49 CFR Appendix D to Part 222 - Determining Risk Levels

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... collision probability. There are three formulas, one for each warning device category: 1. automatic gates... risk for all public highway-rail grade crossings that are part of a quiet zone. The Prediction Formulas (a) The Prediction Formulas were developed by DOT as a guide for allocating scarce traffic safety...

49 CFR Appendix D to Part 222 - Determining Risk Levels

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... collision probability. There are three formulas, one for each warning device category: 1. automatic gates... risk for all public highway-rail grade crossings that are part of a quiet zone. The Prediction Formulas (a) The Prediction Formulas were developed by DOT as a guide for allocating scarce traffic safety...

49 CFR Appendix D to Part 222 - Determining Risk Levels

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... collision probability. There are three formulas, one for each warning device category: 1. automatic gates... risk for all public highway-rail grade crossings that are part of a quiet zone. The Prediction Formulas (a) The Prediction Formulas were developed by DOT as a guide for allocating scarce traffic safety...

EFL Learners' Grammatical Awareness through Accumulating Formulaic Sequences of Morphological Structure (-ing)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kashiwagi, Kazuko; Ito, Yukiko

2017-01-01

Even young EFL learners who have not yet learned L2 grammar will notice language patterns if, when retrieving exemplars ("item-based patterns"), they succeed in making form-meaning connections (FMCs). Item-based patterns, termed formulaic sequences (FS), serve as a basis for creative constructions. Although learners are implicitly…

Critical review on refractive surgical lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, J. T.

1995-03-01

The current status of refractive surgical lasers (including excimer and nonexcimer lasers) is reviewed with an emphasis on photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). The correlation of engineering parameters and the clinical requirements with optimal conditions are presented. The fundamentals of corneal reshaping with formulas for ablation profiles and the advantages of the multizone method are discussed. Updated information on the Mini-Excimer PRK laser system, with an emphasis on the scanning delivery device, is presented. PMMA ablation profiles performed by standard diaphragm and scanning modes are compared for surface ablation quality. Scanning mode ablation patterns for myopia, hyperopia, and regular and irregular astigmatism are presented.

Anisotropic thermal conductivity in carbon honeycomb.

PubMed

Chen, Xue-Kun; Liu, Jun; Du, Dan; Xie, Zhong-Xiang; Chen, Ke-Qiu

2018-04-18

Carbon honeycomb, a new kind of 3D carbon allotrope experimentally synthesized recently, has received much attention for its fascinating applications in electronic device and energy storage. In the present work, we perform equilibrium molecular dynamics (EMD) to study the thermal transport properties of carbon honeycombs with different chirality. It is found that the thermal conductivity along the honeycomb axis ([Formula: see text]) is three times larger than that normal to the axis ([Formula: see text]), which shows strong anisotropy reflecting their geometric anisotropy. Lattice dynamics calculations reveal that this anisotropy stems from the orientation-dependent phonon group velocities. Moreover, when ambient temperature ([Formula: see text]) increases from 200 K to 800 K, the [Formula: see text] dependence of [Formula: see text] is observed due to the enhanced Umklapp scattering. The detailed phonon spectra analyses indicate phonon group velocities are insensitive to the variation of ambient temperature, and the temperature dependence of the relaxation times of low-frequency phonons (<20 THz) follows [Formula: see text] behavior. Our results have a certain guiding significance to develop carbon honeycomb for effective thermal channeling devices.

Viscous damping and spring force calculation of regularly perforated MEMS microstructures in the Stokes' approximation

PubMed Central

Homentcovschi, Dorel; Murray, Bruce T.; Miles, Ronald N.

2013-01-01

There are a number of applications for microstructure devices consisting of a regular pattern of perforations, and many of these utilize fluid damping. For the analysis of viscous damping and for calculating the spring force in some cases, it is possible to take advantage of the regular hole pattern by assuming periodicity. Here a model is developed to determine these quantities based on the solution of the Stokes' equations for the air flow. Viscous damping is directly related to thermal-mechanical noise. As a result, the design of perforated microstructures with minimal viscous damping is of real practical importance. A method is developed to calculate the damping coefficient in microstructures with periodic perforations. The result can be used to minimize squeeze film damping. Since micromachined devices have finite dimensions, the periodic model for the perforated microstructure has to be associated with the calculation of some frame (edge) corrections. Analysis of the edge corrections has also been performed. Results from analytical formulas and numerical simulations match very well with published measured data. PMID:24058267

Viscous damping and spring force calculation of regularly perforated MEMS microstructures in the Stokes' approximation.

PubMed

Homentcovschi, Dorel; Murray, Bruce T; Miles, Ronald N

2013-10-15

There are a number of applications for microstructure devices consisting of a regular pattern of perforations, and many of these utilize fluid damping. For the analysis of viscous damping and for calculating the spring force in some cases, it is possible to take advantage of the regular hole pattern by assuming periodicity. Here a model is developed to determine these quantities based on the solution of the Stokes' equations for the air flow. Viscous damping is directly related to thermal-mechanical noise. As a result, the design of perforated microstructures with minimal viscous damping is of real practical importance. A method is developed to calculate the damping coefficient in microstructures with periodic perforations. The result can be used to minimize squeeze film damping. Since micromachined devices have finite dimensions, the periodic model for the perforated microstructure has to be associated with the calculation of some frame (edge) corrections. Analysis of the edge corrections has also been performed. Results from analytical formulas and numerical simulations match very well with published measured data.

Comparison of anterior segment parameters and axial length measurements performed on a Scheimpflug device with biometry function and a reference optical biometer.

PubMed

Muzyka-Woźniak, Maria; Oleszko, Adam

2018-04-26

To compare measurements of axial length (AL), corneal curvature (K), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and white-to-white (WTW) distance on a new device combining Scheimpflug camera and partial coherence interferometry (Pentacam AXL) with a reference optical biometer (IOL Master 500). To evaluate differences between IOL power calculations based on the two biometers. Ninety-seven eyes of 97 consecutive cataract or refractive lens exchange patients were examined preoperatively on IOL Master 500 and Pentacam AXL units. Comparisons between two devices were performed for AL, K, ACD and WTW. Intraocular lens (IOL) power targeting emmetropia was calculated with SRK/T and Haigis formulas on both devices and compared. There were statistically significant differences between two devices for all measured parameters (P < 0.05), except ACD (P = 0.36). Corneal curvature measured with Pentacam AXL was significantly flatter then with IOL Master. The mean difference in AL was clinically insignificant (0.01 mm; 95% LoA 0.16 mm). Pentacam AXL yielded higher IOL power in 75% of eyes for Haigis formula and in 62% of eyes for SRK/T formula, with a mean difference within ± 0.5 D for 72 and 86% of eyes, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between AL, K and WTW measurements obtained with the compared biometers. Flatter corneal curvature measurements on Pentacam AXL necessitate formulas optimisation for Pentacam AXL.

Brain-actuated gait trainer with visual and proprioceptive feedback.

PubMed

Liu, Dong; Chen, Weihai; Lee, Kyuhwa; Chavarriaga, Ricardo; Bouri, Mohamed; Pei, Zhongcai; Del R Millán, José

2017-10-01

Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) have been proposed in closed-loop applications for neuromodulation and neurorehabilitation. This study describes the impact of different feedback modalities on the performance of an EEG-based BMI that decodes motor imagery (MI) of leg flexion and extension. We executed experiments in a lower-limb gait trainer (the legoPress) where nine able-bodied subjects participated in three consecutive sessions based on a crossover design. A random forest classifier was trained from the offline session and tested online with visual and proprioceptive feedback, respectively. Post-hoc classification was conducted to assess the impact of feedback modalities and learning effect (an improvement over time) on the simulated trial-based performance. Finally, we performed feature analysis to investigate the discriminant power and brain pattern modulations across the subjects. (i) For real-time classification, the average accuracy was [Formula: see text]% and [Formula: see text]% for the two online sessions. The results were significantly higher than chance level, demonstrating the feasibility to distinguish between MI of leg extension and flexion. (ii) For post-hoc classification, the performance with proprioceptive feedback ([Formula: see text]%) was significantly better than with visual feedback ([Formula: see text]%), while there was no significant learning effect. (iii) We reported individual discriminate features and brain patterns associated to each feedback modality, which exhibited differences between the two modalities although no general conclusion can be drawn. The study reported a closed-loop brain-controlled gait trainer, as a proof of concept for neurorehabilitation devices. We reported the feasibility of decoding lower-limb movement in an intuitive and natural way. As far as we know, this is the first online study discussing the role of feedback modalities in lower-limb MI decoding. Our results suggest that proprioceptive feedback has an advantage over visual feedback, which could be used to improve robot-assisted strategies for motor training and functional recovery.

A mainstream monitoring system for respiratory CO2 concentration and gasflow.

PubMed

Yang, Jiachen; Chen, Bobo; Burk, Kyle; Wang, Haitao; Zhou, Jianxiong

2016-08-01

Continuous respiratory gas monitoring is an important tool for clinical monitoring. In particular, measurement of respiratory [Formula: see text] concentration and gasflow can reflect the status of a patient by providing parameters such as volume of carbon dioxide, end-tidal [Formula: see text] respiratory rate and alveolar deadspace. However, in the majority of previous work, [Formula: see text] concentration and gasflow have been studied separately. This study focuses on a mainstream system which simultaneously measures respiratory [Formula: see text] concentration and gasflow at the same location, allowing for volumetric capnography to be implemented. A non-dispersive infrared monitor is used to measure [Formula: see text] concentration and a differential pressure sensor is used to measure gasflow. In developing this new device, we designed a custom airway adapter which can be placed in line with the breathing circuit and accurately monitor relevant respiratory parameters. Because the airway adapter is used both for capnography and gasflow, our system reduces mechanical deadspace. The finite element method was used to design the airway adapter which can provide a strong differential pressure while reducing airway resistance. Statistical analysis using the coefficient of variation was performed to find the optimal driving voltage of the pressure transducer. Calibration between variations and flows was used to avoid pressure signal drift. We carried out targeted experiments using the proposed device and confirmed that the device can produce stable signals.

Patterns Exploration on Patterns of Empirical Herbal Formula of Chinese Medicine by Association Rules

PubMed Central

Huang, Li; Yuan, Jiamin; Yang, Zhimin; Xu, Fuping; Huang, Chunhua

2015-01-01

Background. In this study, we use association rules to explore the latent rules and patterns of prescribing and adjusting the ingredients of herbal decoctions based on empirical herbal formula of Chinese Medicine (CM). Materials and Methods. The consideration and development of CM prescriptions based on the knowledge of CM doctors are analyzed. The study contained three stages. The first stage is to identify the chief symptoms to a specific empirical herbal formula, which can serve as the key indication for herb addition and cancellation. The second stage is to conduct a case study on the empirical CM herbal formula for insomnia. Doctors will add extra ingredients or cancel some of them by CM syndrome diagnosis. The last stage of the study is to divide the observed cases into the effective group and ineffective group based on the assessed clinical effect by doctors. The patterns during the diagnosis and treatment are selected by the applied algorithm and the relations between clinical symptoms or indications and herb choosing principles will be selected by the association rules algorithm. Results. Totally 40 patients were observed in this study: 28 patients were considered effective after treatment and the remaining 12 were ineffective. 206 patterns related to clinical indications of Chinese Medicine were checked and screened with each observed case. In the analysis of the effective group, we used the algorithm of association rules to select combinations between 28 herbal adjustment strategies of the empirical herbal formula and the 190 patterns of individual clinical manifestations. During this stage, 11 common patterns were eliminated and 5 major symptoms for insomnia remained. 12 association rules were identified which included 5 herbal adjustment strategies. Conclusion. The association rules method is an effective algorithm to explore the latent relations between clinical indications and herbal adjustment strategies for the study on empirical herbal formulas. PMID:26495415

Dip-pen nanopatterning of photosensitive conducting polymer using a monomer ink

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Ming; Aslam, Mohammed; Fu, Lei; Wu, Nianqiang; Dravid, Vinayak P.

2004-05-01

Controlled patterning of conducting polymers at a micro- or nanoscale is the first step towards the fabrication of miniaturized functional devices. Here, we introduce an approach for the nanopatterning of conducting polymers using an improved monomer "ink" in dip-pen nanolithography (DPN). The nominal monomer "ink" is converted, in situ, to its conducting solid-state polymeric form after patterned. Proof-of-concept experiments have been performed with acid-promoted polymerization of pyrrole in a less reactive environment (tetrahydrofuran). The ratios of reactants are optimized to give an appropriate rate to match the operation of DPN. A similar synthesis process for the same polymer in its bulk form shows a high conductance and crystalline structure. The miniaturized conducting polymer sensors with light detection ability are fabricated by DPN using the improved ink formula, and exhibit excellent response, recovery, and sensitivity parameters.

Biometry and intraocular lens power calculation results with a new optical biometry device: comparison with the gold standard.

PubMed

Kaswin, Godefroy; Rousseau, Antoine; Mgarrech, Mohamed; Barreau, Emmanuel; Labetoulle, Marc

2014-04-01

To evaluate the agreement in axial length (AL), keratometry (K), anterior chamber depth (ACD) measurements; intraocular lens (IOL) power calculations; and predictability using a new partial coherence interferometry (PCI) optical biometer (AL-Scan) and a reference (gold standard) PCI optical biometer (IOLMaster 500). Service d'Ophtalmologie, Hopital Bicêtre, APHP Université, Paris, France. Evaluation of a diagnostic device. One eye of consecutive patients scheduled for cataract surgery was measured. Biometry was performed with the new biometer and the reference biometer. Comparisons were performed for AL, average K at 2.4 mm, ACD, IOL power calculations with the Haigis and SRK/T formulas, and postoperative predictability of the devices. A P value less than 0.05 was statistically significant. The study enrolled 50 patients (mean age 72.6 years±4.2 SEM). There was a good correlation between biometers for AL, K, and ACD measurements (r=0.999, r=0.933, and r=0.701, respectively) and between IOL power calculation with the Haigis formula (r=0.972) and the SRK/T formula (r=0.981). The mean absolute error (MAE) in IOL power prediction was 0.42±0.08 diopter (D) with the new biometer and 0.44±0.08 D with the reference biometer. The MAE was 0.20 D with the Haigis formula and 0.19 with the SRK/T formula (P=.36). The new PCI biometer provided valid measurements compared with the current gold standard, indicating that the new device can be used for IOL power calculations for routine cataract surgery. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2014 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonographic patterns of reproductive organs in infants fed soy formula: Comparisons to infants fed breast milk and milk formula

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Our objective was to determine if differences exist in hormone sensitive organ size between infants fed soy formula (SF), milk formula (MF), or breast milk (BF). Breast buds, uterus, ovaries, prostate, and testicular volumes were assessed by ultrasonography in 40 BF, 41 MF, and 39 SF infants at age ...

A study of the dynamics of seizure propagation across micro domains in the vicinity of the seizure onset zone.

PubMed

Basu, Ishita; Kudela, Pawel; Korzeniewska, Anna; Franaszczuk, Piotr J; Anderson, William S

2015-08-01

The use of micro-electrode arrays to measure electrical activity from the surface of the brain is increasingly being investigated as a means to improve seizure onset zone (SOZ) localization. In this work, we used a multivariate autoregressive model to determine the evolution of seizure dynamics in the [Formula: see text] Hz high frequency band across micro-domains sampled by such micro-electrode arrays. We showed that a directed transfer function (DTF) can be used to estimate the flow of seizure activity in a set of simulated micro-electrode data with known propagation pattern. We used seven complex partial seizures recorded from four patients undergoing intracranial monitoring for surgical evaluation to reconstruct the seizure propagation pattern over sliding windows using a DTF measure. We showed that a DTF can be used to estimate the flow of seizure activity in a set of simulated micro-electrode data with a known propagation pattern. In general, depending on the location of the micro-electrode grid with respect to the clinical SOZ and the time from seizure onset, ictal propagation changed in directional characteristics over a 2-10 s time scale, with gross directionality limited to spatial dimensions of approximately [Formula: see text]. It was also seen that the strongest seizure patterns in the high frequency band and their sources over such micro-domains are more stable over time and across seizures bordering the clinically determined SOZ than inside. This type of propagation analysis might in future provide an additional tool to epileptologists for characterizing epileptogenic tissue. This will potentially help narrowing down resection zones without compromising essential brain functions as well as provide important information about targeting anti-epileptic stimulation devices.

Methodology for evaluate the form deviations for formula one nose car

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bere, Paul; Neamtu, Calin

2014-06-01

The paper presents a measuring strategy for a Formula One car using a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) and a 3D laser scanning devices. The measurement procedures outlined the dimensional deviation of the CAD model and prototype made of composite material. The authors present two methods for the determination of symmetry for components of a Formula One car based on measuring and 3D scanning.

Modelling of nanoscale multi-gate transistors affected by atomistic interface roughness.

PubMed

Nagy, Daniel; Aldegunde, Manuel; Elmessary, Muhammad A; García-Loureiro, Antonio J; Seoane, Natalia; Kalna, Karol

2018-04-11

Interface roughness scattering (IRS) is one of the major scattering mechanisms limiting the performance of non-planar multi-gate transistors, like Fin field-effect transistors (FETs). Here, two physical models (Ando's and multi-sub-band) of electron scattering with the interface roughness induced potential are investigated using an in-house built 3D finite element ensemble Monte Carlo simulation toolbox including parameter-free 2D Schrödinger equation quantum correction that handles all relevant scattering mechanisms within highly non-equilibrium carrier transport. Moreover, we predict the effect of IRS on performance of FinFETs with realistic channel cross-section shapes with respect to the IRS correlation length (Λ) and RMS height ([Formula: see text]). The simulations of the n-type SOI FinFETs with the multi-sub-band IRS model shows its very strong effect on electron transport in the device channel compared to the Ando's model. We have also found that the FinFETs are strongly affected by the IRS in the ON-region. The limiting effect of the IRS significantly increases as the Fin width is reduced. The FinFETs with [Formula: see text] channel orientation are affected more by the IRS than those with the [Formula: see text] crystal orientation. Finally, Λ and [Formula: see text] are shown to affect the device performance similarly. A change in values by 30% (Λ) or [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) results in an increase (decrease) of up to [Formula: see text] in the drive current.

Method and apparatus for non-invasive evaluation of diaphragmatic function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yost, William T. (Inventor); Wait, Juliette L. (Inventor); Nahormek, Patricia A. (Inventor); Cantrell, John H. (Inventor); Hanna-Hawver, Pamela D. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A method for non-invasive evaluation of diaphragmatic function in humans measures the thickness of the diaphragm in real time with an ultrasonic device, and displays the variations of diaphragm thickness versus time. Formulae are given for calculating a quantitative value for the reserve fatigue capacity of a patient's diaphragm from data obtained by measuring the time limits for maintaining a constant breathing pattern on the display at two different pressure differentials in series with the patient's airways. An apparatus for displaying the diaphragm thickness in real time is also described. The method can be used both on healthy patients and on patients with so severe breathing dysfunctions that they require breathing support from respirators.

Method and apparatus for non-invasive evaluation of diaphragmatic function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yost, William T. (Inventor); Wait, Juliette L. (Inventor); Nahormek, Patricia A. (Inventor); Cantrell, John H. (Inventor); Hanna-Hawver, Pamela D. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A method for non-invasive evaluation of diaphragmatic function in humans measures the thickness of the diaphragm in real time with an ultrasonic device, and displays the variations of diaphragm thickness versus time. Formulae are given for calculating a quantitative value for the reserve fatigue capacity of a patient's diaphragm from data obtained by measuring the time limits for maintaining a constant breathing pattern on the display at two different pressure differentials in series with the patient's airways. An apparatus for displaying the diaphragm thickness in real time is also described. The method can be used both on healthy patients and on patients with so severe breathing dysfunctions that they require breathing support from respirators.

21 CFR 56.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... approval of a medical device for human use, described in section 515 of the act. (16) A product development... an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant formula notification under section 412(c) of....70 of this chapter. (23) Data and information from investigations involving children submitted in a...

21 CFR 56.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... approval of a medical device for human use, described in section 515 of the act. (16) A product development... an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant formula notification under section 412(c) of....70 of this chapter. (23) Data and information from investigations involving children submitted in a...

21 CFR 56.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... approval of a medical device for human use, described in section 515 of the act. (16) A product development... an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant formula notification under section 412(c) of....70 of this chapter. (23) Data and information from investigations involving children submitted in a...

21 CFR 56.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... approval of a medical device for human use, described in section 515 of the act. (16) A product development... an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant formula notification under section 412(c) of....70 of this chapter. (23) Data and information from investigations involving children submitted in a...

21 CFR 56.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... approval of a medical device for human use, described in section 515 of the act. (16) A product development... an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant formula notification under section 412(c) of....70 of this chapter. (23) Data and information from investigations involving children submitted in a...

A submicron device to rectify a square-wave angular velocity.

PubMed

Moradian, A; Miri, M F

2011-02-01

We study a system composed of two thick dielectric disks separated by a thin layer of an electrolyte solution. Initially both plates have the same surface charge distribution. The surface charge distribution has no rotational symmetry. We show that the top plate experiences a torque [Formula: see text]([Formula: see text]) if it rotates about its axis by an angle [Formula: see text] . The torque can be controlled by varying the electrolyte concentration, the separation and the surface charge density of the plates. For a specific example of charged rods attached to the plates, we find [Formula: see text]([Formula: see text]) [Formula: see text] sin(4[Formula: see text]) . We also study the dynamics of the system. We consider the case where the angular velocity of the bottom disk is a square-wave signal. We find that the average angular velocity of the top disk is not zero.

Prescription of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Pattern-Based Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Depression: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Ng, Ka-Yan; Yu, Yee-Man; Ng, Bacon Fung-Leung; Ziea, Eric Tat-Chi

2015-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments are often prescribed based on individuals' pattern diagnoses. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials in Chinese and English literatures on TCM pattern-based treatment for depression has therefore been conducted. A total of 61 studies, 2504 subjects, and 27 TCM patterns were included. Due to the large variation of TCM pattern among participants, we only analyzed the top four commonly studied TCM patterns: liver qi depression, liver depression and spleen deficiency, dual deficiency of the heart, and spleen and liver depression and qi stagnation. We found that Xiaoyao decoction was the most frequently used herbal formula for the treatment of liver qi depression and liver depression with spleen deficiency, while Chaihu Shugan decoction was often used for liver depression and qi stagnation. Bai Shao (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) and Chai Hu (Bupleurum chinense DC.) were commonly used across different TCM patterns regardless of the prescribed Chinese herbal formulas. The rationale underlying herb selection was seldom provided. Due to the limited number of studies on TCM pattern-based treatment of depression and their low methodological quality, we are unable to draw any conclusion regarding which herbal formulas have higher efficacy and which TCM patterns respond better to CHM. PMID:26180532

Quantitative analysis of the patellofemoral motion pattern using semi-automatic processing of 4D CT data.

PubMed

Forsberg, Daniel; Lindblom, Maria; Quick, Petter; Gauffin, Håkan

2016-09-01

To present a semi-automatic method with minimal user interaction for quantitative analysis of the patellofemoral motion pattern. 4D CT data capturing the patellofemoral motion pattern of a continuous flexion and extension were collected for five patients prone to patellar luxation both pre- and post-surgically. For the proposed method, an observer would place landmarks in a single 3D volume, which then are automatically propagated to the other volumes in a time sequence. From the landmarks in each volume, the measures patellar displacement, patellar tilt and angle between femur and tibia were computed. Evaluation of the observer variability showed the proposed semi-automatic method to be favorable over a fully manual counterpart, with an observer variability of approximately 1.5[Formula: see text] for the angle between femur and tibia, 1.5 mm for the patellar displacement, and 4.0[Formula: see text]-5.0[Formula: see text] for the patellar tilt. The proposed method showed that surgery reduced the patellar displacement and tilt at maximum extension with approximately 10-15 mm and 15[Formula: see text]-20[Formula: see text] for three patients but with less evident differences for two of the patients. A semi-automatic method suitable for quantification of the patellofemoral motion pattern as captured by 4D CT data has been presented. Its observer variability is on par with that of other methods but with the distinct advantage to support continuous motions during the image acquisition.

Catalysts for use in electrochemical applications and electrodes and devices using same

DOEpatents

Ozkan, Umit S.; von Deak, Dieter; Biddinger, Elizabeth

2015-09-15

An electrode for reduction of an oxidant including a phosphorus-doped carbon-containing catalyst represented by the chemical formula CN.sub.xP.sub.y, where x is from 0 to about 10 wt. % and y is from about 1 ppm to about 10 wt. %. A device for producing electricity by facilitating an electrochemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant. The device including a first electrode for oxidizing the fuel to produce protons and electrons. The device further includes a second electrode in electrical communication with the first electrode when electrically connected to the external circuit. The second electrode includes a phosphorus-doped carbon-containing catalyst for reducing the oxidant and is represented by the chemical formula CN.sub.xP.sub.y, where x is from 0 to about 10 wt. % and y is from about 1 ppm to about 10 wt. %. The device further includes an electrolyte, such as, a membrane, separating the first electrode from the second electrode.

Validation of a Portable Low-Power Deep Brain Stimulation Device Through Anxiolytic Effects in a Laboratory Rat Model.

PubMed

Kouzani, Abbas Z; Kale, Rajas P; Zarate-Garza, Pablo Patricio; Berk, Michael; Walder, Ken; Tye, Susannah J

2017-09-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices deliver electrical pulses to neural tissue through an electrode. To study the mechanisms and therapeutic benefits of deep brain stimulation, murine preclinical research is necessary. However, conducting naturalistic long-term, uninterrupted animal behavioral experiments can be difficult with bench-top systems. The reduction of size, weight, power consumption, and cost of DBS devices can assist the progress of this research in animal studies. A low power, low weight, miniature DBS device is presented in this paper. This device consists of electronic hardware and software components including a low-power microcontroller, an adjustable current source, an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, a coin-cell battery, electrode wires and a software program to operate the device. Evaluation of the performance of the device in terms of battery lifetime and device functionality through bench and in vivo tests was conducted. The bench test revealed that this device can deliver continuous stimulation current pulses of strength [Formula: see text], width [Formula: see text], and frequency 130 Hz for over 22 days. The in vivo tests demonstrated that chronic stimulation of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) with this device significantly increased psychomotor activity, together with a dramatic reduction in anxiety-like behavior in the elevated zero-maze test.

Research on energy efficiency design index for sea-going LNG carriers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yan; Yu, Yanyun; Guan, Guan

2014-12-01

This paper describes the characteristics of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers briefly. The LNG carrier includes power plant selection, vapor treatment, liquid cargo tank type, etc. Two parameters—fuel substitution rate and recovery of boil of gas (BOG) volume to energy efficiency design index (EEDI) formula are added, and EEDI formula of LNG carriers is established based on ship EEDI formula. Then, based on steam turbine propulsion device of LNG carriers, mathematical models of LNG carriers' reference line value are established in this paper. By verification, the EEDI formula of LNG carriers described in this paper can provide a reference for LNG carrier EEDI calculation and green shipbuilding.

Fringe periods of color moirés in contact-type 3-D displays.

PubMed

Lee, Hyoung; Kim, Sung-Kyu; Sohn, Kwanghoon; Son, Jung-Young; Chernyshov, Oleksii O

2016-06-27

A mathematical formula of calculating the fringe periods of the color moirés appearing at the contact-type 3-D displays is derived. It is typical that the color moirés are chirped and the period of the line pattern in viewing zone forming optics is more than two times of that of the pixel pattern in the display panel. These make impossible to calculate the fringe periods of the color moirés with the conventional beat frequency formula. The derived formula work very well for any combination of two line patterns having either a same line period or different line periods. This is experimentally proved. Furthermore, it is also shown that the fringe period can be expressed in terms of the viewing distance and focal length of the viewing zone forming optics.

75 FR 44973 - Report: A New Approach to Targeting Inspection Resources and Identifying Patterns of Adulteration...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-30

... except infant formula and dietary supplements. Other mandatory reporting systems exist for problems with infant formula and dietary supplements. Submissions to the Reportable Food electronic portal provide...

Counting Necklaces and Other Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houghton, Chris

1990-01-01

A method for helping students to find formulas involving symmetry under various conditions is explained. Necklace symmetries, orbit counting, tetrahedra and cubes, relationship patterns, and finding patterns are discussed. (CW)

FGF growth factor analogs

DOEpatents

Zamora, Paul O [Gaithersburg, MD; Pena, Louis A [Poquott, NY; Lin, Xinhua [Plainview, NY; Takahashi, Kazuyuki [Germantown, MD

2012-07-24

The present invention provides a fibroblast growth factor heparin-binding analog of the formula: ##STR00001## where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, X, Y and Z are as defined, pharmaceutical compositions, coating compositions and medical devices including the fibroblast growth factor heparin-binding analog of the foregoing formula, and methods and uses thereof.

Search for patterns by combining cosmic-ray energy and arrival directions at the Pierre Auger Observatory.

PubMed

Aab, A; Abreu, P; Aglietta, M; Ahn, E J; Samarai, I Al; Albuquerque, I F M; Allekotte, I; Allen, J; Allison, P; Almela, A; Castillo, J Alvarez; Alvarez-Muñiz, J; Batista, R Alves; Ambrosio, M; Aminaei, A; Anchordoqui, L; Andringa, S; Aramo, C; Aranda, V M; Arqueros, F; Asorey, H; Assis, P; Aublin, J; Ave, M; Avenier, M; Avila, G; Awal, N; Badescu, A M; Barber, K B; Bäuml, J; Baus, C; Beatty, J J; Becker, K H; Bellido, J A; Berat, C; Bertaina, M E; Bertou, X; Biermann, P L; Billoir, P; Blaess, S; Blanco, M; Bleve, C; Blümer, H; Boháčová, M; Boncioli, D; Bonifazi, C; Bonino, R; Borodai, N; Brack, J; Brancus, I; Bridgeman, A; Brogueira, P; Brown, W C; Buchholz, P; Bueno, A; Buitink, S; Buscemi, M; Caballero-Mora, K S; Caccianiga, B; Caccianiga, L; Candusso, M; Caramete, L; Caruso, R; Castellina, A; Cataldi, G; Cazon, L; Cester, R; Chavez, A G; Chiavassa, A; Chinellato, J A; Chudoba, J; Cilmo, M; Clay, R W; Cocciolo, G; Colalillo, R; Coleman, A; Collica, L; Coluccia, M R; Conceição, R; Contreras, F; Cooper, M J; Cordier, A; Coutu, S; Covault, C E; Cronin, J; Curutiu, A; Dallier, R; Daniel, B; Dasso, S; Daumiller, K; Dawson, B R; Almeida, R M de; Domenico, M De; Jong, S J de; Neto, J R T de Mello; Mitri, I De; Oliveira, J de; Souza, V de; Peral, L Del; Deligny, O; Dembinski, H; Dhital, N; Giulio, C Di; Matteo, A Di; Diaz, J C; Castro, M L Díaz; Diogo, F; Dobrigkeit, C; Docters, W; D'Olivo, J C; Dorofeev, A; Hasankiadeh, Q Dorosti; Dova, M T; Ebr, J; Engel, R; Erdmann, M; Erfani, M; Escobar, C O; Espadanal, J; Etchegoyen, A; Luis, P Facal San; Falcke, H; Fang, K; Farrar, G; Fauth, A C; Fazzini, N; Ferguson, A P; Fernandes, M; Fick, B; Figueira, J M; Filevich, A; Filipčič, A; Fox, B D; Fratu, O; Fröhlich, U; Fuchs, B; Fujii, T; Gaior, R; García, B; Roca, S T Garcia; Garcia-Gamez, D; Garcia-Pinto, D; Garilli, G; Bravo, A Gascon; Gate, F; Gemmeke, H; Ghia, P L; Giaccari, U; Giammarchi, M; Giller, M; Glaser, C; Glass, H; Berisso, M Gómez; Vitale, P F Gómez; Gonçalves, P; Gonzalez, J G; González, N; Gookin, B; Gordon, J; Gorgi, A; Gorham, P; Gouffon, P; Grebe, S; Griffith, N; Grillo, A F; Grubb, T D; Guarino, F; Guedes, G P; Hampel, M R; Hansen, P; Harari, D; Harrison, T A; Hartmann, S; Harton, J L; Haungs, A; Hebbeker, T; Heck, D; Heimann, P; Herve, A E; Hill, G C; Hojvat, C; Hollon, N; Holt, E; Homola, P; Hörandel, J R; Horvath, P; Hrabovský, M; Huber, D; Huege, T; Insolia, A; Isar, P G; Jandt, I; Jansen, S; Jarne, C; Josebachuili, M; Kääpä, A; Kambeitz, O; Kampert, K H; Kasper, P; Katkov, I; Kégl, B; Keilhauer, B; Keivani, A; Kemp, E; Kieckhafer, R M; Klages, H O; Kleifges, M; Kleinfeller, J; Krause, R; Krohm, N; Krömer, O; Kruppke-Hansen, D; Kuempel, D; Kunka, N; LaHurd, D; Latronico, L; Lauer, R; Lauscher, M; Lautridou, P; Coz, S Le; Leão, M S A B; Lebrun, D; Lebrun, P; Oliveira, M A Leigui de; Letessier-Selvon, A; Lhenry-Yvon, I; Link, K; López, R; Agüera, A Lopez; Louedec, K; Bahilo, J Lozano; Lu, L; Lucero, A; Ludwig, M; Malacari, M; Maldera, S; Mallamaci, M; Maller, J; Mandat, D; Mantsch, P; Mariazzi, A G; Marin, V; Mariş, I C; Marsella, G; Martello, D; Martin, L; Martinez, H; Bravo, O Martínez; Martraire, D; Meza, J J Masías; Mathes, H J; Mathys, S; Matthews, J; Matthews, J A J; Matthiae, G; Maurel, D; Maurizio, D; Mayotte, E; Mazur, P O; Medina, C; Medina-Tanco, G; Meissner, R; Melissas, M; Melo, D; Menshikov, A; Messina, S; Meyhandan, R; Mićanović, S; Micheletti, M I; Middendorf, L; Minaya, I A; Miramonti, L; Mitrica, B; Molina-Bueno, L; Mollerach, S; Monasor, M; Ragaigne, D Monnier; Montanet, F; Morello, C; Mostafá, M; Moura, C A; Muller, M A; Müller, G; Müller, S; Münchmeyer, M; Mussa, R; Navarra, G; Navas, S; Necesal, P; Nellen, L; Nelles, A; Neuser, J; Nguyen, P; Niechciol, M; Niemietz, L; Niggemann, T; Nitz, D; Nosek, D; Novotny, V; Nožka, L; Ochilo, L; Olinto, A; Oliveira, M; Pacheco, N; Selmi-Dei, D Pakk; Palatka, M; Pallotta, J; Palmieri, N; Papenbreer, P; Parente, G; Parra, A; Paul, T; Pech, M; Pȩkala, J; Pelayo, R; Pepe, I M; Perrone, L; Petermann, E; Peters, C; Petrera, S; Petrov, Y; Phuntsok, J; Piegaia, R; Pierog, T; Pieroni, P; Pimenta, M; Pirronello, V; Platino, M; Plum, M; Porcelli, A; Porowski, C; Prado, R R; Privitera, P; Prouza, M; Purrello, V; Quel, E J; Querchfeld, S; Quinn, S; Rautenberg, J; Ravel, O; Ravignani, D; Revenu, B; Ridky, J; Riggi, S; Risse, M; Ristori, P; Rizi, V; Carvalho, W Rodrigues de; Cabo, I Rodriguez; Fernandez, G Rodriguez; Rojo, J Rodriguez; Rodríguez-Frías, M D; Rogozin, D; Ros, G; Rosado, J; Rossler, T; Roth, M; Roulet, E; Rovero, A C; Saffi, S J; Saftoiu, A; Salamida, F; Salazar, H; Saleh, A; Greus, F Salesa; Salina, G; Sánchez, F; Sanchez-Lucas, P; Santo, C E; Santos, E; Santos, E M; Sarazin, F; Sarkar, B; Sarmento, R; Sato, R; Scharf, N; Scherini, V; Schieler, H; Schiffer, P; Schmidt, D; Schröder, F G; Scholten, O; Schoorlemmer, H; Schovánek, P; Schulz, A; Schulz, J; Schumacher, J; Sciutto, S J; Segreto, A; Settimo, M; Shadkam, A; Shellard, R C; Sidelnik, I; Sigl, G; Sima, O; Kowski, A Śmiał; Šmída, R; Snow, G R; Sommers, P; Sorokin, J; Squartini, R; Srivastava, Y N; Stanič, S; Stapleton, J; Stasielak, J; Stephan, M; Stutz, A; Suarez, F; Suomijärvi, T; Supanitsky, A D; Sutherland, M S; Swain, J; Szadkowski, Z; Szuba, M; Taborda, O A; Tapia, A; Tartare, M; Tepe, A; Theodoro, V M; Timmermans, C; Peixoto, C J Todero; Toma, G; Tomankova, L; Tomé, B; Tonachini, A; Elipe, G Torralba; Machado, D Torres; Travnicek, P; Trovato, E; Tueros, M; Ulrich, R; Unger, M; Urban, M; Galicia, J F Valdés; Valiño, I; Valore, L; Aar, G van; Bodegom, P van; Berg, A M van den; Velzen, S van; Vliet, A van; Varela, E; Vargas Cárdenas, B; Varner, G; Vázquez, J R; Vázquez, R A; Veberič, D; Verzi, V; Vicha, J; Videla, M; Villaseñor, L; Vlcek, B; Vorobiov, S; Wahlberg, H; Wainberg, O; Walz, D; Watson, A A; Weber, M; Weidenhaupt, K; Weindl, A; Werner, F; Widom, A; Wiencke, L; Wilczyńska, B; Wilczyński, H; Will, M; Williams, C; Winchen, T; Wittkowski, D; Wundheiler, B; Wykes, S; Yamamoto, T; Yapici, T; Yuan, G; Yushkov, A; Zamorano, B; Zas, E; Zavrtanik, D; Zavrtanik, M; Zaw, I; Zepeda, A; Zhou, J; Zhu, Y; Silva, M Zimbres; Ziolkowski, M; Zuccarello, F

Energy-dependent patterns in the arrival directions of cosmic rays are searched for using data of the Pierre Auger Observatory. We investigate local regions around the highest-energy cosmic rays with [Formula: see text] eV by analyzing cosmic rays with energies above [Formula: see text] eV arriving within an angular separation of approximately 15[Formula: see text]. We characterize the energy distributions inside these regions by two independent methods, one searching for angular dependence of energy-energy correlations and one searching for collimation of energy along the local system of principal axes of the energy distribution. No significant patterns are found with this analysis. The comparison of these measurements with astrophysical scenarios can therefore be used to obtain constraints on related model parameters such as strength of cosmic-ray deflection and density of point sources.

The BREAST-V: a unifying predictive formula for volume assessment in small, medium, and large breasts.

PubMed

Longo, Benedetto; Farcomeni, Alessio; Ferri, Germano; Campanale, Antonella; Sorotos, Micheal; Santanelli, Fabio

2013-07-01

Breast volume assessment enhances preoperative planning of both aesthetic and reconstructive procedures, helping the surgeon in the decision-making process of shaping the breast. Numerous methods of breast size determination are currently reported but are limited by methodologic flaws and variable estimations. The authors aimed to develop a unifying predictive formula for volume assessment in small to large breasts based on anthropomorphic values. Ten anthropomorphic breast measurements and direct volumes of 108 mastectomy specimens from 88 women were collected prospectively. The authors performed a multivariate regression to build the optimal model for development of the predictive formula. The final model was then internally validated. A previously published formula was used as a reference. Mean (±SD) breast weight was 527.9 ± 227.6 g (range, 150 to 1250 g). After model selection, sternal notch-to-nipple, inframammary fold-to-nipple, and inframammary fold-to-fold projection distances emerged as the most important predictors. The resulting formula (the BREAST-V) showed an adjusted R of 0.73. The estimated expected absolute error on new breasts is 89.7 g (95 percent CI, 62.4 to 119.1 g) and the expected relative error is 18.4 percent (95 percent CI, 12.9 to 24.3 percent). Application of reference formula on the sample yielded worse predictions than those derived by the formula, showing an R of 0.55. The BREAST-V is a reliable tool for predicting small to large breast volumes accurately for use as a complementary device in surgeon evaluation. An app entitled BREAST-V for both iOS and Android devices is currently available for free download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Diagnostic, II.

Room-temperature superparamagnetism due to giant magnetic anisotropy in Mo S defected single-layer MoS2.

PubMed

Khan, M A; Leuenberger, Michael N

2018-04-18

Room-temperature superparamagnetism due to a large magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) of a single atom magnet has always been a prerequisite for nanoscale magnetic devices. Realization of two dimensional (2D) materials such as single-layer (SL) MoS 2 , has provided new platforms for exploring magnetic effects, which is important for both fundamental research and for industrial applications. Here, we use density functional theory (DFT) to show that the antisite defect (Mo S ) in SL MoS 2 is magnetic in nature with a magnetic moment μ of  ∼2 [Formula: see text] and, remarkably, exhibits an exceptionally large atomic scale MAE [Formula: see text] of  ∼500 meV. Our calculations reveal that this giant anisotropy is the joint effect of strong crystal field and significant spin-orbit coupling (SOC). In addition, the magnetic moment μ can be tuned between 1 [Formula: see text] and 3 [Formula: see text] by varying the Fermi energy [Formula: see text], which can be achieved either by changing the gate voltage or by chemical doping. We also show that MAE can be raised to  ∼1 eV with n-type doping of the MoS 2 :Mo S sample. Our systematic investigations deepen our understanding of spin-related phenomena in SL MoS 2 and could provide a route to nanoscale spintronic devices.

