large population of elderly patients, and the results of surgical approach. Multicentric, prospective, observational cohort study with 961 consecutive left-sided IE: 356 patients aged ≥65 years were compared with 605 younger. Indications for cardiac surgery, potential surgical risk, time and outcome, were compared. Hospital-acquired endocarditis, comorbidity, renal failure and septic shock were more frequent in elderly, but embolisms were less. Intracardiac destruction and ventricular failure were similar in both groups, but significantly fewer elderly patients underwent cardiac surgery (36% vs 51%; p < 0.01), and this group showed a worse outcome (43.2% of mortality vs 27% in younger; p < 0.01), resulting age as an independent predictor of mortality (OR: 1.02 CI95%: 1.01-1.03). Compared with medical treatment, surgery showed lower percentages of mortality compared with medical treatment (23.3% vs 31.3%; p = 0.03) in younger group, but a high mortality was observed with both procedures (47.6% vs 40.3%; p = 0.1) in the elderly. Although similar percentages of heart failure and intracardiac complications, increasing age is associated with higher mortality in IE. Lower rates of surgical treatment and a worse outcome after operation are common features in elderly patients. Copyright © 2011 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS): evaluation of thyroid and taste.

PubMed

Femiano, F; Gombos, F; Esposito, V; Nunziata, M; Scully, Crispian

2006-01-01

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic, intraoral burning sensation seen mainly in middle-aged and post-menopausal females, without identifiable oral lesions or abnormal laboratory findings, but often associated with psychogenic disorders such as depression. The latter can have a range of causes, including hormonal. Since there may be connections between BMS, psychogenic changes, hormonal changes and taste abnormalities, we have examined aspects of taste and thyroid function. We selected 50 patients with BMS (study group) and 50 healthy subjects (control group) and analysed their ability to taste bitter, acid and spicy substances and analysed their thyroid function and Undertook thyroid echography. Taste sensation was normal in all controls. However, 30 of the patients with BMS reported ageusia for bitter taste and 2 had ageusia for acid. The use of pepper sauce (Tabasco) (spicy substance) produced a strong burning to the tongue in 28 patients of the BMS group but only in 10 controls. No control patients showed abnormality of thyroid function or echograpic abnormality. Five patients in the BMS group had biochemical evidence of hypothyroidism, 4 patients had raised levels of thyroid auto-antibodies and, of the 41 remaining BMS patients, most (34) had thyroid echographic changes indicative of nodularity. Hypothyroidism may be responsible for a negative influence on taste and consequent increase in trigeminal sensorial sensation (tactile, thermal and painful sensation).

Guide to metropolitan transportation planning under ISTEA : how the pieces fit together

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-01-01

An overview of the Maine Facility--a two-lane rural highway test site--is presented, and past experimentation conducted at the facility is summarized. Experiments briefly described include Speed Control in Rural School Zones, Evaluation of Speed Cont...

Identifying the Linkages Between Microbial Activity and Gas Flux of Subaerial Volcanic Environments: A Guide to Exploring Magmatic Planets and Moons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, H. A.; Lopez, T. M.; Fischer, T. P.; Schrenk, M. O.

2017-11-01

Promising contemporary analogs of habitable environments are fumaroles associated with active volcanism. Experimental studies linking sediments, microbes, and volatile outgassing may lead to new bio- or geosignatures of habitability.

Experiential Learning Theory as a Guide for Effective Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murrell, Patricia H.; Claxton, Charles S.

1987-01-01

David Kolb's experiential learning theory involves a framework useful in designing courses that meet needs of diverse learners. Course designs providing systematic activities in concrete experience, reflective observations, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation will be sensitive to students' learning styles while challenging…

Tolerancing the alignment of large-core optical fibers, fiber bundles and light guides using a Fourier approach.

PubMed

Sawyer, Travis W; Petersburg, Ryan; Bohndiek, Sarah E

2017-04-20

Optical fiber technology is found in a wide variety of applications to flexibly relay light between two points, enabling information transfer across long distances and allowing access to hard-to-reach areas. Large-core optical fibers and light guides find frequent use in illumination and spectroscopic applications, for example, endoscopy and high-resolution astronomical spectroscopy. Proper alignment is critical for maximizing throughput in optical fiber coupling systems; however, there currently are no formal approaches to tolerancing the alignment of a light-guide coupling system. Here, we propose a Fourier alignment sensitivity (FAS) algorithm to determine the optimal tolerances on the alignment of a light guide by computing the alignment sensitivity. The algorithm shows excellent agreement with both simulated and experimentally measured values and improves on the computation time of equivalent ray-tracing simulations by two orders of magnitude. We then apply FAS to tolerance and fabricate a coupling system, which is shown to meet specifications, thus validating FAS as a tolerancing technique. These results indicate that FAS is a flexible and rapid means to quantify the alignment sensitivity of a light guide, widely informing the design and tolerancing of coupling systems.

The Effectiveness of Guided Inquiry Learning for Comparison Topics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asnidar; Khabibah, S.; Sulaiman, R.

2018-01-01

This research aims at producing a good quality learning device using guided inquiry for comparison topics and describing the effectiveness of guided inquiry learning for comparison topics. This research is a developmental research using 4-D model. The result is learning device consisting of lesson plan, student’s worksheet, and achievement test. The subjects of the study were class VII students, each of which has 46 students. Based on the result in the experimental class, the learning device using guided inquiry for comparison topics has good quality. The learning device has met the valid, practical, and effective aspects. The result, especially in the implementation class, showed that the learning process with guided inquiry has fulfilled the effectiveness indicators. The ability of the teacher to manage the learning process has fulfilled the criteria good. In addition, the students’ activity has fulfilled the criteria of, at least, good. Moreover, the students’ responses to the learning device and the learning activities were positive, and the students were able to complete the classical learning. Based on the result of this research, it is expected that the learning device resulted can be used as an alternative learning device for teachers in implementing mathematic learning for comparison topics.

Ice detection and classification on an aircraft wing with ultrasonic shear horizontal guided waves.

PubMed

Gao, Huidong; Rose, Joseph L

2009-02-01

Ice accumulation on airfoils has been identified as a primary cause of many accidents in commercial and military aircraft. To improve aviation safety as well as reduce cost and environmental threats related to aircraft icing, sensitive, reliable, and aerodynamically compatible ice detection techniques are in great demand. Ultrasonic guided-wave-based techniques have been proved reliable for "go" and "no go" types of ice detection in some systems including the HALO system, in which the second author of this paper is a primary contributor. In this paper, we propose a new model that takes the ice layer into guided-wave modeling. Using this model, the thickness and type of ice formation can be determined from guided-wave signals. Five experimental schemes are also proposed in this paper based on some unique features identified from the guided- wave dispersion curves. A sample experiment is also presented in this paper, where a 1 mm thick glaze ice on a 2 mm aluminum plate is clearly detected. Quantitative match of the experiment data to theoretical prediction serves as a strong support for future implementation of other testing schemes proposed in this paper.

Time-localized frequency analysis of ultrasonic guided waves for nondestructive testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Hyeon Jae; Song, Sung-Jin

2000-05-01

A time-localized frequency (TLF) analysis is employed for the guided wave mode identification and improved guided wave applications. For the analysis of time-localized frequency contents of digitized ultrasonic signals, TLF analysis consists of splitting the time domain signal into overlapping segments, weighting each with the hanning window, and forming the columns of discrete Fourier transforms. The result is presented by a frequency versus time domain diagram showing frequency variation along the signal arrival time. For the demonstration of the utility of TLF analysis, an experimental group velocity dispersion pattern obtained by TLF analysis is compared with the dispersion diagram obtained by theory of elasticity. Sample piping is carbon steel piping that is used for the transportation of natural gas underground. Guided wave propagation characteristic on the piping is considered with TLF analysis and wave structure concepts. TLF analysis is used for the detection of simulated corrosion defects and the assessment of weld joint using ultrasonic guided waves. TLF analysis has revealed that the difficulty of mode identification in multi-mode propagation could be overcome. Group velocity dispersion pattern obtained by TLF analysis agrees well with theoretical results.

Tolerancing the alignment of large-core optical fibers, fiber bundles and light guides using a Fourier approach

PubMed Central

Sawyer, Travis W.; Petersburg, Ryan; Bohndiek, Sarah E.

2017-01-01

Optical fiber technology is found in a wide variety of applications to flexibly relay light between two points, enabling information transfer across long distances and allowing access to hard-to-reach areas. Large-core optical fibers and light guides find frequent use in illumination and spectroscopic applications; for example, endoscopy and high-resolution astronomical spectroscopy. Proper alignment is critical for maximizing throughput in optical fiber coupling systems, however, there currently are no formal approaches to tolerancing the alignment of a light guide coupling system. Here, we propose a Fourier Alignment Sensitivity (FAS) algorithm to determine the optimal tolerances on the alignment of a light guide by computing the alignment sensitivity. The algorithm shows excellent agreement with both simulated and experimentally measured values and improves on the computation time of equivalent ray tracing simulations by two orders of magnitude. We then apply FAS to tolerance and fabricate a coupling system, which is shown to meet specifications, thus validating FAS as a tolerancing technique. These results indicate that FAS is a flexible and rapid means to quantify the alignment sensitivity of a light guide, widely informing the design and tolerancing of coupling systems. PMID:28430250

Performance of laser guide star adaptive optics at Lick Observatory

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

Olivier, S.S.; An, J.; Avicola, K.

1995-07-19

A sodium-layer laser guide star adaptive optics system has been developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for use on the 3-meter Shane telescope at Lick Observatory. The system is based on a 127-actuator continuous-surface deformable mirror, a Hartmann wavefront sensor equipped with a fast-framing low-noise CCD camera, and a pulsed solid-state-pumped dye laser tuned to the atomic sodium resonance line at 589 nm. The adaptive optics system has been tested on the Shane telescope using natural reference stars yielding up to a factor of 12 increase in image peak intensity and a factor of 6.5 reduction in image fullmore » width at half maximum (FWHM). The results are consistent with theoretical expectations. The laser guide star system has been installed and operated on the Shane telescope yielding a beam with 22 W average power at 589 nm. Based on experimental data, this laser should generate an 8th magnitude guide star at this site, and the integrated laser guide star adaptive optics system should produce images with Strehl ratios of 0.4 at 2.2 {mu}m in median seeing and 0.7 at 2.2 {mu}m in good seeing.« less

Focusing electrode and coaxial reflector used for reducing the guiding magnetic field of the Ku-band foilless transit-time oscillator

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

Ling, Junpu; Zhang, Jiande; He, Juntao, E-mail: hejuntao12@163.com

2014-08-15

Based on the theoretical analysis of the intense relativistic electron beam propagation in the coaxial drift-tube, a focusing electrode and a coaxial reflector is proposed to lessen the demand of the coaxial Ku-band foilless transit-time oscillator (TTO) for the guiding magnetic field. Moreover, a Ku-band TTO with the focusing electrode and the coaxial reflector is designed and studied by particle in cell simulation. When the diode voltage is 390 kV, the beam current 7.8 kA, and the guiding magnetic field is only 0.3 T, the device can output 820 MW microwave pulse at 14.25 GHz by means of the simulation.more » However, for the device without them, the output power is only 320 MW. The primary experiments are also carried out. When the guiding magnetic field is 0.3 T, the output power of the device with the focusing electrode and the coaxial reflector is double that of the one without them. The simulation and experimental results prove that the focusing electrode and the coaxial reflector are effective on reducing the guiding magnetic field of the device.« less

A Systematic Review of Relaxation, Meditation, and Guided Imagery Strategies for Symptom Management in Heart Failure.

PubMed

Kwekkeboom, Kristine L; Bratzke, Lisa C

2016-01-01

Pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep disturbance are prevalent and distressing symptoms in persons with advanced heart failure. Although many lifestyle and self-care interventions have been developed to control heart failure progression, very few studies have explored treatments exclusively for symptom palliation. Cognitive-behavioral strategies may be effective treatment for these symptoms in advanced heart failure. A systemic review was conducted to describe the effect of cognitive-behavioral strategies on pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep disturbance in patients with heart failure. CINAHL, Medline, and PsychINFO were searched from inception through December 2014. Articles were selected for inclusion if they tested a cognitive-behavioral strategy using a quasi-experimental or experimental design, involved a sample of adults with heart failure, and measured pain, dyspnea, fatigue, sleep disturbance, or symptom-related quality of life. The 2 authors evaluated study quality, abstracted data elements from each study, and synthesized findings. Thirteen articles describing 9 unique studies met criteria and were included in the review. Five studies tested relaxation strategies, 3 tested meditation strategies, and 1 tested a guided imagery strategy. Of the 9 studies, 7 demonstrated some improvement in symptom outcomes. Relaxation, meditation, guided imagery, or combinations of these strategies resulted in less dyspnea and better sleep compared with attention control or usual care conditions and reduced pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep disturbance within treatment groups (pretreatment to posttreatment). Symptom-related quality of life was improved with meditation compared with attention control and usual care conditions and improved pre- to post-guided imagery. Studies exploring cognitive-behavioral symptom management strategies in heart failure vary in quality and report mixed findings but indicate potential beneficial effects of relaxation, meditation, and guided imagery on heart failure-related symptoms. Future research should test cognitive-behavioral strategies in rigorously designed efficacy trials, using samples selected for their symptom experience, and measure pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep disturbance outcomes with targeted symptom measures.

