Smart 3D Building Infrastructures: Linking GIs with Other Domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knoth, L.; Mittlböck, M.; Vockner, B.

2016-10-01

While digitization as well as new technologies and paradigms such as the Internet of Things (IoT) help solving issues within smart factories, they simultaneously trigger new challenges. The creation of smart factories, whose components communicate in an intelligent manner, is located at the frontier of the virtual and the real world. To connect both worlds, spatio-temporal information can be used to structure and integrate data streams, models and other content such as documents in Enterprise Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs). One part of Enterprise SDIs is building information, to support and enhance contextualization of indoor environments and its corresponding information in form of sensor measurements and other digital resources. We identified five major requirements: (1) Three-dimensionality, (2) (Re-)use of available data, (3) Use of GIS-principles and standards, (4) Adaptivity, and (5) Completeness. Our novel approach "OLS3D" addresses these requirements through the use of SDI-principles and linked-data strategies. A prototypical implementation was developed in order to show the potential of our approach.

Hybrid switched time-optimal control of underactuated spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olivares, Alberto; Staffetti, Ernesto

2018-04-01

This paper studies the time-optimal control problem for an underactuated rigid spacecraft equipped with both reaction wheels and gas jet thrusters that generate control torques about two of the principal axes of the spacecraft. Since a spacecraft equipped with two reaction wheels is not controllable, whereas a spacecraft equipped with two gas jet thrusters is controllable, this mixed actuation ensures controllability in the case in which one of the control axes is unactuated. A novel control logic is proposed for this hybrid actuation in which the reaction wheels are the main actuators and the gas jet thrusters act only after saturation or anticipating future saturation of the reaction wheels. The presence of both reaction wheels and gas jet thrusters gives rise to two operating modes for each actuated axis and therefore the spacecraft can be regarded as a switched dynamical system. The time-optimal control problem for this system is reformulated using the so-called embedding technique and the resulting problem is a classical optimal control problem. The main advantages of this technique are that integer or binary variables do not have to be introduced to model switching decisions between modes and that assumptions about the number of switches are not necessary. It is shown in this paper that this general method for the solution of optimal control problems for switched dynamical systems can efficiently deal with time-optimal control of an underactuated rigid spacecraft in which bound constraints on the torque of the actuators and on the angular momentum of the reaction wheels are taken into account.

Optimal control of underactuated mechanical systems: A geometric approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombo, Leonardo; Martín De Diego, David; Zuccalli, Marcela

2010-08-01

In this paper, we consider a geometric formalism for optimal control of underactuated mechanical systems. Our techniques are an adaptation of the classical Skinner and Rusk approach for the case of Lagrangian dynamics with higher-order constraints. We study a regular case where it is possible to establish a symplectic framework and, as a consequence, to obtain a unique vector field determining the dynamics of the optimal control problem. These developments will allow us to develop a new class of geometric integrators based on discrete variational calculus.

3D-HST WFC3-selected Photometric Catalogs in the Five CANDELS/3D-HST Fields: Photometry, Photometric Redshifts, and Stellar Masses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skelton, Rosalind E.; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Momcheva, Ivelina G.; Brammer, Gabriel B.; van Dokkum, Pieter G.; Labbé, Ivo; Franx, Marijn; van der Wel, Arjen; Bezanson, Rachel; Da Cunha, Elisabete; Fumagalli, Mattia; Förster Schreiber, Natascha; Kriek, Mariska; Leja, Joel; Lundgren, Britt F.; Magee, Daniel; Marchesini, Danilo; Maseda, Michael V.; Nelson, Erica J.; Oesch, Pascal; Pacifici, Camilla; Patel, Shannon G.; Price, Sedona; Rix, Hans-Walter; Tal, Tomer; Wake, David A.; Wuyts, Stijn

2014-10-01

The 3D-HST and CANDELS programs have provided WFC3 and ACS spectroscopy and photometry over ≈900 arcmin2 in five fields: AEGIS, COSMOS, GOODS-North, GOODS-South, and the UKIDSS UDS field. All these fields have a wealth of publicly available imaging data sets in addition to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data, which makes it possible to construct the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of objects over a wide wavelength range. In this paper we describe a photometric analysis of the CANDELS and 3D-HST HST imaging and the ancillary imaging data at wavelengths 0.3-8 μm. Objects were selected in the WFC3 near-IR bands, and their SEDs were determined by carefully taking the effects of the point-spread function in each observation into account. A total of 147 distinct imaging data sets were used in the analysis. The photometry is made available in the form of six catalogs: one for each field, as well as a master catalog containing all objects in the entire survey. We also provide derived data products: photometric redshifts, determined with the EAZY code, and stellar population parameters determined with the FAST code. We make all the imaging data that were used in the analysis available, including our reductions of the WFC3 imaging in all five fields. 3D-HST is a spectroscopic survey with the WFC3 and ACS grisms, and the photometric catalogs presented here constitute a necessary first step in the analysis of these grism data. All the data presented in this paper are available through the 3D-HST Web site (http://3dhst.research.yale.edu).

3D-HST WFC3-SELECTED PHOTOMETRIC CATALOGS IN THE FIVE CANDELS/3D-HST FIELDS: PHOTOMETRY, PHOTOMETRIC REDSHIFTS, AND STELLAR MASSES

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

Skelton, Rosalind E.; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Momcheva, Ivelina G.

The 3D-HST and CANDELS programs have provided WFC3 and ACS spectroscopy and photometry over ≈900 arcmin{sup 2} in five fields: AEGIS, COSMOS, GOODS-North, GOODS-South, and the UKIDSS UDS field. All these fields have a wealth of publicly available imaging data sets in addition to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data, which makes it possible to construct the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of objects over a wide wavelength range. In this paper we describe a photometric analysis of the CANDELS and 3D-HST HST imaging and the ancillary imaging data at wavelengths 0.3-8 μm. Objects were selected in the WFC3 near-IR bands,more » and their SEDs were determined by carefully taking the effects of the point-spread function in each observation into account. A total of 147 distinct imaging data sets were used in the analysis. The photometry is made available in the form of six catalogs: one for each field, as well as a master catalog containing all objects in the entire survey. We also provide derived data products: photometric redshifts, determined with the EAZY code, and stellar population parameters determined with the FAST code. We make all the imaging data that were used in the analysis available, including our reductions of the WFC3 imaging in all five fields. 3D-HST is a spectroscopic survey with the WFC3 and ACS grisms, and the photometric catalogs presented here constitute a necessary first step in the analysis of these grism data. All the data presented in this paper are available through the 3D-HST Web site (http://3dhst.research.yale.edu)« less

Optimal reorientation of asymmetric underactuated spacecraft using differential flatness and receding horizon control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Wei-wei; Yang, Le-ping; Zhu, Yan-wei

2015-01-01

This paper presents a novel method integrating nominal trajectory optimization and tracking for the reorientation control of an underactuated spacecraft with only two available control torque inputs. By employing a pseudo input along the uncontrolled axis, the flatness property of a general underactuated spacecraft is extended explicitly, by which the reorientation trajectory optimization problem is formulated into the flat output space with all the differential constraints eliminated. Ultimately, the flat output optimization problem is transformed into a nonlinear programming problem via the Chebyshev pseudospectral method, which is improved by the conformal map and barycentric rational interpolation techniques to overcome the side effects of the differential matrix's ill-conditions on numerical accuracy. Treating the trajectory tracking control as a state regulation problem, we develop a robust closed-loop tracking control law using the receding-horizon control method, and compute the feedback control at each control cycle rapidly via the differential transformation method. Numerical simulation results show that the proposed control scheme is feasible and effective for the reorientation maneuver.

Inverse dynamics of underactuated mechanical systems: A simple case study and experimental verification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blajer, W.; Dziewiecki, K.; Kołodziejczyk, K.; Mazur, Z.

2011-05-01

Underactuated systems are featured by fewer control inputs than the degrees-of-freedom, m < n. The determination of an input control strategy that forces such a system to complete a set of m specified motion tasks is a challenging task, and the explicit solution existence is conditioned to differential flatness of the problem. The flatness-based solution denotes that all the 2 n states and m control inputs can be algebraically expressed in terms of the m specified outputs and their time derivatives up to a certain order, which is in practice attainable only for simple systems. In this contribution the problem is posed in a more practical way as a set of index-three differential-algebraic equations, and the solution is obtained numerically. The formulation is then illustrated by a two-degree-of-freedom underactuated system composed of two rotating discs connected by a torsional spring, in which the pre-specified motion of one of the discs is actuated by the torque applied to the other disc, n = 2 and m = 1. Experimental verification of the inverse simulation control methodology is reported.

High-resolution 3D laser imaging based on tunable fiber array link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Sisi; Ruan, Ningjuan; Yang, Song

2017-10-01

Airborne photoelectric reconnaissance system with the bore sight down to the ground is an important battlefield situational awareness system, which can be used for reconnaissance and surveillance of complex ground scene. Airborne 3D imaging Lidar system is recognized as the most potential candidates for target detection under the complex background, and is progressing in the directions of high resolution, long distance detection, high sensitivity, low power consumption, high reliability, eye safe and multi-functional. However, the traditional 3D laser imaging system has the disadvantages of lower imaging resolutions because of the small size of the existing detector, and large volume. This paper proposes a high resolution laser 3D imaging technology based on the tunable optical fiber array link. The echo signal is modulated by a tunable optical fiber array link and then transmitted to the focal plane detector. The detector converts the optical signal into electrical signals which is given to the computer. Then, the computer accomplishes the signal calculation and image restoration based on modulation information, and then reconstructs the target image. This paper establishes the mathematical model of tunable optical fiber array signal receiving link, and proposes the simulation and analysis of the affect factors on high density multidimensional point cloud reconstruction.

The improved electrochemical performance of cross-linked 3D graphene nanoribbon monolith electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vineesh, Thazhe Veettil; Alwarappan, Subbiah; Narayanan, Tharangattu N.

2015-04-01

Technical advancement in the field of ultra-small sensors and devices demands the development of novel micro- or nano-based architectures. Here we report the design and assembly of cross-linked three dimensional graphene nanoribbons (3D GNRs) using solution based covalent binding of individual 2D GNRs and demonstrate its electrochemical application as a 3D electrode. The enhanced performance of 3D GNRs over individual 2D GNRs is established using standard redox probes - [Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+, [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- and important bio-analytes - dopamine and ascorbic acid. 3D GNRs are found to have high double layer capacitance (2482 μF cm-2) and faster electron transfer kinetics; their exceptional electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction is indicative of their potential over a wide range of electrochemical applications. Moreover, this study opens a new platform for the design of novel point-of-care devices and electrodes for energy devices.Technical advancement in the field of ultra-small sensors and devices demands the development of novel micro- or nano-based architectures. Here we report the design and assembly of cross-linked three dimensional graphene nanoribbons (3D GNRs) using solution based covalent binding of individual 2D GNRs and demonstrate its electrochemical application as a 3D electrode. The enhanced performance of 3D GNRs over individual 2D GNRs is established using standard redox probes - [Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+, [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- and important bio-analytes - dopamine and ascorbic acid. 3D GNRs are found to have high double layer capacitance (2482 μF cm-2) and faster electron transfer kinetics; their exceptional electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction is indicative of their potential over a wide range of electrochemical applications. Moreover, this study opens a new platform for the design of novel point-of-care devices and electrodes for energy devices. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c

Trajectory tracking control for underactuated stratospheric airship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zewei; Huo, Wei; Wu, Zhe

2012-10-01

Stratospheric airship is a new kind of aerospace system which has attracted worldwide developing interests for its broad application prospects. Based on the trajectory linearization control (TLC) theory, a novel trajectory tracking control method for an underactuated stratospheric airship is presented in this paper. Firstly, the TLC theory is described sketchily, and the dynamic model of the stratospheric airship is introduced with kinematics and dynamics equations. Then, the trajectory tracking control strategy is deduced in detail. The designed control system possesses a cascaded structure which consists of desired attitude calculation, position control loop and attitude control loop. Two sub-loops are designed for the position and attitude control loops, respectively, including the kinematics control loop and dynamics control loop. Stability analysis shows that the controlled closed-loop system is exponentially stable. Finally, simulation results for the stratospheric airship to track typical trajectories are illustrated to verify effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Torque Control of Underactuated Tendon-driven Robotic Fingers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ihrke, Chris A. (Inventor); Wampler, Charles W. (Inventor); Abdallah, Muhammad E. (Inventor); Reiland, Matthew J. (Inventor); Diftler, Myron A. (Inventor); Bridgwater, Lyndon (Inventor); Platt, Robert (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A robotic system includes a robot having a total number of degrees of freedom (DOF) equal to at least n, an underactuated tendon-driven finger driven by n tendons and n DOF, the finger having at least two joints, being characterized by an asymmetrical joint radius in one embodiment. A controller is in communication with the robot, and controls actuation of the tendon-driven finger using force control. Operating the finger with force control on the tendons, rather than position control, eliminates the unconstrained slack-space that would have otherwise existed. The controller may utilize the asymmetrical joint radii to independently command joint torques. A method of controlling the finger includes commanding either independent or parameterized joint torques to the controller to actuate the fingers via force control on the tendons.

Dualities of deformed N=2 SCFTs from link monodromy on D3-brane states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grassi, Antonella; Halverson, James; Ruehle, Fabian; Shaneson, Julius L.

2017-09-01

We study D3-brane theories that are dually described as deformations of two different N=2 superconformal theories with massless monopoles and dyons. These arise at the self-intersection of a seven-brane in F-theory, which cuts out a link on a small three-sphere surrounding the self-intersection. The spectrum is studied by taking small loops in the three-sphere, yielding a link-induced monodromy action on string junction D3-brane states, and subsequently quotienting by the monodromy. This reduces the differing flavor algebras of the N=2 theories to the same flavor algebra, as required by duality, and projects out charged states, yielding an N=1 superconformal theory on the D3-brane. In one, a deformation of a rank one Argyres-Douglas theory retains its SU(2) flavor symmetry and exhibits a charge neutral flavor triplet that is comprised of electron, dyon, and monopole string junctions. From duality we argue that the monodromy projection should also be imposed away from the conformal point, in which case the D3-brane field theory appears to exhibit confinement of electrons, dyons, and monopoles. We will address the mathematical counterparts in a companion paper.

Automated Assignment of MS/MS Cleavable Cross-Links in Protein 3D-Structure Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Götze, Michael; Pettelkau, Jens; Fritzsche, Romy; Ihling, Christian H.; Schäfer, Mathias; Sinz, Andrea

2015-01-01

CID-MS/MS cleavable cross-linkers hold an enormous potential for an automated analysis of cross-linked products, which is essential for conducting structural proteomics studies. The created characteristic fragment ion patterns can easily be used for an automated assignment and discrimination of cross-linked products. To date, there are only a few software solutions available that make use of these properties, but none allows for an automated analysis of cleavable cross-linked products. The MeroX software fills this gap and presents a powerful tool for protein 3D-structure analysis in combination with MS/MS cleavable cross-linkers. We show that MeroX allows an automatic screening of characteristic fragment ions, considering static and variable peptide modifications, and effectively scores different types of cross-links. No manual input is required for a correct assignment of cross-links and false discovery rates are calculated. The self-explanatory graphical user interface of MeroX provides easy access for an automated cross-link search platform that is compatible with commonly used data file formats, enabling analysis of data originating from different instruments. The combination of an MS/MS cleavable cross-linker with a dedicated software tool for data analysis provides an automated workflow for 3D-structure analysis of proteins. MeroX is available at www.StavroX.com .

Increased sensitivity of 3D-Well enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for infectious disease detection using 3D-printing fabrication technology.

PubMed

Singh, Harpal; Shimojima, Masayuki; Fukushi, Shuetsu; Le Van, An; Sugamata, Masami; Yang, Ming

2015-01-01

Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay or ELISA -based diagnostics are considered the gold standard in the demonstration of various immunological reaction including in the measurement of antibody response to infectious diseases and to support pathogen identification with application potential in infectious disease outbreaks and individual patients' treatment and clinical care. The rapid prototyping of ELISA-based diagnostics using available 3D printing technologies provides an opportunity for a further exploration of this platform into immunodetection systems. In this study, a '3D-Well' was designed and fabricated using available 3D printing platforms to have an increased surface area of more than 4 times for protein-surface adsorption compared to those of 96-well plates. The ease and rapidity in designing-product development-feedback cycle offered through 3D printing platforms provided an opportunity for its rapid assessment, in which a chemical etching process was used to make the surface hydrophilic followed by validation through the diagnostic performance of ELISA for infectious disease without modifying current laboratory practices for ELISA. The higher sensitivity of the 3D-Well (3-folds higher) compared to the 96-well ELISA provides a potential for the expansion of this technology towards miniaturization platforms to reduce time, volume of reagents and samples needed for laboratory or field diagnosis of infectious diseases including applications in other disciplines.

Striatal dopamine d2/d3 receptor availability is reduced in methamphetamine dependence and is linked to impulsivity.

PubMed

Lee, Buyean; London, Edythe D; Poldrack, Russell A; Farahi, Judah; Nacca, Angelo; Monterosso, John R; Mumford, Jeanette A; Bokarius, Andrew V; Dahlbom, Magnus; Mukherjee, Jogeshwar; Bilder, Robert M; Brody, Arthur L; Mandelkern, Mark A

2009-11-25

While methamphetamine addiction has been associated with both impulsivity and striatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor deficits, human studies have not directly linked the latter two entities. We therefore compared methamphetamine-dependent and healthy control subjects using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (version 11, BIS-11) and positron emission tomography with [(18)F]fallypride to measure striatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor availability. The methamphetamine-dependent subjects reported recent use of the drug 3.3 g per week, and a history of using methamphetamine, on average, for 12.5 years. They had higher scores than healthy control subjects on all BIS-11 impulsiveness subscales (p < 0.001). Volume-of-interest analysis found lower striatal D(2)/D(3) receptor availability in methamphetamine-dependent than in healthy control subjects (p < 0.01) and a negative relationship between impulsiveness and striatal D(2)/D(3) receptor availability in the caudate nucleus and nucleus accumbens that reached statistical significance in methamphetamine-dependent subjects. Combining data from both groups, voxelwise analysis indicated that impulsiveness was related to D(2)/D(3) receptor availability in left caudate nucleus and right lateral putamen/claustrum (p < 0.05, determined by threshold-free cluster enhancement). In separate group analyses, correlations involving the head and body of the caudate and the putamen of methamphetamine-dependent subjects and the lateral putamen/claustrum of control subjects were observed at a weaker threshold (p < 0.12 corrected). The findings suggest that low striatal D(2)/D(3) receptor availability may mediate impulsive temperament and thereby influence addiction.

Periodic motion planning and control for underactuated mechanical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zeguo; Freidovich, Leonid B.; Zhang, Honghua

2018-06-01

We consider the problem of periodic motion planning and of designing stabilising feedback control laws for such motions in underactuated mechanical systems. A novel periodic motion planning method is proposed. Each state is parametrised by a truncated Fourier series. Then we use numerical optimisation to search for the parameters of the trigonometric polynomial exploiting the measure of discrepancy in satisfying the passive dynamics equations as a performance index. Thus an almost feasible periodic motion is found. Then a linear controller is designed and stability analysis is given to verify that solutions of the closed-loop system stay inside a tube around the planned approximately feasible periodic trajectory. Experimental results for a double rotary pendulum are shown, while numerical simulations are given for models of a spacecraft with liquid sloshing and of a chain of mass spring system.

Five Equivalent d Orbitals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pauling, Linus; McClure, Vance

1970-01-01

Amplifies and clarifies a previous paper on pyramidal d orbitals. Discusses two sets of pyramid d orbitals with respect to their maximum bond strength and their symmetry. Authors described the oblate and prolate pentagonal antiprisms arising from the two sets of five equivalent d orbitals. (RR)

Robust leader-follower formation tracking control of multiple underactuated surface vessels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Zhou-hua; Wang, Dan; Lan, Wei-yao; Sun, Gang

2012-09-01

This paper is concerned with the formation control problem of multiple underactuated surface vessels moving in a leader-follower formation. The formation is achieved by the follower to track a virtual target defined relative to the leader. A robust adaptive target tracking law is proposed by using neural network and backstepping techniques. The advantage of the proposed control scheme is that the uncertain nonlinear dynamics caused by Coriolis/centripetal forces, nonlinear damping, unmodeled hydrodynamics and disturbances from the environment can be compensated by on line learning. Based on Lyapunov analysis, the proposed controller guarantees the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of the origin. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the control strategy.

3D Bi2S3/TiO2 cross-linked heterostructure: An efficient strategy to improve charge transport and separation for high photoelectrochemical performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Minmin; Jia, Junhong

2016-10-01

A novel 3D cross-linked heterostructure of TiO2 nanorods connecting with each other via ultrathin Bi2S3 nanosheets is constructed by a facile and effective strategy. The growth mechanism has been investigated and proposed based on the evolution of microstructure by changing the reaction parameters. Benefiting from the unique cross-linked heterostructure, the as-prepared Bi2S3 nanosheets modified TiO2 nanorods arrays could achieve a high energy conversion efficiency of 3.29% which is the highest value to date for Bi2S3-only sensitized solar cells as the reported highest value is 2.23% and other reported values are less than 1%. Furthermore, the photoelectrochemical studies clearly reveal that the novel cross-linked heterostructure exhibits much better activity than 0D nanoparticles decorated TiO2 nanorods under visible light irradiation, which may be primarily ascribed to the efficient electron transfer from 2D ultrathin Bi2S3 nanosheets to 1D TiO2 nanorod arrays. The promising results in this work confirm the advantages of cross-linked heterostructure and also undoubtedly offer an attractive synthesis strategy to fabricate other nanorod-based hierarchical architecture as well as nano-devices for solar energy conversion.

R3D-2-MSA: the RNA 3D structure-to-multiple sequence alignment server

PubMed Central

Cannone, Jamie J.; Sweeney, Blake A.; Petrov, Anton I.; Gutell, Robin R.; Zirbel, Craig L.; Leontis, Neocles

2015-01-01

The RNA 3D Structure-to-Multiple Sequence Alignment Server (R3D-2-MSA) is a new web service that seamlessly links RNA three-dimensional (3D) structures to high-quality RNA multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) from diverse biological sources. In this first release, R3D-2-MSA provides manual and programmatic access to curated, representative ribosomal RNA sequence alignments from bacterial, archaeal, eukaryal and organellar ribosomes, using nucleotide numbers from representative atomic-resolution 3D structures. A web-based front end is available for manual entry and an Application Program Interface for programmatic access. Users can specify up to five ranges of nucleotides and 50 nucleotide positions per range. The R3D-2-MSA server maps these ranges to the appropriate columns of the corresponding MSA and returns the contents of the columns, either for display in a web browser or in JSON format for subsequent programmatic use. The browser output page provides a 3D interactive display of the query, a full list of sequence variants with taxonomic information and a statistical summary of distinct sequence variants found. The output can be filtered and sorted in the browser. Previous user queries can be viewed at any time by resubmitting the output URL, which encodes the search and re-generates the results. The service is freely available with no login requirement at http://rna.bgsu.edu/r3d-2-msa. PMID:26048960

Investigation of different cross-linking approaches on 3D gelatin scaffolds for tissue engineering application: A comparative analysis.

PubMed

Shankar, K Gopal; Gostynska, Natalia; Montesi, Monica; Panseri, Silvia; Sprio, Simone; Kon, Elizaveta; Marcacci, Maurilio; Tampieri, Anna; Sandri, Monica

2017-02-01

The present study aims to investigate the physical-chemical and biological features exhibited by porous scaffolds for regeneration of cartilaginous tissues obtained through stabilization of 3D gelatin hydrogels by physical (DHT), chemical (BDDGE) and natural (Genipin) cross-linking approaches. The study aimed at comparatively assessing the porous microstructure and the long-term resistance of the scaffolds upon degradation in wet physiological conditions (37°C, pH=7.4). The degree of cross-linking increases as function of incorporation of cross-linkers which was maximum up to 73% for BDDGE. The infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis confirmed the gelatin structure was preserved during the cross-linking treatments. Mechanical properties of the scaffolds were analysed by static and dynamic compression test, which showed different viscoelastic behaviour upon various cross-linking strategies. The biological performance of the scaffolds investigated using human chondrocytes showed good cell adhesion, viability and proliferation, as well as extensive 3D scaffold colonization. Besides, the analysis of gene expression related to the formation of new chondral tissue reported increasing ability with time in the formation of new extra-cellular matrix. In conclusion, out of three different cross-linking methods, the gelatin scaffolds subjected to dehydrothermal treatment (DHT) represented to be the most favourable 3D scaffold for cartilage regeneration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Refined 3d-3d correspondence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alday, Luis F.; Genolini, Pietro Benetti; Bullimore, Mathew; van Loon, Mark

2017-04-01

We explore aspects of the correspondence between Seifert 3-manifolds and 3d N = 2 supersymmetric theories with a distinguished abelian flavour symmetry. We give a prescription for computing the squashed three-sphere partition functions of such 3d N = 2 theories constructed from boundary conditions and interfaces in a 4d N = 2∗ theory, mirroring the construction of Seifert manifold invariants via Dehn surgery. This is extended to include links in the Seifert manifold by the insertion of supersymmetric Wilson-'t Hooft loops in the 4d N = 2∗ theory. In the presence of a mass parameter cfor the distinguished flavour symmetry, we recover aspects of refined Chern-Simons theory with complex gauge group, and in particular construct an analytic continuation of the S-matrix of refined Chern-Simons theory.

R3D-2-MSA: the RNA 3D structure-to-multiple sequence alignment server.

PubMed

Cannone, Jamie J; Sweeney, Blake A; Petrov, Anton I; Gutell, Robin R; Zirbel, Craig L; Leontis, Neocles

2015-07-01

The RNA 3D Structure-to-Multiple Sequence Alignment Server (R3D-2-MSA) is a new web service that seamlessly links RNA three-dimensional (3D) structures to high-quality RNA multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) from diverse biological sources. In this first release, R3D-2-MSA provides manual and programmatic access to curated, representative ribosomal RNA sequence alignments from bacterial, archaeal, eukaryal and organellar ribosomes, using nucleotide numbers from representative atomic-resolution 3D structures. A web-based front end is available for manual entry and an Application Program Interface for programmatic access. Users can specify up to five ranges of nucleotides and 50 nucleotide positions per range. The R3D-2-MSA server maps these ranges to the appropriate columns of the corresponding MSA and returns the contents of the columns, either for display in a web browser or in JSON format for subsequent programmatic use. The browser output page provides a 3D interactive display of the query, a full list of sequence variants with taxonomic information and a statistical summary of distinct sequence variants found. The output can be filtered and sorted in the browser. Previous user queries can be viewed at any time by resubmitting the output URL, which encodes the search and re-generates the results. The service is freely available with no login requirement at http://rna.bgsu.edu/r3d-2-msa. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Principal components analysis based control of a multi-DoF underactuated prosthetic hand.

PubMed

Matrone, Giulia C; Cipriani, Christian; Secco, Emanuele L; Magenes, Giovanni; Carrozza, Maria Chiara

2010-04-23

Functionality, controllability and cosmetics are the key issues to be addressed in order to accomplish a successful functional substitution of the human hand by means of a prosthesis. Not only the prosthesis should duplicate the human hand in shape, functionality, sensorization, perception and sense of body-belonging, but it should also be controlled as the natural one, in the most intuitive and undemanding way. At present, prosthetic hands are controlled by means of non-invasive interfaces based on electromyography (EMG). Driving a multi degrees of freedom (DoF) hand for achieving hand dexterity implies to selectively modulate many different EMG signals in order to make each joint move independently, and this could require significant cognitive effort to the user. A Principal Components Analysis (PCA) based algorithm is used to drive a 16 DoFs underactuated prosthetic hand prototype (called CyberHand) with a two dimensional control input, in order to perform the three prehensile forms mostly used in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Such Principal Components set has been derived directly from the artificial hand by collecting its sensory data while performing 50 different grasps, and subsequently used for control. Trials have shown that two independent input signals can be successfully used to control the posture of a real robotic hand and that correct grasps (in terms of involved fingers, stability and posture) may be achieved. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of a bio-inspired system successfully conjugating the advantages of an underactuated, anthropomorphic hand with a PCA-based control strategy, and opens up promising possibilities for the development of an intuitively controllable hand prosthesis.

Spatial curvilinear path following control of underactuated AUV with multiple uncertainties.

PubMed

Miao, Jianming; Wang, Shaoping; Zhao, Zhiping; Li, Yuan; Tomovic, Mileta M

2017-03-01

This paper investigates the problem of spatial curvilinear path following control of underactuated autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) with multiple uncertainties. Firstly, in order to design the appropriate controller, path following error dynamics model is constructed in a moving Serret-Frenet frame, and the five degrees of freedom (DOFs) dynamic model with multiple uncertainties is established. Secondly, the proposed control law is separated into kinematic controller and dynamic controller via back-stepping technique. In the case of kinematic controller, to overcome the drawback of dependence on the accurate vehicle model that are present in a number of path following control strategies described in the literature, the unknown side-slip angular velocity and attack angular velocity are treated as uncertainties. Whereas in the case of dynamic controller, the model parameters perturbations, unknown external environmental disturbances and the nonlinear hydrodynamic damping terms are treated as lumped uncertainties. Both kinematic and dynamic uncertainties are estimated and compensated by designed reduced-order linear extended state observes (LESOs). Thirdly, feedback linearization (FL) based control law is implemented for the control model using the estimates generated by reduced-order LESOs. For handling the problem of computational complexity inherent in the conventional back-stepping method, nonlinear tracking differentiators (NTDs) are applied to construct derivatives of the virtual control commands. Finally, the closed loop stability for the overall system is established. Simulation and comparative analysis demonstrate that the proposed controller exhibits enhanced performance in the presence of internal parameter variations, external unknown disturbances, unmodeled nonlinear damping terms, and measurement noises. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-entrainment to optimal gaits of an underactuated biomimetic swimming robot using adaptive frequency oscillators.

PubMed

Alessi, Alessio; Accoto, Dino; Guglielmelli, Eugenio

2015-08-01

Underactuated compliant swimming robots are characterized by a simple mechanical structure, capable to mimic the body undulation of many fish species. One of the design issue for these robots is the generation and control of best performing swimming gaits. In this paper we propose a new controller, based on AFO oscillators, to address this issue. After analyzing the effects of the motion on the robot natural frequencies, we show that the closed loop system is able to generate self-sustained oscillations, at a characteristic frequency, while maximizing swimming velocity.

Development of an Underactuated 2-DOF Wrist Joint using McKibben PAMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajagopal, S. P.; Jain, S.; Ramasubramanian, S. N.; Johnson, B. V.; Dwivedy, S. K.

2014-10-01

In this work, model of an underactuated 2-DOF wrist joint with pneumatically actuated muscles is proposed. For the joint, McKibben-type artificial muscles are used in parallel configuration for the actuation. For each Degree of Freedom (DOF) one agonist-antagonist pair arrangement is usually used with a pulley mechanism. A mathematical model of wrist joint is derived using conventional forward kinematic analysis. The static model relating pressure in the muscle with the orientation of the wrist joint is obtained by combining the experimental data and mathematical model. Regulation of pressure can be achieved by pulse width modulation control of on/off solenoid valves. A set of free vibration experiments are done for the dynamic identification of the muscle characteristics.

New Directions in 3D Medical Modeling: 3D-Printing Anatomy and Functions in Neurosurgical Planning

PubMed Central

Árnadóttir, Íris; Gíslason, Magnús; Ólafsson, Ingvar

2017-01-01

This paper illustrates the feasibility and utility of combining cranial anatomy and brain function on the same 3D-printed model, as evidenced by a neurosurgical planning case study of a 29-year-old female patient with a low-grade frontal-lobe glioma. We herein report the rapid prototyping methodology utilized in conjunction with surgical navigation to prepare and plan a complex neurosurgery. The method introduced here combines CT and MRI images with DTI tractography, while using various image segmentation protocols to 3D model the skull base, tumor, and five eloquent fiber tracts. This 3D model is rapid-prototyped and coregistered with patient images and a reported surgical navigation system, establishing a clear link between the printed model and surgical navigation. This methodology highlights the potential for advanced neurosurgical preparation, which can begin before the patient enters the operation theatre. Moreover, the work presented here demonstrates the workflow developed at the National University Hospital of Iceland, Landspitali, focusing on the processes of anatomy segmentation, fiber tract extrapolation, MRI/CT registration, and 3D printing. Furthermore, we present a qualitative and quantitative assessment for fiber tract generation in a case study where these processes are applied in the preparation of brain tumor resection surgery. PMID:29065569

Backstepping-based cooperative and adaptive tracking control design for a group of underactuated AUVs in horizontal plan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghommam, Jawhar; Saad, Maarouf

2014-05-01

In this paper, we investigate new implementable cooperative adaptive backstepping controllers for a group of underactuated autonomous vehicles that are communicating with their local neighbours to track a time-varying virtual leader of which the relative position may only be available to a portion of the team members. At the kinematic cooperative control level of the autonomous underwater vehicle, the virtual cooperative controller is basically designed on a proportional and derivative consensus algorithm presented in Ren (2010), which involves velocity information from local neighbours. In this paper, we propose a new design algorithm based on singular perturbation theory that precludes the use of the neighbours' velocity information in the cooperative design. At the dynamic cooperative control level, calculation of the partial derivatives of some stabilising functions which in turn will contain velocity information from the local neighbours is required. To facilitate the implementation of the cooperative controllers, we propose a command filter approach technique to avoid analytic differentiation of the virtual cooperative control laws. We show how Lyapunov-based techniques and graph theory can be combined together to yield a robust cooperative controller where the uncertain dynamics of the cooperating vehicles and the constraints on the communication topology which contains a directed spanning tree are explicitly taken into account. Simulation results with a dynamic model of underactuated autonomous underwater vehicles moving on the horizontal plane are presented and discussed.

Europeana and 3D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pletinckx, D.

2011-09-01

The current 3D hype creates a lot of interest in 3D. People go to 3D movies, but are we ready to use 3D in our homes, in our offices, in our communication? Are we ready to deliver real 3D to a general public and use interactive 3D in a meaningful way to enjoy, learn, communicate? The CARARE project is realising this for the moment in the domain of monuments and archaeology, so that real 3D of archaeological sites and European monuments will be available to the general public by 2012. There are several aspects to this endeavour. First of all is the technical aspect of flawlessly delivering 3D content over all platforms and operating systems, without installing software. We have currently a working solution in PDF, but HTML5 will probably be the future. Secondly, there is still little knowledge on how to create 3D learning objects, 3D tourist information or 3D scholarly communication. We are still in a prototype phase when it comes to integrate 3D objects in physical or virtual museums. Nevertheless, Europeana has a tremendous potential as a multi-facetted virtual museum. Finally, 3D has a large potential to act as a hub of information, linking to related 2D imagery, texts, video, sound. We describe how to create such rich, explorable 3D objects that can be used intuitively by the generic Europeana user and what metadata is needed to support the semantic linking.

MMDB: Entrez’s 3D-structure database

PubMed Central

Wang, Yanli; Anderson, John B.; Chen, Jie; Geer, Lewis Y.; He, Siqian; Hurwitz, David I.; Liebert, Cynthia A.; Madej, Thomas; Marchler, Gabriele H.; Marchler-Bauer, Aron; Panchenko, Anna R.; Shoemaker, Benjamin A.; Song, James S.; Thiessen, Paul A.; Yamashita, Roxanne A.; Bryant, Stephen H.

2002-01-01

Three-dimensional structures are now known within many protein families and it is quite likely, in searching a sequence database, that one will encounter a homolog with known structure. The goal of Entrez’s 3D-structure database is to make this information, and the functional annotation it can provide, easily accessible to molecular biologists. To this end Entrez’s search engine provides three powerful features. (i) Sequence and structure neighbors; one may select all sequences similar to one of interest, for example, and link to any known 3D structures. (ii) Links between databases; one may search by term matching in MEDLINE, for example, and link to 3D structures reported in these articles. (iii) Sequence and structure visualization; identifying a homolog with known structure, one may view molecular-graphic and alignment displays, to infer approximate 3D structure. In this article we focus on two features of Entrez’s Molecular Modeling Database (MMDB) not described previously: links from individual biopolymer chains within 3D structures to a systematic taxonomy of organisms represented in molecular databases, and links from individual chains (and compact 3D domains within them) to structure neighbors, other chains (and 3D domains) with similar 3D structure. MMDB may be accessed at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Structure. PMID:11752307

3D reconstruction of laser projective point with projection invariant generated from five points on 2D target.

PubMed

Xu, Guan; Yuan, Jing; Li, Xiaotao; Su, Jian

2017-08-01

Vision measurement on the basis of structured light plays a significant role in the optical inspection research. The 2D target fixed with a line laser projector is designed to realize the transformations among the world coordinate system, the camera coordinate system and the image coordinate system. The laser projective point and five non-collinear points that are randomly selected from the target are adopted to construct a projection invariant. The closed form solutions of the 3D laser points are solved by the homogeneous linear equations generated from the projection invariants. The optimization function is created by the parameterized re-projection errors of the laser points and the target points in the image coordinate system. Furthermore, the nonlinear optimization solutions of the world coordinates of the projection points, the camera parameters and the lens distortion coefficients are contributed by minimizing the optimization function. The accuracy of the 3D reconstruction is evaluated by comparing the displacements of the reconstructed laser points with the actual displacements. The effects of the image quantity, the lens distortion and the noises are investigated in the experiments, which demonstrate that the reconstruction approach is effective to contribute the accurate test in the measurement system.

Current-Sensitive Path Planning for an Underactuated Free-Floating Ocean Sensorweb

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dahl, Kristen P.; Thompson, David R.; McLaren, David; Chao, Yi; Chien, Steve

2011-01-01

This work investigates multi-agent path planning in strong, dynamic currents using thousands of highly under-actuated vehicles. We address the specific task of path planning for a global network of ocean-observing floats. These submersibles are typified by the Argo global network consisting of over 3000 sensor platforms. They can control their buoyancy to float at depth for data collection or rise to the surface for satellite communications. Currently, floats drift at a constant depth regardless of the local currents. However, accurate current forecasts have become available which present the possibility of intentionally controlling floats' motion by dynamically commanding them to linger at different depths. This project explores the use of these current predictions to direct float networks to some desired final formation or position. It presents multiple algorithms for such path optimization and demonstrates their advantage over the standard approach of constant-depth drifting.

User experience while viewing stereoscopic 3D television

PubMed Central

Read, Jenny C.A.; Bohr, Iwo

2014-01-01

3D display technologies have been linked to visual discomfort and fatigue. In a lab-based study with a between-subjects design, 433 viewers aged from 4 to 82 years watched the same movie in either 2D or stereo 3D (S3D), and subjectively reported on a range of aspects of their viewing experience. Our results suggest that a minority of viewers, around 14%, experience adverse effects due to viewing S3D, mainly headache and eyestrain. A control experiment where participants viewed 2D content through 3D glasses suggests that around 8% may report adverse effects which are not due directly to viewing S3D, but instead are due to the glasses or to negative preconceptions about S3D (the ‘nocebo effect'). Women were slightly more likely than men to report adverse effects with S3D. We could not detect any link between pre-existing eye conditions or low stereoacuity and the likelihood of experiencing adverse effects with S3D. Practitioner Summary: Stereoscopic 3D (S3D) has been linked to visual discomfort and fatigue. Viewers watched the same movie in either 2D or stereo 3D (between-subjects design). Around 14% reported effects such as headache and eyestrain linked to S3D itself, while 8% report adverse effects attributable to 3D glasses or negative expectations. PMID:24874550

Design and development of a bio-inspired, under-actuated soft gripper.

PubMed

Hassan, Taimoor; Manti, Mariangela; Passetti, Giovanni; d'Elia, Nicolò; Cianchetti, Matteo; Laschi, Cecilia

2015-08-01

The development of robotic devices able to perform manipulation tasks mimicking the human hand has been assessed on large scale. This work stands in the challenging scenario where soft materials are combined with bio-inspired design in order to develop soft grippers with improved grasping and holding capabilities. We are going to show a low-cost, under-actuated and adaptable soft gripper, highlighting the design and the manufacturing process. In particular, a critical analysis is made among three versions of the gripper with same design and actuation mechanism, but based on different materials. A novel actuation principle has been implemented in both cases, in order to reduce the encumbrance of the entire system and improve its aesthetics. Grasping and holding capabilities have been tested for each device, with target objects varying in shape, size and material. Results highlight synergy between the geometry and the intrinsic properties of the soft material, showing the way to novel design principles for soft grippers.

The two sides of complement C3d: evolution of electrostatics in a link between innate and adaptive immunity.

PubMed

Kieslich, Chris A; Morikis, Dimitrios

2012-01-01

The interaction between complement fragment C3d and complement receptor 2 (CR2) is a key aspect of complement immune system activation, and is a component in a link between innate and adaptive immunities. The complement immune system is an ancient mechanism for defense, and can be found in species that have been on Earth for the last 600 million years. However, the link between the complement system and adaptive immunity, which is formed through the association of the B-cell co-receptor complex, including the C3d-CR2 interaction, is a much more recent adaptation. Human C3d and CR2 have net charges of -1 and +7 respectively, and are believed to have evolved favoring the role of electrostatics in their functions. To investigate the role of electrostatics in the function and evolution of human C3d and CR2, we have applied electrostatic similarity methods to identify regions of evolutionarily conserved electrostatic potential based on 24 homologues of complement C3d and 4 homologues of CR2. We also examine the effects of structural perturbation, as introduced through molecular dynamics and mutations, on spatial distributions of electrostatic potential to identify perturbation resistant regions, generated by so-called electrostatic "hot-spots". Distributions of electrostatic similarity based on families of perturbed structures illustrate the presence of electrostatic "hot-spots" at the two functional sites of C3d, while the surface of CR2 lacks electrostatic "hot-spots" despite its excessively positive nature. We propose that the electrostatic "hot-spots" of C3d have evolved to optimize its dual-functionality (covalently attaching to pathogen surfaces and interaction with CR2), which are both necessary for the formation B-cell co-receptor complexes. Comparison of the perturbation resistance of the electrostatic character of the homologues of C3d suggests that there was an emergence of a new role of electrostatics, and a transition in the function of C3d, after the

The Two Sides of Complement C3d: Evolution of Electrostatics in a Link between Innate and Adaptive Immunity

PubMed Central

Kieslich, Chris A.; Morikis, Dimitrios

2012-01-01

The interaction between complement fragment C3d and complement receptor 2 (CR2) is a key aspect of complement immune system activation, and is a component in a link between innate and adaptive immunities. The complement immune system is an ancient mechanism for defense, and can be found in species that have been on Earth for the last 600 million years. However, the link between the complement system and adaptive immunity, which is formed through the association of the B-cell co-receptor complex, including the C3d-CR2 interaction, is a much more recent adaptation. Human C3d and CR2 have net charges of −1 and +7 respectively, and are believed to have evolved favoring the role of electrostatics in their functions. To investigate the role of electrostatics in the function and evolution of human C3d and CR2, we have applied electrostatic similarity methods to identify regions of evolutionarily conserved electrostatic potential based on 24 homologues of complement C3d and 4 homologues of CR2. We also examine the effects of structural perturbation, as introduced through molecular dynamics and mutations, on spatial distributions of electrostatic potential to identify perturbation resistant regions, generated by so-called electrostatic “hot-spots”. Distributions of electrostatic similarity based on families of perturbed structures illustrate the presence of electrostatic “hot-spots” at the two functional sites of C3d, while the surface of CR2 lacks electrostatic “hot-spots” despite its excessively positive nature. We propose that the electrostatic “hot-spots” of C3d have evolved to optimize its dual-functionality (covalently attaching to pathogen surfaces and interaction with CR2), which are both necessary for the formation B-cell co-receptor complexes. Comparison of the perturbation resistance of the electrostatic character of the homologues of C3d suggests that there was an emergence of a new role of electrostatics, and a transition in the function of C3

Comparison of 3D Scanning Versus 2D Photography for the Identification of Facial Soft-Tissue Landmarks.