Irradiance tailoring by fractional Fourier transform of a radial Gaussian beam array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Pu; Wang, Xiaolin; Ma, Yanxing; Ma, Haotong; Liu, Zejin

2011-03-01

The fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) is applied to a radial Gaussian beam array. Analytical formula is derived for the irradiance distribution of coherent and incoherent radial Gaussian beam array in FRFT domain using Collins integral formula. It is revealed that the irradiance pattern can be tailored to be controllable dark-hollow, flat-topped and Gaussian beam pattern by changing of the fractional order of FRFT and the coherent state of the laser array.

Irradiance tailoring by fractional Fourier transform of a radial Gaussian beam array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Pu; Wang, Xiaolin; Ma, Yanxing; Ma, Haotong; Liu, Zejin

2010-07-01

The fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) is applied to a radial Gaussian beam array. Analytical formula is derived for the irradiance distribution of coherent and incoherent radial Gaussian beam array in FRFT domain using Collins integral formula. It is revealed that the irradiance pattern can be tailored to be controllable dark-hollow, flat-topped and Gaussian beam pattern by changing of the fractional order of FRFT and the coherent state of the laser array.

Dependence of B1+ and B1- Field Patterns of Surface Coils on the Electrical Properties of the Sample and the MR Operating Frequency.

PubMed

Vaidya, Manushka V; Collins, Christopher M; Sodickson, Daniel K; Brown, Ryan; Wiggins, Graham C; Lattanzi, Riccardo

2016-02-01

In high field MRI, the spatial distribution of the radiofrequency magnetic ( B 1 ) field is usually affected by the presence of the sample. For hardware design and to aid interpretation of experimental results, it is important both to anticipate and to accurately simulate the behavior of these fields. Fields generated by a radiofrequency surface coil were simulated using dyadic Green's functions, or experimentally measured over a range of frequencies inside an object whose electrical properties were varied to illustrate a variety of transmit [Formula: see text] and receive [Formula: see text] field patterns. In this work, we examine how changes in polarization of the field and interference of propagating waves in an object can affect the B 1 spatial distribution. Results are explained conceptually using Maxwell's equations and intuitive illustrations. We demonstrate that the electrical conductivity alters the spatial distribution of distinct polarized components of the field, causing "twisted" transmit and receive field patterns, and asymmetries between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Additionally, interference patterns due to wavelength effects are observed at high field in samples with high relative permittivity and near-zero conductivity, but are not present in lossy samples due to the attenuation of propagating EM fields. This work provides a conceptual framework for understanding B 1 spatial distributions for surface coils and can provide guidance for RF engineers.

New Patterns of the Two-Dimensional Rogue Waves: (2+1)-Dimensional Maccari System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Gai-Hua; Wang, Li-Hong; Rao, Ji-Guang; He, Jing-Song

2017-06-01

The ocean rogue wave is one kind of puzzled destructive phenomenon that has not been understood thoroughly so far. The two-dimensional nature of this wave has inspired the vast endeavors on the recognizing new patterns of the rogue waves based on the dynamical equations with two-spatial variables and one-temporal variable, which is a very crucial step to prevent this disaster event at the earliest stage. Along this issue, we present twelve new patterns of the two-dimensional rogue waves, which are reduced from a rational and explicit formula of the solutions for a (2+1)-dimensional Maccari system. The extreme points (lines) of the first-order lumps (rogue waves) are discussed according to their analytical formulas. For the lower-order rogue waves, we show clearly in formula that parameter b 2 plays a significant role to control these patterns. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 11671219, the K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University, Gai-Hua Wang is also supported by the Scientific Research Foundation of Graduate School of Ningbo University

A Multi-Technique Reconfigurable Electrochemical Biosensor: Enabling Personal Health Monitoring in Mobile Devices.

PubMed

Sun, Alexander; Venkatesh, A G; Hall, Drew A

2016-10-01

This paper describes the design and characterization of a reconfigurable, multi-technique electrochemical biosensor designed for direct integration into smartphone and wearable technologies to enable remote and accurate personal health monitoring. By repurposing components from one mode to the next, the biosensor's potentiostat is able reconfigure itself into three different measurements modes to perform amperometric, potentiometric, and impedance spectroscopic tests all with minimal redundant devices. A [Formula: see text] PCB prototype of the module was developed with discrete components and tested using Google's Project Ara modular smartphone. The amperometric mode has a ±1 nA to [Formula: see text] measurement range. When used to detect pH, the potentiometric mode achieves a resolution of < 0.08 pH units. In impedance measurement mode, the device can measure 50 Ω-10 [Formula: see text] and has been shown to have of phase error. This prototype was used to perform several point-of-care health tracking assays suitable for use with mobile devices: 1) Blood glucose tests were conducted and shown to cover the diagnostic range for Diabetic patients (  ∼  200 mg/dL). 2) Lactoferrin, a biomarker for urinary tract infections, was detected with a limit of detection of approximately 1 ng/mL. 3) pH tests of sweat were conducted to track dehydration during exercise. 4) EIS was used to determine the concentration of NeutrAvidin via a label-free assay.

Field-quadrature and photon-number correlations produced by parametric processes.

PubMed

McKinstrie, C J; Karlsson, M; Tong, Z

2010-09-13

In a previous paper [Opt. Express 13, 4986 (2005)], formulas were derived for the field-quadrature and photon-number variances produced by multiple-mode parametric processes. In this paper, formulas are derived for the quadrature and number correlations. The number formulas are used to analyze the properties of basic devices, such as two-mode amplifiers, attenuators and frequency convertors, and composite systems made from these devices, such as cascaded parametric amplifiers and communication links. Amplifiers generate idlers that are correlated with the amplified signals, or correlate pre-existing pairs of modes, whereas attenuators decorrelate pre-existing modes. Both types of device modify the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of the modes on which they act. Amplifiers decrease or increase the mode SNRs, depending on whether they are operated in phase-insensitive (PI) or phase-sensitive (PS) manners, respectively, whereas attenuators always decrease these SNRs. Two-mode PS links are sequences of transmission fibers (attenuators) followed by two-mode PS amplifiers. Not only do these PS links have noise figures that are 6-dB lower than those of the corresponding PI links, they also produce idlers that are (almost) completely correlated with the signals. By detecting the signals and idlers, one can eliminate the effects of electronic noise in the detectors.

Sub-diffusive scattering parameter maps recovered using wide-field high-frequency structured light imaging.

PubMed

Kanick, Stephen Chad; McClatchy, David M; Krishnaswamy, Venkataramanan; Elliott, Jonathan T; Paulsen, Keith D; Pogue, Brian W

2014-10-01

This study investigates the hypothesis that structured light reflectance imaging with high spatial frequency patterns [Formula: see text] can be used to quantitatively map the anisotropic scattering phase function distribution [Formula: see text] in turbid media. Monte Carlo simulations were used in part to establish a semi-empirical model of demodulated reflectance ([Formula: see text]) in terms of dimensionless scattering [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], a metric of the first two moments of the [Formula: see text] distribution. Experiments completed in tissue-simulating phantoms showed that simultaneous analysis of [Formula: see text] spectra sampled at multiple [Formula: see text] in the frequency range [0.05-0.5] [Formula: see text] allowed accurate estimation of both [Formula: see text] in the relevant tissue range [0.4-1.8] [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] in the range [1.4-1.75]. Pilot measurements of a healthy volunteer exhibited [Formula: see text]-based contrast between scar tissue and surrounding normal skin, which was not as apparent in wide field diffuse imaging. These results represent the first wide-field maps to quantify sub-diffuse scattering parameters, which are sensitive to sub-microscopic tissue structures and composition, and therefore, offer potential for fast diagnostic imaging of ultrastructure on a size scale that is relevant to surgical applications.

Graphene-based bimorphs for micron-sized, autonomous origami machines.

PubMed

Miskin, Marc Z; Dorsey, Kyle J; Bircan, Baris; Han, Yimo; Muller, David A; McEuen, Paul L; Cohen, Itai

2018-01-16

Origami-inspired fabrication presents an attractive platform for miniaturizing machines: thinner layers of folding material lead to smaller devices, provided that key functional aspects, such as conductivity, stiffness, and flexibility, are persevered. Here, we show origami fabrication at its ultimate limit by using 2D atomic membranes as a folding material. As a prototype, we bond graphene sheets to nanometer-thick layers of glass to make ultrathin bimorph actuators that bend to micrometer radii of curvature in response to small strain differentials. These strains are two orders of magnitude lower than the fracture threshold for the device, thus maintaining conductivity across the structure. By patterning 2-[Formula: see text]m-thick rigid panels on top of bimorphs, we localize bending to the unpatterned regions to produce folds. Although the graphene bimorphs are only nanometers thick, they can lift these panels, the weight equivalent of a 500-nm-thick silicon chip. Using panels and bimorphs, we can scale down existing origami patterns to produce a wide range of machines. These machines change shape in fractions of a second when crossing a tunable pH threshold, showing that they sense their environments, respond, and perform useful functions on time and length scales comparable with microscale biological organisms. With the incorporation of electronic, photonic, and chemical payloads, these basic elements will become a powerful platform for robotics at the micrometer scale.

Frequency and co-prescription pattern of Chinese herbal products for hypertension in Taiwan: a Cohort study.

PubMed

Yang, Pei-Rung; Shih, Wei-Tai; Chu, Yen-Hua; Chen, Pau-Chung; Wu, Ching-Yuan

2015-06-06

Chinese herbal products (CHPs) have been frequently used among patients with chronic diseases including hypertension; however, the co-prescription pattern of herbal formulae and single herbs remain uncharacterized. Thus, this large-scale pharmacoepidemiological study evaluated the frequency and co-prescription pattern of CHPs for treating hypertension in Taiwan from 2003 to 2009. The database of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) outpatient claims was obtained from the National Health Insurance in Taiwan. Patients with hypertension during study period were defined according to diagnostic codes in the International Classification of Disease Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. The frequencies and percentages of herbal formula and single herb prescriptions for hypertension were analyzed. We also applied association rules to evaluate the CHPs co-prescription patterns. The hypertension cohort included 154,083 patients, 123,240 patients of which (approximately 80 %) had used TCM at least once. In total, 81,582 visits involving CHP prescriptions were hypertension related; Tian-Ma-Gou-Teng-Yin and Dan Shen (Radix Salvia Miltiorrhizae) were the most frequently prescribed herbal formula and single herb, respectively, for treating hypertension. This study elucidated the utilization pattern of CHPs for treating hypertension. Future studies on the efficacy and safety of these CHPs and on drug-herb interactions are warranted.

Simplified models of the symmetric single-pass parallel-plate counterflow heat exchanger: a tutorial

PubMed Central

Abraham-Shrauner, Barbara

2018-01-01

The heat exchanger is important in practical thermal processes, especially those of (i) the molten-salt storage schemes, (ii) compressed air energy storage schemes and (iii) other load-shifting thermal storage presumed to undergird a Smart Grid. Such devices, although central to the utilization of energy from sustainable (but intermittent) renewable sources, will be unfamiliar to many scientists, who nevertheless need a working knowledge of them. This tutorial paper provides a largely self-contained conceptual introduction for such persons. It begins by modelling a novel quantized exchanger,1 impractical as a device, but useful for comprehending the underlying thermophysics. It then reviews the one-dimensional steady-state idealization which demonstrates that effectiveness of heat transfer increases monotonically with (device length)/(device throughput). Next, it presents a two-dimensional steady-state idealization for plug flow and from it derives a novel formula for effectiveness of transfer; this formula is then shown to agree well with a finite-difference time-domain solution of the two-dimensional idealization under Hagen–Poiseuille flow. These results are consistent with a conclusion that effectiveness of heat exchange can approach unity, but may involve unwelcome trade-offs among device cost, size and throughput. PMID:29657769

Simplified models of the symmetric single-pass parallel-plate counterflow heat exchanger: a tutorial.

PubMed

Pickard, William F; Abraham-Shrauner, Barbara

2018-03-01

The heat exchanger is important in practical thermal processes, especially those of (i) the molten-salt storage schemes, (ii) compressed air energy storage schemes and (iii) other load-shifting thermal storage presumed to undergird a Smart Grid. Such devices, although central to the utilization of energy from sustainable (but intermittent) renewable sources, will be unfamiliar to many scientists, who nevertheless need a working knowledge of them. This tutorial paper provides a largely self-contained conceptual introduction for such persons. It begins by modelling a novel quantized exchanger, impractical as a device, but useful for comprehending the underlying thermophysics. It then reviews the one-dimensional steady-state idealization which demonstrates that effectiveness of heat transfer increases monotonically with (device length)/(device throughput). Next, it presents a two-dimensional steady-state idealization for plug flow and from it derives a novel formula for effectiveness of transfer; this formula is then shown to agree well with a finite-difference time-domain solution of the two-dimensional idealization under Hagen-Poiseuille flow. These results are consistent with a conclusion that effectiveness of heat exchange can approach unity, but may involve unwelcome trade-offs among device cost, size and throughput.

Simplified models of the symmetric single-pass parallel-plate counterflow heat exchanger: a tutorial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pickard, William F.; Abraham-Shrauner, Barbara

2018-03-01

The heat exchanger is important in practical thermal processes, especially those of (i) the molten-salt storage schemes, (ii) compressed air energy storage schemes and (iii) other load-shifting thermal storage presumed to undergird a Smart Grid. Such devices, although central to the utilization of energy from sustainable (but intermittent) renewable sources, will be unfamiliar to many scientists, who nevertheless need a working knowledge of them. This tutorial paper provides a largely self-contained conceptual introduction for such persons. It begins by modelling a novel quantized exchanger,1 impractical as a device, but useful for comprehending the underlying thermophysics. It then reviews the one-dimensional steady-state idealization which demonstrates that effectiveness of heat transfer increases monotonically with (device length)/(device throughput). Next, it presents a two-dimensional steady-state idealization for plug flow and from it derives a novel formula for effectiveness of transfer; this formula is then shown to agree well with a finite-difference time-domain solution of the two-dimensional idealization under Hagen-Poiseuille flow. These results are consistent with a conclusion that effectiveness of heat exchange can approach unity, but may involve unwelcome trade-offs among device cost, size and throughput.

The use of permeation tube device and the development of empirical formula for accurate permeation rate

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the accuracy of permeation tube (PT) devices using a calibration gas generator system to measure permeation rate (PR) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Calibration gas standards of benzene, toluene, and m-xylene (BTX) were produced from...

Seven Golden Rules for heuristic filtering of molecular formulas obtained by accurate mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Kind, Tobias; Fiehn, Oliver

2007-01-01

Background Structure elucidation of unknown small molecules by mass spectrometry is a challenge despite advances in instrumentation. The first crucial step is to obtain correct elemental compositions. In order to automatically constrain the thousands of possible candidate structures, rules need to be developed to select the most likely and chemically correct molecular formulas. Results An algorithm for filtering molecular formulas is derived from seven heuristic rules: (1) restrictions for the number of elements, (2) LEWIS and SENIOR chemical rules, (3) isotopic patterns, (4) hydrogen/carbon ratios, (5) element ratio of nitrogen, oxygen, phosphor, and sulphur versus carbon, (6) element ratio probabilities and (7) presence of trimethylsilylated compounds. Formulas are ranked according to their isotopic patterns and subsequently constrained by presence in public chemical databases. The seven rules were developed on 68,237 existing molecular formulas and were validated in four experiments. First, 432,968 formulas covering five million PubChem database entries were checked for consistency. Only 0.6% of these compounds did not pass all rules. Next, the rules were shown to effectively reducing the complement all eight billion theoretically possible C, H, N, S, O, P-formulas up to 2000 Da to only 623 million most probable elemental compositions. Thirdly 6,000 pharmaceutical, toxic and natural compounds were selected from DrugBank, TSCA and DNP databases. The correct formulas were retrieved as top hit at 80–99% probability when assuming data acquisition with complete resolution of unique compounds and 5% absolute isotope ratio deviation and 3 ppm mass accuracy. Last, some exemplary compounds were analyzed by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry. In each case, the correct formula was ranked as top hit when combining the seven rules with database queries. Conclusion The seven rules enable an automatic exclusion of molecular formulas which are either wrong or which contain unlikely high or low number of elements. The correct molecular formula is assigned with a probability of 98% if the formula exists in a compound database. For truly novel compounds that are not present in databases, the correct formula is found in the first three hits with a probability of 65–81%. Corresponding software and supplemental data are available for downloads from the authors' website. PMID:17389044

Electrically active induced energy levels and metastability of B and N vacancy-complexes in 4H-SiC.

PubMed

Igumbor, E; Olaniyan, O; Mapasha, R E; Danga, H T; Omotoso, E; Meyer, W E

2018-05-10

Electrically active induced energy levels in semiconductor devices could be beneficial to the discovery of an enhanced p or n-type semiconductor. Nitrogen (N) implanted into 4H-SiC is a high energy process that produced high defect concentrations which could be removed during dopant activation annealing. On the other hand, boron (B) substituted for silicon in SiC causes a reduction in the number of defects. This scenario leads to a decrease in the dielectric properties and induced deep donor and shallow acceptor levels. Complexes formed by the N, such as the nitrogen-vacancy centre, have been reported to play a significant role in the application of quantum bits. In this paper, results of charge states thermodynamic transition level of the N and B vacancy-complexes in 4H-SiC are presented. We explore complexes where substitutional N[Formula: see text]/N[Formula: see text] or B[Formula: see text]/B[Formula: see text] sits near a Si (V[Formula: see text]) or C (V[Formula: see text]) vacancy to form vacancy-complexes (N[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text], N[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text], N[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text], N[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text], B[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text], B[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text], B[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text] and B[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text]). The energies of formation of the N related vacancy-complexes showed the N[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text] to be energetically stable close to the valence band maximum in its double positive charge state. The N[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text] is more energetically stable in the double negative charge state close to the conduction band minimum. The N[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text] on the other hand, induced double donor level and the N[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text] induced a double acceptor level. For B related complexes, the B[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text] and B[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text] were energetically stable in their single positive charge state close to the valence band maximum. As the Fermi energy is varied across the band gap, the neutral and single negative charge states of the B[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text] become more stable at different energy levels. B and N related complexes exhibited charge state controlled metastability behaviour.

On the vortices for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation in higher dimensions.

PubMed

Feng, Wen; Stanislavova, Milena

2018-04-13

We consider the nonlinear Schrödinger equation in n space dimensions [Formula: see text]and study the existence and stability of standing wave solutions of the form [Formula: see text]and [Formula: see text]For n =2 k , ( r j , θ j ) are polar coordinates in [Formula: see text], j =1,2,…, k ; for n =2 k +1, ( r j , θ j ) are polar coordinates in [Formula: see text], ( r k , θ k , z ) are cylindrical coordinates in [Formula: see text], j =1,2,…, k -1. We show the existence of functions ϕ w , which are constructed variationally as minimizers of appropriate constrained functionals. These waves are shown to be spectrally stable (with respect to perturbations of the same type), if 1< p <1+4/ n This article is part of the theme issue 'Stability of nonlinear waves and patterns and related topics'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Confounder Detection in High-Dimensional Linear Models Using First Moments of Spectral Measures.

PubMed

Liu, Furui; Chan, Laiwan

2018-06-12

In this letter, we study the confounder detection problem in the linear model, where the target variable [Formula: see text] is predicted using its [Formula: see text] potential causes [Formula: see text]. Based on an assumption of a rotation-invariant generating process of the model, recent study shows that the spectral measure induced by the regression coefficient vector with respect to the covariance matrix of [Formula: see text] is close to a uniform measure in purely causal cases, but it differs from a uniform measure characteristically in the presence of a scalar confounder. Analyzing spectral measure patterns could help to detect confounding. In this letter, we propose to use the first moment of the spectral measure for confounder detection. We calculate the first moment of the regression vector-induced spectral measure and compare it with the first moment of a uniform spectral measure, both defined with respect to the covariance matrix of [Formula: see text]. The two moments coincide in nonconfounding cases and differ from each other in the presence of confounding. This statistical causal-confounding asymmetry can be used for confounder detection. Without the need to analyze the spectral measure pattern, our method avoids the difficulty of metric choice and multiple parameter optimization. Experiments on synthetic and real data show the performance of this method.

The Combined Application of Impinger System and Permeation Tube for the Generation of Volatile Organic Compound Standard Gas Mixtures at Varying Diluent Flow Rates

PubMed Central

Kim, Ki-Hyun; Susaya, Janice; Cho, Jinwoo; Parker, David

2012-01-01

Commercial standard gas generators are often complex and expensive devices. The objective of this research was to assess the performance of a simplified glass impinger system for standard gas generation from a permeation tube (PT) device. The performance of the impinger standard gas generation system was assessed for four aromatic VOCs (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and m-xylene; BTEX) at varying flow rates (FR) of 50 to 800 mL·min−1. Because actual permeation rate (APR) values deviated from those computed by the manufacturer's formula (MPR), new empirical relationships were developed to derive the predicted PR (PPR) of the target components. Experimental results corrected by such a formula indicate that the compatibility between the APR and MPR generally increased with low FR, while the reproducibility was generally reduced with decreasing flow rate. Although compatibility between different PRs is at a relatively small and narrow FR range, the use of correction formula is recommendable for the accurate use of PT. PMID:23112641

Modeling with Livingstone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurien, J.; Nayak, P.; Williams, B.; Koga, Dennis (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

MPL is the language with which a modeler describes a system to be diagnosed or controlled by Livingstone. MPL is used to specify what are the components of the system, how they are interconnected, and how they behave both nominally and when failed. Component behavioral models used by Livingstone are described by a set of propositional, well-formed formula (wff). An understanding of well-formed formula, primitive component types specified through defcomponent, and device structure specified by defmodule, is essential to understanding of MPL, This document describes: welI-formed formula (wff): The basis for describing the behavior of a component in a system defvalues: Specifies the domain (legal values) of a variable defcomponent: Defines the modes, behaviors and mode transitions for primitive components deftnodule: Defines composite devices, consisting of interconnected components defrelation: A macro mechanism for expanding a complex wff according to the value of an argument forall: An iteration construct used to expand a wff or relation on a set of arguments defsymbol-expansion: A mechanism for naming a collection of symbols (eg the name of all valves in the system)

Generalized modeling of the fractional-order memcapacitor and its character analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Zhang; Si, Gangquan; Diao, Lijie; Jia, Lixin; Zhang, Yanbin

2018-06-01

Memcapacitor is a new type of memory device generalized from the memristor. This paper proposes a generalized fractional-order memcapacitor model by introducing the fractional calculus into the model. The generalized formulas are studied and the two fractional-order parameter α, β are introduced where α mostly affects the fractional calculus value of charge q within the generalized Ohm's law and β generalizes the state equation which simulates the physical mechanism of a memcapacitor into the fractional sense. This model will be reduced to the conventional memcapacitor as α = 1 , β = 0 and to the conventional memristor as α = 0 , β = 1 . Then the numerical analysis of the fractional-order memcapacitor is studied. And the characteristics and output behaviors of the fractional-order memcapacitor applied with sinusoidal charge are derived. The analysis results have shown that there are four basic v - q and v - i curve patterns when the fractional order α, β respectively equal to 0 or 1, moreover all v - q and v - i curves of the other fractional-order models are transition curves between the four basic patterns.

Real-Time Control of an Exoskeleton Hand Robot with Myoelectric Pattern Recognition.

PubMed

Lu, Zhiyuan; Chen, Xiang; Zhang, Xu; Tong, Kay-Yu; Zhou, Ping

2017-08-01

Robot-assisted training provides an effective approach to neurological injury rehabilitation. To meet the challenge of hand rehabilitation after neurological injuries, this study presents an advanced myoelectric pattern recognition scheme for real-time intention-driven control of a hand exoskeleton. The developed scheme detects and recognizes user's intention of six different hand motions using four channels of surface electromyography (EMG) signals acquired from the forearm and hand muscles, and then drives the exoskeleton to assist the user accomplish the intended motion. The system was tested with eight neurologically intact subjects and two individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The overall control accuracy was [Formula: see text] for the neurologically intact subjects and [Formula: see text] for the SCI subjects. The total lag of the system was approximately 250[Formula: see text]ms including data acquisition, transmission and processing. One SCI subject also participated in training sessions in his second and third visits. Both the control accuracy and efficiency tended to improve. These results show great potential for applying the advanced myoelectric pattern recognition control of the wearable robotic hand system toward improving hand function after neurological injuries.

Spectral analysis of localized rotating waves in parabolic systems.

PubMed

Beyn, Wolf-Jürgen; Otten, Denny

2018-04-13

In this paper, we study the spectra and Fredholm properties of Ornstein-Uhlenbeck operators [Formula: see text]where [Formula: see text] is the profile of a rotating wave satisfying [Formula: see text] as [Formula: see text], the map [Formula: see text] is smooth and the matrix [Formula: see text] has eigenvalues with positive real parts and commutes with the limit matrix [Formula: see text] The matrix [Formula: see text] is assumed to be skew-symmetric with eigenvalues (λ 1 ,…,λ d )=(±i σ 1 ,…,±i σ k ,0,…,0). The spectra of these linearized operators are crucial for the nonlinear stability of rotating waves in reaction-diffusion systems. We prove under appropriate conditions that every [Formula: see text] satisfying the dispersion relation [Formula: see text]belongs to the essential spectrum [Formula: see text] in L p For values Re λ to the right of the spectral bound for [Formula: see text], we show that the operator [Formula: see text] is Fredholm of index 0, solve the identification problem for the adjoint operator [Formula: see text] and formulate the Fredholm alternative. Moreover, we show that the set [Formula: see text]belongs to the point spectrum [Formula: see text] in L p We determine the associated eigenfunctions and show that they decay exponentially in space. As an application, we analyse spinning soliton solutions which occur in the Ginzburg-Landau equation and compute their numerical spectra as well as associated eigenfunctions. Our results form the basis for investigating the nonlinear stability of rotating waves in higher space dimensions and truncations to bounded domains. This article is part of the themed issue 'Stability of nonlinear waves and patterns and related topics'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Effects of the liver volume and donor steatosis on errors in the estimated standard liver volume.

PubMed

Siriwardana, Rohan Chaminda; Chan, See Ching; Chok, Kenneth Siu Ho; Lo, Chung Mau; Fan, Sheung Tat

2011-12-01

An accurate assessment of donor and recipient liver volumes is essential in living donor liver transplantation. Many liver donors are affected by mild to moderate steatosis, and steatotic livers are known to have larger volumes. This study analyzes errors in liver volume estimation by commonly used formulas and the effects of donor steatosis on these errors. Three hundred twenty-five Asian donors who underwent right lobe donor hepatectomy were the subjects of this study. The percentage differences between the liver volumes from computed tomography (CT) and the liver volumes estimated with each formula (ie, the error percentages) were calculated. Five popular formulas were tested. The degrees of steatosis were categorized as follows: no steatosis [n = 178 (54.8%)], ≤ 10% steatosis [n = 128 (39.4%)], and >10% to 20% steatosis [n = 19 (5.8%)]. The median errors ranged from 0.6% (7 mL) to 24.6% (360 mL). The lowest was seen with the locally derived formula. All the formulas showed a significant association between the error percentage and the CT liver volume (P < 0.001). Overestimation was seen with smaller liver volumes, whereas underestimation was seen with larger volumes. The locally derived formula was most accurate when the liver volume was 1001 to 1250 mL. A multivariate analysis showed that the estimation error was dependent on the liver volume (P = 0.001) and the anthropometric measurement that was used in the calculation (P < 0.001) rather than steatosis (P ≥ 0.07). In conclusion, all the formulas have a similar pattern of error that is possibly related to the anthropometric measurement. Clinicians should be aware of this pattern of error and the liver volume with which their formula is most accurate. Copyright © 2011 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Electrocardiography based prediction of hypertrophy pattern and fibrosis amount in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: comparative study with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Park, Chul Hwan; Chung, Hyemoon; Kim, Yoonjung; Kim, Jong-Youn; Min, Pil-Ki; Lee, Kyung-A; Yoon, Young Won; Kim, Tae Hoon; Lee, Byoung Kwon; Hong, Bum-Kee; Rim, Se-Joong; Kwon, Hyuck Moon; Choi, Eui-Young

2018-05-04

Although, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is a gold standard for risk stratification of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), is limited in some situations. We sought to evaluate the predictive power of quantitative electrocardiography in assessing hypertrophy pattern and fibrosis in HCM. Eighty-eight patients with HCM were studied. Voltage of R-S-T waves, number of fragmented QRS (fQRS) complexes, and T wave morphology were measured by 12-lead electrocardiography. Sixteen segmental thickness, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), native T1, extracellular volume fraction (ECV), and T2, left ventricular (LV) mass and %LGE were measured by CMR. Patterns of LV hypertrophy were classified as pure apical, mixed, or asymmetrical septal hypertrophy. Positive and negative predictive values of biphasic T wave for pure apical type were 70.4 and 63.9%, and the predictive values of precordial negative T wave sums [Formula: see text] 12.5 mm were 69.2 and 79.6%. Precordial S waves, especially Cornell voltage index, were significantly correlated to LV mass index and maximal thickness (p [Formula: see text]0.001). The number of fQRS leads was significantly correlated to %LGE, average ECV, and T2 (all p [Formula: see text]0.001). More than one lead with fQRS could predict [Formula: see text]5% of LGE mass with 58% sensitivity and 63% specificity (p = 0.049, area under the curve = 0.627). However, degree of correlation between maximal thickness and precordial S was poor in cases with fQRS more two leads. T wave morphology and precordial S helps discriminate hypertrophy pattern and maximal hypertrophy, however, in cases with more than two leads of concomitant fQRS, CMR defines fibrosis amount and hypertrophy more accurately.

Stock-car racing makes intuitive physicists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gwynne, Peter

2008-03-01

Formula One races involve cars festooned with gadgets and complex electronic devices, in which millions of dollars are spent refining a vehicle's aerodynamics and reducing its weight. But in events run by America's National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), cars hurtle round an oval track at speeds of about 300 km h-1 without the help of the complex sensors that are employed in Formula One cars. To avoid crashing, drivers must make their own adjustments to track conditions, engine problems and the traffic around them.

Development of an active food packaging system with antioxidant properties based on green tea extract.

PubMed

Carrizo, Daniel; Gullo, Giuseppe; Bosetti, Osvaldo; Nerín, Cristina

2014-01-01

A formula including green tea extract (GTE) was developed as an active food packaging material. This formula was moulded to obtain an independent component/device with antioxidant properties that could be easily coupled to industrial degassing valves for food packaging in special cases. GTE components (i.e., gallic acid, catechins and caffeine) were identified and quantified by HPLC-UV and UPLC-MS and migration/diffusion studies were carried out. Antioxidant properties of the formula alone and formula-valve were measured with static and dynamic methods. The results showed that the antioxidant capacity (scavenging of free radicals) of the new GTE formula was 40% higher than the non-active system (blank). This antioxidant activity increased in parallel with the GTE concentration. The functional properties of the industrial target valve (e.g., flexibility) were studied for different mixtures of GTE, and good results were found with 17% (w/w) of GTE. This new active formula can be an important addition for active packaging applications in the food packaging industry, with oxidative species-scavenging capacity, thus improving the safety and quality for the consumer and extending the shelf-life of the packaged food.

Lethal effects of treatment with a special dimeticone formula on head lice and house crickets (Orthoptera, Ensifera: Acheta domestica and Anoplura, phthiraptera: Pediculus humanus). Insights into physical mechanisms.

PubMed

Richling, Ira; Böckeler, Wolfgang

2008-01-01

The present study provides the first convincing explanation of the mode of action of the medical device NYDA, a special dimeticone (CAS 9006-65-9) formula containing 92% of two dimeticones with different viscosities specifically designed for the physical treatment of head lice infestations (pediculosis capitis) by suffocation. Both, lice (Pediculus humanus) and house crickets (Acheta domestica) treated with this anti-head lice product are knocked out to the status "of no major vital signs" within less than 1 min that in consequence is accompanied irreversibly with the death of the respective insects. Scanning electron microscopical investigations have revealed that the cuticle is coated by a thin closed layer of the dimeticone formula that also enters the stigmata. In vivo observations and dissections of Acheta domestica have shown that application of the medical device to the thoracic stigmata invariably leads to rapid death; this is strongly correlated with the influx of the special dimeticone formula into the head trachea, whereby the solution effectively blocks the oxygen supply of the central nervous system. Dissections after application of the stained product show that it also enters the finest tracheal branches. Analogous in vivo observations in Pediculus humanus have confirmed the correlation between the disappearance of major vital signs and the displacement of air by the dimeticone formula in the tracheal system of the head. For both insect species, statistical data are provided for the chronological sequence of the filling of the tracheal system in relation to the respective vitality conditions of the Insects. On average, the special dimeticone formula reaches the insect's head tracheae within 0.5 min in house crickets and in less than 1 min in lice with a complete filling of the entire head tracheal system of lice within 3.5 min. In addition, a timed sequence of images illustrates this process for lice. The experiments clearly reveal the exclusive and pure physical mode of action of the tested dimeticone formula.

Staying away from the optic nerve: a formula for modifying glaucoma drainage device surgery in pediatric and other small eyes.

PubMed

Margeta, Milica A; Kuo, Anthony N; Proia, Alan D; Freedman, Sharon F

2017-02-01

To provide guidelines for safe implantation of glaucoma drainage devices (GDDs) in small and pediatric eyes to avoid contact between the optic nerve (ON) and the posterior edge of the GDD plate. We developed a formula for calculating limbus-to-ON distance to estimate the available "real estate" for GDD placement in small eyes. The formula was validated using eyes of pediatric decedents undergoing clinical autopsy, with axial lengths (AL) of 15-24 mm. For each autopsy eye, we measured AL, anterior chamber depth, corneal diameter, and limbus-to-ON distances for the four eye quadrants. The main outcome measure was the degree of agreement between measured and calculated limbus-to-ON distances. A total of 15 autopsy eyes were divided into derivation (n = 10) and validation (n = 5) groups. A formula was derived to estimate superotemporal limbus-to-ON distance (D ST ) using AL and corneal diameter data. Linear regression showed excellent correlation between the measured D ST and AL (R 2  = 0.98). There was excellent agreement between measured and calculated limbus-to-ON values for all four eye quadrants (R 2 range, 0.92-0.98). Our formula accurately predicts limbus-to-ON distances across a wide range of clinically relevant ALs. Based on this information, GDD surgery in small eyes can be adjusted by positioning the GDD closer to the limbus or by trimming the posterior edge of the GDD plate. To our knowledge, this is the first set of guidelines developed to promote safe implantation of GDDs in small eyes. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Functional Analytic Approach To Computer-Interactive Mathematics

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

Following a pretest, 11 participants who were naive with regard to various algebraic and trigonometric transformations received an introductory lecture regarding the fundamentals of the rectangular coordinate system. Following the lecture, they took part in a computer-interactive matching-to-sample procedure in which they received training on particular formula-to-formula and formula-to-graph relations as these formulas pertain to reflections and vertical and horizontal shifts. In training A-B, standard formulas served as samples and factored formulas served as comparisons. In training B-C, factored formulas served as samples and graphs served as comparisons. Subsequently, the program assessed for mutually entailed B-A and C-B relations as well as combinatorially entailed C-A and A-C relations. After all participants demonstrated mutual entailment and combinatorial entailment, we employed a test of novel relations to assess 40 different and complex variations of the original training formulas and their respective graphs. Six of 10 participants who completed training demonstrated perfect or near-perfect performance in identifying novel formula-to-graph relations. Three of the 4 participants who made more than three incorrect responses during the assessment of novel relations showed some commonality among their error patterns. Derived transfer of stimulus control using mathematical relations is discussed. PMID:15898471

A functional analytic approach to computer-interactive mathematics.

PubMed

Ninness, Chris; Rumph, Robin; McCuller, Glen; Harrison, Carol; Ford, Angela M; Ninness, Sharon K

2005-01-01

Following a pretest, 11 participants who were naive with regard to various algebraic and trigonometric transformations received an introductory lecture regarding the fundamentals of the rectangular coordinate system. Following the lecture, they took part in a computer-interactive matching-to-sample procedure in which they received training on particular formula-to-formula and formula-to-graph relations as these formulas pertain to reflections and vertical and horizontal shifts. In training A-B, standard formulas served as samples and factored formulas served as comparisons. In training B-C, factored formulas served as samples and graphs served as comparisons. Subsequently, the program assessed for mutually entailed B-A and C-B relations as well as combinatorially entailed C-A and A-C relations. After all participants demonstrated mutual entailment and combinatorial entailment, we employed a test of novel relations to assess 40 different and complex variations of the original training formulas and their respective graphs. Six of 10 participants who completed training demonstrated perfect or near-perfect performance in identifying novel formula-to-graph relations. Three of the 4 participants who made more than three incorrect responses during the assessment of novel relations showed some commonality among their error patterns. Derived transfer of stimulus control using mathematical relations is discussed.

Tolerance, bone mineral content, and serum vitamin D concentration of term infants fed partially hydrolyzed whey-based infant formula

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of the study was to assess the tolerance (intake, incidence of spit up/vomit, and stool patterns), bone mineral status, and vitamin D status of healthy, term infants fed one of two partially hydrolyzed bovine whey protein infant formulas from birth to 56 or 84 days of age. The control ...

Absorption coefficients of silicon: A theoretical treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Chin-Yi

2018-05-01

A theoretical model with explicit formulas for calculating the optical absorption and gain coefficients of silicon is presented. It incorporates direct and indirect interband transitions and considers the effects of occupied/unoccupied carrier states. The indirect interband transition is calculated from the second-order time-independent perturbation theory of quantum mechanics by incorporating all eight possible routes of absorption or emission of photons and phonons. Absorption coefficients of silicon are calculated from these formulas. The agreements and discrepancies among the calculated results, the Rajkanan-Singh-Shewchun (RSS) formula, and Green's data are investigated and discussed. For example, the RSS formula tends to overestimate the contributions of indirect transitions for cases with high photon energy. The results show that the state occupied/unoccupied effect is almost negligible for silicon absorption coefficients up to the onset of the optical gain condition where the energy separation of Quasi-Femi levels between electrons and holes is larger than the band-gap energy. The usefulness of using the physics-based formulas, rather than semi-empirical fitting ones, for absorption coefficients in theoretical studies of photovoltaic devices is also discussed.

Data mining and frequency analysis for licorice as a "Two-Face" herb in Chinese Formulae based on Chinese Formulae Database.

PubMed

Guo, Jianming; Shang, Erxin; Zhao, Jinlong; Fan, Xinsheng; Duan, Jinao; Qian, Dawei; Tao, Weiwei; Tang, Yuping

2014-09-25

Liquorice is the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. or Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Leguminosae. Licorice is described as 'National Venerable Master' in Chinese medicine and plays paradoxical roles, i.e. detoxification/strengthen efficacy and inducing/enhancing toxicity. Therefore, licorice was called "Two-Face" herb in this paper. The aim of this study is to discuss the paradoxical roles and the perspective usage of this "Two-Face" herb using data mining and frequency analysis. More than 96,000 prescriptions from Chinese Formulae Database were selected. The frequency and the prescription patterns were analyzed using Microsoft SQL Server 2000. Data mining methods (frequent itemsets) were used to analyze the regular patterns and compatibility laws of the constituent herbs in the selected prescriptions. The result showed that licorice (Radix glycyrrhizae) was the most frequently used herb in Chinese Formulae Database, other frequently used herbs including Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Dang gui), Radix et rhizoma ginseng (Ren shen), etc. Toxic herbs such as Radix aconiti lateralis praeparata (Fu zi), Rhizoma pinelliae (Ban xia) and Cinnabaris (Zhu sha) are top 3 herbs that most frequently used in combination with licorice. Radix et rhizoma ginseng (Ren shen), Poria (Fu ling), Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Dang gui) are top 3 nontoxic herbs that most frequently used in combination with licorice. Moreover, Licorice was seldom used with sargassum (Hai Zao), Herba Cirsii Japonici (Da Ji), Euphorbia kansui (Gan Sui) and Flos genkwa (Yuan Hua), which proved the description of contradictory effect of Radix glycyrrhizae and these herbs as recorded in Chinese medicine theory. This study showed the principle pattern of Chinese herbal drugs used in combination with licorice or not. The principle patterns and special compatibility laws reported here could be useful and instructive for scientific usage of licorice in clinic application. Further pharmacological and chemical researches are needed to evaluate the efficacy and the combination pattern of these Chinese herbs. The mechanism of the combination pattern of these prescriptions should also be investigated whether additive, synergistic or antagonistic effect exist using in vitro or in vivo models. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Organic-inorganic field effect transistor with SnI-based perovskite channel layer using vapor phase deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsushima, Toshinori; Yasuda, Takeshi; Fujita, Katsuhiko; Tsutsui, Tetsuo

2003-11-01

High field-effect hole mobility of (formula available in paper)and threshold voltage is -3.2 V) in organic-inorganic layered perovskite film (formula available in paper)prepared by a vapor phase deposition technique have been demonstrated through the octadecyltrichlorosilane treatment of substrate. Previously, the (formula available in paper)films prepared on the octadecyltrichlorosilane-covered substrates using a vapor evaporation showed not only intense exciton absorption and photoluminescence in the optical spectroscopy but also excellent crystallinity and large grain structure in X-ray and atomic force microscopic studies. Especially, the (formula available in paper)structure in the region below few nm closed to the surface of octadecyltrichlorosilane monolayer was drastically improved in comparison with that on the non-covered substrate. Though our initial (formula available in paper)films via a same sequence of preparation of (formula available in paper)and octadecyltrichlorosilane monolayer did not show the field-effect properties because of a lack of spectral, structural, and morphological features. The unformation of favorable (formula available in paper)structure in the very thin region, that is very important for the field-effect transistors to transport electrons or holes, closed to the surface of non-covered (formula available in paper)dielectric layer was also one of the problems for no observation of them. By adding further optimization and development, such as deposition rate of perovskite, substrate heating during deposition, and tuning device architecture, with hydrophobic treatment, the vacuum-deposited (formula available in paper)have achieved above-described high performance in organic-inorganic hybrid transistors.

Visible and UV photo-detection in ZnO nanostructured thin films via simple tuning of solution method.