A Systematic Review of Relaxation, Meditation, and Guided Imagery Strategies for Symptom Management in Heart Failure

PubMed Central

Kwekkeboom, Kristine L.; Bratzke, Lisa C.

2015-01-01

Background Pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep disturbance are prevalent and distressing symptoms in persons with advanced heart failure. Although many lifestyle and self-care interventions have been developed to control heart failure progression, very few studies have explored treatments exclusively for symptom palliation. Cognitive-behavioral strategies may be effective treatment for these symptoms in advanced heart failure. Objective A systemic review was conducted to describe the effect of cognitive-behavioral strategies on pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep disturbance in patients with heart failure. Methods CINAHL, Medline, and PsychINFO were searched from inception through December 2014. Articles were selected for inclusion if they tested a cognitive-behavioral strategy using a quasi-experimental or experimental design, involved a sample of adults with heart failure, and measured pain, dyspnea, fatigue, sleep disturbance, or symptom-related quality of life (QoL). The two authors evaluated study quality, abstracted data elements from each study, and synthesized findings. Results Thirteen articles describing nine unique studies met criteria and were included in the review. Five studies tested relaxation strategies, three tested meditation strategies, and one tested a guided imagery strategy. Seven of the nine studies demonstrated some improvement in symptom outcomes. Relaxation, meditation, guided imagery, or combinations of these strategies resulted in less dyspnea and better sleep compared to attention control or usual care conditions, and reduced pain, dyspnea, fatigue and sleep disturbance within treatment groups (pre- to post-treatment). Symptom-related QoL was improved with meditation compared to attention control and usual care conditions, and improved pre- to post-guided imagery. Conclusions Studies exploring cognitive-behavioral symptom management strategies in heart failure vary in quality and report mixed findings, but indicate potential beneficial effects of relaxation, meditation, and guided imagery on heart failure-related symptoms. Future research should test cognitive-behavioral strategies in rigorously designed efficacy trials, using samples selected for their symptom experience, and measure pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep disturbance outcomes with targeted symptom measures. PMID:26065388

Two-Dimensional Edge Detection by Guided Mode Resonant Metasurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saba, Amirhossein; Tavakol, Mohammad Reza; Karimi-Khoozani, Parisa; Khavasi, Amin

2018-05-01

In this letter, a new approach to perform edge detection is presented using an all-dielectric CMOS-compatible metasurface. The design is based on guided-mode resonance which provides a high quality factor resonance to make the edge detection experimentally realizable. The proposed structure that is easy to fabricate, can be exploited for detection of edges in two dimensions due to its symmetry. Also, the trade-off between gain and resolution of edge detection is discussed which can be adjusted by appropriate design parameters. The proposed edge detector has also the potential to be used in ultrafast analog computing and image processing.

Hybridization of Guided Surface Acoustic Modes in Unconsolidated Granular Media by a Resonant Metasurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palermo, Antonio; Krödel, Sebastian; Matlack, Kathryn H.; Zaccherini, Rachele; Dertimanis, Vasilis K.; Chatzi, Eleni N.; Marzani, Alessandro; Daraio, Chiara

2018-05-01

We investigate the interaction of guided surface acoustic modes (GSAMs) in unconsolidated granular media with a metasurface, consisting of an array of vertical oscillators. We experimentally observe the hybridization of the lowest-order GSAM at the metasurface resonance, and note the absence of mode delocalization found in homogeneous media. Our numerical studies reveal how the stiffness gradient induced by gravity in granular media causes a down-conversion of all the higher-order GSAMs, which preserves the acoustic energy confinement. We anticipate these findings to have implications in the design of seismic-wave protection devices in stratified soils.

Spiral Orbit Tribometry I: Description of the Tribometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pepper, Stephen V.; Kingsbury, Edward P.; Kiraly, Louis J. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A new rolling contact tribometer based on a planar thrust bearing geometry is described. The bearing 'races' are flat plates that drive a ball into a near-circular, spiral path. The spiraling ball is returned to its initial radius each revolution around the race by a 'guide plate' backed by a force transducer. The motions of the ball are analyzed and the force exerted by the ball on the guide plate is related to the friction coefficient of the system. The experimental characteristics of the system are presented and the system is shown to exhibit the behavior expected for a tribometer.

Interpretation reduces ecological impacts of visitors to world heritage site.

PubMed

Littlefair, Carolyn; Buckley, Ralf

2008-07-01

Minimal-impact interpretation is widely used to reduce the ecological impacts of visitors to protected areas. We tested whether verbal appeals and/or role-model demonstrations of minimal-impact behavior by a trained guide reduced noise, litter, and trampling impacts on hiking trails in a subtropical rainforest. Interpretation did reduce impacts significantly. Different interpretive techniques were more effective for different impacts. The experimental groups were mature, well-educated professionals; interpretation may differ in effectiveness for different visitors. Interpretation by skilled guides can indeed reduce visitor impacts in protected areas, especially if role modeling is combined with verbal appeals.

Structure guided GANs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Feidao; Zhao, Huaici; Liu, Pengfei

2017-11-01

Generative adversarial networks (GANs) has achieved success in many fields. However, there are some samples generated by many GAN-based works, whose structure is ambiguous. In this work, we propose Structure Guided GANs that introduce structural similar into GANs to overcome the problem. In order to achieve our goal, we introduce an encoder and a decoder into a generator to design a new generator and take real samples as part of the input of a generator. And we modify the loss function of the generator accordingly. By comparison with WGAN, experimental results show that our proposed method overcomes largely sample structure ambiguous and can generate higher quality samples.

Quantitative diagnostics of multilayered composite structures with ultrasonic guided waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunget, Gheorghe; Friedersdorf, Fritz; Na, Jeong K.

2015-03-01

The main objective of the current work is to develop a practical nondestructive inspection methodology for a highly sound absorbing composite structural system consisting of polymeric and metallic materials. Due to constraints in geometrical shapes and thicknesses of the composite system used in this work, ultrasonic guided wave approach has been chosen. Since the polymer coatings have high damping properties, less energy is dissipated into the adjacent media in the presence of interface delaminations. Experimental measurements performed on a targeted composite system, whether it has an aluminum, carbon-fiber-composite, or steel outer casing, show promising results.

Neodymium-doped phosphate fiber lasers with an all-solid microstructured inner cladding.

PubMed

Zhang, Guang; Zhou, Qinling; Yu, Chunlei; Hu, Lili; Chen, Danping

2012-06-15

We report on high-power fiber lasers based on index-guiding, all-solid neodymium-doped (Nd-doped) phosphate photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with a hexagonal-shaped inner cladding. The optimum fiber laser with a 36 cm length active fiber, generated up to 7.92 W output power at 1053 nm, which benefited from a high absorption coefficient for pump power due to its noncircular inner cladding. The guiding properties of the all-solid PCF were also investigated. A stable mode with a donut-shaped profile and a power-dependent laser beam quality have been observed experimentally and analyzed.

Effects of Current Guides Destruction at Ultra-fast Acceleration of Macrobodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kataev, V. N.; Boriskin, A. S.; Golosov, S. N.; Demidov, V. A.; Klimashov, M. V.; Korolev, P. V.; Makartsev, G. F.; Pikar, A. S.; Russkov, A. S.; Shapovalov, E. V.; Shibitov, Yu. M.

2006-08-01

The paper is devoted to discussion of current guides destruction effects in different accelerators: thermal-electric and electro-magnetic rail accelerator at macrobodies acceleration value of 108-109 m/s2. Experimental results with thermal-electric accelerators powering from megajoule capacitor battery and helical magneto-cumulative generator MCG-100 at currents up to 3.5 MA are analyzed. The process of rails destruction at railgun at pressure magnetic field excess over the limit of metal fluidity is presented. Methods of efficiency coefficient increase of capacitive storage energy transmission to kinetic energy of accelerating body are discussed.

Comparative-Effectiveness of Simulation-Based Deliberate Practice Versus Self-Guided Practice on Resident Anesthesiologists' Acquisition of Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia Skills.

PubMed

Udani, Ankeet Deepak; Harrison, T Kyle; Mariano, Edward R; Derby, Ryan; Kan, Jack; Ganaway, Toni; Shum, Cynthia; Gaba, David M; Tanaka, Pedro; Kou, Alex; Howard, Steven K

2016-01-01

Simulation-based education strategies to teach regional anesthesia have been described, but their efficacy largely has been assumed. We designed this study to determine whether residents trained using the simulation-based strategy of deliberate practice show greater improvement of ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) skills than residents trained using self-guided practice in simulation. Anesthesiology residents new to UGRA were randomized to participate in either simulation-based deliberate practice (intervention) or self-guided practice (control). Participants were recorded and assessed while performing simulated peripheral nerve blocks at baseline, immediately after the experimental condition, and 3 months after enrollment. Subject performance was scored from video by 2 blinded reviewers using a composite tool. The amount of time each participant spent in deliberate or self-guided practice was recorded. Twenty-eight participants completed the study. Both groups showed within-group improvement from baseline scores immediately after the curriculum and 3 months following study enrollment. There was no difference between groups in changed composite scores immediately after the curriculum (P = 0.461) and 3 months following study enrollment (P = 0.927) from baseline. The average time in minutes that subjects spent in simulation practice was 6.8 minutes for the control group compared with 48.5 minutes for the intervention group (P < 0.001). In this comparative effectiveness study, there was no difference in acquisition and retention of skills in UGRA for novice residents taught by either simulation-based deliberate practice or self-guided practice. Both methods increased skill from baseline; however, self-guided practice required less time and faculty resources.

A Guide to Computational Tools and Design Strategies for Genome Editing Experiments in Zebrafish Using CRISPR/Cas9.

PubMed

Prykhozhij, Sergey V; Rajan, Vinothkumar; Berman, Jason N

2016-02-01

The development of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology for mainstream biotechnological use based on its discovery as an adaptive immune mechanism in bacteria has dramatically improved the ability of molecular biologists to modify genomes of model organisms. The zebrafish is highly amenable to applications of CRISPR/Cas9 for mutation generation and a variety of DNA insertions. Cas9 protein in complex with a guide RNA molecule recognizes where to cut the homologous DNA based on a short stretch of DNA termed the protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM). Rapid and efficient identification of target sites immediately preceding PAM sites, quantification of genomic occurrences of similar (off target) sites and predictions of cutting efficiency are some of the features where computational tools play critical roles in CRISPR/Cas9 applications. Given the rapid advent and development of this technology, it can be a challenge for researchers to remain up to date with all of the important technological developments in this field. We have contributed to the armamentarium of CRISPR/Cas9 bioinformatics tools and trained other researchers in the use of appropriate computational programs to develop suitable experimental strategies. Here we provide an in-depth guide on how to use CRISPR/Cas9 and other relevant computational tools at each step of a host of genome editing experimental strategies. We also provide detailed conceptual outlines of the steps involved in the design and execution of CRISPR/Cas9-based experimental strategies, such as generation of frameshift mutations, larger chromosomal deletions and inversions, homology-independent insertion of gene cassettes and homology-based knock-in of defined point mutations and larger gene constructs.

Incorporating tailored interactive patient solutions using interactive voice response technology to improve statin adherence: results of a randomized clinical trial in a managed care setting.

PubMed

Stacy, Jane N; Schwartz, Steven M; Ershoff, Daniel; Shreve, Marilyn Standifer

2009-10-01

The current study presents the impact of a behavior change program to increase statin adherence using interactive voice response (IVR) technology. Subjects were affiliated with a large health benefit company, were prescribed a statin (index) and had no lipid-lowering pharmacy claims in the previous 6 months, and were continuously enrolled in the plan for 12 months prior and 6 months post index statin. Potential subjects (1219) were contacted by the IVR system; 497 gave informed consent. Subjects were asked to respond to 15 questions from the IVR that were guided by several behavior change theories. At the conclusion of the questions, subjects were randomly assigned to either a control group (n = 244), who received generic feedback at the conclusion of the call and were then mailed a generic cholesterol guide, or an experimental group (n = 253), who received tailored feedback based on their cholesterol-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceived barriers to medication adherence, and were mailed a tailored guide that reinforced similar themes. Subjects in the experimental group had the opportunity to participate in 2 additional tailored IVR support calls. The primary dependent variable was 6-month point prevalence, defined as claims evidence of a statin on days 121-180 post index statin. Subjects in the experimental group had a significantly higher 6-month point prevalence than the controls (70.4% vs. 60.7%, P < 0.05). Results of this study suggest that a behavioral support program using IVR technology can be a cost-effective modality to address the important public health problem of patient nonadherence with statin medication.