PubMed

Zogheib, T; Jacobs, R; Bornstein, M M; Agbaje, J O; Anumendem, D; Klazen, Y; Politis, C

2018-01-01

Three dimensional facial scanning is an innovation that provides opportunity for digital data acquisition, smile analysis and communication of treatment plan and outcome with patients. To assess the applicability of 3D facial scanning as compared to 2D clinical photography. Sample consisted of thirty Caucasians aged between 25 and 50 years old, without any dentofacial deformities. Fifteen soft-tissue facial landmarks were identified twice by 3 observers on 2D and 3D images of the 30 subjects. Five linear proportions and nine angular measurements were established in the orbital, nasal and oral regions. These data were compared to anthropometric norms of young Caucasians. Furthermore, a questionnaire was completed by 14 other observers, according to their personal judgment of the 2D and 3D images. Quantitatively, proportions linking the three facial regions in 3D were closer to the clinical standard (for 2D 3.3% and for 3D 1.8% error rate). Qualitatively, in 67% of the cases, observers were as confident about 3D as they were about 2D. Intra-observer Correlation Coefficient (ICC) revealed a better agreement between observers in 3D for the questions related to facial form, lip step and chin posture. The laser facial scanning could be a useful and reliable tool to analyze the circumoral region for orthodontic and orthognathic treatments as well as for plastic surgery planning and outcome.

MSX-3D: a tool to validate 3D protein models using mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Heymann, Michaël; Paramelle, David; Subra, Gilles; Forest, Eric; Martinez, Jean; Geourjon, Christophe; Deléage, Gilbert

2008-12-01

The technique of chemical cross-linking followed by mass spectrometry has proven to bring valuable information about the protein structure and interactions between proteic subunits. It is an effective and efficient way to experimentally investigate some aspects of a protein structure when NMR and X-ray crystallography data are lacking. We introduce MSX-3D, a tool specifically geared to validate protein models using mass spectrometry. In addition to classical peptides identifications, it allows an interactive 3D visualization of the distance constraints derived from a cross-linking experiment. Freely available at http://proteomics-pbil.ibcp.fr

3D printed soft parallel actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zolfagharian, Ali; Kouzani, Abbas Z.; Khoo, Sui Yang; Noshadi, Amin; Kaynak, Akif

2018-04-01

This paper presents a 3-dimensional (3D) printed soft parallel contactless actuator for the first time. The actuator involves an electro-responsive parallel mechanism made of two segments namely active chain and passive chain both 3D printed. The active chain is attached to the ground from one end and constitutes two actuator links made of responsive hydrogel. The passive chain, on the other hand, is attached to the active chain from one end and consists of two rigid links made of polymer. The actuator links are printed using an extrusion-based 3D-Bioplotter with polyelectrolyte hydrogel as printer ink. The rigid links are also printed by a 3D fused deposition modelling (FDM) printer with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as print material. The kinematics model of the soft parallel actuator is derived via transformation matrices notations to simulate and determine the workspace of the actuator. The printed soft parallel actuator is then immersed into NaOH solution with specific voltage applied to it via two contactless electrodes. The experimental data is then collected and used to develop a parametric model to estimate the end-effector position and regulate kinematics model in response to specific input voltage over time. It is observed that the electroactive actuator demonstrates expected behaviour according to the simulation of its kinematics model. The use of 3D printing for the fabrication of parallel soft actuators opens a new chapter in manufacturing sophisticated soft actuators with high dexterity and mechanical robustness for biomedical applications such as cell manipulation and drug release.

Vitamin D supplementation for preventing infections in children under five years of age

PubMed Central

Yakoob, Mohammad Y; Salam, Rehana A; Khan, Farhan R; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

2016-01-01

Background Vitamin D is a micronutrient important for bone growth and immune function. Deficiency can lead to rickets and has been linked to various infections, including respiratory infections. The evidence on the effects of supplementation on infections in children has not been assessed systematically. Objectives To evaluate the role of vitamin D supplementation in preventing pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), diarrhoea, and malaria in children under five years of age. This includes high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP; http://www.who.int/ictrp/en/), ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry (http://www.isrctn.com/) up to 16 June 2016. Selection criteria We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated preventive supplementation of vitamin D (versus placebo or no intervention) in children under five years of age. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently screened the titles and abstracts, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias of included trials. Main results Four trials met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 3198 children under five years of age, and were conducted in Afghanistan, Spain, and the USA. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency varied widely in these populations (range: 73.1% in Afghanistan, 10 to 12% in USA, and 6.2% in Spain). The included trials evaluated mortality (two trials), pneumonia incidence (two trials), diarrhoea incidence (two trials), hospitalization (two trials), and mean serum vitamin D concentrations (four trials). We do not know whether vitamin D supplementation impacts on all-cause mortality because this outcome was underpowered due to few events (risk ratio (RR) 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54 to 3.74; one trial, 3046

On Alternative Approaches to 3D Image Perception: Monoscopic 3D Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blundell, Barry G.

2015-06-01

In the eighteenth century, techniques that enabled a strong sense of 3D perception to be experienced without recourse to binocular disparities (arising from the spatial separation of the eyes) underpinned the first significant commercial sales of 3D viewing devices and associated content. However following the advent of stereoscopic techniques in the nineteenth century, 3D image depiction has become inextricably linked to binocular parallax and outside the vision science and arts communities relatively little attention has been directed towards earlier approaches. Here we introduce relevant concepts and terminology and consider a number of techniques and optical devices that enable 3D perception to be experienced on the basis of planar images rendered from a single vantage point. Subsequently we allude to possible mechanisms for non-binocular parallax based 3D perception. Particular attention is given to reviewing areas likely to be thought-provoking to those involved in 3D display development, spatial visualization, HCI, and other related areas of interdisciplinary research.

Aspects of defects in 3d-3d correspondence

DOE PAGES

Gang, Dongmin; Kim, Nakwoo; Romo, Mauricio; ...

2016-10-12

In this paper we study supersymmetric co-dimension 2 and 4 defects in the compactification of the 6d (2, 0) theory of type A N-1 on a 3-manifold M . The so-called 3d-3d correspondence is a relation between complexified Chern-Simons theory (with gauge group SL(N,C) ) on M and a 3d N=2 theory T N [M ]. We study this correspondence in the presence of supersymmetric defects, which are knots/links inside the 3-manifold. Our study employs a number of different methods: state-integral models for complex Chern-Simons theory, cluster algebra techniques, domain wall theory T [SU(N )], 5d N=2 SYM, and alsomore » supergravity analysis through holography. These methods are complementary and we find agreement between them. In some cases the results lead to highly non-trivial predictions on the partition function. Our discussion includes a general expression for the cluster partition function, which can be used to compute in the presence of maximal and certain class of non-maximal punctures when N > 2. We also highlight the non-Abelian description of the 3d N=2 T N [M ] theory with defect included, when such a description is available. This paper is a companion to our shorter paper, which summarizes our main results.« less

Link between D sub 1 and D sub 2 dopamine receptors is reduced in schizophrenia and Huntington diseased brain

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

Seeman, P.; Niznik, H.B.; Guan, H.C.

1989-12-01

Dopamine receptor types D{sub 1} and D{sub 2} can oppose enhance each other's actions for electrical, biochemical, and psychomotor effects. The authors report a D{sub 1}-D{sub 2} interaction in homogenized tissue as revealed by ligand binding. D{sub 2} agonists lowered the binding of ({sup 3}H)raclopride to D{sub 2} receptors in striatal and anterior pituitary tissues. Pretreating the tissue with the D{sub 1}-selective antagonist SCH 23390 prevented the agonist-induced decrease in ({sup 3}H)raclopride binding to D{sub 2} sites in the striatum but not in the anterior pituitary, which has no D{sub 1} receptors. Conversely, a dopamine-induced reduction in the binding ofmore » ({sup 3}H)SCH 23390 to D{sub 1} receptors could be prevented by the D{sub 2}-selective antagonist eticlopride. Receptor photolabeling experiments confirmed both these D{sub 1}-D{sub 2} interactions. The blocking effect by SCH 23390 was similar to that produced by a nonhydrolyzable guanine nucleotide analogue, and SCH 23390 reduced the number of agonist-labeled D{sub 2} receptors in the high-affinity state. Thus, the D{sub 1}-D{sub 2} link may be mediated by guanine nucleotide-binding protein components. The link may underlie D{sub 1}-D{sub 2} interactions influencing behavior, since the link was missing in over half the postmortem striata from patients with schizophrenia and Huntington disease (both diseases that show some hyperdopamine signs) but was present in human control, Alzheimer, and Parkinson striata.« less

Development of real-time motion capture system for 3D on-line games linked with virtual character

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jong Hyeong; Ryu, Young Kee; Cho, Hyung Suck

2004-10-01

Motion tracking method is being issued as essential part of the entertainment, medical, sports, education and industry with the development of 3-D virtual reality. Virtual human character in the digital animation and game application has been controlled by interfacing devices; mouse, joysticks, midi-slider, and so on. Those devices could not enable virtual human character to move smoothly and naturally. Furthermore, high-end human motion capture systems in commercial market are expensive and complicated. In this paper, we proposed a practical and fast motion capturing system consisting of optic sensors, and linked the data with 3-D game character with real time. The prototype experiment setup is successfully applied to a boxing game which requires very fast movement of human character.

NKG2D and CD94 bind to multimeric alpha2,3-linked N-acetylneuraminic acid.

PubMed

Imaizumi, Yuzo; Higai, Koji; Suzuki, Chiho; Azuma, Yutaro; Matsumoto, Kojiro

2009-05-08

Killer lectin-like receptors on natural killer cells mediate cytotoxicity through glycans on target cells including the sialyl Lewis X antigen (sLeX). We investigated whether NK group 2D (NKG2D) and CD94 can bind to sialylated N-linked glycans, using recombinant glutathione S-transferase-fused extracellular lectin-like domains of NKG2D (rNKG2Dlec) and CD94 (rCD94lec). Both rNKG2Dlec and rCD94lec bound to plates coated with high-sLeX-expressing transferrin secreted by HepG2 cells (HepTF). The binding of rNKG2Dlec and rCD94lec to HepTF was markedly suppressed by treatment of HepTF with neuraminidase and in the presence of N-acetylneuraminic acid. Moreover, rNKG2Dlec and rCD94lec bound to alpha2,3-sialylated human alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) but not to alpha2,6-sialylated AGP. Mutagenesis revealed that (152)Y of NKG2D and (144)F and (160)N of CD94 were critical for HepTF binding. This is the first report that NKG2D and CD94 bind to alpha2,3-sialylated but not to alpha2,6-sialylated multi-antennary N-glycans.

Arbitrary Symmetric Running Gait Generation for an Underactuated Biped Model.

PubMed

Dadashzadeh, Behnam; Esmaeili, Mohammad; Macnab, Chris

2017-01-01

This paper investigates generating symmetric trajectories for an underactuated biped during the stance phase of running. We use a point mass biped (PMB) model for gait analysis that consists of a prismatic force actuator on a massless leg. The significance of this model is its ability to generate more general and versatile running gaits than the spring-loaded inverted pendulum (SLIP) model, making it more suitable as a template for real robots. The algorithm plans the necessary leg actuator force to cause the robot center of mass to undergo arbitrary trajectories in stance with any arbitrary attack angle and velocity angle. The necessary actuator forces follow from the inverse kinematics and dynamics. Then these calculated forces become the control input to the dynamic model. We compare various center-of-mass trajectories, including a circular arc and polynomials of the degrees 2, 4 and 6. The cost of transport and maximum leg force are calculated for various attack angles and velocity angles. The results show that choosing the velocity angle as small as possible is beneficial, but the angle of attack has an optimum value. We also find a new result: there exist biped running gaits with double-hump ground reaction force profiles which result in less maximum leg force than single-hump profiles.

Arbitrary Symmetric Running Gait Generation for an Underactuated Biped Model

PubMed Central

Esmaeili, Mohammad; Macnab, Chris

2017-01-01

This paper investigates generating symmetric trajectories for an underactuated biped during the stance phase of running. We use a point mass biped (PMB) model for gait analysis that consists of a prismatic force actuator on a massless leg. The significance of this model is its ability to generate more general and versatile running gaits than the spring-loaded inverted pendulum (SLIP) model, making it more suitable as a template for real robots. The algorithm plans the necessary leg actuator force to cause the robot center of mass to undergo arbitrary trajectories in stance with any arbitrary attack angle and velocity angle. The necessary actuator forces follow from the inverse kinematics and dynamics. Then these calculated forces become the control input to the dynamic model. We compare various center-of-mass trajectories, including a circular arc and polynomials of the degrees 2, 4 and 6. The cost of transport and maximum leg force are calculated for various attack angles and velocity angles. The results show that choosing the velocity angle as small as possible is beneficial, but the angle of attack has an optimum value. We also find a new result: there exist biped running gaits with double-hump ground reaction force profiles which result in less maximum leg force than single-hump profiles. PMID:28118401

RNA-Puzzles Round III: 3D RNA structure prediction of five riboswitches and one ribozyme

PubMed Central

Biesiada, Marcin; Boniecki, Michał J.; Chou, Fang-Chieh; Ferré-D'Amaré, Adrian R.; Das, Rhiju; Dunin-Horkawicz, Stanisław; Geniesse, Caleb; Kappel, Kalli; Kladwang, Wipapat; Krokhotin, Andrey; Łach, Grzegorz E.; Major, François; Mann, Thomas H.; Pachulska-Wieczorek, Katarzyna; Patel, Dinshaw J.; Piccirilli, Joseph A.; Popenda, Mariusz; Purzycka, Katarzyna J.; Ren, Aiming; Rice, Greggory M.; Santalucia, John; Tandon, Arpit; Trausch, Jeremiah J.; Wang, Jian; Weeks, Kevin M.; Williams, Benfeard; Xiao, Yi; Zhang, Dong; Zok, Tomasz

2017-01-01

RNA-Puzzles is a collective experiment in blind 3D RNA structure prediction. We report here a third round of RNA-Puzzles. Five puzzles, 4, 8, 12, 13, 14, all structures of riboswitch aptamers and puzzle 7, a ribozyme structure, are included in this round of the experiment. The riboswitch structures include biological binding sites for small molecules (S-adenosyl methionine, cyclic diadenosine monophosphate, 5-amino 4-imidazole carboxamide riboside 5′-triphosphate, glutamine) and proteins (YbxF), and one set describes large conformational changes between ligand-free and ligand-bound states. The Varkud satellite ribozyme is the most recently solved structure of a known large ribozyme. All puzzles have established biological functions and require structural understanding to appreciate their molecular mechanisms. Through the use of fast-track experimental data, including multidimensional chemical mapping, and accurate prediction of RNA secondary structure, a large portion of the contacts in 3D have been predicted correctly leading to similar topologies for the top ranking predictions. Template-based and homology-derived predictions could predict structures to particularly high accuracies. However, achieving biological insights from de novo prediction of RNA 3D structures still depends on the size and complexity of the RNA. Blind computational predictions of RNA structures already appear to provide useful structural information in many cases. Similar to the previous RNA-Puzzles Round II experiment, the prediction of non-Watson–Crick interactions and the observed high atomic clash scores reveal a notable need for an algorithm of improvement. All prediction models and assessment results are available at http://ahsoka.u-strasbg.fr/rnapuzzles/. PMID:28138060

Orthotic Body-Weight Support Through Underactuated Potential Energy Shaping with Contact Constraints

PubMed Central

Lv, Ge; Gregg, Robert D.

2015-01-01

Body-weight support is an effective clinical tool for gait rehabilitation after neurological impairment. Body-weight supported training systems have been developed to help patients regain mobility and confidence during walking, but conventional systems constrain the patient's treatment in clinical environments. We propose that this challenge could be addressed by virtually providing patients with body-weight support through the actuators of a powered orthosis (or exoskeleton) utilizing potential energy shaping control. However, the changing contact conditions and degrees of underactuation encountered during human walking present significant challenges to consistently matching a desired potential energy for the human in closed loop. We therefore introduce a generalized matching condition for shaping Lagrangian systems with holonomic contact constraints. By satisfying this matching condition for four phases of gait, we derive control laws to achieve virtual body-weight support through a powered knee-ankle orthosis. We demonstrate beneficial effects of virtual body-weight support in simulations of a human-like biped model, indicating the potential clinical value of this proposed control approach. PMID:26900254

Neural network-based motion control of an underactuated wheeled inverted pendulum model.

PubMed

Yang, Chenguang; Li, Zhijun; Cui, Rongxin; Xu, Bugong

2014-11-01

In this paper, automatic motion control is investigated for one of wheeled inverted pendulum (WIP) models, which have been widely applied for modeling of a large range of two wheeled modern vehicles. First, the underactuated WIP model is decomposed into a fully actuated second order subsystem Σa consisting of planar movement of vehicle forward and yaw angular motions, and a nonactuated first order subsystem Σb of pendulum motion. Due to the unknown dynamics of subsystem Σa and the universal approximation ability of neural network (NN), an adaptive NN scheme has been employed for motion control of subsystem Σa . The model reference approach has been used whereas the reference model is optimized by the finite time linear quadratic regulation technique. The pendulum motion in the passive subsystem Σb is indirectly controlled using the dynamic coupling with planar forward motion of subsystem Σa , such that satisfactory tracking of a set pendulum tilt angle can be guaranteed. Rigours theoretic analysis has been established, and simulation studies have been performed to demonstrate the developed method.

β-D-(1→4), β-D-(1→3) 'mixed linkage' xylans from red seaweeds of the order Nemaliales and Palmariales.

PubMed

Viana, Adriano G; Noseda, Miguel D; Gonçalves, Alan G; Duarte, Maria Eugênia R; Yokoya, Nair; Matulewicz, Maria C; Cerezo, Alberto S

2011-06-01

Xylans from five seaweeds belonging to the order Nemaliales (Galaxaura marginata, Galaxaura obtusata, Tricleocarpacylindrica, Tricleocarpa fragilis, and Scinaia halliae) and one of the order Palmariales (Palmaria palmata) collected on the Brazilian coasts were extracted with hot water and purified from acid xylomannans and/or xylogalactans through Cetavlon precipitation of the acid polysaccharides. The β-D-(1→4), β-D-(1→3) 'mixed linkage' structures were determined using methylation analysis and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The presence of large sequences of β-(1→4)-linked units suggests transient aggregates of ribbon- or helical-ordered structures that would explain the low optical rotations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water linked 3D coordination polymers: Syntheses, structures and applications

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

Singh, Suryabhan, E-mail: sbs.bhu@gmail.com; Bhim, Anupam

2016-12-15

Three new coordination polymers (CPs) based on Cd and Pb, [Cd(OBA)(μ-H{sub 2}O)(H{sub 2}O)]{sub n}1, [Pb(OBA)(μ-H{sub 2}O)]{sub n}2 [where OBA=4,4’-Oxybis(benzoate)] and [Pb(SDBA)(H{sub 2}O)]{sub n}.1/4DMF 3 (SDBA=4,4’-Sulfonyldibenzoate), have been synthesized and characterized. The single crystal structural studies reveal that CPs 1 and 2 have three dimensional structure. A water molecule bridges two metal centres which appears to the responsible for the dimensionality increase from 2D to 3D. Compound 3 has a supramolecular 3D structure involving water molecule and hydrogen bonds. A structural transformation is observed when 3 was heated at 100 °C or kept in methanol, forming [Pb(SDBA)]{sub n}4. Compound 4 ismore » used as supporting matrix for palladium nanoparticles, PdNPs@4. The PdNPs@4 exhibits good catalytic activity toward the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) in the presence of NaBH{sub 4} at room temperature. Luminescence studies revealed that all CPs could be an effective sensor for nitroaromatic explosives. - Graphical abstract: Three new CPs based on Cd and Pb, have been synthesized and characterized. A water molecule bridges two metal centres which appears to the responsible for the dimensionality increase from 2D to 3D. One of the CP is used as supporting matrix for palladium nanoparticles, PdNPs@4. The PdNPs@4 exhibits good catalytic activity toward the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. Luminescence studies shown that all CPs could be an effective sensor for nitroaromatic explosives. - Highlights: • Three new CPs based on Cd and Pb, have been synthesized and characterized. • A water molecule bridges two metal centres which appears to the responsible for the dimensionality increase from 2D to 3D. • One of the CP is used as supporting matrix for palladium nanoparticles, PdNPs@4. • Luminescence studies shown that all CPs could be an effective sensor for nitroaromatic explosives.« less

Vitamin D3 and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 Content of Retail White Fish and Eggs in Australia

PubMed Central

Dunlop, Eleanor; Cunningham, Judy; Sherriff, Jill L.; Lucas, Robyn M.; Greenfield, Heather; Arcot, Jayashree; Strobel, Norbert; Black, Lucinda J.

2017-01-01

Dietary vitamin D may compensate for inadequate sun exposure; however, there have been few investigations into the vitamin D content of Australian foods. We measured vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) in four species of white fish (barramundi, basa, hoki and king dory), and chicken eggs (cage and free-range), purchased from five Australian cities. Samples included local, imported and wild-caught fish, and eggs of varying size from producers with a range of hen stocking densities. Raw and cooked samples were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array. Limits of reporting were 0.2 and 0.1 μg/100 g for vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3, respectively. The vitamin D3 content of cooked white fish ranged from <0.1 to 2.3 μg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 μg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked cage eggs ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 μg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.4 to 1.2 μg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked free-range eggs ranged from 0.3 to 2.2 μg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.5 to 0.8 μg/100 g. If, as has been suggested, 25(OH)D3 has five times greater bioactivity than vitamin D3, one cooked serve (100 g) of white fish, and one cooked serve of cage or free-range eggs (120 g) may provide 50% or 100%, respectively, of the current guidelines for the adequate intake of vitamin D (5 µg) for Australians aged 1–50 years. PMID:28640196

PLOT3D/AMES, APOLLO UNIX VERSION USING GMR3D (WITHOUT TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

PLOT3D/AMES, APOLLO UNIX VERSION USING GMR3D (WITH TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

Optoelectronic interconnects for 3D wafer stacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludwig, David E.; Carson, John C.; Lome, Louis S.

1996-01-01

Wafer and chip stacking are envisioned as a means of providing increased processing power within the small confines of a three-dimensional structure. Optoelectronic devices can play an important role in these dense 3-D processing electronic packages in two ways. In pure electronic processing, optoelectronics can provide a method for increasing the number of input/output communication channels within the layers of the 3-D chip stack. Non-free space communication links allow the density of highly parallel input/output ports to increase dramatically over typical edge bus connections. In hybrid processors, where electronics and optics play a role in defining the computational algorithm, free space communication links are typically utilized for, among other reasons, the increased network link complexity which can be achieved. Free space optical interconnections provide bandwidths and interconnection complexity unobtainable in pure electrical interconnections. Stacked 3-D architectures can provide the electronics real estate and structure to deal with the increased bandwidth and global information provided by free space optical communications. This paper provides definitions and examples of 3-D stacked architectures in optoelectronics processors. The benefits and issues of these technologies are discussed.

Optoelectronic interconnects for 3D wafer stacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludwig, David; Carson, John C.; Lome, Louis S.

1996-01-01

Wafer and chip stacking are envisioned as means of providing increased processing power within the small confines of a three-dimensional structure. Optoelectronic devices can play an important role in these dense 3-D processing electronic packages in two ways. In pure electronic processing, optoelectronics can provide a method for increasing the number of input/output communication channels within the layers of the 3-D chip stack. Non-free space communication links allow the density of highly parallel input/output ports to increase dramatically over typical edge bus connections. In hybrid processors, where electronics and optics play a role in defining the computational algorithm, free space communication links are typically utilized for, among other reasons, the increased network link complexity which can be achieved. Free space optical interconnections provide bandwidths and interconnection complexity unobtainable in pure electrical interconnections. Stacked 3-D architectures can provide the electronics real estate and structure to deal with the increased bandwidth and global information provided by free space optical communications. This paper will provide definitions and examples of 3-D stacked architectures in optoelectronics processors. The benefits and issues of these technologies will be discussed.

Robust adaptive antiswing control of underactuated crane systems with two parallel payloads and rail length constraint.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhongcai; Wu, Yuqiang; Huang, Jinming

2016-11-01

The antiswing control and accurate positioning are simultaneously investigated for underactuated crane systems in the presence of two parallel payloads on the trolley and rail length limitation. The equations of motion for the crane system in question are established via the Euler-Lagrange equation. An adaptive control strategy is proposed with the help of system energy function and energy shaping technique. Stability analysis shows that under the designed adaptive controller, the payload swings can be suppressed ultimately and the trolley can be regulated to the destination while not exceeding the pre-specified boundaries. Simulation results are provided to show the satisfactory control performances of the presented control method in terms of working efficiency as well as robustness with respect to external disturbances. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vitamin D supplementation for preventing infections in children under five years of age.

PubMed

Yakoob, Mohammad Y; Salam, Rehana A; Khan, Farhan R; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

2016-11-09

Vitamin D is a micronutrient important for bone growth and immune function. Deficiency can lead to rickets and has been linked to various infections, including respiratory infections. The evidence on the effects of supplementation on infections in children has not been assessed systematically. To evaluate the role of vitamin D supplementation in preventing pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), diarrhoea, and malaria in children under five years of age. This includes high-, middle-, and low-income countries. We searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP; http://www.who.int/ictrp/en/) , ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry (http://www.isrctn.com/) up to 16 June 2016. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated preventive supplementation of vitamin D (versus placebo or no intervention) in children under five years of age. Two review authors independently screened the titles and abstracts, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias of included trials. Four trials met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 3198 children under five years of age, and were conducted in Afghanistan, Spain, and the USA. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency varied widely in these populations (range: 73.1% in Afghanistan, 10 to 12% in USA, and 6.2% in Spain). The included trials evaluated mortality (two trials), pneumonia incidence (two trials), diarrhoea incidence (two trials), hospitalization (two trials), and mean serum vitamin D concentrations (four trials).We do not know whether vitamin D supplementation impacts on all-cause mortality because this outcome was underpowered due to few events (risk ratio (RR) 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54 to 3.74; one trial, 3046 participants, low quality evidence).For pneumonia, episodes of 'radiologically confirmed' first or

Rehand: Realistic electric prosthetic hand created with a 3D printer.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Masahiro; Sato, Ryo; Higashihara, Takanori; Ogasawara, Tsukasa; Kawashima, Noritaka

2015-01-01

Myoelectric prosthetic hands provide an appearance with five fingers and a grasping function to forearm amputees. However, they have problems in weight, appearance, and cost. This paper reports on the Rehand, a realistic electric prosthetic hand created with a 3D printer. It provides a realistic appearance that is same as the cosmetic prosthetic hand and a grasping function. A simple link mechanism with one linear actuator for grasping and 3D printed parts achieve low cost, light weight, and ease of maintenance. An operating system based on a distance sensor provides a natural operability equivalent to the myoelectric control system. A supporter socket allows them to wear the prosthetic hand easily. An evaluation using the Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure (SHAP) demonstrated that an amputee was able to operate various objects and do everyday activities with the Rehand.

Application of 3D Printing Technology in Increasing the Diagnostic Performance of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for Infectious Diseases

PubMed Central

Singh, Harpal; Shimojima, Masayuki; Shiratori, Tomomi; An, Le Van; Sugamata, Masami; Yang, Ming

2015-01-01

Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)-based diagnosis is the mainstay for measuring antibody response in infectious diseases and to support pathogen identification of potential use in infectious disease outbreaks and clinical care of individual patients. The development of laboratory diagnostics using readily available 3D printing technologies provides a timely opportunity for further expansion of this technology into immunodetection systems. Utilizing available 3D printing platforms, a ‘3D well’ was designed and developed to have an increased surface area compared to those of 96-well plates. The ease and rapidity of the development of the 3D well prototype provided an opportunity for its rapid validation through the diagnostic performance of ELISA in infectious disease without modifying current laboratory practices for ELISA. The improved sensitivity of the 3D well of up to 2.25-fold higher compared to the 96-well ELISA provides a potential for the expansion of this technology towards miniaturization and Lab-On-a-Chip platforms to reduce time, volume of reagents and samples needed for such assays in the laboratory diagnosis of infectious and other diseases including applications in other disciplines. PMID:26184194

Application of 3D Printing Technology in Increasing the Diagnostic Performance of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for Infectious Diseases.

PubMed

Singh, Harpal; Shimojima, Masayuki; Shiratori, Tomomi; An, Le Van; Sugamata, Masami; Yang, Ming

2015-07-08

Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)-based diagnosis is the mainstay for measuring antibody response in infectious diseases and to support pathogen identification of potential use in infectious disease outbreaks and clinical care of individual patients. The development of laboratory diagnostics using readily available 3D printing technologies provides a timely opportunity for further expansion of this technology into immunodetection systems. Utilizing available 3D printing platforms, a '3D well' was designed and developed to have an increased surface area compared to those of 96-well plates. The ease and rapidity of the development of the 3D well prototype provided an opportunity for its rapid validation through the diagnostic performance of ELISA in infectious disease without modifying current laboratory practices for ELISA. The improved sensitivity of the 3D well of up to 2.25-fold higher compared to the 96-well ELISA provides a potential for the expansion of this technology towards miniaturization and Lab-On-a-Chip platforms to reduce time, volume of reagents and samples needed for such assays in the laboratory diagnosis of infectious and other diseases including applications in other disciplines.

Novel enzymatically cross-linked hyaluronan hydrogels support the formation of 3D neuronal networks.

PubMed

Broguiere, Nicolas; Isenmann, Luca; Zenobi-Wong, Marcy

2016-08-01

Hyaluronan (HA) is an essential component of the central nervous system's extracellular matrix and its high molecular weight (MW) form has anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties relevant for regenerative medicine. Here, we introduce a new hydrogel based on high MW HA which is cross-linked using the transglutaminase (TG) activity of the activated blood coagulation factor XIII (FXIIIa). These HA-TG gels have significant advantages for neural tissue engineering compared to previous HA gels. Due to their chemical inertness in the absence of FXIIIa, the material can be stored long-term, is stable in solution, and shows no cytotoxicity. The gelation is completely cell-friendly due to the specificity of the enzyme and the gelation rate can be tuned from seconds to hours at physiological pH and independently of stiffness. The gels are injectable, and attach covalently to fibrinogen and fibrin, two common bioactive components in in vitro tissue engineering, as well as proteins present in vivo, allowing the gels to covalently bind to brain or spinal cord defects. These optimal chemical and bioactive properties of HA-TG gels enabled the formation of 3D neuronal cultures of unprecedented performance, showing fast neurite outgrowth, axonal and dendritic speciation, strong synaptic connectivity in 3D networks, and rapidly-occurring and long-lasting coordinated electrical activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integral backstepping sliding mode control for underactuated systems: swing-up and stabilization of the Cart-Pendulum System.

PubMed

Adhikary, Nabanita; Mahanta, Chitralekha

2013-11-01

In this paper an integral backstepping sliding mode controller is proposed for controlling underactuated systems. A feedback control law is designed based on backstepping algorithm and a sliding surface is introduced in the final stage of the algorithm. The backstepping algorithm makes the controller immune to matched and mismatched uncertainties and the sliding mode control provides robustness. The proposed controller ensures asymptotic stability. The effectiveness of the proposed controller is compared against a coupled sliding mode controller for swing-up and stabilization of the Cart-Pendulum System. Simulation results show that the proposed integral backstepping sliding mode controller is able to reject both matched and mismatched uncertainties with a chattering free control law, while utilizing less control effort than the sliding mode controller. Copyright © 2013 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The 4d8-(4d74f + 4d76p + 4p54d9) transitions in the spectrum of five times ionized indium (In VI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryabtsev, A. N.; Tauheed, A.; Swapnil; Kildiyarova, R. R.; Kononov, E. Ya

2018-06-01

The spectrum of five times ionized indium excited in a vacuum spark has been studied in the wavelength region 180-250 Å using a 3 m grazing incidence spectrograph. Transitions from highly excited interacting configurations 4d74f + 4d76p + 4p54d9 to the ground state 4d8 configuration were studied. 165 spectral lines were identified and 81 levels of the excited configurations were found.

Leg edema quantification for heart failure patients via 3D imaging.

PubMed

Hayn, Dieter; Fruhwald, Friedrich; Riedel, Arthur; Falgenhauer, Markus; Schreier, Günter

2013-08-14

Heart failure is a common cardiac disease in elderly patients. After discharge, approximately 50% of all patients are readmitted to a hospital within six months. Recent studies show that home monitoring of heart failure patients can reduce the number of readmissions. Still, a large number of false positive alarms as well as underdiagnoses in other cases require more accurate alarm generation algorithms. New low-cost sensors for leg edema detection could be the missing link to help home monitoring to its breakthrough. We evaluated a 3D camera-based measurement setup in order to geometrically detect and quantify leg edemas. 3D images of legs were taken and geometric parameters were extracted semi-automatically from the images. Intra-subject variability for five healthy subjects was evaluated. Thereafter, correlation of 3D parameters with body weight and leg circumference was assessed during a clinical study at the Medical University of Graz. Strong correlation was found in between both reference values and instep height, while correlation in between curvature of the lower leg and references was very low. We conclude that 3D imaging might be a useful and cost-effective extension of home monitoring for heart failure patients, though further (prospective) studies are needed.

Finite element 3D modeling of mechanical behavior of mineralized collagen microfibrils.

PubMed

Barkaoui, Abdelwahed; Hambli, Ridha

2011-01-01

The aim of this work is to develop a 3D finite elements model to study the nanomechanical behavior of mineralized collagen microfibrils, which consists of three phases, (i) collagen phase formed by five tropocollagen (TC) molecules linked together with cross-links, (ii) a mineral phase (Hydroxyapatite), and (iii) impure mineral phase, and to investigate the important role of individual properties of every constituent. The mechanical and geometric properties (TC molecule diameter) of both tropocollagen and mineral were taken into consideration as well as cross-links, which was represented by spring elements with adjusted properties based on experimental data. In this paper an equivalent homogenized model was developed to assess the whole microfibril mechanical properties (Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio) under varying mechanical properties of each phase. In this study, both equivalent Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio, which were expressed as functions of Young's modulus of each phase, were obtained under tensile load with symmetric and periodic boundary conditions.

Structural and Functional Studies of WlbA: A Dehydrogenase Involved in the Biosynthesis of 2,3-Diacetamido-2,3-dideoxy-d-mannuronic Acid

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

Thoden, James B.; Holden, Hazel M.

2010-09-08

2,3-Diacetamido-2,3-dideoxy-D-mannuronic acid (ManNAc3NAcA) is an unusual dideoxy sugar first identified nearly 30 years ago in the lipopolysaccharide of Pseudomonas aeruginosa O:3a,d. It has since been observed in other organisms, including Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough. Five enzymes are required for the biosynthesis of UDP-ManNAc3NAcA starting from UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Here we describe a structural study of WlbA, the NAD-dependent dehydrogenase that catalyzes the second step in the pathway, namely, the oxidation of the C-3{prime} hydroxyl group on the UDP-linked sugar to a keto moiety and the reduction of NAD{sup +} to NADH. This enzyme has been shown to usemore » {alpha}-ketoglutarate as an oxidant to regenerate the oxidized dinucleotide. For this investigation, three different crystal structures were determined: the enzyme with bound NAD(H), the enzyme in a complex with NAD(H) and {alpha}-ketoglutarate, and the enzyme in a complex with NAD(H) and its substrate (UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminuronic acid). The tetrameric enzyme assumes an unusual quaternary structure with the dinucleotides positioned quite closely to one another. Both {alpha}-ketoglutarate and the UDP-linked sugar bind in the WlbA active site with their carbon atoms (C-2 and C-3{prime}, respectively) abutting the re face of the cofactor. They are positioned {approx}3 {angstrom} from the nicotinamide C-4. The UDP-linked sugar substrate adopts a highly unusual curved conformation when bound in the WlbA active site cleft. Lys 101 and His 185 most likely play key roles in catalysis.« less

Holographic duals of 3d S-fold CFTs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assel, Benjamin; Tomasiello, Alessandro

2018-06-01

We construct non-geometric AdS4 solutions of IIB string theory where the fields in overlapping patches are glued by elements of the S-duality group. We obtain them by suitable quotients of compact and non-compact geometric solutions. The quotient procedure suggests CFT duals as quiver theories with links involving the so-called T [U( N)] theory. We test the validity of the non-geometric solutions (and of our proposed holographic duality) by computing the three-sphere partition function Z of the CFTs. A first class of solutions is obtained by an S-duality quotient of Janus-type non-compact solutions and is dual to 3d N=4 SCFTs; for these we manage to compute Z of the dual CFT at finite N, and it agrees perfectly with the supergravity result in the large N limit. A second class has five-branes, it is obtained by a Möbius-like S-quotient of ordinary compact solutions and is dual to 3d N=3 SCFTs. For these, Z agrees with the supergravity result if one chooses the limit carefully so that the effect of the fivebranes does not backreact on the entire geometry. Other limits suggest the existence of IIA duals.

Solution structure of a DNA duplex containing a cis-diammineplatinum(II) 1,3-d(GTG) intrastrand cross-link, a major adduct in cells treated with the anticancer drug carboplatin.

PubMed

Teuben, J M; Bauer, C; Wang, A H; Reedijk, J

1999-09-21

The platinum 1,3-d(GXG) intrastrand cross-link is one of the adducts formed in the reaction of the antitumor drug cisplatin with DNA, and in fact the major adduct found in cells treated with the cisplatin analogue carboplatin. To determine the 3D structure of this adduct, the duplex d(CTCTGTGTCTC).d(GAGACACAGAG)], where GTG denotes a platinum 1,3-intrastrand cross-link, was prepared and studied with high-resolution (1)H NMR. The solution structure was determined using the SPEDREF protocol, which includes an iterative NOE-restrained refinement procedure. Calculated and recorded NOE spectra were found to be in good agreement (NMR R factor 22%). The studied duplex is more distorted from B-DNA than previously determined structures of the 1,2-d(GG) intrastrand adducts. The base pairing is lost for the 5'G-C and the central T-A base pair in the GTG lesion, and the central thymine is extruded from the minor groove. To accommodate this lesion, the minor groove is widened, and the 5'-guanine ribose adopts an N-type conformation. The helix is unwound locally and is significantly bent toward the major groove. Significant difference between the structural distortion of the 1, 3-d(GTG) cross-link and other Pt-DNA cross-links sheds new light on the observed differences in protein recognition of these lesions, and thus on the possible differences in mechanisms of action of the various Pt-DNA adducts formed in treatment with platinum anticancer complexes.

Time-optimal trajectory planning for underactuated spacecraft using a hybrid particle swarm optimization algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Yufei; Huang, Haibin

2014-02-01

A hybrid algorithm combining particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm with the Legendre pseudospectral method (LPM) is proposed for solving time-optimal trajectory planning problem of underactuated spacecrafts. At the beginning phase of the searching process, an initialization generator is constructed by the PSO algorithm due to its strong global searching ability and robustness to random initial values, however, PSO algorithm has a disadvantage that its convergence rate around the global optimum is slow. Then, when the change in fitness function is smaller than a predefined value, the searching algorithm is switched to the LPM to accelerate the searching process. Thus, with the obtained solutions by the PSO algorithm as a set of proper initial guesses, the hybrid algorithm can find a global optimum more quickly and accurately. 200 Monte Carlo simulations results demonstrate that the proposed hybrid PSO-LPM algorithm has greater advantages in terms of global searching capability and convergence rate than both single PSO algorithm and LPM algorithm. Moreover, the PSO-LPM algorithm is also robust to random initial values.

Genotype-phenotype variations in five Spanish families with Norrie disease or X-linked FEVR.

PubMed

Riveiro-Alvarez, Rosa; Trujillo-Tiebas, Maria José; Gimenez-Pardo, Ascension; Garcia-Hoyos, Maria; Cantalapiedra, Diego; Lorda-Sanchez, Isabel; Rodriguez de Alba, Marta; Ramos, Carmen; Ayuso, Carmen

2005-09-02

Norrie disease (OMIM 310600) is a rare X-linked disorder characterized by congenital blindness in males. Approximately 40 to 50% of the cases develop deafness and mental retardation. X-linked familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (XL-FEVR) is a hereditary ocular disorder characterized by a failure of peripheral retinal vascularization. Both X-linked disorders are due to mutations in the NDP gene, which encodes a 133 amino acid protein called Norrin, but autosomal recessive (AR) and autosomal dominant (AD) forms of FEVR have also been described. In this study, we report the molecular findings and the related phenotype in five Spanish families affected with Norrie disease or XL-FEVR due to mutations of the NDP gene. The study was conducted in 45 subjects from five Spanish families. These families were clinically diagnosed with Norrie disease or similar conditions. The three exons of the NDP gene were analyzed by automatic DNA sequencing. Haplotype analyses were also performed. Two new nonsense mutations, apart from other mutations previously described in the NDP gene, were found in those patients affected with ND or X-linked FEVR. An important genotype-phenotype variation was found in relation to the different mutations of the NDP gene. In fact, the same mutation may be responsible for different phenotypes. We speculate that there might be other molecular factors that interact in the retina with Norrin, which contribute to the resultant phenotypes.

Canada in 3D - Toward a Sustainable 3D Model for Canadian Geology from Diverse Data Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodaric, B.; Pilkington, M.; Snyder, D. B.; St-Onge, M. R.; Russell, H.

2015-12-01

Many big science issues span large areas and require data from multiple heterogeneous sources, for example climate change, resource management, and hazard mitigation. Solutions to these issues can significantly benefit from access to a consistent and integrated geological model that would serve as a framework. However, such a model is absent for most large countries including Canada, due to the size of the landmass and the fragmentation of the source data into institutional and disciplinary silos. To overcome these barriers, the "Canada in 3D" (C3D) pilot project was recently launched by the Geological Survey of Canada. C3D is designed to be evergreen, multi-resolution, and inter-disciplinary: (a) it is to be updated regularly upon acquisition of new data; (b) portions vary in resolution and will initially consist of four layers (surficial, sedimentary, crystalline, and mantle) with intermediary patches of higher-resolution fill; and (c) a variety of independently managed data sources are providing inputs, such as geophysical, 3D and 2D geological models, drill logs, and others. Notably, scalability concerns dictate a decentralized and interoperable approach, such that only key control objects, denoting anchors for the modeling process, are imported into the C3D database while retaining provenance links to original sources. The resultant model is managed in the database, contains full modeling provenance as well as links to detailed information on rock units, and is to be visualized in desktop and online environments. It is anticipated that C3D will become the authoritative state of knowledge for the geology of Canada at a national scale.

Comparison of five commercial anti-tetanus toxoid immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

PubMed

Perry, A L; Hayes, A J; Cox, H A; Alcock, F; Parker, A R

2009-12-01

Five commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the measurement of anti-tetanus toxoid immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies were evaluated for performance. The data suggest that there are manufacturer-dependent differences in sensitivity and accuracy for the determination of tetanus toxoid IgG antibodies that could result in different diagnostic interpretations.

Student performance and appreciation using 3D vs. 2D vision in a virtual learning environment.

PubMed

de Boer, I R; Wesselink, P R; Vervoorn, J M

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the performance and appreciation of students working in a virtual learning environment with two (2D)- or three (3D)-dimensional vision. One hundred and twenty-four randomly divided first-year dental students performed a manual dexterity exercise on the Simodont dental trainer with an automatic assessment. Group 1 practised in 2D vision and Group 2 in 3D. All of the students practised five times for 45 min and then took a test using the vision they had practised in. After test 1, all of the students switched the type of vision to control for the learning curve: Group 1 practised in 3D and took a test in 3D, whilst Group 2 practised in 2D and took the test in 2D. To pass, three of five exercises had to be successfully completed within a time limit. The students filled out a questionnaire after completing test 2. The results show that students working with 3D vision achieved significantly better results than students who worked in 2D. Ninety-five per cent of the students filled out the questionnaire, and over 90 per cent preferred 3D vision. The use of 3D vision in a virtual learning environment has a significant positive effect on the performance of the students as well as on their appreciation of the environment. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of viewing distance on 3D fatigue caused by viewing mobile 3D content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mun, Sungchul; Lee, Dong-Su; Park, Min-Chul; Yano, Sumio

2013-05-01

With an advent of autostereoscopic display technique and increased needs for smart phones, there has been a significant growth in mobile TV markets. The rapid growth in technical, economical, and social aspects has encouraged 3D TV manufacturers to apply 3D rendering technology to mobile devices so that people have more opportunities to come into contact with many 3D content anytime and anywhere. Even if the mobile 3D technology leads to the current market growth, there is an important thing to consider for consistent development and growth in the display market. To put it briefly, human factors linked to mobile 3D viewing should be taken into consideration before developing mobile 3D technology. Many studies have investigated whether mobile 3D viewing causes undesirable biomedical effects such as motion sickness and visual fatigue, but few have examined main factors adversely affecting human health. Viewing distance is considered one of the main factors to establish optimized viewing environments from a viewer's point of view. Thus, in an effort to determine human-friendly viewing environments, this study aims to investigate the effect of viewing distance on human visual system when exposing to mobile 3D environments. Recording and analyzing brainwaves before and after watching mobile 3D content, we explore how viewing distance affects viewing experience from physiological and psychological perspectives. Results obtained in this study are expected to provide viewing guidelines for viewers, help ensure viewers against undesirable 3D effects, and lead to make gradual progress towards a human-friendly mobile 3D viewing.