PubMed

Khokhra, Richa; Bharti, Bandna; Lee, Heung-No; Kumar, Rajesh

2017-11-08

This study demonstrates significant visible light photo-detection capability of pristine ZnO nanostructure thin films possessing substantially high percentage of oxygen vacancies [Formula: see text] and zinc interstitials [Formula: see text], introduced by simple tuning of economical solution method. The demonstrated visible light photo-detection capability, in addition to the inherent UV light detection ability of ZnO, shows great dependency of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with the nanostructure morphology. The dependency was evaluated by analyzing the presence/percentage of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] using photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Morphologies of ZnO viz. nanoparticles (NPs), nanosheets (NSs) and nanoflowers (NFs), as a result of tuning of synthesis method contended different concentrations of defects, demonstrated different photo-detection capabilities in the form of a thin film photodetector. The photo-detection capability was investigated under different light excitations (UV; 380~420 nm, white ; λ > 420 nm and green; 490~570 nm). The as fabricated NSs photodetector possessing comparatively intermediate percentage of [Formula: see text] ~ 47.7% and [Formula: see text] ~ 13.8% exhibited superior performance than that of NPs and NFs photodetectors, and ever reported photodetectors fabricated by using pristine ZnO nanostructures in thin film architecture. The adopted low cost and simplest approach makes the pristine ZnO-NSs applicable for wide-wavelength applications in optoelectronic devices.

A Hybrid CMOS-Memristor Neuromorphic Synapse.

PubMed

Azghadi, Mostafa Rahimi; Linares-Barranco, Bernabe; Abbott, Derek; Leong, Philip H W

2017-04-01

Although data processing technology continues to advance at an astonishing rate, computers with brain-like processing capabilities still elude us. It is envisioned that such computers may be achieved by the fusion of neuroscience and nano-electronics to realize a brain-inspired platform. This paper proposes a high-performance nano-scale Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)-memristive circuit, which mimics a number of essential learning properties of biological synapses. The proposed synaptic circuit that is composed of memristors and CMOS transistors, alters its memristance in response to timing differences among its pre- and post-synaptic action potentials, giving rise to a family of Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity (STDP). The presented design advances preceding memristive synapse designs with regards to the ability to replicate essential behaviours characterised in a number of electrophysiological experiments performed in the animal brain, which involve higher order spike interactions. Furthermore, the proposed hybrid device CMOS area is estimated as [Formula: see text] in a [Formula: see text] process-this represents a factor of ten reduction in area with respect to prior CMOS art. The new design is integrated with silicon neurons in a crossbar array structure amenable to large-scale neuromorphic architectures and may pave the way for future neuromorphic systems with spike timing-dependent learning features. These systems are emerging for deployment in various applications ranging from basic neuroscience research, to pattern recognition, to Brain-Machine-Interfaces.

Quantum-ring spin interference device tuned by quantum point contacts

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

Diago-Cisneros, Leo; Mireles, Francisco

2013-11-21

We introduce a spin-interference device that comprises a quantum ring (QR) with three embedded quantum point contacts (QPCs) and study theoretically its spin transport properties in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit interaction. Two of the QPCs conform the lead-to-ring junctions while a third one is placed symmetrically in the upper arm of the QR. Using an appropriate scattering model for the QPCs and the S-matrix scattering approach, we analyze the role of the QPCs on the Aharonov-Bohm (AB) and Aharonov-Casher (AC) conductance oscillations of the QR-device. Exact formulas are obtained for the spin-resolved conductances of the QR-device as a functionmore » of the confinement of the QPCs and the AB/AC phases. Conditions for the appearance of resonances and anti-resonances in the spin-conductance are derived and discussed. We predict very distinctive variations of the QR-conductance oscillations not seen in previous QR proposals. In particular, we find that the interference pattern in the QR can be manipulated to a large extend by varying electrically the lead-to-ring topological parameters. The latter can be used to modulate the AB and AC phases by applying gate voltage only. We have shown also that the conductance oscillations exhibits a crossover to well-defined resonances as the lateral QPC confinement strength is increased, mapping the eigenenergies of the QR. In addition, unique features of the conductance arise by varying the aperture of the upper-arm QPC and the Rashba spin-orbit coupling. Our results may be of relevance for promising spin-orbitronics devices based on quantum interference mechanisms.« less

Electrolytic orthoborate salts for lithium batteries

DOEpatents

Angell, Charles Austen [Mesa, AZ; Xu, Wu [Tempe, AZ

2008-01-01

Orthoborate salts suitable for use as electrolytes in lithium batteries and methods for making the electrolyte salts are provided. The electrolytic salts have one of the formulae (I). In this formula anionic orthoborate groups are capped with two bidentate chelating groups, Y1 and Y2. Certain preferred chelating groups are dibasic acid residues, most preferably oxalyl, malonyl and succinyl, disulfonic acid residues, sulfoacetic acid residues and halo-substituted alkylenes. The salts are soluble in non-aqueous solvents and polymeric gels and are useful components of lithium batteries in electrochemical devices.

Electrolytic orthoborate salts for lithium batteries

DOEpatents

Angell, Charles Austen [Mesa, AZ; Xu, Wu [Tempe, AZ

2009-05-05

Orthoborate salts suitable for use as electrolytes in lithium batteries and methods for making the electrolyte salts are provided. The electrolytic salts have one of the formulae (I). In this formula anionic orthoborate groups are capped with two bidentate chelating groups, Y1 and Y2. Certain preferred chelating groups are dibasic acid residues, most preferably oxalyl, malonyl and succinyl, disulfonic acid residues, sulfoacetic acid residues and halo-substituted alkylenes. The salts are soluble in non-aqueous solvents and polymeric gels and are useful components of lithium batteries in electrochemical devices.

Inband radar cross section of phased arrays with parallel feeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flokas, Vassilios

1994-06-01

Approximate formulas for the inband radar cross section of arrays with parallel feeds are presented. To obtain the formulas, multiple reflections are neglected, and devices of the same type are assumed to have identical electrical performance. The approximate results were compared to the results obtained using a scattering matrix formulation. Both methods were in agreement in predicting RCS lobe positions, levels, and behavior with scanning. The advantages of the approximate method are its computational efficiency and its flexibility in handling an arbitrary number of coupler levels.

Utah optrode array customization using stereotactic brain atlases and 3-D CAD modeling for optogenetic neocortical interrogation in small rodents and nonhuman primates.

PubMed

Boutte, Ronald W; Merlin, Sam; Yona, Guy; Griffiths, Brandon; Angelucci, Alessandra; Kahn, Itamar; Shoham, Shy; Blair, Steve

2017-10-01

As the optogenetic field expands, the need for precise targeting of neocortical circuits only grows more crucial. This work demonstrates a technique for using Solidworks ® computer-aided design (CAD) and readily available stereotactic brain atlases to create a three-dimensional (3-D) model of the dorsal region of area visual cortex 4 (V4D) of the macaque monkey ( Macaca fascicularis ) visual cortex. The 3-D CAD model of the brain was used to customize an [Formula: see text] Utah optrode array (UOA) after it was determined that a high-density ([Formula: see text]) UOA caused extensive damage to marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus ) primary visual cortex as assessed by electrophysiological recording of spiking activity through a 1.5-mm-diameter through glass via. The [Formula: see text] UOA was customized for optrode length ([Formula: see text]), optrode width ([Formula: see text]), optrode pitch ([Formula: see text]), backplane thickness ([Formula: see text]), and overall form factor ([Formula: see text]). Two [Formula: see text] UOAs were inserted into layer VI of macaque V4D cortices with minimal damage as assessed in fixed tissue cytochrome oxidase staining in nonrecoverable surgeries. Additionally, two [Formula: see text] arrays were implanted in mice ( Mus musculus ) motor cortices, providing early evidence for long-term tolerability (over 6 months), and for the ability to integrate the UOA with a Holobundle light delivery system toward patterned optogenetic stimulation of cortical networks.

Effects of Infant Formula With Human Milk Oligosaccharides on Growth and Morbidity: A Randomized Multicenter Trial.

PubMed

Puccio, Giuseppe; Alliet, Philippe; Cajozzo, Cinzia; Janssens, Elke; Corsello, Giovanni; Sprenger, Norbert; Wernimont, Susan; Egli, Delphine; Gosoniu, Laura; Steenhout, Philippe

2017-04-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of infant formula supplemented with 2 human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) on infant growth, tolerance, and morbidity. Healthy infants, 0 to 14 days old, were randomized to an intact-protein, cow's milk-based infant formula (control, n = 87) or the same formula with 1.0 g/L 2'fucosyllactose (2'FL) and 0.5 g/L lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) (test, n = 88) from enrollment to 6 months; all infants received standard follow-up formula without HMOs from 6 to 12 months. Primary endpoint was weight gain through 4 months. Secondary endpoints included additional anthropometric measures, gastrointestinal tolerance, behavioral patterns, and morbidity through age 12 months. Weight gain was similar in both groups (mean difference [95% confidence interval] test vs control: -0.30 [-1.94, 1.34] g/day; lower bound of 95% confidence interval was above noninferiority margin [-3 g/day]). Digestive symptoms and behavioral patterns were similar between groups; exceptions included softer stool (P = 0.021) and fewer nighttime wake-ups (P = 0.036) in the test group at 2 months. Infants receiving test (vs control) had significantly fewer parental reports (P = 0.004-0.047) of bronchitis through 4 (2.3% vs 12.6%), 6 (6.8% vs 21.8%), and 12 months (10.2% vs 27.6%); lower respiratory tract infection (adverse event cluster) through 12 months (19.3% vs 34.5%); antipyretics use through 4 months (15.9% vs 29.9%); and antibiotics use through 6 (34.1% vs 49.4%) and 12 months (42.0% vs 60.9%). Infant formula with 2'FL and LNnT is safe, well-tolerated, and supports age-appropriate growth. Secondary outcome findings showing associations between consuming HMO-supplemented formula and lower parent-reported morbidity (particularly bronchitis) and medication use (antipyretics and antibiotics) warrant confirmation in future studies.

Chemistry Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1972

1972-01-01

Short articles describing the construction of a self-testing device for learning ionic formulae, problems with standard'' experiments in crystallizing sulfur, preparative details for a cold-setting adhesive and vermillion dye, and providing data related to the industrial manufacture of sulphuric acid. (AL)

Thermal transport in strongly correlated multilayered nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freericks, James; Zlatic, Veljko

2006-03-01

The formalism for thermal transport in strongly correlated multilayered nanostructures is developed. We employ inhomogeneous dynamical mean-field theory and the Kubo formula to derive relevant thermal transport coefficients, which take the form of matrices with respect to the planar indices. We show how to define the local versions of the current and heat current operators so that heat-current correlation functions can be easily evaluated via the Jonson-Mahan theorem. Thermal transport in nanostructures is complicated by the fact that the thermal current need not be conserved through the device, and a given experimental set-up determines both how the thermal current can change through the device and how the steady-state temperature profile can be determined. Formulae to analyze classic experiments such as the Peltier and Seebeck effects, the thermal conductivity, and for running a thermoelectric cooler or power generator are also discussed.

Finding Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulvey, Bridget

2016-01-01

Students best learn science through a combination of science inquiry and language learning. This article presents a series of chemistry lessons on the naming of compounds. The weeklong unit focuses on patterns across compound names and chemical formulas and addresses several of the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States…

Fast computation algorithms for speckle pattern simulation

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

Nascov, Victor; Samoilă, Cornel; Ursuţiu, Doru

2013-11-13

We present our development of a series of efficient computation algorithms, generally usable to calculate light diffraction and particularly for speckle pattern simulation. We use mainly the scalar diffraction theory in the form of Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction formula and its Fresnel approximation. Our algorithms are based on a special form of the convolution theorem and the Fast Fourier Transform. They are able to evaluate the diffraction formula much faster than by direct computation and we have circumvented the restrictions regarding the relative sizes of the input and output domains, met on commonly used procedures. Moreover, the input and output planes canmore » be tilted each to other and the output domain can be off-axis shifted.« less

Radiation from violently accelerated bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerlach, Ulrich H.

2001-11-01

A determination is made of the radiation emitted by a linearly uniformly accelerated uncharged dipole transmitter. It is found that, first of all, the radiation rate is given by the familiar Larmor formula, but it is augmented by an amount which becomes dominant for sufficiently high acceleration. For an accelerated dipole oscillator, the criterion is that the center of mass motion become relativistic within one oscillation period. The augmented formula and the measurements which it summarizes presuppose an expanding inertial observation frame. A static inertial reference frame will not do. Secondly, it is found that the radiation measured in the expanding inertial frame is received with 100% fidelity. There is no blueshift or redshift due to the accelerative motion of the transmitter. Finally, it is found that a pair of coherently radiating oscillators accelerating (into opposite directions) in their respective causally disjoint Rindler-coordinatized sectors produces an interference pattern in the expanding inertial frame. Like the pattern of a Young double slit interferometer, this Rindler interferometer pattern has a fringe spacing which is inversely proportional to the proper separation and the proper frequency of the accelerated sources. The interferometer, as well as the augmented Larmor formula, provide a unifying perspective. It joins adjacent Rindler-coordinatized neighborhoods into a single spacetime arena for scattering and radiation from accelerated bodies.

40 CFR Appendix D to Part 403 - Selected Industrial Subcategories Considered Dilute for Purposes of the Combined Wastestream Formula

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (40 CFR parts 413/433). Capacitors (Fluid Fill) Carbon and Graphite Products Dry Transformers Ferrite Electronic Devices Fixed Capacitors Fluorescent Lamps Fuel Cells Incandescent Lamps Magnetic Coatings Mica...

Aerosol and precipitation chemistry in the southwestern United States: spatiotemporal trends and interrelationships.

PubMed

Sorooshian, A; Shingler, T; Harpold, A; Feagles, C W; Meixner, T; Brooks, P D

2013-08-01

This study characterizes the spatial and temporal patterns of aerosol and precipitation composition at six sites across the United States Southwest between 1995 and 2010. Precipitation accumulation occurs mostly during the wintertime (December-February) and during the monsoon season (July-September). Rain and snow pH levels are usually between 5-6, with crustal-derived species playing a major role in acid neutralization. These species (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , K + , Na + ) exhibit their highest concentrations between March and June in both PM 2.5 and precipitation due mostly to dust. Crustal-derived species concentrations in precipitation exhibit positive relationships with [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and Cl - , suggesting that acidic gases likely react with and partition to either crustal particles or hydrometeors enriched with crustal constituents. Concentrations of particulate [Formula: see text] show a statistically significant correlation with rain [Formula: see text] unlike snow [Formula: see text], which may be related to some combination of the vertical distribution of [Formula: see text] (and precursors) and the varying degree to which [Formula: see text]-enriched particles act as cloud condensation nuclei versus ice nuclei in the region. The coarse : fine aerosol mass ratio was correlated with crustal species concentrations in snow unlike rain, suggestive of a preferential role of coarse particles (mainly dust) as ice nuclei in the region. Precipitation [Formula: see text] : [Formula: see text] ratios exhibit the following features with potential explanations discussed: (i) they are higher in precipitation as compared to PM 2.5 ; (ii) they exhibit the opposite annual cycle compared to particulate [Formula: see text] : [Formula: see text] ratios; and (iii) they are higher in snow relative to rain during the wintertime. Long-term trend analysis for the monsoon season shows that the [Formula: see text] : [Formula: see text] ratio in rain increased at the majority of sites due mostly to air pollution regulations of [Formula: see text] precursors.

Potential Sources of Bisphenol A in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

PubMed Central

Mendonca, Kaitlin; Hauser, Russ; Calafat, Antonia M.; Ye, Xiaoyun; Meeker, John D.; Ackerman, Robin; Cullinane, Judi; Faller, Josephine; Ringer, Steven

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether nutritional intake and medical devices are bisphenol A (BPA) exposure sources among premature infants in the NICU. METHODS: Mothers and their premature infants cared for in the NICU for the past 3 days were recruited for this exposure assessment study. Forty-three mothers contributed 1 nutrition sample (breast milk or formula) to characterize the infant’s intake. Two urine samples (before and after feeding) were collected from each of 55 infants. Medical device use was categorized as “low” or “high” based on the number and invasiveness of devices used. BPA urinary concentrations used as a biomarker to estimate BPA exposure were measured by online solid-phase extraction, high performance liquid chromatography, isotope dilution, tandem mass spectrometry. Nonparametric equivalence tests, intraclass correlations, and hierarchical linear mixed-effects models were conducted. RESULTS: Breast milk and formula samples did not differ in total BPA concentration nor did infants’ median urinary concentration of total BPA before or after feedings. However, the median urinary total BPA concentration among infants who required the use of 4 or more medical devices in the past 3 days was significantly higher (36.6 µg/L) than among infants who required the use of 0 to 3 devices (13.9 µg/L). The calculated BPA exposures are lower than the US Environmental Protection Agency reference dose, but considerably higher (16- to 32-fold) than among infants or children from the general population. CONCLUSIONS: The number of medical devices used in the past 3 days, but not nutritional intake, was positively associated with exposure to BPA. PMID:23420909

Diffracted wavefield by an arbitrary aperture from Maggi-Rubinowicz transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganci, S.

2008-01-01

Fraunhofer diffraction patterns through apertures in opaque screens are the cases of most interest in optics. The major purpose of this paper is to establish a general and explicit formula for calculating diffracted wavefield from Maggi-Rubinowicz transformation. The 2-D integration (Rayleigh-Sommerfeld or Helmholtz-Kirchhoff integral formulas) is reduced to a 1-D integration over the rim of the aperture. Some examples for elliptical and polygonal apertures are given.

The Leap from Patterns to Formulas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beigie, Darin

2011-01-01

Initial exposure to algebraic thinking involves the critical leap from working with numbers to thinking with variables. The transition to thinking mathematically using variables has many layers, and for all students an abstraction that is clear in one setting may be opaque in another. Geometric counting and the resulting algebraic patterns provide…

Compact cross-dispersion device based on a prism and a plane transmission grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Qinghua; Wang, Weiqiang

2018-05-01

This paper presents a cross-dispersion prism-grating device using a plane transmission grating attached directly to a prism, which is different from traditional cross-dispersion grating-prism systems that are based on the reflection grating. Unlike conventional direct-vision grism or constant-dispersion grism in which both the prism and grating have the same dispersion direction, for this device the dispersion directions of the prism and grating are different. The analytical expressions for the cross-dispersion of this device are derived in detail and the formulas of the footprint of the dispersed spectra are given. The numerical results and ray-tracing simulations by ZEMAX are shown. The device provides a compact, small-sized and broadband cross-dispersion device used for the medium resolution spectrometer.

Modeling direct interband tunneling. II. Lower-dimensional structures

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

Pan, Andrew, E-mail: pandrew@ucla.edu; Chui, Chi On; California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095

We investigate the applicability of the two-band Hamiltonian and the widely used Kane analytical formula to interband tunneling along unconfined directions in nanostructures. Through comparisons with k·p and tight-binding calculations and quantum transport simulations, we find that the primary correction is the change in effective band gap. For both constant fields and realistic tunnel field-effect transistors, dimensionally consistent band gap scaling of the Kane formula allows analytical and numerical device simulations to approximate non-equilibrium Green's function current characteristics without arbitrary fitting. This allows efficient first-order calibration of semiclassical models for interband tunneling in nanodevices.

Electrical and thermoelectric transport properties of two-dimensional fermionic systems with k-cubic spin-orbit coupling.

PubMed

Mawrie, Alestin; Verma, Sonu; Ghosh, Tarun Kanti

2017-10-25

We investigate the effect of k-cubic spin-orbit interaction on the electrical and thermoelectric transport properties of two-dimensional fermionic systems. We obtain exact analytical expressions of the inverse relaxation time (IRT) and the Drude conductivity for long-range Coulomb and short-range delta scattering potentials. The IRT reveals that the scattering is completely suppressed along the three directions [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text]. We also obtain analytical results of the thermopower and thermal conductivity at low temperature. The thermoelectric transport coefficients obey the Wiedemann-Franz law, even in the presence of k-cubic Rashba spin-orbit interaction (RSOI) at low temperature. In the presence of a quantizing magnetic field, the signature of the RSOI is revealed through the appearance of the beating pattern in the Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillations of thermopower and thermal conductivity in the low magnetic field regime. The empirical formulae for the SdH oscillation frequencies accurately describe the locations of the beating nodes. The beating pattern in magnetothermoelectric measurement can be used to extract the spin-orbit coupling constant.

Extended analytical formulas for the perturbed Keplerian motion under a constant control acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuiani, Federico; Vasile, Massimiliano

2015-03-01

This paper presents a set of analytical formulae for the perturbed Keplerian motion of a spacecraft under the effect of a constant control acceleration. The proposed set of formulae can treat control accelerations that are fixed in either a rotating or inertial reference frame. Moreover, the contribution of the zonal harmonic is included in the analytical formulae. It will be shown that the proposed analytical theory allows for the fast computation of long, multi-revolution spirals while maintaining good accuracy. The combined effect of different perturbations and of the shadow regions due to solar eclipse is also included. Furthermore, a simplified control parameterisation is introduced to optimise thrusting patterns with two thrust arcs and two cost arcs per revolution. This simple parameterisation is shown to ensure enough flexibility to describe complex low thrust spirals. The accuracy and speed of the proposed analytical formulae are compared against a full numerical integration with different integration schemes. An averaging technique is then proposed as an application of the analytical formulae. Finally, the paper presents an example of design of an optimal low-thrust spiral to transfer a spacecraft from an elliptical to a circular orbit around the Earth.

The measure method of internal screw thread and the measure device design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Dachao; Chen, Jianguo

2008-12-01

In accordance with the principle of Three-Line, this paper analyzed the correlation of every main parameter of internal screw thread, and then designed a device to measure the main parameters of internal screw thread. Basis on the measured value and corresponding formula calculation, we can get the internal thread parameters, such as the pitch diameter, thread angle and screw-pitch of common screw thread, terraced screw thread, zigzag screw thread and some else. The practical application has proved that this operation of this device is convenience, and the measured dates have a high accuracy. Meanwhile, the application of this device's patent of invention is accepted by the Patent Office. (The filing number: 200710044081.5)

[Aerodynamic characteristics of crewman's arms during windblast].

PubMed

Zhang, Yun-ran; Wu, Gui-rong

2003-10-01

To study the aerodynamic characteristics of crewman's arms with or without protective devices in the status with raised legs or not. The experiments were performed in an FL-24 transonic and supersonic wind tunnel, over Mach number range of 0.4-2.0, with 5 degrees-30 degrees angles of attack, 0 degrees - 90 degrees sideslip angles and Re number of (0.93-3.1) x 10(6). The test model was a 1/5-scale crewman/ejection seat combination. The aerodynamic characteristics of the various sections of crewman's arms were studied and analyzed. The results showed that 1) The effect of raised leg on the aerodynamic characteristics of the crewman's arms was very evident, and was related to the status of leg raising; 2) The sideslip considerably increased aerodynamic loads on the crewman's arms, in particular when beta=50 degrees the loads was severe in the test; 3) The tested protective devices was valid, the effectiveness of wind deflector in protecting crewman's arms was evident; 4) A formula for calculating aerodynamic force acting on crewman's arms was presented. 1)The tested protective devices was valid, and the effectiveness of wind deflector in protecting crewman's arms was evident; 2) An aerodynamic basis for the development of crewman windblast protective device was presented; 3)The calculation formula presented is useful in estimating aerodynamic forces of crewman's arms.

The Wives and Sisters of Sahagun: Word Order of Latin and Romance Synonyms in Possessive Noun Phrases in the Formulae of Medieval Iberian Notarial Documents--"Uxor vs. Mulier" and "Soror vs. Germana," a Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jesse

2013-01-01

The goal of this study was to find and trace word order patterns in Possessive Noun Phrases ("PNP's") in formulaic language within notarial documents dating from the tenth through the thirteenth centuries, originating from the Monastery of Sahagun, Leon, Spain. The overall results show clear trends, which reveal a diachronic process that…

Average geodesic distance of skeleton networks of Sierpinski tetrahedron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jinjin; Wang, Songjing; Xi, Lifeng; Ye, Yongchao

2018-04-01

The average distance is concerned in the research of complex networks and is related to Wiener sum which is a topological invariant in chemical graph theory. In this paper, we study the skeleton networks of the Sierpinski tetrahedron, an important self-similar fractal, and obtain their asymptotic formula for average distances. To provide the formula, we develop some technique named finite patterns of integral of geodesic distance on self-similar measure for the Sierpinski tetrahedron.

Infant formulas. Recent developments and new issues.

PubMed

Agostoni, C; Haschke, F

2003-06-01

Infant formulas on the market today should be aimed at providing the best alternative to breast milk for infants of those women who are unable to continue breastfeeding until 6 months of age and substituting ideally for human milk after 6 months of age approaching the structural and functional effects observed in breastfed infants. The aim is to mimic the functional outcome of the breastfed infant (e.g. growth and development), and not to copy the composition of human milk. For this purpose, the following compounds have been added to formulas and are reviewed: long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) for brain composition and neurodevelopment, probiotics and prebiotics for the fecal flora and the local intestinal defense, and nucleotides for promoting the immune response. Changes in protein quantity and quality allow to balance the blood amino acid pattern (possibly relevant to the early stages of brain development for the neurotransmitter function) and reducing the protein intake could be important for the prevention of later overweight. Hydrolysed proteins are important in the prevention of atopic disorders. Many trials have been published so far with short-term assessments, most of them with positive findings. However, we need more data on the long-term follow-up of infants who were fed the new formulas. Such data will allow to look at neural performance, prevention of overweight and obesity, and effects on the immune-allergic pattern.

Inefficient skeletal muscle oxidative function flanks impaired motor neuron recruitment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis during exercise.

PubMed

Lanfranconi, F; Ferri, A; Corna, G; Bonazzi, R; Lunetta, C; Silani, V; Riva, N; Rigamonti, A; Maggiani, A; Ferrarese, C; Tremolizzo, L

2017-06-07

This study aimed to evaluate muscle oxidative function during exercise in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (pALS) with non-invasive methods in order to assess if determinants of reduced exercise tolerance might match ALS clinical heterogeneity. 17 pALS, who were followed for 4 months, were compared with 13 healthy controls (CTRL). Exercise tolerance was assessed by an incremental exercise test on cycle ergometer measuring peak O 2 uptake ([Formula: see text]O 2peak ), vastus lateralis oxidative function by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and breathing pattern ([Formula: see text]E peak ). pALS displayed: (1) 44% lower [Formula: see text]O 2peak vs. CTRL (p < 0.0001), paralleled by a 43% decreased peak skeletal muscle oxidative function (p < 0.01), with a linear regression between these two variables (r 2  = 0.64, p < 0.0001); (2) 46% reduced [Formula: see text]E peak vs. CTRL (p < 0.0001), achieved by using an inefficient breathing pattern (increasing respiratory frequency) from the onset until the end of exercise. Inefficient skeletal muscle O 2 function, when flanking the impaired motor units recruitment, is a major determinant of pALS clinical heterogeneity and working capacity exercise tolerance. CPET and NIRS are useful tools for detecting early stages of oxidative deficiency in skeletal muscles, disclosing individual impairments in the O 2 transport and utilization chain.

Method of producing strained-layer semiconductor devices via subsurface-patterning

DOEpatents

Dodson, Brian W.

1993-01-01

A method is described for patterning subsurface features in a semiconductor device, wherein the semiconductor device includes an internal strained layer. The method comprises creating a pattern of semiconductor material over the semiconductor device, the semiconductor material having a predetermined thickness which stabilizes areas of the strained semiconductor layer that lie beneath the pattern. Subsequently, a heating step is applied to the semiconductor device to cause a relaxation in areas of the strained layer which do not lie beneath the semiconductor material pattern, whereby dislocations result in the relaxed areas and impair electrical transport therethrough.

Composite patterning devices for soft lithography

DOEpatents

Rogers, John A.; Menard, Etienne

2007-03-27

The present invention provides methods, devices and device components for fabricating patterns on substrate surfaces, particularly patterns comprising structures having microsized and/or nanosized features of selected lengths in one, two or three dimensions. The present invention provides composite patterning devices comprising a plurality of polymer layers each having selected mechanical properties, such as Young's Modulus and flexural rigidity, selected physical dimensions, such as thickness, surface area and relief pattern dimensions, and selected thermal properties, such as coefficients of thermal expansion, to provide high resolution patterning on a variety of substrate surfaces and surface morphologies.

Refining the Use of Linkage Disequilibrium as a Robust Signature of Selective Sweeps.

PubMed

Jacobs, Guy S; Sluckin, Tim J; Kivisild, Toomas

2016-08-01

During a selective sweep, characteristic patterns of linkage disequilibrium can arise in the genomic region surrounding a selected locus. These have been used to infer past selective sweeps. However, the recombination rate is known to vary substantially along the genome for many species. We here investigate the effectiveness of current (Kelly's [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) and novel statistics at inferring hard selective sweeps based on linkage disequilibrium distortions under different conditions, including a human-realistic demographic model and recombination rate variation. When the recombination rate is constant, Kelly's [Formula: see text] offers high power, but is outperformed by a novel statistic that we test, which we call [Formula: see text] We also find this statistic to be effective at detecting sweeps from standing variation. When recombination rate fluctuations are included, there is a considerable reduction in power for all linkage disequilibrium-based statistics. However, this can largely be reversed by appropriately controlling for expected linkage disequilibrium using a genetic map. To further test these different methods, we perform selection scans on well-characterized HapMap data, finding that all three statistics-[Formula: see text] Kelly's [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]-are able to replicate signals at regions previously identified as selection candidates based on population differentiation or the site frequency spectrum. While [Formula: see text] replicates most candidates when recombination map data are not available, the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] statistics are more successful when recombination rate variation is controlled for. Given both this and their higher power in simulations of selective sweeps, these statistics are preferred when information on local recombination rate variation is available. Copyright © 2016 by the Genetics Society of America.

Association between infant formula feeding and dental fluorosis and caries in Australian children.

PubMed

Do, Loc G; Levy, Steven M; Spencer, A John

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between patterns of infant formula feeding and dental fluorosis and caries in a representative sample of Australian children. A population-based study gathered information on fluoride exposure in early childhood. Information on infant formula feeding and fluoridation status was used to group children: three groups in nonfluoridated areas (formula nonuser, user for ≤6 months, and user for 6+ months) and four groups in fluoridated areas (nonuser, user with nonfluoridated water, user with fluoridated water for ≤6 months, and user with fluoridated water for 6+ months). Children aged 8-13 years were examined for fluorosis using the Thylstrup and Fejerskov (TF) Index. Primary tooth caries experience recorded at age 8-9 years was extracted from clinical records. Fluorosis cases were defined as having TF 1+ on maxillary incisors. Fluorosis prevalence and primary caries experience were compared across formula user groups in multivariable regression models adjusting for other factors. Total sample was 588 children. Children in fluoridated areas had higher prevalence of very mild to mild fluorosis, but lower caries experience than those in nonfluoridated areas. Among children in nonfluoridated areas, formula users for 6+ months had significantly higher prevalence of fluorosis compared with nonusers. There was no significant difference in fluorosis prevalence among the formula users in fluoridated areas. Among children in fluoridated areas, formula users with nontap water had higher caries experience. Infant formula use was associated with higher prevalence of fluorosis in nonfluoridated areas but not in fluoridated areas. Type of water used for reconstituting infant formula in fluoridated areas was associated with caries experience. © 2011 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Effects of Infant Formula With Human Milk Oligosaccharides on Growth and Morbidity: A Randomized Multicenter Trial

PubMed Central

Puccio, Giuseppe; Alliet, Philippe; Cajozzo, Cinzia; Janssens, Elke; Corsello, Giovanni; Sprenger, Norbert; Wernimont, Susan; Egli, Delphine; Gosoniu, Laura; Steenhout, Philippe

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of infant formula supplemented with 2 human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) on infant growth, tolerance, and morbidity. Methods: Healthy infants, 0 to 14 days old, were randomized to an intact-protein, cow's milk–based infant formula (control, n = 87) or the same formula with 1.0 g/L 2′fucosyllactose (2′FL) and 0.5 g/L lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) (test, n = 88) from enrollment to 6 months; all infants received standard follow-up formula without HMOs from 6 to 12 months. Primary endpoint was weight gain through 4 months. Secondary endpoints included additional anthropometric measures, gastrointestinal tolerance, behavioral patterns, and morbidity through age 12 months. Results: Weight gain was similar in both groups (mean difference [95% confidence interval] test vs control: −0.30 [−1.94, 1.34] g/day; lower bound of 95% confidence interval was above noninferiority margin [−3 g/day]). Digestive symptoms and behavioral patterns were similar between groups; exceptions included softer stool (P = 0.021) and fewer nighttime wake-ups (P = 0.036) in the test group at 2 months. Infants receiving test (vs control) had significantly fewer parental reports (P = 0.004–0.047) of bronchitis through 4 (2.3% vs 12.6%), 6 (6.8% vs 21.8%), and 12 months (10.2% vs 27.6%); lower respiratory tract infection (adverse event cluster) through 12 months (19.3% vs 34.5%); antipyretics use through 4 months (15.9% vs 29.9%); and antibiotics use through 6 (34.1% vs 49.4%) and 12 months (42.0% vs 60.9%). Conclusions: Infant formula with 2′FL and LNnT is safe, well-tolerated, and supports age-appropriate growth. Secondary outcome findings showing associations between consuming HMO-supplemented formula and lower parent-reported morbidity (particularly bronchitis) and medication use (antipyretics and antibiotics) warrant confirmation in future studies. PMID:28107288

On corrected formula for irradiated graphene quantum conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firsova, N. E.

2017-09-01

Graphene membrane irradiated by weak activating periodic electric field in terahertz range is considered. The corrected formula for the graphene quantum conductivity is found. The obtained formula gives complex conjugate results when radiation polarization direction is clockwise or it is opposite clockwise. The found formula allows us to see that the graphene membrane is an oscillating contour. Its eigen frequency coincides with a singularity point of the conductivity and depends on the electrons concentration. So the graphene membrane could be used as an antenna or a transistor and its eigen frequency could be tuned by doping in a large terahertz-infrared frequency range. The obtained formula allows us also to calculate the graphene membrane quantum inductivity and capacitance. The found dependence on electrons concentration is consistent with experiments. The method of the proof is based on study of the time-dependent density matrix. The exact solution of von Neumann equation for density matrix is found for our case in linear approximation on the external field. On this basis the induced current is studied and then the formula for quantum conductivity as a function of external field frequency and temperature is obtained. The method of the proof suggested in this paper could be used to study other problems. The found formula for quantum conductivity can be used to correct the SPPs Dispersion Relation and for the description of radiation process. It would be useful to take the obtained results into account when constructing devices containing graphene membrane nanoantenna. Such project could make it possible to create wireless communications among nanosystems. This would be promising research area of energy harvesting applications.

[Metabonomic phenotype of "formula corresponding to pattern types" based on "qi and yin deficiency pattern" of myocardial ischemia rat model].

PubMed

Yan, Bei; A, Ji-Ye; Hao, Hai-Ping; Wang, Guang-Ji; Liu, Lin-Sheng; Zha, Wei-Bin; Zhang, Ying; Gu, Sheng-Hua

2011-08-01

In order to explore the scientific connotation of "Fangzhengduiying (formula corresponding to pattern types)", "Qiyinliangxuzheng (Qi and Yin deficiency pattern)" of myocardial ischemia rat model and GC-TOF/MS based metabonomic method were used for comparing the effects of Sheng-mai injection, Salvia injection and propranolol in the present study. After data processing and pattern recognition, Sheng-mai injection showed better efficacy than the other two drugs in accordance with not only visual observation from PLS-DA scores plots but also the number of abnormal endogenous compounds restored to the normal level. Further studies showed that Sheng-mai injection could normalize the level of plasma endothelin-1, the index related to cardiovascular diseases and sleep disorders, which verified the results of metabonomics. Finally, the regulated metabolites and related metabolic pathways were analyzed, and it was supposed that the effects of Sheng-mai injection involved in the alternation of energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, amino acids metabolism, and so on. These findings provided scientific evidence to Shengmai "Fang" used for "Qi and Yin deficiency pattern" correspondingly, indicating that metabonomics has great potential in traditional Chinese medical research, which provides a novel approach and way to modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Summary of the Department of Transportation Rail-Highway Crossing Accident Prediction Formulas and Resource Model

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-09-01

The Highway Safety Acts of 1973 and 1976, and the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978, provide funding authorizations to individual states to improve safety at public rail-highway crossings. The installation of active motorist warning devic...

Non-aqueous electrolyte for lithium-ion battery

DOEpatents

Zhang, Lu; Zhang, Zhengcheng; Amine, Khalil

2014-04-15

The present technology relates to stabilizing additives and electrolytes containing the same for use in electrochemical devices such as lithium ion batteries and capacitors. The stabilizing additives include triazinane triones and bicyclic compounds comprising succinic anhydride, such as compounds of Formulas I and II described herein.

47 CFR 73.267 - Determining operating power.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... direct method of power determination for an FM station uses the indications of a calibrated transmission... a resistance equal to the transmission line characteristic impedance) and using an electrical device... the design of the transmitter final amplifier, use a formula specified by the transmitter manufacturer...

47 CFR 73.267 - Determining operating power.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... direct method of power determination for an FM station uses the indications of a calibrated transmission... a resistance equal to the transmission line characteristic impedance) and using an electrical device... the design of the transmitter final amplifier, use a formula specified by the transmitter manufacturer...

47 CFR 73.267 - Determining operating power.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... direct method of power determination for an FM station uses the indications of a calibrated transmission... a resistance equal to the transmission line characteristic impedance) and using an electrical device... the design of the transmitter final amplifier, use a formula specified by the transmitter manufacturer...

Development of a Compact Rectenna for Wireless Powering of a Head-Mountable Deep Brain Stimulation Device.

PubMed

Hosain, M D Kamal; Kouzani, Abbas Z; Tye, Susannah J; Abulseoud, Osama A; Amiet, Andrew; Galehdar, Amir; Kaynak, Akif; Berk, Michael

2014-01-01

Design of a rectangular spiral planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) at 915 MHz for wireless power transmission applications is proposed. The antenna and rectifying circuitry form a rectenna, which can produce dc power from a distant radio frequency energy transmitter. The generated dc power is used to operate a low-power deep brain stimulation pulse generator. The proposed antenna has the dimensions of 10 mm [Formula: see text]12.5 mm [Formula: see text]1.5 mm and resonance frequency of 915 MHz with a measured bandwidth of 15 MHz at return loss of [Formula: see text]. A dielectric substrate of FR-4 of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with thickness of 1.5 mm is used for both antenna and rectifier circuit simulation and fabrication because of its availability and low cost. An L-section impedance matching circuit is used between the PIFA and voltage doubler rectifier. The impedance matching circuit also works as a low-pass filter for elimination of higher order harmonics. Maximum dc voltage at the rectenna output is 7.5 V in free space and this rectenna can drive a deep brain stimulation pulse generator at a distance of 30 cm from a radio frequency energy transmitter, which transmits power of 26.77 dBm.

Metabolomics approach of infant formula for the evaluation of contamination and degradation using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Inoue, Koichi; Tanada, Chihiro; Sakamoto, Tasuku; Tsutsui, Haruhito; Akiba, Takashi; Min, Jun Zhe; Todoroki, Kenichiro; Yamano, Yutaka; Toyo'oka, Toshimasa

2015-08-15

In this study including the field of metabolomics approach for food, the evaluation of untargeted compounds using HILIC-ESI/TOF/MS and multivariate statistical analysis method is proposed for the assessment of classification, contamination and degradation of infant formula. HILIC mode is used to monitor more detected numbers in infant formulas in the ESI-positive scan mode than the reversed phase. The repeatability of the non-targeted contents from 4 kinds of infant formulas based on PCA was less than the relative standard deviation of 15% in all groups. The PCA pattern showed that significant differences in the classification of types and origins, the contamination of melamine and the degradations for one week were evaluated using HILIC-ESI/TOF/MS. In the S-plot from the degradation test, we could identify two markers by comparison to standards as nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. With this strategy, the differences from the untargeted compounds could be utilized for quality and safety assessment of infant formula. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnus effect: An overview of its past and future practical applications, 1850-1985, volumes 1 and 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borg, J.

The report is in two volumes and is intended to present the known data and past and future applications of Magnus effect devices. (Magnus effect devices are very high lift devices which can be used in applications where airfoils are currently used.) This first volume includes the history of Magnus effect devices, theory and principles, a significant patent review, practical marine applications, formulas and experimental data, comparisons of Magnus effect and other state-of-the-art devices, identification of further testing needed, and a proposed test program. Appendices include rudder research and a literature critique. The second volume is a collection of the drawings for 39 magnus effect patents plus a critique of each patent evaluating its potential, especially for marine applications.

Variable beam dose rate and DMLC IMRT to moving body anatomy

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

Papiez, Lech; Abolfath, Ramin M.

2008-11-15

Derivation of formulas relating leaf speeds and beam dose rates for delivering planned intensity profiles to static and moving targets in dynamic multileaf collimator (DMLC) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is presented. The analysis of equations determining algorithms for DMLC IMRT delivery under a variable beam dose rate reveals a multitude of possible delivery strategies for a given intensity map and for any given target motion patterns. From among all equivalent delivery strategies for DMLC IMRT treatments specific subclasses of strategies can be selected to provide deliveries that are particularly suitable for clinical applications providing existing delivery devices are used.more » Special attention is devoted to the subclass of beam dose rate variable DMLC delivery strategies to moving body anatomy that generalize existing techniques of such deliveries in Varian DMLC irradiation methodology to static body anatomy. Few examples of deliveries from this subclass of DMLC IMRT irradiations are investigated to illustrate the principle and show practical benefits of proposed techniques.« less

The evolution of vertebral formulae in Hominoidea.