Additional benefit of dietitian involvement in dialysis staffs-led diet education on uncontrolled hyperphosphatemia in hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Tsai, Wan-Chuan; Yang, Ju-Yeh; Luan, Chia-Chin; Wang, Yuh-Jiun; Lai, Yu-Chuan; Liu, Lie-Chuan; Peng, Yu-Sen

2016-10-01

Sustained adherence to dietary phosphorus (P) restriction recommendations among hemodialysis patients is questionable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of additional diet education delivered by a dietitian on the control of hyperphosphatemia. We conducted an 8-month prospective observational study in hemodialysis patients who had uncontrolled hyperphosphatemia. In the first half of the study (experimental) period, the dialysis nurses and physicians provided the routine dietetic education with the control group (n = 31), while the experimental group (n = 30) received the routine dietetic education plus an additional diet education delivered by dietitians. Both groups received the routine dietetic education in the rest of the study period to test whether the improvement of serum P level was sustained. The primary outcomes were changes in serum P level. At baseline, there was no significant difference in serum P levels between groups (P = 0.27). In the experimental period, monthly serum P levels decreased significantly in both groups (P < 0.001) and the magnitudes of reduction were 1.81 ± 1.46 and 0.94 ± 1.33 mg/dL in the experimental and control groups, respectively (P = 0.02), at the end. The experimental group maintained such improvement for one more month (P = 0.02), but faded out over time. Renal diet education guided either by dietitians plus dialysis staffs or dialysis staffs alone reduces serum P level and dietitian-guided diet education provides an additional benefit on controlling hyperphosphatemia in hemodialysis patients.

Solitonic guide and multiphoton absorption processes in photopolymerizable materials for optical integrated circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, Stephane; Barsella, Alberto; Acker, D.; Sutter, C.; Beyer, N.; Andraud, Chantal; Fort, Alain F.; Dorkenoo, Kokou D.

2004-09-01

Up to now, most of the optical integrated devices are realized on glass or III-V substrates and the waveguides are usually obtained by photolithography techniques. We present here a new approach based on the use of photopolymerizable compounds. The conditions of self-written channel creation by solitonic propagation inside the bulk of these photopolymerizable formulations are analyzed. Both experimental and theoretical results of the various stages of self-written guide propagation are presented. A further step has been achieved by using a two-photon absorption process for the polymerization via a confocal microscopy technique. Combined with the solitonic guide creation, this technique allows to draw 3D optical circuits. Finally, by doping the photopolymerizable mixtures with push-pull chromophores having a controlled orientation, it will be possible to create active optical integrated devices.

Shoulder-Mounted Robot for MRI-guided arthrography: Accuracy and mounting study.

PubMed

Monfaredi, R; Wilson, E; Sze, R; Sharma, K; Azizi, B; Iordachita, I; Cleary, K

2015-08-01

A new version of our compact and lightweight patient-mounted MRI-compatible 4 degree-of-freedom (DOF) robot for MRI-guided arthrography procedures is introduced. This robot could convert the traditional two-stage arthrography procedure (fluoroscopy-guided needle insertion followed by a diagnostic MRI scan) to a one-stage procedure, all in the MRI suite. The results of a recent accuracy study are reported. A new mounting technique is proposed and the mounting stability is investigated using optical and electromagnetic tracking on an anthropomorphic phantom. Five volunteer subjects including 2 radiologists were asked to conduct needle insertion in 4 different random positions and orientations within the robot's workspace and the displacement of the base of the robot was investigated during robot motion and needle insertion. Experimental results show that the proposed mounting method is stable and promising for clinical application.

A Guiding Evolutionary Algorithm with Greedy Strategy for Global Optimization Problems

PubMed Central

Cao, Leilei; Xu, Lihong; Goodman, Erik D.

2016-01-01

A Guiding Evolutionary Algorithm (GEA) with greedy strategy for global optimization problems is proposed. Inspired by Particle Swarm Optimization, the Genetic Algorithm, and the Bat Algorithm, the GEA was designed to retain some advantages of each method while avoiding some disadvantages. In contrast to the usual Genetic Algorithm, each individual in GEA is crossed with the current global best one instead of a randomly selected individual. The current best individual served as a guide to attract offspring to its region of genotype space. Mutation was added to offspring according to a dynamic mutation probability. To increase the capability of exploitation, a local search mechanism was applied to new individuals according to a dynamic probability of local search. Experimental results show that GEA outperformed the other three typical global optimization algorithms with which it was compared. PMID:27293421

Model-Based IN SITU Parameter Estimation of Ultrasonic Guided Waves in AN Isotropic Plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, James S.; Michaels, Jennifer E.

2010-02-01

Most ultrasonic systems employing guided waves for flaw detection require information such as dispersion curves, transducer locations, and expected propagation loss. Degraded system performance may result if assumed parameter values do not accurately reflect the actual environment. By characterizing the propagating environment in situ at the time of test, potentially erroneous a priori estimates are avoided and performance of ultrasonic guided wave systems can be improved. A four-part model-based algorithm is described in the context of previous work that estimates model parameters whereby an assumed propagation model is used to describe the received signals. This approach builds upon previous work by demonstrating the ability to estimate parameters for the case of single mode propagation. Performance is demonstrated on signals obtained from theoretical dispersion curves, finite element modeling, and experimental data.

A Guiding Evolutionary Algorithm with Greedy Strategy for Global Optimization Problems.

PubMed

Cao, Leilei; Xu, Lihong; Goodman, Erik D

2016-01-01

A Guiding Evolutionary Algorithm (GEA) with greedy strategy for global optimization problems is proposed. Inspired by Particle Swarm Optimization, the Genetic Algorithm, and the Bat Algorithm, the GEA was designed to retain some advantages of each method while avoiding some disadvantages. In contrast to the usual Genetic Algorithm, each individual in GEA is crossed with the current global best one instead of a randomly selected individual. The current best individual served as a guide to attract offspring to its region of genotype space. Mutation was added to offspring according to a dynamic mutation probability. To increase the capability of exploitation, a local search mechanism was applied to new individuals according to a dynamic probability of local search. Experimental results show that GEA outperformed the other three typical global optimization algorithms with which it was compared.

Focused US system for MR imaging-guided tumor ablation.

PubMed

Cline, H E; Hynynen, K; Watkins, R D; Adams, W J; Schenck, J F; Ettinger, R H; Freund, W R; Vetro, J P; Jolesz, F A

1995-03-01

To measure the performance characteristics of a focused ultrasound (US) system for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided tumor ablation. The authors constructed a focused US system for MR imaging-guided tumor ablation. The location of the heated region and thermal dose were monitored with temperature-sensitive MR images obtained in phantoms and rabbit skeletal muscle after application of each sonic pulse. The region heated by the focused ultrasound beam was within 1 mm of that observed on temperature-sensitive fast gradient-echo MR images of in vivo rabbit skeletal muscle. Analysis of heat flow and the rate of coagulation necrosis provided an estimate of the size of the ablated region that was in agreement with experimental findings. MR imaging provides target definition and control for thermal therapy in regions of variable perfusion or in tissues that are not well characterized.

Research on gesture recognition of augmented reality maintenance guiding system based on improved SVM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Shouwei; Zhang, Yong; Zhou, Bin; Ma, Dongxi

2014-09-01

Interaction is one of the key techniques of augmented reality (AR) maintenance guiding system. Because of the complexity of the maintenance guiding system's image background and the high dimensionality of gesture characteristics, the whole process of gesture recognition can be divided into three stages which are gesture segmentation, gesture characteristic feature modeling and trick recognition. In segmentation stage, for solving the misrecognition of skin-like region, a segmentation algorithm combing background mode and skin color to preclude some skin-like regions is adopted. In gesture characteristic feature modeling of image attributes stage, plenty of characteristic features are analyzed and acquired, such as structure characteristics, Hu invariant moments features and Fourier descriptor. In trick recognition stage, a classifier based on Support Vector Machine (SVM) is introduced into the augmented reality maintenance guiding process. SVM is a novel learning method based on statistical learning theory, processing academic foundation and excellent learning ability, having a lot of issues in machine learning area and special advantages in dealing with small samples, non-linear pattern recognition at high dimension. The gesture recognition of augmented reality maintenance guiding system is realized by SVM after the granulation of all the characteristic features. The experimental results of the simulation of number gesture recognition and its application in augmented reality maintenance guiding system show that the real-time performance and robustness of gesture recognition of AR maintenance guiding system can be greatly enhanced by improved SVM.

Prelinguistic human infants and great apes show different communicative strategies in a triadic request situation.

PubMed

Gretscher, Heinz; Tempelmann, Sebastian; Haun, Daniel B M; Liebal, Katja; Kaminski, Juliane

2017-01-01

In the present research, we investigate the communicative strategies of 20 month old human infants and great apes when requesting rewards from a human experimenter. Infants and apes both adapted their signals to the attentional state of the experimenter as well as to the location of the reward. Yet, while infants frequently positioned themselves in front of the experimenter and pointed towards a distant reward, apes either remained in the experimenter's line of sight and pointed towards him or moved out of sight and pointed towards the reward. Further, when pointing towards a reward that was placed at a distance from the experimenter, only the infants, and not the apes, took the experimenter's attentional state into account. These results demonstrate that prelinguistic human infants and nonhuman apes use different means when guiding others' attention to a location; indicating that differing cognitive mechanisms may underlie their pointing gestures.

Development of variable-rate sprayer for nursery liner applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sensor-guided application technologies are needed to achieve constant spray deposition for the rapid growth of nursery liner trees during a growing season. An experimental real-time variable-rate sprayer that implemented 20 Hz ultrasonic sensors and pulse width modulation (PWM) solenoid valve-contro...

Clinically relevant pharmacokinetic herb-drug interactions in antiretroviral therapy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

For healthcare professionals, the volume of literature available on herb-drug interactions often makes it difficult to separate experimental/potential interactions from those deemed clinically relevant. There is a need for concise and conclusive information to guide pharmacotherapy in HIV/AIDS. In t...

Historical review of missile aerodynamic developments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spearman, M. Leroy

1989-01-01

The development of missiles from early history up to about 1970 is discussed. Early unpowered missiles beyond the rock include the spear, the bow and arrow, the gun and bullet, and the cannon and projectile. Combining gunpowder with projectiles resulted in the first powered missiles. In the early 1900's, the development of guided missiles was begun. Significant advances in missile technology were made by German scientists during World War II. The dispersion of these advances to other countries following the war resulted in accelerating the development of guided missiles. In the late 1940's and early 1950's there was a proliferation in the development of missile systems in many countries. These developments were based primarily on experimental work and on relatively crude analytical techniques. Discussed here are some of the missile systems that were developed up to about 1970; some of the problems encountered; the development of an experimental data base for use with missiles; and early efforts to develop analytical methods applicable to missiles.

Beam quality improvement by population-dynamic-coupled combined guiding effect in end-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yijie; Gong, Mali; Fu, Xing

2018-05-01

Beam quality improvement with pump power increasing in an end-pumped laser oscillator is experimentally realized for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The phenomenon is caused by the population-dynamic-coupled combined guiding effect, a comprehensive theoretical model of which has been well established, in agreement with the experimental results. Based on an 888 nm in-band dual-end-pumped oscillator using four tandem Nd:YVO4 crystals, the output beam quality of M^2= 1.1/1.1 at the pump power of 25 W is degraded to M^2 = 2.5/1.8 at 75 W pumping and then improved to M^2= 1.8/1.3 at 150 W pumping. The near-TEM_{00} mode is obtained with the highest continuous-wave output power of 72.1 W and the optical-to-optical efficiency of 48.1%. This work demonstrates great potential to further scale the output power of end-pumped laser oscillator while keeping good beam quality.

Numerical and Experimental Study of a Cooling for Vanes in a Small Turbine Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šimák, Jan; Michálek, Jan

2016-03-01

This paper is concerned with a cooling system for inlet guide vanes of a small turbine engine which are exposed to a high temperature gas leaving a combustion chamber. Because of small dimensions of the vanes, only a simple internal cavity and cooling holes can be realized. The idea was to utilize a film cooling technique. The proposed solution was simulated by means of a numerical method based on a coupling of CFD and heat transfer solvers. The numerical results of various scenarios (different coolant temperature, heat transfer to surroundings) showed a desired decrease of the temperature, especially on the most critical part - the trailing edge. The numerical data are compared to results obtained by experimental measurements performed in a test facility in our institute. A quarter segment model of the inlet guide vanes wheel was equipped with thermocouples in order to verify an effect of cooling. Despite some uncertainty in the results, a verifiable decrease of the vane temperature was observed.

Experimental Verification of Guided-Wave Lumped Circuits Using Waveguide Metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yue; Zhang, Zhijun

2018-04-01

Through the construction and characterization in microwave frequencies, we experimentally demonstrate our recently developed theory of waveguide lumped circuits, i.e., waveguide metatronics [Sci. Adv. 2, e1501790 (2016), 10.1126/sciadv.1501790], as a method to design subwavelength-scaled analog circuits. In the paradigm of waveguide metatronics, numbers of lumped inductors and capacitors are easily integrated functionally inside the waveguide, which is an irreplaceable transmission line in millimeter-wave and terahertz systems with the advantages of low radiation loss and low crosstalk. An example of multiple-ordered metatronic filters with layered structures is fabricated utilizing the technique of substrate integrated waveguides, which can be easily constructed by the printed-circuit-board process. The materials used in the construction are also typical microwave materials with positive permittivity, low loss, and negligible dispersion, imitating the plasmonic materials with negative permittivity in the optical domain. The results verify the theory of waveguide metatronics, which provides an efficient platform of functional lumped circuit design for guided-wave processing.