[Comparison of bite marks and teeth features using 2D and 3D methods].

PubMed

Lorkiewicz-Muszyńska, Dorota; Glapiński, Mariusz; Zaba, Czesław; Łabecka, Marzena

2011-01-01

The nature of bite marks is complex. They are found at the scene of crime on different materials and surfaces - not only on human body and corpse, but also on food products and material objects. Human bites on skin are sometimes difficult to interpret and to analyze because of the specific character of skin--elastic and distortable--and because different areas of human body have different surfaces and curvatures. A bite mark left at the scene of crime can be a highly helpful way to lead investigators to criminals. The study was performed to establish: 1) whether bite marks exhibit variations in the accuracy of impressions on different materials, 2) whether it is possible to use the 3D method in the process of identifying an individual based on the comparison of bite marks revealed at the scene, and 3D scans of dental casts, 3) whether application of the 3D method allows for elimination of secondary photographic distortion of bite marks. The authors carried out experiments on simulated cases. Five volunteers bit various materials with different surfaces. Experimental bite marks were collected with emphasis on differentiations of materials. Subsequently, dental impressions were taken from five volunteers in order to prepare five sets of dental casts (the maxilla and mandible. The biting edges of teeth were impressed in wax to create an imprint. The samples of dental casts, corresponding wax bite impressions and bite marks from different materials were scanned with 2D and 3D scanners and photographs were taken. All of these were examined in detail and then compared using different methods (2D and 3D). 1) Bite marks exhibit variations in accuracy of impression on different materials. The most legible reproduction of bite marks was seen on cheese. 2) In comparison of bite marks, the 3D method and 3D scans of dental casts are highly accurate. 3) The 3D method helps to eliminate secondary photographic distortion of bite marks.

PLOT3D/AMES, SGI IRIS VERSION (WITHOUT TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

PLOT3D/AMES, SGI IRIS VERSION (WITH TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

A spherical harmonics intensity model for 3D segmentation and 3D shape analysis of heterochromatin foci.

PubMed

Eck, Simon; Wörz, Stefan; Müller-Ott, Katharina; Hahn, Matthias; Biesdorf, Andreas; Schotta, Gunnar; Rippe, Karsten; Rohr, Karl

2016-08-01

The genome is partitioned into regions of euchromatin and heterochromatin. The organization of heterochromatin is important for the regulation of cellular processes such as chromosome segregation and gene silencing, and their misregulation is linked to cancer and other diseases. We present a model-based approach for automatic 3D segmentation and 3D shape analysis of heterochromatin foci from 3D confocal light microscopy images. Our approach employs a novel 3D intensity model based on spherical harmonics, which analytically describes the shape and intensities of the foci. The model parameters are determined by fitting the model to the image intensities using least-squares minimization. To characterize the 3D shape of the foci, we exploit the computed spherical harmonics coefficients and determine a shape descriptor. We applied our approach to 3D synthetic image data as well as real 3D static and real 3D time-lapse microscopy images, and compared the performance with that of previous approaches. It turned out that our approach yields accurate 3D segmentation results and performs better than previous approaches. We also show that our approach can be used for quantifying 3D shape differences of heterochromatin foci. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polymerization by DNA polymerase eta is blocked by cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) 1,3-d(GpTpG) cross-link: implications for cytotoxic effects in nucleotide excision repair-negative tumor cells.

PubMed

Chijiwa, Shotaro; Masutani, Chikahide; Hanaoka, Fumio; Iwai, Shigenori; Kuraoka, Isao

2010-03-01

cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin) forms DNA adducts that interfere with replication and transcription. The most common adducts formed in vivo are 1,2-intrastrand d(GpG) cross-links (Pt-GG) and d(ApG) cross-links (Pt-AG), with minor amounts of 1,3-d(GpNpG) cross-links (Pt-GNG), interstrand cross-links and monoadducts. Although the relative contribution of these different adducts to toxicity is not known, literature implicates that Pt-GG and Pt-AG adducts block replication. Thus, nucleotide excision repair (NER), by which platinum adducts are excised, and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), which permits adduct bypass, are thought to be associated with cisplatin resistance. Recent studies have reported that the clinical benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy is high if tumor cells express low levels of NER factors. To investigate the role of platinum-DNA adducts in mediating tumor cell survival by TLS, we examined whether 1,3-intrastrand d(GpTpG) platinum cross-links (Pt-GTG), which probably exist in NER-negative tumor cells but not in NER-positive tumor cells, are bypassed by the translesion DNA polymerase eta (pol eta), which is known to bypass Pt-GG. We show that pol eta can incorporate the correct deoxycytidine triphosphate opposite the first 3'-cross-linked G of Pt-GTG but cannot insert any nucleotides opposite the second intact T or the third 5'-cross-linked G of the adducts, thereby suggesting that TLS does not facilitate replication past Pt-GTG adducts. Thus, our findings implicate Pt-GNG adducts as mediating the cytotoxicity of platinum-DNA adducts in NER-negative tumors in vivo.

Development of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Immunoaffinity Column Chromatography for Saikosaponin d Using an Anti-Saikosaponin d Monoclonal Antibody.

PubMed

Sai, Jiayang; Zhao, Yan; Shan, Wenchao; Qu, Baoping; Zhang, Yue; Cheng, Jinjun; Qu, Huihua; Wang, Qingguo

2016-03-01

This work developed a novel immunochemical approach for the quality control of saikosaponin d using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Splenocytes from mice immunized with the saikosaponin d-bovine serum albumin conjugate were fused with the hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine-sensitive mouse myeloma SP2/0 cell line, and a hybridoma secreting monoclonal antibody against saikosaponin d was successfully obtained. The prepared anti-saikosaponin d monoclonal antibody 1E7F3 has a novel characteristic, showing weak reactivity with compounds that are structurally related to saikosaponin d. Using monoclonal antibody 1E7F3, a specific and reliable enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed to detect saikosaponin d. The system shows a full measurement range from 156.25 to 5000.00 ng × mL(-1). Both intra-assay and inter-assay repeatability and precision were achieved, with relative standard deviations lower than 10.00%. The recovery rates ranged from 92.36% to 101.00%, meeting the requirements for biological samples. There was a good correlation between the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and high-performance liquid chromatography analyses of saikosaponin d, and the saikosaponin d levels in formulated Chinese medicines were successfully determined. Furthermore, immunoaffinity column chromatography was established using this anti-saikosaponin d monoclonal antibody, and the elution profile of saikosaponin d was detected by a Bio-Rad QuadTec UV/Vis detector at 203 nm. The results demonstrate that we generated a reliable and more efficient assay system for measuring saikosaponin d and provide a potential approach for purifying and separating saikosaponin d. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Thermodynamics of triple helix formation: spectrophotometric studies on the d(A)10.2d(T)10 and d(C+3T4C+3).d(G3A4G3).d(C3T4C3) triple helices.

PubMed Central

Pilch, D S; Brousseau, R; Shafer, R H

1990-01-01

We have stabilized the d(A)10.2d(T)10 and d(C+LT4C+3).d(G3A4G3).d(C3T4C3) triple helices with either NaCl or MgCl2 at pH 5.5. UV mixing curves demonstrate a 1:2 stoichiometry of purine to pyrimidine strands under the appropriate conditions of pH and ionic strength. Circular dichroic titrations suggest a possible sequence-independent spectral signature for triplex formation. Thermal denaturation profiles indicate the initial loss of the third strand followed by dissociation of the underlying duplex with increasing temperature. Depending on the base sequence and ionic conditions, the binding affinity of the third strand for the duplex at 25 degrees C is two to five orders of magnitude lower than that of the two strands forming the duplex. Thermodynamic parameters for triplex formation were determined for both sequences in the presence of 50 mM MgCl2 and/or 2.0 M NaCl. Hoogsteen base pairs are 0.22-0.64 kcal/mole less stable than Watson-Crick base pairs, depending on ionic conditions and base composition. C+.G and T.A Hoogsteen base pairs appear to have similar stability in the presence of Mg2+ ions at low pH. PMID:2216768

The interactive presentation of 3D information obtained from reconstructed datasets and 3D placement of single histological sections with the 3D portable document format.

PubMed

de Boer, Bouke A; Soufan, Alexandre T; Hagoort, Jaco; Mohun, Timothy J; van den Hoff, Maurice J B; Hasman, Arie; Voorbraak, Frans P J M; Moorman, Antoon F M; Ruijter, Jan M

2011-01-01

Interpretation of the results of anatomical and embryological studies relies heavily on proper visualization of complex morphogenetic processes and patterns of gene expression in a three-dimensional (3D) context. However, reconstruction of complete 3D datasets is time consuming and often researchers study only a few sections. To help in understanding the resulting 2D data we developed a program (TRACTS) that places such arbitrary histological sections into a high-resolution 3D model of the developing heart. The program places sections correctly, robustly and as precisely as the best of the fits achieved by five morphology experts. Dissemination of 3D data is severely hampered by the 2D medium of print publication. Many insights gained from studying the 3D object are very hard to convey using 2D images and are consequently lost or cannot be verified independently. It is possible to embed 3D objects into a pdf document, which is a format widely used for the distribution of scientific papers. Using the freeware program Adobe Reader to interact with these 3D objects is reasonably straightforward; creating such objects is not. We have developed a protocol that describes, step by step, how 3D objects can be embedded into a pdf document. Both the use of TRACTS and the inclusion of 3D objects in pdf documents can help in the interpretation of 2D and 3D data, and will thus optimize communication on morphological issues in developmental biology.

Signatures of personality on dense 3D facial images.

PubMed

Hu, Sile; Xiong, Jieyi; Fu, Pengcheng; Qiao, Lu; Tan, Jingze; Jin, Li; Tang, Kun

2017-03-06

It has long been speculated that cues on the human face exist that allow observers to make reliable judgments of others' personality traits. However, direct evidence of association between facial shapes and personality is missing from the current literature. This study assessed the personality attributes of 834 Han Chinese volunteers (405 males and 429 females), utilising the five-factor personality model ('Big Five'), and collected their neutral 3D facial images. Dense anatomical correspondence was established across the 3D facial images in order to allow high-dimensional quantitative analyses of the facial phenotypes. In this paper, we developed a Partial Least Squares (PLS) -based method. We used composite partial least squares component (CPSLC) to test association between the self-tested personality scores and the dense 3D facial image data, then used principal component analysis (PCA) for further validation. Among the five personality factors, agreeableness and conscientiousness in males and extraversion in females were significantly associated with specific facial patterns. The personality-related facial patterns were extracted and their effects were extrapolated on simulated 3D facial models.

3D TRUMP - A GBI launch window tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karels, Steven N.; Hancock, John; Matchett, Gary

3D TRUMP is a novel GPS and communicatons-link software analysis tool developed for the SDIO's Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) program. 3D TRUMP uses a computationally efficient analysis tool which provides key GPS-based performance measures for an entire GBI mission's reentry vehicle and interceptor trajectories. Algorithms and sample outputs are presented.

[Chronic malnutrition among children under five years of age in the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire].

PubMed

Aké-Tano, Odile; Tiembré, Issaka; Konan, Yao Eugène; Donnen, Philippe; Dagnan, Simplice N'cho; Dramaix, Michelle; Koffi, Kouamé; Diarra-Nama, Alimata Jeanne

2010-01-01

The malnutrition of children under five years of age constitutes a major public health problem in most developing countries. A cross-section study was carried in 2003 in the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire to determine the prevalence of chronic malnutrition and to identify risk factors among children under five years of age living in urban and rural areas of the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire. A total of 292 and 268 children under five years of age residing respectively in urban and rural areas were included in the study. Their median age was 24 months. Chronic malnutrition was more frequent in children from rural areas (39.9%) than in those living in urban areas (16.7%). Malnutrition was significantly associated with the type of food consumed by children under two years of age in urban areas, and it was strongly linked to emaciation of the mother and presence of childhood fever in rural areas. In light of these results, we advocate a healthy diet and adequate health status for the mother and child to improve the nutritional status of children. Moreover, these results need to be completed and complemented by further studies for more detailed information to contribute to a better definition of actions to fight efficiently against malnutrition among children of the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire.

Searching for the Prosocial Personality: A Big Five Approach to Linking Personality and Prosocial Behavior.

PubMed

Habashi, Meara M; Graziano, William G; Hoover, Ann E

2016-09-01

The search for the prosocial personality has been long and controversial. The current research explores the general patterns underlying prosocial decisions, linking personality, emotion, and overt prosocial behavior. Using a multimethod approach, we explored the links between the Big Five dimensions of personality and prosocial responding. Across three studies, we found that agreeableness was the dimension of personality most closely associated with emotional reactions to victims in need of help, and subsequent decisions to help those individuals. Results suggest that prosocial processes, including emotions, cognitions, and behaviors, may be part of a more general motivational process linked to personality. © 2016 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Non-destructive detection of cross-sectional strain and defect structure in an individual Ag five-fold twinned nanowire by 3D electron diffraction mapping.

PubMed

Fu, Xin; Yuan, Jun

2017-07-24

Coherent x-ray diffraction investigations on Ag five-fold twinned nanowires (FTNWs) have drawn controversial conclusions concerning whether the intrinsic 7.35° angular gap could be compensated homogeneously through phase transformation or inhomogeneously by forming disclination strain field. In those studies, the x-ray techniques only provided an ensemble average of the structural information from all the Ag nanowires. Here, using three-dimensional (3D) electron diffraction mapping approach, we non-destructively explore the cross-sectional strain and the related strain-relief defect structures of an individual Ag FTNW with diameter about 30 nm. The quantitative analysis of the fine structure of intensity distribution combining with kinematic electron diffraction simulation confirms that for such a Ag FTNW, the intrinsic 7.35° angular deficiency results in an inhomogeneous strain field within each single crystalline segment consistent with the disclination model of stress-relief. Moreover, the five crystalline segments are found to be strained differently. Modeling analysis in combination with system energy calculation further indicates that the elastic strain energy within some crystalline segments, could be partially relieved by the creation of stacking fault layers near the twin boundaries. Our study demonstrates that 3D electron diffraction mapping is a powerful tool for the cross-sectional strain analysis of complex 1D nanostructures.

Prenatal maternal depression and child serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) genotype predict negative emotionality from 3 to 36 months.

PubMed

Green, Cathryn Gordon; Babineau, Vanessa; Jolicoeur-Martineau, Alexia; Bouvette-Turcot, Andrée-Anne; Minde, Klaus; Sassi, Roberto; St-André, Martin; Carrey, Normand; Atkinson, Leslie; Kennedy, James L; Steiner, Meir; Lydon, John; Gaudreau, Helene; Burack, Jacob A; Levitan, Robert; Meaney, Michael J; Wazana, Ashley

2017-08-01

Prenatal maternal depression and a multilocus genetic profile of two susceptibility genes implicated in the stress response were examined in an interaction model predicting negative emotionality in the first 3 years. In 179 mother-infant dyads from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability, and Neurodevelopment cohort, prenatal depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depressions Scale) was assessed at 24 to 36 weeks. The multilocus genetic profile score consisted of the number of susceptibility alleles from the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region gene (5-HTTLPR): no long-rs25531(A) (LA: short/short, short/long-rs25531(G) [LG], or LG/LG] vs. any LA) and the dopamine receptor D4 gene (six to eight repeats vs. two to five repeats). Negative emotionality was extracted from the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire-Revised at 3 and 6 months and the Early Child Behavior Questionnaire at 18 and 36 months. Mixed and confirmatory regression analyses indicated that prenatal depression and the multilocus genetic profile interacted to predict negative emotionality from 3 to 36 months. The results were characterized by a differential susceptibility model at 3 and 6 months and by a diathesis-stress model at 36 months.

Analysis of Underactuated Dynamic Locomotion Systems Using Perturbation Expansion: The Twistcar Toy Example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakon, Ofir; Or, Yizhar

2017-08-01

Underactuated robotic locomotion systems are commonly represented by nonholonomic constraints where in mixed systems, these constraints are also combined with momentum evolution equations. Such systems have been analyzed in the literature by exploiting symmetries and utilizing advanced geometric methods. These works typically assume that the shape variables are directly controlled, and obtain the system's solutions only via numerical integration. In this work, we demonstrate utilization of the perturbation expansion method for analyzing a model example of mixed locomotion system—the twistcar toy vehicle, which is a variant of the well-studied roller-racer model. The system is investigated by assuming small-amplitude oscillatory inputs of either steering angle (kinematic) or steering torque (mechanical), and explicit expansions for the system's solutions under both types of actuation are obtained. These expressions enable analyzing the dependence of the system's dynamic behavior on the vehicle's structural parameters and actuation type. In particular, we study the reversal in direction of motion under steering angle oscillations about the unfolded configuration, as well as influence of the choice of actuation type on convergence properties of the motion. Some of the findings are demonstrated qualitatively by reporting preliminary motion experiments with a modular robotic prototype of the vehicle.

Registering 2D and 3D imaging data of bone during healing.

PubMed

Hoerth, Rebecca M; Baum, Daniel; Knötel, David; Prohaska, Steffen; Willie, Bettina M; Duda, Georg N; Hege, Hans-Christian; Fratzl, Peter; Wagermaier, Wolfgang

2015-04-01

PURPOSE/AIMS OF THE STUDY: Bone's hierarchical structure can be visualized using a variety of methods. Many techniques, such as light and electron microscopy generate two-dimensional (2D) images, while micro-computed tomography (µCT) allows a direct representation of the three-dimensional (3D) structure. In addition, different methods provide complementary structural information, such as the arrangement of organic or inorganic compounds. The overall aim of the present study is to answer bone research questions by linking information of different 2D and 3D imaging techniques. A great challenge in combining different methods arises from the fact that they usually reflect different characteristics of the real structure. We investigated bone during healing by means of µCT and a couple of 2D methods. Backscattered electron images were used to qualitatively evaluate the tissue's calcium content and served as a position map for other experimental data. Nanoindentation and X-ray scattering experiments were performed to visualize mechanical and structural properties. We present an approach for the registration of 2D data in a 3D µCT reference frame, where scanning electron microscopies serve as a methodic link. Backscattered electron images are perfectly suited for registration into µCT reference frames, since both show structures based on the same physical principles. We introduce specific registration tools that have been developed to perform the registration process in a semi-automatic way. By applying this routine, we were able to exactly locate structural information (e.g. mineral particle properties) in the 3D bone volume. In bone healing studies this will help to better understand basic formation, remodeling and mineralization processes.

Linking market interaction intensity of 3D Ising type financial model with market volatility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Wen; Ke, Jinchuan; Wang, Jun; Feng, Ling

2016-11-01

Microscopic interaction models in physics have been used to investigate the complex phenomena of economic systems. The simple interactions involved can lead to complex behaviors and help the understanding of mechanisms in the financial market at a systemic level. This article aims to develop a financial time series model through 3D (three-dimensional) Ising dynamic system which is widely used as an interacting spins model to explain the ferromagnetism in physics. Through Monte Carlo simulations of the financial model and numerical analysis for both the simulation return time series and historical return data of Hushen 300 (HS300) index in Chinese stock market, we show that despite its simplicity, this model displays stylized facts similar to that seen in real financial market. We demonstrate a possible underlying link between volatility fluctuations of real stock market and the change in interaction strengths of market participants in the financial model. In particular, our stochastic interaction strength in our model demonstrates that the real market may be consistently operating near the critical point of the system.

Monolithically Integrated InGaAs Nanowires on 3D Structured Silicon-on-Insulator as a New Platform for Full Optical Links.

PubMed

Kim, Hyunseok; Farrell, Alan C; Senanayake, Pradeep; Lee, Wook-Jae; Huffaker, Diana L

2016-03-09

Monolithically integrated III-V semiconductors on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform can be used as a building block for energy-efficient on-chip optical links. Epitaxial growth of III-V semiconductors on silicon, however, has been challenged by the large mismatches in lattice constants and thermal expansion coefficients between epitaxial layers and silicon substrates. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the monolithic integration of InGaAs nanowires on the SOI platform and its feasibility for photonics and optoelectronic applications. InGaAs nanowires are grown not only on a planar SOI layer but also on a 3D structured SOI layer by catalyst-free metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The precise positioning of nanowires on 3D structures, including waveguides and gratings, reveals the versatility and practicality of the proposed platform. Photoluminescence measurements exhibit that the composition of ternary InGaAs nanowires grown on the SOI layer has wide tunability covering all telecommunication wavelengths from 1.2 to 1.8 μm. We also show that the emission from an optically pumped single nanowire is effectively coupled and transmitted through an SOI waveguide, explicitly showing that this work lays the foundation for a new platform toward energy-efficient optical links.

Dysprosium complexes with mono-/di-carboxylate ligands-From simple dimers to 2D and 3D frameworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yingjie; Bhadbhade, Mohan; Scales, Nicholas; Karatchevtseva, Inna; Price, Jason R.; Lu, Kim; Lumpkin, Gregory R.

2014-11-01

Four dysprosium (Dy) single carboxylates, a formate, a propionate, a butyrate and an oxalate have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The structure of Dy(HCO2)3 (1) contains nine-fold coordinated Dy polyhedra in perfect tricapped trigonal prisms. They are linked through trigonal O atoms forming 1D pillars which are further linked together through tricapped O atoms into a 3D pillared metal organic framework. The network structure is stable up to 360 °C. The structure of [Dy2(C2O4)3(H2O)6]·2.5H2O (2) contains nine-fold coordinated Dy polyhedra linking together through μ2-bridging oxalate anions into a 2D hexagonal layered structure. Both [Dy2(Pr)6(H2O)4]·(HPr)0.5 (3) [Pr=(C2H5CO2)-1] and [Dy2(Bu)6(H2O)4] (4) [Bu=(C3H7CO2)-1] have similar di-nuclear structures. The Raman vibration modes of the complexes have been investigated.

PLOT3D/AMES, GENERIC UNIX VERSION USING DISSPLA (WITH TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

PLOT3D/AMES, GENERIC UNIX VERSION USING DISSPLA (WITHOUT TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

Automated linking of suspicious findings between automated 3D breast ultrasound volumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubern-Mérida, Albert; Tan, Tao; van Zelst, Jan; Mann, Ritse M.; Karssemeijer, Nico

2016-03-01

Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) is a 3D imaging technique which is rapidly emerging as a safe and relatively inexpensive modality for screening of women with dense breasts. However, reading ABUS examinations is very time consuming task since radiologists need to manually identify suspicious findings in all the different ABUS volumes available for each patient. Image analysis techniques to automatically link findings across volumes are required to speed up clinical workflow and make ABUS screening more efficient. In this study, we propose an automated system to, given the location in the ABUS volume being inspected (source), find the corresponding location in a target volume. The target volume can be a different view of the same study or the same view from a prior examination. The algorithm was evaluated using 118 linkages between suspicious abnormalities annotated in a dataset of ABUS images of 27 patients participating in a high risk screening program. The distance between the predicted location and the center of the annotated lesion in the target volume was computed for evaluation. The mean ± stdev and median distance error achieved by the presented algorithm for linkages between volumes of the same study was 7.75±6.71 mm and 5.16 mm, respectively. The performance was 9.54±7.87 and 8.00 mm (mean ± stdev and median) for linkages between volumes from current and prior examinations. The proposed approach has the potential to minimize user interaction for finding correspondences among ABUS volumes.

Leader-follower formation control of underactuated surface vehicles based on sliding mode control and parameter estimation.

PubMed

Sun, Zhijian; Zhang, Guoqing; Lu, Yu; Zhang, Weidong

2018-01-01

This paper studies the leader-follower formation control of underactuated surface vehicles with model uncertainties and environmental disturbances. A parameter estimation and upper bound estimation based sliding mode control scheme is proposed to solve the problem of the unknown plant parameters and environmental disturbances. For each of these leader-follower formation systems, the dynamic equations of position and attitude are analyzed using coordinate transformation with the aid of the backstepping technique. All the variables are guaranteed to be uniformly ultimately bounded stable in the closed-loop system, which is proven by the distribution design Lyapunov function synthesis. The main advantages of this approach are that: first, parameter estimation based sliding mode control can enhance the robustness of the closed-loop system in presence of model uncertainties and environmental disturbances; second, a continuous function is developed to replace the signum function in the design of sliding mode scheme, which devotes to reduce the chattering of the control system. Finally, numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

X-linked primary ciliary dyskinesia due to mutations in the cytoplasmic axonemal dynein assembly factor PIH1D3

PubMed Central

Olcese, Chiara; Patel, Mitali P.; Shoemark, Amelia; Kiviluoto, Santeri; Legendre, Marie; Williams, Hywel J.; Vaughan, Cara K.; Hayward, Jane; Goldenberg, Alice; Emes, Richard D.; Munye, Mustafa M.; Dyer, Laura; Cahill, Thomas; Bevillard, Jeremy; Gehrig, Corinne; Guipponi, Michel; Chantot, Sandra; Duquesnoy, Philippe; Thomas, Lucie; Jeanson, Ludovic; Copin, Bruno; Tamalet, Aline; Thauvin-Robinet, Christel; Papon, Jean- François; Garin, Antoine; Pin, Isabelle; Vera, Gabriella; Aurora, Paul; Fassad, Mahmoud R.; Jenkins, Lucy; Boustred, Christopher; Cullup, Thomas; Dixon, Mellisa; Onoufriadis, Alexandros; Bush, Andrew; Chung, Eddie M. K.; Antonarakis, Stylianos E.; Loebinger, Michael R.; Wilson, Robert; Armengot, Miguel; Escudier, Estelle; Hogg, Claire; Al-Turki, Saeed; Anderson, Carl; Antony, Dinu; Barroso, Inês; Beales, Philip L.; Bentham, Jamie; Bhattacharya, Shoumo; Carss, Keren; Chatterjee, Krishna; Cirak, Sebahattin; Cosgrove, Catherine; Allan, Daly; Durbin, Richard; Fitzpatrick, David; Floyd, Jamie; Foley, A. Reghan; Franklin, Chris; Futema, Marta; Humphries, Steve E.; Hurles, Matt; McCarthy, Shane; Muddyman, Dawn; Muntoni, Francesco; Parker, Victoria; Payne, Felicity; Plagnol, Vincent; Raymond, Lucy; Savage, David B.; Scambler, Peter J.; Schmidts, Miriam; Semple, Robert; Serra, Eva; Stalker, Jim; van Kogelenberg, Margriet; Vijayarangakannan, Parthiban; Walter, Klaudia; Amselem, Serge; Sun, Zhaoxia; Bartoloni, Lucia; Blouin, Jean-Louis; Mitchison, Hannah M.

2017-01-01

By moving essential body fluids and molecules, motile cilia and flagella govern respiratory mucociliary clearance, laterality determination and the transport of gametes and cerebrospinal fluid. Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal recessive disorder frequently caused by non-assembly of dynein arm motors into cilia and flagella axonemes. Before their import into cilia and flagella, multi-subunit axonemal dynein arms are thought to be stabilized and pre-assembled in the cytoplasm through a DNAAF2–DNAAF4–HSP90 complex akin to the HSP90 co-chaperone R2TP complex. Here, we demonstrate that large genomic deletions as well as point mutations involving PIH1D3 are responsible for an X-linked form of PCD causing disruption of early axonemal dynein assembly. We propose that PIH1D3, a protein that emerges as a new player of the cytoplasmic pre-assembly pathway, is part of a complementary conserved R2TP-like HSP90 co-chaperone complex, the loss of which affects assembly of a subset of inner arm dyneins. PMID:28176794

X-linked primary ciliary dyskinesia due to mutations in the cytoplasmic axonemal dynein assembly factor PIH1D3.

PubMed

Olcese, Chiara; Patel, Mitali P; Shoemark, Amelia; Kiviluoto, Santeri; Legendre, Marie; Williams, Hywel J; Vaughan, Cara K; Hayward, Jane; Goldenberg, Alice; Emes, Richard D; Munye, Mustafa M; Dyer, Laura; Cahill, Thomas; Bevillard, Jeremy; Gehrig, Corinne; Guipponi, Michel; Chantot, Sandra; Duquesnoy, Philippe; Thomas, Lucie; Jeanson, Ludovic; Copin, Bruno; Tamalet, Aline; Thauvin-Robinet, Christel; Papon, Jean-François; Garin, Antoine; Pin, Isabelle; Vera, Gabriella; Aurora, Paul; Fassad, Mahmoud R; Jenkins, Lucy; Boustred, Christopher; Cullup, Thomas; Dixon, Mellisa; Onoufriadis, Alexandros; Bush, Andrew; Chung, Eddie M K; Antonarakis, Stylianos E; Loebinger, Michael R; Wilson, Robert; Armengot, Miguel; Escudier, Estelle; Hogg, Claire; Amselem, Serge; Sun, Zhaoxia; Bartoloni, Lucia; Blouin, Jean-Louis; Mitchison, Hannah M

2017-02-08

By moving essential body fluids and molecules, motile cilia and flagella govern respiratory mucociliary clearance, laterality determination and the transport of gametes and cerebrospinal fluid. Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal recessive disorder frequently caused by non-assembly of dynein arm motors into cilia and flagella axonemes. Before their import into cilia and flagella, multi-subunit axonemal dynein arms are thought to be stabilized and pre-assembled in the cytoplasm through a DNAAF2-DNAAF4-HSP90 complex akin to the HSP90 co-chaperone R2TP complex. Here, we demonstrate that large genomic deletions as well as point mutations involving PIH1D3 are responsible for an X-linked form of PCD causing disruption of early axonemal dynein assembly. We propose that PIH1D3, a protein that emerges as a new player of the cytoplasmic pre-assembly pathway, is part of a complementary conserved R2TP-like HSP90 co-chaperone complex, the loss of which affects assembly of a subset of inner arm dyneins.

2D and 3D assessment of sustentaculum tali screw fixation with or without Screw Targeting Clamp.

PubMed

De Boer, A Siebe; Van Lieshout, Esther M M; Vellekoop, Leonie; Knops, Simon P; Kleinrensink, Gert-Jan; Verhofstad, Michael H J

2017-12-01

Precise placement of sustentaculum tali screw(s) is essential for restoring anatomy and biomechanical stability of the calcaneus. This can be challenging due to the small target area and presence of neurovascular structures on the medial side. The aim was to evaluate the precision of positioning of the subchondral posterior facet screw and processus anterior calcanei screw with or without a Screw Targeting Clamp. The secondary aim was to evaluate the added value of peroperative 3D imaging over 2D radiographs alone. Twenty Anubifix™ embalmed, human anatomic lower limb specimens were used. A subchondral posterior facet screw and a processus anterior calcanei screw were placed using an extended lateral approach. A senior orthopedic trauma surgeon experienced in calcaneal fracture surgery and a senior resident with limited experience in calcaneal surgery performed screw fixation in five specimens with and in five specimens without the clamp. 2D lateral and axial radiographs and a 3D recording were obtained postoperatively. Anatomical dissection was performed postoperatively as a diagnostic golden standard in order to obtain the factual screw positions. Blinded assessment of quality of fixation was performed by two surgeons. In 2D, eight screws were considered malpositioned when placed with the targeting device versus nine placed freehand. In 3D recordings, two additional screws were malpositioned in each group as compared to the golden standard. As opposed to the senior surgeon, the senior resident seemed to get the best results using the Screw Targeting Clamp (number of malpositioned screws using freehand was eight, and using the targeting clamp five). In nine out of 20 specimens 3D images provided additional information concerning target area and intra-articular placement. Based on the 3D assessment, five additional screws would have required repositioning. Except for one, all screw positions were rated equally after dissection when compared with 3D examinations

An efficient synthesis of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 LC-biotin.

PubMed

Kattner, Lars; Bernardi, Dan

2017-10-01

In recent years the apparent impact of vitamin D deficiency on human health has gained increased awareness. Consequently, the development of appropriate assays to measure the status of medicinally most relevant vitamin D metabolites in human blood, serum or relevant tissue is continuously being improved. Particularly, assaying of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 , in turn considered as the most active metabolite, is mainly indicated in disorders leading to calcaemia or those resulting from an impaired 1α-hydroxylation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 . Thus, in some competitive protein binding and ELISA assays, biotin-linked 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 LC-biotin) is employed for measurement of actual calicitriol concentration. A new efficient synthesis of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 LC-biotin is described, starting with readily available vitamin D 2 , and combining a classical approach to access 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 , appropriate OH-protective group transformations, and a C-3-O-alkylation, suitable to connect the biotin-linker in a reliable, selective and high yielding strategy. The developed methodology is applicable to the synthesis of a wide variety of C-3-OH-linked vitamin D 3 and D 2 derivatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SpEnD: Linked Data SPARQL Endpoints Discovery Using Search Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yumusak, Semih; Dogdu, Erdogan; Kodaz, Halife; Kamilaris, Andreas; Vandenbussche, Pierre-Yves

In this study, a novel metacrawling method is proposed for discovering and monitoring linked data sources on the Web. We implemented the method in a prototype system, named SPARQL Endpoints Discovery (SpEnD). SpEnD starts with a "search keyword" discovery process for finding relevant keywords for the linked data domain and specifically SPARQL endpoints. Then, these search keywords are utilized to find linked data sources via popular search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, Yandex). By using this method, most of the currently listed SPARQL endpoints in existing endpoint repositories, as well as a significant number of new SPARQL endpoints, have been discovered. Finally, we have developed a new SPARQL endpoint crawler (SpEC) for crawling and link analysis.

Gaze3DFix: Detecting 3D fixations with an ellipsoidal bounding volume.

PubMed

Weber, Sascha; Schubert, Rebekka S; Vogt, Stefan; Velichkovsky, Boris M; Pannasch, Sebastian

2017-10-26

Nowadays, the use of eyetracking to determine 2-D gaze positions is common practice, and several approaches to the detection of 2-D fixations exist, but ready-to-use algorithms to determine eye movements in three dimensions are still missing. Here we present a dispersion-based algorithm with an ellipsoidal bounding volume that estimates 3D fixations. Therefore, 3D gaze points are obtained using a vector-based approach and are further processed with our algorithm. To evaluate the accuracy of our method, we performed experimental studies with real and virtual stimuli. We obtained good congruence between stimulus position and both the 3D gaze points and the 3D fixation locations within the tested range of 200-600 mm. The mean deviation of the 3D fixations from the stimulus positions was 17 mm for the real as well as for the virtual stimuli, with larger variances at increasing stimulus distances. The described algorithms are implemented in two dynamic linked libraries (Gaze3D.dll and Fixation3D.dll), and we provide a graphical user interface (Gaze3DFixGUI.exe) that is designed for importing 2-D binocular eyetracking data and calculating both 3D gaze points and 3D fixations using the libraries. The Gaze3DFix toolkit, including both libraries and the graphical user interface, is available as open-source software at https://github.com/applied-cognition-research/Gaze3DFix .

Pathways for Learning from 3D Technology

PubMed Central

Carrier, L. Mark; Rab, Saira S.; Rosen, Larry D.; Vasquez, Ludivina; Cheever, Nancy A.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to find out if 3D stereoscopic presentation of information in a movie format changes a viewer's experience of the movie content. Four possible pathways from 3D presentation to memory and learning were considered: a direct connection based on cognitive neuroscience research; a connection through "immersion" in that 3D presentations could provide additional sensorial cues (e.g., depth cues) that lead to a higher sense of being surrounded by the stimulus; a connection through general interest such that 3D presentation increases a viewer’s interest that leads to greater attention paid to the stimulus (e.g., "involvement"); and a connection through discomfort, with the 3D goggles causing discomfort that interferes with involvement and thus with memory. The memories of 396 participants who viewed two-dimensional (2D) or 3D movies at movie theaters in Southern California were tested. Within three days of viewing a movie, participants filled out an online anonymous questionnaire that queried them about their movie content memories, subjective movie-going experiences (including emotional reactions and "presence") and demographic backgrounds. The responses to the questionnaire were subjected to path analyses in which several different links between 3D presentation to memory (and other variables) were explored. The results showed there were no effects of 3D presentation, either directly or indirectly, upon memory. However, the largest effects of 3D presentation were on emotions and immersion, with 3D presentation leading to reduced positive emotions, increased negative emotions and lowered immersion, compared to 2D presentations. PMID:28078331

PLOT3D/AMES, DEC VAX VMS VERSION USING DISSPLA (WITHOUT TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P. G.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

PLOT3D/AMES, DEC VAX VMS VERSION USING DISSPLA (WITH TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

Bioresists from renewable resources as sustainable photoresins for 3D laser microlithography: material synthesis, cross-linking rate and characterization of the structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skliutas, Edvinas; KašÄ--taitÄ--, Sigita; GrigalevičiÅ«tÄ--, GiedrÄ--; Jonušauskas, Linas; RekštytÄ--, Sima; OstrauskaitÄ--, Jolita; Malinauskas, Mangirdas

2017-02-01

Stereolithography (SLA) allows rapid and accurate materialization of computer aided design (CAD) models into real objects out of photoreactive resin. Nowadays this technology has evolved to a widespread simple and flexible personal tabletop devices - three dimensional (3D) optical printers. However, most 3D SLA printers use commercially available resins which are not cheap and of limited applicability, often of unknown chemical ingredients and fixed to certain mechanical properties. For advanced research, it is important to have bio-resin appropriate to 3D print microscaffolds for cell proliferation and tissue engineering. To fill these requirements would be to use sources from bio-based resins, which can be made of naturally derived oils. Chosen substances glycerol diglycidyl ether and epoxidized linseed oil can be obtained from renewable recourses, are biodegradable and can be synthesized as sustainable photosensitive materials.1 UV (ff=365 nm) lithography was employed to determine their photocross-linking rate and cured material properties. After exposing material to UV radiation through a micro-patterned amplitude mask selective photopolymerization was observed. Acetone was used as a solvent to dissolve UV unaffected area and leaving only exposed microstructures on the substrate. The resins were compared to FormLabs Form Clear and Autodesk Ember PR48 as standard stereolithography materials. Finally, 3D microporous woodpile scaffolds were printed out of commercial resins and cells adhesion in them were explored.

Leukocyte telomere length and personality: associations with the Big Five and Type D personality traits.

PubMed

Schoormans, D; Verhoeven, J E; Denollet, J; van de Poll-Franse, L; Penninx, B W J H

2018-04-01

Backgrounds Accelerated cellular ageing, which can be examined by telomere length (TL), may be an overarching mechanism underlying the association between personality and adverse health outcomes. This 6-year longitudinal study examined the relation between personality and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) across time among adults with a wide age-range. Data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety were used and included patients with a depression and/or anxiety disorder and healthy controls. Overall, 2936 persons (18-65 years, 66% female) had data on LTL at baseline and 1883 persons had LTL at 6-year follow-up. The Big Five personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) and Type D personality were assessed. Neuroticism was negatively (B = -2.11, p = 0.03) and agreeableness was positively (B = 3.84, p = 0.03) related to LTL measured across two time points, which became just non-significant after adjusting for somatic health, lifestyle factors, and recent life stress (B = -1.99, p = 0.06; and B = 3.01, p = 0.10). Type D personality was negatively (B = -50.16, p < 0.01) related to LTL across two time points, which still remained statistically significant after full adjustment (B = -47.37, p = 0.01). Associations did not differ by age, gender, and current psychiatric status. The Big Five traits high neuroticism and low agreeableness, and Type D personality were associated with shorter LTL measured across a 6-year period. Associations with the Big Five traits became non-significant after controlling for somatic health, lifestyle factors, and recent life stress, yet similar trends were observed. Type D personality remained independently associated with shorter LTL after full adjustment.

On the Possible Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiovascular Disease

MedlinePlus

... the Possible Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiovascular Disease Should We D-Lighten Our Lives? Pelle G. ... Individuals with heart failure, hypertension, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) tend to have lower vitamin D levels ...

The three-dimensional Event-Driven Graphics Environment (3D-EDGE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freedman, Jeffrey; Hahn, Roger; Schwartz, David M.

1993-01-01

Stanford Telecom developed the Three-Dimensional Event-Driven Graphics Environment (3D-EDGE) for NASA GSFC's (GSFC) Communications Link Analysis and Simulation System (CLASS). 3D-EDGE consists of a library of object-oriented subroutines which allow engineers with little or no computer graphics experience to programmatically manipulate, render, animate, and access complex three-dimensional objects.

PLOT3D/AMES, UNIX SUPERCOMPUTER AND SGI IRIS VERSION (WITHOUT TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

PLOT3D/AMES, UNIX SUPERCOMPUTER AND SGI IRIS VERSION (WITH TURB3D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, P.

1994-01-01

PLOT3D is an interactive graphics program designed to help scientists visualize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) grids and solutions. Today, supercomputers and CFD algorithms can provide scientists with simulations of such highly complex phenomena that obtaining an understanding of the simulations has become a major problem. Tools which help the scientist visualize the simulations can be of tremendous aid. PLOT3D/AMES offers more functions and features, and has been adapted for more types of computers than any other CFD graphics program. Version 3.6b+ is supported for five computers and graphic libraries. Using PLOT3D, CFD physicists can view their computational models from any angle, observing the physics of problems and the quality of solutions. As an aid in designing aircraft, for example, PLOT3D's interactive computer graphics can show vortices, temperature, reverse flow, pressure, and dozens of other characteristics of air flow during flight. As critical areas become obvious, they can easily be studied more closely using a finer grid. PLOT3D is part of a computational fluid dynamics software cycle. First, a program such as 3DGRAPE (ARC-12620) helps the scientist generate computational grids to model an object and its surrounding space. Once the grids have been designed and parameters such as the angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number have been specified, a "flow-solver" program such as INS3D (ARC-11794 or COS-10019) solves the system of equations governing fluid flow, usually on a supercomputer. Grids sometimes have as many as two million points, and the "flow-solver" produces a solution file which contains density, x- y- and z-momentum, and stagnation energy for each grid point. With such a solution file and a grid file containing up to 50 grids as input, PLOT3D can calculate and graphically display any one of 74 functions, including shock waves, surface pressure, velocity vectors, and particle traces. PLOT3D's 74 functions are organized into

Crossed wires: 3D genome misfolding in human disease.

PubMed

Norton, Heidi K; Phillips-Cremins, Jennifer E

2017-11-06

Mammalian genomes are folded into unique topological structures that undergo precise spatiotemporal restructuring during healthy development. Here, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of how the genome folds inside the 3D nucleus and how these folding patterns are miswired during the onset and progression of mammalian disease states. We discuss potential mechanisms underlying the link among genome misfolding, genome dysregulation, and aberrant cellular phenotypes. We also discuss cases in which the endogenous 3D genome configurations in healthy cells might be particularly susceptible to mutation or translocation. Together, these data support an emerging model in which genome folding and misfolding is critically linked to the onset and progression of a broad range of human diseases. © 2017 Norton and Phillips-Cremins.

3D kinematics using dual quaternions: theory and applications in neuroscience

PubMed Central

Leclercq, Guillaume; Lefèvre, Philippe; Blohm, Gunnar

2013-01-01

In behavioral neuroscience, many experiments are developed in 1 or 2 spatial dimensions, but when scientists tackle problems in 3-dimensions (3D), they often face problems or new challenges. Results obtained for lower dimensions are not always extendable in 3D. In motor planning of eye, gaze or arm movements, or sensorimotor transformation problems, the 3D kinematics of external (stimuli) or internal (body parts) must often be considered: how to describe the 3D position and orientation of these objects and link them together? We describe how dual quaternions provide a convenient way to describe the 3D kinematics for position only (point transformation) or for combined position and orientation (through line transformation), easily modeling rotations, translations or screw motions or combinations of these. We also derive expressions for the velocities of points and lines as well as the transformation velocities. Then, we apply these tools to a motor planning task for manual tracking and to the modeling of forward and inverse kinematics of a seven-dof three-link arm to show the interest of dual quaternions as a tool to build models for these kinds of applications. PMID:23443667

Compact and low-cost humanoid hand powered by nylon artificial muscles.

PubMed

Wu, Lianjun; Jung de Andrade, Monica; Saharan, Lokesh Kumar; Rome, Richard Steven; Baughman, Ray H; Tadesse, Yonas

2017-02-03

This paper focuses on design, fabrication and characterization of a biomimetic, compact, low-cost and lightweight 3D printed humanoid hand (TCP Hand) that is actuated by twisted and coiled polymeric (TCP) artificial muscles. The TCP muscles were recently introduced and provided unprecedented strain, mechanical work, and lifecycle (Haines et al 2014 Science 343 868-72). The five-fingered humanoid hand is under-actuated and has 16 degrees of freedom (DOF) in total (15 for fingers and 1 at the palm). In the under-actuated hand designs, a single actuator provides coupled motions at the phalanges of each finger. Two different designs are presented along with the essential elements consisting of actuators, springs, tendons and guide systems. Experiments were conducted to investigate the performance of the TCP muscles in response to the power input (power magnitude, type of wave form such as pulsed or square wave, and pulse duration) and the resulting actuation stroke and force generation. A kinematic model of the flexor tendons was developed to simulate the flexion motion and compare with experimental results. For fast finger movements, short high-power pulses were employed. Finally, we demonstrated the grasping of various objects using the humanoid TCP hand showing an array of functions similar to a natural hand.