PubMed

Thompson, Nathan E; Almécija, Sergio

2017-09-01

Primate vertebral formulae have long been investigated because of their link to locomotor behavior and overall body plan. Knowledge of the ancestral vertebral formulae in the hominoid tree of life is necessary to interpret the pattern of evolution among apes, and to critically evaluate the morphological adaptations involved in the transition to hominin bipedalism. Though many evolutionary hypotheses have been proposed based on living and fossil species, the application of quantitative phylogenetic methods for thoroughly reconstructing ancestral vertebral formulae and formally testing patterns of vertebral evolution is lacking. To estimate the most probable scenarios of hominoid vertebral evolution, we utilized an iterative ancestral state reconstruction approach to determine likely ancestral vertebral counts in apes, humans, and other anthropoid out-groups. All available ape and hominin fossil taxa with an inferred regional vertebral count were included in the analysis. Sensitivity iterations were performed both by changing the phylogenetic position of fossil taxa with a contentious placement, and by changing the inferred number of vertebrae in taxa with uncertain morphology. Our ancestral state reconstruction results generally support a short-backed hypothesis of human evolution, with a Pan-Homo last common ancestor possessing a vertebral formulae of 7:13:4:6 (cervical:thoracic:lumbar:sacral). Our results indicate that an initial reduction in lumbar vertebral count and increase in sacral count is a synapomorphy of crown hominoids (supporting an intermediate-backed hypothesis for the origins of the great ape-human clade). Further reduction in lumbar count occurs independently in orangutans and African apes. Our results highlight the complexity and homoplastic nature of vertebral count evolution, and give little support to the long-backed hypothesis of human evolution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety of soya-based infant formulas in children.

PubMed

Vandenplas, Yvan; Castrellon, Pedro Gutierrez; Rivas, Rodolfo; Gutiérrez, Carlos Jimenez; Garcia, Luisa Diaz; Jimenez, Juliana Estevez; Anzo, Anahi; Hegar, Badriul; Alarcon, Pedro

2014-04-28

Soya-based infant formulas (SIF) containing soya flour were introduced almost 100 years ago. Modern soya formulas are used in allergy/intolerance to cows' milk-based formulas (CMF), post-infectious diarrhoea, lactose intolerance and galactosaemia, as a vegan human milk (HM) substitute, etc. The safety of SIF is still debated. In the present study, we reviewed the safety of SIF in relation to anthropometric growth, bone health (bone mineral content), immunity, cognition, and reproductive and endocrine functions. The present review includes cross-sectional, case-control, cohort studies or clinical trials that were carried out in children fed SIF compared with those fed other types of infant formulas and that measured safety. The databases that were searched included PubMed (1909 to July 2013), Embase (1988 to May 2013), LILACS (1990 to May 2011), ARTEMISA (13th edition, December 2012), Cochrane controlled trials register, Bandolier and DARE using the Cochrane methodology. Wherever possible, a meta-analysis was carried out. We found that the anthropometric patterns of children fed SIF were similar to those of children fed CMF or HM. Despite the high levels of phytates and aluminium in SIF, Hb, serum protein, Zn and Ca concentrations and bone mineral content were found to be similar to those of children fed CMF or HM. We also found the levels of genistein and daidzein to be higher in children fed SIF; however, we did not find strong evidence of a negative effect on reproductive and endocrine functions. Immune measurements and neurocognitive parameters were similar in all the feeding groups. In conclusion, modern SIF are evidence-based safety options to feed children requiring them. The patterns of growth, bone health and metabolic, reproductive, endocrine, immune and neurological functions are similar to those observed in children fed CMF or HM.

An experimental study of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability critical wave length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Xujing; Wang, Youchun; Zhang, Shufei; Xu, Hongkun

1992-06-01

A physical model has been constructed to represent the condensate film pattern on a horizontal downward-facing surface with fins, which is based on visual observation in experiment. The results of analysis using this model confirms the validity of the critical wave length formula obtained from Rayleigh-Taylor stability analysis. This formula may be used as a criterion to design horizontal downward-facing surfaces with fins that can best destabilize the condensate film, thus enhancing condensation heat transfer.

A low-cost tracked C-arm (TC-arm) upgrade system for versatile quantitative intraoperative imaging.

PubMed

Amiri, Shahram; Wilson, David R; Masri, Bassam A; Anglin, Carolyn

2014-07-01

C-arm fluoroscopy is frequently used in clinical applications as a low-cost and mobile real-time qualitative assessment tool. C-arms, however, are not widely accepted for applications involving quantitative assessments, mainly due to the lack of reliable and low-cost position tracking methods, as well as adequate calibration and registration techniques. The solution suggested in this work is a tracked C-arm (TC-arm) which employs a low-cost sensor tracking module that can be retrofitted to any conventional C-arm for tracking the individual joints of the device. Registration and offline calibration methods were developed that allow accurate tracking of the gantry and determination of the exact intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the imaging system for any acquired fluoroscopic image. The performance of the system was evaluated in comparison to an Optotrak[Formula: see text] motion tracking system and by a series of experiments on accurately built ball-bearing phantoms. Accuracies of the system were determined for 2D-3D registration, three-dimensional landmark localization, and for generating panoramic stitched views in simulated intraoperative applications. The system was able to track the center point of the gantry with an accuracy of [Formula: see text] mm or better. Accuracies of 2D-3D registrations were [Formula: see text] mm and [Formula: see text]. Three-dimensional landmark localization had an accuracy of [Formula: see text] of the length (or [Formula: see text] mm) on average, depending on whether the landmarks were located along, above, or across the table. The overall accuracies of the two-dimensional measurements conducted on stitched panoramic images of the femur and lumbar spine were 2.5 [Formula: see text] 2.0 % [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. The TC-arm system has the potential to achieve sophisticated quantitative fluoroscopy assessment capabilities using an existing C-arm imaging system. This technology may be useful to improve the quality of orthopedic surgery and interventional radiology.

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

Bassi, Gabriele; Blednykh, Alexei; Smalyuk, Victor

A novel algorithm for self-consistent simulations of long-range wakefield effects has been developed and applied to the study of both longitudinal and transverse coupled-bunch instabilities at NSLS-II. The algorithm is implemented in the new parallel tracking code space (self-consistent parallel algorithm for collective effects) discussed in the paper. The code is applicable for accurate beam dynamics simulations in cases where both bunch-to-bunch and intrabunch motions need to be taken into account, such as chromatic head-tail effects on the coupled-bunch instability of a beam with a nonuniform filling pattern, or multibunch and single-bunch effects of a passive higher-harmonic cavity. The numericalmore » simulations have been compared with analytical studies. For a beam with an arbitrary filling pattern, intensity-dependent complex frequency shifts have been derived starting from a system of coupled Vlasov equations. The analytical formulas and numerical simulations confirm that the analysis is reduced to the formulation of an eigenvalue problem based on the known formulas of the complex frequency shifts for the uniform filling pattern case.« less

Asymptotic formulae for flow in superhydrophobic channels with longitudinal ridges and protruding menisci

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirk, Toby L.

2018-03-01

This paper presents new analytical formulae for flow in a channel with one or both walls patterned with a longitudinal array of ridges and arbitrarily protruding menisci. Derived from a matched asymptotic expansion, they extend results by Crowdy (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 791, 2016, R7) for shear flow, and thus make no restriction on the protrusion into or out of the liquid. The slip length formula is compared against full numerical solutions and, despite the assumption of small ridge period in its derivation, is found to have a very large range of validity; relative errors are small even for periods large enough for the protruding menisci to degrade the flow and touch the opposing wall.

Corneal Anterior Power Calculation for an IOL in Post-PRK Patients.

PubMed

De Bernardo, Maddalena; Iaccarino, Stefania; Cennamo, Michela; Caliendo, Luisa; Rosa, Nicola

2015-02-01

After corneal refractive surgery, there is an overestimation of the corneal power with the devices routinely used to measure it. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether, in patients who underwent photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), it is possible to predict the earlier preoperative anterior corneal power from the postoperative (PO) posterior corneal power. A comparison is made using a formula published by Saiki for laser in situ keratomileusis patients and a new one calculated specifically from PRK patients. The Saiki formula was tested in 98 eyes of 98 patients (47 women) who underwent PRK for myopia or myopic astigmatism. Moreover, anterior and posterior mean keratometry (Km) values from a Scheimpflug camera were measured to obtain a specific regression formula. The mean (±SD) preoperative Km was 43.50 (±1.39) diopters (D) (range, 39.25 to 47.05 D). The mean (±SD) Km value calculated with the Saiki formula using the 6 months PO posterior Km was 42.94 (±1.19) D (range, 40.34 to 45.98 D) with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Six months after PRK in our patients, the posterior Km was correlated with the anterior preoperative one by the following regression formula: y = -4.9707x + 12.457 (R² = 0.7656), where x is PO posterior Km and y is preoperative anterior Km, similar to the one calculated by Saiki. Care should be taken in using the Saiki formula to calculate the preoperative Km in patients who underwent PRK.

Azide functionalized poly(3-hexylthiophene) and methods of forming same

DOEpatents

Qin, Yang; Grubbs, Robert B; Park, Young Suk

2014-11-18

This disclosure relates to a polymer having the formula: ##STR00001## wherein x is between 1 and about 100 an y is between about 99 and about 1, and x+Y=about 100. The disclosure also includes the use of the polymer in photovoltaic devices.

Metal hydrides as electrode/catalyst materials for oxygen evolution/reduction in electrochemical devices

DOEpatents

Bugga, Ratnakumar V.; Halpert, Gerald; Fultz, Brent; Witham, Charles K.; Bowman, Robert C.; Hightower, Adrian

1997-01-01

An at least ternary metal alloy of the formula, AB.sub.(5-Y)X(.sub.y), is claimed. In this formula, A is selected from the rare earth elements, B is selected from the elements of groups 8, 9, and 10 of the periodic table of the elements, and X includes at least one of the following: antimony, arsenic, and bismuth. Ternary or higher-order substitutions, to the base AB.sub.5 alloys, that form strong kinetic interactions with the predominant metals in the base metal hydride are used to form metal alloys with high structural integrity after multiple cycles of hydrogen sorption.

Modified Atkins diet vs classic ketogenic formula in intractable epilepsy.

PubMed

El-Rashidy, O F; Nassar, M F; Abdel-Hamid, I A; Shatla, R H; Abdel-Hamid, M H; Gabr, S S; Mohamed, S G; El-Sayed, W S; Shaaban, S Y

2013-12-01

The study was designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the ketogenic diet (KD) whether classic 4:1 formula or the modified Atkins diet (MAD) in intractable childhood epilepsy. Anthropometric measurements and serum lipid profile were measured upon enrollment and after 3 and 6 months in 40 patients with symptomatic intractable epilepsy. Fifteen were given MAD diet, ten were kept on classic 4:1 ketogenic liquid formula, and the rest were allowed to eat as desired. The liquid ketogenic formula group showed significantly higher body mass index compared with those who did not receive KD after 6 months. The lipid profile of KD patients was within normal limits for age and sex during the study period. The rate of change of frequency and severity of seizures showed best improvement in ketogenic liquid formula patients followed by the MAD group than the patients on anti-epileptic medications alone. The KD whether classic 4:1 or MAD is a tolerable, safe, and effective adjuvant therapy for intractable symptomatic childhood epilepsy with limited adverse effects on the growth parameters and accepted changes in the lipid profile. The liquid ketogenic formula patients showed better growth pattern and significantly more seizure control. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Predictors and consequences of in-hospital formula supplementation for healthy breastfeeding newborns.

PubMed

Parry, Jane E; Ip, Dennis K M; Chau, Patsy Y K; Wu, Kendra M; Tarrant, Marie

2013-11-01

Although exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months, the use of breast milk substitutes is widespread around the world. To describe the patterns of infant formula supplementation among healthy breastfeeding newborns, to identify factors contributing to in-hospital formula supplementation, and to assess the dose-response relationship between the amount of in-hospital formula supplementation and the duration of any breastfeeding. A sample of 1246 breastfeeding mother-infant pairs was recruited from 4 public hospitals in Hong Kong and followed prospectively for 12 months or until weaned. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with in-hospital supplementation. Cox regression analysis was used to explore the impact of in-hospital supplementation on breastfeeding duration. Of the total, 82.5% of newborns were supplemented in the hospital; one-half received formula within 5 hours of birth. Assisted vaginal delivery (odds ratio [OR] = 2.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03, 4.15), cesarean section (OR = 3.45, 95% CI 1.75, 6.80), and higher birth weight (OR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.12, 2.18) were positively associated with in-hospital formula supplementation, whereas initiating breastfeeding in the delivery room (OR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.33, 0.89) was associated with decreased likelihood of in-hospital supplementation. Any infant formula in the first 48 hours was associated with a shorter duration of breastfeeding (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.51, 95% CI 1.27, 1.80), but there was no dose-response effect. In-hospital formula supplementation is common in Hong Kong hospitals and appears to be detrimental to breastfeeding duration. Continued efforts should be made to avoid the provision of infant formula to breastfeeding babies while in the hospital unless medically indicated.

Oral Microbiota in Infants Fed a Formula Supplemented with Bovine Milk Fat Globule Membranes - A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Timby, Niklas; Domellöf, Magnus; Holgerson, Pernilla Lif; West, Christina E; Lönnerdal, Bo; Hernell, Olle; Johansson, Ingegerd

2017-01-01

In a recent study, supplementation of infant formula with milk fat globule membranes (MFGM) decreased the incidence of otitis media in infants <6 months of age. The aim of the present study was to characterize the oral microbiota in infants fed MFGM-supplemented formula and compare it to that of infants fed standard formula or breast milk. In a prospective double-blinded randomized controlled trial, exclusively formula-fed infants <2 months of age were randomized to be fed experimental formula (EF, n = 80) with reduced energy and protein and supplemented with a bovine MFGM concentrate, or standard formula (SF, n = 80) until 6 months of age. A breast-fed reference (BFR, n = 80) group was also recruited. The oral microbiota was analyzed at 4 (n = 124) and 12 (n = 166) months of age using Illumina MiSeq multiplex sequencing and taxonomic resolution against the HOMD 16S rDNA database of oral bacteria. Species richness in the oral samples did not differ between the EF and SF groups, but partial least square modeling identified a few taxa that were significantly associated with being in either group, e.g. lower level of Moraxella catarrhalis in the EF group. Infants in the BFR group had significantly lower species richness at 4 months of age and their microbiota pattern differed markedly from the formula-fed groups. Supplementation of infant formula with MFGM yielded moderate effects on the oral microbiome. Moraxella catarrhalis was less prevalent in infants fed EF than in those fed SF and may be associated with the decrease in otitis media seen in the same group.

Effect of a hospital policy of not accepting free infant formula on in-hospital formula supplementation rates and breast-feeding duration.

PubMed

Tarrant, Marie; Lok, Kris Yw; Fong, Daniel Yt; Lee, Irene Ly; Sham, Alice; Lam, Christine; Wu, Kendra M; Bai, Dorothy L; Wong, Ka Lun; Wong, Emmy My; Chan, Noel Pt; Dodgson, Joan E

2015-10-01

To investigate the effect of public hospitals in Hong Kong not accepting free infant formula from manufacturers on in-hospital formula supplementation rates and breast-feeding duration. Prospective cohort study. In-patient postnatal units of four public hospitals in Hong Kong. Two cohorts of breast-feeding mother-infant pairs (n 2560). Cohort 1 (n 1320) was recruited before implementation of the policy to stop accepting free infant formula and cohort 2 (n 1240) was recruited after policy implementation. Participants were followed prospectively for 12 months or until they stopped breast-feeding. The mean number of formula supplements given to infants in the first 24 h was 2·70 (sd 3·11) in cohort 1 and 1·17 (sd 1·94) in cohort 2 (P<0·001). The proportion of infants who were exclusively breast-fed during the hospital stay increased from 17·7 % in cohort 1 to 41·3 % in cohort 2 (P<0·001) and the risk of breast-feeding cessation was significantly lower in cohort 2 (hazard ratio=0·81; 95 % CI 0·73, 0·90). Participants who non-exclusively breast-fed during the hospital stay had a significantly higher risk of stopping any or exclusive breast-feeding. Higher levels of formula supplementation also increased the risk of breast-feeding cessation in a dose-response pattern. After implementation of a hospital policy to pay market price for infant formula, rates of in-hospital formula supplementation were reduced and the rates of in-hospital exclusive breast-feeding and breast-feeding duration increased.

Analytical theory of the space-charge region of lateral p-n junctions in nanofilms

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

Gurugubelli, Vijaya Kumar, E-mail: vkgurugubelli@gmail.com; Karmalkar, Shreepad

There is growing interest in fabricating conventional semiconductor devices in a nanofilm which could be a 3D material with one reduced dimension (e.g., silicon-on-insulator (SOI) film), or single/multiple layers of a 2D material (e.g., MoS{sub 2}), or a two dimensional electron gas/two dimensional hole gas (2DEG/2DHG) layer. Lateral p-n junctions are essential parts of these devices. The space-charge region electrostatics in these nanofilm junctions is strongly affected by the surrounding field, unlike in bulk junctions. Current device physics of nanofilms lacks a simple analytical theory of this 2D electrostatics of lateral p-n junctions. We present such a theory taking intomore » account the film's thickness, permittivity, doping, interface charge, and possibly different ambient permittivities on film's either side. In analogy to the textbook theory of the 1D electrostatics of bulk p-n junctions, our theory yields simple formulas for the depletion width, the extent of space-charge tails beyond this width, and the screening length associated with the space-charge layer in nanofilm junctions; these formulas agree with numerical simulations and measurements. Our theory introduces an electrostatic thickness index to classify nanofilms into sheets, bulk and intermediate sized.« less

Pedelecs as a physically active transportation mode.

PubMed

Peterman, James E; Morris, Kalee L; Kram, Rodger; Byrnes, William C

2016-08-01

Pedelecs are bicycles that provide electric assistance only when a rider is pedaling and have become increasingly popular. Our purpose was to quantify usage patterns over 4 weeks of real-world commuting with a pedelec and to determine if pedelec use would improve cardiometabolic risk factors. Twenty sedentary commuters visited the laboratory for baseline physiological measurements [body composition, maximum oxygen consumption ([Formula: see text]), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), blood lipid profile, and 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)]. The following 4 weeks, participants were instructed to commute using a pedelec at least 3 days week(-1) for 40 min day(-1) while wearing a heart rate monitor and a GPS device. Metabolic equivalents (METS) were estimated from heart rate data. Following the intervention, we repeated the physiological measurements. Average total distance and time were 317.9 ± 113.8 km and 15.9 ± 3.4 h, respectively. Participants averaged 4.9 ± 1.2 METS when riding. Four weeks of pedelec commuting significantly improved 2-h post-OGTT glucose (5.53 ± 1.18-5.03 ± 0.91 mmol L(-1), p < 0.05), [Formula: see text] (2.21 ± 0.48-2.39 ± 0.52 L min(-1), p < 0.05), and end of [Formula: see text] test power output (165.1 ± 37.1-189.3 ± 38.2 W, p < 0.05). There were trends for improvements in MAP (84.6 ± 10.5-83.2 ± 9.4 mmHg, p = 0.15) and fat mass (28.6 ± 11.3-28.2 ± 11.4 kg, p = 0.07). Participants rode a pedelec in the real world at a self-selected moderate intensity, which helped them meet physical activity recommendations. Pedelec commuting also resulted in significant improvements in 2-h post-OGTT glucose, [Formula: see text], and power output. Pedelecs are an effective form of active transportation that can improve some cardiometabolic risk factors within only 4 weeks.

21 CFR 50.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... section 515. (19) A product development protocol for a medical device, described in section 515. (20) Data...) Data and information about a clinical study of an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant... investigations involving children submitted in a new dietary ingredient notification, described in § 190.6 of...

21 CFR 50.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... section 515. (19) A product development protocol for a medical device, described in section 515. (20) Data...) Data and information about a clinical study of an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant... investigations involving children submitted in a new dietary ingredient notification, described in § 190.6 of...

21 CFR 50.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... section 515. (19) A product development protocol for a medical device, described in section 515. (20) Data...) Data and information about a clinical study of an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant... investigations involving children submitted in a new dietary ingredient notification, described in § 190.6 of...

21 CFR 50.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... section 515. (19) A product development protocol for a medical device, described in section 515. (20) Data...) Data and information about a clinical study of an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant... investigations involving children submitted in a new dietary ingredient notification, described in § 190.6 of...

21 CFR 50.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... section 515. (19) A product development protocol for a medical device, described in section 515. (20) Data...) Data and information about a clinical study of an infant formula when submitted as part of an infant... investigations involving children submitted in a new dietary ingredient notification, described in § 190.6 of...

Single-breath-hold abdominal [Formula: see text]  mapping using 3D Cartesian Look-Locker with spatiotemporal sparsity constraints.

PubMed

Lugauer, Felix; Wetzl, Jens; Forman, Christoph; Schneider, Manuel; Kiefer, Berthold; Hornegger, Joachim; Nickel, Dominik; Maier, Andreas

2018-06-01

Our aim was to develop and validate a 3D Cartesian Look-Locker [Formula: see text] mapping technique that achieves high accuracy and whole-liver coverage within a single breath-hold. The proposed method combines sparse Cartesian sampling based on a spatiotemporally incoherent Poisson pattern and k-space segmentation, dedicated for high-temporal-resolution imaging. This combination allows capturing tissue with short relaxation times with volumetric coverage. A joint reconstruction of the 3D + inversion time (TI) data via compressed sensing exploits the spatiotemporal sparsity and ensures consistent quality for the subsequent multistep [Formula: see text] mapping. Data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) phantom and 11 volunteers, along with reference 2D Look-Locker acquisitions, are used for validation. 2D and 3D methods are compared based on [Formula: see text] values in different abdominal tissues at 1.5 and 3 T. [Formula: see text] maps obtained from the proposed 3D method compare favorably with those from the 2D reference and additionally allow for reformatting or volumetric analysis. Excellent agreement is shown in phantom [bias[Formula: see text] < 2%, bias[Formula: see text] < 5% for (120; 2000) ms] and volunteer data (3D and 2D deviation < 4% for liver, muscle, and spleen) for clinically acceptable scan (20 s) and reconstruction times (< 4 min). Whole-liver [Formula: see text] mapping with high accuracy and precision is feasible in one breath-hold using spatiotemporally incoherent, sparse 3D Cartesian sampling.

The relationship between the thermoelectric generator efficiency and the device engineering figure of merit Zd,eng. The maximum efficiency 𝜼max

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hapenciuc, C. L.; Borca-Tasciuc, T.; Mihailescu, I. N.

2017-04-01

Thermoelectric materials are used today in thermoelectric devices for heat to electricity(thermoelectric generators-TEG) or electricity to heat(heat pumps) conversion in a large range of applications. In the case of TEGs the final measure of their performance is given by a quantity named the maximum efficiency which shows how much from the heat input is converted into electrical power. Therefore it is of great interest to know correctly how much is the efficiency of a device to can make commercial assessments. The concept of engineering figure of merit, Zeng, and engineering power factor, Peng, were already introduced in the field to quantify the efficiency of a single material under temperature dependent thermoelectric properties, with the mention that the formulas derivation was limited to one leg of the thermoelectric generator. In this paper we propose to extend the concept of engineering figure of merit to a thermoelectric generator by introducing a more general concept of device engineering thermoelectric figure of merit, Zd,eng, which depends on the both TEG materials properties and which shall be the right quantity to be used when we are interested in the evaluation of the efficiency. Also, this work takes into account the electrical contact resistance between the electrodes and thermoelement legs in an attempt to quantify its influence upon the performance of a TEG. Finally, a new formula is proposed for the maximum efficiency of a TEG.

Tumor image signatures and habitats: a processing pipeline of multimodality metabolic and physiological images.

PubMed

You, Daekeun; Kim, Michelle M; Aryal, Madhava P; Parmar, Hemant; Piert, Morand; Lawrence, Theodore S; Cao, Yue

2018-01-01

To create tumor "habitats" from the "signatures" discovered from multimodality metabolic and physiological images, we developed a framework of a processing pipeline. The processing pipeline consists of six major steps: (1) creating superpixels as a spatial unit in a tumor volume; (2) forming a data matrix [Formula: see text] containing all multimodality image parameters at superpixels; (3) forming and clustering a covariance or correlation matrix [Formula: see text] of the image parameters to discover major image "signatures;" (4) clustering the superpixels and organizing the parameter order of the [Formula: see text] matrix according to the one found in step 3; (5) creating "habitats" in the image space from the superpixels associated with the "signatures;" and (6) pooling and clustering a matrix consisting of correlation coefficients of each pair of image parameters from all patients to discover subgroup patterns of the tumors. The pipeline was applied to a dataset of multimodality images in glioblastoma (GBM) first, which consisted of 10 image parameters. Three major image "signatures" were identified. The three major "habitats" plus their overlaps were created. To test generalizability of the processing pipeline, a second image dataset from GBM, acquired on the scanners different from the first one, was processed. Also, to demonstrate the clinical association of image-defined "signatures" and "habitats," the patterns of recurrence of the patients were analyzed together with image parameters acquired prechemoradiation therapy. An association of the recurrence patterns with image-defined "signatures" and "habitats" was revealed. These image-defined "signatures" and "habitats" can be used to guide stereotactic tissue biopsy for genetic and mutation status analysis and to analyze for prediction of treatment outcomes, e.g., patterns of failure.

Prescription frequency and patterns of Chinese herbal medicine for liver cancer patients in Taiwan: a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health Insurance Research Database.

PubMed

Ting, Chin-Tsung; Kuo, Chian-Jue; Hu, Hsiao-Yun; Lee, Ya-Ling; Tsai, Tung-Hu

2017-02-20

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is frequently provided to HCC patients. The aim of this study was to understand the prescription frequency and patterns of CHM for HCC patients by analyzing the claims data from the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Taiwan. We identified 73918 newly diagnosed HCC subjects from the database of Registry for Catastrophic Illness during 2002 to 2009 and to analyze the frequency and pattern of corresponding CHM prescriptions for HCC patients. There were a total of 685,079 single Chinese herbal prescriptions and 553,952 Chinese herbal formula prescriptions used for 17,373 HCC subjects before 2 years of HCC diagnosis. Among the 13,093 HCC subjects who used CHMs after HCC diagnosis, there were 462,786 single Chinese herbal prescriptions and 300,153 Chinese herbal formula prescriptions were counted. By adjusting with person-year and ratio of standardized incidence rate, the top ten prescribed single herbal drugs and Chinese herbal formulas for HCC patients were described in our study. Among them, we concluded that, Oldenlandia diffusa (Chinese herbal name: Bai-Hua-She-She-Cao), Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (Da Huang) and the herbal preparation of Xiao-Chai-Hu-Tang and Gan-Lu-Yin, were the most obviously increased and important CHMs been used for HCC patients. We established an accurate and validated method for the actual frequency and patterns of CHM use in treating HCC in Taiwan. We propose that these breakthrough findings may have important implications for HCC therapy, clinical trials and modernization of CHM.

47 CFR 22.353 - Blanketing interference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... where the field strength of the electromagnetic radiation from such stations equals or exceeds 115 dBµV... consideration of the antenna's vertical radiation pattern or height, must be used in the formula. (c) Licensees...

Feeding patterns and diet - babies and infants

MedlinePlus

... infants - feeding; Diet - age appropriate - babies and infants; Breastfeeding - babies and infants; Formula feeding - babies and infants ... You can see milk leaking or dripping while nursing. Your baby starts to gain weight; about 4 ...

Study of ZnO and Mg doped ZnO nanoparticles by sol-gel process

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

Ansari, Mohd Meenhaz, E-mail: meenhazphysics@gmail.com; Arshad, Mohd; Tripathi, Pushpendra

Nano-crystalline undoped and Mg doped ZnO (Mg-ZnO) nanoparticles with compositional formula Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1-x}O (x=0,1,3,5,7,10 and 12 %) were synthesized using sol-gel process. The XRD diffraction peaks match with the pattern of the standard hexagonal structure of ZnO that reveals the formation of hexagonal wurtzite structure in all samples. SEM images demonstrates clearly the formation of spherical ZnO nanoparticles, and change of the morphology of the nanoparticles with the concentration of the magnesium, which is in close agreement with that estimated by Scherer formula based on the XRD pattern. To investigate the doping effect on optical properties, the UV–VIS absorptionmore » spectra was obtained and the band gap of the samples calculated.« less

Prescription pattern of traditional Chinese medicine for climacteric women in Taiwan.

PubMed

Yang, Y-H; Chen, P-C; Wang, J-D; Lee, C-H; Lai, J-N

2009-12-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become more popular as a therapy for symptom relief among menopause-aged women. The aim of this study was to analyze the utilization of TCM for climacteric women in Taiwan. The study analyzed frequency distributions among 19 379 women aged 45-55 years, recruited from a random-sampled cohort of 200 000 people from the National Health Insurance database. Data mining was conducted to explore the co-prescription patterns for finished herbal products (FHP). There were 19 379 women aged 45-55 years in the sample; of these, 12 572 (64.9%) utilized TCM services at least once. A total of 4078 (21.0%) of the 19 379 climacteric women utilized 145 200 (79.2%) TCM visits. Of these, 39 802 (21.7%) visits were because of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, of which more than half were treated with acupuncture and traumatology manipulative therapies. There were 28 154 visits with FHP prescriptions because of non-specific symptoms and ill-defined conditions, and Jia-wei-xiao-yao-san was the most frequent formula. Nearly two-thirds of FHP contained more than two herbal formulae. Women of climacteric age in Taiwan utilized TCM more often than other age groups. To deal with multiple symptoms and/or diseases among climacteric women, new prescription patterns of combining two or more herbal formulae have evolved. Studies on safety issues and drug-herb interactions are warranted for future research.

Realizable feed-element patterns for multibeam reflector antenna analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rahmat-Samii, Y.; Cramer, P., Jr.; Woo, K.; Lee, S. W.

1981-01-01

The radiation pattern of a feed element is approximately described by a simple function (cos theta) to the q power. For a given element spacing of the feed array, simple formulas for estimating the practical value of q when the element is an open-ended rectangular waveguide, an open-ended circular waveguide, a pyramidal horn, or a cigar antenna are given.

Flexibility and Coordination among Acts of Visualization and Analysis in a Pattern Generalization Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nilsson, Per; Juter, Kristina

2011-01-01

This study aims at exploring processes of flexibility and coordination among acts of visualization and analysis in students' attempt to reach a general formula for a three-dimensional pattern generalizing task. The investigation draws on a case-study analysis of two 15-year-old girls working together on a task in which they are asked to calculate…

Patterning of conjugated polymers for organic optoelectronic devices.

PubMed

Xu, Youyong; Zhang, Fan; Feng, Xinliang

2011-05-23

Conjugated polymers have been attracting more and more attention because they possess various novel electrical, magnetical, and optical properties, which render them useful in modern organic optoelectronic devices. Due to their organic nature, conjugated polymers are light-weight and can be fabricated into flexible appliances. Significant research efforts have been devoted to developing new organic materials to make them competitive with their conventional inorganic counterparts. It is foreseeable that when large-scale industrial manufacture of the devices made from organic conjugated polymers is feasible, they would be much cheaper and have more functions. On one hand, in order to improve the performance of organic optoelectronic devices, it is essential to tune their surface morphologies by techniques such as patterning. On the other hand, patterning is the routine requirement for device processing. In this review, the recent progress in the patterning of conjugated polymers for high-performance optoelectronic devices is summarized. Patterning based on the bottom-up and top-down methods are introduced. Emerging new patterning strategies and future trends for conventional patterning techniques are discussed. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Leading multi-soft limits from scattering equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zlotnikov, Michael

2017-10-01

A Cachazo-He-Yuan (CHY) type formula is derived for the leading gluon, bi-adjoint scalar ϕ 3, Yang-Mills-scalar and non-linear sigma model m-soft factors S m in arbitrary dimension. The general formula is used to evaluate explicit examples for up to three soft legs analytically and up to four soft legs numerically via comparison with amplitude ratios under soft kinematics. A structural pattern for gluon m-soft factor is inferred and a simpler formula for its calculation is conjectured. In four dimensions, a Cachazo-Svrček-Witten (CSW) recursive procedure producing the leading m-soft gluon factor in spinor helicity formalism is developed as an alternative, and Britto-Cachazo-Feng-Witten (BCFW) recursion is used to obtain the leading four-soft gluon factor for all analytically distinct helicity configurations.

[Need-based resource allocation--experiences with the RAWP formula in Great Britain].

PubMed

Brand, H; Menke, R

1997-07-01

The RAWP formula used for resource allocation in Great Britain between 1976 and 1991 is a morbidity-oriented instrument of controlling, which has so far received only little attention in Germany. The development of this model was supported by the intention to intervene in the regional pattern of hospital supply by means of resource allocation and to refine it according to the guiding principles of equity and efficiency. The basic elements-regional population, average bed use, ICD chapter-specific SMRs-are discussed and the various modifications outlined. The RAWP formula's potentials of controlling resulted in a progressive reduction of the apparent disparities between regions in hospital supply, and knee was considered to be a "qualified success". The future development in the sense of an internal market addressed.

Formularity: Software for Automated Formula Assignment of Natural and Other Organic Matter from Ultrahigh-Resolution Mass Spectra

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

Tolić, Nikola; Liu, Yina; Liyu, Andrey

Ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry, such as Fourier transform ion-cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), can resolve thousands of molecular ions in complex organic matrices. A Compound Identification Algorithm (CIA) was previously developed for automated elemental formula assignment for natural organic matter (NOM). In this work we describe a user friendly interface for CIA, titled Formularity, which includes an additional functionality to perform search of formulas based on an Isotopic Pattern Algorithm (IPA). While CIA assigns elemental formulas for compounds containing C, H, O, N, S, and P, IPA is capable of assigning formulas for compounds containing other elements. We used halogenatedmore » organic compounds (HOC), a chemical class that is ubiquitous in nature as well as anthropogenic systems, as an example to demonstrate the capability of Formularity with IPA. A HOC standard mix was used to evaluate the identification confidence of IPA. The HOC spike in NOM and tap water were used to assess HOC identification in natural and anthropogenic matrices. Strategies for reconciliation of CIA and IPA assignments are discussed. Software and sample databases with documentation are freely available from the PNNL OMICS software repository https://omics.pnl.gov/software/formularity.« less

Growth plate cartilage shows different strain patterns in response to static versus dynamic mechanical modulation.

PubMed

Kaviani, Rosa; Londono, Irene; Parent, Stefan; Moldovan, Florina; Villemure, Isabelle

2016-08-01

Longitudinal growth of long bones and vertebrae occurs in growth plate cartilage. This process is partly regulated by mechanical forces, which are one of the underlying reasons for progression of growth deformities such as idiopathic adolescent scoliosis and early-onset scoliosis. This concept of mechanical modulation of bone growth is also exploited in the development of fusionless treatments of these deformities. However, the optimal loading condition for the mechanical modulation of growth plate remains to be identified. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of in vitro static versus dynamic modulation and of dynamic loading parameters, such as frequency and amplitude, on the mechanical responses and histomorphology of growth plate explants. Growth plate explants from distal ulnae of 4-week-old swines were extracted and randomly distributed among six experimental groups: baseline ([Formula: see text]), control ([Formula: see text]), static ([Formula: see text]) and dynamic ([Formula: see text]). For static and dynamic groups, mechanical modulation was performed in vitro using an Indexed CartiGen bioreactor. A stress relaxation test combined with confocal microscopy and digital image correlation was used to characterize the mechanical responses of each explant in terms of peak stress, equilibrium stress, equilibrium modulus of elasticity and strain pattern. Histomorphometrical measurements were performed on toluidine blue tissue sections using a semi-automatic custom-developed MATLAB toolbox. Results suggest that compared to dynamic modulation, static modulation changes the strain pattern of the tissue and thus is more detrimental for tissue biomechanics, while the histomorphological parameters are not affected by mechanical modulation. Also, under dynamic modulation, changing the frequency or amplitude does not affect the biomechanical response of the tissue. Results of this study will be useful in finding optimal and non-damaging parameters for the mechanical modulation of growth plate in fusionless treatments.

Cardiopulmonary performance testing using a robotics-assisted tilt table: feasibility assessment in able-bodied subjects.

PubMed

Saengsuwan, J; Laubacher, M; Nef, T; Hunt, K J

2014-01-01

Robotics-assisted tilt table technology was introduced for early rehabilitation of neurological patients. It provides cyclical stepping movement and physiological loading of the legs. The aim of the present study was to assess the feasibility of this type of device for peak cardiopulmonary performance testing using able-bodied subjects. A robotics-assisted tilt table was augmented with force sensors in the thigh cuffs and a work rate estimation algorithm. A custom visual feedback system was employed to guide the subjects' work rate and to provide real time feedback of actual work rate. Feasibility assessment focused on: (i) implementation (technical feasibility), and (ii) responsiveness (was there a measurable, high-level cardiopulmonary reaction?). For responsiveness testing, each subject carried out an incremental exercise test to the limit of functional capacity with a work rate increment of 5 W/min in female subjects and 8 W/min in males. 11 able-bodied subjects were included (9 male, 2 female; age 29.6 ± 7.1 years: mean ± SD). Resting oxygen uptake (O_{2}) was 4.6 ± 0.7 mL/min/kg and O_{2}peak was 32.4 ± 5.1 mL/min/kg; this mean O_{2}peak was 81.1% of the predicted peak value for cycle ergometry. Peak heart rate (HRpeak) was 177.5 ± 9.7 beats/min; all subjects reached at least 85% of their predicted HRpeak value. Respiratory exchange ratio (RER) at O_{2}peak was 1.02 ± 0.07. Peak work rate) was 61.3 ± 15.1 W. All subjects reported a Borg CR10 value for exertion and leg fatigue of 7 or more. The robotics-assisted tilt table is deemed feasible for peak cardiopulmonary performance testing: the approach was found to be technically implementable and substantial cardiopulmonary responses were observed. Further testing in neurologically-impaired subjects is warranted.

Infant Formula Feeding at Birth Is Common and Inversely Associated with Subsequent Breastfeeding Behavior in Vietnam123

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Tuan T; Withers, Mellissa; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Frongillo, Edward A

2016-01-01

Background: The association between infant formula feeding at birth and subsequent feeding patterns in a low- or middle-income context is not clear. Objective: We examined the association of infant formula feeding during the first 3 d after birth with subsequent infant formula feeding and early breastfeeding cessation in Vietnam. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, we interviewed 10,681 mothers with children aged 0−23 mo (mean age: 8.2 mo; 52% boys) about their feeding practices during the first 3 d after birth and on the previous day. We used stratified analysis, multiple logistic regression, propensity score-matching analysis, and structural equation modeling to minimize the limitation of the cross-sectional design and to ensure the consistency of the findings. Results: Infant formula feeding during the first 3 d after birth (50%) was associated with a higher prevalence of subsequent infant formula feeding [stratified analysis: 7−28% higher (nonoverlapping 95% CIs for most comparisons); propensity score-matching analysis: 13% higher (P < 0.001); multiple logistic regression: OR: 1.47 (95% CI: 1.30, 1.67)]. This practice was also associated with a higher prevalence of early breastfeeding cessation (e.g., <24 mo) [propensity score-matching analysis: 2% (P = 0.08); OR: 1.33 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.59)]. Structural equation modeling showed that infant formula feeding during the first 3 d after birth was associated with a higher prevalence of subsequent infant formula feeding (β: 0.244; P < 0.001), which in turn was linked to early breastfeeding cessation (β: 0.285; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Infant formula feeding during the first 3 d after birth was associated with increased subsequent infant formula feeding and the early cessation of breastfeeding, which underscores the need to make early, exclusive breastfeeding normative and to create environments that support it. PMID:27605404

Local deformation gradients in epitaxial Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 layers investigated by transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Denneulin, T; Wollschläger, N; Everhardt, A S; Farokhipoor, S; Noheda, B; Snoeck, E; Hÿtch, M

2018-05-31

Lead zirconate titanate samples are used for their piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties in various types of micro-devices. Epitaxial layers of tetragonal perovskites have a tendency to relax by forming [Formula: see text] ferroelastic domains. The accommodation of the a/c/a/c polydomain structure on a flat substrate leads to nanoscale deformation gradients which locally influence the polarization by flexoelectric effect. Here, we investigated the deformation fields in epitaxial layers of Pb(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8 )O 3 grown on SrTiO 3 substrates using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We found that the deformation gradients depend on the domain walls inclination ([Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] to the substrate interface) of the successive [Formula: see text] domains and we describe three different a/c/a domain configurations: one configuration with parallel a-domains and two configurations with perpendicular a-domains (V-shaped and hat-[Formula: see text]-shaped). In the parallel configuration, the c-domains contain horizontal and vertical gradients of out-of-plane deformation. In the V-shaped and hat-[Formula: see text]-shaped configurations, the c-domains exhibit a bending deformation field with vertical gradients of in-plane deformation. Each of these configurations is expected to have a different influence on the polarization and so the local properties of the film. The deformation gradients were measured using dark-field electron holography, a TEM technique, which offers a good sensitivity (0.1%) and a large field-of-view (hundreds of nanometers). The measurements are compared with finite element simulations.

Calculation of heating power generated from ferromagnetic thermal seed (PdCo-PdNi-CuNi) alloys used as interstitial hyperthermia implants.

PubMed

El-Sayed, Adly H; Aly, A A; EI-Sayed, N I; Mekawy, M M; EI-Gendy, A A

2007-03-01

High quality heating device made of ferromagnetic alloy (thermal seed) was developed for hyperthermia treatment of cancer. The device generates sufficient heat at room temperature and stops heating at the Curie temperature T (c). The power dissipated from each seed was calculated from the area enclosed by the hysteresis loop. A new mathematical formula for the calculation of heating power was derived and showed good agreement with those calculated from hysteresis loop and calorimetric method.