Detecting delaminations and disbondings on full-scale wing composite panel by guided waves based SHM system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monaco, E.; Boffa, N. D.; Memmolo, V.; Ricci, F.; Maio, L.

2016-04-01

A full-scale lower wing panel made of composite material has been designed, manufactured and sensorised within the European Funded research project named SARISTU. The authors contributed to the whole development of the system, from design to implementation as well as to the impacts campaign phase where Barely Visible and Visible Damages (BVID and VID) are to be artificially induced on the panel by a pneumatic impact machine. This work summarise part of the experimental results related to damages production, their assessment by C-SCAN as reference NDT method as well as damage detection of delimitations by a guided waves based SHM. The SHM system is made by customized piezoelectric patches secondary bonded on the wing plate acting both as guided waves sources and receivers. The paper will deal mostly with the experimental impact campaign and the signal analyses carried out to extract the metrics more sensitive to damages induced. Image reconstruction of the damages dimensions and shapes will be also described based mostly on the combination of metrics maps over the plate partial surfaces. Finally a comparison of damages maps obtained by the SHM approach and those obtained by "classic" C-SCAN will be presented analyzing briefly pros and cons of the two different approached as a combination to the most effective structural maintenance scenario of a commercial aircraft.

Analysis of liquid-phase chemical detection using guided shear horizontal-surface acoustic wave sensors.

PubMed

Li, Zhonghui; Jones, Yolanda; Hossenlopp, Jeanne; Cernosek, Richard; Josse, Fabien

2005-07-15

Direct chemical sensing in liquid environments using polymer-guided shear horizontal surface acoustic wave sensor platforms on 36 degrees rotated Y-cut LiTaO3 is investigated. Design considerations for optimizing these devices for liquid-phase detection are systematically explored. Two different sensor geometries are experimentally and theoretically analyzed. Dual delay line devices are used with a reference line coated with poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and a sensing line coated with a chemically sensitive polymer, which acts as both a guiding layer and a sensing layer or with a PMMA waveguide and a chemically sensitive polymer. Results show the three-layer model provides higher sensitivity than the four-layer model. Contributions from mass loading and coating viscoelasticity changes to the sensor response are evaluated, taking into account the added mass, swelling, and plasticization. Chemically sensitive polymers are investigated in the detection of low concentrations (1-60 ppm) of toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes in water. A low-ppb level detection limit is estimated from the present experimental measurements. Sensor properties are investigated by varying the sensor geometries, coating thickness combinations, coating properties, and curing temperature for operation in liquid environments. Partition coefficients for polymer-aqueous analyte pairs are used to explain the observed trend in sensitivity for the polymers PMMA, poly(isobutylene), poly(epichlorohydrin), and poly(ethyl acrylate) used in this work.

Effects of temperature variations on guided waves propagating in composite structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoja, Siavash; Berbyuk, Viktor; Boström, Anders

2016-04-01

Effects of temperature on guided waves propagating in composite materials is a well-known problem which has been investigated in many studies. The majority of the studies is focused on effects of high temperature. Understanding the effects of low temperature has major importance in composite structures and components which are operating in cold climate conditions such as e.g. wind turbines operating in cold climate regions. In this study first the effects of temperature variations on guided waves propagating in a composite plate is investigated experimentally in a cold climate chamber. The material is a common material used to manufacture rotor blades of wind turbines. The temperature range is 25°C to -25°C and effects of temperature variations on amplitude and phase shift of the received signal are investigated. In order to apply the effects of lowering the temperature on the received signal, the Baseline Signal Stretch (BSS) method is modified and used. The modification is based on decomposing the signal into symmetric and asymmetric modes and applying two different stretch factors on each of them. Finally the results obtained based on the new method is compared with the results of application of BSS with one stretch factor and experimental measurements. Comparisons show that an improvement is obtained using the BSS with the mode decomposition method at temperature variations of more than 25°C.

PROGRAMED EXCHANGES AND THE CONTROL OF AGGRESSION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ELLIS, DESMOND P.; HAMBLIN, ROBERT L.

SYSTEMS OF EXCHANGE - USING THE EXTINCTION, DISTRACTION, AND SUBSTITUTION EFFECTS SYSTEMS - WERE IMPLEMENTED TO DECREASE AGGRESSION AND PROMOTE COOPERATION AND SCHOLARLY BEHAVIOR, THREE SYSTEMS WERE TESTED USING EXCHANGE THEORY AS A GUIDE. THE SUBJECTS WERE FIVE 4- AND 5-YEAR-OLD BOYS DIAGNOSED AS HYPERAGGRESSIVE. EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS INCLUDED…

How Does a Lesson Plan?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

This manual for secondary school teachers offers sample lesson plans that may be used to guide and stimulate experimentation and development of creative instructional units. Lesson plan components are defined, and various types of lessons and their significant characteristics are identified. These characteristic types of lessons are illustrated,…

Using "What If.." Questions to Teach Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Kok Siang

2007-01-01

With the widening knowledge base students will need to be more flexible in their learning habits. Traditionally, teaching school science often involves teacher-centred methods like lectures, experimental demonstration or guided inquiry. Plain knowledge dissemination will not adequately prepare students to cope with the changing world. Hence,…

The Socialization Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lippitt, Ronald O.

This paper develops a conceptual framework as a guide for research analysis and the designing of experimental interventions aimed at the improvement of the socialization process of the community. Socialization agents are the parents, older and like-age peers, formal education agencies, churches, leisure time child and youth serving agencies, legal…

Biochemical Process Development and Integration | Bioenergy | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Process Development We develop and scale fermentation processes that produce fuels and chemicals from guide experimental designs. Our newly updated fermentation laboratory houses 38 bench-scale fermentors current projects cover the fermentation spectrum including anaerobic, micro-aerobic, aerobic, and gas-to

The SafeBoosC II randomized trial: treatment guided by near-infrared spectroscopy reduces cerebral hypoxia without changing early biomarkers of brain injury

PubMed Central

Plomgaard, Anne M.; van Oeveren, Wim; Petersen, Tue H.; Alderliesten, Thomas; Austin, Topun; van Bel, Frank; Benders, Manon; Claris, Olivier; Dempsey, Eugene; Franz, Axel; Fumagalli, Monica; Gluud, Christian; Hagmann, Cornelia; Hyttel-Sorensen, Simon; Lemmers, Petra; Pellicer, Adelina; Pichler, Gerhard; Winkel, Per; Greisen, Gorm

2016-01-01

Background: The SafeBoosC phase II multicentre randomized clinical trial investigated the benefits and harms of monitoring cerebral oxygenation by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with an evidence-based treatment guideline vs. no NIRS data and treatment as usual in the control group during the first 72 h of life. The trial demonstrated a significant reduction in the burden of cerebral hypoxia in the experimental group. We now report the blindly assessed and analyzed treatment effects on electroencephalographic (EEG) outcomes (burst rate and spectral edge frequency 95% (SEF95)) and blood biomarkers of brain injury (S100β, brain fatty acid-binding protein, and neuroketal). Methods: One hundred and sixty-six extremely preterm infants were randomized to either experimental or control group. EEG was recorded at 64 h of age and blood samples were collected at 6 and 64 h of age. Results: One hundred and thirty-three EEGs were evaluated. The two groups did not differ regarding burst rates (experimental 7.2 vs. control 7.7 burst/min) or SEF95 (experimental 18.1 vs. control 18.0 Hz). The two groups did not differ regarding blood S100β, brain fatty acid-binding protein, and neuroketal concentrations at 6 and 64 h (n = 123 participants). Conclusion: Treatment guided by NIRS reduced the cerebral burden of hypoxia without affecting EEG or the selected blood biomarkers. PMID:26679155

An experimental description of the flow in a centrifugal compressor from alternate stall to surge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moënne-Loccoz, V.; Trébinjac, I.; Benichou, E.; Goguey, S.; Paoletti, B.; Laucher, P.

2017-08-01

The present paper gives the experimental results obtained in a centrifugal compressor stage designed and built by SAFRAN Helicopter Engines. The compressor is composed of inlet guide vanes, a backswept splittered unshrouded impeller, a splittered vaned radial diffuser and axial outlet guide vanes. Previous numerical simulations revealed a particular S-shape pressure rise characteristic at partial rotation speed and predicted an alternate flow pattern in the vaned radial diffuser at low mass flow rate. This alternate flow pattern involves two adjacent vane passages. One passage exhibits very low momentum and a low pressure recovery, whereas the adjacent passage has very high momentum in the passage inlet and diffuses efficiently. Experimental measurements confirm the S-shape of the pressure rise characteristic even if the stability limit experimentally occurs at higher mass flow than numerically predicted. At low mass flow the alternate stall pattern is confirmed thanks to the data obtained by high-frequency pressure sensors. As the compressor is throttled the path to instability has been registered and a first scenario of the surge inception is given. The compressor first experiences a steady alternate stall in the diffuser. As the mass flow decreases, the alternate stall amplifies and triggers the mild surge in the vaned diffuser. An unsteady behavior results from the interaction of the alternate stall and the mild surge. Finally, when the pressure gradient becomes too strong, the alternate stall blows away and the compressor enters into deep surge.

MO-FG-BRC-01: MR-Guided Radiation Therapy with Gadolinium Nanoparticles: From Chalkboard to First Clinical Trials

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

Sancey, L.

2016-06-15

Experimental research in medical physics has expanded the limits of our knowledge and provided novel imaging and therapy technologies for patients around the world. However, experimental efforts are challenging due to constraints in funding, space, time and other forms of institutional support. In this joint ESTRO-AAPM symposium, four exciting experimental projects from four different countries are highlighted. Each project is focused on a different aspect of radiation therapy. From the USA, we will hear about a new linear accelerator concept for more compact and efficient therapy devices. From Canada, we will learn about novel linear accelerator target design and themore » implications for imaging and therapy. From France, we will discover a mature translational effort to incorporate theranostic nanoparticles in MR-guided radiation therapy. From Germany, we will find out about a novel in-treatment imaging modality for particle therapy. These examples of high impact, experimental medical physics research are representative of the diversity of such efforts that are on-going around the globe. J. Robar, Research is supported through collaboration with Varian Medical Systems and Brainlab AGD. Westerly, This work is supported by the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. COI: NONEK. Parodi, Part of the presented work is supported by the DFG (German Research Foundation) Cluster of Excellence MAP (Munich-Centre for Advanced Photonics) and has been carried out in collaboration with IBA.« less

Knowledge-guided fuzzy logic modeling to infer cellular signaling networks from proteomic data

PubMed Central

Liu, Hui; Zhang, Fan; Mishra, Shital Kumar; Zhou, Shuigeng; Zheng, Jie

2016-01-01

Modeling of signaling pathways is crucial for understanding and predicting cellular responses to drug treatments. However, canonical signaling pathways curated from literature are seldom context-specific and thus can hardly predict cell type-specific response to external perturbations; purely data-driven methods also have drawbacks such as limited biological interpretability. Therefore, hybrid methods that can integrate prior knowledge and real data for network inference are highly desirable. In this paper, we propose a knowledge-guided fuzzy logic network model to infer signaling pathways by exploiting both prior knowledge and time-series data. In particular, the dynamic time warping algorithm is employed to measure the goodness of fit between experimental and predicted data, so that our method can model temporally-ordered experimental observations. We evaluated the proposed method on a synthetic dataset and two real phosphoproteomic datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that our model can uncover drug-induced alterations in signaling pathways in cancer cells. Compared with existing hybrid models, our method can model feedback loops so that the dynamical mechanisms of signaling networks can be uncovered from time-series data. By calibrating generic models of signaling pathways against real data, our method supports precise predictions of context-specific anticancer drug effects, which is an important step towards precision medicine. PMID:27774993

Explanation and inference: mechanistic and functional explanations guide property generalization.

PubMed

Lombrozo, Tania; Gwynne, Nicholas Z

2014-01-01

The ability to generalize from the known to the unknown is central to learning and inference. Two experiments explore the relationship between how a property is explained and how that property is generalized to novel species and artifacts. The experiments contrast the consequences of explaining a property mechanistically, by appeal to parts and processes, with the consequences of explaining the property functionally, by appeal to functions and goals. The findings suggest that properties that are explained functionally are more likely to be generalized on the basis of shared functions, with a weaker relationship between mechanistic explanations and generalization on the basis of shared parts and processes. The influence of explanation type on generalization holds even though all participants are provided with the same mechanistic and functional information, and whether an explanation type is freely generated (Experiment 1), experimentally provided (Experiment 2), or experimentally induced (Experiment 2). The experiments also demonstrate that explanations and generalizations of a particular type (mechanistic or functional) can be experimentally induced by providing sample explanations of that type, with a comparable effect when the sample explanations come from the same domain or from a different domains. These results suggest that explanations serve as a guide to generalization, and contribute to a growing body of work supporting the value of distinguishing mechanistic and functional explanations.

Effectiveness of stress management in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate.