Low vitamin D3 and high anti-Müllerian hormone serum levels in the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Is there a link?

PubMed

Cappy, Hélène; Giacobini, Paolo; Pigny, Pascal; Bruyneel, Aude; Leroy-Billiard, Maryse; Dewailly, Didier; Catteau-Jonard, Sophie

2016-10-01

Low vitamin D serum level has been reported in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared to controls. A few in vitro studies showed that the bioactive form of vitamin D is able to modulate the expression of the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) gene. However, in vivo studies failed to demonstrate clearly whether low vitamin D3 serum level is involved in the AMH excess of PCOS. This prospective study evaluates serum vitamin D3 and AMH levels in women with PCOS and in controls, before and after vitamin D supplementation. Among vitamin D deficient patients, 23 patients with PCOS were compared to 27 women with normal ovarian reserve (NOR). The vitamin D deficient patients received a vitamin D supplementation according to the depth of their insufficiency. For the 23 patients with PCOS and the 27 controls, serum AMH assay and serum calciotropic hormone assays [25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25[OH] 2 D) and parathyroid hormone (PTH)] were performed before and after supplementation. Serum 25(OH)D levels before treatment were statistically lower in PCOS women than in NOR patients (P<0.05), even after adjustment for BMI, age and AMH level, but not after adjustment for waist circumference measurement. No difference in the serum AMH levels before and after treatment was observed neither in PCOS patients nor in NOR patients. In both groups, 25(OH)D serum levels were not related to serum AMH levels, serum 1,25(OH) 2 D and serum PTH levels, before and after treatment. We found no evidence that serum calciotropic hormones are linked to circulating AMH levels, particularly in PCOS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

D14-SCFD3-dependent degradation of D53 regulates strigolactone signaling

PubMed Central

Zhou, Feng; Lin, Qibing; Zhu, Lihong; Ren, Yulong; Zhou, Kunneng; Shabek, Nitzan; Wu, Fuqing; Mao, Haibin; Dong, Wei; Gan, Lu; Ma, Weiwei; Gao, He; Chen, Jun; Yang, Chao; Wang, Dan; Tan, Junjie; Zhang, Xin; Guo, Xiuping; Wang, Jiulin; Jiang, Ling; Liu, Xi; Chen, Weiqi; Chu, Jinfang; Yan, Cunyu; Ueno, Kotomi; Ito, Shinsaku; Asami, Tadao; Cheng, Zhijun; Wang, Jie; Lei, Cailin; Zhai, Huqu; Wu, Chuanyin; Wang, Haiyang; Zheng, Ning; Wan, Jianmin

2014-01-01

Strigolactones (SLs) are a new class of carotenoid-derived phytohormones essential for developmental processes shaping plant architecture and interactions with parasitic weeds and symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Despite the rapid progress in elucidating the SL biosynthetic pathway, the perception and signaling mechanisms of SL remain poorly understood. Here we show that DWARF53 (D53) acts as a repressor of SL signaling and SLs induce its degradation. We found that the rice d53 mutant, which produces an exaggerated number of tillers compared to wild type plants, is caused by a gain-of-function mutation and is insensitive to exogenous SL treatment. The D53 gene product shares predicted features with the class I Clp ATPase proteins and can form a complex with the α/β hydrolase protein DWARF14 (D14) and the F-box protein DWARF3 (D3), two previously identified signaling components potentially responsible for SL perception. We demonstrate that, in a D14- and D3-dependent manner, SLs induce D53 degradation by the proteasome and abrogate its activity in promoting axillary bud outgrowth. Our combined genetic and biochemical data reveal that D53 acts as a repressor of the SL signaling pathway, whose hormone-induced degradation represents a key molecular link between SL perception and responses. PMID:24336215

Biomimetic Inks Based on Cellulose Nanofibrils and Cross-Linkable Xylans for 3D Printing.

PubMed

Markstedt, Kajsa; Escalante, Alfredo; Toriz, Guillermo; Gatenholm, Paul

2017-11-22

This paper presents a sustainable all-wood-based ink which can be used for 3D printing of constructs for a large variety of applications such as clothes, furniture, electronics, and health care products with a customized design and versatile gel properties. The 3D printing technologies where the material is dispensed in the form of liquids, so called inks, have proven suitable for 3D printing dispersions of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) because of their unique shear thinning properties. In this study, novel inks were developed with a biomimetic approach where the structural properties of cellulose and the cross-linking function of hemicelluloses that are found in the plant cell wall were utilized. The CNF was mixed with xylan, a hemicellulose extracted from spruce, to introduce cross-linking properties which are essential for the final stability of the printed ink. For xylan to be cross-linkable, it was functionalized with tyramine at different degrees. Evaluation of different ink compositions by rheology measurements and 3D printing tests showed that the degree of tyramine substitution and the ratio of CNFs to xylan-tyramine in the prepared inks influenced the printability and cross-linking density. Both two-layered gridded structures and more complex 3D constructs were printed. Similarly to conventional composites, the interactions between the components and their miscibility are important for the stability of the printed and cross-linked ink. Thus, the influence of tyramine on the adsorption of xylan to cellulose was studied with a quartz crystal microbalance to verify that the functionalization had little influence on xylan's adsorption to cellulose. Utilizing xylan-tyramine in the CNF dispersions resulted in all-wood-based inks which after 3D printing can be cross-linked to form freestanding gels while at the same time, the excellent printing properties of CNFs remain intact.

Graph-based segmentation for RGB-D data using 3-D geometry enhanced superpixels.

PubMed

Yang, Jingyu; Gan, Ziqiao; Li, Kun; Hou, Chunping

2015-05-01

With the advances of depth sensing technologies, color image plus depth information (referred to as RGB-D data hereafter) is more and more popular for comprehensive description of 3-D scenes. This paper proposes a two-stage segmentation method for RGB-D data: 1) oversegmentation by 3-D geometry enhanced superpixels and 2) graph-based merging with label cost from superpixels. In the oversegmentation stage, 3-D geometrical information is reconstructed from the depth map. Then, a K-means-like clustering method is applied to the RGB-D data for oversegmentation using an 8-D distance metric constructed from both color and 3-D geometrical information. In the merging stage, treating each superpixel as a node, a graph-based model is set up to relabel the superpixels into semantically-coherent segments. In the graph-based model, RGB-D proximity, texture similarity, and boundary continuity are incorporated into the smoothness term to exploit the correlations of neighboring superpixels. To obtain a compact labeling, the label term is designed to penalize labels linking to similar superpixels that likely belong to the same object. Both the proposed 3-D geometry enhanced superpixel clustering method and the graph-based merging method from superpixels are evaluated by qualitative and quantitative results. By the fusion of color and depth information, the proposed method achieves superior segmentation performance over several state-of-the-art algorithms.

3D display considerations for rugged airborne environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnidge, Tracy J.; Tchon, Joseph L.

2015-05-01

The KC-46 is the next generation, multi-role, aerial refueling tanker aircraft being developed by Boeing for the United States Air Force. Rockwell Collins has developed the Remote Vision System (RVS) that supports aerial refueling operations under a variety of conditions. The system utilizes large-area, high-resolution 3D displays linked with remote sensors to enhance the operator's visual acuity for precise aerial refueling control. This paper reviews the design considerations, trade-offs, and other factors related to the selection and ruggedization of the 3D display technology for this military application.

Recent advances in 3D printing of biomaterials.

PubMed

Chia, Helena N; Wu, Benjamin M

2015-01-01

3D Printing promises to produce complex biomedical devices according to computer design using patient-specific anatomical data. Since its initial use as pre-surgical visualization models and tooling molds, 3D Printing has slowly evolved to create one-of-a-kind devices, implants, scaffolds for tissue engineering, diagnostic platforms, and drug delivery systems. Fueled by the recent explosion in public interest and access to affordable printers, there is renewed interest to combine stem cells with custom 3D scaffolds for personalized regenerative medicine. Before 3D Printing can be used routinely for the regeneration of complex tissues (e.g. bone, cartilage, muscles, vessels, nerves in the craniomaxillofacial complex), and complex organs with intricate 3D microarchitecture (e.g. liver, lymphoid organs), several technological limitations must be addressed. In this review, the major materials and technology advances within the last five years for each of the common 3D Printing technologies (Three Dimensional Printing, Fused Deposition Modeling, Selective Laser Sintering, Stereolithography, and 3D Plotting/Direct-Write/Bioprinting) are described. Examples are highlighted to illustrate progress of each technology in tissue engineering, and key limitations are identified to motivate future research and advance this fascinating field of advanced manufacturing.

Synthesis and antifungal activities of 3-alkyl substituted thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidinones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H. M.; Deng, S. H.; Zheng, A. H.; Zhang, Q. Y.; Chen, X. B.; Zeng, X. H.; Hu, Y. G.

2016-08-01

The 3-aryl substituted thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidinones 3 by sequential reaction of iminophosphorane 1, aromatic isocyanates and various nucleophiles (HY), found some compounds showed good antitumor and antibacterial activities. Meanwhile, aliphatic isocyanates were applied in the reaction to prepare 3-alkyl substituted thieno[2,3- d]pyrimidinones, but there are no reports of their antifungal activities. As a continuation of our research for new biologically active heterocycles, we herein wish to report a facile synthesis and antifungal activities of 3-alkyl substituted thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidinones 6 via easily accessible iminophosphorane 1. The growth inhibitory effect of one concentration (50mg/L) of compounds 6 against five fungus(Fusarium oxysporium, Rhizoctonia solani, Colletotrichum gossypii, Gibberella zeae and Dothiorella gregaria) in vitro was tested by the method of toxic medium. Compound 6d showed the best inhibition rate against Gibberella zeae with 85.68%.

Interactive 3D segmentation using connected orthogonal contours.

PubMed

de Bruin, P W; Dercksen, V J; Post, F H; Vossepoel, A M; Streekstra, G J; Vos, F M

2005-05-01

This paper describes a new method for interactive segmentation that is based on cross-sectional design and 3D modelling. The method represents a 3D model by a set of connected contours that are planar and orthogonal. Planar contours overlayed on image data are easily manipulated and linked contours reduce the amount of user interaction.1 This method solves the contour-to-contour correspondence problem and can capture extrema of objects in a more flexible way than manual segmentation of a stack of 2D images. The resulting 3D model is guaranteed to be free of geometric and topological errors. We show that manual segmentation using connected orthogonal contours has great advantages over conventional manual segmentation. Furthermore, the method provides effective feedback and control for creating an initial model for, and control and steering of, (semi-)automatic segmentation methods.

Motion robust high resolution 3D free-breathing pulmonary MRI using dynamic 3D image self-navigator.

PubMed

Jiang, Wenwen; Ong, Frank; Johnson, Kevin M; Nagle, Scott K; Hope, Thomas A; Lustig, Michael; Larson, Peder E Z

2018-06-01

To achieve motion robust high resolution 3D free-breathing pulmonary MRI utilizing a novel dynamic 3D image navigator derived directly from imaging data. Five-minute free-breathing scans were acquired with a 3D ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequence with 1.25 mm isotropic resolution. From this data, dynamic 3D self-navigating images were reconstructed under locally low rank (LLR) constraints and used for motion compensation with one of two methods: a soft-gating technique to penalize the respiratory motion induced data inconsistency, and a respiratory motion-resolved technique to provide images of all respiratory motion states. Respiratory motion estimation derived from the proposed dynamic 3D self-navigator of 7.5 mm isotropic reconstruction resolution and a temporal resolution of 300 ms was successful for estimating complex respiratory motion patterns. This estimation improved image quality compared to respiratory belt and DC-based navigators. Respiratory motion compensation with soft-gating and respiratory motion-resolved techniques provided good image quality from highly undersampled data in volunteers and clinical patients. An optimized 3D UTE sequence combined with the proposed reconstruction methods can provide high-resolution motion robust pulmonary MRI. Feasibility was shown in patients who had irregular breathing patterns in which our approach could depict clinically relevant pulmonary pathologies. Magn Reson Med 79:2954-2967, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Detailed 3D representations for object recognition and modeling.

PubMed

Zia, M Zeeshan; Stark, Michael; Schiele, Bernt; Schindler, Konrad

2013-11-01

Geometric 3D reasoning at the level of objects has received renewed attention recently in the context of visual scene understanding. The level of geometric detail, however, is typically limited to qualitative representations or coarse boxes. This is linked to the fact that today's object class detectors are tuned toward robust 2D matching rather than accurate 3D geometry, encouraged by bounding-box-based benchmarks such as Pascal VOC. In this paper, we revisit ideas from the early days of computer vision, namely, detailed, 3D geometric object class representations for recognition. These representations can recover geometrically far more accurate object hypotheses than just bounding boxes, including continuous estimates of object pose and 3D wireframes with relative 3D positions of object parts. In combination with robust techniques for shape description and inference, we outperform state-of-the-art results in monocular 3D pose estimation. In a series of experiments, we analyze our approach in detail and demonstrate novel applications enabled by such an object class representation, such as fine-grained categorization of cars and bicycles, according to their 3D geometry, and ultrawide baseline matching.

3D printing of normal and pathologic tricuspid valves from transthoracic 3D echocardiography data sets.

PubMed

Muraru, Denisa; Veronesi, Federico; Maddalozzo, Anna; Dequal, Daniele; Frajhof, Leonardo; Rabischoffsky, Arnaldo; Iliceto, Sabino; Badano, Luigi P

2017-07-01

To explore the feasibility of using transthoracic 3D echocardiography (3DTTE) data to generate 3D patient-specific models of tricuspid valve (TV). Multi-beat 3D data sets of the TV (32 vol/s) were acquired in five subjects with various TV morphologies from the apical approach and analysed offline with custom-made software. Coordinates representing the annulus and the leaflets were imported into MeshLab (Visual Computing Lab ISTICNR) to develop solid models to be converted to stereolithographic file format and 3D print. Measurements of the TV annulus antero-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) diameters, perimeter (P), and TV tenting height (H) and volume (V) obtained from the 3D echo data set were compared with those performed on the 3D models using a caliper, a syringe and a millimeter tape. Antero-posterior (4.2 ± 0.2 cm vs. 4.2 ± 0 cm), ML (3.7 ± 0.2 cm vs. 3.6 ± 0.1 cm), P (12.6 ± 0.2 cm vs. 12.7 ± 0.1 cm), H (11.2 ± 2.1 mm vs. 10.8 ± 2.1 mm) and V (3.0 ± 0.6 ml vs. 2.8 ± 1.4 ml) were similar (P = NS for all) when measured on the 3D data set and the printed model. The two sets of measurements were highly correlated (r = 0.991). The mean absolute error (2D - 3D) for AP, ML, P and tenting H was 0.7 ± 0.3 mm, indicating accuracy of the 3D model of <1 mm. Three-dimensional printing of the TV from 3DTTE data is feasible with highly conserved fidelity. This technique has the potential for rapid integration into clinical practice to assist with decision-making, surgical planning, and teaching. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Topological Vortex and Knotted Dissipative Optical 3D Solitons Generated by 2D Vortex Solitons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veretenov, N. A.; Fedorov, S. V.; Rosanov, N. N.

2017-12-01

We predict a new class of three-dimensional (3D) topological dissipative optical one-component solitons in homogeneous laser media with fast saturable absorption. Their skeletons formed by vortex lines where the field vanishes are tangles, i.e., Nc knotted or unknotted, linked or unlinked closed lines and M unclosed lines that thread all the closed lines and end at the infinitely far soliton periphery. They are generated by embedding two-dimensional laser solitons or their complexes in 3D space after their rotation around an unclosed, infinite vortex line with topological charge M0 (Nc , M , and M0 are integers). With such structure propagation, the "hula-hoop" solitons form; their stability is confirmed numerically. For the solitons found, all vortex lines have unit topological charge: the number of closed lines Nc=1 and 2 (unknots, trefoils, and Solomon knots links); unclosed vortex lines are unknotted and unlinked, their number M =1 , 2, and 3.

Topological Vortex and Knotted Dissipative Optical 3D Solitons Generated by 2D Vortex Solitons.

PubMed

Veretenov, N A; Fedorov, S V; Rosanov, N N

2017-12-29

We predict a new class of three-dimensional (3D) topological dissipative optical one-component solitons in homogeneous laser media with fast saturable absorption. Their skeletons formed by vortex lines where the field vanishes are tangles, i.e., N_{c} knotted or unknotted, linked or unlinked closed lines and M unclosed lines that thread all the closed lines and end at the infinitely far soliton periphery. They are generated by embedding two-dimensional laser solitons or their complexes in 3D space after their rotation around an unclosed, infinite vortex line with topological charge M_{0} (N_{c}, M, and M_{0} are integers). With such structure propagation, the "hula-hoop" solitons form; their stability is confirmed numerically. For the solitons found, all vortex lines have unit topological charge: the number of closed lines N_{c}=1 and 2 (unknots, trefoils, and Solomon knots links); unclosed vortex lines are unknotted and unlinked, their number M=1, 2, and 3.

Fibril growth kinetics link buffer conditions and topology of 3D collagen I networks.

PubMed

Kalbitzer, Liv; Pompe, Tilo

2018-02-01

Three-dimensional fibrillar networks reconstituted from collagen I are widely used as biomimetic scaffolds for in vitro and in vivo cell studies. Various physicochemical parameters of buffer conditions for in vitro fibril formation are well known, including pH-value, ion concentrations and temperature. However, there is a lack of a detailed understanding of reconstituting well-defined 3D network topologies, which is required to mimic specific properties of the native extracellular matrix. We screened a wide range of relevant physicochemical buffer conditions and characterized the topology of the reconstituted 3D networks in terms of mean pore size and fibril diameter. A congruent analysis of fibril formation kinetics by turbidimetry revealed the adjustment of the lateral growth phase of fibrils by buffer conditions to be key in the determination of pore size and fibril diameter of the networks. Although the kinetics of nucleation and linear growth phase were affected by buffer conditions as well, network topology was independent of those two growth phases. Overall, the results of our study provide necessary insights into how to engineer 3D collagen matrices with an independent control over topology parameters, in order to mimic in vivo tissues in in vitro experiments and tissue engineering applications. The study reports a comprehensive analysis of physicochemical conditions of buffer solutions to reconstitute defined 3D collagen I matrices. By a combined analysis of network topology, i.e., pore size and fibril diameter, and the kinetics of fibril formation we can reveal the dependence of 3D network topology on buffer conditions, such as pH-value, phosphate concentration and sodium chloride content. With those results we are now able to provide engineering strategies to independently tune the topology parameters of widely used 3D collagen scaffolds based on the buffer conditions. By that, we enable the straightforward mimicking of extracellular matrices of in vivo

Covalent cross-linking as a strategy to generate novel materials based on layered (2D) and other low D structures.

PubMed

Rao, C N R; Pramoda, K; Kumar, Ram

2017-09-12

Covalent linking of 2D structures such as graphene, MoS 2 and C 3 N 4 by employing coupling reactions provides a strategy to generate a variety of materials with new or improved properties. These materials in a way provide the counter point based on covalent bonds to the van der Waals heterostructures. In this article, we describe materials obtained by linking graphene, MoS 2 and BN with other layered structures and also with one-dimensional nanotubes and zero-dimensional MOFs and MOPs. Novel properties of the materials relate not only to porosity, surface area and gas adsorption, but also to supercapacitor characterstics, mechanical properties and the hydrogen evolution reaction. It should be possible to discover many more interesting structures and materials by employing the cross-linking strategy described here.

A novel five-wire micro anemometer with 3D directionality for low speed air flow detection and acoustic particle velocity detecting capability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhe; Chang, Wenhan; Gao, Chengchen; Hao, Yilong

2018-04-01

In this paper, a novel five-wire micro-fabricated anemometer with 3D directionality based on calorimetric principle is proposed, which is capable of measuring low speed airflow. This structure is realized by vertically bonding two different dies, which can be fabricated on the same wafer resulting in a simple fabrication process. Experiments on speed lower than 200 mm s-1 are conducted, showing good repeatability and directionality. The speed of airflow is controlled by the volumetric flow rate. The measured velocity sensitivity is 9.4 mV · s m-1, with relative direction sensitivity of 37.1 dB. The deviation between the expected and the measured directivity is analyzed by both theories and simulations. A correction procedure is proposed and turns out to be useful to eliminate this deviation. To further explore the potential of our device, we expose it to acoustic plane waves in a standing wave tube, showing consistent planar directivity of figure of eight. The measured velocity sensitivity at 1 kHz and 120 dBC is 4.4 mV · s m-1, with relative direction sensitivity of 27.0 dB. By using the correction method proposed above, the maximum angle error is about  ±2°, showing its good directionality accuracy.

Automatic 3D high-fidelity traffic interchange modeling using 2D road GIS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jie; Shen, Yuzhong

2011-03-01

3D road models are widely used in many computer applications such as racing games and driving simulations. However, almost all high-fidelity 3D road models were generated manually by professional artists at the expense of intensive labor. There are very few existing methods for automatically generating 3D high-fidelity road networks, especially for those existing in the real world. Real road network contains various elements such as road segments, road intersections and traffic interchanges. Among them, traffic interchanges present the most challenges to model due to their complexity and the lack of height information (vertical position) of traffic interchanges in existing road GIS data. This paper proposes a novel approach that can automatically produce 3D high-fidelity road network models, including traffic interchange models, from real 2D road GIS data that mainly contain road centerline information. The proposed method consists of several steps. The raw road GIS data are first preprocessed to extract road network topology, merge redundant links, and classify road types. Then overlapped points in the interchanges are detected and their elevations are determined based on a set of level estimation rules. Parametric representations of the road centerlines are then generated through link segmentation and fitting, and they have the advantages of arbitrary levels of detail with reduced memory usage. Finally a set of civil engineering rules for road design (e.g., cross slope, superelevation) are selected and used to generate realistic road surfaces. In addition to traffic interchange modeling, the proposed method also applies to other more general road elements. Preliminary results show that the proposed method is highly effective and useful in many applications.

The 3D genome in transcriptional regulation and pluripotency.

PubMed

Gorkin, David U; Leung, Danny; Ren, Bing

2014-06-05

It can be convenient to think of the genome as simply a string of nucleotides, the linear order of which encodes an organism's genetic blueprint. However, the genome does not exist as a linear entity within cells where this blueprint is actually utilized. Inside the nucleus, the genome is organized in three-dimensional (3D) space, and lineage-specific transcriptional programs that direct stem cell fate are implemented in this native 3D context. Here, we review principles of 3D genome organization in mammalian cells. We focus on the emerging relationship between genome organization and lineage-specific transcriptional regulation, which we argue are inextricably linked. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extending 3D city models with legal information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, A. U.; Fuhrmann, T.; Navratil, G.

2012-10-01

3D city models represent existing physical objects and their topological and functional relations. In everyday life the rights and responsibilities connected to these objects, primarily legally defined rights and obligations but also other socially and culturally established rights, are of importance. The rights and obligations are defined in various laws and it is often difficult to identify the rules applicable for a certain case. The existing 2D cadastres show civil law rights and obligations and plans to extend them to provide information about public law restrictions for land use are in several countries under way. It is tempting to design extensions to the 3D city models to provide information about legal rights in 3D. The paper analyses the different types of information that are needed to reduce conflicts and to facilitate decisions about land use. We identify the role 3D city models augmented with planning information in 3D can play, but do not advocate a general conversion from 2D to 3D for the legal cadastre. Space is not anisotropic and the up/down dimension is practically very different from the two dimensional plane - this difference must be respected when designing spatial information systems. The conclusions are: (1) continue the current regime for ownership of apartments, which is not ownership of a 3D volume, but co-ownership of a building with exclusive use of some rooms; such exclusive use rights could be shown in a 3D city model; (2) ownership of 3D volumes for complex and unusual building situations can be reported in a 3D city model, but are not required everywhere; (3) indicate restrictions for land use and building in 3D city models, with links to the legal sources.

3D-printing of undisturbed soil imaged by X-ray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bacher, Matthias; Koestel, John; Schwen, Andreas

2014-05-01

The unique pore structures in Soils are altered easily by water flow. Each sample has a different morphology and the results of repetitions vary as well. Soil macropores in 3D-printed durable material avoid erosion and have a known morphology. Therefore potential and limitations of reproducing an undisturbed soil sample by 3D-printing was evaluated. We scanned an undisturbed soil column of Ultuna clay soil with a diameter of 7 cm by micro X-ray computer tomography at a resolution of 51 micron. A subsample cube of 2.03 cm length with connected macropores was cut out from this 3D-image and printed in five different materials by a 3D-printing service provider. The materials were ABS, Alumide, High Detail Resin, Polyamide and Prime Grey. The five print-outs of the subsample were tested on their hydraulic conductivity by using the falling head method. The hydrophobicity was tested by an adapted sessile drop method. To determine the morphology of the print-outs and compare it to the real soil also the print-outs were scanned by X-ray. The images were analysed with the open source program ImageJ. The five 3D-image print-outs copied from the subsample of the soil column were compared by means of their macropore network connectivity, porosity, surface volume, tortuosity and skeleton. The comparison of pore morphology between the real soil and the print-outs showed that Polyamide reproduced the soil macropore structure best while Alumide print-out was the least detailed. Only the largest macropore was represented in all five print-outs. Printing residual material or printing aid material remained in and clogged the pores of all print-out materials apart from Prime Grey. Therefore infiltration was blocked in these print-outs and the materials are not suitable even though the 3D-printed pore shapes were well reproduced. All of the investigated materials were insoluble. The sessile drop method showed angles between 53 and 85 degrees. Prime Grey had the fastest flow rate; the

An Effective 3D Shape Descriptor for Object Recognition with RGB-D Sensors

PubMed Central

Liu, Zhong; Zhao, Changchen; Wu, Xingming; Chen, Weihai

2017-01-01

RGB-D sensors have been widely used in various areas of computer vision and graphics. A good descriptor will effectively improve the performance of operation. This article further analyzes the recognition performance of shape features extracted from multi-modality source data using RGB-D sensors. A hybrid shape descriptor is proposed as a representation of objects for recognition. We first extracted five 2D shape features from contour-based images and five 3D shape features over point cloud data to capture the global and local shape characteristics of an object. The recognition performance was tested for category recognition and instance recognition. Experimental results show that the proposed shape descriptor outperforms several common global-to-global shape descriptors and is comparable to some partial-to-global shape descriptors that achieved the best accuracies in category and instance recognition. Contribution of partial features and computational complexity were also analyzed. The results indicate that the proposed shape features are strong cues for object recognition and can be combined with other features to boost accuracy. PMID:28245553

3D Printable Graphene Composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Xiaojun; Li, Dong; Jiang, Wei; Gu, Zheming; Wang, Xiaojuan; Zhang, Zengxing; Sun, Zhengzong

2015-07-01

In human being’s history, both the Iron Age and Silicon Age thrived after a matured massive processing technology was developed. Graphene is the most recent superior material which could potentially initialize another new material Age. However, while being exploited to its full extent, conventional processing methods fail to provide a link to today’s personalization tide. New technology should be ushered in. Three-dimensional (3D) printing fills the missing linkage between graphene materials and the digital mainstream. Their alliance could generate additional stream to push the graphene revolution into a new phase. Here we demonstrate for the first time, a graphene composite, with a graphene loading up to 5.6 wt%, can be 3D printable into computer-designed models. The composite’s linear thermal coefficient is below 75 ppm·°C-1 from room temperature to its glass transition temperature (Tg), which is crucial to build minute thermal stress during the printing process.

3D Printable Graphene Composite

PubMed Central

Wei, Xiaojun; Li, Dong; Jiang, Wei; Gu, Zheming; Wang, Xiaojuan; Zhang, Zengxing; Sun, Zhengzong

2015-01-01

In human being’s history, both the Iron Age and Silicon Age thrived after a matured massive processing technology was developed. Graphene is the most recent superior material which could potentially initialize another new material Age. However, while being exploited to its full extent, conventional processing methods fail to provide a link to today’s personalization tide. New technology should be ushered in. Three-dimensional (3D) printing fills the missing linkage between graphene materials and the digital mainstream. Their alliance could generate additional stream to push the graphene revolution into a new phase. Here we demonstrate for the first time, a graphene composite, with a graphene loading up to 5.6 wt%, can be 3D printable into computer-designed models. The composite’s linear thermal coefficient is below 75 ppm·°C−1 from room temperature to its glass transition temperature (Tg), which is crucial to build minute thermal stress during the printing process. PMID:26153673

3D abnormal behavior recognition in power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Zhenhua; Li, Xuesen; Su, Jie; Lin, Jie

2011-06-01

So far most research of human behavior recognition focus on simple individual behavior, such as wave, crouch, jump and bend. This paper will focus on abnormal behavior with objects carrying in power generation. Such as using mobile communication device in main control room, taking helmet off during working and lying down in high place. Taking account of the color and shape are fixed, we adopted edge detecting by color tracking to recognize object in worker. This paper introduces a method, which using geometric character of skeleton and its angle to express sequence of three-dimensional human behavior data. Then adopting Semi-join critical step Hidden Markov Model, weighing probability of critical steps' output to reduce the computational complexity. Training model for every behavior, mean while select some skeleton frames from 3D behavior sample to form a critical step set. This set is a bridge linking 2D observation behavior with 3D human joints feature. The 3D reconstruction is not required during the 2D behavior recognition phase. In the beginning of recognition progress, finding the best match for every frame of 2D observed sample in 3D skeleton set. After that, 2D observed skeleton frames sample will be identified as a specifically 3D behavior by behavior-classifier. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated with experiments in similar power generation environment.

ARMOR3D: A 3D multi-observations T,S,U,V product of the ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verbrugge, Nathalie; Mulet, Sandrine; Guinehut, Stéphanie; Buongiorno-Nardelli, Bruno

2017-04-01

To have a synoptic view of the 3D ocean to pursue oceanic studies, an observed gridded product can be often useful instead of using raw observations which can be irregularly distributed in space and time as the in situ profiles for instance or which offer only a surface view of the ocean as satellite data. The originality of the ARMOR3D observation based product is to take advantage of the strengths of these 2 types of data by combining satellite SLA, SST, SSS datasets with in situ T, S vertical profiles in order to build a global 3D weekly temperature, salinity and geostrophic velocities fields at a spatial 1/4° resolution. The mesoscale content of the satellite data and the vertical sampling of the in situ profiles are complementary in this statistical approach. ARMOR3D is part of the CMEMS project through the GLO-OBS component. A full reprocessing from 1993 to 2016 and near-real-time fields from 1/1/2014 to present are available through the CMEMS web portal. The range of applications of this product is wide: OSE studies have been already conducted to evaluate the ARGO network and in 2017, OSE and OSSE will be performed in the western Tropical Pacific as part of the TPOS2020 project (Tropical Pacific Observing System for 2020 Pacific). The product is useful also to study mesoscale eddies characteristics as well as links with the biogeochemical processes. For example, in 2015, ARMOR3D fields have been used as inputs of a micronekton model within the framework of the ESA OSMOSIS Project. Furthermore, ARMOR3D also contributes to the annual CMEMS Ocean State Report.

Projection-slice theorem based 2D-3D registration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Bom, M. J.; Pluim, J. P. W.; Homan, R.; Timmer, J.; Bartels, L. W.

2007-03-01

In X-ray guided procedures, the surgeon or interventionalist is dependent on his or her knowledge of the patient's specific anatomy and the projection images acquired during the procedure by a rotational X-ray source. Unfortunately, these X-ray projections fail to give information on the patient's anatomy in the dimension along the projection axis. It would be very profitable to provide the surgeon or interventionalist with a 3D insight of the patient's anatomy that is directly linked to the X-ray images acquired during the procedure. In this paper we present a new robust 2D-3D registration method based on the Projection-Slice Theorem. This theorem gives us a relation between the pre-operative 3D data set and the interventional projection images. Registration is performed by minimizing a translation invariant similarity measure that is applied to the Fourier transforms of the images. The method was tested by performing multiple exhaustive searches on phantom data of the Circle of Willis and on a post-mortem human skull. Validation was performed visually by comparing the test projections to the ones that corresponded to the minimal value of the similarity measure. The Projection-Slice Theorem Based method was shown to be very effective and robust, and provides capture ranges up to 62 degrees. Experiments have shown that the method is capable of retrieving similar results when translations are applied to the projection images.

Automated Recognition of 3D Features in GPIR Images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Han; Stough, Timothy; Fijany, Amir

2007-01-01

A method of automated recognition of three-dimensional (3D) features in images generated by ground-penetrating imaging radar (GPIR) is undergoing development. GPIR 3D images can be analyzed to detect and identify such subsurface features as pipes and other utility conduits. Until now, much of the analysis of GPIR images has been performed manually by expert operators who must visually identify and track each feature. The present method is intended to satisfy a need for more efficient and accurate analysis by means of algorithms that can automatically identify and track subsurface features, with minimal supervision by human operators. In this method, data from multiple sources (for example, data on different features extracted by different algorithms) are fused together for identifying subsurface objects. The algorithms of this method can be classified in several different ways. In one classification, the algorithms fall into three classes: (1) image-processing algorithms, (2) feature- extraction algorithms, and (3) a multiaxis data-fusion/pattern-recognition algorithm that includes a combination of machine-learning, pattern-recognition, and object-linking algorithms. The image-processing class includes preprocessing algorithms for reducing noise and enhancing target features for pattern recognition. The feature-extraction algorithms operate on preprocessed data to extract such specific features in images as two-dimensional (2D) slices of a pipe. Then the multiaxis data-fusion/ pattern-recognition algorithm identifies, classifies, and reconstructs 3D objects from the extracted features. In this process, multiple 2D features extracted by use of different algorithms and representing views along different directions are used to identify and reconstruct 3D objects. In object linking, which is an essential part of this process, features identified in successive 2D slices and located within a threshold radius of identical features in adjacent slices are linked in a

Dysprosium complexes with mono-/di-carboxylate ligands—From simple dimers to 2D and 3D frameworks

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

Zhang, Yingjie, E-mail: yzx@ansto.gov.au; Bhadbhade, Mohan; Scales, Nicholas

2014-11-15

Four dysprosium (Dy) single carboxylates, a formate, a propionate, a butyrate and an oxalate have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The structure of Dy(HCO{sub 2}){sub 3} (1) contains nine-fold coordinated Dy polyhedra in perfect tricapped trigonal prisms. They are linked through trigonal O atoms forming 1D pillars which are further linked together through tricapped O atoms into a 3D pillared metal organic framework. The network structure is stable up to 360 °C. The structure of [Dy{sub 2}(C{sub 2}O{sub 4}){sub 3}(H{sub 2}O){sub 6}]·2.5H{sub 2}O (2) contains nine-fold coordinated Dy polyhedra linking together through μ{sub 2}-bridging oxalate anions into a 2D hexagonalmore » layered structure. Both [Dy{sub 2}(Pr){sub 6}(H{sub 2}O){sub 4}]·(HPr){sub 0.5} (3) [Pr=(C{sub 2}H{sub 5}CO{sub 2}){sup −1}] and [Dy{sub 2}(Bu){sub 6}(H{sub 2}O){sub 4}] (4) [Bu=(C{sub 3}H{sub 7}CO{sub 2}){sup −1}] have similar di-nuclear structures. The Raman vibration modes of the complexes have been investigated. - Graphical abstract: Four dysprosium (Dy) complexes with formate, propionate, butyrate and oxalate ligands have been synthesized and characterized. The Dy formato complex has a 3D pillared metal organic framework and the structure is stable up to 360 °C whilst the complexes with longer alkyl chained mono-carboxylates possess similar di-nuclear structures. The Dy oxalato complex has a 2D hexagonal (honeycomb-type) structure. Their Raman vibration modes have been investigated. - Highlights: • New Dysprosium complexes with formate, propionate, butyrate and oxalate ligands. • Crystal structures range from dimers to two and three dimensional frameworks. • Vibrational modes have been investigated and correlated to the structures. • The complexes are thermal robust and stable to over 300 °C.« less

Destabilization of the metal site as a hub for the pathogenic mechanism of five ALS-linked mutants of copper, zinc superoxide dismutase.

PubMed

Mera-Adasme, Raúl; Erdmann, Hannes; Bereźniak, Tomasz; Ochsenfeld, Christian

2016-10-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal neurodegenerative disease, with no effective pharmacological treatment. Its pathogenesis is unknown, although a subset of the cases is linked to genetic mutations. A significant fraction of the mutations occur in one protein, copper, zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1). The toxic function of mutant SOD1 has not been elucidated, but damage to the metal site of the protein is believed to play a major role. In this work, we study the electrostatic loop of SOD1, which we had previously proposed to work as a "solvent seal" isolating the metal site from water molecules. Out of the five contact points identified between the electrostatic loop and its dock in the rest of the protein, three points were found to be affected by ALS-linked mutations, with a total of five mutations identified. The effect of the five mutations was studied using methods of computational chemistry. We found that four of the mutations destabilize the proposed solvent seal, while the fifth mutation directly affects the metal-site stability. In the two contact points unaffected by ALS-linked mutations, the side chains of the residues were not found to play a stabilizing role. Our results show that the docking of the electrostatic loop to the rest of SOD1 plays a role in ALS pathogenesis, in support of that structure acting as a solvent barrier for the metal site. The results provide a unified pathogenic mechanism for five different ALS-linked mutations of SOD1.

DYNA3D Code Practices and Developments

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

Lin, L.; Zywicz, E.; Raboin, P.

2000-04-21

DYNA3D is an explicit, finite element code developed to solve high rate dynamic simulations for problems of interest to the engineering mechanics community. The DYNA3D code has been under continuous development since 1976[1] by the Methods Development Group in the Mechanical Engineering Department of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The pace of code development activities has substantially increased in the past five years, growing from one to between four and six code developers. This has necessitated the use of software tools such as CVS (Concurrent Versions System) to help manage multiple version updates. While on-line documentation with an Adobe PDF manualmore » helps to communicate software developments, periodically a summary document describing recent changes and improvements in DYNA3D software is needed. The first part of this report describes issues surrounding software versions and source control. The remainder of this report details the major capability improvements since the last publicly released version of DYNA3D in 1996. Not included here are the many hundreds of bug corrections and minor enhancements, nor the development in DYNA3D between the manual release in 1993[2] and the public code release in 1996.« less

3D-model: Earth's seasons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meirlaen, Koen

2017-04-01

A lot of subjects in geography and geology are linked to the seasons of the earth. Most of the students think that the earth's seasons are caused by the differences in the distance from the sun throughout the year. So as a teacher I tried year after year to explain the motion of the earth around the sun. Even when I used animations/movies/… it still seemed difficult for the students to understand the 3D-situation. Most of the animations only show the start of every season but it's important to demonstrate to the students the motion of the earth during a year so they can see that the tilt of our planet causes the seasons. The earth's axis is tilted by 23.4 degrees to the plane in which it travels around the sun, the ecliptic. So I started to work on a 3D-model on a scale to use in a classroom. It measures approximately 2m by 1m. You can buy all the materials in DIY-shop for less than € 100: wooden plank, lamp, styrofoam spheres (= earth), … I have been using the model for over 4 years now and it's very nice to work with. You can involve the students more and let them investigate for themselves what causes the seasons. The model demonstrates the start of every season, why it is dark for several months in several places on Earth. They can draw the positions of the Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic Circle and Antarctic Circle on the styrofoam spheres. Also the difference between day and night is well shown on the globes. A lot of subjects in geography and geology are linked to the seasons of the earth: the changes in weather, ocean currents, winds, tropical storms, vegetation, fauna and flora, hours of daylight, … even economy, migration and social health. This way the model can be used in many lessons during the year. The poster session will demonstrate how you can make the 3D-model, some exercises, …

Multi-Scale Modeling of an Integrated 3D Braided Composite with Applications to Helicopter Arm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Diantang; Chen, Li; Sun, Ying; Zhang, Yifan; Qian, Kun

2017-10-01

A study is conducted with the aim of developing multi-scale analytical method for designing the composite helicopter arm with three-dimensional (3D) five-directional braided structure. Based on the analysis of 3D braided microstructure, the multi-scale finite element modeling is developed. Finite element analysis on the load capacity of 3D five-directional braided composites helicopter arm is carried out using the software ABAQUS/Standard. The influences of the braiding angle and loading condition on the stress and strain distribution of the helicopter arm are simulated. The results show that the proposed multi-scale method is capable of accurately predicting the mechanical properties of 3D braided composites, validated by the comparison the stress-strain curves of meso-scale RVCs. Furthermore, it is found that the braiding angle is an important factor affecting the mechanical properties of 3D five-directional braided composite helicopter arm. Based on the optimized structure parameters, the nearly net-shaped composite helicopter arm is fabricated using a novel resin transfer mould (RTM) process.

Case study: Beauty and the Beast 3D: benefits of 3D viewing for 2D to 3D conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handy Turner, Tara

2010-02-01

From the earliest stages of the Beauty and the Beast 3D conversion project, the advantages of accurate desk-side 3D viewing was evident. While designing and testing the 2D to 3D conversion process, the engineering team at Walt Disney Animation Studios proposed a 3D viewing configuration that not only allowed artists to "compose" stereoscopic 3D but also improved efficiency by allowing artists to instantly detect which image features were essential to the stereoscopic appeal of a shot and which features had minimal or even negative impact. At a time when few commercial 3D monitors were available and few software packages provided 3D desk-side output, the team designed their own prototype devices and collaborated with vendors to create a "3D composing" workstation. This paper outlines the display technologies explored, final choices made for Beauty and the Beast 3D, wish-lists for future development and a few rules of thumb for composing compelling 2D to 3D conversions.

The Association of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 and D2 with Depressive Symptoms in Childhood--A Prospective Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolppanen, Anna-Maija; Sayers, Adrian; Fraser, William D.; Lewis, Glyn; Zammit, Stanley; Lawlor, Debbie A.

2012-01-01

Background: Depression in adolescence is common and early onset predicts worse outcome in adulthood. Studies in adults have suggested a link between higher total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and lower risk of depression. Objectives: To investigate (a) the association between serum 25(OH)D[subscript 2] and 25(OH)D[subscript 3]…

Parallel image reconstruction for 3D positron emission tomography from incomplete 2D projection data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerrero, Thomas M.; Ricci, Anthony R.; Dahlbom, Magnus; Cherry, Simon R.; Hoffman, Edward T.

1993-07-01

The problem of excessive computational time in 3D Positron Emission Tomography (3D PET) reconstruction is defined, and we present an approach for solving this problem through the construction of an inexpensive parallel processing system and the adoption of the FAVOR algorithm. Currently, the 3D reconstruction of the 610 images of a total body procedure would require 80 hours and the 3D reconstruction of the 620 images of a dynamic study would require 110 hours. An inexpensive parallel processing system for 3D PET reconstruction is constructed from the integration of board level products from multiple vendors. The system achieves its computational performance through the use of 6U VME four i860 processor boards, the processor boards from five manufacturers are discussed from our perspective. The new 3D PET reconstruction algorithm FAVOR, FAst VOlume Reconstructor, that promises a substantial speed improvement is adopted. Preliminary results from parallelizing FAVOR are utilized in formulating architectural improvements for this problem. In summary, we are addressing the problem of excessive computational time in 3D PET image reconstruction, through the construction of an inexpensive parallel processing system and the parallelization of a 3D reconstruction algorithm that uses the incomplete data set that is produced by current PET systems.

2D/3D registration using a rotation-invariant cost function based on Zernike moments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birkfellner, Wolfgang; Yang, Xinhui; Burgstaller, Wolfgang; Baumann, Bernard; Jacob, Augustinus L.; Niederer, Peter F.; Regazzoni, Pietro; Messmer, Peter

2004-05-01

We present a novel in-plane rotation invariant cost function for 2D/3D registration utilizing projection-invariant transformation properties and the decomposition of the X-ray nad the DRR under comparision into orhogonal Zernike moments. As a result, only five dof have to be optimized, and the number of iteration necessary for registration can be significantly reduced. Results in a phantom study show that an accuracy of approximately 0.7° and 2 mm can be achieved using this method. We conclude that reduction of coupled dof and usage of linear independent coefficients for cost function evaluation provide intersting new perspectives for the field of 2D/3D registration.