Science Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piearce, Trevor; And Others

1988-01-01

Provides explanations of 15 experiments, laboratory activities, demonstrations, and lessons for use in instruction. Includes information on Daphnia, wild garlic, crystals, gas chromatographs, bleaches, alcohols, reactivity series, chemistry formula, electronic keyboards and waveforms, interference and diffraction gravity, Moire fringe patterns,…

New image-stabilizing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yuejin

1996-06-01

In this paper, a new method for image stabilization with a three-axis image- stabilizing reflecting prism assembly is presented, and the principle of image stabilization in this prism assembly, formulae for image stabilization and working formulae with an approximation up to the third power are given in detail. In this image-stabilizing system, a single chip microcomputer is used to calculate value of compensating angles and thus to control the prism assembly. Two gyroscopes act as sensors from which information of angular perturbation is obtained, three stepping motors drive the prism assembly to compensate for the movement of image produced by angular perturbation. The image-stabilizing device so established is a multifold system which involves optics, mechanics, electronics and computer.

Nanosegregated bimetallic oxide anode catalyst for proton exchange membrane electrolyzer

DOEpatents

Danilovic, Nemanja; Kang, Yijin; Markovic, Nenad; Stamenkovic, Vojislav; Myers, Deborah J.; Subbaraman, Ram

2016-08-23

A surface segregated bimetallic composition of the formula Ru.sub.1-xIr.sub.x wherein 0.1.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.75, wherein a surface of the material has an Ir concentration that is greater than an Ir concentration of the material as a whole is provided. The surface segregated material may be produced by a method including heating a bimetallic composition of the formula Ru.sub.1-xIr.sub.x, wherein 0.1.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.75, at a first temperature in a reducing environment, and heating the composition at a second temperature in an oxidizing environment. The surface segregated material may be utilized in electrochemical devices.

21 CFR 892.1420 - Radionuclide test pattern phantom.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Radionuclide test pattern phantom. 892.1420 Section 892.1420 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1420 Radionuclide test pattern phantom...

Laboratory Instrumentation Design Research for Scalable Next Generation Epitaxy: Non-Equilibrium Wide Application Epitaxial Patterning by Intelligent Control (NEW-EPIC). Volume 1. 3D Composition/Doping Control via Micromiror Patterned Deep UV Photodesorption: Revolutionary in situ Characterization/Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-19

magnesium dopant concentration. A digital micromirror device is introduced to pattern incident UV radiation during InGaN growth, demonstrating that the...magnesium dopant concentration. A digital micromirror device is introduced to pattern incident UV radiation during InGaN growth, demonstrating that the...successful compositional patterning of InGaN using in situ digital micromirror device (DMD) patterning of ultraviolet (UV

A new approach to aid the characterisation and identification of metabolites of a model drug; partial isotope enrichment combined with novel formula elucidation software.

PubMed

Hobby, Kirsten; Gallagher, Richard T; Caldwell, Patrick; Wilson, Ian D

2009-01-01

This work describes the identification of 'isotopically enriched' metabolites of 4-cyanoaniline using the unique features of the software package 'Spectral Simplicity'. The software is capable of creating the theoretical mass spectra for partially isotope-enriched compounds, and subsequently performing an elemental composition analysis to give the elemental formula for the 'isotopically enriched' metabolite. A novel mass spectral correlation method, called 'FuzzyFit', was employed. 'FuzzyFit' utilises the expected experimental distribution of errors in both mass accuracy and isotope pattern and enables discrimination between statistically probable and improbable candidate formulae. The software correctly determined the molecular formulae of ten previously described metabolites of 4-cyanoaniline confirming the technique of partial isotope enrichment can produce results analogous to standard methodologies. Six previously unknown species were also identified, based on the presence of the unique 'designer' isotope ratio. Three of the unknowns were tentatively identified as N-acetylglutamine, O-methyl-N acetylglucuronide and a putative fatty acid conjugate. The discovery of a significant number of unknown species of a model drug with a comprehensive history of investigation highlights the potential for enhancement to the analytical process by the use of 'designer' isotope ratio compounds. The 'FuzzyFit' methodology significantly aided the elucidation of candidate formulae, by provision of a vastly simplified candidate formula data set. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Survey of Cronobacter spp. (formerly Enterbacter sakazakii) in Infant and Follow-up Powdered Formula in China in 2012.

PubMed

Pei, Xiao Yan; Yan, Lin; Zhu, Jiang Hui; Li, Ning; Guo, Yun Chang; Fu, Ping; Jia, Hua Yun; Zhang, Xiu Li; Yang, Xiao Rong; Yang, Da Jin

2016-02-01

To determine Cronobacter spp. contamination in infant and follow-up powdered formula in China. All of 2282 samples were collected from the retail markets in China from January 2012 to December 2012, and analyzed for Cronobacter spp. by the Chinese National Food Safety Standard. Characterization of the isolates was analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with XbaI and SpeI restriction enzymes. Cronobacter spp. strains were isolated from 25 samples, and the positive rates in infant powdered formulas and follow-up powdered formulas were 0.90% (10/1011) and 1.18% (15/1271), respectively. Analysis of variable data regarding different purchasing store formats, seasonality, and production locations as well as comparison of infant versus follow-up formulas did not reveal statistically significant factors. During the sampling period, one of six surveillance zones did exhibit a statistically significant trend towards higher positive rate. PFGE characterization of Cronobacter spp. to elucidate genetic diversity revealed only three pairs of Cronobacter spp. out of 25 having the same PFGE patterns. The current investigation indicated a lower positive rate of Cronobacter spp. in the powdered formula in China. This evidence suggested contamination originating from multiple different sources during the manufacturing process. Copyright © 2016 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Symmetry dependence of holograms for optical trapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curtis, Jennifer E.; Schmitz, Christian H. J.; Spatz, Joachim P.

2005-08-01

No iterative algorithm is necessary to calculate holograms for most holographic optical trapping patterns. Instead, holograms may be produced by a simple extension of the prisms-and-lenses method. This formulaic approach yields the same diffraction efficiency as iterative algorithms for any asymmetric or symmetric but nonperiodic pattern of points while requiring less calculation time. A slight spatial disordering of periodic patterns significantly reduces intensity variations between the different traps without extra calculation costs. Eliminating laborious hologram calculations should greatly facilitate interactive holographic trapping.

Composing Songs for Teaching Science to College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yee Pinn Tsin, Isabel

2015-01-01

Recent studies have shown that songs may enhance learning as they function as mnemonic devices to increase memorability. In this research, songs based on the more difficult subtopics in Chemistry were composed, encompassing many formulas, equations and facts to be remembered. This technique of song composition can be used in any subject, any point…

One device, one equation: the simplest way to objectively evaluate psoriasis severity.

PubMed

Choi, Jae Woo; Kim, Bo Ri; Choi, Chong Won; Youn, Sang Woong

2015-02-01

The erythema, scale and thickness of psoriasis lesions could be converted to bioengineering parameters. An objective psoriasis severity assessment is advantageous in terms of accuracy and reproducibility over conventional severity assessment. We aimed to formulate an objective psoriasis severity index with a single bioengineering device that can possibly substitute the conventional subjective Psoriasis Severity Index. A linear regression analysis was performed to derive the formula with the subjective Psoriasis Severity Index as the dependent variable and various bioengineering parameters determined from 157 psoriasis lesions as independent variables. The construct validity of the objective Psoriasis Severity Index was evaluated with an additional 30 psoriasis lesions through a Pearson correlation analysis. The formula is composed of hue and brightness, which are sufficiently obtainable with a Colorimeter alone. A very strong positive correlation was found between the objective and subjective psoriasis severity indexes. The objective Psoriasis Severity Index is a novel, practical and valid assessment method that can substitute the conventional one. Combined with subjective area assessment, it could further replace the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index which is currently most popular. © 2014 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Emissive polymeric materials for optoelectronic devices

DOEpatents

Shiang, Joseph John [Niskayuna, NY; Chichak, Kelly Scott [Clifton Park, NY; Cella, James Anthony [Clifton Park, NY; Lewis, Larry Neil [Scotia, NY; Janora, Kevin Henry [Schenectady, NY

2011-07-05

Polymers including at least one structural unit derived from a compound of formula I or including at least one pendant group of formula II may be used in optoelectronic devices ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.6 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, oxaalkyl, alkylaryl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, substituted alkyl; substituted alkoxy, substituted oxaalkyl, substituted alkylaryl, substituted aryl, substituted arylalkyl, or substituted heteroaryl; R.sup.1a is hydrogen or alkyl; R.sup.2 is alkylene, substituted alkylene, oxaalkylene, CO, or CO.sub.2; R.sup.2a is alkylene; R.sup.5 is independently at each occurrence hydrogen, alkyl, alkylaryl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, carboxy, substituted alkyl; substituted alkylaryl, substituted aryl, substituted arylalkyl, or substituted alkoxy, X is halo, triflate, --B(OR.sup.1a).sub.2, or ##STR00002## located at the 2, 5- or 2, 7-positions; and L is derived from phenylpyridine, tolylpyridine, benzothienylpyridine, phenylisoquinoline, dibenzoquinozaline, fluorenylpyridine, ketopyrrole, 2-(1-naphthyl)benzoxazole)), 2-phenylbenzoxazole, 2-phenylbenzothiazole, coumarin, thienylpyridine, phenylpyridine, benzothienylpyridine, 3-methoxy-2-phenylpyridine, thienylpyridine, phenylimine, vinylpyridine, pyridylnaphthalene, pyridylpyrrole, pyridylimidazole, phenylindole, derivatives thereof or combinations thereof.

Electronic Health Record Portal Adoption: a cross country analysis.

PubMed

Tavares, Jorge; Oliveira, Tiago

2017-07-05

This study's goal is to understand the factors that drive individuals to adopt Electronic Health Record (EHR) portals and to estimate if there are differences between countries with different healthcare models. We applied a new adoption model using as a starting point the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) by incorporating the Concern for Information Privacy (CFIP) framework. To evaluate the research model we used the partial least squares (PLS) - structural equation modelling (SEM) approach. An online questionnaire was administrated in the United States (US) and Europe (Portugal). We collected 597 valid responses. The statistically significant factors of behavioural intention are performance expectancy ([Formula: see text] total  = 0.285; P < 0.01), effort expectancy ([Formula: see text] total  = 0.160; P < 0.01), social influence ([Formula: see text] total  = 0.198; P < 0.01), hedonic motivation ([Formula: see text] total  = -0.141; P < 0.01), price value ([Formula: see text] total  = 0.152; P < 0.01), and habit ([Formula: see text] total  = 0.255; P < 0.01). The predictors of use behaviour are habit ([Formula: see text] total  = 0.145; P < 0.01), and behavioural intention ([Formula: see text] total  = 0.480; P < 0.01). Social influence, hedonic motivation, and price value are only predictors in the US group. The model explained 53% of the variance in behavioural intention and 36% of the variance in use behaviour. Our study identified critical factors for the adoption of EHR portals and significant differences between the countries. Confidentiality issues do not seem to influence acceptance. The EHR portals usage patterns are significantly higher in US compared to Portugal.

Characterisation and Modelling of Meshed Electrodes on Free Standing Polyvilylidene Difluoride (PVDF) Films for Enhanced Pyroelectric Energy Harvesting.

PubMed

Zabek, Daniel; Taylor, John; Bowen, Chris

2016-09-05

Flexible pyroelectric energy generators provide unique features for harvesting temperature fluctuations which can be effectively enhanced using meshed electrodes that improve thermal conduction, convection and radiation into the pyroelectric. In this paper, thermal radiation energy is continuously harvested with pyroelectric free standing Polyvilylidene Difluoride (PVDF) films over a large number of heat heat cycles using a novel micro-sized symmetrical patterned meshed electrode. It is shown that, for the meshed electrode geometries considered in this work, the polarisation-field (P-E), current-field (I-E) characteristics and device capacitance are unaffected since the fringing fields were generally small; this is verified using numerical simulations and comparison with experimental measurements. The use of meshed electrodes has been shown to significantly improve both the open circuit voltage (16 V to 59 V) and closed-circuit current (9 nA to 32 nA). The pyroelectric alternating current (AC) is rectified for direct current (DC) storage and 30% reduction in capacitor charging time is achieved by using the optimum meshed electrodes. The use of meshed electrodes on ferroelectric materials provides an innovative route to improve their performance in applications such as wearable devices, novel flexible sensors and large scale pyroelectric energy harvesters.hese instructions give you guidelines for preparing papers for IEEE Transactions and Journals. Use this document as a template if you are using Microsoft Word 6.0 or later. Otherwise, use this document as an instruction set. The electronic file of your paper will be formatted further at IEEE. Paper titles should be written in uppercase and lowercase letters, not all uppercase. Avoid writing long formulas with subscripts in the title; short formulas that identify the elements are fine (e.g., "Nd-Fe-B"). Do not write "(Invited)" in the title. Full names of authors are preferred in the author field, but are not required. Put a space between authors' initials. Define all symbols used in the abstract. Do not cite references in the abstract. Do not delete the blank line immediately above the abstract; it sets the footnote at the bottom of this column.

Self-consistent Simulations and Analysis of the Coupled-Bunch Instability for Arbitrary Multi-Bunch Configurations

DOE PAGES

Bassi, Gabriele; Blednykh, Alexei; Smalyuk, Victor

2016-02-24

A novel algorithm for self-consistent simulations of long-range wakefield effects has been developed and applied to the study of both longitudinal and transverse coupled-bunch instabilities at NSLS-II. The algorithm is implemented in the new parallel tracking code space (self-consistent parallel algorithm for collective effects) discussed in the paper. The code is applicable for accurate beam dynamics simulations in cases where both bunch-to-bunch and intrabunch motions need to be taken into account, such as chromatic head-tail effects on the coupled-bunch instability of a beam with a nonuniform filling pattern, or multibunch and single-bunch effects of a passive higher-harmonic cavity. The numericalmore » simulations have been compared with analytical studies. For a beam with an arbitrary filling pattern, intensity-dependent complex frequency shifts have been derived starting from a system of coupled Vlasov equations. The analytical formulas and numerical simulations confirm that the analysis is reduced to the formulation of an eigenvalue problem based on the known formulas of the complex frequency shifts for the uniform filling pattern case.« less

Direct means of obtaining CAVI0-a corrected cardio-ankle vascular stiffness index (CAVI)-from conventional CAVI measurements or their underlying variables.

PubMed

Spronck, Bart; Mestanik, Michal; Tonhajzerova, Ingrid; Jurko, Alexander; Jurko, Tomas; Avolio, Alberto P; Butlin, Mark

2017-09-21

Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) as measured using the VaSera device (CAVI VS , Fukuda Denshi), has been proposed as a stiffness index that does not depend on blood pressure. We have recently shown theoretically that CAVI VS still exhibits blood pressure dependence, and proposed the corrected index CAVI 0 . The present study aims to establish a method of calculating [Formula: see text] either (i) from VaSera-reported values of cardiac-brachial and brachial-ankle pulse transit times (tb and tba, respectively) and blood pressure, or (ii) directly from CAVI VS . To derive this method, the relationship among CAVI VS and its scale constants a and b, tb, tba, and blood pressure has to be established. From data of 497 subjects, eight candidate CAVI parameters were defined and calculated, containing all combinations of left or right tb/tba/blood pressure. Candidates were evaluated through correlation with measured left and right CAVI VS . Correlations were compared statistically. Once the correct candidates were determined, two constants (a and b) required for converting CAVI VS to CAVI 0 were estimated through linear regression. Left and right CAVI VS are calculated using left and right tba; however, both left and right CAVI VS are calculated using right brachial blood pressures and right tb. Constants a and b for conversion of CAVI VS to CAVI 0 were estimated to be 0.842 [0.836 0.848] and 0.753 [0.721 0.786] (mean [95%CI]), respectively. Equations to estimate CAVI 0 from CAVI VS , and to directly calculate CAVI 0 from the VaSera output are provided in this paper, as well as in a directly usable spreadsheet supplement. Our results permit straightforward calculation of [Formula: see text] during a study, as well as retrospective estimation of [Formula: see text] from CAVI VS in already published studies or where the original transit time values are not available, paving the way for thorough comparison of CAVI 0 to CAVI VS in clinical and research settings. Novelty and significance Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) as measured using the VaSera device (CAVI VS , Fukuda Denshi), has been proposed as a blood pressure-independent arterial stiffness index. We have recently shown theoretically that CAVI VS still exhibits pressure dependence, and proposed a corrected index, CAVI 0 . In the present study, we derived equations to directly obtain CAVI 0 using data from the VaSera device. Our results permit straightforward calculation of [Formula: see text] during a study, as well as retrospective estimation of [Formula: see text] from CAVI VS in already published studies, paving the way for thorough comparison of CAVI 0 to CAVI VS in clinical and research settings.

Minimum depth of soil cover above long-span soil-steel railway bridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esmaeili, Morteza; Zakeri, Jabbar Ali; Abdulrazagh, Parisa Haji

2013-12-01

Recently, soil-steel bridges have become more commonly used as railway-highway crossings because of their economical advantages and short construction period compared with traditional bridges. The currently developed formula for determining the minimum depth of covers by existing codes is typically based on vehicle loads and non-stiffened panels and takes into consideration the geometrical shape of the metal structure to avoid the failure of soil cover above a soil-steel bridge. The effects of spans larger than 8 m or more stiffened panels due to railway loads that maintain a safe railway track have not been accounted for in the minimum cover formulas and are the subject of this paper. For this study, two-dimensional finite element (FE) analyses of four low-profile arches and four box culverts with spans larger than 8 m were performed to develop new patterns for the minimum depth of soil cover by considering the serviceability criterion of the railway track. Using the least-squares method, new formulas were then developed for low-profile arches and box culverts and were compared with Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code formulas. Finally, a series of three-dimensional (3D) finite element FE analyses were carried out to control the out-of-plane buckling in the steel plates due to the 3D pattern of train loads. The results show that the out-of-plane bending does not control the buckling behavior of the steel plates, so the proposed equations for minimum depth of cover can be appropriately used for practical purposes.

Ethnography of a parasite: A quantitative ethnographic observation of forest malaria in the Amazon basin.

PubMed

Feged-Rivadeneira, Alejandro; Evans, Sian

2018-05-01

Malaria in the Amazon basin is persistently more prevalent among low density populations (1-4 people/[Formula: see text]). Describing malaria transmission in small populations, such as ethnic minorities in the Amazon basin, living in reserves in groups that amount to 110-450 individuals, is fundamental for the implementation of adequate interventions. Here, we examine malaria transmission in a context of high prevalence in a small population of Nükak ethnicity (ethnic group [Formula: see text] individuals, study group, [Formula: see text] individuals) living in the peri-urban area of a city with [Formula: see text] inhabitants in the Amazon basin. Using methods from behavioral ecology, we conducted a quantitative ethnography and collected data to inform of individual behavioral profiles. Individual malarial infection reports were available from the local public health offices, so each behavioral profile was associated with an epidemic profile for the past 5 years. Our research shows that, in-line with current opinion, malaria among the Nükak is not associated with an occupational hazard risk and follows a holoendemic pattern, where children are most susceptible to the parasite. Parasite loads of malarial infection among the Nükak persist at much higher rates than in any other neighboring ethnicity, which indicates an association between high incidence rates and endemicity. We hypothesize that malarial infection in the forest follows a pattern where the parasite persists in pockets of holoendemicity, and occupational hazard risk for individuals outside those pockets is associated with behaviors that take place in the proximity of the pockets of endemicity.

Simulation of facial expressions using person-specific sEMG signals controlling a biomechanical face model.

PubMed

Eskes, Merijn; Balm, Alfons J M; van Alphen, Maarten J A; Smeele, Ludi E; Stavness, Ian; van der Heijden, Ferdinand

2018-01-01

Functional inoperability in advanced oral cancer is difficult to assess preoperatively. To assess functions of lips and tongue, biomechanical models are required. Apart from adjusting generic models to individual anatomy, muscle activation patterns (MAPs) driving patient-specific functional movements are necessary to predict remaining functional outcome. We aim to evaluate how volunteer-specific MAPs derived from surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals control a biomechanical face model. Muscle activity of seven facial muscles in six volunteers was measured bilaterally with sEMG. A triple camera set-up recorded 3D lip movement. The generic face model in ArtiSynth was adapted to our needs. We controlled the model using the volunteer-specific MAPs. Three activation strategies were tested: activating all muscles [Formula: see text], selecting the three muscles showing highest muscle activity bilaterally [Formula: see text]-this was calculated by taking the mean of left and right muscles and then selecting the three with highest variance-and activating the muscles considered most relevant per instruction [Formula: see text], bilaterally. The model's lip movement was compared to the actual lip movement performed by the volunteers, using 3D correlation coefficients [Formula: see text]. The correlation coefficient between simulations and measurements with [Formula: see text] resulted in a median [Formula: see text] of 0.77. [Formula: see text] had a median [Formula: see text] of 0.78, whereas with [Formula: see text] the median [Formula: see text] decreased to 0.45. We demonstrated that MAPs derived from noninvasive sEMG measurements can control movement of the lips in a generic finite element face model with a median [Formula: see text] of 0.78. Ultimately, this is important to show the patient-specific residual movement using the patient's own MAPs. When the required treatment tools and personalisation techniques for geometry and anatomy become available, this may enable surgeons to test the functional results of wedge excisions for lip cancer in a virtual environment and to weigh surgery versus organ-sparing radiotherapy or photodynamic therapy.

Low reflection and field localization over surface plasmon device with subwavelength patterned aluminum film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Ying; Peng, Sha; Long, Huabao; Liu, Runhan; Wei, Dong; Zhang, Xinyu; Wang, Haiwei; Xie, Changsheng

2018-02-01

In this paper, we propose a new device composed of patterned sub-wavelength arrays to investigate surface plasmons (SPs) over sub-wavelength metal nano-structures. The device consists of silicon substrate and sub-wavelength patterns fabricated on a layer of aluminum film with nanometer thickness. Each sub-wavelength pattern formed in aluminum film is composed of a basic nano-square and twelve triangles for shaping single nano-pattern, which are uniformly distributed on the four sides of each square. Reflectance spectra and electric field distribution in infrared region are simulated. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that the device can efficiently lower its reflectance in infrared spectrum, and the response frequency can be controlled by only changing the device parameters such as square side length and then triangle vertex angle. Besides, the simulated electric field distribution of the device shows obviously field localization effect at the edges of aluminum film nano-structure. The electric filed around the tips of aluminum triangles is localized into sub-wavelength scale, so as to be beyond the common diffraction limitation. Our work will help to reveal the interesting properties of SPs device, and also bring new prospect of photonic device.

A comparison of various algorithms to extract Magic Formula tyre model coefficients for vehicle dynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijay Alagappan, A.; Narasimha Rao, K. V.; Krishna Kumar, R.

2015-02-01

Tyre models are a prerequisite for any vehicle dynamics simulation. Tyre models range from the simplest mathematical models that consider only the cornering stiffness to a complex set of formulae. Among all the steady-state tyre models that are in use today, the Magic Formula tyre model is unique and most popular. Though the Magic Formula tyre model is widely used, obtaining the model coefficients from either the experimental or the simulation data is not straightforward due to its nonlinear nature and the presence of a large number of coefficients. A common procedure used for this extraction is the least-squares minimisation that requires considerable experience for initial guesses. Various researchers have tried different algorithms, namely, gradient and Newton-based methods, differential evolution, artificial neural networks, etc. The issues involved in all these algorithms are setting bounds or constraints, sensitivity of the parameters, the features of the input data such as the number of points, noisy data, experimental procedure used such as slip angle sweep or tyre measurement (TIME) procedure, etc. The extracted Magic Formula coefficients are affected by these variants. This paper highlights the issues that are commonly encountered in obtaining these coefficients with different algorithms, namely, least-squares minimisation using trust region algorithms, Nelder-Mead simplex, pattern search, differential evolution, particle swarm optimisation, cuckoo search, etc. A key observation is that not all the algorithms give the same Magic Formula coefficients for a given data. The nature of the input data and the type of the algorithm decide the set of the Magic Formula tyre model coefficients.

Students creative thinking skills in solving two dimensional arithmetic series through research-based learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tohir, M.; Abidin, Z.; Dafik; Hobri

2018-04-01

Arithmetics is one of the topics in Mathematics, which deals with logic and detailed process upon generalizing formula. Creativity and flexibility are needed in generalizing formula of arithmetics series. This research aimed at analyzing students creative thinking skills in generalizing arithmetic series. The triangulation method and research-based learning was used in this research. The subjects were students of the Master Program of Mathematics Education in Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at Jember University. The data was collected by giving assignments to the students. The data collection was done by giving open problem-solving task and documentation study to the students to arrange generalization pattern based on the dependent function formula i and the function depend on i and j. Then, the students finished the next problem-solving task to construct arithmetic generalization patterns based on the function formula which depends on i and i + n and the sum formula of functions dependent on i and j of the arithmetic compiled. The data analysis techniques operative in this study was Miles and Huberman analysis model. Based on the result of data analysis on task 1, the levels of students creative thinking skill were classified as follows; 22,22% of the students categorized as “not creative” 38.89% of the students categorized as “less creative” category; 22.22% of the students categorized as “sufficiently creative” and 16.67% of the students categorized as “creative”. By contrast, the results of data analysis on task 2 found that the levels of students creative thinking skills were classified as follows; 22.22% of the students categorized as “sufficiently creative”, 44.44% of the students categorized as “creative” and 33.33% of the students categorized as “very creative”. This analysis result can set the basis for teaching references and actualizing a better teaching model in order to increase students creative thinking skills.

Compliance Patterns and Utilization of e-Health for Glucose Monitoring: Standalone Internet Gateway and Tablet Device.

PubMed

Rho, Mi Jung; Kim, Hun-Sung; Yoon, Kun-Ho; Choi, In Young

2017-04-01

Knowledge regarding compliance patterns and service utilization in e-health is important for the development of effective services. To develop proper e-health, the characteristics of compliance patterns and utilization of e-health should be studied. We studied these for glucose monitoring of diabetic patients from primary clinics. Data were collected from 160 outpatients who participated in e-health for glucose monitoring funded by the Korean government. Specifically, this study focused on two device types: a standalone Internet gateway and a tablet device. The SPSS 18.0 software was used for statistical analyses of demographic characteristics, survival data, and Cox proportional hazards regression model. Standalone Internet gateway users demonstrated a more stable compliance pattern than did tablet device users. The compliance rate differed according to the device type. Typically, compliance decreases considerably around 8 months. In these results, standalone Internet gateway users utilized the service for longer periods than tablet device users. Gateway type and location also influenced utilization (p < 0.05). The service should be designed according to the device type to develop appropriate service models. Thus, service designers should understand the different characteristics of service devices. This study provides insight into compliance patterns and utilization to develop appropriate service models and service interventions depending on the device.

Interference in astronomical speckle patterns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breckinridge, J. B.

1976-01-01

Astronomical speckle patterns are examined in an atmospheric-optics context in order to determine what kind of image quality is to be expected from several different imaging techniques. The model used to describe the instantaneous complex field distribution across the pupil of a large telescope regards the pupil as a deep phase grating with a periodicity given by the size of the cell of uniform phase or the refractive index structure function. This model is used along with an empirical formula derived purely from the physical appearance of the speckle patterns to discuss the orders of interference in astronomical speckle patterns.

Research on two-port network of wavelet transform processor using surface acoustic wavelet devices and its application.

PubMed

Liu, Shoubing; Lu, Wenke; Zhu, Changchun

2017-11-01

The goal of this research is to study two-port network of wavelet transform processor (WTP) using surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices and its application. The motive was prompted by the inconvenience of the long research and design cycle and the huge research funding involved with traditional method in this field, which were caused by the lack of the simulation and emulation method of WTP using SAW devices. For this reason, we introduce the two-port network analysis tool, which has been widely used in the design and analysis of SAW devices with uniform interdigital transducers (IDTs). Because the admittance parameters calculation formula of the two-port network can only be used for the SAW devices with uniform IDTs, this analysis tool cannot be directly applied into the design and analysis of the processor using SAW devices, whose input interdigital transducer (IDT) is apodized weighting. Therefore, in this paper, we propose the channel segmentation method, which can convert the WTP using SAW devices into parallel channels, and also provide with the calculation formula of the number of channels, the number of finger pairs and the static capacitance of an interdigital period in each parallel channel firstly. From the parameters given above, we can calculate the admittance parameters of the two port network for each channel, so that we can obtain the admittance parameter of the two-port network of the WTP using SAW devices on the basis of the simplification rule of parallel two-port network. Through this analysis tool, not only can we get the impulse response function of the WTP using SAW devices but we can also get the matching circuit of it. Large numbers of studies show that the parameters of the two-port network obtained by this paper are consistent with those measured by network analyzer E5061A, and the impulse response function obtained by the two-port network analysis tool is also consistent with that measured by network analyzer E5061A, which can meet the accuracy requirements of the analysis of the WTP using SAW devices. Therefore the two-port network analysis tool discussed in this paper has comparatively higher theoretical and practical value. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

QR-on-a-chip: a computer-recognizable micro-pattern engraved microfluidic device for high-throughput image acquisition.

PubMed

Yun, Kyungwon; Lee, Hyunjae; Bang, Hyunwoo; Jeon, Noo Li

2016-02-21

This study proposes a novel way to achieve high-throughput image acquisition based on a computer-recognizable micro-pattern implemented on a microfluidic device. We integrated the QR code, a two-dimensional barcode system, onto the microfluidic device to simplify imaging of multiple ROIs (regions of interest). A standard QR code pattern was modified to arrays of cylindrical structures of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Utilizing the recognition of the micro-pattern, the proposed system enables: (1) device identification, which allows referencing additional information of the device, such as device imaging sequences or the ROIs and (2) composing a coordinate system for an arbitrarily located microfluidic device with respect to the stage. Based on these functionalities, the proposed method performs one-step high-throughput imaging for data acquisition in microfluidic devices without further manual exploration and locating of the desired ROIs. In our experience, the proposed method significantly reduced the time for the preparation of an acquisition. We expect that the method will innovatively improve the prototype device data acquisition and analysis.

Minimalistic optic flow sensors applied to indoor and outdoor visual guidance and odometry on a car-like robot.

PubMed

Mafrica, Stefano; Servel, Alain; Ruffier, Franck

2016-11-10

Here we present a novel bio-inspired optic flow (OF) sensor and its application to visual  guidance and odometry on a low-cost car-like robot called BioCarBot. The minimalistic OF sensor was robust to high-dynamic-range lighting conditions and to various visual patterns encountered thanks to its M 2 APIX auto-adaptive pixels and the new cross-correlation OF algorithm implemented. The low-cost car-like robot estimated its velocity and steering angle, and therefore its position and orientation, via an extended Kalman filter (EKF) using only two downward-facing OF sensors and the Ackerman steering model. Indoor and outdoor experiments were carried out in which the robot was driven in the closed-loop mode based on the velocity and steering angle estimates. The experimental results obtained show that our novel OF sensor can deliver high-frequency measurements ([Formula: see text]) in a wide OF range (1.5-[Formula: see text]) and in a 7-decade high-dynamic light level range. The OF resolution was constant and could be adjusted as required (up to [Formula: see text]), and the OF precision obtained was relatively high (standard deviation of [Formula: see text] with an average OF of [Formula: see text], under the most demanding lighting conditions). An EKF-based algorithm gave the robot's position and orientation with a relatively high accuracy (maximum errors outdoors at a very low light level: [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] over about [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) despite the low-resolution control systems of the steering servo and the DC motor, as well as a simplified model identification and calibration. Finally, the minimalistic OF-based odometry results were compared to those obtained using measurements based on an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a motor's speed sensor.

Breastfeeding, Mixed, or Formula Feeding at 9 Months of Age and the Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia in Two Cohorts of Infants in China.

PubMed

Clark, Katy M; Li, Ming; Zhu, Bingquan; Liang, Furong; Shao, Jie; Zhang, Yueyang; Ji, Chai; Zhao, Zhengyan; Kaciroti, Niko; Lozoff, Betsy

2017-02-01

To assess associations between breastfeeding and iron status at 9 months of age in 2 samples of Chinese infants. Associations between feeding at 9 months of age (breastfed as sole milk source, mixed fed, or formula fed) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA), iron deficiency, and iron sufficiency were determined in infants from Zhejiang (n = 142) and Hebei (n= 813) provinces. Iron deficiency was defined as body iron < 0 mg/kg, and IDA as iron deficiency + hemoglobin < 110 g/L. Multiple logistic regression assessed associations between feeding pattern and iron status. Breastfeeding was associated with iron status (P < .001). In Zhejiang, 27.5% of breastfed infants had IDA compared with 0% of formula-fed infants. The odds of iron deficiency/IDA were increased in breastfed and mixed-fed infants compared with formula-fed infants: breastfed vs formula-fed OR, 28.8 (95% CI, 3.7-226.4) and mixed-fed vs formula-fed OR, 11.0 (95% CI, 1.2-103.2). In Hebei, 44.0% of breastfed infants had IDA compared with 2.8% of formula-fed infants. With covariable adjustment, odds of IDA were increased in breastfed and mixed-fed groups: breastfed vs formula-fed OR, 78.8 (95% CI, 27.2-228.1) and mixed-fed vs formula-fed OR, 21.0 (95% CI, 7.3-60.9). In both cohorts, the odds of iron deficiency/IDA at 9 months of age were increased in breastfed and mixed-fed infants, and iron deficiency/IDA was common. Although the benefits of breastfeeding are indisputable, these findings add to the evidence that breastfeeding in later infancy identifies infants at risk for iron deficiency/IDA in many settings. Protocols for detecting and preventing iron deficiency/IDA in breastfed infants are needed. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00642863 and NCT00613717. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patterned Colloidal Photonic Crystals.

PubMed

Hou, Jue; Li, Mingzhu; Song, Yanlin

2018-03-01

Colloidal photonic crystals (PCs) have been well developed because they are easy to prepare, cost-effective, and versatile with regards to modification and functionalization. Patterned colloidal PCs contribute a novel approach to constructing high-performance PC devices with unique structures and specific functions. In this review, an overview of the strategies for fabricating patterned colloidal PCs, including patterned substrate-induced assembly, inkjet printing, and selective immobilization and modification, is presented. The advantages of patterned PC devices are also discussed in detail, for example, improved detection sensitivity and response speed of the sensors, control over the flow direction and wicking rate of microfluidic channels, recognition of cross-reactive molecules through an array-patterned microchip, fabrication of display devices with tunable patterns, well-arranged RGB units, and wide viewing-angles, and the ability to construct anti-counterfeiting devices with different security strategies. Finally, the perspective of future developments and challenges is presented. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Do Vampires Exist? Using Spreadsheets To Investigate a Common Folktale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drier, Hollylynne Stohl

1999-01-01

Describes the use of spreadsheets in a third grade class to teach basic mathematical concepts by investigating the existence of vampires. Incorporates addition and multiplication skills, patterning, variables, formulas, exponential growth, and proof by contradiction. (LRW)

Formularity: Software for Automated Formula Assignment of Natural and Other Organic Matter from Ultrahigh-Resolution Mass Spectra.

PubMed

Tolić, Nikola; Liu, Yina; Liyu, Andrey; Shen, Yufeng; Tfaily, Malak M; Kujawinski, Elizabeth B; Longnecker, Krista; Kuo, Li-Jung; Robinson, Errol W; Paša-Tolić, Ljiljana; Hess, Nancy J

2017-12-05

Ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry, such as Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT ICR MS), can resolve thousands of molecular ions in complex organic matrices. A Compound Identification Algorithm (CIA) was previously developed for automated elemental formula assignment for natural organic matter (NOM). In this work, we describe software Formularity with a user-friendly interface for CIA function and newly developed search function Isotopic Pattern Algorithm (IPA). While CIA assigns elemental formulas for compounds containing C, H, O, N, S, and P, IPA is capable of assigning formulas for compounds containing other elements. We used halogenated organic compounds (HOC), a chemical class that is ubiquitous in nature as well as anthropogenic systems, as an example to demonstrate the capability of Formularity with IPA. A HOC standard mix was used to evaluate the identification confidence of IPA. Tap water and HOC spike in Suwannee River NOM were used to assess HOC identification in complex environmental samples. Strategies for reconciliation of CIA and IPA assignments were discussed. Software and sample databases with documentation are freely available.

Feynman formulas for semigroups generated by an iterated Laplace operator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzinov, M. S.

2017-04-01

In the present paper, we find representations of a one-parameter semigroup generated by a finite sum of iterated Laplace operators and an additive perturbation (the potential). Such semigroups and the evolution equations corresponding to them find applications in the field of physics, chemistry, biology, and pattern recognition. The representations mentioned above are obtained in the form of Feynman formulas, i.e., in the form of a limit of multiple integrals as the multiplicity tends to infinity. The term "Feynman formula" was proposed by Smolyanov. Smolyanov's approach uses Chernoff's theorems. A simple form of representations thus obtained enables one to use them for numerical modeling the dynamics of the evolution system as a method for the approximation of solutions of equations. The problems considered in this note can be treated using the approach suggested by Remizov (see also the monograph of Smolyanov and Shavgulidze on path integrals). The representations (of semigroups) obtained in this way are more complicated than those given by the Feynman formulas; however, it is possible to bypass some analytical difficulties.

Influence of non-homogeneous mixing on final epidemic size in a meta-population model.

PubMed

Cui, Jingan; Zhang, Yanan; Feng, Zhilan

2018-06-18

In meta-population models for infectious diseases, the basic reproduction number [Formula: see text] can be as much as 70% larger in the case of preferential mixing than that in homogeneous mixing [J.W. Glasser, Z. Feng, S.B. Omer, P.J. Smith, and L.E. Rodewald, The effect of heterogeneity in uptake of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine on the potential for outbreaks of measles: A modelling study, Lancet ID 16 (2016), pp. 599-605. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(16)00004-9 ]. This suggests that realistic mixing can be an important factor to consider in order for the models to provide a reliable assessment of intervention strategies. The influence of mixing is more significant when the population is highly heterogeneous. In this paper, another quantity, the final epidemic size ([Formula: see text]) of an outbreak, is considered to examine the influence of mixing and population heterogeneity. Final size relation is derived for a meta-population model accounting for a general mixing. The results show that [Formula: see text] can be influenced by the pattern of mixing in a significant way. Another interesting finding is that, heterogeneity in various sub-population characteristics may have the opposite effect on [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].

Stretched size of atrial septal defect predicted by intracardiac echocardiography.

PubMed

Lin, Ming-Chih; Fu, Yun-Ching; Jan, Sheng-Ling; Ho, Chi-Lin; Hwang, Betau

2010-01-01

The stretched size of an atrial septal defect (ASD) is important for device selection during transcatheter closure. However, balloon sizing carries potential risks such as hypotension, bradycardia, or laceration of the atrial septum. The aim of the present study was to investigate the accuracy of the predicted stretched size of ASD by intracardiac echocardiography (ICE). From December 2004 to November 2007, 136 consecutive patients with single secundum type ASD undergoing transcatheter closure of their defect using the Amplatzer septal occluder under ICE guidance were enrolled for analysis. There were 43 males and 93 females. The age ranged from 2.2 to 79.1 years with a median age of 13.4 years. The body weight ranged from 12.1 to 93.2 kg with a median body weight of 45.8 kg. The stretched size of ASD measured by a sizing plate was considered as the standard. ASD sizes measured by ICE in bicaval and short-axis views predicted the stretched size by formulae derived from linear regressions. The predicted stretched sizes obtained using 2 formulae, 1.34 x radicalbicaval xshort axis (formula 1) and 1.22 x larger diameter (formula 2), exhibited good agreement with the standard stretched size with Kappa values of 0.91 and 0.90, respectively. The accuracy rate of predicted stretched sizes within 2 mm, 3 mm, and 4 mm range of the standard size were 32.8%, 45.4%, and 57.7% (formula 1) and 33.1%, 50%, and 63.2% (formula 2). The stretched size of ASD predicted by ICE exhibited good agreement with the standard stretched size. This prediction provides helpful information, especially if balloon sizing cannot be adequately performed.

A FORMULA FOR HUMAN PAROTID FLUID COLLECTED WITHOUT EXOGENEOUS STIMULATION.

DTIC Science & Technology

Parotid fluid was collected from 4,589 systemically healthy males between 17 and 22 years of age. Collection devices were placed with an absolute...secretion of the parotid gland. For all 4,589 subjects from the 8 experiments the mean rate of flow was 0.040 ml./minute with an average standard deviation of

17 CFR 275.206(4)-1 - Advertisements by investment advisers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... of each such recommendation (e.g., whether to buy, sell or hold), the market price at that time, the price at which the recommendation was to be acted upon, and the market price of each such security as of... graph, chart, formula or other device being offered will assist any person in making his own decisions...

9 CFR 381.222 - States designated under paragraph 5(c) of the Act; application of regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... that separation of toilet soil lines from house drainage lines to a point outside the buildings will... mechanical printing device or a self-destructive pressure sensitive sticker, and provided the label shows the... by the formula and details of preparation and packaging for each product. Within 90 days after...

Home Brew Salinity Measuring Devices: Their Construction and Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

This paper discusses several inexpensive methods of evaluating the salinity of seawater. One method is presented in some detail. This method has several attractive features. First, it can be used to provide instruction, not only in marine chemistry, but also in studying the mathematics of the point slope formula, and as an aid in teaching students…

Method of gas purification and system therefor

DOEpatents

Szwarc, Raphael

1985-04-23

A method and device for conducting gettering. The gettering is conducted with one of an LiB, LiSi or LiAl system. Preferably the LiB system is of the formula Li.sub.x B.sub.1-x wherein 0

Experimental realization for abnormal reflection caused by an acoustic metasurface with subwavelength apertures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xuanjun; Zeng, Xinwu; Gao, Dongbao; Shen, Weidong; Wang, Jianli; Wang, Shengchun

2017-03-01

The reflection characteristics of the unit cell, consisting of a subwavelength circular hole and a rigid wall, was discussed theoretically, and it was found that the phase shift of the reflected waves could cover almost 2π span by adjusting the hole radius when the acoustic waves normally impinge on it. Based on the analytical formulas, an acoustic metasurface (AMS) sample constructed by an array of unit cells with different radii was designed and fabricated. The sound pressure fields induced by the sample were then measured through the experimental setup and the reflected field pattern was derived after data processing. Experimental results and COMSOL simulations both demonstrated the fact that the designed AMS has the ability to reflect acoustic waves into an unusual yet controllable direction, verifying the correctness of the theory and design about the AMS in this paper. Simulations also show that the designed AMS has a narrow working bandwidth of 50 Hz around 800 Hz and its total thickness is about 1/8 of the incident wavelength, giving it the potential for the miniaturization and integration of acoustic devices.