PubMed

Chiu, Li-Pin; Tung, Heng-Hsin; Lin, Kuan-Chia; Lai, Yu-Wei; Chiu, Yi-Chun; Chen, Saint Shiou-Sheng; Chiu, Allen W

2016-01-01

To assess the utilization of stress management in relieving anxiety and pain among patients who undergo transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy of the prostate. Eighty-two patients admitted to a community hospital for a TRUS biopsy of the prostate participated in this case-controlled study. They were divided into an experimental group that was provided with stress management and a control group that received only routine nursing care. Stress management included music therapy and one-on-one simulation education. Before and after the TRUS biopsy, the patients' state-anxiety inventory score, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood pressure were obtained. There were no differences in baseline and disease characteristics between the two groups. The VAS in both groups increased after the TRUS biopsy, but the difference in pre- and postbiopsy VAS scores was significantly lower in the experimental group (P=0.03). Patients in both groups experienced mild anxiety before and after the biopsy, but those in the experimental group displayed a significantly greater decrease in postbiopsy state-anxiety inventory score compared to the control group (P=0.02). Stress management can alleviate anxiety and pain in patients who received a TRUS biopsy of the prostate under local anesthesia.

Experimental search for high-temperature ferroelectric perovskites guided by two-step machine learning.

PubMed

Balachandran, Prasanna V; Kowalski, Benjamin; Sehirlioglu, Alp; Lookman, Turab

2018-04-26

Experimental search for high-temperature ferroelectric perovskites is a challenging task due to the vast chemical space and lack of predictive guidelines. Here, we demonstrate a two-step machine learning approach to guide experiments in search of xBi[Formula: see text]O 3 -(1 - x)PbTiO 3 -based perovskites with high ferroelectric Curie temperature. These involve classification learning to screen for compositions in the perovskite structures, and regression coupled to active learning to identify promising perovskites for synthesis and feedback. The problem is challenging because the search space is vast, spanning ~61,500 compositions and only 167 are experimentally studied. Furthermore, not every composition can be synthesized in the perovskite phase. In this work, we predict x, y, Me', and Me″ such that the resulting compositions have both high Curie temperature and form in the perovskite structure. Outcomes from both successful and failed experiments then iteratively refine the machine learning models via an active learning loop. Our approach finds six perovskites out of ten compositions synthesized, including three previously unexplored {Me'Me″} pairs, with 0.2Bi(Fe 0.12 Co 0.88 )O 3 -0.8PbTiO 3 showing the highest measured Curie temperature of 898 K among them.

Modeling-based design and assessment of an acousto-optic guided high-intensity focused ultrasound system

PubMed Central

Adams, Matthew T.; Cleveland, Robin O.; Roy, Ronald A.

2017-01-01

Abstract. Real-time acousto-optic (AO) sensing has been shown to noninvasively detect changes in ex vivo tissue optical properties during high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) exposures. The technique is particularly appropriate for monitoring noncavitating lesions that offer minimal acoustic contrast. A numerical model is presented for an AO-guided HIFU system with an illumination wavelength of 1064 nm and an acoustic frequency of 1.1 MHz. To confirm the model’s accuracy, it is compared to previously published experimental data gathered during AO-guided HIFU in chicken breast. The model is used to determine an optimal design for an AO-guided HIFU system, to assess its robustness, and to predict its efficacy for the ablation of large volumes. It was found that a through transmission geometry results in the best performance, and an optical wavelength around 800 nm was optimal as it provided sufficient contrast with low absorption. Finally, it was shown that the strategy employed while treating large volumes with AO guidance has a major impact on the resulting necrotic volume and symmetry. PMID:28114454

Local Guided Wavefield Analysis for Characterization of Delaminations in Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogge, Matthew D.; Campbell Leckey, Cara A.

2012-01-01

Delaminations in composite laminates resulting from impact events may be accompanied by minimal indication of damage at the surface. As such, inspection techniques are required to ensure defects are within allowable limits. Conventional ultrasonic scanning techniques have been shown to effectively characterize the size and depth of delaminations but require physical contact with the structure. Alternatively, a noncontact scanning laser vibrometer may be used to measure guided wave propagation in the laminate structure. A local Fourier domain analysis method is presented for processing guided wavefield data to estimate spatially-dependent wavenumber values, which can be used to determine delamination depth. The technique is applied to simulated wavefields and results are analyzed to determine limitations of the technique with regards to determining defect size and depth. Finally, experimental wavefield data obtained in quasi-isotropic carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates with impact damage is analyzed and wavenumber is measured to an accuracy of 8.5% in the region of shallow delaminations. Keywords: Ultrasonic wavefield imaging, Windowed Fourier transforms, Guided waves, Structural health monitoring, Nondestructive evaluation

[Guided bone regeneration: general survey].

PubMed

Cosyn, Jan; De Bruyn, Hugo

2009-01-01

The principle of 'guided bone regeneration' was first described in 1988 on the basis of animal-experimental data. Six weeks after transmandibular defects had been created and protected by non-resorbable teflonmembranes, complete bone regeneration was found. The technique was based on the selective repopulation of the wound: every infiltration of cells outside the neighbouring bone tissue was prevented by the application of the membrane. Additional animal experiments showed that guided bone regeneration was a viable treatment option for local bone defects surrounding dental implants. Clinical practice, however, showed that premature membrane exposure was a common complication, which was responsible for a tremendous reduction in regenerated bone volume. In addition, a second surgical intervention was always necessary to remove the membrane. As a result, resorbable alternatives were developed. Since these are less rigid, bone fillers are usually used simultaneously. These comprise autogenous bone chips and bone substitutes from allogenic or xenogenic origine. Also alloplastic materials could be used for this purpose. Based on their characteristics this article provides an overview of the biomaterials that could be considered for guided bone regeneration. Specific attention goes to their application in clinical practice.

Thermal fixation of swine liver tissue after magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation.

PubMed

Courivaud, Frédéric; Kazaryan, Airazat M; Lund, Alice; Orszagh, Vivian C; Svindland, Aud; Marangos, Irina Pavlik; Halvorsen, Per Steinar; Jebsen, Peter; Fosse, Erik; Hol, Per Kristian; Edwin, Bjørn

2014-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate experimental conditions for efficient and controlled in vivo liver tissue ablation by magnetic resonance (MR)-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in a swine model, with the ultimate goal of improving clinical treatment outcome. Histological changes were examined both acutely (four animals) and 1 wk after treatment (five animals). Effects of acoustic power and multiple sonication cycles were investigated. There was good correlation between target size and observed ablation size by thermal dose calculation, post-procedural MR imaging and histopathology, when temperature at the focal point was kept below 90°C. Structural histopathology investigations revealed tissue thermal fixation in ablated regions. In the presence of cavitation, mechanical tissue destruction occurred, resulting in an ablation larger than the target. Complete extra-corporeal MR-guided HIFU ablation in the liver is feasible using high acoustic power. Nearby large vessels were preserved, which makes MR-guided HIFU promising for the ablation of liver tumors adjacent to large veins. Copyright © 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

snoSeeker: an advanced computational package for screening of guide and orphan snoRNA genes in the human genome.

PubMed

Yang, Jian-Hua; Zhang, Xiao-Chen; Huang, Zhan-Peng; Zhou, Hui; Huang, Mian-Bo; Zhang, Shu; Chen, Yue-Qin; Qu, Liang-Hu

2006-01-01

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) represent an abundant group of non-coding RNAs in eukaryotes. They can be divided into guide and orphan snoRNAs according to the presence or absence of antisense sequence to rRNAs or snRNAs. Current snoRNA-searching programs, which are essentially based on sequence complementarity to rRNAs or snRNAs, exist only for the screening of guide snoRNAs. In this study, we have developed an advanced computational package, snoSeeker, which includes CDseeker and ACAseeker programs, for the highly efficient and specific screening of both guide and orphan snoRNA genes in mammalian genomes. By using these programs, we have systematically scanned four human-mammal whole-genome alignment (WGA) sequences and identified 54 novel candidates including 26 orphan candidates as well as 266 known snoRNA genes. Eighteen novel snoRNAs were further experimentally confirmed with four snoRNAs exhibiting a tissue-specific or restricted expression pattern. The results of this study provide the most comprehensive listing of two families of snoRNA genes in the human genome till date.

Testing of a novel pin array guide for accurate three-dimensional glenoid component positioning.

PubMed

Lewis, Gregory S; Stevens, Nicole M; Armstrong, April D

2015-12-01

A substantial challenge in total shoulder replacement is accurate positioning and alignment of the glenoid component. This challenge arises from limited intraoperative exposure and complex arthritic-driven deformity. We describe a novel pin array guide and method for patient-specific guiding of the glenoid central drill hole. We also experimentally tested the hypothesis that this method would reduce errors in version and inclination compared with 2 traditional methods. Polymer models of glenoids were created from computed tomography scans from 9 arthritic patients. Each 3-dimensional (3D) printed scapula was shrouded to simulate the operative situation. Three different methods for central drill alignment were tested, all with the target orientation of 5° retroversion and 0° inclination: no assistance, assistance by preoperative 3D imaging, and assistance by the pin array guide. Version and inclination errors of the drill line were compared. Version errors using the pin array guide (3° ± 2°) were significantly lower than version errors associated with no assistance (9° ± 7°) and preoperative 3D imaging (8° ± 6°). Inclination errors were also significantly lower using the pin array guide compared with no assistance. The new pin array guide substantially reduced errors in orientation of the central drill line. The guide method is patient specific but does not require rapid prototyping and instead uses adjustments to an array of pins based on automated software calculations. This method may ultimately provide a cost-effective solution enabling surgeons to obtain accurate orientation of the glenoid. Copyright © 2015 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomized controlled study of the safety and efficacy of nitrous oxide-sedated endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration for digestive tract diseases.

PubMed

Wang, Cai-Xia; Wang, Jian; Chen, Yuan-Yuan; Wang, Jia-Ni; Yu, Xin; Yang, Feng; Sun, Si-Yu

2016-12-14

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nitrous oxide-sedated endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration. Enrolled patients were divided randomly into an experimental group (inhalation of nitrous oxide) and a control group (inhalation of pure oxygen) and heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, and the occurrence of complications were monitored and recorded. All patients and physicians completed satisfaction questionnaires about the examination and scored the process using a visual analog scale. There was no significant difference in heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, ECG changes, or complication rate between the two groups of patients ( P > 0.05). However, patient and physician satisfaction were both significantly higher in the nitrous oxide compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). Nitrous oxide-sedation is a safe and effective option for patients undergoing endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration.

Flow-guided sketch and accentuated-tone adjusting for pencil drawing generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ruirui; Yang, Lei; Hu, Wei

2017-07-01

Pencil drawing is an important artistic style which is widely used in draft sketch and finished rendering. It is non-trivial if we can automatically generate the pencil drawing more precisely in order to ease the human efforts. In this paper, we propose flow-guided sketch and accentuated-tone adjusting techniques to transform the pencil drawing from natural images. This work is extended from the existing pencil drawing framework where authors combine sketch and tone together for penciling purpose. Through an edge tangent flow guided classification and convolution, we can obtain more coherent and smooth strokes, especially for portraits. In addition, we also introduce a hierarchical approach to generate strokes. According to saliency map, we can adjust the tone of images automatically. The experimental results indicate the generated toned pencil drawings by our approach are of fewer artifacts and could even solve the images with dark background

Laser-based linear and nonlinear guided elastic waves at surfaces (2D) and wedges (1D).

PubMed

Hess, Peter; Lomonosov, Alexey M; Mayer, Andreas P

2014-01-01

The characteristic features and applications of linear and nonlinear guided elastic waves propagating along surfaces (2D) and wedges (1D) are discussed. Laser-based excitation, detection, or contact-free analysis of these guided waves with pump-probe methods are reviewed. Determination of material parameters by broadband surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and other applications in nondestructive evaluation (NDE) are considered. The realization of nonlinear SAWs in the form of solitary waves and as shock waves, used for the determination of the fracture strength, is described. The unique properties of dispersion-free wedge waves (WWs) propagating along homogeneous wedges and of dispersive wedge waves observed in the presence of wedge modifications such as tip truncation or coatings are outlined. Theoretical and experimental results on nonlinear wedge waves in isotropic and anisotropic solids are presented. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated laser guidance of neuronal growth cones using a spatial light modulator.

PubMed

Carnegie, David J; Cizmár, Tomás; Baumgartl, Jörg; Gunn-Moore, Frank J; Dholakia, Kishan

2009-11-01

The growth cone of a developing neuron can be guided using a focused infra-red (IR) laser beam [1]. In previous setups this process has required a significant amount of user intervention to adjust continuously the laser beam to guide the growing neuron. Previously, a system using an acousto-optical deflector (AOD) has been developed to steer the beam [2]. However, to enhance the controllability of this system, here we demonstrate the use of a computer controlled spatial light modulator (SLM) to steer and manipulate the shape of a laser beam for use in guided neuronal growth. This new experimental setup paves the way to enable a comprehensive investigation into beam shaping effects on neuronal growth and we show neuronal growth initiated by a Bessel light mode. This is a robust platform to explore the biochemistry of this novel phenomenon. (c) 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Analytical and regression models of glass rod drawing process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseeva, L. B.