FastScript3D - A Companion to Java 3D

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, Patti

2005-01-01

FastScript3D is a computer program, written in the Java 3D(TM) programming language, that establishes an alternative language that helps users who lack expertise in Java 3D to use Java 3D for constructing three-dimensional (3D)-appearing graphics. The FastScript3D language provides a set of simple, intuitive, one-line text-string commands for creating, controlling, and animating 3D models. The first word in a string is the name of a command; the rest of the string contains the data arguments for the command. The commands can also be used as an aid to learning Java 3D. Developers can extend the language by adding custom text-string commands. The commands can define new 3D objects or load representations of 3D objects from files in formats compatible with such other software systems as X3D. The text strings can be easily integrated into other languages. FastScript3D facilitates communication between scripting languages [which enable programming of hyper-text markup language (HTML) documents to interact with users] and Java 3D. The FastScript3D language can be extended and customized on both the scripting side and the Java 3D side.

Linking 1D Transition-Metal Coordination Polymers and Different Inorganic Boron Oxides To Construct a Series of 3D Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Borates.

PubMed

Zhi, Shao-Chen; Wang, Yue-Lin; Sun, Li; Cheng, Jian-Wen; Yang, Guo-Yu

2018-02-05

Three inorganic-organic hybrid borates, M(1,4-dab)[B 5 O 7 (OH) 3 ] [M = Zn (1), Cd (2), 1,4-dab = 1,4-diaminobutane)] and Co(1,3-dap)[B 4 O 7 ] (3, 1,3-dap = 1,3-diaminopropane), which integrated characteristics of 1D coordination polymers and 1D/3D inorganic boron oxides have been obtained under solvothermal conditions. Compounds 1 and 2 are isostructural and crystallize in a centrosymmetric space group P2 1 /c; the 3D achiral structures of 1 and 2 consist of the nonhelical Zn/Cd-1,4-dap coordination polymers and 1D B-O chains. Compound 3 crystallizes in a chiral space group P4 3 2 1 2; the helical Co-1,3-dap coordination polymer chains are entrained within a 3D B-O network and finally form the chiral framework. Compounds 1-3 represent good examples of using coordination polymers to construct mixed-motif inorganic-organic hybrid borates. Compounds 1 and 2 display blue luminescence when excited with UV light.

Designing stereoscopic information visualization for 3D-TV: What can we can learn from S3D gaming?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schild, Jonas; Masuch, Maic

2012-03-01

This paper explores graphical design and spatial alignment of visual information and graphical elements into stereoscopically filmed content, e.g. captions, subtitles, and especially more complex elements in 3D-TV productions. The method used is a descriptive analysis of existing computer- and video games that have been adapted for stereoscopic display using semi-automatic rendering techniques (e.g. Nvidia 3D Vision) or games which have been specifically designed for stereoscopic vision. Digital games often feature compelling visual interfaces that combine high usability with creative visual design. We explore selected examples of game interfaces in stereoscopic vision regarding their stereoscopic characteristics, how they draw attention, how we judge effect and comfort and where the interfaces fail. As a result, we propose a list of five aspects which should be considered when designing stereoscopic visual information: explicit information, implicit information, spatial reference, drawing attention, and vertical alignment. We discuss possible consequences, opportunities and challenges for integrating visual information elements into 3D-TV content. This work shall further help to improve current editing systems and identifies a need for future editing systems for 3DTV, e.g., live editing and real-time alignment of visual information into 3D footage.

To select the best tool for generating 3D maintenance data and to set the detailed process for obtaining the 3D maintenance data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prashanth, B. N.; Roy, Kingshuk

2017-07-01

Three Dimensional (3D) maintenance data provides a link between design and technical documentation creating interactive 3D graphical training and maintenance material. It becomes difficult for an operator to always go through huge paper manuals or come running to the computer for doing maintenance of a machine which makes the maintenance work fatigue. Above being the case, a 3D animation makes maintenance work very simple since, there is no language barrier. The research deals with the generation of 3D maintenance data of any given machine. The best tool for obtaining the 3D maintenance is selected and the tool is analyzed. Using the same tool, a detailed process for extracting the 3D maintenance data for any machine is set. This project aims at selecting the best tool for obtaining 3D maintenance data and to select the detailed process for obtaining 3D maintenance data. 3D maintenance reduces use of big volumes of manuals which creates human errors and makes the work of an operator fatiguing. Hence 3-D maintenance would help in training and maintenance and would increase productivity. 3Dvia when compared with Cortona 3D and Deep Exploration proves to be better than them. 3Dvia is good in data translation and it has the best renderings compared to the other two 3D maintenance software. 3Dvia is very user friendly and it has various options for creating 3D animations. Its Interactive Electronic Technical Publication (IETP) integration is also better than the other two software. Hence 3Dvia proves to be the best software for obtaining 3D maintenance data of any machine.

Slope instability in complex 3D topography promoted by convergent 3D groundwater flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, M. E.; Brien, D. L.

2012-12-01

Slope instability in complex topography is generally controlled by the interaction between gravitationally induced stresses, 3D strengths, and 3D pore-fluid pressure fields produced by flowing groundwater. As an example of this complexity, coastal bluffs sculpted by landsliding commonly exhibit a progression of undulating headlands and re-entrants. In this landscape, stresses differ between headlands and re-entrants and 3D groundwater flow varies from vertical rainfall infiltration to lateral groundwater flow on lower permeability layers with subsequent discharge at the curved bluff faces. In plan view, groundwater flow converges in the re-entrant regions. To investigate relative slope instability induced by undulating topography, we couple the USGS 3D limit-equilibrium slope-stability model, SCOOPS, with the USGS 3D groundwater flow model, MODFLOW. By rapidly analyzing the stability of millions of potential failures, the SCOOPS model can determine relative slope stability throughout the 3D domain underlying a digital elevation model (DEM), and it can utilize both fully 3D distributions of pore-water pressure and material strength. The two models are linked by first computing a groundwater-flow field in MODFLOW, and then computing stability in SCOOPS using the pore-pressure field derived from groundwater flow. Using these two models, our analyses of 60m high coastal bluffs in Seattle, Washington showed augmented instability in topographic re-entrants given recharge from a rainy season. Here, increased recharge led to elevated perched water tables with enhanced effects in the re-entrants owing to convergence of groundwater flow. Stability in these areas was reduced about 80% compared to equivalent dry conditions. To further isolate these effects, we examined groundwater flow and stability in hypothetical landscapes composed of uniform and equally spaced, oscillating headlands and re-entrants with differing amplitudes. The landscapes had a constant slope for both

Comparison of 3D dynamic virtual model to link segment model for estimation of net L4/L5 reaction moments during lifting.

PubMed

Abdoli-Eramaki, Mohammad; Stevenson, Joan M; Agnew, Michael J; Kamalzadeh, Amin

2009-04-01

The purpose of this study was to validate a 3D dynamic virtual model for lifting tasks against a validated link segment model (LSM). A face validation study was conducted by collecting x, y, z coordinate data and using them in both virtual and LSM models. An upper body virtual model was needed to calculate the 3D torques about human joints for use in simulated lifting styles and to estimate the effect of external mechanical devices on human body. Firstly, the model had to be validated to be sure it provided accurate estimates of 3D moments in comparison to a previously validated LSM. Three synchronised Fastrak units with nine sensors were used to record data from one male subject who completed dynamic box lifting under 27 different load conditions (box weights (3), lifting techniques (3) and rotations (3)). The external moments about three axes of L4/L5 were compared for both models. A pressure switch on the box was used to denote the start and end of the lift. An excellent agreement [image omitted] was found between the two models for dynamic lifting tasks, especially for larger moments in flexion and extension. This virtual model was considered valid for use in a complete simulation of the upper body skeletal system. This biomechanical virtual model of the musculoskeletal system can be used by researchers and practitioners to give a better tool to study the causes of LBP and the effect of intervention strategies, by permitting the researcher to see and control a virtual subject's motions.

YouDash3D: exploring stereoscopic 3D gaming for 3D movie theaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schild, Jonas; Seele, Sven; Masuch, Maic

2012-03-01

Along with the success of the digitally revived stereoscopic cinema, events beyond 3D movies become attractive for movie theater operators, i.e. interactive 3D games. In this paper, we present a case that explores possible challenges and solutions for interactive 3D games to be played by a movie theater audience. We analyze the setting and showcase current issues related to lighting and interaction. Our second focus is to provide gameplay mechanics that make special use of stereoscopy, especially depth-based game design. Based on these results, we present YouDash3D, a game prototype that explores public stereoscopic gameplay in a reduced kiosk setup. It features live 3D HD video stream of a professional stereo camera rig rendered in a real-time game scene. We use the effect to place the stereoscopic effigies of players into the digital game. The game showcases how stereoscopic vision can provide for a novel depth-based game mechanic. Projected trigger zones and distributed clusters of the audience video allow for easy adaptation to larger audiences and 3D movie theater gaming.

Synthesis and antitumor activity evaluation of a novel combi-nitrosourea prodrug: Designed to release a DNA cross-linking agent and an inhibitor of O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase.

PubMed

Sun, Guohui; Zhang, Na; Zhao, Lijiao; Fan, Tengjiao; Zhang, Shufen; Zhong, Rugang

2016-05-01

The drug resistance of CENUs induced by O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT), which repairs the O(6)-alkylated guanine and subsequently inhibits the formation of dG-dC cross-links, hinders the application of CENU chemotherapies. Therefore, the discovery of CENU analogs with AGT inhibiting activity is a promising approach leading to novel CENU chemotherapies with high therapeutic index. In this study, a new combi-nitrosourea prodrug 3-(3-(((2-amino-9H-purin-6-yl)oxy)methyl)benzyl)-1-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (6), designed to release a DNA cross-linking agent and an inhibitor of AGT, was synthesized and evaluated for its antitumor activity and ability to induce DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs). The results indicated that 6 exhibited higher cytotoxicity against mer(+) glioma cells compared with ACNU, BCNU, and their respective combinations with O(6)-benzylguanine (O(6)-BG). Quantifications of dG-dC cross-links induced by 6 were performed using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Higher levels of dG-dC cross-link were observed in 6-treated human glioma SF763 cells (mer(+)), whereas lower levels of dG-dC cross-link were observed in 6-treated calf thymus DNA, when compared with the groups treated with BCNU and ACNU. The results suggested that the superiority of 6 might result from the AGT inhibitory moiety, which specifically functions in cells with AGT activity. Molecular docking studies indicated that five hydrogen bonds were formed between the O(6)-BG analogs released from 6 and the five residues in the active pocket of AGT, which provided a reasonable explanation for the higher AGT-inhibitory activity of 6 than O(6)-BG. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

3D Bragg coherent diffractive imaging of five-fold multiply twinned gold nanoparticle

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

Kim, Jong Woo; Ulvestad, Andrew; Manna, Sohini

The formation mechanism of five-fold multiply twinned nanoparticles has been a long-term topic because of their geometrical incompatibility. So, various models have been proposed to explain how the internal structure of the multiply twinned nanoparticles accommodates the constraints of the solid-angle deficiency. Here, we investigate the internal structure, strain field and strain energy density of 600 nm sized five-fold multiply twinned gold nanoparticles quantitatively using Bragg coherent diffractive imaging, which is suitable for the study of buried defects and three-dimensional strain distribution with great precision. Our study reveals that the strain energy density in five-fold multiply twinned gold nanoparticles ismore » an order of magnitude higher than that of the single nanocrystals such as an octahedron and triangular plate synthesized under the same conditions. This result indicates that the strain developed while accommodating an angular misfit, although partially released through the introduction of structural defects, is still large throughout the crystal.« less

3D Bragg coherent diffractive imaging of five-fold multiply twinned gold nanoparticle

DOE PAGES

Kim, Jong Woo; Ulvestad, Andrew; Manna, Sohini; ...

2017-08-11

The formation mechanism of five-fold multiply twinned nanoparticles has been a long-term topic because of their geometrical incompatibility. So, various models have been proposed to explain how the internal structure of the multiply twinned nanoparticles accommodates the constraints of the solid-angle deficiency. Here, we investigate the internal structure, strain field and strain energy density of 600 nm sized five-fold multiply twinned gold nanoparticles quantitatively using Bragg coherent diffractive imaging, which is suitable for the study of buried defects and three-dimensional strain distribution with great precision. Our study reveals that the strain energy density in five-fold multiply twinned gold nanoparticles ismore » an order of magnitude higher than that of the single nanocrystals such as an octahedron and triangular plate synthesized under the same conditions. This result indicates that the strain developed while accommodating an angular misfit, although partially released through the introduction of structural defects, is still large throughout the crystal.« less

Feasibility study: real-time 3-D ultrasound imaging of the brain.

PubMed

Smith, Stephen W; Chu, Kengyeh; Idriss, Salim F; Ivancevich, Nikolas M; Light, Edward D; Wolf, Patrick D

2004-10-01

We tested the feasibility of real-time, 3-D ultrasound (US) imaging in the brain. The 3-D scanner uses a matrix phased-array transducer of 512 transmit channels and 256 receive channels operating at 2.5 MHz with a 15-mm diameter footprint. The real-time system scans a 65 degrees pyramid, producing up to 30 volumetric scans per second, and features up to five image planes as well as 3-D rendering, 3-D pulsed-wave and color Doppler. In a human subject, the real-time 3-D scans produced simultaneous transcranial horizontal (axial), coronal and sagittal image planes and real-time volume-rendered images of the gross anatomy of the brain. In a transcranial sheep model, we obtained real-time 3-D color flow Doppler scans and perfusion images using bolus injection of contrast agents into the internal carotid artery.

3D Cell Culture in Alginate Hydrogels

PubMed Central

Andersen, Therese; Auk-Emblem, Pia; Dornish, Michael

2015-01-01

This review compiles information regarding the use of alginate, and in particular alginate hydrogels, in culturing cells in 3D. Knowledge of alginate chemical structure and functionality are shown to be important parameters in design of alginate-based matrices for cell culture. Gel elasticity as well as hydrogel stability can be impacted by the type of alginate used, its concentration, the choice of gelation technique (ionic or covalent), and divalent cation chosen as the gel inducing ion. The use of peptide-coupled alginate can control cell–matrix interactions. Gelation of alginate with concomitant immobilization of cells can take various forms. Droplets or beads have been utilized since the 1980s for immobilizing cells. Newer matrices such as macroporous scaffolds are now entering the 3D cell culture product market. Finally, delayed gelling, injectable, alginate systems show utility in the translation of in vitro cell culture to in vivo tissue engineering applications. Alginate has a history and a future in 3D cell culture. Historically, cells were encapsulated in alginate droplets cross-linked with calcium for the development of artificial organs. Now, several commercial products based on alginate are being used as 3D cell culture systems that also demonstrate the possibility of replacing or regenerating tissue. PMID:27600217

Analysis of EEG signals regularity in adults during video game play in 2D and 3D.

PubMed

Khairuddin, Hamizah R; Malik, Aamir S; Mumtaz, Wajid; Kamel, Nidal; Xia, Likun

2013-01-01

Video games have long been part of the entertainment industry. Nonetheless, it is not well known how video games can affect us with the advancement of 3D technology. The purpose of this study is to investigate the EEG signals regularity when playing video games in 2D and 3D modes. A total of 29 healthy subjects (24 male, 5 female) with mean age of 21.79 (1.63) years participated. Subjects were asked to play a car racing video game in three different modes (2D, 3D passive and 3D active). In 3D passive mode, subjects needed to wear a passive polarized glasses (cinema type) while for 3D active, an active shutter glasses was used. Scalp EEG data was recorded during game play using 19-channel EEG machine and linked ear was used as reference. After data were pre-processed, the signal irregularity for all conditions was computed. Two parameters were used to measure signal complexity for time series data: i) Hjorth-Complexity and ii) Composite Permutation Entropy Index (CPEI). Based on these two parameters, our results showed that the complexity level increased from eyes closed to eyes open condition; and further increased in the case of 3D as compared to 2D game play.

Evolutionary history of linked D4Z4 and Beta satellite clusters at the FSHD locus (4q35)☆

PubMed Central

Giussani, Marta; Cardone, Maria Francesca; Bodega, Beatrice; Ginelli, Enrico; Meneveri, Raffaella

2012-01-01

We performed a detailed genomic investigation of the chimpanzee locus syntenic to human chromosome 4q35.2, associated to the facioscapulohumeral dystrophy. Two contigs of approximately 150 kb and 200 kb were derived from PTR chromosomes 4q35 and 3p12, respectively: both regions showed a very similar sequence organization, including D4Z4 and Beta satellite linked clusters. Starting from these findings, we derived a hypothetical evolutionary history of human 4q35, 10q26 and 3p12 chromosome regions focusing on the D4Z4–Beta satellite linked organization. The D4Z4 unit showed an open reading frame (DUX4) at both PTR 4q35 and 3p12 regions; furthermore some subregions of the Beta satellite unit showed a high degree of conservation between chimpanzee and humans. In conclusion, this paper provides evidence that at the 4q subtelomere the linkage between D4Z4 and Beta satellite arrays is a feature that appeared late during evolution and is conserved between chimpanzee and humans. PMID:22824653

3D imaging, 3D printing and 3D virtual planning in endodontics.

PubMed

Shah, Pratik; Chong, B S

2018-03-01

The adoption and adaptation of recent advances in digital technology, such as three-dimensional (3D) printed objects and haptic simulators, in dentistry have influenced teaching and/or management of cases involving implant, craniofacial, maxillofacial, orthognathic and periodontal treatments. 3D printed models and guides may help operators plan and tackle complicated non-surgical and surgical endodontic treatment and may aid skill acquisition. Haptic simulators may assist in the development of competency in endodontic procedures through the acquisition of psycho-motor skills. This review explores and discusses the potential applications of 3D printed models and guides, and haptic simulators in the teaching and management of endodontic procedures. An understanding of the pertinent technology related to the production of 3D printed objects and the operation of haptic simulators are also presented.

3d-3d correspondence revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Hee-Joong; Dimofte, Tudor; Gukov, Sergei; Sułkowski, Piotr

2016-04-01

In fivebrane compactifications on 3-manifolds, we point out the importance of all flat connections in the proper definition of the effective 3d {N}=2 theory. The Lagrangians of some theories with the desired properties can be constructed with the help of homological knot invariants that categorify colored Jones polynomials. Higgsing the full 3d theories constructed this way recovers theories found previously by Dimofte-Gaiotto-Gukov. We also consider the cutting and gluing of 3-manifolds along smooth boundaries and the role played by all flat connections in this operation.

3d-3d correspondence revisited

DOE PAGES

Chung, Hee -Joong; Dimofte, Tudor; Gukov, Sergei; ...

2016-04-21

In fivebrane compactifications on 3-manifolds, we point out the importance of all flat connections in the proper definition of the effective 3d N = 2 theory. The Lagrangians of some theories with the desired properties can be constructed with the help of homological knot invariants that categorify colored Jones polynomials. Higgsing the full 3d theories constructed this way recovers theories found previously by Dimofte-Gaiotto-Gukov. As a result, we also consider the cutting and gluing of 3-manifolds along smooth boundaries and the role played by all flat connections in this operation.

Improving Semantic Updating Method on 3d City Models Using Hybrid Semantic-Geometric 3d Segmentation Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharkawi, K.-H.; Abdul-Rahman, A.

2013-09-01

Cities and urban areas entities such as building structures are becoming more complex as the modern human civilizations continue to evolve. The ability to plan and manage every territory especially the urban areas is very important to every government in the world. Planning and managing cities and urban areas based on printed maps and 2D data are getting insufficient and inefficient to cope with the complexity of the new developments in big cities. The emergence of 3D city models have boosted the efficiency in analysing and managing urban areas as the 3D data are proven to represent the real world object more accurately. It has since been adopted as the new trend in buildings and urban management and planning applications. Nowadays, many countries around the world have been generating virtual 3D representation of their major cities. The growing interest in improving the usability of 3D city models has resulted in the development of various tools for analysis based on the 3D city models. Today, 3D city models are generated for various purposes such as for tourism, location-based services, disaster management and urban planning. Meanwhile, modelling 3D objects are getting easier with the emergence of the user-friendly tools for 3D modelling available in the market. Generating 3D buildings with high accuracy also has become easier with the availability of airborne Lidar and terrestrial laser scanning equipments. The availability and accessibility to this technology makes it more sensible to analyse buildings in urban areas using 3D data as it accurately represent the real world objects. The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) has accepted CityGML specifications as one of the international standards for representing and exchanging spatial data, making it easier to visualize, store and manage 3D city models data efficiently. CityGML able to represents the semantics, geometry, topology and appearance of 3D city models in five well-defined Level-of-Details (LoD), namely LoD0

Evolutionary history of linked D4Z4 and Beta satellite clusters at the FSHD locus (4q35).

PubMed

Giussani, Marta; Cardone, Maria Francesca; Bodega, Beatrice; Ginelli, Enrico; Meneveri, Raffaella

2012-11-01

We performed a detailed genomic investigation of the chimpanzee locus syntenic to human chromosome 4q35.2, associated to the facioscapulohumeral dystrophy. Two contigs of approximately 150 kb and 200 kb were derived from PTR chromosomes 4q35 and 3p12, respectively: both regions showed a very similar sequence organization, including D4Z4 and Beta satellite linked clusters. Starting from these findings, we derived a hypothetical evolutionary history of human 4q35, 10q26 and 3p12 chromosome regions focusing on the D4Z4-Beta satellite linked organization. The D4Z4 unit showed an open reading frame (DUX4) at both PTR 4q35 and 3p12 regions; furthermore some subregions of the Beta satellite unit showed a high degree of conservation between chimpanzee and humans. In conclusion, this paper provides evidence that at the 4q subtelomere the linkage between D4Z4 and Beta satellite arrays is a feature that appeared late during evolution and is conserved between chimpanzee and humans. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A 3d-3d appetizer

DOE PAGES

Pei, Du; Ye, Ke

2016-11-02

Here, we test the 3d-3d correspondence for theories that are labeled by Lens spaces. We find a full agreement between the index of the 3d N=2 “Lens space theory” T [L(p, 1)] and the partition function of complex Chern-Simons theory on L(p, 1). In particular, for p = 1, we show how the familiar S 3 partition function of Chern-Simons theory arises from the index of a free theory. For large p, we find that the index of T[L(p, 1)] becomes a constant independent of p. In addition, we study T[L(p, 1)] on the squashed three-sphere S b 3. Thismore » enables us to see clearly, at the level of partition function, to what extent G C complex Chern-Simons theory can be thought of as two copies of Chern-Simons theory with compact gauge group G.« less

Does a 3D Image Improve Laparoscopic Motor Skills?

PubMed

Folaranmi, Semiu Eniola; Partridge, Roland W; Brennan, Paul M; Hennessey, Iain A M

2016-08-01

To quantitatively determine whether a three-dimensional (3D) image improves laparoscopic performance compared with a two-dimensional (2D) image. This is a prospective study with two groups of participants: novices (5) and experts (5). Individuals within each group undertook a validated laparoscopic task on a box simulator, alternating between 2D and a 3D laparoscopic image until they had repeated the task five times with each imaging modality. A dedicated motion capture camera was used to determine the time taken to complete the task (seconds) and instrument distance traveled (meters). Among the experts, the mean time taken to perform the task on the 3D image was significantly quicker than on the 2D image, 40.2 seconds versus 51.2 seconds, P < .0001. Among the novices, the mean task time again was significantly quicker on the 3D image, 56.4 seconds versus 82.7 seconds, P < .0001. There was no significant difference in the mean time it took a novice to perform the task using a 3D camera compared with an expert on a 2D camera, 56.4 seconds versus 51.3 seconds, P = .3341. The use of a 3D image confers a significant performance advantage over a 2D camera in quantitatively measured laparoscopic skills for both experts and novices. The use of a 3D image appears to improve a novice's performance to the extent that it is not statistically different from an expert using a 2D image.

A low-frequency near-field interferometric-TOA 3-D Lightning Mapping Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyu, Fanchao; Cummer, Steven A.; Solanki, Rahulkumar; Weinert, Joel; McTague, Lindsay; Katko, Alex; Barrett, John; Zigoneanu, Lucian; Xie, Yangbo; Wang, Wenqi

2014-11-01

We report on the development of an easily deployable LF near-field interferometric-time of arrival (TOA) 3-D Lightning Mapping Array applied to imaging of entire lightning flashes. An interferometric cross-correlation technique is applied in our system to compute windowed two-sensor time differences with submicrosecond time resolution before TOA is used for source location. Compared to previously reported LF lightning location systems, our system captures many more LF sources. This is due mainly to the improved mapping of continuous lightning processes by using this type of hybrid interferometry/TOA processing method. We show with five station measurements that the array detects and maps different lightning processes, such as stepped and dart leaders, during both in-cloud and cloud-to-ground flashes. Lightning images mapped by our LF system are remarkably similar to those created by VHF mapping systems, which may suggest some special links between LF and VHF emission during lightning processes.

Monitoring tumor motion by real time 2D/3D registration during radiotherapy.

PubMed

Gendrin, Christelle; Furtado, Hugo; Weber, Christoph; Bloch, Christoph; Figl, Michael; Pawiro, Supriyanto Ardjo; Bergmann, Helmar; Stock, Markus; Fichtinger, Gabor; Georg, Dietmar; Birkfellner, Wolfgang

2012-02-01

In this paper, we investigate the possibility to use X-ray based real time 2D/3D registration for non-invasive tumor motion monitoring during radiotherapy. The 2D/3D registration scheme is implemented using general purpose computation on graphics hardware (GPGPU) programming techniques and several algorithmic refinements in the registration process. Validation is conducted off-line using a phantom and five clinical patient data sets. The registration is performed on a region of interest (ROI) centered around the planned target volume (PTV). The phantom motion is measured with an rms error of 2.56 mm. For the patient data sets, a sinusoidal movement that clearly correlates to the breathing cycle is shown. Videos show a good match between X-ray and digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRR) displacement. Mean registration time is 0.5 s. We have demonstrated that real-time organ motion monitoring using image based markerless registration is feasible. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Annihilation rates of 3D2(2--) and 3D3(3--) heavy quarkonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tianhong; Fu, Hui-Feng; Jiang, Yue; Li, Qiang; Wang, Guo-Li

2017-03-01

We calculate the annihilation decay rates of the 3D 2(2--) and 3D 3(3--) charmonia and bottomonia by using the instantaneous Bethe-Salpeter (BS) method. The wave functions of states with quantum numbers JPC = 2-- and 3-- are constructed. By solving the corresponding instantaneous BS equations, we obtain the mass spectra and wave functions of the quarkonia. The annihilation amplitude is written within Mandelstam formalism and the relativistic corrections are taken into account properly. This is important, especially for high excited states, since their relativistic corrections are large. The results for the 3g channel are as follows: Γ13D2(cc¯)→ggg = 9.24 keV, Γ13D3(cc¯)→ggg = 25.0 keV, Γ13D2(bb¯)→ggg = 1.87 keV and Γ13D3(bb¯)→ggg = 0.815 keV.

Towards a 3d Based Platform for Cultural Heritage Site Survey and Virtual Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seinturier, J.; Riedinger, C.; Mahiddine, A.; Peloso, D.; Boï, J.-M.; Merad, D.; Drap, P.

2013-07-01

This paper present a 3D platform that enables to make both cultural heritage site survey and its virtual exploration. It provides a single and easy way to use framework for merging multi scaled 3D measurements based on photogrammetry, documentation produced by experts and the knowledge of involved domains leaving the experts able to extract and choose the relevant information to produce the final survey. Taking into account the interpretation of the real world during the process of archaeological surveys is in fact the main goal of a survey. New advances in photogrammetry and the capability to produce dense 3D point clouds do not solve the problem of surveys. New opportunities for 3D representation are now available and we must to use them and find new ways to link geometry and knowledge. The new platform is able to efficiently manage and process large 3D data (points set, meshes) thanks to the implementation of space partition methods coming from the state of the art such as octrees and kd-trees and thus can interact with dense point clouds (thousands to millions of points) in real time. The semantisation of raw 3D data relies on geometric algorithms such as geodetic path computation, surface extraction from dense points cloud and geometrical primitive optimization. The platform provide an interface that enables expert to describe geometric representations of interesting objects like ashlar blocs, stratigraphic units or generic items (contour, lines, … ) directly onto the 3D representation of the site and without explicit links to underlying algorithms. The platform provide two ways for describing geometric representation. If oriented photographs are available, the expert can draw geometry on a photograph and the system computes its 3D representation by projection on the underlying mesh or the points cloud. If photographs are not available or if the expert wants to only use the 3D representation then he can simply draw objects shape on it. When 3D

Planetary Torque in 3D Isentropic Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fung, Jeffrey; Masset, Frédéric; Lega, Elena; Velasco, David

2017-03-01

Planetary migration is inherently a three-dimensional (3D) problem, because Earth-size planetary cores are deeply embedded in protoplanetary disks. Simulations of these 3D disks remain challenging due to the steep resolution requirements. Using two different hydrodynamics codes, FARGO3D and PEnGUIn, we simulate disk-planet interaction for a one to five Earth-mass planet embedded in an isentropic disk. We measure the torque on the planet and ensure that the measurements are converged both in resolution and between the two codes. We find that the torque is independent of the smoothing length of the planet’s potential (r s), and that it has a weak dependence on the adiabatic index of the gaseous disk (γ). The torque values correspond to an inward migration rate qualitatively similar to previous linear calculations. We perform additional simulations with explicit radiative transfer using FARGOCA, and again find agreement between 3D simulations and existing torque formulae. We also present the flow pattern around the planets that show active flow is present within the planet’s Hill sphere, and meridional vortices are shed downstream. The vertical flow speed near the planet is faster for a smaller r s or γ, up to supersonic speeds for the smallest r s and γ in our study.

Targeted delivery of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to colon tissue and identification of a major 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 glycoside from Solanumglaucophyllum plant leaves.

PubMed

Zimmerman, Duane R; Koszewski, Nicholas J; Hoy, Derrel A; Goff, Jesse P; Horst, Ronald L

2015-04-01

Leaves of the Solanum glaucophyllum (Sg) plant, indigenous to South America, have long been known for their calcinogenic toxicity in ruminant animals. It was determined the leaves contained glycosidic derivatives of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) and liberation of the free hormone by rumen bacterial populations elicited a hypercalcemic response. Our interest in the leaves is predicated on the concept that the glycoside forms of 1,25D3 would target release of the active hormone in the lower gut of non-ruminant mammals. This would provide a means of delivering 1,25D3 directly to the colon, where the hormone has been shown to have beneficial effects in models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colon cancer. We fed mice for 10 days with variable amounts of Sg leaf. Feeding 7-333μg leaf/day produced no changes in plasma Ca(2+) and 1,25D3 concentrations, and only at ≥1000μg leaf/day did these values become significantly elevated compared to controls. Gene expression studies from colon tissue indicated a linear relationship between the amount of leaf consumed and expression of the Cyp24a1 gene. In contrast, Cyp24a1 gene expression in the duodenums and ileums of these mice was unchanged compared to controls. One of the major 1,25D3-glycosides was isolated from leaves following extraction and purification by Sep-Pak cartridges and HPLC fractionation. Ultraviolet absorbance was consistent with modification of the 1-hydroxyl group, and positive ion ESI mass spectrometry indicated a diglycoside of 1,25D3. 2-Dimensional NMR analyses were carried out and established the C1 proton of the A-ring was interacting with a C1' sugar proton, while the C3 proton of the A-ring was linked with a second C1' sugar proton. The structure of the isolated compound is therefore consistent with a β-linked 1,3-diglycoside of 1,25D3. Thus, Sg leaf administered to mice at up to 333 ug/day can elicit colon-specific enhancement of Cyp24a1 gene expression without inducing hypercalcemia, and

3D Printing in Technology and Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Robert L.; Bowden, Nicholas S.; Merrill, Chris

2014-01-01

In the past five years, there has been tremendous growth in the production and use of desktop 3D printers. This growth has been driven by the increasing availability of inexpensive computing and electronics technologies. The ability to rapidly share ideas and intelligence over the Internet has also played a key role in the growth. Growth is also…

3D Printing and 3D Bioprinting in Pediatrics

PubMed Central

Vijayavenkataraman, Sanjairaj; Fuh, Jerry Y H; Lu, Wen Feng

2017-01-01

Additive manufacturing, commonly referred to as 3D printing, is a technology that builds three-dimensional structures and components layer by layer. Bioprinting is the use of 3D printing technology to fabricate tissue constructs for regenerative medicine from cell-laden bio-inks. 3D printing and bioprinting have huge potential in revolutionizing the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This paper reviews the application of 3D printing and bioprinting in the field of pediatrics. PMID:28952542

3D Printing and 3D Bioprinting in Pediatrics.

PubMed

Vijayavenkataraman, Sanjairaj; Fuh, Jerry Y H; Lu, Wen Feng

2017-07-13

Additive manufacturing, commonly referred to as 3D printing, is a technology that builds three-dimensional structures and components layer by layer. Bioprinting is the use of 3D printing technology to fabricate tissue constructs for regenerative medicine from cell-laden bio-inks. 3D printing and bioprinting have huge potential in revolutionizing the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This paper reviews the application of 3D printing and bioprinting in the field of pediatrics.

A microfluidic device for 2D to 3D and 3D to 3D cell navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamloo, Amir; Amirifar, Leyla

2016-01-01

Microfluidic devices have received wide attention and shown great potential in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Investigating cell response to various stimulations is much more accurate and comprehensive with the aid of microfluidic devices. In this study, we introduced a microfluidic device by which the matrix density as a mechanical property and the concentration profile of a biochemical factor as a chemical property could be altered. Our microfluidic device has a cell tank and a cell culture chamber to mimic both 2D to 3D and 3D to 3D migration of three types of cells. Fluid shear stress is negligible on the cells and a stable concentration gradient can be obtained by diffusion. The device was designed by a numerical simulation so that the uniformity of the concentration gradients throughout the cell culture chamber was obtained. Adult neural cells were cultured within this device and they showed different branching and axonal navigation phenotypes within varying nerve growth factor (NGF) concentration profiles. Neural stem cells were also cultured within varying collagen matrix densities while exposed to NGF concentrations and they experienced 3D to 3D collective migration. By generating vascular endothelial growth factor concentration gradients, adult human dermal microvascular endothelial cells also migrated in a 2D to 3D manner and formed a stable lumen within a specific collagen matrix density. It was observed that a minimum absolute concentration and concentration gradient were required to stimulate migration of all types of the cells. This device has the advantage of changing multiple parameters simultaneously and is expected to have wide applicability in cell studies.

3D printing of tablets using inkjet with UV photoinitiation.

PubMed

Clark, Elizabeth A; Alexander, Morgan R; Irvine, Derek J; Roberts, Clive J; Wallace, Martin J; Sharpe, Sonja; Yoo, Jae; Hague, Richard J M; Tuck, Chris J; Wildman, Ricky D

2017-08-30

Additive manufacturing (AM) offers significant potential benefits in the field of drug delivery and pharmaceutical/medical device manufacture. Of AM processes, 3D inkjet printing enables precise deposition of a formulation, whilst offering the potential for significant scale up or scale out as a manufacturing platform. This work hypothesizes that suitable solvent based ink formulations can be developed that allow the production of solid dosage forms that meet the standards required for pharmaceutical tablets, whilst offering a platform for flexible and personalized manufacture. We demonstrate this using piezo-activated inkjetting to 3D print ropinirole hydrochloride. The tablets produced consist of a cross-linked poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate) (PEGDA) hydrogel matrix containing the drug, photoinitiated in a low oxygen environment using an aqueous solution of Irgacure 2959. At a Ropinirole HCl loading of 0.41mg, drug release from the tablet is shown to be Fickian. Raman and IR spectroscopy indicate a high degree of cross-linking and formation of an amorphous solid dispersion. This is the first publication of a UV inkjet 3D printed tablet. Consequently, this work opens the possibility for the translation of scalable, high precision and bespoke ink-jet based additive manufacturing to the pharmaceutical sector. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Electrostatic Steering Accelerates C3d:CR2 Association

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Electrostatic effects are ubiquitous in protein interactions and are found to be pervasive in the complement system as well. The interaction between complement fragment C3d and complement receptor 2 (CR2) has evolved to become a link between innate and adaptive immunity. Electrostatic interactions have been suggested to be the driving factor for the association of the C3d:CR2 complex. In this study, we investigate the effects of ionic strength and mutagenesis on the association of C3d:CR2 through Brownian dynamics simulations. We demonstrate that the formation of the C3d:CR2 complex is ionic strength-dependent, suggesting the presence of long-range electrostatic steering that accelerates the complex formation. Electrostatic steering occurs through the interaction of an acidic surface patch in C3d and the positively charged CR2 and is supported by the effects of mutations within the acidic patch of C3d that slow or diminish association. Our data are in agreement with previous experimental mutagenesis and binding studies and computational studies. Although the C3d acidic patch may be locally destabilizing because of unfavorable Coulombic interactions of like charges, it contributes to the acceleration of association. Therefore, acceleration of function through electrostatic steering takes precedence to stability. The site of interaction between C3d and CR2 has been the target for delivery of CR2-bound nanoparticle, antibody, and small molecule biomarkers, as well as potential therapeutics. A detailed knowledge of the physicochemical basis of C3d:CR2 association may be necessary to accelerate biomarker and drug discovery efforts. PMID:27092816

Electrostatic Steering Accelerates C3d:CR2 Association.

PubMed

Mohan, Rohith R; Huber, Gary A; Morikis, Dimitrios

2016-08-25

Electrostatic effects are ubiquitous in protein interactions and are found to be pervasive in the complement system as well. The interaction between complement fragment C3d and complement receptor 2 (CR2) has evolved to become a link between innate and adaptive immunity. Electrostatic interactions have been suggested to be the driving factor for the association of the C3d:CR2 complex. In this study, we investigate the effects of ionic strength and mutagenesis on the association of C3d:CR2 through Brownian dynamics simulations. We demonstrate that the formation of the C3d:CR2 complex is ionic strength-dependent, suggesting the presence of long-range electrostatic steering that accelerates the complex formation. Electrostatic steering occurs through the interaction of an acidic surface patch in C3d and the positively charged CR2 and is supported by the effects of mutations within the acidic patch of C3d that slow or diminish association. Our data are in agreement with previous experimental mutagenesis and binding studies and computational studies. Although the C3d acidic patch may be locally destabilizing because of unfavorable Coulombic interactions of like charges, it contributes to the acceleration of association. Therefore, acceleration of function through electrostatic steering takes precedence to stability. The site of interaction between C3d and CR2 has been the target for delivery of CR2-bound nanoparticle, antibody, and small molecule biomarkers, as well as potential therapeutics. A detailed knowledge of the physicochemical basis of C3d:CR2 association may be necessary to accelerate biomarker and drug discovery efforts.

Single organelle dynamics linked to 3D structure by correlative live-cell imaging and 3D electron microscopy.

PubMed

Fermie, Job; Liv, Nalan; Ten Brink, Corlinda; van Donselaar, Elly G; Müller, Wally H; Schieber, Nicole L; Schwab, Yannick; Gerritsen, Hans C; Klumperman, Judith

2018-05-01

Live-cell correlative light-electron microscopy (live-cell-CLEM) integrates live movies with the corresponding electron microscopy (EM) image, but a major challenge is to relate the dynamic characteristics of single organelles to their 3-dimensional (3D) ultrastructure. Here, we introduce focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) in a modular live-cell-CLEM pipeline for a single organelle CLEM. We transfected cells with lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1-green fluorescent protein (LAMP-1-GFP), analyzed the dynamics of individual GFP-positive spots, and correlated these to their corresponding fine-architecture and immediate cellular environment. By FIB-SEM we quantitatively assessed morphological characteristics, like number of intraluminal vesicles and contact sites with endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Hence, we present a novel way to integrate multiple parameters of subcellular dynamics and architecture onto a single organelle, which is relevant to address biological questions related to membrane trafficking, organelle biogenesis and positioning. Furthermore, by using CLEM to select regions of interest, our method allows for targeted FIB-SEM, which significantly reduces time required for image acquisition and data processing. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Discovery, distribution and diversity of Puroindoline-D1 genes in bread wheat from five countries (Triticum aestivum L.)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Grain texture is one of the most important characteristics in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Puroindoline-D1 genes play the main role in controlling grain texture and are intimately associated with the milling and processing qualities in bread wheat. Results A series of diagnostic molecular markers and dCAPS markers were used to characterize Pina-D1 and Pinb-D1 in 493 wheat cultivars from diverse geographic locations. A primer walking strategy was used to characterize PINA-null alleles at the DNA level. Results indicated that Chinese landraces encompassing 12 different Puroindoline-D1 allelic combinations showed the highest diversity, while CIMMYT wheat cultivars containing 3 different Puroindoline-D1 allelic combinations showed the lowest diversity amongst wheat cultivars from the five countries surveyed. Two novel Pina-D1 alleles, designated Pina-D1s with a 4,422-bp deletion and Pina-D1u with a 6,460-bp deletion in the Ha (Hardness) locus, were characterized at the DNA level by a primer walking strategy, and corresponding molecular markers Pina-N3 and Pina-N4 were developed for straightforward identification of the Pina-D1s and Pina-D1u alleles. Analysis of the association of Puroindoline-D1 alleles with grain texture indicated that wheat cultivars with Pina-null/Pinb-null allele, possessing an approximate 33-kb deletion in the Ha locus, have the highest SKCS hardness index amongst the different genotypes used in this study. Moreover, wheat cultivars with the PINA-null allele have significantly higher SKCS hardness index than those of Pinb-D1b and Pinb-D1p alleles. Conclusions Molecular characterization of the Puroindoline-D1 allele was investigated in bread wheat cultivars from five geographic regions, resulting in the discovery of two new alleles - Pina-D1s and Pina-D1u. Molecular markers were developed for both alleles. Analysis of the association of the Puroindoline-D1 alleles with grain texture showed that cultivars with PINA-null allele

Apple Derived Cellulose Scaffolds for 3D Mammalian Cell Culture

PubMed Central

Modulevsky, Daniel J.; Lefebvre, Cory; Haase, Kristina; Al-Rekabi, Zeinab; Pelling, Andrew E.

2014-01-01

There are numerous approaches for producing natural and synthetic 3D scaffolds that support the proliferation of mammalian cells. 3D scaffolds better represent the natural cellular microenvironment and have many potential applications in vitro and in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that 3D cellulose scaffolds produced by decellularizing apple hypanthium tissue can be employed for in vitro 3D culture of NIH3T3 fibroblasts, mouse C2C12 muscle myoblasts and human HeLa epithelial cells. We show that these cells can adhere, invade and proliferate in the cellulose scaffolds. In addition, biochemical functionalization or chemical cross-linking can be employed to control the surface biochemistry and/or mechanical properties of the scaffold. The cells retain high viability even after 12 continuous weeks of culture and can achieve cell densities comparable with other natural and synthetic scaffold materials. Apple derived cellulose scaffolds are easily produced, inexpensive and originate from a renewable source. Taken together, these results demonstrate that naturally derived cellulose scaffolds offer a complementary approach to existing techniques for the in vitro culture of mammalian cells in a 3D environment. PMID:24842603

Apple derived cellulose scaffolds for 3D mammalian cell culture.

PubMed

Modulevsky, Daniel J; Lefebvre, Cory; Haase, Kristina; Al-Rekabi, Zeinab; Pelling, Andrew E

2014-01-01

There are numerous approaches for producing natural and synthetic 3D scaffolds that support the proliferation of mammalian cells. 3D scaffolds better represent the natural cellular microenvironment and have many potential applications in vitro and in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that 3D cellulose scaffolds produced by decellularizing apple hypanthium tissue can be employed for in vitro 3D culture of NIH3T3 fibroblasts, mouse C2C12 muscle myoblasts and human HeLa epithelial cells. We show that these cells can adhere, invade and proliferate in the cellulose scaffolds. In addition, biochemical functionalization or chemical cross-linking can be employed to control the surface biochemistry and/or mechanical properties of the scaffold. The cells retain high viability even after 12 continuous weeks of culture and can achieve cell densities comparable with other natural and synthetic scaffold materials. Apple derived cellulose scaffolds are easily produced, inexpensive and originate from a renewable source. Taken together, these results demonstrate that naturally derived cellulose scaffolds offer a complementary approach to existing techniques for the in vitro culture of mammalian cells in a 3D environment.

Comparative analysis of 2D and 3D distance measurements to study spatial genome organization.