Observational program options and system requirements for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence /SETI/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billingham, J.; Wolfe, J. H.; Edelson, R. E.; Gulkis, S.; Sadin, S. R.

1978-01-01

The possibility that intelligent life may be widespread in the universe is now being investigated. A formula for estimating the number of coexisting communicative civilizations has been developed by Drake. A good way of conducting a search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) is to examine the microwave window of the electromagnetic spectrum for narrow-band signals which such civilizations may be transmitting. Two specific search strategies are described. Both employ existing antennas equipped with sophisticated multichannel spectrum analyzers and pattern recognition devices. The Ames Research Center proposal is a high sensitivity, high-resolution search of nearby promising stars and selected sky areas in the 'water hole' (1400-1727 MHz). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory proposal is for a survey of most of the sky over a significant portion of the free-space microwave window at lower sensitivities and resolutions. The approaches are complementary and both are being pursued. The consummation of these programs could achieve one of the most profound discoveries in the history of human civilization, or at least will show the way to future efforts.

Web portal for dynamic creation and publication of teaching materials in multiple formats from a single source representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roganov, E. A.; Roganova, N. A.; Aleksandrov, A. I.; Ukolova, A. V.

2017-01-01

We implement a web portal which dynamically creates documents in more than 30 different formats including html, pdf and docx from a single original material source. It is obtained by using a number of free software such as Markdown (markup language), Pandoc (document converter), MathJax (library to display mathematical notation in web browsers), framework Ruby on Rails. The portal enables the creation of documents with a high quality visualization of mathematical formulas, is compatible with a mobile device and allows one to search documents by text or formula fragments. Moreover, it gives professors the ability to develop the latest technology educational materials, without qualified technicians' assistance, thus improving the quality of the whole educational process.

Design of a 500-kJ Mather-type plasma focus device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidarnia, A.; Sadighzadeh, A.; Zaeem, A. A.; Damideh, V.

2016-12-01

In this article, design of a 500-kJ Mather-type plasma focus device to achieve 1011 neutrons/shot is reported. One of its important characteristics is the triple-part anode design. The anode is surrounded by an alumina insulator. The second part of the anode is changeable in order to locate cylindrical, conical, or other shapes of pieces mounted on it. This geometry leads to the easier investigation of the neutron and X-ray emissions of the device. The third part of the anode is for changing the materials exposed to different kinds of radiations. The design parameters are considered by semiempirical and empirical formulas and are sketched by Solidworks software. Also, the peak current and neutron yield are estimated.

Advanced plasma etch technologies for nanopatterning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, Rich

2013-10-01

Advances in patterning techniques have enabled the extension of immersion lithography from 65/45 nm through 14/10 nm device technologies. A key to this increase in patterning capability has been innovation in the subsequent dry plasma etch processing steps. Multiple exposure techniques, such as litho-etch-litho-etch, sidewall image transfer, line/cut mask, and self-aligned structures, have been implemented to solution required device scaling. Advances in dry plasma etch process control across wafer uniformity and etch selectivity to both masking materials have enabled adoption of vertical devices and thin film scaling for increased device performance at a given pitch. Plasma etch processes, such as trilayer etches, aggressive critical dimension shrink techniques, and the extension of resist trim processes, have increased the attainable device dimensions at a given imaging capability. Precise control of the plasma etch parameters affecting across-design variation, defectivity, profile stability within wafer, within lot, and across tools has been successfully implemented to provide manufacturable patterning technology solutions. IBM has addressed these patterning challenges through an integrated total patterning solutions team to provide seamless and synergistic patterning processes to device and integration internal customers. We will discuss these challenges and the innovative plasma etch solutions pioneered by IBM and our alliance partners.

Advanced plasma etch technologies for nanopatterning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, Rich

2012-03-01

Advances in patterning techniques have enabled the extension of immersion lithography from 65/45nm through 14/10nm device technologies. A key to this increase in patterning capability has been innovation in the subsequent dry plasma etch processing steps. Multiple exposure techniques such as litho-etch-litho-etch, sidewall image transfer, line/cut mask and self-aligned structures have been implemented to solution required device scaling. Advances in dry plasma etch process control, across wafer uniformity and etch selectivity to both masking materials and have enabled adoption of vertical devices and thin film scaling for increased device performance at a given pitch. Plasma etch processes such as trilayer etches, aggressive CD shrink techniques, and the extension of resist trim processes have increased the attainable device dimensions at a given imaging capability. Precise control of the plasma etch parameters affecting across design variation, defectivity, profile stability within wafer, within lot, and across tools have been successfully implemented to provide manufacturable patterning technology solutions. IBM has addressed these patterning challenges through an integrated Total Patterning Solutions team to provide seamless and synergistic patterning processes to device and integration internal customers. This paper will discuss these challenges and the innovative plasma etch solutions pioneered by IBM and our alliance partners.

Non-steady peristaltic propulsion with exponential variable viscosity: a study of transport through the digestive system.

PubMed

Tripathi, Dharmendra; Pandey, S K; Siddiqui, Abdul; Bég, O Anwar

2014-01-01

A theoretical study is presented for transient peristaltic flow of an incompressible fluid with variable viscosity in a finite length cylindrical tube as a simulation of transport in physiological vessels and biomimetic peristaltic pumps. The current axisymmetric analysis is qualitatively similar to two-dimensional analysis but exhibits quantitative variations. The current analysis is motivated towards further elucidating the physiological migration of gastric suspensions (food bolus) in the human digestive system. It also applies to variable viscosity industrial fluid (waste) peristaltic pumping systems. First, an axisymmetric model is analysed in the limit of large wavelength ([Formula: see text]) and low Reynolds number ([Formula: see text]) for axial velocity, radial velocity, pressure, hydromechanical efficiency and stream function in terms of radial vibration of the wall ([Formula: see text]), amplitude of the wave ([Formula: see text]), averaged flow rate ([Formula: see text]) and variable viscosity ([Formula: see text]). Subsequently, the peristaltic flow of a fluid with an exponential viscosity model is examined, which is based on the analytical solutions for pressure, wall shear stress, hydromechanical efficiency and streamline patterns in the finite length tube. The results are found to correlate well with earlier studies using a constant viscosity formulation. This study reveals some important features in the flow characteristics including the observation that pressure as well as both number and size of lower trapped bolus increases. Furthermore, the study indicates that hydromechanical efficiency reduces with increasing magnitude of viscosity parameter.

Effect of Carotenoid Supplemented Formula on Carotenoid Bioaccumulation in Tissues of Infant Rhesus Macaques: A Pilot Study Focused on Lutein

PubMed Central

Jeon, Sookyoung; Neuringer, Martha; Johnson, Emily E.; Kuchan, Matthew J.; Pereira, Suzette L.; Johnson, Elizabeth J.; Erdman, John W.

2017-01-01

Lutein is the predominant carotenoid in the developing primate brain and retina, and may have important functional roles. However, its bioaccumulation pattern during early development is not understood. In this pilot study, we investigated whether carotenoid supplementation of infant formula enhanced lutein tissue deposition in infant rhesus macaques. Monkeys were initially breastfed; from 1 to 3 months of age they were fed either a formula supplemented with lutein, zeaxanthin, β-carotene and lycopene, or a control formula with low levels of these carotenoids, for 4 months (n = 2/group). All samples were analyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Final serum lutein in the supplemented group was 5 times higher than in the unsupplemented group. All brain regions examined showed a selective increase in lutein deposition in the supplemented infants. Lutein differentially accumulated across brain regions, with highest amounts in occipital cortex in both groups. β-carotene accumulated, but zeaxanthin and lycopene were undetectable in any brain region. Supplemented infants had higher lutein concentrations in peripheral retina but not in macular retina. Among adipose sites, abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue exhibited the highest lutein level and was 3-fold higher in the supplemented infants. The supplemented formula enhanced carotenoid deposition in several other tissues. In rhesus infants, increased intake of carotenoids from formula enhanced their deposition in serum and numerous tissues and selectively increased lutein in multiple brain regions. PMID:28075370

The effects of the formula of amino acids enriched BCAA on nutritional support in traumatic patients.

PubMed

Wang, Xin-Ying; Li, Ning; Gu, Jun; Li, Wei-Qin; Li, Jie-Shou

2003-03-01

To investigate the formula of amino acid enriched BCAA on nutritional support in traumatic patients after operation. 40 adult patients after moderate or large abdominal operations were enrolled in a prospective, randomly and single-blind-controlled study, and received total parenteral nutrition (TPN) with either formula of amino acid (AA group, 20 cases) or formula of amino acid enriched BCAA (BCAA group, 20 cases). From the second day after operation, total parenteral nutrition was infused to the patients in both groups with equal calorie and equal nitrogen by central or peripheral vein during more than 12 hours per day for 6 days. Meanwhile, nitrogen balance was assayed by collecting 24 hours urine for 6 days. The markers of protein metabolism were investigated such as amino acid patterns, levels of total protein, albumin, prealbumin, transferrin and fibronectin in serum. The positive nitrogen balance in BCAA group occurred two days earlier than that in AA group. The serum levels of total protein and albumin in BCAA group were increased more obviously than that in AA group. The concentration of valine was notably increased and the concentration of arginine was markedly decreased in BCAA group after the formula of amino acids enriched BCAA transfusion. The formula of amino acid enriched BCAA may normalize the levels of serum amino acids, reduce the proteolysis, increase the synthesis of protein, improve the nutritional status of traumatic patients after operation.

Determination of the Optimal Position of Pendulums of an Active Self-balancing Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziyakaev, G. R.; Kazakova, O. A.; Yankov, V. V.; Ivkina, O. P.

2017-04-01

The demand of the modern manufacturing industry for machines with high motion speed leads to increased load and vibration activity of the main elements of rotor systems. Vibration reduces operating life of bearings, has adversary effects on human organism, and can cause accidents. One way to compensate for a rotating rotor's imbalance is the use of active self-balancing devices. The aim of this work is to determine the position of their pendulums, in which the imbalance is minimized. As a result of the study, a formula for determining the angle of the pendulums was obtained.

Diatomic predissociation line widths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Child, M. S.

1973-01-01

Predissociation by rotation and curve crossing in diatomic molecules is discussed. The pattern of predissociation line widths is seen as providing a highly sensitive yardstick for the determination of unknown potential curves. In addition, the computation of such a pattern for given potential curves is considered a matter of routine, unless the predissociation happens to occur from an adiabatic potential curve. Analytic formulas are used to provide physical insight into the details of the predissociation pattern, to the extent that a direct inversion procedure is developed for determination of the repulsive potential curves for Type 1 predissociations.

A Method for Analyzing A+2 Isotope Patterns for Use in Undergraduate Organic Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Ray A.

2007-01-01

A novel ratio method is developed and automated for finding the bromine-chlorine-sulfur stoichiometry in the molecular formula of an unknown. This method is also useful in spectrometric analysis or beginning organic chemistry.

Solution of the wave equation for open surfaces involving a line integral over the edge. [for supersonic propeller noise prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farassat, F.

1984-01-01

A simple mathematical model of a stationary source distribution for the supersonic-propeller noise-prediction formula of Farassat (1983) is developed to test the validity of the formula solutions. The conventional thickness source term is used in place of the Isom thickness formula; the relative importance of the line and surface integrals in the solutions is evaluated; and the numerical results are compared with those obtained with a conventional retarded-time solution in tables. Good agreement is obtained over elevation angles from 10 to 90 deg, and the line-integral contribution is found to be significant at all elevation angles and of the same order of magnitude as the surface-integral contribution at angles less than 30 deg. The amplitude-normalized directivity patterns for the four cases computed (x = 1.5 or 10; k = 5.0 or 50) are presented graphically.

Evaluating the accuracy of wear formulae for acetabular cup liners.

PubMed

Wu, James Shih-Shyn; Hsu, Shu-Ling; Chen, Jian-Horng

2010-02-01

This study proposes two methods for exploring the wear volume of a worn liner. The first method is a numerical method, in which SolidWorks software is used to create models of the worn out regions of liners at various wear directions and depths. The second method is an experimental one, in which a machining center is used to mill polyoxymethylene to manufacture worn and unworn liner models, then the volumes of the models are measured. The results show that the SolidWorks software is a good tool for presenting the wear pattern and volume of a worn liner. The formula provided by Ilchmann is the most suitable for computing liner volume loss, but is not accurate enough. This study suggests that a more accurate wear formula is required. This is crucial for accurate evaluation of the performance of hip components implanted in patients, as well as for designing new hip components.

Transport and flow characteristics of an oscillating cylindrical fiber for total artificial lung application.

PubMed

Qamar, Adnan; Bull, Joseph L

2017-08-01

Mass transport and fluid dynamics characteristics in the vicinity of an oscillating cylindrical fiber with an imposed pulsatile inflow condition are computationally investigated in the present study. The work is motivated by a recently proposed design modification to the Total Artificial Lung (TAL) device, which is expected to provide better gas exchange. Navier-Stokes computations, coupled with convection-diffusion equation are performed to assess flow dynamics and mass transport behavior around the oscillating fiber. The oscillations and the pulsatile free stream velocity are represented by two sinusoidal functions. The resulting non-dimensional parameters are Keulegan-Carpenter number (KC), Schmidt number (Sc), Reynolds number (Re), pulsatile inflow amplitude ([Formula: see text]), and amplitude of cylinder oscillation ([Formula: see text]). Results are computed for [Formula: see text], Sc = 1000, Re = 5 and 10, [Formula: see text] and 0.7 and 0.25 [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text] 5.25. The pulsatile inflow parameters correspond to the flow velocities found in human pulmonary artery while matching the operating TAL Reynolds number. Mass transport from the surface of the cylinder to the bulk fluid is found to be primarily dependent on the size of surface vortices created by the movement of the cylinder. Time-averaged surface Sherwood number (Sh) is dependent on the amplitude and KC of cylinder oscillation. Compared to the fixed cylinder case, a significant gain up to 380% in Sh is achieved by oscillating the cylinder even at the small displacement amplitude (AD = 0.75D). Moreover, with decrease in KC the oscillating cylinder exhibits a lower drag amplitude compared with the fixed cylinder case. Inflow pulsation amplitude has minor effects on the mass transport characteristics. However, an increase in [Formula: see text] results in an increase in the amplitude of the periodic drag force on the cylinder. This rise in the drag amplitude is similar to that measured for the fixed cylinder case. Quantifications of shear stress distribution in the bulk fluid suggest that the physiological concerns of platelet activation and injury to red blood cells due to cylinder oscillation are negligible.

Transport of Colloids along Corners: Visualization of Evaporation-Induced Flows beyond the Axisymmetric Condition.

PubMed

Vélez-Cordero, J Rodrigo; Yáñez Soto, Bernardo; Arauz-Lara, José L

2016-08-16

Nonhomogeneous evaporation fluxes have been shown to promote the formation of internal currents in sessile droplets, explaining the patterns that suspended particles leave after the droplet has dried out. Although most evaporation experiments have been conducted using spherical-cap-shaped drops, which are essentially in an axisymmetric geometry, here we show an example of nonhomogeneous evaporation in asymmetric geometries, which is visualized by following the motion of colloidal particles along liquid fingers forming a meniscus at square corners. It is found that the particle's velocity increases with the diffusive evaporation factor [Formula: see text] for the three tested fluids: water, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and ethanol (EtOH). Here, [Formula: see text] is the vapor diffusivity in air, RH is the relative amount of vapor in the atmosphere, and cs is the saturated vapor concentration. We observed that in IPA and EtOH the internal currents promote a 3D spiral motion, whereas in water the particle's trajectory is basically unidirectional. By adding 0.25 critical micelle concentration (CMC) of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant in water, a velocity blast was observed in the whole circulation flow pattern, going from [Formula: see text] to nearly [Formula: see text] in the longitudinal velocity component. To assess the effect of breaking the axisymmetric condition on the evaporation flux profile, we numerically solved the diffusive equation in model geometries that preserve the value of the contact angle θ but introduce an additional angle ϕ that characterizes the solid substrate. By testing different combinations of θ and ϕ, we corroborated that the evaporation flux increases when the substrate and the gas-liquid curves meet at corners with increasing sharpness.

Intestinal microbiota in infants at high risk for allergy: Effects of prebiotics and role in eczema development.

PubMed

Wopereis, Harm; Sim, Kathleen; Shaw, Alexander; Warner, John O; Knol, Jan; Kroll, J Simon

2018-04-01

Development of the gut microbiota in infancy is important in maturation of the immune system. Deviations in colonization patterns have been associated with allergic manifestations such as eczema, but exact microbiome dysfunctions underlying allergies remain unclear. We studied the gut microbiota of 138 infants at increased risk of allergy, participating in a clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of a partially hydrolyzed protein formula supplemented with nondigestible oligosaccharides on the prevention of eczema. The effects of interventions and breast-feeding on fecal microbiota were investigated. Additionally, we aimed to identify microbial patterns associated with the onset of eczema. Bacterial taxonomic compositions in the first 26 weeks of life were analyzed by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Additionally, fecal pH and microbial metabolite levels were measured. Fecal microbial composition, metabolites, and pH of infants receiving partially hydrolyzed protein formula supplemented with nondigestible oligosaccharides was closer to that of breast-fed infants than that of infants receiving standard cow's milk formula. Infants with eczema by 18 months showed discordant development of bacterial genera of Enterobacteriaceae and Parabacteroides species in the first 26 weeks, as well as decreased acquisition of lactate-utilizing bacteria producing butyrate, namely Eubacterium and Anaerostipes species, supported by increased lactate and decreased butyrate levels. We showed that a partially hydrolyzed protein infant formula with specific prebiotics modulated the gut microbiota closer to that of breast-fed infants. Additionally, we identified a potential link between microbial activity and onset of eczema, which might reflect a suboptimal implementation of gut microbiota at specific developmental stages in infants at high risk for allergy. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Infant feeding patterns and eczema in children in the first 6 years of life.

PubMed

Soto-Ramírez, N; Kar, S; Zhang, H; Karmaus, W

2017-10-01

Modes of infant feeding such as direct and indirect breastfeeding, and formula feeding, and their combinations may play a role in child health. The aim was to investigate which feeding patterns in the first 6 months pose risks of eczema/skin allergy in children up to 6 years compared to direct breastfeeding for at least 3 months. The Infant Feeding Practices Study II in the United States and its 6-year follow-up provided data on feeding modes in infancy and doctor's diagnosed eczema/skin allergy in the first 6 years of life (1387 infants), based on parental reports. Different feeding patterns were identified. Log-linear models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) of feeding patterns for doctor's diagnosed eczema/skin allergy in the first 6 years of life, adjusting for confounders. Compared to "direct breastfeeding for at least 3 months" (DBF3m), the combination of "direct feeding at the breast (DBF), pumping and feeding breast milk (BM), and formula (FF) in the first months" (DBF/BM/FF) showed a statistically significant higher risk of eczema/skin allergy in the first 6 years of life (PR = 1.46), adjusting for confounders. DBF combined with BM for the first 3 months followed by mixed feeding also had an increased risk (PR = 1.26), although not statistically significant. Formula feeding introduced since birth had no effect on eczema. Among the confounders, paternal eczema and race/ethnicity (Hispanic vs White) were associated with a higher risk of eczema/skin allergy. Mixed infant feeding may carry a higher risk of eczema/skin allergy compared to direct feeding at the breast. The recent epidemic of pumping and feeding in the United States and the use of mixed infant feeding modes requires additional studies to provide appropriate and renewed assessments of the risks of feeding modes for the future development of allergies. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prescriptions of Chinese herbal medicine for constipation under the national health insurance in Taiwan.

PubMed

Jong, Maw-Shiou; Hwang, Shinn-Jang; Chen, Yu-Chun; Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Chen, Fun-Jou; Chen, Fang-Pey

2010-07-01

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal problem worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of use and prescriptive patterns of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in treating constipation by analyzing the claims data of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) from the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Taiwan. The computerized claims dataset of the TCM office visits and the corresponding prescription files in 2004 compiled by the NHI Research Institute in Taiwan were linked and processed. Visit files with the single diagnostic coding of constipation (ICD-9-CM code 564.0) were extracted to analyze the frequency and pattern of corresponding CHM prescriptions. The association rule was applied to analyze the co-prescription of CHM in treating constipation. There were 152,564 subjects who visited TCM clinics only for constipation in Taiwan during 2004 and received a total of 387,268 CHM prescriptions. Subjects between 20 and 29 years of age comprised the largest number of those treated (25.5%). Female subjects used CHM for constipation more frequently than male subjects (female:male = 3.31:1). There was an average of 4.6 items of single Chinese herbs or formula in a single prescription for constipation. Ma-zi-renwan was the most commonly prescribed herbal formula, while Da-huang (Rheum palmatum) was the most commonly used single Chinese herb. According to the association rule, the most common prescribed pattern of 2-drug combination of CHM for treating constipation was Ban-xia-xie-xin-tang plus Ma-zi-ren-wan, while the 3-drug combination of CHM was Fang-feng-tong-sheng-san, Rheum palmatum and Ma-zi-ren-wan. This study showed the pattern of single Chinese herbs or herbal formulae used in treating constipation in Taiwan. Further clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these CHMs in treating constipation. 2010 Elsevier. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Microcomputer control of a LED stimulus display device].

PubMed

Ohmoto, S; Kikuchi, T; Kumada, T

1987-02-01

A visual stimulus display system controlled by a microcomputer was constructed at low cost. The system consists of a LED stimulus display device, a microcomputer, two interface boards, a pointing device (a "mouse") and two kinds of software. The first software package is written in BASIC. Its functions are: to construct stimulus patterns using the mouse, to construct letter patterns (alphabet, digit, symbols and Japanese letters--kanji, hiragana, katakana), to modify the patterns, to store the patterns on a floppy disc, to translate the patterns into integer data which are used to display the patterns in the second software. The second software package, written in BASIC and machine language, controls display of a sequence of stimulus patterns in predetermined time schedules in visual experiments.

Surface patterning of multilayer graphene by ultraviolet laser irradiation in biomolecule sensing devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Tien-Li; Chen, Zhao-Chi

2015-12-01

The study presents a direct process for surface patterning of multilayer graphene on the glass substrate as a biosensing device. In contrast to lithography with etching, the proposed process provides simultaneous surface patterning of multilayer graphene through nanosecond laser irradiation. In this study, the multilayer graphene was prepared by a screen printing process. Additionally, the wavelength of the laser beam was 355 nm. To perform the effective laser process with the small heat affected zone, the surface patterns on the sensing devices could be directly fabricated using the laser with optimal control of the pulse overlap at a fluence threshold of 0.63 J/cm2. The unique patterning of the laser-ablated surface exhibits their electrical and hydrophilic characteristics. The hydrophilic surface of graphene-based sensing devices was achieved in the process with the pulse overlap of 90%. Furthermore, the sensing devices for controlling the electrical response of glucose by using glucose oxidase can be used in sensors in commercial medical applications.

Periodically structured Si pillars for high-performing heterojunction photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melvin David Kumar, M.; Yun, Ju-Hyung; Kim, Joondong

2015-03-01

A periodical array of silicon (Si) micro pillar structures was fabricated on Si substrates using PR etching process. Indium tin oxide (ITO) layer of 80 nm thickness was deposited over patterned Si substrates so as to make ITO/n-Si heterojunction devices. The influences of width and period of pillars on the optical and electrical properties of prepared devices were investigated. The surface morphology of the Si substrates revealed the uniform array of pillar structures. The 5/10 (width/period) Si pillar pattern reduced the optical reflectance to 6.5% from 17% which is of 5/7 pillar pattern. The current rectifying ratio was found higher for the device in which the pillars are situated in optimum periods. At both visible (600 nm) and near infrared (900 nm) range of wavelengths, the 5/7 and 5/10 pillar patterned device exhibited the better photoresponses which are suitable for making advanced photodetectors. This highly transmittance and photoresponsive pillar patterned Si substrates with an ITO layer would be a promising device for various photoelectric applications.

Method of gas purification and system therefor

DOEpatents

Szwarc, R.

1983-12-29

A method and device are disclosed for conducting gettering. The gettering is conducted with one of an LiB, LiSi or LiAl system. Preferably the LiB system is of the formula Li/sub x/B/sub 1-x/ wherein 0 < x < 1 with gettering conducted at room or slightly elevated temperature of about 100 to 200/sup 0/C.

76 FR 76417 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-07

...); biologics; medical devices; dietary supplements and other special nutritional products (e.g., infant formula... supplements under section 402 of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 342). Dietary supplements do not require premarket approval by FDA and the Agency bears the burden to gather and review evidence that a dietary supplement may...

Students’ Algebraic Thinking Process in Context of Point and Line Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurrahmi, H.; Suryadi, D.; Fatimah, S.

2017-09-01

Learning of schools algebra is limited to symbols and operating procedures, so students are able to work on problems that only require the ability to operate symbols but unable to generalize a pattern as one of part of algebraic thinking. The purpose of this study is to create a didactic design that facilitates students to do algebraic thinking process through the generalization of patterns, especially in the context of the property of point and line. This study used qualitative method and includes Didactical Design Research (DDR). The result is students are able to make factual, contextual, and symbolic generalization. This happen because the generalization arises based on facts on local terms, then the generalization produced an algebraic formula that was described in the context and perspective of each student. After that, the formula uses the algebraic letter symbol from the symbol t hat uses the students’ language. It can be concluded that the design has facilitated students to do algebraic thinking process through the generalization of patterns, especially in the context of property of the point and line. The impact of this study is this design can use as one of material teaching alternative in learning of school algebra.

Functionalized polyfluorenes for use in optoelectronic devices

DOEpatents

Chichak, Kelly Scott [Clifton Park, NY; Lewis, Larry Neil [Scotia, NY; Cella, James Anthony [Clifton Park, NY; Shiang, Joseph John [Niskayuna, NY

2011-11-08

The present invention relates to process comprising reacting a polyfluorenes comprising at least one structural group of formula I ##STR00001## with an iridium (III) compound of formula II ##STR00002## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl or a combination thereof; R.sup.5is H or CHO; R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl or a combination thereof; R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 taken together form a substituted or unsubstituted monocyclic or bicyclic heteroaromatic ring; R.sup.13 is independently at each occurrence halo, nitro, hydroxy, amino, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, substituted alkyl, substituted aryl, or substituted arylalkyl; Ar is aryl, heteroaryl, substituted aryl, substituted heteroaryl, or a combination thereof; X is selected from a direct bond, alky, substituted alkyl, and combinations thereof; Y is CHO or NH.sub.2; Z is CHO or NH.sub.2 where Z does not equal Y; and p is 0, 1 or 2. The invention also relates to the polyfluorenes, which are products of the reaction, and the use of the polyfluorenes in optoelectronic devices.

Color- and motion-specific units in the tectum opticum of goldfish.

PubMed

Gruber, Morna; Behrend, Konstantin; Neumeyer, Christa

2016-01-05

Extracellular recordings were performed from 69 units at different depths between 50 and [Formula: see text]m below the surface of tectum opticum in goldfish. Using large field stimuli (86[Formula: see text] visual angle) of 21 colored HKS-papers we were able to record from 54 color-sensitive units. The colored papers were presented for 5[Formula: see text]s each. They were arranged in the sequence of the color circle in humans separated by gray of medium brightness. We found 22 units with best responses between orange, red and pink. About 12 of these red-sensitive units were of the opponent "red-ON/blue-green-OFF" type as found in retinal bipolar- and ganglion cells as well. Most of them were also activated or inhibited by black and/or white. Some units responded specifically to red either with activation or inhibition. 18 units were sensitive to blue and/or green, 10 of them to both colors and most of them to black as well. They were inhibited by red, and belonged to the opponent "blue-green-ON/red-OFF" type. Other units responded more selectively either to blue, to green or to purple. Two units were selectively sensitive to yellow. A total of 15 units were sensitive to motion, stimulated by an excentrically rotating black and white random dot pattern. Activity of these units was also large when a red-green random dot pattern of high L-cone contrast was used. Activity dropped to zero when the red-green pattern did not modulate the L-cones. Neither of these motion selective units responded to any color. The results directly show color-blindness of motion vision, and confirm the hypothesis of separate and parallel processing of "color" and "motion".

Global trends and patterns of commercial milk-based formula sales: is an unprecedented infant and young child feeding transition underway?

PubMed

Baker, Phillip; Smith, Julie; Salmon, Libby; Friel, Sharon; Kent, George; Iellamo, Alessandro; Dadhich, J P; Renfrew, Mary J

2016-10-01

The marketing of infant/child milk-based formulas (MF) contributes to suboptimal breast-feeding and adversely affects child and maternal health outcomes globally. However, little is known about recent changes in MF markets. The present study describes contemporary trends and patterns of MF sales at the global, regional and country levels. Descriptive statistics of trends and patterns in MF sales volume per infant/child for the years 2008-2013 and projections to 2018, using industry-sourced data. Eighty countries categorized by country income bracket, for developing countries by region, and in countries with the largest infant/child populations. MF categories included total (for ages 0-36 months), infant (0-6 months), follow-up (7-12 months), toddler (13-36 months) and special (0-6 months). In 2008-2013 world total MF sales grew by 40·8 % from 5·5 to 7·8 kg per infant/child/year, a figure predicted to increase to 10·8 kg by 2018. Growth was most rapid in East Asia particularly in China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam and was led by the infant and follow-up formula categories. Sales volume per infant/child was positively associated with country income level although with wide variability between countries. A global infant and young child feeding (IYCF) transition towards diets higher in MF is underway and is expected to continue apace. The observed increase in MF sales raises serious concern for global child and maternal health, particularly in East Asia, and calls into question the efficacy of current regulatory regimes designed to protect and promote optimal IYCF. The observed changes have not been captured by existing IYCF monitoring systems.

Density, abundance, survival, and ranging patterns of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Mississippi Sound following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

PubMed

Mullin, Keith D; McDonald, Trent; Wells, Randall S; Balmer, Brian C; Speakman, Todd; Sinclair, Carrie; Zolman, Eric S; Hornsby, Fawn; McBride, Shauna M; Wilkinson, Krystan A; Schwacke, Lori H

2017-01-01

After the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill began in April 2010, studies were initiated on northern Gulf of Mexico common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Mississippi Sound (MSS) to determine density, abundance, and survival, during and after the oil spill, and to compare these results to previous research in this region. Seasonal boat-based photo-identification surveys (2010-2012) were conducted in a section of MSS to estimate dolphin density and survival, and satellite-linked telemetry (2013) was used to determine ranging patterns. Telemetry suggested two different ranging patterns in MSS: (1) inshore waters with seasonal movements into mid-MSS, and (2) around the barrier islands exclusively. Based upon these data, dolphin density was estimated in two strata (Inshore and Island) using a spatially-explicit robust-design capture-recapture model. Inshore and Island density varied between 0.77-1.61 dolphins km-2 ([Formula: see text] = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.28-1.53) and 3.32-5.74 dolphins km-2 ([Formula: see text] = 4.43, 95% CI: 2.70-5.63), respectively. The estimated annual survival rate for dolphins with distinctive fins was very low in the year following the spill, 0.73 (95% CI: 0.67-0.78), and consistent with the occurrence of a large scale cetacean unusual mortality event that was in part attributed to the DWH oil spill. Fluctuations in density were not as large or seasonally consistent as previously reported. Total abundance for MSS extrapolated from density results ranged from 4,610 in July 2011 to 3,046 in January 2012 ([Formula: see text] = 3,469, 95% CI: 3,113-3,725).

Use of traditional Chinese medicine in patients with hyperlipidemia: A population-based study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chu, Shih-Meng; Shih, Wei-Tai; Yang, Yao-Hsu; Chen, Pau-Chung; Chu, Yen-Hua

2015-06-20

Chinese herbal products (CHPs) are commonly used in patients with hyperlipidemia in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Because hyperlipidemia and related disease are common issues worldwide, this study analyzed the prescription patterns and frequencies of CHPs for treating patients with hyperlipidemia in Taiwan. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become popular as a therapy for controlling symptoms in patients with hyperlipidemia. This study aimed to analyze the prescription patterns of TCM for patients with hyperlipidemia in Taiwan. The study population was recruited from a random-sampled cohort of 1,000,000 people from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2003 and 2009. We identified 30,784 outpatient visits related with hyperlipidemia diagnosis and collected these medical records. Association rules of data mining were conducted to explore the co-prescription patterns for Chinese herbal products (CHPs). The most commonly prescribed herbal formula for hyperlipidemia treatment was Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang (16.1%), and Shan Zha (Crataegi fructus; 25.0%) was the most commonly prescribed single herb. The most commonly prescribed combination of an herbal formula and a single herb was Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang and Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae), and the most commonly prescribed combination of couplet herbs was Dan Shen and Shan Zha. Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang is the most frequently prescribed formula and is typically prescribed with Shan Zha, Dan Shen, and He Shou Wu for patients with hyperlipidemia. Clinical trials are warranted in future research to investigate the effects of the CHPs in terms of safety and efficacy and in particular to evaluate potential interactions with conventional treatments. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

A generalization of the Drude-Smith formula for magneto-optical conductivities in Faraday geometry

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

Han, F. W.; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026; Xu, W., E-mail: wenxu-issp@aliyun.com

2016-06-28

In this study, we generalize the impulse response approach and Poisson statistics proposed by Smith [Phys. Rev. B 64, 155106 (2001)] to evaluate the longitudinal and transverse magneto-optical conductivities in an electron gas system in Faraday geometry. Comparing with the standard Drude model, the coefficients a{sub n} are introduced in the Drude-Smith formula to describe the backscattering or localization effect for the nth electronic scattering event. Such a formula can also be applied to study the elements of the dielectric function matrix in the presence of magnetic and radiation fields in electron gas systems. This theoretical work is primely motivatedmore » by recent experimental activities in measuring the real and imaginary parts of longitudinal and transverse magneto-optical conductivities in condensed matter materials and electronic devices using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. We believe that the results obtained from this study can provide an appropriate theoretical tool in reproducing the experimental findings and in fitting with experimental data to determine the important sample and material parameters.« less

Anode materials for lithium ion batteries

DOEpatents

Abouimrane, Ali; Amine, Khalil

2017-04-11

An electrochemical device includes a composite material of general Formula (1-x)J-(x)Q wherein: J is a metal carbon alloy of formula Sn.sub.zSi.sub.z'Met.sub.wMet'.sub.w'C.sub.t; Q is a metal oxide of formula A.sub..gamma.M.sub..alpha.M'.sub..alpha.'O.sub..beta.; and wherein: A is Li, Na, or K; M and M' are individually Ge, Mo, Al, Ga, As, Sb, Te, Ti, Ta, Zr, Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba, Li, Na, K, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Nb, Rt, Ru or Cd; Met and Met' are individually Ge, Mo, Al, Ga, As, Sb, Te, Ti, Ta, Zr, Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba, Li, Na, K, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Nb, Rt, Ru or Cd; 0

Single and Dual Drug Release Patterns from Shellac Wax-Lutrol Matrix Tablets Fabricated with Fusion and Molding Techniques

PubMed Central

Phaechamud, T.; Choncheewa, C.

2015-01-01

The objective of this investigation was to prepare the shellac wax matrix tablets by fusion and molding technique incorporated with Lutrol in different ratios to modify the hydrophobicity of matrix tablet. The matrix tablets with single drug were loaded either with propranolol hydrochloride or hydrochlorothiazide as hydrophilic and hydrophobic model drugs, and a dual drug formula was also prepared. The single and dual drug release patterns were studied in a dissolution apparatus using distilled water as medium. Propranolol hydrochloride released from matrix was easier than hydrochlorothiazide. Drug release from shellac wax matrix could be enhanced by incorporation of Lutrol. However retardation of drug release from some matrix tablets was evident for the systems that could form dispersion in the dissolution medium. The gel network from high content of Lutrol was hexagonal which was a dense and more compact structure than the other structures found when low amounts of Lutrol were present in the formula. Therefore, the formulae with high content of Lutrol could prolong drug release more efficiently than those containing low content of Lutrol. Hence shellac wax matrix could modulate the drug release with the addition of Lutrol. Sustainable dual drug release was also obtained from these developed matrix tablets. Thus shellac wax-Lutrol component could be used as a potential matrix tablet prepared with fusion and molding technique with excellent controlled drug release. PMID:25767320

Design of a 500-kJ Mather-type plasma focus device

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

Heidarnia, A., E-mail: a-heidarnia@yahoo.com; Sadighzadeh, A.; Zaeem, A. A.

In this article, design of a 500-kJ Mather-type plasma focus device to achieve 10{sup 11} neutrons/shot is reported. One of its important characteristics is the triple-part anode design. The anode is surrounded by an alumina insulator. The second part of the anode is changeable in order to locate cylindrical, conical, or other shapes of pieces mounted on it. This geometry leads to the easier investigation of the neutron and X-ray emissions of the device. The third part of the anode is for changing the materials exposed to different kinds of radiations. The design parameters are considered by semiempirical and empiricalmore » formulas and are sketched by Solidworks software. Also, the peak current and neutron yield are estimated.« less

Financing Community Colleges: Threats and Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapraun, E. Daniel; Heard, Don A.

Today many community colleges are faced with a multitude of financial problems that threaten the stability of their educational and operational programs. These problems include decreases in funding, rising costs, outdated funding formulas, and volatile enrollment patterns. The extent to which individual community college leaders understand these…

[Experience of diagnosis and treatment of exogenous high-grade fever].

PubMed

Xiong, Xing-jiang; Wang, Jie

2011-06-01

There is a regular pattern in the diagnosis and treatment of exogenous high-grade fever, of which the key point is formula syndrome identification. Syndrome differentiation of the six channels is appropriate for not only exogenous cold but also various other conditions. The diagnosis and treatment of high-grade fever can also follow the law of syndrome differentiation of the six channels. The theory of epidemic febrile diseases stems from and elaborates on an understanding of exogenous febrile conditions, so many effective formulas used to treat epidemic febrile diseases also have great value in the treatment of high-grade fever. Deteriorated syndrome, which is central to this condition, is very commonly seen in cases of high-grade fever, the key therapeutic principle of which is established according to syndromes. Allowing analysis that does not rigidly adhere to either established modern diagnosis or traditional Chinese syndromes, prominent achievements could be made in treating high-grade fever by summarizing the regular presenting patterns in terms of the constitution and symptoms.

The hot (invisible?) hand: can time sequence patterns of success/failure in sports be modeled as repeated random independent trials?

PubMed

Yaari, Gur; Eisenmann, Shmuel

2011-01-01

The long lasting debate initiated by Gilovich, Vallone and Tversky in [Formula: see text] is revisited: does a "hot hand" phenomenon exist in sports? Hereby we come back to one of the cases analyzed by the original study, but with a much larger data set: all free throws taken during five regular seasons ([Formula: see text]) of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Evidence supporting the existence of the "hot hand" phenomenon is provided. However, while statistical traces of this phenomenon are observed in the data, an open question still remains: are these non random patterns a result of "success breeds success" and "failure breeds failure" mechanisms or simply "better" and "worse" periods? Although free throws data is not adequate to answer this question in a definite way, we speculate based on it, that the latter is the dominant cause behind the appearance of the "hot hand" phenomenon in the data.

Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids: A Lost Decade for Change

PubMed Central

Chan, Zoe Yee Ting; McPherson, Bradley

2015-01-01

Background. Hearing aids sold directly to consumers in retail stores or through the internet, without individual prescription by audiological professionals, are termed over-the-counter (OTC) devices. This study aimed to determine whether there was any change in the electroacoustic characteristics of OTC devices compared to research carried out a decade earlier. The previous results indicated that most OTC devices were low-frequency-emphasis devices and were unsuitable for elderly people with presbycusis, who were likely to be the major consumers of these products. Methods. Ten OTC devices were selected and their electroacoustic performance was measured. Appropriate clients for the OTC devices were derived, using four linear prescription formulae, and OTC suitability for elderly persons with presbycusis was investigated. Results. OTC electroacoustic characteristics were similar to those in the earlier study. Most OTC devices were not acoustically appropriate for potential consumers with presbycusis. Although several of the devices could match prescriptive targets for individuals with presbycusis, their poor electroacoustic performance—including ineffective volume control function, high equivalent input noise, and irregular frequency response—may override their potential benefit. Conclusion. The low-cost OTC devices were generally not suitable for the main consumers of these products, and there has been little improvement in the appropriateness of these devices over the past decade. PMID:26557701

Breast-feeding increases sleep duration of new parents.

PubMed

Doan, Therese; Gardiner, Annelise; Gay, Caryl L; Lee, Kathryn A

2007-01-01

This study describes sleep patterns for mothers and fathers after the birth of their first child and compares exclusive breast-feeding families with parents who used supplementation during the evening or night at 3 months postpartum. As part of a randomized clinical trial, the study utilized infant feeding and sleep data at 3 months postpartum from 133 new mothers and fathers. Infant feeding type (breast milk or formula) was determined from parent diaries. Sleep was measured objectively using wrist actigraphy and subjectively using diaries. Lee's General Sleep Disturbance Scale was used to estimate perceived sleep disturbance. Parents of infants who were breastfed in the evening and/or at night slept an average of 40-45 minutes more than parents of infants given formula. Parents of infants given formula at night also self-reported more sleep disturbance than parents of infants who were exclusively breast-fed at night. Parents who supplement their infant feeding with formula under the impression that they will get more sleep should be encouraged to continue breast-feeding because sleep loss of more than 30 minutes each night can begin to affect daytime functioning, particularly in those parents who return to work.