2018-03-01

The process of drawing glass rods (light guides) is being studied. The parameters of the process affecting the quality of the light guide have been determined. To solve the problem, mathematical models based on general equations of continuum mechanics are used. The conditions for the stable flow of the drawing process have been found, which are determined by the stability of the motion of the glass mass in the formation zone to small uncontrolled perturbations. The sensitivity of the formation zone to perturbations of the drawing speed and viscosity is estimated. Experimental models of the drawing process, based on the regression analysis methods, have been obtained. These models make it possible to customize a specific production process to obtain light guides of the required quality. They allow one to find the optimum combination of process parameters in the chosen area and to determine the required accuracy of maintaining them at a specified level.

Guided SAR image despeckling with probabilistic non local weights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gokul, Jithin; Nair, Madhu S.; Rajan, Jeny

2017-12-01

SAR images are generally corrupted by granular disturbances called speckle, which makes visual analysis and detail extraction a difficult task. Non Local despeckling techniques with probabilistic similarity has been a recent trend in SAR despeckling. To achieve effective speckle suppression without compromising detail preservation, we propose an improvement for the existing Generalized Guided Filter with Bayesian Non-Local Means (GGF-BNLM) method. The proposed method (Guided SAR Image Despeckling with Probabilistic Non Local Weights) replaces parametric constants based on heuristics in GGF-BNLM method with dynamically derived values based on the image statistics for weight computation. Proposed changes make GGF-BNLM method adaptive and as a result, significant improvement is achieved in terms of performance. Experimental analysis on SAR images shows excellent speckle reduction without compromising feature preservation when compared to GGF-BNLM method. Results are also compared with other state-of-the-art and classic SAR depseckling techniques to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Guided Wave Propagation Study on Laminated Composites by Frequency-Wavenumber Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tian, Zhenhua; Yu, Lingyu; Leckey, Cara A. C.

2014-01-01

Toward the goal of delamination detection and quantification in laminated composites, this paper examines guided wave propagation and wave interaction with delamination damage in laminated carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites using frequency-wavenumber (f-kappa) analysis. Three-dimensional elastodynamic finite integration technique (EFIT) is used to acquire simulated time-space wavefields for a CFRP composite. The time-space wavefields show trapped waves in the delamination region. To unveil the wave propagation physics, the time-space wavefields are further analyzed by using two-dimensional (2D) Fourier transforms (FT). In the analysis results, new f-k components are observed when the incident guided waves interact with the delamination damage. These new f-kappa components in the simulations are experimentally verified through data obtained from scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV) tests. By filtering the new f-kappa components, delamination damage is detected and quantified.

A model-guided symbolic execution approach for network protocol implementations and vulnerability detection.

PubMed

Wen, Shameng; Meng, Qingkun; Feng, Chao; Tang, Chaojing

2017-01-01

Formal techniques have been devoted to analyzing whether network protocol specifications violate security policies; however, these methods cannot detect vulnerabilities in the implementations of the network protocols themselves. Symbolic execution can be used to analyze the paths of the network protocol implementations, but for stateful network protocols, it is difficult to reach the deep states of the protocol. This paper proposes a novel model-guided approach to detect vulnerabilities in network protocol implementations. Our method first abstracts a finite state machine (FSM) model, then utilizes the model to guide the symbolic execution. This approach achieves high coverage of both the code and the protocol states. The proposed method is implemented and applied to test numerous real-world network protocol implementations. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method is more effective than traditional fuzzing methods such as SPIKE at detecting vulnerabilities in the deep states of network protocol implementations.

Student representation of magnetic field concepts in learning by guided inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desy Fatmaryanti, Siska; Suparmi; Sarwanto; Ashadi

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the change of student’s representation after the intervention of learning by guided inquiry. The population in this research were all students who took a fundamental physics course, consisted of 28 students academic year 2016, Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, University of Muhammadiyah Purworejo. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with group pre-test and post-test. The result of the research showed that the average of students representation of magnetic field before implementation of guided inquiry was 28,6 % and after implementation was 71,4%. It means that the student’s ability of multi-representation increase. Moreover, the number of students who is able to write and draw based on experiment data increased from 10,7% to 21,4 %. It was also showed that the number of student with no answer decreased from 28,5% to 10,7%.

Anesthesia in Experimental Stroke Research

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Ulrike; Sheng, Huaxin; Ayata, Cenk; Warner, David S.

2016-01-01

Anesthetics have enabled major advances in development of experimental models of human stroke. Yet their profound pharmacologic effects on neural function can confound the interpretation of experimental stroke research. Anesthetics have drug and dose-specific effects on cerebral blood flow and metabolism, neurovascular coupling, autoregulation, ischemic depolarizations, excitotoxicity, inflammation, neural networks, and numerous molecular pathways relevant for stroke outcome. Both pre- and post-conditioning properties have been described. Anesthetics also modulate systemic arterial blood pressure, lung ventilation, and thermoregulation, all of which may interact with the ischemic insult as well as the therapeutic interventions. These confounds present a dilemma. Here, we provide an overview of the anesthetic mechanisms of action and molecular and physiologic effects on factors relevant to stroke outcomes that can guide the choice and optimization of the anesthetic regimen in experimental stroke. PMID:27534542

Harmonics Generation by Surface Plasmon Polaritons on Single Nanowires.

PubMed

de Hoogh, Anouk; Opheij, Aron; Wulf, Matthias; Rotenberg, Nir; Kuipers, L

2016-08-17

We present experimental observations of visible wavelength second- and third-harmonic generation on single plasmonic nanowires of variable widths. We identify that near-infrared surface plasmon polaritons, which are guided along the nanowire, act as the source of the harmonics generation. We discuss the underlying mechanism of this nonlinear process, using a combination of spatially resolved measurements and numerical simulations to show that the visible harmonics are generated via a combination of both local and propagating plasmonic modes. Our results provide the first demonstration of nanoscale nonlinear optics with guided, propagating plasmonic modes on a lithographically defined chip, opening up new routes toward integrated optical circuits for information processing.

Eigensystem realization algorithm user's guide forVAX/VMS computers: Version 931216

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pappa, Richard S.

1994-01-01

The eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA) is a multiple-input, multiple-output, time domain technique for structural modal identification and minimum-order system realization. Modal identification is the process of calculating structural eigenvalues and eigenvectors (natural vibration frequencies, damping, mode shapes, and modal masses) from experimental data. System realization is the process of constructing state-space dynamic models for modern control design. This user's guide documents VAX/VMS-based FORTRAN software developed by the author since 1984 in conjunction with many applications. It consists of a main ERA program and 66 pre- and post-processors. The software provides complete modal identification capabilities and most system realization capabilities.

Guiding principles for vortex flow controls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, J. Z.; Wu, J. M.

1991-01-01

In the practice of vortex flow controls, the most important factor is that the persistency and obstinacy of a concentrated vortex depend on its stability and dissipation. In this paper, the modern nonlinear stability theory for circulation-preserving flows is summarized, and the dissipation for general viscous flows is analyzed in terms of the evolution of total enstrophy. These analyses provide a theoretical base for understanding relevant physics of vortex flows, and lead to some guiding principles and methods for their controls. Case studies taken from various theoretical and/or experimental works of vortex controls, due to the present authors as well as others, confirm the feasibility of the recommended principles and methods.

Constitutive Modeling of the Mechanical Properties of Optical Fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moeti, L.; Moghazy, S.; Veazie, D.; Cuddihy, E.

1998-01-01

Micromechanical modeling of the composite mechanical properties of optical fibers was conducted. Good agreement was obtained between the values of Young's modulus obtained by micromechanics modeling and those determined experimentally for a single mode optical fiber where the wave guide and the jacket are physically coupled. The modeling was also attempted on a polarization-maintaining optical fiber (PANDA) where the wave guide and the jacket are physically decoupled, and found not to applicable since the modeling required perfect bonding at the interface. The modeling utilized constituent physical properties such as the Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and shear modulus to establish bounds on the macroscopic behavior of the fiber.

Innocence abroad: a pocket guide to psychological research on tourism.

PubMed

Berno, Tracy; Ward, Colleen

2005-09-01

This article introduces tourism as a neglected topic of study for psychologists and discusses how ventures into this area provide opportunities for pioneering research and innovative applications. A coherent body of theory, drawn from experimental, social, and health psychology and synthesized by cross-cultural psychologists for the study of acculturation, is presented as one foundation for this area of inquiry. This includes stress and coping, culture learning, and social identification theories. The conceptual frameworks are applied to the interpretation of selected studies of tourism and are recommended for designing prospective investigations and guiding future research. Copyright (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

Smooth bridge between guided waves and spoof surface plasmon polaritons.

PubMed

Liu, Liangliang; Li, Zhuo; Gu, Changqing; Xu, Bingzheng; Ning, Pingping; Chen, Chen; Yan, Jian; Niu, Zhenyi; Zhao, Yongjiu

2015-04-15

In this work, we build a smooth bridge between a coaxial waveguide and a plasmonic waveguide with subwavelength periodically cylindrical radial grooves, to realize high-efficiency mode conversion between conventional guided waves and spoof surface plasmon polaritons in broadband. This bridge consists of a flaring coaxial waveguide connected with a metal cylindrical wire corrugated with subwavelength gradient radial grooves. Experimental results of the transmission and reflection coefficients show excellent agreement with the numerical simulations. The proposed scheme can be extended readily to other bands and the bridge structure can find potential applications in the integration of conventional microwave or terahertz devices with plasmonic circuits.

Comparison of Pictorial Techniques for Guiding Performance During Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Elmo E.

An experimental program was conducted to develop effective methods for producing and utilizing filmed demonstrations and instructional manuals. Four variations on conventional filmed demonstrations were evaluated: 1) revising an Army film through repeated tryouts with novices, 2) stopping the projector after each step is demonstrated to allow…

Crowdsourcing as a Novel Approach to Mapping Ecosystem Services in a Great Lakes Area of Concern

EPA Science Inventory

A successful crowdsourcing application depends on two dimensions – the theory and experimental design that guides data collection and the application of the technology to execute the plan. The USEPA Mid-Continent Ecology Division is working on the creation and implementatio...

Effects of a Math Intervention Program on Math Academic Performance among African American Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Willie F., Jr.

2013-01-01

In the United States, an academic achievement gap has prevented many African American students from advancement and educational empowerment. Guided by Bandura's theoretical belief, which posits a relationship between social factors and an individual's perception, this non-experimental, causal comparative, control treatment group design study…

The Installation Restoration Program Toxicology Guide. Volume 5

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-11-01

biological systems may not differentiate metals on a basis other than oxidation state. In essence , this results in a specific function (e.g. intracellular...biological exposure Indices. 5th ed. Cincinnati, Ohio, pp. 422-426 (as cited in 6206). 6368. Jasmin , G. 1973. Experimental production of polycythcmia in

Willingness To Pay for Information: An Analyst's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Kyung Hee; Hatcher, Charles B.

2001-01-01

Compares methods for estimating consumer willingness to pay for information: contingent valuation, experimental auction, conjoint analysis, and hedonic price equations. Shows how, in the case of food dating, measurement of willingness is complicated by the question of whether the information adds to the product's value. (Contains 31 references.)…

Bridges. A Physics Unit for 14/15 Year Old Students. Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utrecht State Univ., (Netherlands).

Bridges and similar constructions are highlighted in this book of guided lessons and activities for secondary school physics students. This program was developed by the Physics Curriculum Development Project under the auspices of the Physics Curriculum Innovation Committee. Contents include: (1) "Introduction" (presenting a rationale for…

Arachne User Guide. Version 1.2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

Arachne is an experimental operating system for controlling a network of microcomputers. It is currently implemented on a network of five Digital Equipment...ex- ception to be raised. 4.1 Alias ( Libary Routine) int alias(fslink,fnamel,fname2) char *fnamel, *fname2; The new name "fname2" is associated with

Blueprint for Integration of Academic and Vocational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Gail

This guide to integrating academic and vocational education is the result of extensive research and experimentation at four pilot sites throughout Texas. The introductory section outlines the project philosophy and activities and describes the pilot sites. Examined in a background section are the origin and nature of integration, important…

Regression Discontinuity Design: A Guide for Strengthening Causal Inference in HRD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Silvana

2016-01-01

Purpose: Regression discontinuity (RD) design is a sophisticated quasi-experimental approach used for inferring causal relationships and estimating treatment effects. This paper aims to educate human resource development (HRD) researchers and practitioners on the implementation of RD design as an ethical alternative for making causal claims about…

Comparing Pedagogies for Plastic Waste Management at University Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeung, Siu-Kit; So, Wing-Mui Winnie; Cheng, Nga-Yee Irene; Cheung, Tsz-Yan; Chow, Cheuk-Fai

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to compare the learning outcomes of gaming simulation and guided inquiry in sustainability education on plastic waste management. The current study targets the identification of success factors in these teaching approaches. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a quasi-experimental design with undergraduate…

Enhancing Digital Literacy and Learning among Adults with Blogs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Laurie A.

2017-01-01

Digital literacy and learning among adults has been identified as an area requiring research. The purpose of the present study was to explore technology acceptance and digital collaborative learning experiences with blogs among adult learners. This analysis employed a quasi-experimental mixed-methods approach guided by a sociocultural theoretical…

Assessment and Decision-Making in Early Childhood Education and Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strand, Paul S.; Cerna, Sandra; Skucy, Jim

2007-01-01

Assessment within the fields of early childhood education and early childhood intervention is guided by the "deductive-psychometric model", which is a framework for legitimizing constructs that arise from theories. An alternative approach, termed the "inductive-experimental model", places significantly more restrictions on what constitutes a…

Environmental Science, Grade 9. Experimental Curriculum Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Leonard, Ed.