PubMed

Finn, Elizabeth H; Pegoraro, Gianluca; Shachar, Sigal; Misteli, Tom

2017-07-01

The spatial organization of genomes is non-random, cell-type specific, and has been linked to cellular function. The investigation of spatial organization has traditionally relied extensively on fluorescence microscopy. The validity of the imaging methods used to probe spatial genome organization often depends on the accuracy and precision of distance measurements. Imaging-based measurements may either use 2 dimensional datasets or 3D datasets which include the z-axis information in image stacks. Here we compare the suitability of 2D vs 3D distance measurements in the analysis of various features of spatial genome organization. We find in general good agreement between 2D and 3D analysis with higher convergence of measurements as the interrogated distance increases, especially in flat cells. Overall, 3D distance measurements are more accurate than 2D distances, but are also more susceptible to noise. In particular, z-stacks are prone to error due to imaging properties such as limited resolution along the z-axis and optical aberrations, and we also find significant deviations from unimodal distance distributions caused by low sampling frequency in z. These deviations are ameliorated by significantly higher sampling frequency in the z-direction. We conclude that 2D distances are preferred for comparative analyses between cells, but 3D distances are preferred when comparing to theoretical models in large samples of cells. In general and for practical purposes, 2D distance measurements are preferable for many applications of analysis of spatial genome organization. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cyclic Nucleotide-gated Channel α-3 (CNGA3) Interacts with Stereocilia Tip-Link Cadherin 23 + Exon 68 or Alternatively with Myosin VIIa, Two Proteins Required for Hair Cell Mechanotransduction*

PubMed Central

Selvakumar, Dakshnamurthy; Drescher, Marian J.; Drescher, Dennis G.

2013-01-01

Previously, we obtained evidence for a photoreceptor/olfactory type of CNGA3 transcript in a purified teleost vestibular hair cell preparation with immunolocalization of CNGA3 protein to stereocilia of teleost vestibular and mammalian cochlear hair cells. The carboxyl terminus of highly Ca2+-permeable CNGA3 expressed in the mammalian organ of Corti and saccular hair cells was found to interact with an intracellular domain of microfibril interface-located protein 1 (EMILIN 1), a member of the elastin superfamily, also immunolocalizd to hair cell stereocilia (Selvakumar, D., Drescher, M. J., Dowdall, J. R., Khan, K. M., Hatfield, J. S., Ramakrishnan, N. A., and Drescher, D. G. (2012) Biochem. J. 443, 463–476). Here, we provide evidence for organ of Corti proteins, of Ca2+-dependent binding of the amino terminus of CNGA3 specifically to the carboxyl terminus of stereocilia tip-link protein CDH23 +68 (cadherin 23 with expressed exon 68) by yeast two-hybrid mating and co-transformation protocols, pulldown assays, and surface plasmon resonance analysis. Myosin VIIa, required for adaptation of hair cell mechanotransduction (MET) channel(s), competed with CDH23 +68, with direct Ca2+-dependent binding to the amino terminus of CNGA3. Based upon the premise that hair cell stereocilia tip-link proteins are closely coupled with MET, these results are consistent with the possibility that CNGA3 participates in hair-cell MET. Together with the demonstration of protein-protein interaction between HCN1 and tip-link protein protocadherin 15 CD3 (Ramakrishnan, N. A., Drescher, M. J., Barretto, R. L., Beisel, K. W., Hatfield, J. S., and Drescher, D. G. (2009) J. Biol. Chem. 284, 3227–3238; Ramakrishnan, N. A., Drescher, M. J., Khan, K. M., Hatfield, J. S., and Drescher, D. G. (2012) J. Biol. Chem. 287, 37628–37646), a protein-protein interaction for CNGA3 and a second tip-link protein, CDH23 +68, further suggests possible association of two different channels with a single

Cyclic nucleotide-gated channel α-3 (CNGA3) interacts with stereocilia tip-link cadherin 23 + exon 68 or alternatively with myosin VIIa, two proteins required for hair cell mechanotransduction.

PubMed

Selvakumar, Dakshnamurthy; Drescher, Marian J; Drescher, Dennis G

2013-03-08

Previously, we obtained evidence for a photoreceptor/olfactory type of CNGA3 transcript in a purified teleost vestibular hair cell preparation with immunolocalization of CNGA3 protein to stereocilia of teleost vestibular and mammalian cochlear hair cells. The carboxyl terminus of highly Ca(2+)-permeable CNGA3 expressed in the mammalian organ of Corti and saccular hair cells was found to interact with an intracellular domain of microfibril interface-located protein 1 (EMILIN 1), a member of the elastin superfamily, also immunolocalizd to hair cell stereocilia (Selvakumar, D., Drescher, M. J., Dowdall, J. R., Khan, K. M., Hatfield, J. S., Ramakrishnan, N. A., and Drescher, D. G. (2012) Biochem. J. 443, 463-476). Here, we provide evidence for organ of Corti proteins, of Ca(2+)-dependent binding of the amino terminus of CNGA3 specifically to the carboxyl terminus of stereocilia tip-link protein CDH23 +68 (cadherin 23 with expressed exon 68) by yeast two-hybrid mating and co-transformation protocols, pulldown assays, and surface plasmon resonance analysis. Myosin VIIa, required for adaptation of hair cell mechanotransduction (MET) channel(s), competed with CDH23 +68, with direct Ca(2+)-dependent binding to the amino terminus of CNGA3. Based upon the premise that hair cell stereocilia tip-link proteins are closely coupled with MET, these results are consistent with the possibility that CNGA3 participates in hair-cell MET. Together with the demonstration of protein-protein interaction between HCN1 and tip-link protein protocadherin 15 CD3 (Ramakrishnan, N. A., Drescher, M. J., Barretto, R. L., Beisel, K. W., Hatfield, J. S., and Drescher, D. G. (2009) J. Biol. Chem. 284, 3227-3238; Ramakrishnan, N. A., Drescher, M. J., Khan, K. M., Hatfield, J. S., and Drescher, D. G. (2012) J. Biol. Chem. 287, 37628-37646), a protein-protein interaction for CNGA3 and a second tip-link protein, CDH23 +68, further suggests possible association of two different channels with a single

A novel anti-windup framework for cascade control systems: an application to underactuated mechanical systems.

PubMed

Mehdi, Niaz; Rehan, Muhammad; Malik, Fahad Mumtaz; Bhatti, Aamer Iqbal; Tufail, Muhammad

2014-05-01

This paper describes the anti-windup compensator (AWC) design methodologies for stable and unstable cascade plants with cascade controllers facing actuator saturation. Two novel full-order decoupling AWC architectures, based on equivalence of the overall closed-loop system, are developed to deal with windup effects. The decoupled architectures have been developed, to formulate the AWC synthesis problem, by assuring equivalence of the coupled and the decoupled architectures, instead of using an analogy, for cascade control systems. A comparison of both AWC architectures from application point of view is provided to consolidate their utilities. Mainly, one of the architecture is better in terms of computational complexity for implementation, while the other is suitable for unstable cascade systems. On the basis of the architectures for cascade systems facing stability and performance degradation problems in the event of actuator saturation, the global AWC design methodologies utilizing linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) are developed. These LMIs are synthesized by application of the Lyapunov theory, the global sector condition and the ℒ2 gain reduction of the uncertain decoupled nonlinear component of the decoupled architecture. Further, an LMI-based local AWC design methodology is derived by utilizing a local sector condition by means of a quadratic Lyapunov function to resolve the windup problem for unstable cascade plants under saturation. To demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed AWC schemes, an underactuated mechanical system, the ball-and-beam system, is considered, and details of the simulation and practical implementation results are described. Copyright © 2014 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hypovitaminosis D3, Leukopenia, and Human Serotonin Transporter Polymorphism in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

PubMed

Tasegian, Anna; Curcio, Francesco; Dalla Ragione, Laura; Rossetti, Francesca; Cataldi, Samuela; Codini, Michela; Ambesi-Impiombato, Francesco Saverio; Beccari, Tommaso; Albi, Elisabetta

2016-01-01

Vitamin D3 has been described to have different extraskeletal roles by acting as parahormone in obesity, diabetes, cancer, cognitive impairment, and dementia and to have important regulatory functions in innate immunity. There are no studies showing extraskeletal changes associated with hypovitaminosis D3 in eating disorders. Methods. We have analyzed the blood of 18 patients affected by anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa collected over a 15-month period. We performed a panel of chemical and clinical analyses: the assay of vitamin D3, the immunoblotting of vitamin D receptor and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, and the genotyping of 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter linked polymorphic region. Results. We choose 18 patients with a normal blood test profile such as thyroid hormones, hepatic and renal parameters, triglycerides, proteins, vitamin B12, and folic acid. Among these emerged the case of a woman with long-term anorexia nervosa and the case of a woman with long-term bulimia nervosa both complicated by anxiety and depression, severe hypovitaminosis D3, decrease of vitamin D receptor, leukopenia, and 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter linked polymorphic region short allele. Conclusion. The results induce hypothesising that the severe hypovitaminosis D3 might be responsible for the lack of the inflammatory response and the depressive symptoms in patients with long-term eating disorders.

Five inorganic–organic hybrids based on Keggin polyanion [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−}: From 0D to 2D network

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

Yu, Xiao-Yang, E-mail: yangyangyu0103@sohu.com; Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin City, Jilin 132022; Cui, Xiao-Bing

2014-01-15

Five new inorganic–organic hybrids based on 4,4′-bipyridine and Keggin-type polyoxometalate [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−}, (SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40})(H{sub 2}bipy){sub 2}·2H{sub 2}O (1), [Cu(Hbipy){sub 4}(HSiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40})(SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40})](H{sub 2}bipy){sub 0.5}·7H{sub 2}O (2), [Cu{sub 2}(Hbipy){sub 6}(bipy)(SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}){sub 3}](Hbipy){sub 2}·6H{sub 2}O (3), [Cu(bipy){sub 2}(SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40})](H{sub 2}bipy)·2H{sub 2}O (4) and [Cu{sub 2}(bipy){sub 4}(H{sub 2}O){sub 4}](SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40})·13H{sub 2}O (5) (bipy=4,4′-bipyridine), have been hydrothermally synthesized. 1 consists of H{sub 2}bipy{sup 2+} and [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−} units. In 2, two [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−} are bridged by [Cu(Hbipy){sub 4}]{sup 6+} to form a [Cu(Hbipy){sub 4}(SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}){sub 2}]{sup 2−} dimmer. In 3, [SiMo{submore » 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−} polyanions acting as bidentated bridging ligands and monodentated auxiliary ligands connect [Cu{sub 2}(Hbipy){sub 6}(bipy)]{sup 8+} units into a 1D zigzag chain. In 4, [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−} polyanions bridge neighboring 1D [Cu(bipy){sub 2}]{sup 2+} double chains into a 2D extended layer. In 5, [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−} polyanions acting as templates site alternately upon the grids from both sides of the square grid [Cu{sub 2}(bipy){sub 4}(H{sub 2}O){sub 4}]{sup 4+} layer. In addition, the electrochemical behaviors of 1, 3 and 4 and the photocatalysis property of 1 have been investigated. - Graphical abstract: Five new compounds based on [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−} have been successfully generated. [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−} anions play different roles in the structures of the five compounds. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Five new compounds based on [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−} have been generated. • [SiMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]{sup 4−} anions play different roles in the five structures. • The electrochemical behaviors of 1, 3 and 4

RAG-3D: A search tool for RNA 3D substructures

DOE PAGES

Zahran, Mai; Sevim Bayrak, Cigdem; Elmetwaly, Shereef; ...

2015-08-24

In this study, to address many challenges in RNA structure/function prediction, the characterization of RNA's modular architectural units is required. Using the RNA-As-Graphs (RAG) database, we have previously explored the existence of secondary structure (2D) submotifs within larger RNA structures. Here we present RAG-3D—a dataset of RNA tertiary (3D) structures and substructures plus a web-based search tool—designed to exploit graph representations of RNAs for the goal of searching for similar 3D structural fragments. The objects in RAG-3D consist of 3D structures translated into 3D graphs, cataloged based on the connectivity between their secondary structure elements. Each graph is additionally describedmore » in terms of its subgraph building blocks. The RAG-3D search tool then compares a query RNA 3D structure to those in the database to obtain structurally similar structures and substructures. This comparison reveals conserved 3D RNA features and thus may suggest functional connections. Though RNA search programs based on similarity in sequence, 2D, and/or 3D structural elements are available, our graph-based search tool may be advantageous for illuminating similarities that are not obvious; using motifs rather than sequence space also reduces search times considerably. Ultimately, such substructuring could be useful for RNA 3D structure prediction, structure/function inference and inverse folding.« less

RAG-3D: a search tool for RNA 3D substructures

PubMed Central

Zahran, Mai; Sevim Bayrak, Cigdem; Elmetwaly, Shereef; Schlick, Tamar

2015-01-01

To address many challenges in RNA structure/function prediction, the characterization of RNA's modular architectural units is required. Using the RNA-As-Graphs (RAG) database, we have previously explored the existence of secondary structure (2D) submotifs within larger RNA structures. Here we present RAG-3D—a dataset of RNA tertiary (3D) structures and substructures plus a web-based search tool—designed to exploit graph representations of RNAs for the goal of searching for similar 3D structural fragments. The objects in RAG-3D consist of 3D structures translated into 3D graphs, cataloged based on the connectivity between their secondary structure elements. Each graph is additionally described in terms of its subgraph building blocks. The RAG-3D search tool then compares a query RNA 3D structure to those in the database to obtain structurally similar structures and substructures. This comparison reveals conserved 3D RNA features and thus may suggest functional connections. Though RNA search programs based on similarity in sequence, 2D, and/or 3D structural elements are available, our graph-based search tool may be advantageous for illuminating similarities that are not obvious; using motifs rather than sequence space also reduces search times considerably. Ultimately, such substructuring could be useful for RNA 3D structure prediction, structure/function inference and inverse folding. PMID:26304547

RAG-3D: A search tool for RNA 3D substructures

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

Zahran, Mai; Sevim Bayrak, Cigdem; Elmetwaly, Shereef

In this study, to address many challenges in RNA structure/function prediction, the characterization of RNA's modular architectural units is required. Using the RNA-As-Graphs (RAG) database, we have previously explored the existence of secondary structure (2D) submotifs within larger RNA structures. Here we present RAG-3D—a dataset of RNA tertiary (3D) structures and substructures plus a web-based search tool—designed to exploit graph representations of RNAs for the goal of searching for similar 3D structural fragments. The objects in RAG-3D consist of 3D structures translated into 3D graphs, cataloged based on the connectivity between their secondary structure elements. Each graph is additionally describedmore » in terms of its subgraph building blocks. The RAG-3D search tool then compares a query RNA 3D structure to those in the database to obtain structurally similar structures and substructures. This comparison reveals conserved 3D RNA features and thus may suggest functional connections. Though RNA search programs based on similarity in sequence, 2D, and/or 3D structural elements are available, our graph-based search tool may be advantageous for illuminating similarities that are not obvious; using motifs rather than sequence space also reduces search times considerably. Ultimately, such substructuring could be useful for RNA 3D structure prediction, structure/function inference and inverse folding.« less

Investigation of visual fatigue/discomfort generated by S3D video using eye-tracking data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iatsun, Iana; Larabi, Mohamed-Chaker; Fernandez-Maloigne, Christine

2013-03-01

Stereoscopic 3D is undoubtedly one of the most attractive content. It has been deployed intensively during the last decade through movies and games. Among the advantages of 3D are the strong involvement of viewers and the increased feeling of presence. However, the sanitary e ects that can be generated by 3D are still not precisely known. For example, visual fatigue and visual discomfort are among symptoms that an observer may feel. In this paper, we propose an investigation of visual fatigue generated by 3D video watching, with the help of eye-tracking. From one side, a questionnaire, with the most frequent symptoms linked with 3D, is used in order to measure their variation over time. From the other side, visual characteristics such as pupil diameter, eye movements ( xations and saccades) and eye blinking have been explored thanks to data provided by the eye-tracker. The statistical analysis showed an important link between blinking duration and number of saccades with visual fatigue while pupil diameter and xations are not precise enough and are highly dependent on content. Finally, time and content play an important role in the growth of visual fatigue due to 3D watching.

3D mechanical stratigraphy of a deformed multi-layer: Linking sedimentary architecture and strain partitioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cawood, Adam J.; Bond, Clare E.

2018-01-01

Stratigraphic influence on structural style and strain distribution in deformed sedimentary sequences is well established, in models of 2D mechanical stratigraphy. In this study we attempt to refine existing models of stratigraphic-structure interaction by examining outcrop scale 3D variations in sedimentary architecture and the effects on subsequent deformation. At Monkstone Point, Pembrokeshire, SW Wales, digital mapping and virtual scanline data from a high resolution virtual outcrop have been combined with field observations, sedimentary logs and thin section analysis. Results show that significant variation in strain partitioning is controlled by changes, at a scale of tens of metres, in sedimentary architecture within Upper Carboniferous fluvio-deltaic deposits. Coupled vs uncoupled deformation of the sequence is defined by the composition and lateral continuity of mechanical units and unit interfaces. Where the sedimentary sequence is characterized by gradational changes in composition and grain size, we find that deformation structures are best characterized by patterns of distributed strain. In contrast, distinct compositional changes vertically and in laterally equivalent deposits results in highly partitioned deformation and strain. The mechanical stratigraphy of the study area is inherently 3D in nature, due to lateral and vertical compositional variability. Consideration should be given to 3D variations in mechanical stratigraphy, such as those outlined here, when predicting subsurface deformation in multi-layers.

3D Laser Processing : The Renault Rl5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolland, Olivier C.; Meyer, Bernard D.

1986-11-01

The RL5, a five-axis robot, is designed to steer a powerful laser beam on 3 dimensional (3D) trajectories with a great accuracy. Cutting and welding with a CO2 laser beam, drilling with a YAG laser beam are some applications of this machine which can be integrated in a production line. Easy management and modifications of trajectories, obtained either in a teaching mode or by a CAD-CAM system, give the laser tool its main interest : flexibility.

Deep nuclear invaginations are linked to cytoskeletal filaments - integrated bioimaging of epithelial cells in 3D culture.

PubMed

Jorgens, Danielle M; Inman, Jamie L; Wojcik, Michal; Robertson, Claire; Palsdottir, Hildur; Tsai, Wen-Ting; Huang, Haina; Bruni-Cardoso, Alexandre; López, Claudia S; Bissell, Mina J; Xu, Ke; Auer, Manfred

2017-01-01

The importance of context in regulation of gene expression is now an accepted principle; yet the mechanism by which the microenvironment communicates with the nucleus and chromatin in healthy tissues is poorly understood. A functional role for nuclear and cytoskeletal architecture is suggested by the phenotypic differences observed between epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Capitalizing on recent advances in cryogenic techniques, volume electron microscopy and super-resolution light microscopy, we studied human mammary epithelial cells in three-dimensional (3D) cultures forming growth-arrested acini. Intriguingly, we found deep nuclear invaginations and tunnels traversing the nucleus, encasing cytoskeletal actin and/or intermediate filaments, which connect to the outer nuclear envelope. The cytoskeleton is also connected both to other cells through desmosome adhesion complexes and to the extracellular matrix through hemidesmosomes. This finding supports a physical and/or mechanical link from the desmosomes and hemidesmosomes to the nucleus, which had previously been hypothesized but now is visualized for the first time. These unique structures, including the nuclear invaginations and the cytoskeletal connectivity to the cell nucleus, are consistent with a dynamic reciprocity between the nucleus and the outside of epithelial cells and tissues. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Dutch Tariff for the Five-Level Version of EQ-5D.

PubMed

M Versteegh, Matthijs; M Vermeulen, Karin; M A A Evers, Silvia; de Wit, G Ardine; Prenger, Rilana; A Stolk, Elly

2016-06-01

In 2009, a new version of the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D) was introduced with five rather than three answer levels per dimension. This instrument is known as the EQ-5D-5L. To make the EQ-5D-5L suitable for use in economic evaluations, societal values need to be attached to all 3125 health states. To derive a Dutch tariff for the EQ-5D-5L. Health state values were elicited during face-to-face interviews in a general population sample stratified for age, sex, and education, using composite time trade-off (cTTO) and a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Data were modeled using ordinary least squares and tobit regression (for cTTO) and a multinomial conditional logit model (for DCE). Model performance was evaluated on the basis of internal consistency, parsimony, goodness of fit, handling of left-censored values, and theoretical considerations. A representative sample (N = 1003) of the Dutch population participated in the valuation study. Data of 979 and 992 respondents were included in the analysis of the cTTO and the DCE, respectively. The cTTO data were left-censored at -1. The tobit model was considered the preferred model for the tariff on the basis of its handling of the censored nature of the data, which was confirmed through comparison with the DCE data. The predicted values for the EQ-5D-5L ranged from -0.446 to 1. This study established a Dutch tariff for the EQ-5D-5L on the basis of cTTO. The values represent the preferences of the Dutch population. The tariff can be used to estimate the impact of health care interventions on quality of life, for example, in context of economic evaluations. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ICER-3D Hyperspectral Image Compression Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xie, Hua; Kiely, Aaron; Klimesh, matthew; Aranki, Nazeeh

2010-01-01

Software has been developed to implement the ICER-3D algorithm. ICER-3D effects progressive, three-dimensional (3D), wavelet-based compression of hyperspectral images. If a compressed data stream is truncated, the progressive nature of the algorithm enables reconstruction of hyperspectral data at fidelity commensurate with the given data volume. The ICER-3D software is capable of providing either lossless or lossy compression, and incorporates an error-containment scheme to limit the effects of data loss during transmission. The compression algorithm, which was derived from the ICER image compression algorithm, includes wavelet-transform, context-modeling, and entropy coding subalgorithms. The 3D wavelet decomposition structure used by ICER-3D exploits correlations in all three dimensions of sets of hyperspectral image data, while facilitating elimination of spectral ringing artifacts, using a technique summarized in "Improving 3D Wavelet-Based Compression of Spectral Images" (NPO-41381), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 33, No. 3 (March 2009), page 7a. Correlation is further exploited by a context-modeling subalgorithm, which exploits spectral dependencies in the wavelet-transformed hyperspectral data, using an algorithm that is summarized in "Context Modeler for Wavelet Compression of Hyperspectral Images" (NPO-43239), which follows this article. An important feature of ICER-3D is a scheme for limiting the adverse effects of loss of data during transmission. In this scheme, as in the similar scheme used by ICER, the spatial-frequency domain is partitioned into rectangular error-containment regions. In ICER-3D, the partitions extend through all the wavelength bands. The data in each partition are compressed independently of those in the other partitions, so that loss or corruption of data from any partition does not affect the other partitions. Furthermore, because compression is progressive within each partition, when data are lost, any data from that partition received

MRS3D: 3D Spherical Wavelet Transform on the Sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanusse, F.; Rassat, A.; Starck, J.-L.

2011-12-01

Future cosmological surveys will provide 3D large scale structure maps with large sky coverage, for which a 3D Spherical Fourier-Bessel (SFB) analysis is natural. Wavelets are particularly well-suited to the analysis and denoising of cosmological data, but a spherical 3D isotropic wavelet transform does not currently exist to analyse spherical 3D data. We present a new fast Discrete Spherical Fourier-Bessel Transform (DSFBT) based on both a discrete Bessel Transform and the HEALPIX angular pixelisation scheme. We tested the 3D wavelet transform and as a toy-application, applied a denoising algorithm in wavelet space to the Virgo large box cosmological simulations and found we can successfully remove noise without much loss to the large scale structure. The new spherical 3D isotropic wavelet transform, called MRS3D, is ideally suited to analysing and denoising future 3D spherical cosmological surveys; it uses a novel discrete spherical Fourier-Bessel Transform. MRS3D is based on two packages, IDL and Healpix and can be used only if these two packages have been installed.

3D Volume Rendering and 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing).

PubMed

Katkar, Rujuta A; Taft, Robert M; Grant, Gerald T

2018-07-01

Three-dimensional (3D) volume-rendered images allow 3D insight into the anatomy, facilitating surgical treatment planning and teaching. 3D printing, additive manufacturing, and rapid prototyping techniques are being used with satisfactory accuracy, mostly for diagnosis and surgical planning, followed by direct manufacture of implantable devices. The major limitation is the time and money spent generating 3D objects. Printer type, material, and build thickness are known to influence the accuracy of printed models. In implant dentistry, the use of 3D-printed surgical guides is strongly recommended to facilitate planning and reduce risk of operative complications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Incorporating Digisonde Traces into the Ionospheric Data Assimilation Three Dimensional (IDA3D) Algorithm

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-11

examined. These data were processed by the Automatic Real Time Ionogram Scaler with True Height ( ARTIST ) [Reinisch and Huang, 1983] program into electron...IDA3D. The data is locally available and previously quality checked. In addition, IDA3D maps using ARTIST -calculated profiles from hand scaled...ionograms are available for comparison. The first test run of the IDA3D used only O-mode autoscaled virtual height profiles from five different digisondes

3D micro-mapping: Towards assessing the quality of crowdsourcing to support 3D point cloud analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herfort, Benjamin; Höfle, Bernhard; Klonner, Carolin

2018-03-01

In this paper, we propose a method to crowdsource the task of complex three-dimensional information extraction from 3D point clouds. We design web-based 3D micro tasks tailored to assess segmented LiDAR point clouds of urban trees and investigate the quality of the approach in an empirical user study. Our results for three different experiments with increasing complexity indicate that a single crowdsourcing task can be solved in a very short time of less than five seconds on average. Furthermore, the results of our empirical case study reveal that the accuracy, sensitivity and precision of 3D crowdsourcing are high for most information extraction problems. For our first experiment (binary classification with single answer) we obtain an accuracy of 91%, a sensitivity of 95% and a precision of 92%. For the more complex tasks of the second Experiment 2 (multiple answer classification) the accuracy ranges from 65% to 99% depending on the label class. Regarding the third experiment - the determination of the crown base height of individual trees - our study highlights that crowdsourcing can be a tool to obtain values with even higher accuracy in comparison to an automated computer-based approach. Finally, we found out that the accuracy of the crowdsourced results for all experiments is hardly influenced by characteristics of the input point cloud data and of the users. Importantly, the results' accuracy can be estimated using agreement among volunteers as an intrinsic indicator, which makes a broad application of 3D micro-mapping very promising.

3D Microperiodic Hydrogel Scaffolds for Robust Neuronal Cultures

PubMed Central

Hanson Shepherd, Jennifer N.; Parker, Sara T.; Shepherd, Robert F.; Gillette, Martha U.; Lewis, Jennifer A.; Nuzzo, Ralph G.

2011-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) microperiodic scaffolds of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) have been fabricated by direct-write assembly of a photopolymerizable hydrogel ink. The ink is initially composed of physically entangled pHEMA chains dissolved in a solution of HEMA monomer, comonomer, photoinitiator and water. Upon printing 3D scaffolds of varying architecture, the ink filaments are exposed to UV light, where they are transformed into an interpenetrating hydrogel network of chemically cross-linked and physically entangled pHEMA chains. These 3D microperiodic scaffolds are rendered growth compliant for primary rat hippocampal neurons by absorption of polylysine. Neuronal cells thrive on these scaffolds, forming differentiated, intricately branched networks. Confocal laser scanning microscopy reveals that both cell distribution and extent of neuronal process alignment depend upon scaffold architecture. This work provides an important step forward in the creation of suitable platforms for in vitro study of sensitive cell types. PMID:21709750

Geospatial Modelling Approach for 3d Urban Densification Developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koziatek, O.; Dragićević, S.; Li, S.

2016-06-01

With growing populations, economic pressures, and the need for sustainable practices, many urban regions are rapidly densifying developments in the vertical built dimension with mid- and high-rise buildings. The location of these buildings can be projected based on key factors that are attractive to urban planners, developers, and potential buyers. Current research in this area includes various modelling approaches, such as cellular automata and agent-based modelling, but the results are mostly linked to raster grids as the smallest spatial units that operate in two spatial dimensions. Therefore, the objective of this research is to develop a geospatial model that operates on irregular spatial tessellations to model mid- and high-rise buildings in three spatial dimensions (3D). The proposed model is based on the integration of GIS, fuzzy multi-criteria evaluation (MCE), and 3D GIS-based procedural modelling. Part of the City of Surrey, within the Metro Vancouver Region, Canada, has been used to present the simulations of the generated 3D building objects. The proposed 3D modelling approach was developed using ESRI's CityEngine software and the Computer Generated Architecture (CGA) language.

Deep nuclear invaginations are linked to cytoskeletal filaments – integrated bioimaging of epithelial cells in 3D culture

PubMed Central

Inman, Jamie L.; Wojcik, Michal; Robertson, Claire; Tsai, Wen-Ting; Huang, Haina; Bruni-Cardoso, Alexandre; López, Claudia S.; Bissell, Mina J.; Xu, Ke

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The importance of context in regulation of gene expression is now an accepted principle; yet the mechanism by which the microenvironment communicates with the nucleus and chromatin in healthy tissues is poorly understood. A functional role for nuclear and cytoskeletal architecture is suggested by the phenotypic differences observed between epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Capitalizing on recent advances in cryogenic techniques, volume electron microscopy and super-resolution light microscopy, we studied human mammary epithelial cells in three-dimensional (3D) cultures forming growth-arrested acini. Intriguingly, we found deep nuclear invaginations and tunnels traversing the nucleus, encasing cytoskeletal actin and/or intermediate filaments, which connect to the outer nuclear envelope. The cytoskeleton is also connected both to other cells through desmosome adhesion complexes and to the extracellular matrix through hemidesmosomes. This finding supports a physical and/or mechanical link from the desmosomes and hemidesmosomes to the nucleus, which had previously been hypothesized but now is visualized for the first time. These unique structures, including the nuclear invaginations and the cytoskeletal connectivity to the cell nucleus, are consistent with a dynamic reciprocity between the nucleus and the outside of epithelial cells and tissues. PMID:27505896

Deep nuclear invaginations are linked to cytoskeletal filaments – integrated bioimaging of epithelial cells in 3D culture

DOE PAGES

Jorgens, Danielle M.; Inman, Jamie L.; Wojcik, Michal; ...

2016-08-05

The importance of context in regulation of gene expression is now an accepted principle; yet the mechanism by which the microenvironment communicates with the nucleus and chromatin in healthy tissues is poorly understood. A functional role for nuclear and cytoskeletal architecture is suggested by the phenotypic differences observed between epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Capitalizing on recent advances in cryogenic techniques, volume electron microscopy and super-resolution light microscopy, we studied human mammary epithelial cells in three-dimensional (3D) cultures forming growtharrested acini. Intriguingly, we found deep nuclear invaginations and tunnels traversing the nucleus, encasing cytoskeletal actin and/or intermediate filaments, which connect tomore » the outer nuclear envelope. Also, the cytoskeleton is connected both to other cells through desmosome adhesion complexes and to the extracellular matrix through hemidesmosomes. This finding supports a physical and/or mechanical link from the desmosomes and hemidesmosomes to the nucleus, which had previously been hypothesized but now is visualized for the first time. These unique structures, including the nuclear invaginations and the cytoskeletal connectivity to the cell nucleus, are consistent with a dynamic reciprocity between the nucleus and the outside of epithelial cells and tissues.« less

Donor cross-linking for keratoplasty: a laboratory evaluation.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Achyut; Hayes, Sally; Aslanides, Ioannis; Lanchares, Elena; Meek, Keith M

2015-12-01

This laboratory-based investigation compares the topographic outcomes of conventional penetrating keratoplasty with that of a novel procedure in which donor corneas are cross-linked prior to keratoplasty. Penetrating keratoplasty procedures with continuous running sutures were carried out in a porcine whole globe model. Sixty eyes were randomly paired as 'donor' and 'host' tissue before being assigned to one of two groups. In the cross-linked group, donor corneas underwent riboflavin/UVA cross-linking prior to being trephined and sutured to untreated hosts. In the conventional keratoplasty group, both host and donor corneas remained untreated prior to keratoplasty. Topographic and corneal wavefront measurements were performed following surgery, and technical aspects of the procedure evaluated. Mean keratometric astigmatism was significantly lower in the cross-linked donor group at 3.67D (SD 1.8 D), vs. 8.43 D (SD 2.4 D) in the conventional keratoplasty group (p < 0.005). Mean wavefront astigmatism was also significantly reduced in the cross-linked donor group 4.71 D (SD 2.1) vs. 8.29D (SD 3.6) in the conventional keratoplasty group (p < 0.005). Mean RMS higher order aberration was significantly lower in the cross-linked donor group at 1.79 um (SD 0.98), vs. 3.05 um (SD 1.9) in the conventional keratoplasty group (P = 0.02). Qualitative analysis revealed less tissue distortion at the graft-host junction in the cross-linked group. Cross-linking of donor corneas prior to keratoplasty reduces intraoperative induced astigmatism and aberrations in an animal model. Further studies are indicated to evaluate the implications of this potential modification of keratoplasty surgery.

Embedded calibration system for the DIII-D Langmuir probe analog fiber optic links

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

Watkins, J. G.; Rajpal, R.; Mandaliya, H.

2012-10-15

This paper describes a generally applicable technique for simultaneously measuring offset and gain of 64 analog fiber optic data links used for the DIII-D fixed Langmuir probes by embedding a reference voltage waveform in the optical transmitted signal before every tokamak shot. The calibrated data channels allow calibration of the power supply control fiber optic links as well. The array of fiber optic links and the embedded calibration system described here makes possible the use of superior modern data acquisition electronics in the control room.

Real-Time 3D Visualization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Butler Hine, former director of the Intelligent Mechanism Group (IMG) at Ames Research Center, and five others partnered to start Fourth Planet, Inc., a visualization company that specializes in the intuitive visual representation of dynamic, real-time data over the Internet and Intranet. Over a five-year period, the then NASA researchers performed ten robotic field missions in harsh climes to mimic the end- to-end operations of automated vehicles trekking across another world under control from Earth. The core software technology for these missions was the Virtual Environment Vehicle Interface (VEVI). Fourth Planet has released VEVI4, the fourth generation of the VEVI software, and NetVision. VEVI4 is a cutting-edge computer graphics simulation and remote control applications tool. The NetVision package allows large companies to view and analyze in virtual 3D space such things as the health or performance of their computer network or locate a trouble spot on an electric power grid. Other products are forthcoming. Fourth Planet is currently part of the NASA/Ames Technology Commercialization Center, a business incubator for start-up companies.

Automated 3D Phenotype Analysis Using Data Mining

PubMed Central

Plyusnin, Ilya; Evans, Alistair R.; Karme, Aleksis; Gionis, Aristides; Jernvall, Jukka

2008-01-01

The ability to analyze and classify three-dimensional (3D) biological morphology has lagged behind the analysis of other biological data types such as gene sequences. Here, we introduce the techniques of data mining to the study of 3D biological shapes to bring the analyses of phenomes closer to the efficiency of studying genomes. We compiled five training sets of highly variable morphologies of mammalian teeth from the MorphoBrowser database. Samples were labeled either by dietary class or by conventional dental types (e.g. carnassial, selenodont). We automatically extracted a multitude of topological attributes using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-like procedures that were then used in several combinations of feature selection schemes and probabilistic classification models to build and optimize classifiers for predicting the labels of the training sets. In terms of classification accuracy, computational time and size of the feature sets used, non-repeated best-first search combined with 1-nearest neighbor classifier was the best approach. However, several other classification models combined with the same searching scheme proved practical. The current study represents a first step in the automatic analysis of 3D phenotypes, which will be increasingly valuable with the future increase in 3D morphology and phenomics databases. PMID:18320060

Acute D2/D3 dopaminergic agonism but chronic D2/D3 antagonism prevents NMDA antagonist neurotoxicity.

PubMed

Farber, Nuri B; Nemmers, Brian; Noguchi, Kevin K

2006-09-15

Antagonists of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor, most likely by producing disinhibtion in complex circuits, acutely produce psychosis and cognitive disturbances in humans, and neurotoxicity in rodents. Studies examining NMDA Receptor Hypofunction (NRHypo) neurotoxicity in animals, therefore, may provide insights into the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders. Dopaminergic D2 and/or D3 agents can modify psychosis over days to weeks, suggesting involvement of these transmitter system(s). We studied the ability of D2/D3 agonists and antagonists to modify NRHypo neurotoxicity both after a one-time acute exposure and after chronic daily exposure. Here we report that D2/D3 dopamine agonists, probably via D3 receptors, prevent NRHypo neurotoxicity when given acutely. The protective effect with D2/D3 agonists is not seen after chronic daily dosing. In contrast, the antipsychotic haloperidol does not affect NRHypo neurotoxicity when given acutely at D2/D3 doses. However, after chronic daily dosing of 1, 3, or 5 weeks, haloperidol does prevent NRHypo neurotoxicity with longer durations producing greater protection. Understanding the changes that occur in the NRHypo circuit after chronic exposure to dopaminergic agents could provide important clues into the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders.

Engineering controllable architecture in matrigel for 3D cell alignment.

PubMed

Jang, Jae Myung; Tran, Si-Hoai-Trung; Na, Sang Cheol; Jeon, Noo Li

2015-02-04

We report a microfluidic approach to impart alignment in ECM components in 3D hydrogels by continuously applying fluid flow across the bulk gel during the gelation process. The microfluidic device where each channel can be independently filled was tilted at 90° to generate continuous flow across the Matrigel as it gelled. The presence of flow helped that more than 70% of ECM components were oriented along the direction of flow, compared with randomly cross-linked Matrigel. Following the oriented ECM components, primary rat cortical neurons and mouse neural stem cells showed oriented outgrowth of neuronal processes within the 3D Matrigel matrix.

Perception of 3D spatial relations for 3D displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosen, Paul; Pizlo, Zygmunt; Hoffmann, Christoph; Popescu, Voicu S.

2004-05-01

We test perception of 3D spatial relations in 3D images rendered by a 3D display (Perspecta from Actuality Systems) and compare it to that of a high-resolution flat panel display. 3D images provide the observer with such depth cues as motion parallax and binocular disparity. Our 3D display is a device that renders a 3D image by displaying, in rapid succession, radial slices through the scene on a rotating screen. The image is contained in a glass globe and can be viewed from virtually any direction. In the psychophysical experiment several families of 3D objects are used as stimuli: primitive shapes (cylinders and cuboids), and complex objects (multi-story buildings, cars, and pieces of furniture). Each object has at least one plane of symmetry. On each trial an object or its "distorted" version is shown at an arbitrary orientation. The distortion is produced by stretching an object in a random direction by 40%. This distortion must eliminate the symmetry of an object. The subject's task is to decide whether or not the presented object is distorted under several viewing conditions (monocular/binocular, with/without motion parallax, and near/far). The subject's performance is measured by the discriminability d', which is a conventional dependent variable in signal detection experiments.

A Case Study in Astronomical 3D Printing: The Mysterious η Carinae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madura, Thomas I.

2017-05-01

Three-dimensional (3D) printing moves beyond interactive 3D graphics and provides an excellent tool for both visual and tactile learners, since 3D printing can now easily communicate complex geometries and full color information. Some limitations of interactive 3D graphics are also alleviated by 3D printable models, including issues of limited software support, portability, accessibility, and sustainability. We describe the motivations, methods, and results of our work on using 3D printing (1) to visualize and understand the η Car Homunculus nebula and central binary system and (2) for astronomy outreach and education, specifically, with visually impaired students. One new result we present is the ability to 3D print full-color models of η Car’s colliding stellar winds. We also demonstrate how 3D printing has helped us communicate our improved understanding of the detailed structure of η Car’s Homunculus nebula and central binary colliding stellar winds, and their links to each other. Attached to this article are full-color 3D printable files of both a red-blue Homunculus model and the η Car colliding stellar winds at orbital phase 1.045. 3D printing could prove to be vital to how astronomer’s reach out and share their work with each other, the public, and new audiences.

Characterizing 3D sensors using the 3D modulation transfer function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kellner, Timo; Breitbarth, Andreas; Zhang, Chen; Notni, Gunther

2018-03-01

The fields of optical 3D measurement system applications are continuously expanding and becoming more and more diverse. To evaluate appropriate systems for various measurement tasks, comparable parameters are necessary, whereas the 3D modulation transfer function (3D-MTF) has been established as a further criterion. Its aim is the determination of the system response between the measurement of a straight, sharp-edged cube and its opposite ideal calculated one. Within the scope of this work simulations and practical investigations regarding the 3D-MTF’s influences and its main issues are specifically investigated. Therefore, different determined edge radii representing the high-frequency spectra lead to various decreasing 3D-MTF characteristics. Furthermore, rising sampling frequencies improve its maximum transfer value to a saturation point in dependence of the radius. To approve these results of previous simulations, three fringe projection scanners were selected to determine the diversity. As the best 3D-MTF characteristic, a saturated transfer value of H_3D( f_N, 3D) = 0.79 has been identified at a sufficient sampling frequency, which is reached at four times the Nyquist limit. This high 3D resolution can mainly be achieved due to an improved camera projector interaction. Additionally, too small sampling ratios lead to uncertainties in the edge function determination, while higher ratios do not show major improvements. In conclusion, the 3D-MTF algorithm has thus been practically verified and its repeatability as well as its robustness have been confirmed.

The genetic links between the big five personality traits and general interest domains.

PubMed

Kandler, Christian; Bleidorn, Wiebke; Riemann, Rainer; Angleitner, Alois; Spinath, Frank M

2011-12-01

This is the first genetically informative study in which multiple informants were used to quantify the genetic and environmental sources of individual differences in general interests as well as the phenotypic and genetic links between general interests and Big Five personality traits. Self-reports and two peer ratings from 844 individuals, including 225 monozygotic and 113 dizygotic complete twin pairs, were collected. Multiple-rater scores (composites) revealed that the averaged levels of genetic and environmental effects on seven broad interest domains were similar to those on personality traits. Multivariate analyses showed that about 35% of the genetic and 9% of the environmental variance in interests were explained by personality domains, in particular by Openness. The findings suggest that interests cannot easily be considered as a byproduct of the interactions between personality genotypes and the environmental influences but rather as an internal regulation of behavior with an own genetic basis.

32 CFR 169a.13 - CAs involving forty-five or fewer DoD civilian employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false CAs involving forty-five or fewer DoD civilian employees. 169a.13 Section 169a.13 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DEFENSE CONTRACTING COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES PROGRAM PROCEDURES Procedures § 169a.13 CAs involving forty-five...

32 CFR 169a.13 - CAs involving forty-five or fewer DoD civilian employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false CAs involving forty-five or fewer DoD civilian employees. 169a.13 Section 169a.13 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DEFENSE CONTRACTING COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES PROGRAM PROCEDURES Procedures § 169a.13 CAs involving forty-five...

32 CFR 169a.13 - CAs involving forty-five or fewer DoD civilian employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false CAs involving forty-five or fewer DoD civilian employees. 169a.13 Section 169a.13 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DEFENSE CONTRACTING COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES PROGRAM PROCEDURES Procedures § 169a.13 CAs involving forty-five...

Benchmark datasets for 3D MALDI- and DESI-imaging mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Oetjen, Janina; Veselkov, Kirill; Watrous, Jeramie; McKenzie, James S; Becker, Michael; Hauberg-Lotte, Lena; Kobarg, Jan Hendrik; Strittmatter, Nicole; Mróz, Anna K; Hoffmann, Franziska; Trede, Dennis; Palmer, Andrew; Schiffler, Stefan; Steinhorst, Klaus; Aichler, Michaela; Goldin, Robert; Guntinas-Lichius, Orlando; von Eggeling, Ferdinand; Thiele, Herbert; Maedler, Kathrin; Walch, Axel; Maass, Peter; Dorrestein, Pieter C; Takats, Zoltan; Alexandrov, Theodore

2015-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical chemistry technique for the 3D molecular analysis of a tissue specimen, entire organ, or microbial colonies on an agar plate. 3D-imaging MS has unique advantages over existing 3D imaging techniques, offers novel perspectives for understanding the spatial organization of biological processes, and has growing potential to be introduced into routine use in both biology and medicine. Owing to the sheer quantity of data generated, the visualization, analysis, and interpretation of 3D imaging MS data remain a significant challenge. Bioinformatics research in this field is hampered by the lack of publicly available benchmark datasets needed to evaluate and compare algorithms. High-quality 3D imaging MS datasets from different biological systems at several labs were acquired, supplied with overview images and scripts demonstrating how to read them, and deposited into MetaboLights, an open repository for metabolomics data. 3D imaging MS data were collected from five samples using two types of 3D imaging MS. 3D matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging (MALDI) MS data were collected from murine pancreas, murine kidney, human oral squamous cell carcinoma, and interacting microbial colonies cultured in Petri dishes. 3D desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) imaging MS data were collected from a human colorectal adenocarcinoma. With the aim to stimulate computational research in the field of computational 3D imaging MS, selected high-quality 3D imaging MS datasets are provided that could be used by algorithm developers as benchmark datasets.