Weaving and neural complexity in symmetric quantum states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susa, Cristian E.; Girolami, Davide

2018-04-01

We study the behaviour of two different measures of the complexity of multipartite correlation patterns, weaving and neural complexity, for symmetric quantum states. Weaving is the weighted sum of genuine multipartite correlations of any order, where the weights are proportional to the correlation order. The neural complexity, originally introduced to characterize correlation patterns in classical neural networks, is here extended to the quantum scenario. We derive closed formulas of the two quantities for GHZ states mixed with white noise.

Optical Potential Field Mapping System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, Max B. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

The present invention relates to an optical system for creating a potential field map of a bounded two dimensional region containing a goal location and an arbitrary number of obstacles. The potential field mapping system has an imaging device and a processor. Two image writing modes are used by the imaging device, electron deposition and electron depletion. Patterns written in electron deposition mode appear black and expand. Patterns written in electron depletion mode are sharp and appear white. The generated image represents a robot's workspace. The imaging device under processor control then writes a goal location in the work-space using the electron deposition mode. The black image of the goal expands in the workspace. The processor stores the generated images, and uses them to generate a feedback pattern. The feedback pattern is written in the workspace by the imaging device in the electron deposition mode to enhance the expansion of the original goal pattern. After the feedback pattern is written, an obstacle pattern is written by the imaging device in the electron depletion mode to represent the obstacles in the robot's workspace. The processor compares a stored image to a previously stored image to determine a change therebetween. When no change occurs, the processor averages the stored images to produce the potential field map.

Impact of direct drug delivery via gastric access devices.

PubMed

Kurien, Matthew; Penny, Hugo; Sanders, David S

2015-03-01

Gastric access devices such as nasogastric tubes and gastrostomy tubes are increasingly being used in clinical practice to provide both short- and long-term nutrition support therapy. Increasingly these devices are being utilized to help deliver oral medications, where swallowing is impaired. This concomitant administration of medications and enteral formulas could derive potential benefits in regard to time and cost; however, uncertainty exists regarding potential drug and nutrient interactions and the influence this may have on both safety and efficacy. This article provides an overview of the differing gastric access devices used in clinical practice and evaluates the evidence base for using oral medications via these routes. Alternative methods of drug administration are discussed, alongside common drug nutrient interactions and potential complications. Delivering medications via gastric access devices can be performed safely; however, careful consideration needs to be made regarding tube and patient influences, alongside drug-nutrient interactions. Improving practice in this area in the future necessitates enhancement of an evidence base to substantiate the safety of drug delivery via gastric access devices and improvement in education among healthcare professionals about the potential problems.

Distortion in the thermal noise spectrum and quality factor of nanomechanical devices due to finite frequency resolution with applications to the atomic force microscope.

PubMed

Sader, John E; Sanelli, Julian; Hughes, Barry D; Monty, Jason P; Bieske, Evan J

2011-09-01

The thermal noise spectrum of nanomechanical devices is commonly used to characterize their mechanical properties and energy dissipation. This spectrum is measured from finite time series of Brownian motion of the device, which is windowed and Fourier transformed. Here, we present a theoretical and experimental investigation of the effect of such finite sampling on the measured device quality factor. We prove that if no spectral window is used, the thermal noise spectrum retains its original Lorentzian distribution but with a reduced quality factor, indicating an apparent enhancement in energy dissipation. A simple analytical formula is derived connecting the true and measured quality factors - this enables extraction of the true device quality factor from measured data. Common windows used to reduce spectral leakage are found to distort the (true) Lorentzian shape, potentially making fitting problematic. These findings are expected to be of particular importance for devices with high quality factors, where spectral resolution can be limited in practice. Comparison and validation using measurements on atomic force microscope cantilevers are presented. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

The Pattern of Electronic Game Use and Related Bodily Discomfort in Hong Kong Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lui, Donald P. Y.; Szeto, Grace P. Y.; Jones, Alice Y. M.

2011-01-01

The present study examined the usage pattern of electronic game devices among primary school children in Hong Kong. Commonly used types of games devices were grouped into three main categories: large-screen/TV-based games, small handheld game devices and active game devices. A survey was conducted among 476 students in a local primary school, with…

Direct patterning of highly-conductive graphene@copper composites using copper naphthenate as a resist for graphene device applications.

PubMed

Bi, Kaixi; Xiang, Quan; Chen, Yiqin; Shi, Huimin; Li, Zhiqin; Lin, Jun; Zhang, Yongzhe; Wan, Qiang; Zhang, Guanhua; Qin, Shiqiao; Zhang, Xueao; Duan, Huigao

2017-11-09

We report an electron-beam lithography process to directly fabricate graphene@copper composite patterns without involving metal deposition, lift-off and etching processes using copper naphthenate as a high-resolution negative-tone resist. As a commonly used industrial painting product, copper naphthenate is extremely cheap with a long shelf time but demonstrates an unexpected patterning resolution better than 10 nm. With appropriate annealing under a hydrogen atmosphere, the produced graphene@copper composite patterns show high conductivity of ∼400 S cm -1 . X-ray diffraction, conformal Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to analyze the chemical composition of the final patterns. With the properties of high resolution and high conductivity, the patterned graphene@copper composites could be used as conductive pads and interconnects for graphene electronic devices with ohmic contacts. Compared to common fabrication processes involving metal evaporation and lift-off steps, this pattern-transfer-free fabrication process using copper naphthenate resist is direct and simple but allows comparable device performance in practical device applications.

Statistical model for speckle pattern optimization.

PubMed

Su, Yong; Zhang, Qingchuan; Gao, Zeren

2017-11-27

Image registration is the key technique of optical metrologies such as digital image correlation (DIC), particle image velocimetry (PIV), and speckle metrology. Its performance depends critically on the quality of image pattern, and thus pattern optimization attracts extensive attention. In this article, a statistical model is built to optimize speckle patterns that are composed of randomly positioned speckles. It is found that the process of speckle pattern generation is essentially a filtered Poisson process. The dependence of measurement errors (including systematic errors, random errors, and overall errors) upon speckle pattern generation parameters is characterized analytically. By minimizing the errors, formulas of the optimal speckle radius are presented. Although the primary motivation is from the field of DIC, we believed that scholars in other optical measurement communities, such as PIV and speckle metrology, will benefit from these discussions.

Importance Sampling of Word Patterns in DNA and Protein Sequences

PubMed Central

Chan, Hock Peng; Chen, Louis H.Y.

2010-01-01

Abstract Monte Carlo methods can provide accurate p-value estimates of word counting test statistics and are easy to implement. They are especially attractive when an asymptotic theory is absent or when either the search sequence or the word pattern is too short for the application of asymptotic formulae. Naive direct Monte Carlo is undesirable for the estimation of small probabilities because the associated rare events of interest are seldom generated. We propose instead efficient importance sampling algorithms that use controlled insertion of the desired word patterns on randomly generated sequences. The implementation is illustrated on word patterns of biological interest: palindromes and inverted repeats, patterns arising from position-specific weight matrices (PSWMs), and co-occurrences of pairs of motifs. PMID:21128856

Ultrahigh lattice thermal conductivity in topological semimetal TaN caused by a large acoustic-optical gap.

PubMed

Guo, San-Dong; Liu, Bang-Gui

2018-03-14

Topological semimetals may have potential applications such as in topological qubits, spintronics and quantum computations. Efficient heat dissipation is a key factor for the reliability and stability of topological semimetal-based nano-electronics devices, which is closely related to high thermal conductivity. In this work, the elastic properties and lattice thermal conductivity of TaN are investigated using first-principles calculations and the linearized phonon Boltzmann equation within the single-mode relaxation time approximation. According to the calculated bulk modulus, shear modulus and C 44 , TaN can be regarded as a potential incompressible and hard material. The room-temperature lattice thermal conductivity is predicted to be 838.62 [Formula: see text] along the a axis and 1080.40 [Formula: see text] along the c axis, showing very strong anisotropy. It is found that the lattice thermal conductivity of TaN is several tens of times higher than other topological semimetals, such as TaAs, MoP and ZrTe, which is due to the very longer phonon lifetimes for TaN than other topological semimetals. The very different atomic masses of Ta and N atoms lead to a very large acoustic-optical band gap, and then prohibit the scattering between acoustic and optical phonon modes, which gives rise to very long phonon lifetimes. Calculated results show that isotope scattering has little effect on lattice thermal conductivity, and that phonons with mean free paths larger than 20 (80) [Formula: see text] along the c direction at 300 K have little contribution to the total lattice thermal conductivity. This work implies that TaN-based nano-electronics devices may be more stable and reliable due to efficient heat dissipation, and motivates further experimental works to study lattice thermal conductivity of TaN.

Determination of optimal ultrasound planes for the initialisation of image registration during endoscopic ultrasound-guided procedures.

PubMed

Bonmati, Ester; Hu, Yipeng; Gibson, Eli; Uribarri, Laura; Keane, Geri; Gurusami, Kurinchi; Davidson, Brian; Pereira, Stephen P; Clarkson, Matthew J; Barratt, Dean C

2018-06-01

Navigation of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided procedures of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) system can be technically challenging due to the small fields-of-view of ultrasound and optical devices, as well as the anatomical variability and limited number of orienting landmarks during navigation. Co-registration of an EUS device and a pre-procedure 3D image can enhance the ability to navigate. However, the fidelity of this contextual information depends on the accuracy of registration. The purpose of this study was to develop and test the feasibility of a simulation-based planning method for pre-selecting patient-specific EUS-visible anatomical landmark locations to maximise the accuracy and robustness of a feature-based multimodality registration method. A registration approach was adopted in which landmarks are registered to anatomical structures segmented from the pre-procedure volume. The predicted target registration errors (TREs) of EUS-CT registration were estimated using simulated visible anatomical landmarks and a Monte Carlo simulation of landmark localisation error. The optimal planes were selected based on the 90th percentile of TREs, which provide a robust and more accurate EUS-CT registration initialisation. The method was evaluated by comparing the accuracy and robustness of registrations initialised using optimised planes versus non-optimised planes using manually segmented CT images and simulated ([Formula: see text]) or retrospective clinical ([Formula: see text]) EUS landmarks. The results show a lower 90th percentile TRE when registration is initialised using the optimised planes compared with a non-optimised initialisation approach (p value [Formula: see text]). The proposed simulation-based method to find optimised EUS planes and landmarks for EUS-guided procedures may have the potential to improve registration accuracy. Further work will investigate applying the technique in a clinical setting.

Thermoelectric device including an alloy of GeTe and AgSbTe as the P-type element

DOEpatents

Skrabek, Emanuel Andrew; Trimmer, Donald Smith

1976-01-01

Improved alloys suitable for thermoelectric applications and having the general formula: (AgSbTe.sub.2).sub.1.sub.-x + (GeTe).sub.x wherein x has a value of about 0.80 and 0.85, have been found to possess unexpectedly high thermoelectric properties such as efficiency index, as well as other improved physical properties.

Phonon scattering in nanoscale systems: lowest order expansion of the current and power expressions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulsson, Magnus; Frederiksen, Thomas; Brandbyge, Mads

2006-04-01

We use the non-equilibrium Green's function method to describe the effects of phonon scattering on the conductance of nano-scale devices. Useful and accurate approximations are developed that both provide (i) computationally simple formulas for large systems and (ii) simple analytical models. In addition, the simple models can be used to fit experimental data and provide physical parameters.

Double deflection system for an electron beam device

DOEpatents

Parker, Norman W.; Golladay, Steven D.; Crewe, Albert V.

1978-01-01

A double deflection scanning system for electron beam instruments is provided embodying a means of correcting isotropic coma, and anisotropic coma aberrations induced by the magnetic lens of such an instrument. The scanning system deflects the beam prior to entry into the magnetic lens from the normal on-axis intersection of the beam with the lens according to predetermined formulas and thereby reduces the aberrations.

Smart Device Use and Perceived Physical and Psychosocial Outcomes among Hong Kong Adolescents

PubMed Central

Kwok, Stephen Wai Hang; Lee, Paul Hong; Lee, Regina Lai Tong

2017-01-01

Excessive electronic screen-based activities have been found to be associated with negative outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalences and patterns of smart device activities and the purposes and perceived outcomes related to smart device use, and the differences in patterns of smart device activities between adolescents who did and did not perceive these outcomes. The study was a cross-sectional survey of Hong Kong primary and secondary school students. Demographic characteristics, purpose and pattern of the activities, and frequencies of the outcomes were measured. Data from 960 adolescents aged 10–19 were analyzed. Nearly 86% of the sample use smart device daily. The one-week prevalence of perceived sleep deprivation, eye discomfort, musculoskeletal discomfort, family conflict and cyberbullying victimization related to smart device use were nearly 50%, 45%, 40%, 20% and 5% respectively. More than 25% of the respondents were at risk of negative outcomes related to smart device activities for more than 1 h per day, browsing and gaming on at least 4 days per week and watching TV/movies and posting on more than 2 days per week. Their patterns of smart device activities may put a significant number of them at risk of negative outcomes. PMID:28218719

Weaving and neural complexity in symmetric quantum states

DOE PAGES

Susa, Cristian E.; Girolami, Davide

2017-12-27

Here, we study the behaviour of two different measures of the complexity of multipartite correlation patterns, weaving and neural complexity, for symmetric quantum states. Weaving is the weighted sum of genuine multipartite correlations of any order, where the weights are proportional to the correlation order. The neural complexity, originally introduced to characterize correlation patterns in classical neural networks, is here extended to the quantum scenario. We derive closed formulas of the two quantities for GHZ states mixed with white noise.

Weaving and neural complexity in symmetric quantum states

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

Susa, Cristian E.; Girolami, Davide

Here, we study the behaviour of two different measures of the complexity of multipartite correlation patterns, weaving and neural complexity, for symmetric quantum states. Weaving is the weighted sum of genuine multipartite correlations of any order, where the weights are proportional to the correlation order. The neural complexity, originally introduced to characterize correlation patterns in classical neural networks, is here extended to the quantum scenario. We derive closed formulas of the two quantities for GHZ states mixed with white noise.

26 CFR 1.197-2 - Amortization of goodwill and certain other intangibles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., etc. Section 197 intangibles include any patent, copyright, formula, process, design, pattern, know-how, format, package design, computer software (as defined in paragraph (c)(4)(iv) of this section... agreement that provides one of the parties to the agreement with the right to distribute, sell, or provide...

Continuous parenteral and enteral nutrition induces metabolic dysfunction in neonatal pigs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We previously showed that parenteral nutrition (PN) compared with formula feeding results in hepatic insulin resistance and steatosis in neonatal pigs. The current aim was to test whether the route of feeding (intravenous [IV] vs enteral) rather than other feeding modalities (diet, pattern) had cont...

Growth and tolerance of infants fed formula supplemented with polydextrose (PDX) and/or galactooligosaccharides (GOS): double-blind, randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Ashley, Claude; Johnston, William H; Harris, Cheryl L; Stolz, Suzanne I; Wampler, Jennifer L; Berseth, Carol Lynn

2012-06-07

To ensure the suitability of an infant formula as the sole source of nutrition or provide benefits similar to outcomes in breastfed infants, advancements in formula composition are warranted as more research detailing the nutrient composition of human milk becomes available. This study was designed to evaluate growth and tolerance in healthy infants who received one of two investigational cow's milk-based formulas with adjustments in carbohydrate, fat, and calcium content and supplemented with a prebiotic blend of polydextrose (PDX) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) or GOS alone. In this multi-center, double-blind, parallel-designed, gender-stratified prospective study 419 infants were randomized and consumed either a marketed routine cow's milk-based infant formula (Control; Enfamil® LIPIL®, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Evansville, IN) (n = 142) or one of two investigational formulas from 14 to 120 days of age. Investigational formulas were supplemented with 4 g/L (1:1 ratio) of a prebiotic blend of PDX and GOS (PDX/GOS; n = 139) or 4 g/L of GOS alone (GOS; n = 138). Anthropometric measurements were taken at 14, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days of age. Daily recall of formula intake, tolerance, and stool characteristics was collected during study weeks 1 and 2 and 24-h recall was collected at 60, 90, and 120 days of age. Medically-confirmed adverse events were recorded throughout the study. There were no group differences in growth rate from 14 to 120 days of age. Discontinuation rates were not significantly different among study groups. No differences in formula intake or infant fussiness or gassiness were observed. During study weeks 1 and 2 and at 60 days of age stool consistency ratings were higher (i.e. softer stools) for infants in the PDX/GOS and GOS groups versus Control and remained higher at 120 days for the PDX/GOS group (all P < 0.05). The overall incidence of medically-confirmed adverse events was similar among groups. Investigational routine infant formulas supplemented with 4 g/L of either a prebiotic blend of PDX and GOS or GOS alone were well-tolerated and supported normal growth. Compared to infants who received the unsupplemented control formula, infants who received prebiotic supplementation experienced a softer stooling pattern similar to that reported in breastfed infants. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00712608.

Improving the S-Shape Solar Radiation Estimation Method for Supporting Crop Models

PubMed Central

Fodor, Nándor

2012-01-01

In line with the critical comments formulated in relation to the S-shape global solar radiation estimation method, the original formula was improved via a 5-step procedure. The improved method was compared to four-reference methods on a large North-American database. According to the investigated error indicators, the final 7-parameter S-shape method has the same or even better estimation efficiency than the original formula. The improved formula is able to provide radiation estimates with a particularly low error pattern index (PIdoy) which is especially important concerning the usability of the estimated radiation values in crop models. Using site-specific calibration, the radiation estimates of the improved S-shape method caused an average of 2.72 ± 1.02 (α = 0.05) relative error in the calculated biomass. Using only readily available site specific metadata the radiation estimates caused less than 5% relative error in the crop model calculations when they were used for locations in the middle, plain territories of the USA. PMID:22645451

Graphene Transistor fabricated by Helium Ion Milling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Kaiwen; Zhao, Xiangming; Xu, Xiangfan; Vignesh, Viswanathan; Li, Baowen; Pickard, Daniel; Özyilmaz, Barbaros; Department of Physics, National University of Singapore Team; Department of Electrical; Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore Team; eNanoCore, National University of Singapore Team

2011-03-01

We report the direct patterning of graphene for various nano-device applications. The Helium Ion Microscope (HIM), able to resolve nano-scale features on solid samples with an edge resolution of a mere 0.25 nm, has a number of attributes which make it attractive for the imaging of graphene structures. Even more compelling is the ability to directly modify graphene, through surface sputtering, enabling direct pattern transfer for the fabrication of graphene devices. The integration of the HIM with a vector pattern generator (Nano Pattern Generation System, NPGS), provides the capability to directly pattern graphene into nano-ribbons. We have successfully fabricated sub-100nm graphene nano-ribbon devices on Si/SiO2 substrate. Resistance measurement has been made as a function of temperature.

Optical device for thermal diffusivity determination in liquids by reflection of a thermal wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Pérez, C.; De León-Hernández, A.; García-Cadena, C.

2017-08-01

In this work, we present a device for determination of the thermal diffusivity using the oblique reflection of a thermal wave within a solid slab that is in contact with the medium to be characterized. By using the reflection near a critical angle under the assumption that thermal waves obey Snell's law of refraction with the square root of the thermal diffusivities, the unknown thermal diffusivity is obtained by simple formulae. Experimentally, the sensor response is measured using the photothermal beam deflection technique within a slab that results in a compact device with no contact of the laser probing beam with the sample. We describe the theoretical basis and provide experimental results to validate the proposed method. We determine the thermal diffusivity of tridistilled water and glycerin solutions with an error of less than 0.5%.

Gaming Device Usage Patterns Predict Internet Gaming Disorder: Comparison across Different Gaming Device Usage Patterns.

PubMed

Paik, Soo-Hyun; Cho, Hyun; Chun, Ji-Won; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-12-05

Gaming behaviors have been significantly influenced by smartphones. This study was designed to explore gaming behaviors and clinical characteristics across different gaming device usage patterns and the role of the patterns on Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Responders of an online survey regarding smartphone and online game usage were classified by different gaming device usage patterns: (1) individuals who played only computer games; (2) individuals who played computer games more than smartphone games; (3) individuals who played computer and smartphone games evenly; (4) individuals who played smartphone games more than computer games; (5) individuals who played only smartphone games. Data on demographics, gaming-related behaviors, and scales for Internet and smartphone addiction, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use were collected. Combined users, especially those who played computer and smartphone games evenly, had higher prevalence of IGD, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder. These subjects were more prone to develop IGD than reference group (computer only gamers) (B = 0.457, odds ratio = 1.579). Smartphone only gamers had the lowest prevalence of IGD, spent the least time and money on gaming, and showed lowest scores of Internet and smartphone addiction. Our findings suggest that gaming device usage patterns may be associated with the occurrence, course, and prognosis of IGD.

Gaming Device Usage Patterns Predict Internet Gaming Disorder: Comparison across Different Gaming Device Usage Patterns

PubMed Central

Cho, Hyun; Chun, Ji-Won; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-01-01

Gaming behaviors have been significantly influenced by smartphones. This study was designed to explore gaming behaviors and clinical characteristics across different gaming device usage patterns and the role of the patterns on Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Responders of an online survey regarding smartphone and online game usage were classified by different gaming device usage patterns: (1) individuals who played only computer games; (2) individuals who played computer games more than smartphone games; (3) individuals who played computer and smartphone games evenly; (4) individuals who played smartphone games more than computer games; (5) individuals who played only smartphone games. Data on demographics, gaming-related behaviors, and scales for Internet and smartphone addiction, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use were collected. Combined users, especially those who played computer and smartphone games evenly, had higher prevalence of IGD, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder. These subjects were more prone to develop IGD than reference group (computer only gamers) (B = 0.457, odds ratio = 1.579). Smartphone only gamers had the lowest prevalence of IGD, spent the least time and money on gaming, and showed lowest scores of Internet and smartphone addiction. Our findings suggest that gaming device usage patterns may be associated with the occurrence, course, and prognosis of IGD. PMID:29206183

Method for making devices having intermetallic structures and intermetallic devices made thereby

DOEpatents

Paul, Brian Kevin; Wilson, Richard Dean; Alman, David Eli

2004-01-06

A method and system for making a monolithic intermetallic structure are presented. The structure is made from lamina blanks which comprise multiple layers of metals which are patternable, or intermetallic lamina blanks that are patternable. Lamina blanks are patterned, stacked and registered, and processed to form a monolithic intermetallic structure. The advantages of a patterned monolithic intermetallic structure include physical characteristics such as melting temperature, thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance. Applications are broad, and include among others, use as a microreactor, heat recycling device, and apparatus for producing superheated steam. Monolithic intermetallic structures may contain one or more catalysts within the internal features.

Long-term safety of early consumption of Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716: A 3-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Maldonado-Lobón, J A; Gil-Campos, M; Maldonado, J; López-Huertas, E; Flores-Rojas, K; Valero, A D; Rodríguez-Benítez, M V; Bañuelos, O; Lara-Villoslada, F; Fonollá, J; Olivares, M

2015-01-01

Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 is a probiotic strain originally isolated from human breast milk. Previous clinical studies in infants showed that the early administration of a milk formula containing this probiotic strain was safe and may be useful for the prevention of community-acquired infections. This is a 3-year follow-up study aimed at evaluating the long-term effects produced by the early consumption of an infant formula supplemented with L. fermentum CECT5716 (experimental group, EG) compared with a control formula without the probiotic (control group, CG). The infants included in this follow-up study had previously completed a 5-month randomized double-blind controlled trial (from 1 to 6 months of age), where the safety and tolerance of the probiotic formula was evaluated. The main outcome of the follow-up study was the growth of the children. The secondary outcomes included the incidence of infectious and non-infectious diseases, parameters related with intestinal function and faecal microbiota. At 3 years, the mean values of weight, length and head circumference were similar in children of the EG compared with those of the CG. No differences were observed in the incidence of infectious and non-infectious diseases or disorders related with intestinal function. The pattern of faecal microbiota was also similar between both groups. In conclusion, this 3-year study shows that the early administration of the probiotic of L. fermentum CECT5716 in an infant formula is safe and it does not produce measurable differences in children compared with a control formula. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body mass dynamics in hand reared clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) cubs from birth to weaning.

PubMed

Nájera, Fernando; Brown, Janine; Wildt, David E; Virolle, Laurie; Kongprom, Urarikha; Revuelta, Luis; Goodrowe-Beck, Karen

2015-01-01

To study the dynamics of body mass changes in hand reared clouded leopards, we analyzed 3,697 weight data points during the first 3 months of life in 49 cubs from 24 zoo-born litters from 2003 through 2012. All cubs were fed the same formula mixture after a similar weaning protocol. The hand rearing process was divided into three periods based on feeding protocols: Stage 1: formula only (Days 1-28; Day 0 = day of birth); Stage 2, formula supplemented with protein (e.g., turkey baby food; Days 29-42); Stage 3, formula in decreasing amounts supplemented with meat (chicken and/or beef; Days 43-90). Weights at birth were 11.2% higher (P < 0.001) for males (n = 29) than females (n = 20). Daily weight gain was slowest (P < 0.05) during Stage 1 when cubs were fed straight formula only and fastest during Stage 3 when provided a mixture of formula and meat. Mean growth rate (± SD) during hand rearing differed (P < 0.05) by gender, being 34.6 ± 1.4 g/day for male and 30.0 ± 1.2 g/day for female cubs. Eighteen cubs (37%) exhibited mild to severe diarrhea during the study; however, palliative treatment resulted in similar (P > 0.05) growth and weaning weights compared to healthy counterparts. These are the first data documenting, on a large scale, the growth patterns for zoo born, hand reared clouded leopard cubs. Findings are valuable as an aid in managing this rare species, including for helping identify early onset of medical issues and further determining key factors regulating the first 3 months of development. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A New Hybrid Viscoelastic Soft Tissue Model based on Meshless Method for Haptic Surgical Simulation

PubMed Central

Bao, Yidong; Wu, Dongmei; Yan, Zhiyuan; Du, Zhijiang

2013-01-01

This paper proposes a hybrid soft tissue model that consists of a multilayer structure and many spheres for surgical simulation system based on meshless. To improve accuracy of the model, tension is added to the three-parameter viscoelastic structure that connects the two spheres. By using haptic device, the three-parameter viscoelastic model (TPM) produces accurate deformationand also has better stress-strain, stress relaxation and creep properties. Stress relaxation and creep formulas have been obtained by mathematical formula derivation. Comparing with the experimental results of the real pig liver which were reported by Evren et al. and Amy et al., the curve lines of stress-strain, stress relaxation and creep of TPM are close to the experimental data of the real liver. Simulated results show that TPM has better real-time, stability and accuracy. PMID:24339837

Vertebral formula in red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) and hooded crane (Grus monacha).

PubMed

Hiraga, Takeo; Sakamoto, Haruka; Nishikawa, Sayaka; Muneuchi, Ippei; Ueda, Hiromi; Inoue, Masako; Shimura, Ryoji; Uebayashi, Akiko; Yasuda, Nobuhiro; Momose, Kunikazu; Masatomi, Hiroyuki; Teraoka, Hiroki

2014-04-01

Red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) are distributed separately in the east Eurasian Continent (continental population) and in Hokkaido, Japan (island population). The island population is sedentary in eastern Hokkaido and has increased from a very small number of cranes to over 1,300, thus giving rise to the problem of poor genetic diversity. While, Hooded cranes (Grus monacha), which migrate from the east Eurasian Continent and winter mainly in Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, are about eight-time larger than the island population of Red-crowned cranes. We collected whole bodies of these two species, found dead or moribund in eastern Hokkaido and in Izumi, and observed skeletons with focus on vertebral formula. Numbers of cervical vertebrae (Cs), thoracic vertebrae (Ts), vertebrae composing the synsacrum (Sa) and free coccygeal vertebrae (free Cos) in 22 Red-crowned cranes were 17 or 18, 9-11, 13 or 14 and 7 or 8, respectively. Total number of vertebrae was 47, 48 or 49, and the vertebral formula was divided into three types including 9 sub-types. Numbers of Cs, Ts, vertebrae composing the Sa and free Cos in 25 Hooded cranes were 17 or 18, 9 or 10, 12-14 and 6-8, respectively. Total number of vertebrae was 46, 47, 48 or 49, and the vertebral formula was divided into four types including 14 sub-types. Our findings clearly showed various numerical vertebral patterns in both crane species; however, these variations in the vertebral formula may be unrelated to the genetic diversity.

A high-resolution core-level photoemission study of the Au/4H-SiC(0001)-([Formula: see text]) interface.

PubMed

Stoltz, D; Stoltz, S E; Johansson, L S O

2007-07-04

We present a systematic study of different reconstructions obtained after deposition of Au on the [Formula: see text]-4H-SiC(0001) surface. For 1-2 monolayers (ML) Au and annealing temperature T(anneal)∼675 °C, a 3 × 3 reconstruction was observed. For 4 ML Au and T(anneal)∼650 °C, a [Formula: see text] reconstruction appeared, while 5 ML Au annealed at 700 °C reconstructed to give a [Formula: see text] pattern. From the Si 2p and Au 4f core-level components, we propose interface models, depending on the amount of Au on the surface and the annealing temperature. For 1-4 ML Au annealed at 650-675 °C, gold diffuses under the topmost Si into the SiC and forms a silicide. An additional Si component in our Si 2p spectra is related to the interface between the silicide and SiC. For 5 ML Au annealed at 700 °C, silicide is also formed at the surface, covering unreacted Au on top of the SiC substrate. The interface Si component is also observed in the Si 2p spectra of this surface. The key role in [Formula: see text]-4H-SiC(0001) interface formation is played by diffusion and the silicon-richness of the surface.

Surveillance and molecular typing of Cronobacter spp. in commercial powdered infant formula and follow-up formula from 2011 to 2013 in Shandong Province, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Huaning; Hou, Peibin; Lv, Hui; Chen, Yuzhen; Li, Xinpeng; Ren, Yanyan; Wang, Mei; Tan, Hailian; Bi, Zhenwang

2017-05-01

Infection with Cronobacter spp. leads to neonatal meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis and bacteremia. Cronobacter spp. are reported to comprise an important pathogen contaminating powdered infant formula (PIF) and follow-up formula (FUF), although little is known about the contamination level of Cronobacter spp. in PIFs and FUFs in China. In total, 1032 samples were collected between 2011 and 2013. Forty-two samples were positive, including 1.6% in PIFs and 6.5% in FUFs. The strains were susceptible to most antibiotics except for cefoxitin. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis after XbaI digestion produced a total of 36 banding patterns. The 38 strains were found in 27 sequence types (STs), of which nine types (ST454 to ST462) had not been reported in other countries. The clinically relevant strains obtained from the 38 isolates in the present study comprised three ST3, two ST4, two ST8 and one ST1. The contamination rate in the PIF and FUF has stayed at a relatively high level. The contamination rate of PIF was significantly lower than FUF. The isolates had high susceptibility to the antibiotics tested, except cefoxitin. There were polymorphisms between the Cronobacter spp. as indicated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing. Therefore, contamination with Cronobacter spp. remains a current issue for commercial infant formulas in China. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Breastfeeding patterns among Ethiopian immigrant mothers, Israel, 2005-2006.

PubMed

Rubin, Lisa; Nir-lnbar, Sharon; Rishpon, Shmuel

2010-11-01

The rate and duration of breastfeeding in Ethiopia is very high. Factors that could affect breastfeeding among women emigrating to Israel include the desire to adopt "modern" behaviors, the availability of infant formulas, and the greater awareness of AIDS and fear of transmission via breast milk. To examine the rate and duration of breastfeeding among recent Ethiopian immigrants to Israel. Using a structured questionnaire we interviewed 93 Ethiopian born mothers of children aged 2 months to 5 years living in northern Israel. Ninety-two percent of the children born in Ethiopia were exclusively breastfed as compared to 76.3% of the Israeli born children, in whom the rate of mixed feeding was 18.3%. Although the duration of breastfeeding of the youngest child was significantly shorter than that of the firstborn (20.1 vs. 24.8 months), it remains much longer than the average duration for native Israeli mothers. No association was seen between breastfeeding rate or duration and the years since immigration, work outside the home or exposure to formula. The women's attitude towards breastfeeding was positive despite the lack of specific knowledge concerning breast milk and infant formulas. Breastfeeding patterns among Ethiopian women have changed since their immigration to Israel. These changes probably reflect the cultural and societal pressures to acculturate to the mores of the adopted society. Reinforcing traditional family and peer support for these women is important to preserve breastfeeding in this population. This should be done within the context of changes that support breastfeeding in Israeli society.

High-protein goat's milk diet identified through newborn screening: clinical warning of a potentially dangerous dietetic practice.

PubMed

Maines, Evelina; Gugelmo, Giorgia; Tadiotto, Elisa; Pietrobelli, Angelo; Campostrini, Natascia; Pasini, Andrea; Ion-Popa, Florina; Vincenzi, Monica; Teofoli, Francesca; Camilot, Marta; Bordugo, Andrea

2017-10-01

Breast-feeding is an unequalled way of providing optimal food for infants' healthy growth and development and the WHO recommends that infants should be exclusively breast-fed for the first 6 months of life. For mothers who are unable to breast-feed or who decide not to, infant formulas are the safest alternative. Despite recommendations, it is possible that parents make potentially harmful nutritional choices for their children because of cultural beliefs or misinformation on infant nutrition. We describe a possible health risk of not breast-feeding, highlighting a potentially dangerous dietetic practice. Design/Setting/Subjects We report the case of a newborn who was fed with undiluted goat's milk because her mother could not breast-feed and was not aware of infant formulas. The dietary mistake was detected because of a positive expanded newborn screening result, characterized by severe hypertyrosinaemia with high methionine and phenylalanine levels, a pattern suggestive of severe liver impairment. The pattern of plasma amino acids was related to a goat's milk diet, because of its very different composition compared with human milk and infant formula. Our experience demonstrates that, when breast-feeding is not possible or is not exclusive, infants may be at risk of dangerous nutritional practices, including diets with very high protein content, such as a goat's milk diet. Families of not breast-fed infants may need appropriate advice on safe alternatives for infant nutrition to avoid the risks of inappropriate diets.

[Characteristics of auto-CPAP devices during the simulation of sleep-related breathing flow patterns].

PubMed

Rühle, K H; Karweina, D; Domanski, U; Nilius, G

2009-07-01

The function of automatic CPAP devices is difficult to investigate using clinical examinations due to the high variability of breathing disorders. With a flow generator, however, identical breathing patterns can be reproduced so that comparative studies on the behaviour of pressure of APAP devices are possible. Because the algorithms of APAP devices based on the experience of users can be modified without much effort, also previously investigated devices should regularly be reviewed with regard to programme changes. Had changes occurred in the algorithms of 3 selected devices--compared to the previously published benchmark studies? Do the current versions of these investigated devices differentiate between open and closed apnoeas? With a self-developed respiratory pump, sleep-related breathing patterns and, with the help of a computerised valve, resistances of the upper respiratory tract were simulated. Three different auto-CPAP devices were subjected to a bench test with and without feedback (open/closed loop). Open loop: the 3 devices showed marked differences in the rate of pressure rise but did not differ from the earlier published results. From an initial pressure of 4 mbar the pressure increased to 10 mbar after a different number of apnoeas (1-6 repetitive apnoeas). Only one device differentiated between closed and open apnoeas. Closed loop: due to the pressure increase, the flow generator simulated reduced obstruction of the upper airways (apnoeas changed to hypopnoeas, hypopnoeas changed to flattening) but different patterns of pressure regulation could still be observed. By applying bench-testing, the algorithms of auto-CPAP devices can regularly be reviewed to detect changes in the software. The differentiation between open and closed apnoeas should be improved in several APAP devices.

Anti-perovskite solid electrolyte compositions

DOEpatents

Zhao, Yusheng; Daemen, Luc Louis

2015-12-26

Solid electrolyte antiperovskite compositions for batteries, capacitors, and other electrochemical devices have chemical formula Li.sub.3OA, Li.sub.(3-x)M.sub.x/2OA, Li.sub.(3-x)N.sub.x/3OA, or LiCOX.sub.zY.sub.(1-z), wherein M and N are divalent and trivalent metals respectively and wherein A is a halide or mixture of halides, and X and Y are halides.

Variational method enabling simplified solutions to the linearized Boltzmann equation for oscillatory gas flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladiges, Daniel R.; Sader, John E.

2018-05-01

Nanomechanical resonators and sensors, operated in ambient conditions, often generate low-Mach-number oscillating rarefied gas flows. Cercignani [C. Cercignani, J. Stat. Phys. 1, 297 (1969), 10.1007/BF01007482] proposed a variational principle for the linearized Boltzmann equation, which can be used to derive approximate analytical solutions of steady (time-independent) flows. Here we extend and generalize this principle to unsteady oscillatory rarefied flows and thus accommodate resonating nanomechanical devices. This includes a mathematical approach that facilitates its general use and allows for systematic improvements in accuracy. This formulation is demonstrated for two canonical flow problems: oscillatory Couette flow and Stokes' second problem. Approximate analytical formulas giving the bulk velocity and shear stress, valid for arbitrary oscillation frequency, are obtained for Couette flow. For Stokes' second problem, a simple system of ordinary differential equations is derived which may be solved to obtain the desired flow fields. Using this framework, a simple and accurate formula is provided for the shear stress at the oscillating boundary, again for arbitrary frequency, which may prove useful in application. These solutions are easily implemented on any symbolic or numerical package, such as Mathematica or matlab, facilitating the characterization of flows produced by nanomechanical devices and providing insight into the underlying flow physics.

Nanoplasmonic lenses for bacteria sorting (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiangchao; Yanik, Ahmet A.

2015-08-01

We demonstrate that patches of two dimensional arrays of circular plasmonic nanoholes patterned on gold-titanium thin film enables subwavelength focusing of visible light in far field region. Efficient coupling of the light with the excited surface plasmon at metal dielectric interface results in strong light transmission. As a result, surface plasmon plays an important role in the far field focusing behavior of the nanohole-aperture patches device. Furthermore, the focal length of the focused beam was found to be predominantly dependent on the overall size of the patch, which is in good agreement with that calculated by Rayleigh-Sommerfield integral formula. The focused light beam can be utilized to separate bio-particles in the dynamic range from 0.1 μm to 1 μm through mainly overcoming the drag force induced by fluid flow. In our proposed model, focused light generated by our plasmonic lenses will push the larger bio-particles in size back to the source of fluid flow and allow the smaller particles to move towards the central aperture of the patch. Such a new kind of plasmonic lenses open up possibility of sorting bacterium-like particles with plasmonic nanolenses, and also represent a promising tool in the field of virology.

Vegetable acceptance by infants

PubMed Central

Mennella, Julie A.; Kennedy, Janice M.; Beauchamp, Gary K.

2008-01-01

Individual differences in acceptance patterns are evident as early as the child’s first experiences with a particular food. To test hypothesis that the flavor of formula fed to infants modifies their acceptance of some foods, we conducted a within- and between-subjects design study in which two groups of 6- to 11-month-old infants were tested on two separate days. One group was currently feeding a milk-based formula whereas the other was feeding a protein hydrolysate formula, a particularly unpleasant tasting formula to adults that contains similar flavor notes (e.g., sulfur volatiles) with Brasscia vegetables such as broccoli. In counterbalanced order, acceptance of pureed broccoli/cauliflower was determined during one test session and pureed carrots on the other. Although there were no group differences in the amount of carrots consumed, hydrolysate infants consumed significantly less broccoli/cauliflower relative to carrots when compared to those who were currently fed milk based formulas (F(1, 72 df)=4.43; p=0.04). The mothers of hydrolysate infants were significantly more likely to report that their infants did not enjoy feeding the broccoli/cauliflower (54.2%) when compared to mothers of infants being fed milk-based formulas (28.0%; Chi-Square (1 df)=4.79; p=0.03). Such findings are consistent with prior research that demonstrated a sensory specific satiety following repeated exposure to a particular flavor in milk. We hypothesize that when infants are experiencing a flavor in milk or formula, in the short term, the preference that develops is specific to the context it is experienced in (e.g., milk). Over the longer term, the preference may generalize to other contexts such as solid foods. Hydrolysate infants were also significantly more likely to be judged by their mothers as being more active (F(1, 69 df)=3.95; p=0.05) and hesitant (F(1, 69 df)=6.55; p=0.01) when compared to those infants who were feeding milk-based formulas, a finding that further supports the hypothesis that mother—child dynamics surrounding early feeding impacts upon mothers’ perception of their children’s temperament. PMID:16469455

Aerodynamic analysis of formula student car

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dharmawan, Mohammad Arief; Ubaidillah, Nugraha, Arga Ahmadi; Wijayanta, Agung Tri; Naufal, Brian Aqif

2018-02-01

Formula Society of Automotive Engineering (FSAE) is a contest between ungraduated students to create a high-performance formula student car that completes the regulation. Body and the other aerodynamic devices are significant because it affects the drag coefficient and the down force of the car. The drag coefficient is a measurement of the resistance of an object in a fluid environment, a lower the drag coefficient means it will have a less drag force. Down force is a force that pushes an object to the ground, in the car more down force means more grip. The objective of the research was to study the aerodynamic comparison between the race vehicle when attached to the wings and without it. These studies were done in three dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation method using the Autodesk Flow Design software. These simulations were done by conducted in 5 different velocities. The results of those simulations are by attaching wings on race vehicle has drag coefficient 0.728 and without wings has drag coefficient 0.56. Wings attachment will decrease the drag coefficient about 23 % and also the contour pressure and velocity were known at these simulations.