This is the teacher's guide for the required, interdisciplinary, ninth-year environmental science course for the New York City Schools. One hundred twenty lesson plans, divided into nine units, are presented. Areas of study include the living and non-living environment, ecosystems, population, urban ecology, energy and technology, pollution, and…

Conducting Studies of Transfer of Learning: A Practical Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

X) = percent transfer (If learning C where: Kall aicrage of grades assigned to experimental :.ttmdents for p~erformlanlce in the aircraft. an average...effectiveness. Human Factors. 1971 . 13(6). 561-567. Roscoe, S.N. A little more on incremental transfer effectiveness. Human Factors. 1972, 14(4), 363-364

Anthropology in the Pre-Collegiate Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier, Malcolm; Dethlefsen, Edwin S.

1968-01-01

The paper suggests steps for developing an anthropology curriculum at the secondary level and offers an excerpt from an experimental teacher's guide. The development involves four steps: selection of the most significant topics from the rich mass of anthropological information, identification of the relevance of each topic to the high school…

General Science, Ninth Grade: Theme III and Theme IV. Experimental.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

This document was designed to help teachers provide ninth grade students in New York City with opportunities to learn about scientific processes as well as basic reasoning skills which underlie problem-solving processes in scientific and nonscientific disciplines. The first section of the guide, "The Environment," contains lessons which…

Finding a Voice through Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lobo, Jose; Vizcaino, Alida

2006-01-01

One question guided this experimental study: What impact does the change from teacher training to educational research have on university teachers' methodology and attitudes to teaching? To find answers to this question, the researchers selected five teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the language centre of a private university on…

Psychosocial and demographic predictors of fruit, juice and vegetable consumption among 11-14-year-old Boy Scouts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Psychosocial and demographic correlates of fruit, juice, and vegetable (FJV) consumption were investigated to guide how to increase FJV intake. Experimental design consisted of hierarchical multiple regression analysis of FJV consumption on demographics and psychosocial variables. Subjects were boys...

Eighth Grade Social Studies. An Experimental Program in Geography and Anthropology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, James; And Others

GRADES OR AGES: Grade 8. SUBJECT MATTER: Geography and Anthropology. ORGANIZATION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The introductory material includes descriptions of geography and anthropology as disciplines, the basic course objectives, techniques for evaluating objectives and a student self-evaluation form. The guide covers six units: 1) "What Kind of…

The CGE-PLATO Electronic Laboratory Station Structure and Operation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neal, J. P.

An electronic laboratory station was designed for student use in learning electronic instrumentation and measurement by means of the computer-guided experimentation (CGE) system. The station features rack-mounted electronic laboratory equipment on a laboratory table adjacent to a PLATO IV terminal. An integrated logic system behind the laboratory…

Simulation and the Development of Clinical Judgment: A Quantitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Susan

2015-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative pretest posttest quasi-experimental research study was to explore the effect of the NESD on clinical judgment in associate degree nursing students and compare the differences between groups when the Nursing Education Simulation Design (NESD) guided simulation in order to identify educational strategies promoting…

Analyses of rail vehicle dynamics in support of development of the wheel rail dynamics research facility

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-06-30

The development of experimental facilities for rail vehicle testing at the DOT High Speed Ground Test Center is being complemented by analytical studies. The purpose of this effort has been to gain insight into the dynamics of rail vehicles to guide ...

How to Learn and Have Fun with Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) and White Glue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Zea Bermudez, V.; Passos de Almeida, P.; Feria Seita, J.

1998-01-01

Presents a classroom guide for a simple theoretical approach to the study of certain fluids. Discusses background information, followed by experimental procedures for the preparation of two popular viscoelastic materials ("Slime" and "Silly Putty") that exhibit unusual flow properties. Also lists student discussion questions…

Optical characterization of a light guide for the polymerization of root canal fillers: preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munin, Egberto; Lupato Conrado, Luis A.; Alves, Leandro P.; Zangaro, Renato A.

2004-05-01

The sealing cements used in endodontics are commonly of the type activated by chemical reactions. During polymerization, mechanical contractions are not uncommon, leading to non-perfect sealing or treatment failure. Photopolymerizable cements usually presents superior performance as compared to those chemically activated. However, difficulties in carrying-up the light to difficult-to-reach regions like the dental apex preclude those material of being accepted in the dental office routine. Recently, a novel technique for the light curing of photopolymerizable cements in endodontic applications has been proposed. Such a technique makes use of a polymeric light guide to deliver the curing light to the apex region, for a single step polymerization of the canal filler. For this work, a 28 mm long polymer light-guide, has been produced. The polymer surface was roughened to produce light scattering and allow the light to escape from the guide. The light scattering profile along the body of the guide is an important property for the proposed application. We used an integrating sphere to measure the irradiation profile for the proposed endodontic device. It was found that the experimental data for the amount of light coupled into the integrating sphere as a function of the length of the cone inside the sphere fits to a double exponential model.

HyRAM V1.0 User Guide

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

Groth, Katrina M.; Zumwalt, Hannah Ruth; Clark, Andrew Jordan

2016-03-01

Hydrogen Risk Assessment Models (HyRAM) is a prototype software toolkit that integrates data and methods relevant to assessing the safety of hydrogen fueling and storage infrastructure. The HyRAM toolkit integrates deterministic and probabilistic models for quantifying accident scenarios, predicting physical effects, and characterizing the impact of hydrogen hazards, including thermal effects from jet fires and thermal pressure effects from deflagration. HyRAM version 1.0 incorporates generic probabilities for equipment failures for nine types of components, and probabilistic models for the impact of heat flux on humans and structures, with computationally and experimentally validated models of various aspects of gaseous hydrogen releasemore » and flame physics. This document provides an example of how to use HyRAM to conduct analysis of a fueling facility. This document will guide users through the software and how to enter and edit certain inputs that are specific to the user-defined facility. Description of the methodology and models contained in HyRAM is provided in [1]. This User’s Guide is intended to capture the main features of HyRAM version 1.0 (any HyRAM version numbered as 1.0.X.XXX). This user guide was created with HyRAM 1.0.1.798. Due to ongoing software development activities, newer versions of HyRAM may have differences from this guide.« less

Velocity and pressure measurements in guide vane clearance gap of a low specific speed Francis turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thapa, B. S.; Dahlhaug, O. G.; Thapa, B.

2016-11-01

In Francis turbine, a small clearance gap between the guide vanes and the cover plates is usually required to pivot guide vanes as a part of governing system. Deflection of cover plates and erosion of mating surfaces causes this gap to increase from its design value. The clearance gap induces the secondary flow in the distributor system. This effects the main flow at the runner inlet, which causes losses in efficiency and instability. A guide vane cascade of a low specific speed Francis turbine has been developed for experimental investigations. The test setup is able to produce similar velocity distributions at the runner inlet as that of a reference prototype turbine. The setup is designed for particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements from the position of stay vane outlet to the position of runner inlet. In this study, velocity and pressure measurements are conducted with 2 mm clearance gap on one side of guide vane. Leakage flow is observed and measured together with pressure measurements. It is concluded that the leakage flow behaves as a jet and mixes with the main flow in cross-wise direction and forms a vortex filament. This causes non-uniform inlet flow conditions at runner blades.

A practical guide and perspectives on the use of experimental pain modalities with children and adolescents

PubMed Central

Birnie, Kathryn A; Caes, Line; Wilson, Anna C; Williams, Sara E; Chambers, Christine T

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Use of experimental pain is vital for addressing research questions that would otherwise be impossible to examine in the real world. Experimental induction of pain in children is highly scrutinized given the potential for harm and lack of direct benefit to a vulnerable population. However, its use has critically advanced our understanding of the mechanisms, assessment and treatment of pain in both healthy and chronically ill children. This article introduces various experimental pain modalities, including the cold pressor task, the water load symptom provocation test, thermal pain, pressure pain and conditioned pain modulation, and discusses their application for use with children and adolescents. It addresses practical implementation and ethical issues, as well as the advantages and disadvantages offered by each task. The incredible potential for future research is discussed given the array of experimental pain modalities now available to pediatric researchers. PMID:24641434

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

Scaglione, John M; Montgomery, Rose; Bevard, Bruce Balkcom

This test plan describes the experimental work to be implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) to characterize high burnup (HBU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in conjunction with the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and Development Project and serves to coordinate and integrate the multi-year experimental program to collect and develop data regarding the continued storage and eventual transport of HBU (i.e., >45 GWd/MTU) SNF. The work scope involves the development, performance, technical integration, and oversight of measurements and collection of relevant data, guided by analyses and demonstration of need.

There is no silver bullet--a guide to low-level data transforms and normalisation methods for microarray data.

PubMed

Kreil, David P; Russell, Roslin R

2005-03-01

To overcome random experimental variation, even for simple screens, data from multiple microarrays have to be combined. There are, however, systematic differences between arrays, and any bias remaining after experimental measures to ensure consistency needs to be controlled for. It is often difficult to make the right choice of data transformation and normalisation methods to achieve this end. In this tutorial paper we review the problem and a selection of solutions, explaining the basic principles behind normalisation procedures and providing guidance for their application.

Experimental control of steady state photorefractive self-focusing in InP:Fe at infrared wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dan, C.; Wolfersberger, D.; Fressengeas, N.

2011-09-01

This paper reports an experimental study of the self-focusing process in iron doped indium phosphide at an 1.06 micron wavelength, identifying the influence of temperature, beam intensity and background illumination for two different iron dopings. We point out that the iron ionization ratio is at the origin of different qualitative behavior previously reported and we show that it is possible to reproduce the said behaviors in the same crystal by applying a uniform illumination, allowing their eventual control for dynamic wave-guiding.

SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY: Material removal rate in chemical-mechanical polishing of wafers based on particle trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jianxiu, Su; Xiqu, Chen; Jiaxi, Du; Renke, Kang

2010-05-01

Distribution forms of abrasives in the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process are analyzed based on experimental results. Then the relationships between the wafer, the abrasive and the polishing pad are analyzed based on kinematics and contact mechanics. According to the track length of abrasives on the wafer surface, the relationships between the material removal rate and the polishing velocity are obtained. The analysis results are in accord with the experimental results. The conclusion provides a theoretical guide for further understanding the material removal mechanism of wafers in CMP.

Physical application: Cannon case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prada, D. A.; Tarazona, J. D.; Gómez, J. M.

2018-04-01

The study of physical phenomena by means of guided experimentation and experimental thinking, allow students to infer and understand the reason for the different variations that evidence. Parabolic motion of a projectile powered by a cannon under the spring mechanism, generates discussion regarding the choice of the proper angle, according to a certain distance, a known average initial velocity, and a given height. Give the blank is a great encouragement, however, being able to explain which conditions of the environment influenced the failed launches, generates a space of dialogue and a durable concrete learning.

Acquiring, recording, and analyzing pathology data from experimental mice: an overview.

PubMed

Scudamore, Cheryl L

2014-03-21

Pathology is often underutilized as an end point in mouse studies in academic research because of a lack of experience and expertise. The use of traditional pathology techniques including necropsy and microscopic analysis can be useful in identifying the basic processes underlying a phenotype and facilitating comparison with equivalent human diseases. This overview aims to provide a guide and reference to the acquisition, recording, and analysis of high-quality pathology data from experimental mice in an academic research setting. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

A population study of the minicircles in Trypanosoma cruzi: predicting guide RNAs in the absence of empirical RNA editing.

PubMed

Thomas, Sean; Martinez, L L Isadora Trejo; Westenberger, Scott J; Sturm, Nancy R

2007-05-24

The structurally complex network of minicircles and maxicircles comprising the mitochondrial DNA of kinetoplastids mirrors the complexity of the RNA editing process that is required for faithful expression of encrypted maxicircle genes. Although a few of the guide RNAs that direct this editing process have been discovered on maxicircles, guide RNAs are mostly found on the minicircles. The nuclear and maxicircle genomes have been sequenced and assembled for Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, however the complement of 1.4-kb minicircles, carrying four guide RNA genes per molecule in this parasite, has been less thoroughly characterised. Fifty-four CL Brener and 53 Esmeraldo strain minicircle sequence reads were extracted from T. cruzi whole genome shotgun sequencing data. With these sequences and all published T. cruzi minicircle sequences, 108 unique guide RNAs from all known T. cruzi minicircle sequences and two guide RNAs from the CL Brener maxicircle were predicted using a local alignment algorithm and mapped onto predicted or experimentally determined sequences of edited maxicircle open reading frames. For half of the sequences no statistically significant guide RNA could be assigned. Likely positions of these unidentified gRNAs in T. cruzi minicircle sequences are estimated using a simple Hidden Markov Model. With the local alignment predictions as a standard, the HMM had an ~85% chance of correctly identifying at least 20 nucleotides of guide RNA from a given minicircle sequence. Inter-minicircle recombination was documented. Variable regions contain species-specific areas of distinct nucleotide preference. Two maxicircle guide RNA genes were found. The identification of new minicircle sequences and the further characterization of all published minicircles are presented, including the first observation of recombination between minicircles. Extrapolation suggests a level of 4% recombinants in the population, supporting a relatively high recombination rate that may serve to minimize the persistence of gRNA pseudogenes. Characteristic nucleotide preferences observed within variable regions provide potential clues regarding the transcription and maturation of T. cruzi guide RNAs. Based on these preferences, a method of predicting T. cruzi guide RNAs using only primary minicircle sequence data was created.