Innovation-Prototype. Making hydraulic and/or pneumatic plates using 3D printing technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexa, V.; Rațiu, S. A.; Kiss, I.; Cioată, V. G.; Rackov, M.

2018-01-01

Start 3D printing allows hydraulic and/or pneumatic plates to be obtained from a single technological process without requiring further post-production operations. 3D printing with innovative materials in a rich colour range has several advantages such as: time-saving, cost is the same for any type of plate and its reported just to volume, fast and impossible realization of hydraulic and/or pneumatic links compared to traditional and high accuracy technologies.

Advanced optical 3D scanners using DMD technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muenstermann, P.; Godding, R.; Hermstein, M.

2017-02-01

Optical 3D measurement techniques are state-of-the-art for highly precise, non-contact surface scanners - not only in industrial development, but also in near-production and even in-line configurations. The need for automated systems with very high accuracy and clear implementation of national precision standards is growing extremely due to expanding international quality guidelines, increasing production transparency and new concepts related to the demands of the fourth industrial revolution. The presentation gives an overview about the present technical concepts for optical 3D scanners and their benefit for customers and various different applications - not only in quality control, but also in design centers or in medical applications. The advantages of DMD-based systems will be discussed and compared to other approaches. Looking at today's 3D scanner market, there is a confusing amount of solutions varying from lowprice solutions to high end systems. Many of them are linked to a very special target group or to special applications. The article will clarify the differences of the approaches and will discuss some key features which are necessary to render optical measurement systems suitable for industrial environments. The paper will be completed by examples for DMDbased systems, e. g. RGB true-color systems with very high accuracy like the StereoScan neo of AICON 3D Systems. Typical applications and the benefits for customers using such systems are described.

3D Product Development for Loose-Fitting Garments Based on Parametric Human Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krzywinski, S.; Siegmund, J.

2017-10-01

Researchers and commercial suppliers worldwide pursue the objective of achieving a more transparent garment construction process that is computationally linked to a virtual body, in order to save development costs over the long term. The current aim is not to transfer the complete pattern making step to a 3D design environment but to work out basic constructions in 3D that provide excellent fit due to their accurate construction and morphological pattern grading (automatic change of sizes in 3D) in respect of sizes and body types. After a computer-aided derivation of 2D pattern parts, these can be made available to the industry as a basis on which to create more fashionable variations.

Hypervitaminosis D3 in broiler chicks: histopathological, immunomodulatory and immunohistochemical approach.

PubMed

Kumar, R; Brar, R S; Banga, H S

2017-01-01

The present study was undertaken to investigate the toxic effects of higher doses (1,00,000 IU i.e. 2.5 mg/kg body weight (BW)) of vitamin D 3 , concomitantly with bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides: LPS) to study the immunomodulatory potential of vitamin D 3 in IBL-80 broiler chicks. The chicks were divided into four groups [group I (NSS), group II (LPS), group III (Vit. D 3 + NSS), and group IV (Vit. D 3 + LPS)] containing eight chicks in each group, treated accordingly for 21 days. Birds were kept under close observation for apparent clinical signs and symptoms. Clinically, vitamin D 3 treated chicks were dull, off feed, showed polydipsia, polyuria, watery faeces, rigidity of limbs, severe dehydration, weakness and significant progressive emaciation. Grossly, the bones were soft whereas most organs revealed congestion and hemorrhages in visceral organs. Histopathologically, renal tubular epithelium showed coagulative necrosis and metastatic calcification. The lung parenchyma and bronchi showed hemorrhages, congestion with diffuse heterophilic cell infiltration in inter-alveolar septa and infiltration of heterophils in alveoli along with proteinacious fluid in LPS treated chicks of treatment group, suggesting immunomodulatory action of vitamin D 3 . Vitamin D 3 treated chicks showed strong expression of Calbindin D28k in intestine and kidney but weak expression in lung, which can be linked to nephrocalcinosis seen in kidney and from its prospective role in cellular calcium homeostasis.

New generation of 3D desktop computer interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skerjanc, Robert; Pastoor, Siegmund

1997-05-01

Today's computer interfaces use 2-D displays showing windows, icons and menus and support mouse interactions for handling programs and data files. The interface metaphor is that of a writing desk with (partly) overlapping sheets of documents placed on its top. Recent advances in the development of 3-D display technology give the opportunity to take the interface concept a radical stage further by breaking the design limits of the desktop metaphor. The major advantage of the envisioned 'application space' is, that it offers an additional, immediately perceptible dimension to clearly and constantly visualize the structure and current state of interrelations between documents, videos, application programs and networked systems. In this context, we describe the development of a visual operating system (VOS). Under VOS, applications appear as objects in 3-D space. Users can (graphically connect selected objects to enable communication between the respective applications. VOS includes a general concept of visual and object oriented programming for tasks ranging from, e.g., low-level programming up to high-level application configuration. In order to enable practical operation in an office or at home for many hours, the system should be very comfortable to use. Since typical 3-D equipment used, e.g., in virtual-reality applications (head-mounted displays, data gloves) is rather cumbersome and straining, we suggest to use off-head displays and contact-free interaction techniques. In this article, we introduce an autostereoscopic 3-D display and connected video based interaction techniques which allow viewpoint-depending imaging (by head tracking) and visually controlled modification of data objects and links (by gaze tracking, e.g., to pick, 3-D objects just by looking at them).

The Influence of Visual and Spatial Reasoning in Interpreting Simulated 3D Worlds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowrie, Tom

2002-01-01

Explores ways in which 6-year-old children make sense of screen-based images on the computer. Uses both static and relatively dynamic software programs in the investigation. Suggests that young children should be exposed to activities that establish explicit links between 2D and 3D objects away from the computer before attempting difficult links…

The effect on surgical skills of expert surgeons using 3D/HD and 2D/4K resolution monitors in laparoscopic phantom tasks.

PubMed

Harada, Hitoshi; Kanaji, Shingo; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Masashi; Matsuda, Yoshiko; Yamashita, Kimihiro; Matsuda, Takeru; Oshikiri, Taro; Sumi, Yasuo; Nakamura, Tetsu; Suzuki, Satoshi; Kakeji, Yoshihiro

2018-03-30

Recently, several new imaging technologies, such as three-dimensional (3D)/high-definition (HD) stereovision and high-resolution two-dimensional (2D)/4K monitors, have been introduced in laparoscopic surgery. However, it is still unclear whether these technologies actually improve surgical performance. Participants were 11 expert laparoscopic surgeons. We designed three laparoscopic suturing tasks (task 1: simple suturing, task 2: knotting thread in a small box, and task 3: suturing in a narrow space) in training boxes. Performances were recorded by an optical position tracker. All participants first performed each task five times consecutively using a conventional 2D/HD monitor. Then they were randomly divided into two groups: six participants performed the tasks using 3D/HD before using 2D/4K; the other five participants performed the tasks using a 2D/4K monitor before the 3D/HD monitor. After the trials, we evaluated the performance scores (operative time, path length of forceps, and technical errors) and compared performance scores across all monitors. Surgical performances of participants were ranked in decreasing order: 3D/HD, 2D/4K, and 2D/HD using the total scores for each task. In task 1 (simple suturing), some surgical performances using 3D/HD were significantly better than those using 2D/4K (P = 0.017, P = 0.033, P = 0.492 for operative time, path length, and technical errors, respectively). On the other hand, with operation in narrow spaces such as in tasks 2 and 3, performances using 2D/4K were not inferior to 3D/HD performances. The high-resolution images from the 2D/4K monitor may enhance depth perception in narrow spaces and may complement stereoscopic vision almost as well as using 3D/HD. Compared to a 2D/HD monitor, a 3D/HD monitor improved the laparoscopic surgical technique of expert surgeons more than a 2D/4K monitor. However, the advantage of 2D/4K high-resolution images may be comparable to a 3D/HD monitor especially in narrow

Automatic 2D-to-3D image conversion using 3D examples from the internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konrad, J.; Brown, G.; Wang, M.; Ishwar, P.; Wu, C.; Mukherjee, D.

2012-03-01

The availability of 3D hardware has so far outpaced the production of 3D content. Although to date many methods have been proposed to convert 2D images to 3D stereopairs, the most successful ones involve human operators and, therefore, are time-consuming and costly, while the fully-automatic ones have not yet achieved the same level of quality. This subpar performance is due to the fact that automatic methods usually rely on assumptions about the captured 3D scene that are often violated in practice. In this paper, we explore a radically different approach inspired by our work on saliency detection in images. Instead of relying on a deterministic scene model for the input 2D image, we propose to "learn" the model from a large dictionary of stereopairs, such as YouTube 3D. Our new approach is built upon a key observation and an assumption. The key observation is that among millions of stereopairs available on-line, there likely exist many stereopairs whose 3D content matches that of the 2D input (query). We assume that two stereopairs whose left images are photometrically similar are likely to have similar disparity fields. Our approach first finds a number of on-line stereopairs whose left image is a close photometric match to the 2D query and then extracts depth information from these stereopairs. Since disparities for the selected stereopairs differ due to differences in underlying image content, level of noise, distortions, etc., we combine them by using the median. We apply the resulting median disparity field to the 2D query to obtain the corresponding right image, while handling occlusions and newly-exposed areas in the usual way. We have applied our method in two scenarios. First, we used YouTube 3D videos in search of the most similar frames. Then, we repeated the experiments on a small, but carefully-selected, dictionary of stereopairs closely matching the query. This, to a degree, emulates the results one would expect from the use of an extremely large 3D

Multimaterial magnetically assisted 3D printing of composite materials.

PubMed

Kokkinis, Dimitri; Schaffner, Manuel; Studart, André R

2015-10-23

3D printing has become commonplace for the manufacturing of objects with unusual geometries. Recent developments that enabled printing of multiple materials indicate that the technology can potentially offer a much wider design space beyond unusual shaping. Here we show that a new dimension in this design space can be exploited through the control of the orientation of anisotropic particles used as building blocks during a direct ink-writing process. Particle orientation control is demonstrated by applying low magnetic fields on deposited inks pre-loaded with magnetized stiff platelets. Multimaterial dispensers and a two-component mixing unit provide additional control over the local composition of the printed material. The five-dimensional design space covered by the proposed multimaterial magnetically assisted 3D printing platform (MM-3D printing) opens the way towards the manufacturing of functional heterogeneous materials with exquisite microstructural features thus far only accessible by biological materials grown in nature.

Multimaterial magnetically assisted 3D printing of composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokkinis, Dimitri; Schaffner, Manuel; Studart, André R.

2015-10-01

3D printing has become commonplace for the manufacturing of objects with unusual geometries. Recent developments that enabled printing of multiple materials indicate that the technology can potentially offer a much wider design space beyond unusual shaping. Here we show that a new dimension in this design space can be exploited through the control of the orientation of anisotropic particles used as building blocks during a direct ink-writing process. Particle orientation control is demonstrated by applying low magnetic fields on deposited inks pre-loaded with magnetized stiff platelets. Multimaterial dispensers and a two-component mixing unit provide additional control over the local composition of the printed material. The five-dimensional design space covered by the proposed multimaterial magnetically assisted 3D printing platform (MM-3D printing) opens the way towards the manufacturing of functional heterogeneous materials with exquisite microstructural features thus far only accessible by biological materials grown in nature.

Thermoresponsive microgels containing trehalose as soft matrices for 3D cell culture.

PubMed

Burek, Małgorzata; Waśkiewicz, Sylwia; Lalik, Anna; Student, Sebastian; Bieg, Tadeusz; Wandzik, Ilona

2017-01-31

A series of thermoresponsive glycomicrogels with trehalose in the cross-links or with trehalose in the cross-links and as pending moieties was synthesized. These materials were obtained by surfactant-free precipitation copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide and various amounts of trehalose monomers. The resultant particles showed a spherical shape and a submicrometer hydrodynamic size with a narrow size distribution. At 25 °C, glycomicrogels in solutions with physiological ionic strength formed stable colloids, which further gelled upon heating to physiological temperature forming a macroscopic hydrogel with an interconnected porous structure. These extremely soft matrices with dynamic storage modulus in the range of 9-70 Pa were examined in 3D culture systems for HeLa cell culture in comparison to traditional 2D mode. They showed relatively low syneresis over time, especially when glycomicrogels with a high content of hydrophilic trehalose were used as building blocks. An incorporated pending trehalose composed of two α,α'-1,1'-linked d-glucose moieties was used with the intention of providing multivalent interactions with glucose transporters (GLUTs) expressed on the cell surface. A better cell viability was observed when a soft hydrogel with the highest content of trehalose and the lowest syneresis was used as a matrix compared to a 2D control assay.

Evaluating lubricant performance by 3D profilometry of wear scars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgescu, C.; Deleanu, L.; Pirvu, C.

2016-08-01

Due to improvement in analysing surface texture and optical instruments for investigating the texture surface, the authors propose to evaluate the lubricant performance by analysing the change in several 3D parameters in comparison to an analysis on 2D profile. All the surface of the wear scar generated on the four ball machine is investigated and the conclusion is that from the tribological point of view, the 3D parameters reflect better the surface quality evolution after testing. Investigation was done on the wear scars generated on the three fixed balls, for five lubricants: a non-additivated transmission mineral oil (T90), two grades of rapeseed oil (coarse degummed and refined) and two grades of soybean oil (coarse and degummed).

PubChem3D: conformer ensemble accuracy

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background PubChem is a free and publicly available resource containing substance descriptions and their associated biological activity information. PubChem3D is an extension to PubChem containing computationally-derived three-dimensional (3-D) structures of small molecules. All the tools and services that are a part of PubChem3D rely upon the quality of the 3-D conformer models. Construction of the conformer models currently available in PubChem3D involves a clustering stage to sample the conformational space spanned by the molecule. While this stage allows one to downsize the conformer models to more manageable size, it may result in a loss of the ability to reproduce experimentally determined “bioactive” conformations, for example, found for PDB ligands. This study examines the extent of this accuracy loss and considers its effect on the 3-D similarity analysis of molecules. Results The conformer models consisting of up to 100,000 conformers per compound were generated for 47,123 small molecules whose structures were experimentally determined, and the conformers in each conformer model were clustered to reduce the size of the conformer model to a maximum of 500 conformers per molecule. The accuracy of the conformer models before and after clustering was evaluated using five different measures: root-mean-square distance (RMSD), shape-optimized shape-Tanimoto (STST-opt) and combo-Tanimoto (ComboTST-opt), and color-optimized color-Tanimoto (CTCT-opt) and combo-Tanimoto (ComboTCT-opt). On average, the effect of clustering decreased the conformer model accuracy, increasing the conformer ensemble’s RMSD to the bioactive conformer (by 0.18 ± 0.12 Å), and decreasing the STST-opt, ComboTST-opt, CTCT-opt, and ComboTCT-opt scores (by 0.04 ± 0.03, 0.16 ± 0.09, 0.09 ± 0.05, and 0.15 ± 0.09, respectively). Conclusion This study shows the RMSD accuracy performance of the PubChem3D conformer models is operating as designed. In addition, the effect of PubChem3D

Glass Vision 3D: Digital Discovery for the Deaf

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parton, Becky Sue

2017-01-01

Glass Vision 3D was a grant-funded project focused on developing and researching a Google Glass app that would allowed young Deaf children to look at the QR code of an object in the classroom and see an augmented reality projection that displays an American Sign Language (ASL) related video. Twenty five objects and videos were prepared and tested…

solveTruss v1.0: Static, global buckling and frequency analysis of 2D and 3D trusses with Mathematica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozbasaran, Hakan

Trusses have an important place amongst engineering structures due to many advantages such as high structural efficiency, fast assembly and easy maintenance. Iterative truss design procedures, which require analysis of a large number of candidate structural systems such as size, shape and topology optimization with stochastic methods, mostly lead the engineer to establish a link between the development platform and external structural analysis software. By increasing number of structural analyses, this (probably slow-response) link may climb to the top of the list of performance issues. This paper introduces a software for static, global member buckling and frequency analysis of 2D and 3D trusses to overcome this problem for Mathematica users.

3D Elevation Program—Virtual USA in 3D

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lukas, Vicki; Stoker, J.M.

2016-04-14

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) uses a laser system called ‘lidar’ (light detection and ranging) to create a virtual reality map of the Nation that is very accurate. 3D maps have many uses with new uses being discovered all the time.  

The EISCAT_3D Science Case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tjulin, A.; Mann, I.; McCrea, I.; Aikio, A. T.

2013-05-01

EISCAT_3D will be a world-leading international research infrastructure using the incoherent scatter technique to study the atmosphere in the Fenno-Scandinavian Arctic and to investigate how the Earth's atmosphere is coupled to space. The EISCAT_3D phased-array multistatic radar system will be operated by EISCAT Scientific Association and thus be an integral part of an organisation that has successfully been running incoherent scatter radars for more than thirty years. The baseline design of the radar system contains a core site with transmitting and receiving capabilities located close to the intersection of the Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish borders and five receiving sites located within 50 to 250 km from the core. The EISCAT_3D project is currently in its Preparatory Phase and can smoothly transit into implementation in 2014, provided sufficient funding. Construction can start 2016 and first operations in 2018. The EISCAT_3D Science Case is prepared as part of the Preparatory Phase. It is regularly updated with annual new releases, and it aims at being a common document for the whole future EISCAT_3D user community. The areas covered by the Science Case are atmospheric physics and global change; space and plasma physics; solar system research; space weather and service applications; and radar techniques, new methods for coding and analysis. Two of the aims for EISCAT_3D are to understand the ways natural variability in the upper atmosphere, imposed by the Sun-Earth system, can influence the middle and lower atmosphere, and to improve the predictivity of atmospheric models by providing higher resolution observations to replace the current parametrised input. Observations by EISCAT_3D will also be used to monitor the direct effects from the Sun on the ionosphere-atmosphere system and those caused by solar wind magnetosphere-ionosphere interaction. In addition, EISCAT_3D will be used for remote sensing the large-scale behaviour of the magnetosphere from its

Human monoclonal macroglobulins with specificity for Klebsiella K polysaccharides that contain 3,4-pyruvylated-D-galactose and 4,6- pyruvylated-D-galactose

PubMed Central

1980-01-01

Two human IgM myeloma proteins, IgMWEA and IgMMAY, were found to react with agar and Klebsiella polysaccharides that contain pyruvylated D- galactose (DGal). Quantitative precipitin data and precipitin inhibition studies with methyl alpha- and beta-glycosides of 4,6- pyruvylated-D-galactose showed their combining sites to be different, although each was directed against the pyruvylated-D-Gal, one reacting most specifically with Klebsiella polysaccharides with terminal nonreducing beta-linked 2,4 pyruvylated-D-Gal, whereas the other reacted equally well with Klebsiella polysaccharides that contain 3,4 beta-linked and 4,6 alpha-linked terminal nonreducing pyruvylated-DGal. Inhibition studies showed that both sites are directed toward one of the two space isomers of 3,4- or 4,6-pyruvylated DGal, the form in which the methyl group of the pyruvate is equatorial, or endo, and its carboxyl group axial, or exo, to the plane of the acetal ring. Coprecipitation studies showed the combining site of IgMWEA to be located on an (Fab')2 fragment and not on the (Fc)5mu fragment. The monoclonal peak in the serum of IgMMAY was specifically precipitated by Klebsiella polysaccharide. Myeloma proteins with specificities of this type may occur with reasonable frequency in humans and may be a consequence of clonal expansion from inapparent infection, carrier states, or disease produced by various Klebsiella organisms. PMID:6158553

Spatio-temporal interpolation of soil moisture in 3D+T using automated sensor network data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasch, C.; Hengl, T.; Magney, T. S.; Brown, D. J.; Gräler, B.

2014-12-01

Soil sensor networks provide frequent in situ measurements of dynamic soil properties at fixed locations, producing data in 2- or 3-dimensions and through time (2D+T and 3D+T). Spatio-temporal interpolation of 3D+T point data produces continuous estimates that can then be used for prediction at unsampled times and locations, as input for process models, and can simply aid in visualization of properties through space and time. Regression-kriging with 3D and 2D+T data has successfully been implemented, but currently the field of geostatistics lacks an analytical framework for modeling 3D+T data. Our objective is to develop robust 3D+T models for mapping dynamic soil data that has been collected with high spatial and temporal resolution. For this analysis, we use data collected from a sensor network installed on the R.J. Cook Agronomy Farm (CAF), a 37-ha Long-Term Agro-Ecosystem Research (LTAR) site in Pullman, WA. For five years, the sensors have collected hourly measurements of soil volumetric water content at 42 locations and five depths. The CAF dataset also includes a digital elevation model and derivatives, a soil unit description map, crop rotations, electromagnetic induction surveys, daily meteorological data, and seasonal satellite imagery. The soil-water sensor data, combined with the spatial and temporal covariates, provide an ideal dataset for developing 3D+T models. The presentation will include preliminary results and address main implementation strategies.

Linking mortuary data improves vital statistics on cause of death of children under five years in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

PubMed

Groenewald, Pam; Bradshaw, Debbie; Neethling, Ian; Martin, Lorna J; Dempers, Johan; Morden, Erna; Zinyakatira, Nesbert; Coetzee, David

2016-01-01

Reducing child mortality requires good information on its causes. Whilst South African vital registration data have improved, the quality of cause-of-death data remains inadequate. To improve this, data from death certificates were linked with information from forensic mortuaries in Western Cape Province. A local mortality surveillance system was established in 2007 by the Western Cape Health Department to improve data quality. Cause-of-death data were captured from copies of death notification forms collected at Department of Home Affairs Offices. Using unique identifiers, additional forensic mortuary data were linked with mortality surveillance system records. Causes of death were coded to the ICD-10 classification. Causes of death in children under five were compared with those from vital registration data for 2011. Cause-of-death data were markedly improved with additional data from forensic mortuaries. The proportion of ill-defined causes was halved (25-12%), and leading cause rankings changed. Lower respiratory tract infections moved above prematurity to rank first, accounting for 20.8% of deaths and peaking in infants aged 1-3 months. Only 11% of deaths from lower respiratory tract infections occurred in hospital, resulting in 86% being certified in forensic mortuaries. Road traffic deaths increased from 1.1-3.1% (27-75) and homicides from 3 to 28. The quality and usefulness of cause-of-death information for children in the WC was enhanced by linking mortuary and vital registration data. Given the death profile, interventions are required to prevent and manage LRTI, diarrhoea and injuries and to reduce neonatal deaths. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

3D Band Diagram and Photoexcitation of 2D-3D Semiconductor Heterojunctions.

PubMed

Li, Bo; Shi, Gang; Lei, Sidong; He, Yongmin; Gao, Weilu; Gong, Yongji; Ye, Gonglan; Zhou, Wu; Keyshar, Kunttal; Hao, Ji; Dong, Pei; Ge, Liehui; Lou, Jun; Kono, Junichiro; Vajtai, Robert; Ajayan, Pulickel M

2015-09-09

The emergence of a rich variety of two-dimensional (2D) layered semiconductor materials has enabled the creation of atomically thin heterojunction devices. Junctions between atomically thin 2D layers and 3D bulk semiconductors can lead to junctions that are fundamentally electronically different from the covalently bonded conventional semiconductor junctions. Here we propose a new 3D band diagram for the heterojunction formed between n-type monolayer MoS2 and p-type Si, in which the conduction and valence band-edges of the MoS2 monolayer are drawn for both stacked and in-plane directions. This new band diagram helps visualize the flow of charge carriers inside the device in a 3D manner. Our detailed wavelength-dependent photocurrent measurements fully support the diagrams and unambiguously show that the band alignment is type I for this 2D-3D heterojunction. Photogenerated electron-hole pairs in the atomically thin monolayer are separated and driven by an external bias and control the "on/off" states of the junction photodetector device. Two photoresponse regimes with fast and slow relaxation are also revealed in time-resolved photocurrent measurements, suggesting the important role played by charge trap states.

3D segmentation of lung CT data with graph-cuts: analysis of parameter sensitivities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, Jung won; Dunlap, Neal; Wang, Brian; Amini, Amir

2016-03-01

Lung boundary image segmentation is important for many tasks including for example in development of radiation treatment plans for subjects with thoracic malignancies. In this paper, we describe a method and parameter settings for accurate 3D lung boundary segmentation based on graph-cuts from X-ray CT data1. Even though previously several researchers have used graph-cuts for image segmentation, to date, no systematic studies have been performed regarding the range of parameter that give accurate results. The energy function in the graph-cuts algorithm requires 3 suitable parameter settings: K, a large constant for assigning seed points, c, the similarity coefficient for n-links, and λ, the terminal coefficient for t-links. We analyzed the parameter sensitivity with four lung data sets from subjects with lung cancer using error metrics. Large values of K created artifacts on segmented images, and relatively much larger value of c than the value of λ influenced the balance between the boundary term and the data term in the energy function, leading to unacceptable segmentation results. For a range of parameter settings, we performed 3D image segmentation, and in each case compared the results with the expert-delineated lung boundaries. We used simple 6-neighborhood systems for n-link in 3D. The 3D image segmentation took 10 minutes for a 512x512x118 ~ 512x512x190 lung CT image volume. Our results indicate that the graph-cuts algorithm was more sensitive to the K and λ parameter settings than to the C parameter and furthermore that amongst the range of parameters tested, K=5 and λ=0.5 yielded good results.

Phase correction for three-dimensional (3D) diffusion-weighted interleaved EPI using 3D multiplexed sensitivity encoding and reconstruction (3D-MUSER).

PubMed

Chang, Hing-Chiu; Hui, Edward S; Chiu, Pui-Wai; Liu, Xiaoxi; Chen, Nan-Kuei

2018-05-01

Three-dimensional (3D) multiplexed sensitivity encoding and reconstruction (3D-MUSER) algorithm is proposed to reduce aliasing artifacts and signal corruption caused by inter-shot 3D phase variations in 3D diffusion-weighted echo planar imaging (DW-EPI). 3D-MUSER extends the original framework of multiplexed sensitivity encoding (MUSE) to a hybrid k-space-based reconstruction, thereby enabling the correction of inter-shot 3D phase variations. A 3D single-shot EPI navigator echo was used to measure inter-shot 3D phase variations. The performance of 3D-MUSER was evaluated by analyses of point-spread function (PSF), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and artifact levels. The efficacy of phase correction using 3D-MUSER for different slab thicknesses and b-values were investigated. Simulations showed that 3D-MUSER could eliminate artifacts because of through-slab phase variation and reduce noise amplification because of SENSE reconstruction. All aliasing artifacts and signal corruption in 3D interleaved DW-EPI acquired with different slab thicknesses and b-values were reduced by our new algorithm. A near-whole brain single-slab 3D DTI with 1.3-mm isotropic voxel acquired at 1.5T was successfully demonstrated. 3D phase correction for 3D interleaved DW-EPI data is made possible by 3D-MUSER, thereby improving feasible slab thickness and maximum feasible b-value. Magn Reson Med 79:2702-2712, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Automated Quantification and Integrative Analysis of 2D and 3D Mitochondrial Shape and Network Properties

PubMed Central

Nikolaisen, Julie; Nilsson, Linn I. H.; Pettersen, Ina K. N.; Willems, Peter H. G. M.; Lorens, James B.; Koopman, Werner J. H.; Tronstad, Karl J.

2014-01-01

Mitochondrial morphology and function are coupled in healthy cells, during pathological conditions and (adaptation to) endogenous and exogenous stress. In this sense mitochondrial shape can range from small globular compartments to complex filamentous networks, even within the same cell. Understanding how mitochondrial morphological changes (i.e. “mitochondrial dynamics”) are linked to cellular (patho) physiology is currently the subject of intense study and requires detailed quantitative information. During the last decade, various computational approaches have been developed for automated 2-dimensional (2D) analysis of mitochondrial morphology and number in microscopy images. Although these strategies are well suited for analysis of adhering cells with a flat morphology they are not applicable for thicker cells, which require a three-dimensional (3D) image acquisition and analysis procedure. Here we developed and validated an automated image analysis algorithm allowing simultaneous 3D quantification of mitochondrial morphology and network properties in human endothelial cells (HUVECs). Cells expressing a mitochondria-targeted green fluorescence protein (mitoGFP) were visualized by 3D confocal microscopy and mitochondrial morphology was quantified using both the established 2D method and the new 3D strategy. We demonstrate that both analyses can be used to characterize and discriminate between various mitochondrial morphologies and network properties. However, the results from 2D and 3D analysis were not equivalent when filamentous mitochondria in normal HUVECs were compared with circular/spherical mitochondria in metabolically stressed HUVECs treated with rotenone (ROT). 2D quantification suggested that metabolic stress induced mitochondrial fragmentation and loss of biomass. In contrast, 3D analysis revealed that the mitochondrial network structure was dissolved without affecting the amount and size of the organelles. Thus, our results demonstrate that 3D

Axionic D3-D7 inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, C. P.; Cline, J. M.; Postma, M.

2009-03-01

We study the motion of a D3 brane moving within a Type IIB string vacuum compactified to 4D on K3 × T2/Z2 in the presence of D7 and O7 planes. We work within the effective 4D supergravity describing how the mobile D3 interacts with the lightest bulk moduli of the compactification, including the effects of modulus-stabilizing fluxes. We seek inflationary solutions to the resulting equations, performing our search numerically in order to avoid resorting to approximate parameterizations of the low-energy potential. We consider uplifting from D-terms and from the supersymmetry-breaking effects of anti-D3 branes. We find examples of slow-roll inflation (with anti-brane uplifting) with the mobile D3 moving along the toroidal directions, falling towards a D7-O7 stack starting from the antipodal point. The inflaton turns out to be a linear combination of the brane position and the axionic partner of the K3 volume modulus, and the similarity of the potential along the inflaton direction with that of racetrack inflation leads to the prediction ns <= 0.95 for the spectral index. The slow roll is insensitive to most of the features of the effective superpotential, and requires a one-in-104 tuning to ensure that the torus is close to square in shape. We also consider D-term inflation with the D3 close to the attractive D7, but find that for a broad (but not exhaustive) class of parameters the conditions for slow roll tend to destabilize the bulk moduli. In contrast to the axionic case, the best inflationary example of this kind requires the delicate adjustment of potential parameters (much more than the part-per-mille level), and gives inflation only at an inflection point of the potential (and so suffers from additional fine-tuning of initial conditions to avoid an overshoot problem).

Anhydrous versus hydrated N4-substituted 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamines: hydrogen bonding in two and three dimensions.

PubMed

Trilleras, Jorge; Quiroga, Jairo; Cobo, Justo; Marchal, Antonio; Nogueras, Manuel; Low, John N; Glidewell, Christopher

2008-10-01

Ten new N(4)-substituted 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamines have been synthesized and the structures of nine of them are reported here, falling into two clear groups, those which are stoichiometric hydrates and those which crystallize in solvent-free forms. In each of N(4)-methyl-N(4)-phenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine, C(12)H(12)N(6) (I), N(4)-cyclohexyl-N(4)-methyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine, C(12)H(18)N(6) (II), and N(4)-(3-chlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine, C(11)H(9)ClN(6) (III), the molecules are linked into hydrogen-bonded sheets. The molecules of 2-{4-(6-amino-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)piperazin-1-yl}ethanol, C(11)H(17)N(7)O (IV), are linked into a three-dimensional framework, while the structure of N(4)-methyl-N(4)-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine monohydrate, C(13)H(14)N(6) x H(2)O (V), is only two-dimensional despite the presence of five independent hydrogen bonds. The stoichiometric hemihydrates N(4)-ethyl-N(4)-phenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine hemihydrate, C(13)H(14)N(6) x 0.5 H(2)O (VI) and N(4)-(4-methoxyphenyl)-N(4)-methyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine hemihydrate, C(13)H(14)N(6)O x 0.5 H(2)O (VII), exhibit remarkably similar sheet structures, despite different space groups and Z' values, Z' = 0.5 in C2/c for (VI) and Z' = 1 in P1 for (VII). N(4)-4-Benzyl-N(4)-phenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4,6-diamine monohydrate, C(18)H(16)N(6) x H(2)O (VIII), crystallizes with Z' = 2 in P2(1)/n, and the four independent molecular components are linked into sheets by a total of 11 intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The sheet structure in {4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-6-amine} ethanol hemisolvate hemihydrate, C(9)H(12)N(6).0.5C(2)H(6)O x 0.5 H(2)O (IX), is built from the pyrimidine and water components only; it contains eight independent hydrogen bonds, and it very closely mimics the sheets in (VI) and (VII); the ethanol molecules are

Frequency Comb Assisted IR Measurements of H_3^+, H_2D^+ and D_2H^+ Transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jusko, Pavol; Asvany, Oskar; Schlemmer, Stephan

2016-06-01

We present recent measurements of the fundamental transitions of H_3^+, H_2D^+ and D_2H^+ in a 4 K 22-pole trap by action spectroscopic techniques. Either Laser Induced Inhibition of Cluster Growth (He attachment at T≈4 K), endothermic reaction of H_3^+ with O_2, or deuterium exchange has been used as measurement scheme. We used a 3 μm optical parametric oscillator coupled to a frequency comb in order to achieve accuracy generally below 1 MHz. Five transitions of H_3^+, eleven of H_2D^+ and ten of D_2H^+ were recorder in our spectral range. We compare our H_3^+ results with two previous frequency comb assisted works. Moreover, accurate determination of the frequency allows us to predict pure rotational transitions for H_2D^+ and D_2H^+ in the THz range. P. Jusko, C. Konietzko, S. Schlemmer, O. Asvany, J. Mol. Spec. 319 (2016) 55 O. Asvany, S. Brünken, L. Kluge, S. Schlemmer, Appl. Phys. B 114 (2014) 203 O. Asvany, J. Krieg, S. Schlemmer, Rev. Sci. Instr. 83 (2012) 093110 J.N. Hodges, A.J. Perry, P.A. Jenkins, B.M. Siller, B.J. McCall, J. Chem. Phys. 139 (2013) 164201 H.-C. Chen, C.-Y. Hsiao, J.-L. Peng, T. Amano, J.-T. Shy, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109 (2012) 263002

Assessment of cross-reactivity among five species of house dust and storage mites.

PubMed

Saridomichelakis, Manolis N; Marsella, Rosanna; Lee, Kenneth W; Esch, Robert E; Farmaki, Rania; Koutinas, Alexander F

2008-04-01

In vitro cross-reactivity among two house dust (Dermatophagoides farinae, D. pteronyssinus) and three storage (Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Lepidoglyphus destructor) mites was examined in 20 mite-sensitive dogs with natural occurring atopic dermatitis (group A), 13 high-IgE beagles experimentally sensitized to D. farinae (group B), and five healthy beagles (group C). Intradermal testing (IDT) and serology for allergen-specific IgE demonstrated that co-sensitization for all possible pairs of the five mites was generally 45% or higher among group A dogs. In the same dogs, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay cross-inhibition results indicated that each one of D. farinae, A. siro and T. putrescentiae was a strong inhibitor of all the remaining mites, whereas D. pteronyssinus was a strong inhibitor of L. destructor. A high number of positive IDT and serology test results for D. pteronyssinus, A. siro, T. putrescentiae and L. destructor were recorded among group B dogs. No conclusive evidence of exposure to these mites was found upon analysis of dust samples from their environment and their food for the presence of mites and guanine. Also, the number of positive test results was generally higher among group B than among group C dogs. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay cross-inhibition revealed that D. farinae was a strong inhibitor of D. pteronyssinus, A. siro and T. putrescentiae. Collectively, these results demonstrated extensive in vitro cross-reactivity among house dust and/or storage mites that can explain false-positive results upon testing of dust mite-sensitive dogs with atopic dermatitis.

New 3-D coordination polymers based on semi-rigid V-shape tetracarboxylates

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

Huang, Jing-Jing; Xu, Wei; Wang, Yan-Ning

Under the hydrothermal conditions, the reactions of transition-metal salts, tetracarboxylic acids and N,N′-donor ligands yielded three new coordination polymers as [Cu{sub 4}(fph){sub 2}(bpe){sub 3}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}]·2H{sub 2}O (fph=4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalate, bpe=1,2-bis(pyridyl)ethylene) 1, [Co{sub 2}(fph)(bpa){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}]·3H{sub 2}O (bpa=1,2-bis(pyridyl)ethylane) 2, and [Ni(H{sub 2}O)(H{sub 2}oph)(bpa)] (oph=4,4′-oxydiphthalate) 3. X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis revealed that the title three compounds all possess the three-dimensional (3-D) network structures. For compound 1, the fph molecules first link the Cu{sup 2+} ions into a two-dimensional (2-D) wave-like layer with a (4,4) topology. The bpe molecules act as the second linkers, extending the 2-D layers into a 3-D network. Formore » compound 2, the fph molecules still serve as the first connectors, linking the Co{sup 2+} ions into a one-dimensional (1-D) tube-like chain. Then the bpa molecules propagate the chains into a 3-D (4,4,4)-connected network. In the formation of the 3-D network of compound 3, the oph molecule does not play a role. The bpa molecules as well as the water molecules act as a mixed bridge. Only a kind of 4-connected metal node is observed in compound 3. The magnetic properties of compounds 1–3 were investigated and all exhibit the predominant antiferromegnetic magnetic behaviors. - Graphical abstract: Structures of three semi-rigid V-shape tetracarboxylate-based coordination polymers were reported, and their magnetic properties were investigated. - Highlights: • Structures of three tetracarboxylate-based coordination polymers were reported. • Role of organic bases in metal–tetracarboxylate compounds was discussed. • Characters of V-shape and semi-rigidity for tetracarboxylate play a key role in crystal growth. • Their magnetic properties were investigated.« less

Five new cyotoxic steroidal glycosides from the fruits of Solanum torvum.

PubMed

Li, Jinsheng; Zhang, Lu; Huang, Cheng; Guo, Fujiang; Li, Yiming

2014-03-01

The fruits of Solanum torvum Swartz, commonly known as Turkey berry, are edible and commonly used as a vegetable in the South Indian population's diet and as an essential ingredient in Thai cuisine. Five new steroidal glycosides together with five known ones were isolated from the fruits of S. torvum Swartz. Based on chemical and spectral evidence, the five new compounds were identified to be 25(S)-26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-5α-furost-22(20)-en-3β,6α,26-triol-6-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-O-β-D-quinovopyranoside] (1), 25(S)-26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-5α-furost-22(20)-en-3-one-6α,26-diol-6-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-O-β-D-quinovopyranoside] (2), 25(S)-26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-5α-furost-22(20)-en-3β,6α,26-triol-6-O-β-D-quinovopyranoside (3), 5α-pregn-16-en-20-one-3β,6α-diol-6-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-quinovopyranoside] (4), and 5α-pregn-16-en-3,20-dione-6α-ol-6-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-quinovopyranoside] (5). These new compounds were assayed for cytotoxicities in vitro, and 1 to 4 showed cyotoxic activity against the human melanoma cell line A375, with IC50 values of 30 μM to 260 μM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Selective Dopamine D2, D3 and D4 Ligands on the Rat Gambling Task.

PubMed

Di Ciano, Patricia; Pushparaj, Abhiram; Kim, Aaron; Hatch, Jessica; Masood, Talal; Ramzi, Abby; Khaled, Maram A T M; Boileau, Isabelle; Winstanley, Catherine A; Le Foll, Bernard

2015-01-01

Gambling is an addictive disorder with serious societal and personal costs. To-date, there are no approved pharmacological treatments for gambling disorder. Evidence suggests a role for dopamine in gambling disorder and thus may provide a therapeutic target. The present study therefore aimed to investigate the effects of selective antagonists and agonists of D2, D3 and D4 receptors in a rodent analogue of the Iowa gambling task used clinically. In this rat gambling task (rGT), animals are trained to associate different response holes with different magnitudes and probabilities of food pellet rewards and punishing time-out periods. As in the Iowa gambling task, the optimal strategy is to avoid the tempting high-risk high-reward options, and instead favor those linked to smaller per-trial rewards but also lower punishments, thereby maximizing the amount of reward earned over time. Administration of those selective ligands did not affect decision making under the rGT. Only the D4 drug had modest effects on latency measures suggesting that D4 may contribute in some ways to decision making under this task.

Synthesis of 3-aminopropyl glycosides of linear β-(1 → 3)-D-glucooligosaccharides.

PubMed

Yashunsky, Dmitry V; Tsvetkov, Yury E; Grachev, Alexey A; Chizhov, Alexander O; Nifantiev, Nikolay E

2016-01-01

3-Aminopropyl glycosides of a series of linear β-(1 → 3)-linked D-glucooligosaccharides containing from 3 to 13 monosaccharide units were efficiently prepared. The synthetic scheme featured highly regioselective glycosylation of 4,6-O-benzylidene-protected 2,3-diol glycosyl acceptors with a disaccharide thioglycoside donor bearing chloroacetyl groups at O-2' and -3' as a temporary protection of the diol system. Iteration of the deprotection and glycosylation steps afforded the series of the title oligoglucosides differing in length by two monosaccharide units. A novel procedure for selective removal of acetyl groups in the presence of benzoyl ones consisting in a brief treatment with a large excess of hydrazine hydrate has been proposed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Exercise Training on Striatal Dopamine D2/D3 Receptors in Methamphetamine Users during Behavioral Treatment.

PubMed

Robertson, Chelsea L; Ishibashi, Kenji; Chudzynski, Joy; Mooney, Larissa J; Rawson, Richard A; Dolezal, Brett A; Cooper, Christopher B; Brown, Amira K; Mandelkern, Mark A; London, Edythe D

2016-05-01

Methamphetamine use disorder is associated with striatal dopaminergic deficits that have been linked to poor treatment outcomes, identifying these deficits as an important therapeutic target. Exercise attenuates methamphetamine-induced neurochemical damage in the rat brain, and a preliminary observation suggests that exercise increases striatal D2/D3 receptor availability (measured as nondisplaceable binding potential (BPND)) in patients with Parkinson's disease. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether adding an exercise training program to an inpatient behavioral intervention for methamphetamine use disorder reverses deficits in striatal D2/D3 receptors. Participants were adult men and women who met DSM-IV criteria for methamphetamine dependence and were enrolled in a residential facility, where they maintained abstinence from illicit drugs of abuse and received behavioral therapy for their addiction. They were randomized to a group that received 1 h supervised exercise training (n=10) or one that received equal-time health education training (n=9), 3 days/week for 8 weeks. They came to an academic research center for positron emission tomography (PET) using [(18)F]fallypride to determine the effects of the 8-week interventions on striatal D2/D3 receptor BPND. At baseline, striatal D2/D3 BPND did not differ between groups. However, after 8 weeks, participants in the exercise group displayed a significant increase in striatal D2/D3 BPND, whereas those in the education group did not. There were no changes in D2/D3 BPND in extrastriatal regions in either group. These findings suggest that structured exercise training can ameliorate striatal D2/D3 receptor deficits in methamphetamine users, and warrants further evaluation as an adjunctive treatment for stimulant dependence.

Effect of Exercise Training on Striatal Dopamine D2/D3 Receptors in Methamphetamine Users during Behavioral Treatment

PubMed Central

Robertson, Chelsea L; Ishibashi, Kenji; Chudzynski, Joy; Mooney, Larissa J; Rawson, Richard A; Dolezal, Brett A; Cooper, Christopher B; Brown, Amira K; Mandelkern, Mark A; London, Edythe D

2016-01-01

Methamphetamine use disorder is associated with striatal dopaminergic deficits that have been linked to poor treatment outcomes, identifying these deficits as an important therapeutic target. Exercise attenuates methamphetamine-induced neurochemical damage in the rat brain, and a preliminary observation suggests that exercise increases striatal D2/D3 receptor availability (measured as nondisplaceable binding potential (BPND)) in patients with Parkinson's disease. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether adding an exercise training program to an inpatient behavioral intervention for methamphetamine use disorder reverses deficits in striatal D2/D3 receptors. Participants were adult men and women who met DSM-IV criteria for methamphetamine dependence and were enrolled in a residential facility, where they maintained abstinence from illicit drugs of abuse and received behavioral therapy for their addiction. They were randomized to a group that received 1 h supervised exercise training (n=10) or one that received equal-time health education training (n=9), 3 days/week for 8 weeks. They came to an academic research center for positron emission tomography (PET) using [18F]fallypride to determine the effects of the 8-week interventions on striatal D2/D3 receptor BPND. At baseline, striatal D2/D3 BPND did not differ between groups. However, after 8 weeks, participants in the exercise group displayed a significant increase in striatal D2/D3 BPND, whereas those in the education group did not. There were no changes in D2/D3 BPND in extrastriatal regions in either group. These findings suggest that structured exercise training can ameliorate striatal D2/D3 receptor deficits in methamphetamine users, and warrants further evaluation as an adjunctive treatment for stimulant dependence. PMID:26503310

"3D fusion" echocardiography improves 3D left ventricular assessment: comparison with 2D contrast echocardiography.