A Signal Processing Approach with a Smooth Empirical Mode Decomposition to Reveal Hidden Trace of Corrosion in Highly Contaminated Guided Wave Signals for Concrete-Covered Pipes

PubMed Central

Rostami, Javad; Chen, Jingming; Tse, Peter W.

2017-01-01

Ultrasonic guided waves have been extensively applied for non-destructive testing of plate-like structures particularly pipes in past two decades. In this regard, if a structure has a simple geometry, obtained guided waves’ signals are easy to explain. However, any small degree of complexity in the geometry such as contacting with other materials may cause an extra amount of complication in the interpretation of guided wave signals. The problem deepens if defects have irregular shapes such as natural corrosion. Signal processing techniques that have been proposed for guided wave signals’ analysis are generally good for simple signals obtained in a highly controlled experimental environment. In fact, guided wave signals in a real situation such as the existence of natural corrosion in wall-covered pipes are much more complicated. Considering pipes in residential buildings that pass through concrete walls, in this paper we introduced Smooth Empirical Mode Decomposition (SEMD) to efficiently separate overlapped guided waves. As empirical mode decomposition (EMD) which is a good candidate for analyzing non-stationary signals, suffers from some shortcomings, wavelet transform was adopted in the sifting stage of EMD to improve its outcome in SEMD. However, selection of mother wavelet that suits best for our purpose plays an important role. Since in guided wave inspection, the incident waves are well known and are usually tone-burst signals, we tailored a complex tone-burst signal to be used as our mother wavelet. In the sifting stage of EMD, wavelet de-noising was applied to eliminate unwanted frequency components from each IMF. SEMD greatly enhances the performance of EMD in guided wave analysis for highly contaminated signals. In our experiment on concrete covered pipes with natural corrosion, this method not only separates the concrete wall indication clearly in time domain signal, a natural corrosion with complex geometry that was hidden and located inside the concrete section was successfully exposed. PMID:28178220

A Signal Processing Approach with a Smooth Empirical Mode Decomposition to Reveal Hidden Trace of Corrosion in Highly Contaminated Guided Wave Signals for Concrete-Covered Pipes.

PubMed

Rostami, Javad; Chen, Jingming; Tse, Peter W

2017-02-07

Ultrasonic guided waves have been extensively applied for non-destructive testing of plate-like structures particularly pipes in past two decades. In this regard, if a structure has a simple geometry, obtained guided waves' signals are easy to explain. However, any small degree of complexity in the geometry such as contacting with other materials may cause an extra amount of complication in the interpretation of guided wave signals. The problem deepens if defects have irregular shapes such as natural corrosion. Signal processing techniques that have been proposed for guided wave signals' analysis are generally good for simple signals obtained in a highly controlled experimental environment. In fact, guided wave signals in a real situation such as the existence of natural corrosion in wall-covered pipes are much more complicated. Considering pipes in residential buildings that pass through concrete walls, in this paper we introduced Smooth Empirical Mode Decomposition (SEMD) to efficiently separate overlapped guided waves. As empirical mode decomposition (EMD) which is a good candidate for analyzing non-stationary signals, suffers from some shortcomings, wavelet transform was adopted in the sifting stage of EMD to improve its outcome in SEMD. However, selection of mother wavelet that suits best for our purpose plays an important role. Since in guided wave inspection, the incident waves are well known and are usually tone-burst signals, we tailored a complex tone-burst signal to be used as our mother wavelet. In the sifting stage of EMD, wavelet de-noising was applied to eliminate unwanted frequency components from each IMF. SEMD greatly enhances the performance of EMD in guided wave analysis for highly contaminated signals. In our experiment on concrete covered pipes with natural corrosion, this method not only separates the concrete wall indication clearly in time domain signal, a natural corrosion with complex geometry that was hidden and located inside the concrete section was successfully exposed.

Ultrasonic isolation of buried pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leinov, Eli; Lowe, Michael J. S.; Cawley, Peter

2016-02-01

Long-range guided wave testing (GWT) is used routinely for the monitoring and detection of corrosion defects in above ground pipelines. The GWT test range in buried, coated pipelines is greatly reduced compared to above ground configurations due to energy leakage into the embedding soil. In this paper, the effect of pipe coatings on the guided wave attenuation is investigated with the aim of increasing test ranges for buried pipelines. The attenuation of the T(0,1) and L(0,2) guided wave modes is measured using a full-scale experimental apparatus in a fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE)-coated 8 in. pipe, buried in loose and compacted sand. Tests are performed over a frequency range typically used in GWT of 10-35 kHz and compared with model predictions. It is shown that the application of a low impedance coating between the FBE layer and the sand effectively decouples the influence of the sand on the ultrasound leakage from the buried pipe. Ultrasonic isolation of a buried pipe is demonstrated by coating the pipe with a Polyethylene (PE)-foam layer that has a smaller impedance than both the pipe and sand, and has the ability to withstand the overburden load from the sand. The measured attenuation in the buried PE-foam-FBE-coated pipe is found to be substantially reduced, in the range of 0.3-1.2 dB m-1 for loose and compacted sand conditions, compared to measured attenuation of 1.7-4.7 dB m-1 in the buried FBE-coated pipe without the PE-foam. The acoustic properties of the PE-foam are measured independently using ultrasonic interferometry and incorporated into model predictions of guided wave propagation in buried coated pipe. Good agreement is found between the experimental measurements and model predictions. The attenuation exhibits periodic peaks in the frequency domain corresponding to the through-thickness resonance frequencies of the coating layer. The large reduction in guided wave attenuation for PE-coated pipes would lead to greatly increased GWT test ranges; such coatings would be attractive for new pipeline installations.

Dual-pulse frequency compounded superharmonic imaging.

PubMed

van Neer, Paul L M J; Danilouchkine, Mikhail G; Matte, Guillaume M; van der Steen, Anton F W; de Jong, Nico

2011-11-01

Tissue second-harmonic imaging is currently the default mode in commercial diagnostic ultrasound systems. A new modality, superharmonic imaging (SHI), combines the third through fifth harmonics originating from nonlinear wave propagation through tissue. SHI could further improve the resolution and quality of echographic images. The superharmonics have gaps between the harmonics because the transducer has a limited bandwidth of about 70% to 80%. This causes ghost reflection artifacts in the superharmonic echo image. In this work, a new dual-pulse frequency compounding (DPFC) method to eliminate these artifacts is introduced. In the DPFC SHI method, each trace is constructed by summing two firings with slightly different center frequencies. The feasibility of the method was established using a single-element transducer. Its acoustic field was modeled in KZK simulations and compared with the corresponding measurements obtained with a hydrophone apparatus. Subsequently, the method was implemented on and optimized for a setup consisting of an interleaved phased-array transducer (44 elements at 1 MHz and 44 elements at 3.7 MHz, optimized for echocardiography) and a programmable ultrasound system. DPFC SHI effectively suppresses the ghost reflection artifacts associated with imaging using multiple harmonics. Moreover, compared with the single-pulse third harmonic, DPFC SHI improved the axial resolution by 3.1 and 1.6 times at the -6-dB and -20-dB levels, respectively. Hence, DPFC offers the possibility of generating harmonic images of a higher quality at a cost of a moderate frame rate reduction.

[Echographic diagnosis of systolic murmur among 280 young French militaries. Implications for the expertise in military medicine].

PubMed

Vinsonneau, U; Vermeulen, L; Griffet, V; Delluc, A; Paleiron, N; Le Ven, F; Rohel, G; Jobic, Y; Piquemal, M; Mansourati, J; Paule, P

2015-04-01

Clinically discovering a systolic murmur is frequent among the young military population. When this murmur does not sound benign, a transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is made to detect any cardiopathy, which could cause sudden cardiac death. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interest of systematic TTE in the assessment of any cardiac systolic murmur (CSM) among militaries. We ran a retrospective monocentric study in the "Clermont-Tonnerre" military hospital in Brest. We included all patients sent for TEE, aged 15 to 30 years old, from the 1st January 2010 until the 31st July 2013. Two hundred and eighty TTES assessing CSM were performed. We found 28/280 (10%) echocardiographic abnormalities: 13 were bicuspid aortic valves (4.6%), 6 were ventricular septal defects (2.15%), 3 were atrial septal defects (1.07%), 4 were mild mitral regurgitations (1.43%), one mild pulmonary stenosis (0.35%) and one aortic stenosis (0.35%). No hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was found. Concerning military expertise, 11 (3.92%) patients among these 28 with abnormal TEE were considered unfit for work or "fit for work with limitations". Assessing a cardiac systolic murmur with TEE lead to the diagnosis of a cardiomyopathy in 10% of the case. This study enhances the importance of systematic TEE when a CSM is detected in the young military, in order to determine if those soldiers can still fulfill their military duty. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Enhancing the Skill-Building Phase of Introductory Organic Chemistry Lab through a Reflective Peer Review Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pontrello, Jason K.

2016-01-01

Introductory organic laboratory courses frequently begin with a set of activities built around developing basic experimental skills and techniques, often with guided-inquiry components. A sequence of skill-based activities is described to promote reflection, analysis of, and interpersonal communication around science. A multistage process was used…

Guiding Exploration through Three-Dimensional Virtual Environments: A Cognitive Load Reduction Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chwen Jen; Fauzy Wan Ismail, Wan Mohd

2008-01-01

The real-time interactive nature of three-dimensional virtual environments (VEs) makes this technology very appropriate for exploratory learning purposes. However, many studies have shown that the exploration process may cause cognitive overload that affects the learning of domain knowledge. This article reports a quasi-experimental study that…

Ambient multi-perceptive system with electronic mail for a residential health monitoring system.

PubMed

Noury, N; Villemazet, C; Fleury, A; Barralon, P; Rumeau, P; Vuillerme, N; Baghai, R

2006-01-01

Based on several years of experiments, we propose a model of information systems for residential healthcare, and technical guide to select available hard and software technologies. An implementation is described, based on Emails. The system is under experimentation within the framework of the French national project AILISA.

A Talent for Tinkering: Developing Talents in Children from Low-Income Households through Engineering Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Ann; Adelson, Jill L.; Kidd, Kristy A.; Cunningham, Christine M.

2018-01-01

Guided by the theoretical framework of curriculum as a platform for talent development, this quasi-experimental field study investigated an intervention focused on engineering curriculum and curriculum based on a biography of a scientist through a comparative design implemented in low-income schools. Student outcome measures included science…

Effects of Graphic Organiser on Students' Achievement in Algebraic Word Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owolabi, Josiah; Adaramati, Tobiloba Faith

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of graphic organiser and gender on students' academic achievement in algebraic word problem. Three research questions and three null hypotheses were used in guiding this study. Quasi experimental research was employed and Non-equivalent pre and post test design was used. The study involved the Senior Secondary…

Experimentally Guided Models Reveal Replication Principles that Shape the Mutation Distribution of RNA Viruses

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-30

intracel- lular replication. Two classic replication modes have been described for single-stranded RNA viruses: the ‘stamping machine’ mode ( Stent ...Journal of Theoretical Biology 218:309–321. doi: 10.1006/jtbi.2002.3078. Stent GS. 1963. Molecular Biology of Bacterial Viruses. San Francisco, Calif: W H

Using TV as a Guide: Associations between Television Viewing and Adolescents' Sexual Attitudes and Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, L. Monique; Friedman, Kimberly

2006-01-01

Using both correlational and experimental methodology, this study examined contributions of TV viewing to adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavior. A sample of 244 high school students was assigned to view clips depicting either one of three sexual stereotypes or neutral content. Participants then completed measures assessing their attitudes…

GMR-based PhC biosensor: FOM analysis and experimental studies

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

Syamprasad, Jagadeesh; Narayanan, Roshni; Joseph, Joby

2014-02-20

Guided Mode Resonance based Photonic crystal biosensor has a lot of potential applications. In our work, we are trying to improve their figure of merit values in order to achieve an optimum level through design and fabrication techniques. A robust and low-cost alternative for current biosensors is also explored through this research.

A Multidisciplinary Guided Practical on Type I Diabetes Engaging Students in Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mingueneau, M.; Chaix, A.; Scotti, N.; Chaix, J.; Reynders, A.; Hammond, C.; Thimonier, J.

2015-01-01

In the present article, we describe a 3-day experimental workshop on type I diabetes aimed at helping high school students to understand how fundamental research on glycemia regulation contributes to the development of scientific knowledge and therapeutic strategies. The workshop engaged students in open-ended investigations and guided…

A COAXIAL MAGIC-T

DTIC Science & Technology

Three different designs of coaxial hybrid junctions having perf ormance analogous to a wave-guide magic -T are discussed. The experimental results...loads, decoupling greater than 70 db can be obtained. An application of the magic -T in phase measurement is described which is independent of the signal amplitude and is similar to the homodyne system of phase measurement.