PubMed

Augustine, Daniel; Yaqub, Mohammad; Szmigielski, Cezary; Lima, Eduardo; Petersen, Steffen E; Becher, Harald; Noble, J Alison; Leeson, Paul

2015-02-01

Three-dimensional fusion echocardiography (3DFE) is a novel postprocessing approach that utilizes imaging data acquired from multiple 3D acquisitions. We assessed image quality, endocardial border definition, and cardiac wall motion in patients using 3DFE compared to standard 3D images (3D) and results obtained with contrast echocardiography (2DC). Twenty-four patients (mean age 66.9 ± 13 years, 17 males, 7 females) undergoing 2DC had three, noncontrast, 3D apical volumes acquired at rest. Images were fused using an automated image fusion approach. Quality of the 3DFE was compared to both 3D and 2DC based on contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and endocardial border definition. We then compared clinical wall-motion score index (WMSI) calculated from 3DFE and 3D to those obtained from 2DC images. Fused 3D volumes had significantly improved CNR (8.92 ± 1.35 vs. 6.59 ± 1.19, P < 0.0005) and segmental image quality (2.42 ± 0.99 vs. 1.93 ± 1.18, P < 0.005) compared to unfused 3D acquisitions. Levels achieved were closer to scores for 2D contrast images (CNR: 9.04 ± 2.21, P = 0.6; segmental image quality: 2.91 ± 0.37, P < 0.005). WMSI calculated from fused 3D volumes did not differ significantly from those obtained from 2D contrast echocardiography (1.06 ± 0.09 vs. 1.07 ± 0.15, P = 0.69), whereas unfused images produced significantly more variable results (1.19 ± 0.30). This was confirmed by a better intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 0.72; 95% CI 0.32-0.88) relative to comparisons with unfused images (ICC 0.56; 95% CI 0.02-0.81). 3DFE significantly improves left ventricular image quality compared to unfused 3D in a patient population and allows noncontrast assessment of wall motion that approaches that achieved with 2D contrast echocardiography. © 2014, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hypervitaminosis D3 in broiler chicks: histopathological, immunomodulatory and immunohistochemical approach

PubMed Central

Kumar, R.; Brar, R. S.; Banga, H. S.

2017-01-01

The present study was undertaken to investigate the toxic effects of higher doses (1,00,000 IU i.e. 2.5 mg/kg body weight (BW)) of vitamin D3, concomitantly with bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides: LPS) to study the immunomodulatory potential of vitamin D3 in IBL-80 broiler chicks. The chicks were divided into four groups [group I (NSS), group II (LPS), group III (Vit. D3 + NSS), and group IV (Vit. D3 + LPS)] containing eight chicks in each group, treated accordingly for 21 days. Birds were kept under close observation for apparent clinical signs and symptoms. Clinically, vitamin D3 treated chicks were dull, off feed, showed polydipsia, polyuria, watery faeces, rigidity of limbs, severe dehydration, weakness and significant progressive emaciation. Grossly, the bones were soft whereas most organs revealed congestion and hemorrhages in visceral organs. Histopathologically, renal tubular epithelium showed coagulative necrosis and metastatic calcification. The lung parenchyma and bronchi showed hemorrhages, congestion with diffuse heterophilic cell infiltration in inter-alveolar septa and infiltration of heterophils in alveoli along with proteinacious fluid in LPS treated chicks of treatment group, suggesting immunomodulatory action of vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 treated chicks showed strong expression of Calbindin D28k in intestine and kidney but weak expression in lung, which can be linked to nephrocalcinosis seen in kidney and from its prospective role in cellular calcium homeostasis. PMID:29163645

X-linked dominant retinitis pigmentosa in an American family

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

McGuire, R.E.; Daiger, S.P.; Blanton, S.H.

1994-09-01

Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetically heterogeneous disease with autosomal dominant (adRP), autosomal recessive and X-linked forms. At least 3 forms of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa have been reported: RP2 which maps to Xp11.4-p 11.23, RP3 which maps to Xp21.1 and RP6, which maps to Xp21.3-p21.1. The X-linked forms of retinitis pigmentosa are generally considered to be recessive as female carriers are not affected or are much less affected than males. Here we report a five generation American family with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa in which both males and females are significantly affected. The disease locus in this family appears to be distinctmore » from RP2 and RP3. The American family (UTAD054) presents with early-onset retinitis pigmentosa. The family appeared to fit an autosomal dominant pattern; however, linkage testing excluded all known adRP loci. Absence of male-to-male transmission in the pedigree suggested the possibility of X-linked dominant inheritance. Thus we tested six microsatellite markers that map to Xp (DXS987, DXS989, DXS993, DXS999, DXS1003 and DXS1110). Of these, DXS989 showed tight linkage with one allele (199) showing a 100% concordance with disease status. The odds favoring an X-linked dominant mode of inheritance in this family, versus autosomal dominant, are 10{sup 5}:1. In addition, recombinations for DXS999, and dXS1110, the two markers flanking DXS989, were observed in affected individuals. These data map the disease locus in this family to a 9 mb region on the X chromosome between Xp22.11 and Xp21.41. In addition, the recombinant individuals exclude close linkage to RP2 and RP3. The observance of high penetrance in females indicates that this family has X-linked dominant retinitis pigmentosa. We suggest that this mode of inheritance should be considered in other families with dominant retinitis pigmentosa but an absence of male-to-male transmission.« less

From 3D view to 3D print

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dima, M.; Farisato, G.; Bergomi, M.; Viotto, V.; Magrin, D.; Greggio, D.; Farinato, J.; Marafatto, L.; Ragazzoni, R.; Piazza, D.

2014-08-01

In the last few years 3D printing is getting more and more popular and used in many fields going from manufacturing to industrial design, architecture, medical support and aerospace. 3D printing is an evolution of bi-dimensional printing, which allows to obtain a solid object from a 3D model, realized with a 3D modelling software. The final product is obtained using an additive process, in which successive layers of material are laid down one over the other. A 3D printer allows to realize, in a simple way, very complex shapes, which would be quite difficult to be produced with dedicated conventional facilities. Thanks to the fact that the 3D printing is obtained superposing one layer to the others, it doesn't need any particular work flow and it is sufficient to simply draw the model and send it to print. Many different kinds of 3D printers exist based on the technology and material used for layer deposition. A common material used by the toner is ABS plastics, which is a light and rigid thermoplastic polymer, whose peculiar mechanical properties make it diffusely used in several fields, like pipes production and cars interiors manufacturing. I used this technology to create a 1:1 scale model of the telescope which is the hardware core of the space small mission CHEOPS (CHaracterising ExOPlanets Satellite) by ESA, which aims to characterize EXOplanets via transits observations. The telescope has a Ritchey-Chrétien configuration with a 30cm aperture and the launch is foreseen in 2017. In this paper, I present the different phases for the realization of such a model, focusing onto pros and cons of this kind of technology. For example, because of the finite printable volume (10×10×12 inches in the x, y and z directions respectively), it has been necessary to split the largest parts of the instrument in smaller components to be then reassembled and post-processed. A further issue is the resolution of the printed material, which is expressed in terms of layers

Synthesis of methyl 3-O-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-alpha-D-talopyranoside and methyl 3-O-alpha-D-talopyranosyl-alpha-D-talopyranoside.

PubMed

Dubey, R; Jain, R K; Abbas, S A; Matta, K L

1987-08-01

Methyl 2-O-benzyl-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-alpha- D-mannopyranoside (4) and methyl 2-O-benzyl-3-O-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside (6) were prepared from a common intermediate, namely, methyl 2-O-benzyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D- mannopyranosyl)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside. On treatment with tert-butylchlorodiphenylsilane, in N,N-dimethylformamide in the presence of imidazole, 4 and 6 afforded methyl 2-O-benzyl-6-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl -alpha-D- mannopyranosyl)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside (7), and methyl 2-O-benzyl-6-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-3-O-(6-O-tert- butyldiphenylsilyl-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside (8), respectively. Compound 8 was converted into its 2,3-O-isopropylidene derivative (9), and oxidation of 7 and 9 with pyridinium chlorochromate, and reduction of the resulting carbonyl intermediates gave methyl 2-O-benzyl-6-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl -alpha-D- mannopyranosyl)-alpha-D-talopyranoside and methyl 2-O-benzyl-6-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-3-O-(6-O-tert-butyldiphe nylsilyl- 2,3-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-talopyranosyl)-alpha-D-talopyranoside , respectively. Removal of the protecting groups furnished the title disaccharides.

Automatic patient alignment system using 3D ultrasound.

PubMed

Kaar, Marcus; Figl, Michael; Hoffmann, Rainer; Birkfellner, Wolfgang; Stock, Markus; Georg, Dietmar; Goldner, Gregor; Hummel, Johann

2013-04-01

Recent developments in radiation therapy such as intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or dose painting promise to provide better dose distribution on the tumor. For effective application of these methods the exact positioning of the patient and the localization of the irradiated organ and surrounding structures is crucial. Especially with respect to the treatment of the prostate, ultrasound (US) allows for differentiation between soft tissue and was therefore applied by various repositioning systems, such as BAT or Clarity. The authors built a new system which uses 3D US at both sites, the CT room and the intervention room and applied a 3D/3D US/US registration for automatic repositioning. In a first step the authors applied image preprocessing methods to prepare the US images for an optimal registration process. For the 3D/3D registration procedure five different metrics were evaluated. To find the image metric which fits best for a particular patient three 3D US images were taken at the CT site and registered to each other. From these results an US registration error was calculated. The most successful image metric was then applied for the US/US registration process. The success of the whole repositioning method was assessed by taking the results of an ExacTrac system as golden standard. The US/US registration error was found to be 2.99 ± 1.54 mm with respect to the mutual information metric by Mattes (eleven patients) which revealed to be the most suitable of the assessed metrics. For complete repositioning chain the error amounted to 4.15 ± 1.20 mm (ten patients). The authors developed a system for patient repositioning which works automatically without the necessity of user interaction with an accuracy which seems to be suitable for clinical application.

Evolution of 3-D geologic framework modeling and its application to groundwater flow studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blome, Charles D.; Smith, David V.

2012-01-01

In this Fact Sheet, the authors discuss the evolution of project 3-D subsurface framework modeling, research in hydrostratigraphy and airborne geophysics, and methodologies used to link geologic and groundwater flow models.

3D gaze tracking system for NVidia 3D Vision®.

PubMed

Wibirama, Sunu; Hamamoto, Kazuhiko

2013-01-01

Inappropriate parallax setting in stereoscopic content generally causes visual fatigue and visual discomfort. To optimize three dimensional (3D) effects in stereoscopic content by taking into account health issue, understanding how user gazes at 3D direction in virtual space is currently an important research topic. In this paper, we report the study of developing a novel 3D gaze tracking system for Nvidia 3D Vision(®) to be used in desktop stereoscopic display. We suggest an optimized geometric method to accurately measure the position of virtual 3D object. Our experimental result shows that the proposed system achieved better accuracy compared to conventional geometric method by average errors 0.83 cm, 0.87 cm, and 1.06 cm in X, Y, and Z dimensions, respectively.

Does shape co-variation between the skull and the mandible have functional consequences? A 3D approach for a 3D problem

PubMed Central

Cornette, Raphaël; Baylac, Michel; Souter, Thibaud; Herrel, Anthony

2013-01-01

Morpho-functional patterns are important drivers of phenotypic diversity given their importance in a fitness-related context. Although modularity of the mandible and skull has been studied extensively in mammals, few studies have explored shape co-variation between these two structures. Despite being developmentally independent, the skull and mandible form a functionally integrated unit. In the present paper we use 3D surface geometric morphometric methods allowing us to explore the form of both skull and mandible in its 3D complexity using the greater white-toothed shrew as a model. This approach allows an accurate 3D description of zones devoid of anatomical landmarks that are functionally important. Two-block partial least-squares approaches were used to describe the co-variation of form between skull and mandible. Moreover, a 3D biomechanical model was used to explore the functional consequences of the observed patterns of co-variation. Our results show the efficiency of the method in investigations of complex morpho-functional patterns. Indeed, the description of shape co-variation between the skull and the mandible highlighted the location and the intensity of their functional relationships through the jaw adductor muscles linking these two structures. Our results also demonstrated that shape co-variation in form between the skull and mandible has direct functional consequences on the recruitment of muscles during biting. PMID:23964811

[3D Virtual Reality Laparoscopic Simulation in Surgical Education - Results of a Pilot Study].

PubMed

Kneist, W; Huber, T; Paschold, M; Lang, H

2016-06-01

The use of three-dimensional imaging in laparoscopy is a growing issue and has led to 3D systems in laparoscopic simulation. Studies on box trainers have shown differing results concerning the benefit of 3D imaging. There are currently no studies analysing 3D imaging in virtual reality laparoscopy (VRL). Five surgical fellows, 10 surgical residents and 29 undergraduate medical students performed abstract and procedural tasks on a VRL simulator using conventional 2D and 3D imaging in a randomised order. No significant differences between the two imaging systems were shown for students or medical professionals. Participants who preferred three-dimensional imaging showed significantly better results in 2D as wells as in 3D imaging. First results on three-dimensional imaging on box trainers showed different results. Some studies resulted in an advantage of 3D imaging for laparoscopic novices. This study did not confirm the superiority of 3D imaging over conventional 2D imaging in a VRL simulator. In the present study on 3D imaging on a VRL simulator there was no significant advantage for 3D imaging compared to conventional 2D imaging. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Prospective evaluation of shape similarity based pose prediction method in D3R Grand Challenge 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Ashutosh; Zhang, Kam Y. J.

2016-09-01

Evaluation of ligand three-dimensional (3D) shape similarity is one of the commonly used approaches to identify ligands similar to one or more known active compounds from a library of small molecules. Apart from using ligand shape similarity as a virtual screening tool, its role in pose prediction and pose scoring has also been reported. We have recently developed a method that utilizes ligand 3D shape similarity with known crystallographic ligands to predict binding poses of query ligands. Here, we report the prospective evaluation of our pose prediction method through the participation in drug design data resource (D3R) Grand Challenge 2015. Our pose prediction method was used to predict binding poses of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and mitogen activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase (MAP4K4) ligands and it was able to predict the pose within 2 Å root mean square deviation (RMSD) either as the top pose or among the best of five poses in a majority of cases. Specifically for HSP90 protein, a median RMSD of 0.73 and 0.68 Å was obtained for the top and the best of five predictions respectively. For MAP4K4 target, although the median RMSD for our top prediction was only 2.87 Å but the median RMSD of 1.67 Å for the best of five predictions was well within the limit for successful prediction. Furthermore, the performance of our pose prediction method for HSP90 and MAP4K4 ligands was always among the top five groups. Particularly, for MAP4K4 protein our pose prediction method was ranked number one both in terms of mean and median RMSD when the best of five predictions were considered. Overall, our D3R Grand Challenge 2015 results demonstrated that ligand 3D shape similarity with the crystal ligand is sufficient to predict binding poses of new ligands with acceptable accuracy.

Linking xylem water storage with anatomical parameters in five temperate tree species.

PubMed

Jupa, Radek; Plavcová, Lenka; Gloser, Vít; Jansen, Steven

2016-06-01

The release of water from storage compartments to the transpiration stream is an important functional mechanism that provides the buffering of sudden fluctuations in water potential. The ability of tissues to release water per change in water potential, referred to as hydraulic capacitance, is assumed to be associated with the anatomy of storage tissues. However, information about how specific anatomical parameters determine capacitance is limited. In this study, we measured sapwood capacitance (C) in terminal branches and roots of five temperate tree species (Fagus sylvatica L., Picea abies L., Quercus robur L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Tilia cordata Mill.). Capacitance was calculated separately for water released mainly from capillary (CI; open vessels, tracheids, fibres, intercellular spaces and cracks) and elastic storage compartments (CII; living parenchyma cells), corresponding to two distinct phases of the moisture release curve. We found that C was generally higher in roots than branches, with CI being 3-11 times higher than CII Sapwood density and the ratio of dead to living xylem cells were most closely correlated with C In addition, the magnitude of CI was strongly correlated with fibre/tracheid lumen area, whereas CII was highly dependent on the thickness of axial parenchyma cell walls. Our results indicate that water released from capillary compartments predominates over water released from elastic storage in both branches and roots, suggesting the limited importance of parenchyma cells for water storage in juvenile xylem of temperate tree species. Contrary to intact organs, water released from open conduits in our small wood samples significantly increased CI at relatively high water potentials. Linking anatomical parameters with the hydraulic capacitance of a tissue contributes to a better understanding of water release mechanisms and their implications for plant hydraulics. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights

Evaluation of 3D printing materials for fabrication of a novel multi-functional 3D thyroid phantom for medical dosimetry and image quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alssabbagh, Moayyad; Tajuddin, Abd Aziz; Abdulmanap, Mahayuddin; Zainon, Rafidah

2017-06-01

Recently, the three-dimensional printer has started to be utilized strongly in medical industries. In the human body, many parts or organs can be printed from 3D images to meet accurate organ geometries. In this study, five common 3D printing materials were evaluated in terms of their elementary composition and the mass attenuation coefficients. The online version of XCOM photon cross-section database was used to obtain the attenuation values of each material. The results were compared with the attenuation values of the thyroid listed in the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements - ICRU 44. Two original thyroid models (hollow-inside and solid-inside) were designed from scratch to be used in nuclear medicine, diagnostic radiology and radiotherapy for dosimetry and image quality purposes. Both designs have three holes for installation of radiation dosimeters. The hollow-inside model has more two holes in the top for injection the radioactive materials. The attenuation properties of the Polylactic Acid (PLA) material showed a very good match with the thyroid tissue, which it was selected to 3D print the phantom using open source RepRap, Prusa i3 3D printer. The scintigraphy images show that the phantom simulates a real healthy thyroid gland and thus it can be used for image quality purposes. The measured CT numbers of the PA material after the 3D printing show a close match with the human thyroid CT numbers. Furthermore, the phantom shows a good accommodation of the TLD dosimeters inside the holes. The 3D fabricated thyroid phantom simulates the real shape of the human thyroid gland with a changeable geometrical shape-size feature to fit different age groups. By using 3D printing technology, the time required to fabricate the 3D phantom was considerably shortened compared to the longer conventional methods, where it took only 30 min to print out the model. The 3D printing material used in this study is commercially available and cost

Human factors guidelines for applications of 3D perspectives: a literature review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dixon, Sharon; Fitzhugh, Elisabeth; Aleva, Denise

2009-05-01

Once considered too processing-intense for general utility, application of the third dimension to convey complex information is facilitated by the recent proliferation of technological advancements in computer processing, 3D displays, and 3D perspective (2.5D) renderings within a 2D medium. The profusion of complex and rapidly-changing dynamic information being conveyed in operational environments has elevated interest in possible military applications of 3D technologies. 3D can be a powerful mechanism for clearer information portrayal, facilitating rapid and accurate identification of key elements essential to mission performance and operator safety. However, implementation of 3D within legacy systems can be costly, making integration prohibitive. Therefore, identifying which tasks may benefit from 3D or 2.5D versus simple 2D visualizations is critical. Unfortunately, there is no "bible" of human factors guidelines for usability optimization of 2D, 2.5D, or 3D visualizations nor for determining which display best serves a particular application. Establishing such guidelines would provide an invaluable tool for designers and operators. Defining issues common to each will enhance design effectiveness. This paper presents the results of an extensive review of open source literature addressing 3D information displays, with particular emphasis on comparison of true 3D with 2D and 2.5D representations and their utility for military tasks. Seventy-five papers are summarized, highlighting militarily relevant applications of 3D visualizations and 2.5D perspective renderings. Based on these findings, human factors guidelines for when and how to use these visualizations, along with recommendations for further research are discussed.

Developing 3D SEM in a broad biological context

PubMed Central

Kremer, A; Lippens, S; Bartunkova, S; Asselbergh, B; Blanpain, C; Fendrych, M; Goossens, A; Holt, M; Janssens, S; Krols, M; Larsimont, J-C; Mc Guire, C; Nowack, MK; Saelens, X; Schertel, A; Schepens, B; Slezak, M; Timmerman, V; Theunis, C; Van Brempt, R; Visser, Y; GuÉRin, CJ

2015-01-01

When electron microscopy (EM) was introduced in the 1930s it gave scientists their first look into the nanoworld of cells. Over the last 80 years EM has vastly increased our understanding of the complex cellular structures that underlie the diverse functions that cells need to maintain life. One drawback that has been difficult to overcome was the inherent lack of volume information, mainly due to the limit on the thickness of sections that could be viewed in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). For many years scientists struggled to achieve three-dimensional (3D) EM using serial section reconstructions, TEM tomography, and scanning EM (SEM) techniques such as freeze-fracture. Although each technique yielded some special information, they required a significant amount of time and specialist expertise to obtain even a very small 3D EM dataset. Almost 20 years ago scientists began to exploit SEMs to image blocks of embedded tissues and perform serial sectioning of these tissues inside the SEM chamber. Using first focused ion beams (FIB) and subsequently robotic ultramicrotomes (serial block-face, SBF-SEM) microscopists were able to collect large volumes of 3D EM information at resolutions that could address many important biological questions, and do so in an efficient manner. We present here some examples of 3D EM taken from the many diverse specimens that have been imaged in our core facility. We propose that the next major step forward will be to efficiently correlate functional information obtained using light microscopy (LM) with 3D EM datasets to more completely investigate the important links between cell structures and their functions. Lay Description Life happens in three dimensions. For many years, first light, and then EM struggled to image the smallest parts of cells in 3D. With recent advances in technology and corresponding improvements in computing, scientists can now see the 3D world of the cell at the nanoscale. In this paper we present the

Gamified Assessment Supported by a Dynamic 3D Collaborative Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mavridis, Apostolos; Tsiatsos, Thrasyvoulos; Chatzakis, Michalis; Kitsikoudis, Konstantinos; Lazarou, Efthymios

2015-01-01

This study examined whether a 3D collaborative gave can be used as a midterm examination method and investigated the impact of this game on students' attitude towards collaboration. A total of 89 students and one coordinating professor participated in this study. The intervention lasted five weeks and took place in a computer science department.…

2D and 3D T2-weighted MR sequences for the assessment of neurovascular bundle changes after nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy with erectile function correlation.

PubMed

Panebianco, Valeria; Sciarra, Alessandro; Osimani, Marcello; Lisi, Danilo; Ciccariello, Mauro; Salciccia, Stefano; Gentile, Vincenzo; Di Silverio, Franco; Passariello, Roberto

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the capability of a 3D isotropic MRI T2-weighted sequence (3D T2 ISO) in the depiction of changes of neurovascular bundles (NVBs) after bilateral nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). Furthermore, our aim was also to introduce a new MRI classification score of the NVB alteration patterns using the International Index Erectile Function Five-Item (IIEF-5) score as standard of reference. Fifty-three consecutive patients were postoperatively submitted to two MR examinations, including both 2D TSE T2-weighted (2D T2) and 3D T2 ISO sequences. Image findings were scored using a relative five-point classification and correlated with the postoperative IIEF-5 score. Radiologists attributed 13.2% of patients to class 0, 11.3% to class I, 34% to class II, 24.5% to class III, and 16.9% to class IV. With 3D T2 ISO images, the same radiologists determined 43.3% class 0, 32% class I, 11.4% class II, 7.5% class III, and 5.7% class IV. In all cases, the correlation and regression analysis between the 3D T2 ISO and IIEF-5 score resulted in higher coefficients values. The 3D sequence correlated most closely with patients' grading of erectile function.

Investigation of the C-3-epi-25(OH)D3 of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in urban schoolchildren.

PubMed

Berger, Samantha E; Van Rompay, Maria I; Gordon, Catherine M; Goodman, Elizabeth; Eliasziw, Misha; Holick, Michael F; Sacheck, Jennifer M

2018-03-01

The physiological relevance C-3 epimer of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (3-epi-25(OH)D) is not well understood among youth. The objective of this study was to assess whether demographic/physiologic characteristics were associated with 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 concentrations in youth. Associations between 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 and demographics and between 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 , total 25-hydroxyvitamin (25(OH)D) (25(OH)D 2 + 25(OH)D 3 ), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides were examined in racially/ethnically diverse schoolchildren (n = 682; age, 8-15 years) at Boston-area urban schools. Approximately 50% of participants had detectable 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 (range 0.95-3.95 ng/mL). The percentage of 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 of total 25(OH)D ranged from 2.5% to 17.0% (median 5.5%). Males were 38% more likely than females to have detectable 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 concentrations. Both Asian and black race/ethnicity were associated with lower odds of having detectable 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 compared with non-Hispanic white children (Asian vs. white, odds ratio (OR) 0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14-0.53; black vs. white, OR 0.38, 95%CI 0.23-0.63, p < 0.001). Having an adequate (20-29 ng/mL) or optimal (>30 ng/mL) 25(OH)D concentration was associated with higher odds of having detectable 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 than having an inadequate (<20 ng/mL) concentration (OR 4.78, 95%CI 3.23-6.94 or OR 14.10, 95%CI 7.10-28.0, respectively). There was no association between 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 and blood lipids. However, when considering 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 as a percentage of total 25(OH)D, total cholesterol was lower in children with percent 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 above the median (mean difference -7.1 mg/dL, p = 0.01). In conclusion, among schoolchildren, sex, race/ethnicity, and total serum 25(OH)D concentration is differentially associated with 3-epi-25(OH)D. The physiological relevance of 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 may be related to the 3-epi-25(OH)D 3 as a percentage of total 25(OH)D and should be considered in

iCAVE: an open source tool for visualizing biomolecular networks in 3D, stereoscopic 3D and immersive 3D

PubMed Central

Liluashvili, Vaja; Kalayci, Selim; Fluder, Eugene; Wilson, Manda; Gabow, Aaron

2017-01-01

Abstract Visualizations of biomolecular networks assist in systems-level data exploration in many cellular processes. Data generated from high-throughput experiments increasingly inform these networks, yet current tools do not adequately scale with concomitant increase in their size and complexity. We present an open source software platform, interactome-CAVE (iCAVE), for visualizing large and complex biomolecular interaction networks in 3D. Users can explore networks (i) in 3D using a desktop, (ii) in stereoscopic 3D using 3D-vision glasses and a desktop, or (iii) in immersive 3D within a CAVE environment. iCAVE introduces 3D extensions of known 2D network layout, clustering, and edge-bundling algorithms, as well as new 3D network layout algorithms. Furthermore, users can simultaneously query several built-in databases within iCAVE for network generation or visualize their own networks (e.g., disease, drug, protein, metabolite). iCAVE has modular structure that allows rapid development by addition of algorithms, datasets, or features without affecting other parts of the code. Overall, iCAVE is the first freely available open source tool that enables 3D (optionally stereoscopic or immersive) visualizations of complex, dense, or multi-layered biomolecular networks. While primarily designed for researchers utilizing biomolecular networks, iCAVE can assist researchers in any field. PMID:28814063

iCAVE: an open source tool for visualizing biomolecular networks in 3D, stereoscopic 3D and immersive 3D.

PubMed

Liluashvili, Vaja; Kalayci, Selim; Fluder, Eugene; Wilson, Manda; Gabow, Aaron; Gümüs, Zeynep H

2017-08-01

Visualizations of biomolecular networks assist in systems-level data exploration in many cellular processes. Data generated from high-throughput experiments increasingly inform these networks, yet current tools do not adequately scale with concomitant increase in their size and complexity. We present an open source software platform, interactome-CAVE (iCAVE), for visualizing large and complex biomolecular interaction networks in 3D. Users can explore networks (i) in 3D using a desktop, (ii) in stereoscopic 3D using 3D-vision glasses and a desktop, or (iii) in immersive 3D within a CAVE environment. iCAVE introduces 3D extensions of known 2D network layout, clustering, and edge-bundling algorithms, as well as new 3D network layout algorithms. Furthermore, users can simultaneously query several built-in databases within iCAVE for network generation or visualize their own networks (e.g., disease, drug, protein, metabolite). iCAVE has modular structure that allows rapid development by addition of algorithms, datasets, or features without affecting other parts of the code. Overall, iCAVE is the first freely available open source tool that enables 3D (optionally stereoscopic or immersive) visualizations of complex, dense, or multi-layered biomolecular networks. While primarily designed for researchers utilizing biomolecular networks, iCAVE can assist researchers in any field. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Recording stereoscopic 3D neurosurgery with a head-mounted 3D camera system.

PubMed

Lee, Brian; Chen, Brian R; Chen, Beverly B; Lu, James Y; Giannotta, Steven L

2015-06-01

Stereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) imaging can present more information to the viewer and further enhance the learning experience over traditional two-dimensional (2D) video. Most 3D surgical videos are recorded from the operating microscope and only feature the crux, or the most important part of the surgery, leaving out other crucial parts of surgery including the opening, approach, and closing of the surgical site. In addition, many other surgeries including complex spine, trauma, and intensive care unit procedures are also rarely recorded. We describe and share our experience with a commercially available head-mounted stereoscopic 3D camera system to obtain stereoscopic 3D recordings of these seldom recorded aspects of neurosurgery. The strengths and limitations of using the GoPro(®) 3D system as a head-mounted stereoscopic 3D camera system in the operating room are reviewed in detail. Over the past several years, we have recorded in stereoscopic 3D over 50 cranial and spinal surgeries and created a library for education purposes. We have found the head-mounted stereoscopic 3D camera system to be a valuable asset to supplement 3D footage from a 3D microscope. We expect that these comprehensive 3D surgical videos will become an important facet of resident education and ultimately lead to improved patient care.

CFL3D, FUN3d, and NSU3D Contributions to the Fifth Drag Prediction Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Michael A.; Laflin, Kelly R.; Chaffin, Mark S.; Powell, Nicholas; Levy, David W.

2013-01-01

Results presented at the Fifth Drag Prediction Workshop using CFL3D, FUN3D, and NSU3D are described. These are calculations on the workshop provided grids and drag adapted grids. The NSU3D results have been updated to reflect an improvement to skin friction calculation on skewed grids. FUN3D results generated after the workshop are included for custom participant generated grids and a grid from a previous workshop. Uniform grid refinement at the design condition shows a tight grouping in calculated drag, where the variation in the pressure component of drag is larger than the skin friction component. At this design condition, A fine-grid drag value was predicted with a smaller drag adjoint adapted grid via tetrahedral adaption to a metric and mixed-element subdivision. The buffet study produced larger variation than the design case, which is attributed to large differences in the predicted side-of-body separation extent. Various modeling and discretization approaches had a strong impact on predicted side-of-body separation. This large wing root separation bubble was not observed in wind tunnel tests indicating that more work is necessary in modeling wing root juncture flows to predict experiments.

The agreement between 3D, standard 2D and triplane 2D speckle tracking: effects of image quality and 3D volume rate.

PubMed

Trache, Tudor; Stöbe, Stephan; Tarr, Adrienn; Pfeiffer, Dietrich; Hagendorff, Andreas

2014-12-01

Comparison of 3D and 2D speckle tracking performed on standard 2D and triplane 2D datasets of normal and pathological left ventricular (LV) wall-motion patterns with a focus on the effect that 3D volume rate (3DVR), image quality and tracking artifacts have on the agreement between 2D and 3D speckle tracking. 37 patients with normal LV function and 18 patients with ischaemic wall-motion abnormalities underwent 2D and 3D echocardiography, followed by offline speckle tracking measurements. The values of 3D global, regional and segmental strain were compared with the standard 2D and triplane 2D strain values. Correlation analysis with the LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was also performed. The 3D and 2D global strain values correlated good in both normally and abnormally contracting hearts, though systematic differences between the two methods were observed. Of the 3D strain parameters, the area strain showed the best correlation with the LVEF. The numerical agreement of 3D and 2D analyses varied significantly with the volume rate and image quality of the 3D datasets. The highest correlation between 2D and 3D peak systolic strain values was found between 3D area and standard 2D longitudinal strain. Regional wall-motion abnormalities were similarly detected by 2D and 3D speckle tracking. 2DST of triplane datasets showed similar results to those of conventional 2D datasets. 2D and 3D speckle tracking similarly detect normal and pathological wall-motion patterns. Limited image quality has a significant impact on the agreement between 3D and 2D numerical strain values.

Massively parallel implementation of 3D-RISM calculation with volumetric 3D-FFT.

PubMed

Maruyama, Yutaka; Yoshida, Norio; Tadano, Hiroto; Takahashi, Daisuke; Sato, Mitsuhisa; Hirata, Fumio

2014-07-05

A new three-dimensional reference interaction site model (3D-RISM) program for massively parallel machines combined with the volumetric 3D fast Fourier transform (3D-FFT) was developed, and tested on the RIKEN K supercomputer. The ordinary parallel 3D-RISM program has a limitation on the number of parallelizations because of the limitations of the slab-type 3D-FFT. The volumetric 3D-FFT relieves this limitation drastically. We tested the 3D-RISM calculation on the large and fine calculation cell (2048(3) grid points) on 16,384 nodes, each having eight CPU cores. The new 3D-RISM program achieved excellent scalability to the parallelization, running on the RIKEN K supercomputer. As a benchmark application, we employed the program, combined with molecular dynamics simulation, to analyze the oligomerization process of chymotrypsin Inhibitor 2 mutant. The results demonstrate that the massive parallel 3D-RISM program is effective to analyze the hydration properties of the large biomolecular systems. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Studying Electrical Conductivity Using a 3D Printed Four-Point Probe Station

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Yang; Santino, Luciano M.; Acharya, Shinjita; Anandarajah, Hari; D'Arcy, Julio M.

2017-01-01

The design and fabrication of functional scientific instrumentation allows students to forge a link between commonly reported numbers and physical material properties. Here, a two-point and four-point probe station for measuring electrical properties of solid materials is fabricated via 3D printing utilizing an inexpensive benchtop…

Linked Ocean Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leadbetter, Adam; Arko, Robert; Chandler, Cynthia; Shepherd, Adam

2014-05-01

"Linked Data" is a term used in Computer Science to encapsulate a methodology for publishing data and metadata in a structured format so that links may be created and exploited between objects. Berners-Lee (2006) outlines the following four design principles of a Linked Data system: Use Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) as names for things. Use HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) URIs so that people can look up those names. When someone looks up a URI, provide useful information, using the standards (Resource Description Framework [RDF] and the RDF query language [SPARQL]). Include links to other URIs so that they can discover more things. In 2010, Berners-Lee revisited his original design plan for Linked Data to encourage data owners along a path to "good Linked Data". This revision involved the creation of a five star rating system for Linked Data outlined below. One star: Available on the web (in any format). Two stars: Available as machine-readable structured data (e.g. An Excel spreadsheet instead of an image scan of a table). Three stars: As two stars plus the use of a non-proprietary format (e.g. Comma Separated Values instead of Excel). Four stars: As three stars plus the use of open standards from the World Wide Web Commission (W3C) (i.e. RDF and SPARQL) to identify things, so that people can point to your data and metadata. Five stars: All the above plus link your data to other people's data to provide context Here we present work building on the SeaDataNet common vocabularies served by the NERC Vocabulary Server, connecting projects such as the Rolling Deck to Repository (R2R) and the Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO) and other vocabularies such as the Marine Metadata Interoperability Ontology Register and Repository and the NASA Global Change Master Directory to create a Linked Ocean Data cloud. Publishing the vocabularies and metadata in standard RDF XML and exposing SPARQL endpoints renders them five-star Linked

Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life of Chinese Adults in Heilongjiang Using EQ-5D-3L.

PubMed

Huang, Weidong; Yu, Hongjuan; Liu, Chaojie; Liu, Guoxiang; Wu, Qunhong; Zhou, Jin; Zhang, Xin; Zhao, Xiaowen; Shi, Linmei; Xu, Xiaoxue

2017-02-23

This study aimed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Heilongjiang adult populations by using the EuroQol five-dimension three-level (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaire and to identify factors associated with HRQOL. Data from the National Health Services Survey (NHSS) 2008 in Heilongjiang province were obtained. Results of EQ-5D-3L questionnaires completed by 11,523 adult respondents (18 years or older) were converted to health index scores using a recently developed Chinese value set. Multivariate linear regression and logistic regression models were established to determine demographic, socioeconomic, health, and lifestyle factors that were associated with HRQOL and reported problems in the five dimensions of EQ-5D-3L. The Heilongjiang population had a mean EQ-5D-3L index score of 0.959. Lower EQ-5D-3L index scores were associated with older age, lower levels of education, chronic conditions, temporary accommodation, poverty, unemployment, and lack of regular physical activities. Older respondents and those who were unemployed, had chronic conditions, and lived in poverty were more likely to report problems in all of the five health dimensions. Higher educational attainment was associated with lower odds of reporting health problems in mobility, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Low socioeconomic status is associated with poor HRQOL. Regional population norms for EQ-5D-3L are needed for health economic studies due to great socioeconomic disparities across regions in China. Overall, the Heilongjiang population has a similar level of HRQOL compared with the national average.

The simulation of 3D mass models in 2D digital mammography and breast tomosynthesis

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

Shaheen, Eman, E-mail: eman.shaheen@uzleuven.be; De Keyzer, Frederik; Bosmans, Hilde

2014-08-15

Purpose: This work proposes a new method of building 3D breast mass models with different morphological shapes and describes the validation of the realism of their appearance after simulation into 2D digital mammograms and breast tomosynthesis images. Methods: Twenty-five contrast enhanced MRI breast lesions were collected and each mass was manually segmented in the three orthogonal views: sagittal, coronal, and transversal. The segmented models were combined, resampled to have isotropic voxel sizes, triangularly meshed, and scaled to different sizes. These masses were referred to as nonspiculated masses and were then used as nuclei onto which spicules were grown with anmore » iterative branching algorithm forming a total of 30 spiculated masses. These 55 mass models were projected into 2D projection images to obtain mammograms after image processing and into tomographic sequences of projection images, which were then reconstructed to form 3D tomosynthesis datasets. The realism of the appearance of these mass models was assessed by five radiologists via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis when compared to 54 real masses. All lesions were also given a breast imaging reporting and data system (BIRADS) score. The data sets of 2D mammography and tomosynthesis were read separately. The Kendall's coefficient of concordance was used for the interrater observer agreement assessment for the BIRADS scores per modality. Further paired analysis, using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, of the BIRADS assessment between 2D and tomosynthesis was separately performed for the real masses and for the simulated masses. Results: The area under the ROC curves, averaged over all observers, was 0.54 (95% confidence interval [0.50, 0.66]) for the 2D study, and 0.67 (95% confidence interval [0.55, 0.79]) for the tomosynthesis study. According to the BIRADS scores, the nonspiculated and the spiculated masses varied in their degrees of malignancy from normal (BIRADS 1) to highly

Dense and dynamic 3D selection for game-based virtual environments.

PubMed

Cashion, Jeffrey; Wingrave, Chadwick; LaViola, Joseph J

2012-04-01

3D object selection is more demanding when, 1) objects densly surround the target object, 2) the target object is significantly occluded, and 3) when the target object is dynamically changing location. Most 3D selection techniques and guidelines were developed and tested on static or mostly sparse environments. In contrast, games tend to incorporate densly packed and dynamic objects as part of their typical interaction. With the increasing popularity of 3D selection in games using hand gestures or motion controllers, our current understanding of 3D selection needs revision. We present a study that compared four different selection techniques under five different scenarios based on varying object density and motion dynamics. We utilized two existing techniques, Raycasting and SQUAD, and developed two variations of them, Zoom and Expand, using iterative design. Our results indicate that while Raycasting and SQUAD both have weaknesses in terms of speed and accuracy in dense and dynamic environments, by making small modifications to them (i.e., flavoring), we can achieve significant performance increases.

Cigarette Use and Striatal Dopamine D2/3 Receptors: Possible Role in the Link between Smoking and Nicotine Dependence.

PubMed

Okita, Kyoji; Mandelkern, Mark A; London, Edythe D

2016-11-01

Cigarette smoking induces dopamine release in the striatum, and smoking- or nicotine-induced ventral striatal dopamine release is correlated with nicotine dependence. Smokers also exhibit lower dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in the dorsal striatum than nonsmokers. Negative correlations of striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor availability with smoking exposure and nicotine dependence, therefore, might be expected but have not been tested. Twenty smokers had positron emission tomography scans with [ 18 F]fallypride to measure dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in ventral and dorsal regions of the striatum and provided self-report measures of recent and lifetime smoking and of nicotine dependence. As reported before, lifetime smoking was correlated with nicotine dependence. New findings were that ventral striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor availability was negatively correlated with recent and lifetime smoking and also with nicotine dependence. The results suggest an effect of smoking on ventral striatal D2/3 dopamine receptors that may contribute to nicotine dependence. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

New 3D model for dynamics modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, Alain

1994-05-01

The wrist articulation represents one of the most complex mechanical systems of the human body. It is composed of eight bones rolling and sliding along their surface and along the faces of the five metacarpals of the hand and the two bones of the arm. The wrist dynamics are however fundamental for the hand movement, but it is so complex that it still remains incompletely explored. This work is a part of a new concept of computer-assisted surgery, which consists in developing computer models to perfect surgery acts by predicting their consequences. The modeling of the wrist dynamics are based first on the static model of its bones in three dimensions. This 3D model must optimise the collision detection procedure which is the necessary step to estimate the physical contact constraints. As many other possible computer vision models do not fit with enough precision to this problem, a new 3D model has been developed thanks to the median axis of the digital distance map of the bones reconstructed volume. The collision detection procedure is then simplified for contacts are detected between spheres. The experiment of this original 3D dynamic model products realistic computer animation images of solids in contact. It is now necessary to detect ligaments on digital medical images and to model them in order to complete a wrist model.

Examining the link between price regulation and pharmaceutical R&D investment.

PubMed

Vernon, John A

2005-01-01

This paper examines the link between price regulation and pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) investment. I identify two mechanisms through which price regulation may exert an influence on R&D: an expected-profit effect and a cash-flow effect. Using established models of the determinants of pharmaceutical R&D, I exploit a unique fact to quantify firm exposure to pharmaceutical price regulation: relative to the rest of the world, the U.S. pharmaceutical market is largely unregulated with respect to price. Using this fact within the context of a system of quasi-structural equations, I simulate how a new policy regulating pharmaceutical prices in the U.S. will affect R&D investment. I find that such a policy will lead to a decline in industry R&D by between 23.4 and 32.7%. This prediction, however, is accompanied by several caveats. Moreover, it says nothing about the implications for social welfare; therefore, these issues are also discussed. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

SCALE 6.2 Continuous-Energy TSUNAMI-3D Capabilities

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

Perfetti, Christopher M; Rearden, Bradley T

2015-01-01

The TSUNAMI (Tools for Sensitivity and UNcertainty Analysis Methodology Implementation) capabilities within the SCALE code system make use of sensitivity coefficients for an extensive number of criticality safety applications, such as quantifying the data-induced uncertainty in the eigenvalue of critical systems, assessing the neutronic similarity between different systems, quantifying computational biases, and guiding nuclear data adjustment studies. The need to model geometrically complex systems with improved ease of use and fidelity and the desire to extend TSUNAMI analysis to advanced applications have motivated the development of a SCALE 6.2 module for calculating sensitivity coefficients using three-dimensional (3D) continuous-energy (CE) Montemore » Carlo methods: CE TSUNAMI-3D. This paper provides an overview of the theory, implementation, and capabilities of the CE TSUNAMI-3D sensitivity analysis methods. CE TSUNAMI contains two methods for calculating sensitivity coefficients in eigenvalue sensitivity applications: (1) the Iterated Fission Probability (IFP) method and (2) the Contributon-Linked eigenvalue sensitivity/Uncertainty estimation via Track length importance CHaracterization (CLUTCH) method. This work also presents the GEneralized Adjoint Response in Monte Carlo method (GEAR-MC), a first-of-its-kind approach for calculating adjoint-weighted, generalized response sensitivity coefficients—such as flux responses or reaction rate ratios—in CE Monte Carlo applications. The accuracy and efficiency of the CE TSUNAMI-3D eigenvalue sensitivity methods are assessed from a user perspective in a companion publication, and the accuracy and features of the CE TSUNAMI-3D GEAR-MC methods are detailed in this paper.« less

3D lens-free time-lapse microscopy for 3D cell culture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berdeu, Anthony; Momey, Fabien; Laperrousaz, Bastien; Bordy, Thomas; Gidrol, Xavier; Dinten, Jean-Marc; Picollet-D'hahan, Nathalie; Allier, Cédric

2017-07-01

We propose a new imaging platform based on lens-free time-lapse microscopy for 3D cell culture and its dedicated algorithm lying on a fully 3D regularized inverse problem approach. First 3D+t results are presented

Automatic needle segmentation in 3D ultrasound images using 3D Hough transform