Security and Dependability Solutions for Networks and Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gücrgens, Sigrid; Fuchs, Andreas

In this chapter we give an overview over the denotation of the SERENITY artefacts S&D Classes, Patterns and Implementations in the context of networks and devices. In order to demonstrate their necessity we sketch an example for confidential and authentic communication and storage that utilizes a trusted platform module, and model the relevant pattern. We then dissociate solutions for network and device related S&D requirements from those targeting the context of organizational or workflow and web services based solutions. Then we give a summary of the broad field of application for network and device solutions. Finally we clarify the meaning and interaction between classes, patterns and implementations by giving some concrete examples.

Fabrication of Three-dimensional Paper-based Microfluidic Devices for Immunoassays.

PubMed

Fernandes, Syrena C; Wilson, Daniel J; Mace, Charles R

2017-03-09

Paper wicks fluids autonomously due to capillary action. By patterning paper with hydrophobic barriers, the transport of fluids can be controlled and directed within a layer of paper. Moreover, stacking multiple layers of patterned paper creates sophisticated three-dimensional microfluidic networks that can support the development of analytical and bioanalytical assays. Paper-based microfluidic devices are inexpensive, portable, easy to use, and require no external equipment to operate. As a result, they hold great promise as a platform for point-of-care diagnostics. In order to properly evaluate the utility and analytical performance of paper-based devices, suitable methods must be developed to ensure their manufacture is reproducible and at a scale that is appropriate for laboratory settings. In this manuscript, a method to fabricate a general device architecture that can be used for paper-based immunoassays is described. We use a form of additive manufacturing (multi-layer lamination) to prepare devices that comprise multiple layers of patterned paper and patterned adhesive. In addition to demonstrating the proper use of these three-dimensional paper-based microfluidic devices with an immunoassay for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), errors in the manufacturing process that may result in device failures are discussed. We expect this approach to manufacturing paper-based devices will find broad utility in the development of analytical applications designed specifically for limited-resource settings.

Position calibration of a 3-DOF hand-controller with hybrid structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Chengcheng; Song, Aiguo

2017-09-01

A hand-controller is a human-robot interactive device, which measures the 3-DOF (Degree of Freedom) position of the human hand and sends it as a command to control robot movement. The device also receives 3-DOF force feedback from the robot and applies it to the human hand. Thus, the precision of 3-DOF position measurements is a key performance factor for hand-controllers. However, when using a hybrid type 3-DOF hand controller, various errors occur and are considered originating from machining and assembly variations within the device. This paper presents a calibration method to improve the position tracking accuracy of hybrid type hand-controllers by determining the actual size of the hand-controller parts. By re-measuring and re-calibrating this kind of hand-controller, the actual size of the key parts that cause errors is determined. Modifying the formula parameters with the actual sizes, which are obtained in the calibrating process, improves the end position tracking accuracy of the device.

Hypoxia Stress Modifies Na+/K+-ATPase, H+/K+-ATPase, [Formula: see text], and nkaα1 Isoform Expression in the Brain of Immune-Challenged Air-Breathing Fish.

PubMed

Peter, Mc Subhash; Simi, Satheesan

2017-01-01

Fishes are equipped to sense stressful stimuli and are able to respond to environmental stressor such as hypoxia with varying pattern of stress response. The functional attributes of brain to hypoxia stress in relation to ion transport and its interaction during immune challenge have not yet delineated in fish. We, therefore, explored the pattern of ion transporter functions and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of α1-subunit isoforms of Na + /K + -ATPase (NKA) in the brain segments, namely, prosencephalon (PC), mesencephalon (MC), and metencephalon (MeC) in an obligate air-breathing fish exposed either to hypoxia stress (30 minutes forced immersion in water) or challenged with zymosan treatment (25-200 ng g -1 for 24 hours) or both. Zymosan that produced nonspecific immune responses evoked differential regulation of NKA, H + /K + -ATPase (HKA), and [Formula: see text] (NNA) in the varied brain segments. On the contrary, hypoxia stress that demanded activation of NKA in PC and MeC showed a reversed NKA activity pattern in MeC of immune-challenged fish. A compromised HKA and NNA regulation during hypoxia stress was found in immune-challenged fish, indicating the role of these brain ion transporters to hypoxia stress and immune challenges. The differential mRNA expression of α1-subunit isoforms of NKA, nkaα1a , nkaα1b , and nkaα1c , in hypoxia-stressed brain showed a shift in its expression pattern during hypoxia stress-immune interaction in PC and MC. Evidence is thus presented for the first time that ion transporters such as HKA and NNA along with NKA act as functional brain markers which respond differentially to both hypoxia stress and immune challenges. Taken together, the data further provide evidence for a differential Na + , K + , H + , and [Formula: see text] ion signaling that exists in brain neuronal clusters during hypoxia stress-immune interaction as a result of modified regulations of NKA, HKA, and NNA transporter functions and nkaα1 isoform regulation.

Novel wearable-type biometric devices based on skin tissue optics with multispectral LED-photodiode matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jo, Young Chang; Kim, Hae Na; Kang, Jae Hwan; Hong, Hyuck Ki; Choi, Yeon Shik; Jung, Suk Won; Kim, Sung Phil

2017-04-01

In this study, we examined the possibility of using a multispectral skin photomatrix (MSP) module as a novel biometric device. The MSP device measures optical patterns of the wrist skin tissue. Optical patterns consist of 2 × 8 photocurrent intensities of photodiode arrays, which are generated by optical transmission and diffuse reflection of photons from LED light sources with variable wavelengths into the wrist skin tissue. Optical patterns detected by the MSP device provide information on both the surface and subsurface characteristics of the human skin tissue. We found that in the 21 subjects we studied, they showed their unique characteristics, as determined using several wavelengths of light. The experimental results show that the best personal identification accuracy can be acquired using a combination of infrared light and yellow light. This novel biometric device, the MSP module, exhibited an excellent false acceptance rate (FAR) of 0.3% and a false rejection rate (FRR) of 0.0%, which are better than those of commercialized biometric devices such as a fingerprint biometric system. From these experimental results, we found that people exhibit unique optical patterns of their inner-wrist skin tissue and this uniqueness could be used for developing novel high-accuracy personal identification devices.

Techniques for the treatment of IR divergences in decay processes at NLO and application to the top-quark decay.

PubMed

Basso, Lorenzo; Dittmaier, Stefan; Huss, Alexander; Oggero, Luisa

We present the extension of two general algorithms for the treatment of infrared singularities arising in electroweak corrections to decay processes at next-to-leading order: the dipole subtraction formalism and the one-cutoff slicing method. The former is extended to the case of decay kinematics which has not been considered in the literature so far. The latter is generalised to production and decay processes with more than two charged particles, where new "surface" terms arise. Arbitrary patterns of massive and massless external particles are considered, including the treatment of infrared singularities in dimensional or mass regularisation. As an application of the two techniques we present the calculation of the next-to-leading order QCD and electroweak corrections to the top-quark decay width including all off-shell and decay effects of intermediate [Formula: see text] bosons. The result, e.g., represents a building block of a future calculation of NLO electroweak effects to off-shell top-quark pair ([Formula: see text]) production. Moreover, this calculation can serve as the first step towards an event generator for top-quark decays at next-to-leading order accuracy, which can be used to attach top-quark decays to complicated many-particle top-quark processes, such as for [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text].

Perceiving Collision Impacts in Alzheimer's Disease: The Effect of Retinal Eccentricity on Optic Flow Deficits.

PubMed

Kim, Nam-Gyoon

2015-01-01

The present study explored whether the optic flow deficit in Alzheimer's disease (AD) reported in the literature transfers to different types of optic flow, in particular, one that specifies collision impacts with upcoming surfaces, with a special focus on the effect of retinal eccentricity. Displays simulated observer movement over a ground plane toward obstacles lying in the observer's path. Optical expansion was modulated by varying [Formula: see text]. The visual field was masked either centrally (peripheral vision) or peripherally (central vision) using masks ranging from 10° to 30° in diameter in steps of 10°. Participants were asked to indicate whether their approach would result in "collision" or "no collision" with the obstacles. Results showed that AD patients' sensitivity to [Formula: see text] was severely compromised, not only for central vision but also for peripheral vision, compared to age- and education-matched elderly controls. The results demonstrated that AD patients' optic flow deficit is not limited to radial optic flow but includes also the optical pattern engendered by [Formula: see text]. Further deterioration in the capacity to extract [Formula: see text] to determine potential collisions in conjunction with the inability to extract heading information from radial optic flow would exacerbate AD patients' difficulties in navigation and visuospatial orientation.

Morphology and the gradient of a symmetric potential predict gait transitions of dogs.

PubMed

Wilshin, Simon; Haynes, G Clark; Porteous, Jack; Koditschek, Daniel; Revzen, Shai; Spence, Andrew J

2017-08-01

Gaits and gait transitions play a central role in the movement of animals. Symmetry is thought to govern the structure of the nervous system, and constrain the limb motions of quadrupeds. We quantify the symmetry of dog gaits with respect to combinations of bilateral, fore-aft, and spatio-temporal symmetry groups. We tested the ability of symmetries to model motion capture data of dogs walking, trotting and transitioning between those gaits. Fully symmetric models performed comparably to asymmetric with only a [Formula: see text] increase in the residual sum of squares and only one-quarter of the parameters. This required adding a spatio-temporal shift representing a lag between fore and hind limbs. Without this shift, the symmetric model residual sum of squares was [Formula: see text] larger. This shift is related to (linear regression, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]) dog morphology. That this symmetry is respected throughout the gaits and transitions indicates that it generalizes outside a single gait. We propose that relative phasing of limb motions can be described by an interaction potential with a symmetric structure. This approach can be extended to the study of interaction of neurodynamic and kinematic variables, providing a system-level model that couples neuronal central pattern generator networks and mechanical models.

Effect of an integrated community-based package for maternal and newborn care on feeding patterns during the first 12 weeks of life: a cluster-randomized trial in a South African township.

PubMed

Ijumba, Petrida; Doherty, Tanya; Jackson, Debra; Tomlinson, Mark; Sanders, David; Swanevelder, Sonja; Persson, Lars-Åke

2015-10-01

To analyse the effect of community-based counselling on feeding patterns during the first 12 weeks after birth, and to study whether the effect differs by maternal HIV status, educational level or household wealth. Cluster-randomized trial with fifteen clusters in each arm to evaluate an integrated package providing two pregnancy and five postnatal home visits delivered by community health workers. Infant feeding data were collected using 24 h recall of nineteen food and fluid items. A township near Durban, South Africa. Pregnant women (1894 intervention and 2243 control) aged 17 years or more. Twelve weeks after birth, 1629 (intervention) and 1865 (control) mother-infant pairs were available for analysis. Socio-economic conditions differed slightly across intervention groups, which were considered in the analyses. There was no effect on early initiation of breast-feeding. At 12 weeks of age the intervention doubled exclusive breast-feeding (OR=2·29; 95 % CI 1·80, 2·92), increased exclusive formula-feeding (OR=1·70; 95 % CI 1·28, 2·27), increased predominant breast-feeding (OR=1·71; 95 % CI 1·34, 2·19), decreased mixed formula-feeding (OR=0·68; 95 % CI 0·55, 0·83) and decreased mixed breast-feeding (OR=0·54; 95 % CI 0·44, 0·67). The effect on exclusive breast-feeding at 12 weeks was stronger among HIV-negative mothers than HIV-positive mothers (P=0·01), while the effect on mixed formula-feeding was significant only among HIV-positive mothers (P=0·03). The effect on exclusive feeding was not different by household wealth or maternal education levels. A perinatal intervention package delivered by community health workers was effective in increasing exclusive breast-feeding, exclusive formula-feeding and decreasing mixed feeding.

Using modelling to disentangle the relative contributions of zoonotic and anthroponotic transmission: the case of lassa fever.

PubMed

Lo Iacono, Giovanni; Cunningham, Andrew A; Fichet-Calvet, Elisabeth; Garry, Robert F; Grant, Donald S; Khan, Sheik Humarr; Leach, Melissa; Moses, Lina M; Schieffelin, John S; Shaffer, Jeffrey G; Webb, Colleen T; Wood, James L N

2015-01-01

Zoonotic infections, which transmit from animals to humans, form the majority of new human pathogens. Following zoonotic transmission, the pathogen may already have, or may acquire, the ability to transmit from human to human. With infections such as Lassa fever (LF), an often fatal, rodent-borne, hemorrhagic fever common in areas of West Africa, rodent-to-rodent, rodent-to-human, human-to-human and even human-to-rodent transmission patterns are possible. Indeed, large hospital-related outbreaks have been reported. Estimating the proportion of transmission due to human-to-human routes and related patterns (e.g. existence of super-spreaders), in these scenarios is challenging, but essential for planned interventions. Here, we make use of an innovative modeling approach to analyze data from published outbreaks and the number of LF hospitalized patients to Kenema Government Hospital in Sierra Leone to estimate the likely contribution of human-to-human transmission. The analyses show that almost [Formula: see text] of the cases at KGH are secondary cases arising from human-to-human transmission. However, we found much of this transmission is associated with a disproportionally large impact of a few individuals ('super-spreaders'), as we found only [Formula: see text] of human cases result in an effective reproduction number (i.e. the average number of secondary cases per infectious case) [Formula: see text], with a maximum value up to [Formula: see text]. This work explains the discrepancy between the sizes of reported LF outbreaks and a clinical perception that human-to-human transmission is low. Future assessment of risks of LF and infection control guidelines should take into account the potentially large impact of super-spreaders in human-to-human transmission. Our work highlights several neglected topics in LF research, the occurrence and nature of super-spreading events and aspects of social behavior in transmission and detection.

Path-integral methods for analyzing the effects of fluctuations in stochastic hybrid neural networks.

PubMed

Bressloff, Paul C

2015-01-01

We consider applications of path-integral methods to the analysis of a stochastic hybrid model representing a network of synaptically coupled spiking neuronal populations. The state of each local population is described in terms of two stochastic variables, a continuous synaptic variable and a discrete activity variable. The synaptic variables evolve according to piecewise-deterministic dynamics describing, at the population level, synapses driven by spiking activity. The dynamical equations for the synaptic currents are only valid between jumps in spiking activity, and the latter are described by a jump Markov process whose transition rates depend on the synaptic variables. We assume a separation of time scales between fast spiking dynamics with time constant [Formula: see text] and slower synaptic dynamics with time constant τ. This naturally introduces a small positive parameter [Formula: see text], which can be used to develop various asymptotic expansions of the corresponding path-integral representation of the stochastic dynamics. First, we derive a variational principle for maximum-likelihood paths of escape from a metastable state (large deviations in the small noise limit [Formula: see text]). We then show how the path integral provides an efficient method for obtaining a diffusion approximation of the hybrid system for small ϵ. The resulting Langevin equation can be used to analyze the effects of fluctuations within the basin of attraction of a metastable state, that is, ignoring the effects of large deviations. We illustrate this by using the Langevin approximation to analyze the effects of intrinsic noise on pattern formation in a spatially structured hybrid network. In particular, we show how noise enlarges the parameter regime over which patterns occur, in an analogous fashion to PDEs. Finally, we carry out a [Formula: see text]-loop expansion of the path integral, and use this to derive corrections to voltage-based mean-field equations, analogous to the modified activity-based equations generated from a neural master equation.

Effect of an integrated community-based package for maternal and newborn care on feeding patterns during the first 12 weeks of life: a cluster-randomized trial in a South African township

PubMed Central

Ijumba, Petrida; Doherty, Tanya; Jackson, Debra; Tomlinson, Mark; Sanders, David; Swanevelder, Sonja; Persson, Lars-Åke

2015-01-01

Objective To analyse the effect of community-based counselling on feeding patterns during the first 12 weeks after birth, and to study whether the effect differs by maternal HIV status, educational level or household wealth. Design Cluster-randomized trial with fifteen clusters in each arm to evaluate an integrated package providing two pregnancy and five postnatal home visits delivered by community health workers. Infant feeding data were collected using 24 h recall of nineteen food and fluid items. Setting A township near Durban, South Africa. Subjects Pregnant women (1894 intervention and 2243 control) aged 17 yearsor more. Results Twelve weeks after birth, 1629 (intervention) and 1865 (control) mother–infant pairs were available for analysis. Socio-economic conditions differed slightly across intervention groups, which were considered in the analyses. There was no effect on early initiation of breast-feeding. At 12 weeks of age the intervention doubled exclusive breast-feeding (OR=2·29; 95 % CI 1·80, 2·92), increased exclusive formula-feeding (OR=1·70; 95 % CI 1·28, 2·27), increased predominant breast-feeding (OR=1·71; 95 % CI 1·34, 2·19), decreased mixed formula-feeding (OR=0·68; 95 % CI 0·55, 0·83) and decreased mixed breast-feeding (OR=0·54; 95 % CI 0·44, 0·67). The effect on exclusive breast-feeding at 12 weeks was stronger among HIV-negative mothers than HIV-positive mothers (P=0·01), while the effect on mixed formula feeding was significant only among HIV-positive mothers (P=0·03). The effect on exclusive feeding was not different by household wealth or maternal education levels. Conclusions A perinatal intervention package delivered by community health workers was effective in increasing exclusive breast-feeding, exclusive formula feeding and decreasing mixed feeding. PMID:25660465

Energy cost and lower leg muscle activities during erect bipedal locomotion under hyperoxia.

PubMed

Abe, Daijiro; Fukuoka, Yoshiyuki; Maeda, Takafumi; Horiuchi, Masahiro

2018-06-19

Energy cost of transport per unit distance (CoT) against speed shows U-shaped fashion in walking and linear fashion in running, indicating that there exists a specific walking speed minimizing the CoT, being defined as economical speed (ES). Another specific gait speed is the intersection speed between both fashions, being called energetically optimal transition speed (EOTS). We measured the ES, EOTS, and muscle activities during walking and running at the EOTS under hyperoxia (40% fraction of inspired oxygen) on the level and uphill gradients (+ 5%). Oxygen consumption [Formula: see text] and carbon dioxide output [Formula: see text] were measured to calculate the CoT values at eight walking speeds (2.4-7.3 km h -1 ) and four running speeds (7.3-9.4 km h - 1 ) in 17 young males. Electromyography was recorded from gastrocnemius medialis, gastrocnemius lateralis (GL), and tibialis anterior (TA) to evaluate muscle activities. Mean power frequency (MPF) was obtained to compare motor unit recruitment patterns between walking and running. [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and CoT values were lower under hyperoxia than normoxia at faster walking speeds and any running speeds. A faster ES on the uphill gradient and slower EOTS on both gradients were observed under hyperoxia than normoxia. GL and TA activities became lower when switching from walking to running at the EOTS under both FiO 2 conditions on both gradients, so did the MPF in the TA. ES and EOTS were influenced by reduced metabolic demands induced by hyperoxia. GL and TA activities in association with a lower shift of motor unit recruitment patterns in the TA would be related to the gait selection when walking or running at the EOTS. UMIN000017690 ( R000020501 ). Registered May 26, 2015, before the first trial.

Application of cyclic fluorocarbon/argon discharges to device patterning

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

Metzler, Dominik, E-mail: dmetzler@umd.edu; Uppireddi, Kishore; Bruce, Robert L.

2016-01-15

With increasing demands on device patterning to achieve smaller critical dimensions and pitches for the 5 nm node and beyond, the need for atomic layer etching (ALE) is steadily increasing. In this work, a cyclic fluorocarbon/Ar plasma is successfully used for ALE patterning in a manufacturing scale reactor. Self-limited etching of silicon oxide is observed. The impact of various process parameters on the etch performance is established. The substrate temperature has been shown to play an especially significant role, with lower temperatures leading to higher selectivity and lower etch rates, but worse pattern fidelity. The cyclic ALE approach established with thismore » work is shown to have great potential for small scale device patterning, showing self-limited etching, improved uniformity and resist mask performance.« less

Application of cyclic fluorocarbon/argon discharges to device patterning

DOE PAGES

Metzler, Dominik; Uppiredi, Kishore; Bruce, Robert L.; ...

2015-11-13

With increasing demands on device patterning to achieve smaller critical dimensions and pitches for the 5nm node and beyond, the need for atomic layer etching (ALE) is steadily increasing. In this study, a cyclic fluorocarbon/Ar plasma is successfully used for ALE patterning in a manufacturing scale reactor. Self-limited etching of silicon oxide is observed. The impact of various process parameters on the etch performance is established. The substrate temperature has been shown to play an especially significant role, with lower temperatures leading to higher selectivity and lower etch rates, but worse pattern fidelity. The cyclic ALE approach established with thismore » work is shown to have great potential for small scale device patterning, showing self-limited etching, improved uniformity and resist mask performance.« less

Thienopyrazine-based low-bandgap polymers for flexible polymer solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sensfuss, S.; Blankenburg, L.; Schache, H.; Shokhovets, S.; Erb, T.; Konkin, A.; Herasimovich, A.; Scheinert, S.; Shahid, M.; Sell, S.; Klemm, E.

2010-09-01

The optical gaps of the low-bandgap PPVs (PM-20, PM-19, PM-18) are decreased down to 1.6-1.7 eV compared with that of MDMO-PPV (2.2 eV). The best lateral hole mobility was determined to be 2.1 × 10-3 cm2/V s (PM-18) in field effect transistors and exceeds that of MDMO-PPV (poly-[ 2-methoxy-5-(3'^'.7'^'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1.4-phenylenevinylene], 8.5 × 10-4 cm2/V s). This allows to reduce the PCBM ([6.6]-phenyl-C61(71)-butanoic acid methyl ester) content in solar cell devices down to 1:2 w/w giving a better η_AM1.5 than for MDMO-PPV:[60]-PCBM cells (PM-19:[60]-PCBM 2.32% on ITO-PET, 2.86% on ITO glass). The charge transfer to PCBM as acceptor occurs quite normally and shows an effective charge separation using light-induced spin resonance spectroscopy (LESR). The [70]-PCBM-bullet signals are shifted to lower field related to those of [60]-PCBM-bullet and overlap more with the polaron signal of PM-19. The LESR g-factor components of [70]-PCBM-bullet are reported for the first time. The external quantum efficiency peak values achieve up to 42% at 350-400 nm and 26% at 640 nm (PM-19:[60]-PCBM).

A Single-Chip Solar Energy Harvesting IC Using Integrated Photodiodes for Biomedical Implant Applications.

PubMed

Chen, Zhiyuan; Law, Man-Kay; Mak, Pui-In; Martins, Rui P

2017-02-01

In this paper, an ultra-compact single-chip solar energy harvesting IC using on-chip solar cell for biomedical implant applications is presented. By employing an on-chip charge pump with parallel connected photodiodes, a 3.5 × efficiency improvement can be achieved when compared with the conventional stacked photodiode approach to boost the harvested voltage while preserving a single-chip solution. A photodiode-assisted dual startup circuit (PDSC) is also proposed to improve the area efficiency and increase the startup speed by 77%. By employing an auxiliary charge pump (AQP) using zero threshold voltage (ZVT) devices in parallel with the main charge pump, a low startup voltage of 0.25 V is obtained while minimizing the reversion loss. A 4 V in gate drive voltage is utilized to reduce the conduction loss. Systematic charge pump and solar cell area optimization is also introduced to improve the energy harvesting efficiency. The proposed system is implemented in a standard 0.18- [Formula: see text] CMOS technology and occupies an active area of 1.54 [Formula: see text]. Measurement results show that the on-chip charge pump can achieve a maximum efficiency of 67%. With an incident power of 1.22 [Formula: see text] from a halogen light source, the proposed energy harvesting IC can deliver an output power of 1.65 [Formula: see text] at 64% charge pump efficiency. The chip prototype is also verified using in-vitro experiment.

Photonic correlator pattern recognition: Application to autonomous docking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sjolander, Gary W.

1991-01-01

Optical correlators for real-time automatic pattern recognition applications have recently become feasible due to advances in high speed devices and filter formulation concepts. The devices are discussed in the context of their use in autonomous docking.

The Sociolinguistic Patterns of Native Arabic Speakers: Implications for Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussein, Anwar A.

1995-01-01

Presents a descriptive analysis of speech acts in Arabic: forms of address, apologies, requests, expressions of gratitude, disagreement, greetings, refusals, partings, and telephone etiquette. Results reveal that linguistic formulas of each speech act were determined by social distance, formality of the situation, age, level of education, and…

CATS--Content Area Teaching Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clary, Linda Mixon

This paper discusses methods of teaching reading in the content areas at the middle school, junior high school, and secondary school levels. If a textbook is to be used, teachers should examine it by administering a readability formula and by checking the book's vocabulary, sentence patterns, and introduction of abstract concepts. To find how well…

Energy Distributions in Small Populations: Pascal versus Boltzmann

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kugel, Roger W.; Weiner, Paul A.

2010-01-01

The theoretical distributions of a limited amount of energy among small numbers of particles with discrete, evenly-spaced quantum levels are examined systematically. The average populations of energy states reveal the pattern of Pascal's triangle. An exact formula for the probability that a particle will be in any given energy state is derived.…

26 CFR 1.482-2A - Determination of taxable income in specific situations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... of this section (except as provided in (b) of this subdivision) until such time as any property... been transferred to Y at that time by virtue of the fact that Y obtained the patent rights to product M..., inventions, formulas, processes, designs, patterns, and other similar items; (b) Copyrights, literary...

Valuing options in shot noise market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laskin, Nick

2018-07-01

A new exactly solvable option pricing model has been introduced and elaborated. It is assumed that a stock price follows a Geometric shot noise process. An arbitrage-free integro-differential option pricing equation has been obtained and solved. The new Greeks have been analytically calculated. It has been shown that in diffusion approximation the developed option pricing model incorporates the well-known Black-Scholes equation and its solution. The stochastic dynamic origin of the Black-Scholes volatility has been uncovered. To model the observed market stock price patterns consisting of high frequency small magnitude and low frequency large magnitude jumps, the superposition of two Geometric shot noises has been implemented. A new generalized option pricing equation has been obtained and its exact solution was found. Merton's jump-diffusion formula for option price was recovered in diffusion approximation. Despite the non-Gaussian nature of probability distributions involved, the new option pricing model has the same degree of analytical tractability as the Black-Scholes model and the Merton jump-diffusion model. This attractive feature allows one to derive exact formulas to value options and option related instruments in the market with jump-like price patterns.

Recovering the superficial microvascular pattern via diffuse reflection imaging: phantom validation.

PubMed

Chen, Chen; Florian, Klämpfl; Rajesh, Kanawade; Max, Riemann; Christian, Knipfer; Florian, Stelzle; Michael, Schmidt

2015-09-30

Diffuse reflection imaging could potentially be used to recover the superficial microvasculature under cutaneous tissue and the associated blood oxygenation status with a modified imaging resolution. The aim of this work is to deliver a new approach of local off-axis scanning diffuse reflection imaging, with the revisit of the modified Beer-Lambert Law (MBLL). To validate this, the system is used to recover the micron-scale subsurface vessel structure interiorly embedded in a skin equivalent tissue phantom. This vessel structure is perfused with oxygenated meta-hemoglobin solution. Our preliminary results confirm that the thin vessel structure can be mapped into a 2-D planar image. The distributions of oxygenated hemoglobin concentration ([Formula: see text]) and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration ([Formula: see text]) can be co-registerated through the MBLL upon the CW spectroscopy, the scattering issue is addressed in the reformed MBLL. The recovered pattern matches to the estimation from the simultaneous optical coherence tomography studies. With further modification, this system may serve as the first prototype to investigate the superficial microvasculature in the expotential skin cancer loci, or a micro-lesion of vascular dermatosis.

NEPP DDR Device Reliability FY13 Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guertin, Steven M.; Armbar, Mehran

2014-01-01

This document reports the status of the NEPP Double Data Rate (DDR) Device Reliability effort for FY2013. The task targeted general reliability of > 100 DDR2 devices from Hynix, Samsung, and Micron. Detailed characterization of some devices when stressed by several data storage patterns was studied, targeting ability of the data cells to store the different data patterns without refresh, highlighting the weakest bits. DDR2, Reliability, Data Retention, Temperature Stress, Test System Evaluation, General Reliability, IDD measurements, electronic parts, parts testing, microcircuits

ASIC or PIC? Implantable stimulators based on semi-custom CMOS technology or low-power microcontroller architecture.

PubMed

Salmons, S; Gunning, G T; Taylor, I; Grainger, S R; Hitchings, D J; Blackhurst, J; Jarvis, J C

2001-01-01

To gain a better understanding of the effects of chronic stimulation on mammalian muscles we needed to generate patterns of greater variety and complexity than simple constant-frequency or burst patterns. We describe here two approaches to the design of implantable neuromuscular stimulators that can satisfy these requirements. Devices of both types were developed and used in long-term experiments. The first device was based on a semi-custom Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). This approach has the advantage that the circuit can be completely tested at every stage of development and production, assuring a high degree of reliability. It has the drawback of inflexibility: the patterns are produced by state machines implemented in silicon, so each new set of patterns requires a fresh production run, which is costly and time-consuming. The second device was based on a commercial microcontroller (Microchip PIC16C84). The functionality of this type of circuit is specified in software rather than in silicon hardware, allowing a single device to be programmed for different functions. With the use of features designed to improve fault-tolerance we found this approach to be as reliable as that based on ASICs. The encapsulated devices can easily be accommodated subcutaneously on the flank of a rabbit and a recent version is small enough to implant into the peritoneal cavity of rats. The current devices are programmed with a predetermined set of 12 patterns before assembly; the desired pattern is selected after implantation with an electronic flash gun. The operating current drain is less than 40 microA.

Imaging Electron Motion in a Few Layer MoS2 Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhandari, S.; Wang, K.; Watanabe, K.; Taniguchi, T.; Kim, P.; Westervelt, R. M.

2017-06-01

Ultrathin sheets of MoS2 are a newly discovered 2D semiconductor that holds great promise for nanoelectronics. Understanding the pattern of current flow will be crucial for developing devices. In this talk, we present images of current flow in MoS2 obtained with a Scanned Probe Microscope (SPM) cooled to 4 K. We previously used this technique to image electron trajectories in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures and graphene. The charged SPM tip is held just above the sample surface, creating an image charge inside the device that scatters electrons. By measuring the change in resistance ΔR while the tip is raster scanned above the sample, an image of electron flow is obtained. We present images of electron flow in an MoS2 device patterned into a hall bar geometry. A three-layer MoS2 sheet is encased by two hBN layers, top and bottom, and patterned into a hall-bar with multilayer graphene contacts. An SPM image shows the current flow pattern from the wide contact at the end of the device for a Hall density n = 1.3×1012 cm-2. The SPM tip tends to block flow, increasing the resistance R. The pattern of flow was also imaged for a narrow side contact on the sample. At density n = 5.4×1011 cm-2; the pattern seen in the SPM image is similar to the wide contact. The ability to image electron flow promises to be very useful for the development of ultrathin devices from new 2D materials.

Stability Formulation for Integrated Opto-mechanic Phase Shifters.

PubMed

Ozer, Yigit; Kocaman, Serdar

2018-01-31

Stability of opto-mechanical phase shifters consisting of waveguides and non-signal carrying control beams is investigated thoroughly and a formula determining the physical limitations has been proposed. Suggested formulation is not only beneficial to determine physical strength of the system but also advantageous to guess the response of the output to the fabrication errors. In the iterative analysis of cantilever and double-clamped beam geometrical configurations, the stability condition is revealed under the strong inter-dependence of the system parameters such as input power, device length and waveguide separation. Numerical calculations involving effective index modifications and opto-mechanic movements show that well-known cantilever beams are unstable and inadequate to generate φ = 180° phase difference, while double-clamped beam structures can be utilized to build functional devices. Ideal operation conditions are also presented in terms of both the device durability and the controllability of phase evolution.

Energy conversion device and method of reducing friction therein

DOEpatents

Solovyeva, Lyudmila Mikhaylovna; Jansson, Kyle S; Elmoursi, Alaa AbdelAzim; Zhu, Dong; Milner, Robert; Daughterty, Early Eugene; Higdon, Clifton Baxter; Elagamy, Kamel Abdel-Khalik; Hicks, Aaron Michael

2013-10-08

A device configured for converting energy includes a first surface, a second surface configured for moving with respect to the first surface during operation of the device, and a coating disposed on at least one of the first surface and the second surface. The coating includes a first layer of a ceramic alloy represented by the general formula AlMgB.sub.14--X, wherein X is present in an amount of from 0 to 70 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the ceramic alloy and is a doping agent selected from the group of Group IV elements and borides and nitrides thereof, and a second layer disposed on the first layer and including carbon in a gradient concentration. The coating has a hardness of from 10 to 20 GPa and a coefficient of friction of less than or equal to 0.12.

Patterning layer-by-layer self-assembled multilayer by lithography and its applications to thin film devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Feng

Nanoparticles are exciting materials because they exhibit unique electronic, catalytic, and optical properties. As a novel and promising nanobuilding block, it attracts considerable research efforts in its integration into a wide variety of thin film devices. Nanoparticles were adsorbed onto the substrate with layer-by-layer self-assembly which becomes of great interest due to its suitability in colloid particle assembly. Without extremely high temperatures and sophisticated equipment, molecularly organized films in an exactly pre-designed order can grow on almost all the substrates in nature. Two approaches generating spatially separated patterns comprised of nanoparticles are demonstrated, as well as two approaches patterning more than one type of nonoparticle on a silicon wafer. The structure of the thin film patterned by these approaches are analyzed and considered suitable to the thin film device. Finally, the combination of lithography and layer-by-layer (lbl) self-assembly is utilized to realize the microelectronic device with functional nonoparticles. The lbl self-assembly is the way to coat the nonoparticles and the lighography to pattern them. Based on the coating and patterning technique, a MOS-capacitor, a MOS field-effect-transistor and magnetic thin film cantilever are fabricated.

Light source comprising a common substrate, a first led device and a second led device

DOEpatents

Choong, Vi-En

2010-02-23

At least one stacked organic or polymeric light emitting diode (PLEDs) devices to comprise a light source is disclosed. At least one of the PLEDs includes a patterned cathode which has regions which transmit light. The patterned cathodes enable light emission from the PLEDs to combine together. The light source may be top or bottom emitting or both.

Lithography process for patterning HgI2 photonic devices

DOEpatents

Mescher, Mark J.; James, Ralph B.; Hermon, Haim

2004-11-23

A photolithographic process forms patterns on HgI.sub.2 surfaces and defines metal sublimation masks and electrodes to substantially improve device performance by increasing the realizable design space. Techniques for smoothing HgI.sub.2 surfaces and for producing trenches in HgI.sub.2 are provided. A sublimation process is described which produces etched-trench devices with enhanced electron-transport-only behavior.

From stage to age in variable environments: life expectancy and survivorship.

PubMed

Tuljapurkar, Shripad; Horvitz, Carol C

2006-06-01

Stage-based demographic data are now available on many species of plants and some animals, and they often display temporal and spatial variability. We provide exact formulas to compute age-specific life expectancy and survivorship from stage-based data for three models of temporal variability: cycles, serially independent random variation, and a Markov chain. These models provide a comprehensive description of patterns of temporal variation. Our formulas describe the effects of cohort (birth) environmental condition on mortality at all ages, and of the effects on survivorship of environmental variability experienced over the course of life. This paper complements existing methods for time-invariant stage-based data, and adds to the information on population growth and dynamics available from stochastic demography.

Nodal domains of a non-separable problem—the right-angled isosceles triangle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aronovitch, Amit; Band, Ram; Fajman, David; Gnutzmann, Sven

2012-03-01

We study the nodal set of eigenfunctions of the Laplace operator on the right-angled isosceles triangle. A local analysis of the nodal pattern provides an algorithm for computing the number νn of nodal domains for any eigenfunction. In addition, an exact recursive formula for the number of nodal domains is found to reproduce all existing data. Eventually, we use the recursion formula to analyse a large sequence of nodal counts statistically. Our analysis shows that the distribution of nodal counts for this triangular shape has a much richer structure than the known cases of regular separable shapes or completely irregular shapes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the nodal count sequence contains information about the periodic orbits of the corresponding classical ray dynamics.

Zirconium vanadium chromium alloy

DOEpatents

Mendelsohn, M.H.; Gruen, D.M.

1980-10-14

A ternary intermetallic compound having the formula Zr(V/sub 1-x/Cr/sub x/)/sub 2/ where x is in the range of 0.01 to 0.90 is capable of reversibly sorbing hydrogen at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 200/sup 0/C, at pressures down to 10/sup -6/ torr. The compound is suitable for use as a hydrogen getter in low pressure, high temperature applications such as magnetic confinement fusion devices.

Simulation of leakage current measurement on medical devices using helmholtz coil configuration with different current flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutanto, E.; Chandra, F.; Dinata, R.

2017-05-01

Leakage current measurement which can follow IEC standard for medical device is one of many challenges to be answered. The IEC 60601-1 has defined that the limit for a leakage current for Medical Device can be as low as 10 µA and as high as 500 µA, depending on which type of contact (applied part) connected to the patient. Most people are using ELCB (Earth-leakage circuit breaker) for safety purpose as this is the most common and available safety device in market. One type of ELCB devices is RCD (Residual Current Device) and this RCD type can measure the leakage current directly. This work will show the possibility on how Helmholtz Coil Configuration can be made to be like the RCD. The possibility is explored by comparing the magnetic field formula from each device, then it proceeds with a simulation using software EJS (Easy Java Simulation). The simulation will make sure the concept of magnetic field current cancellation follows the RCD concept. Finally, the possibility of increasing the measurement’s sensitivity is also analyzed. The sensitivity is needed to see the possibility on reaching the minimum leakage current limit defined by IEC, 0.01mA.

Patterns of mobile device use by caregivers and children during meals in fast food restaurants.

PubMed

Radesky, Jenny S; Kistin, Caroline J; Zuckerman, Barry; Nitzberg, Katie; Gross, Jamie; Kaplan-Sanoff, Margot; Augustyn, Marilyn; Silverstein, Michael

2014-04-01

Mobile devices are a ubiquitous part of American life, yet how families use this technology has not been studied. We aimed to describe naturalistic patterns of mobile device use by caregivers and children to generate hypotheses about its effects on caregiver-child interaction. Using nonparticipant observational methods, we observed 55 caregivers eating with 1 or more young children in fast food restaurants in a single metropolitan area. Observers wrote detailed field notes, continuously describing all aspects of mobile device use and child and caregiver behavior during the meal. Field notes were then subjected to qualitative analysis using grounded theory methods to identify common themes of device use. Forty caregivers used devices during their meal. The dominant theme salient to mobile device use and caregiver-child interaction was the degree of absorption in devices caregivers exhibited. Absorption was conceptualized as the extent to which primary engagement was with the device, rather than the child, and was determined by frequency, duration, and modality of device use; child response to caregiver use, which ranged from entertaining themselves to escalating bids for attention, and how caregivers managed this behavior; and separate versus shared use of devices. Highly absorbed caregivers often responded harshly to child misbehavior. We documented a range of patterns of mobile device use, characterized by varying degrees of absorption. These themes may be used as a foundation for coding schemes in quantitative studies exploring device use and child outcomes.

Viscous damping and spring force in periodic perforated planar microstructures when the Reynolds’ equation cannot be applied

PubMed Central

Homentcovschi, Dorel; Miles, Ronald N.

2010-01-01

A model of squeeze-film behavior is developed based on Stokes’ equations for viscous, compressible isothermal flows. The flow domain is an axisymmetrical, unit cell approximation of a planar, periodic, perforated microstructure. The model is developed for cases when the lubrication approximation cannot be applied. The complex force generated by vibrations of the diaphragm driving the flow has two components: the damping force and the spring force. While for large frequencies the spring force dominates, at low (acoustical) frequencies the damping force is the most important part. The analytical approach developed here yields an explicit formula for both forces. In addition, using a finite element software package, the damping force is also obtained numerically. A comparison is made between the analytic result, numerical solution, and some experimental data found in the literature, which validates the analytic formula and provides compelling arguments about its value in designing microelectomechanical devices. PMID:20329828

Revealing of photon-number splitting attack on quantum key distribution system by photon-number resolving devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaidash, A. A.; Egorov, V. I.; Gleim, A. V.

2016-08-01

Quantum cryptography allows distributing secure keys between two users so that any performed eavesdropping attempt would be immediately discovered. However, in practice an eavesdropper can obtain key information from multi-photon states when attenuated laser radiation is used as a source of quantum states. In order to prevent actions of an eavesdropper, it is generally suggested to implement special cryptographic protocols, like decoy states or SARG04. In this paper, we describe an alternative method based on monitoring photon number statistics after detection. We provide a useful rule of thumb to estimate approximate order of difference of expected distribution and distribution in case of attack. Formula for calculating a minimum value of total pulses or time-gaps to resolve attack is shown. Also formulas for actual fraction of raw key known to Eve were derived. This method can therefore be used with any system and even combining with mentioned special protocols.

Modeling direct interband tunneling. I. Bulk semiconductors

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

Pan, Andrew, E-mail: pandrew@ucla.edu; Chui, Chi On; California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095

Interband tunneling is frequently studied using the semiclassical Kane model, despite uncertainty about its validity. Revisiting the physical basis of this formula, we find that it neglects coupling to other bands and underestimates transverse tunneling. As a result, significant errors can arise at low and high fields for small and large gap materials, respectively. We derive a simple multiband tunneling model to correct these defects analytically without arbitrary parameters. Through extensive comparison with band structure and quantum transport calculations for bulk InGaAs, InAs, and InSb, we probe the accuracy of the Kane and multiband formulas and establish the superiority ofmore » the latter. We also show that the nonlocal average electric field should be used when applying either of these models to nonuniform potentials. Our findings are important for efficient analysis and simulation of bulk semiconductor devices involving tunneling.« less

Determining geographical spread pattern of MERS-CoV by distance method using Kimura model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amiroch, Siti; Rohmatullah, Arif

2017-03-01

MERS-CoV or generally called as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, a respiratory disease syndrome caused by a corona virus that attacks the respiratory tract ranging from mild to severe acute indication of fever, cough and shortness of breath. The cases happened relate to the countries in the Arabian Peninsula (Middle East) and there were 356 deaths have been reported due to the spread of the epidemic MERS. The data used in the case of MERS are the data DNA sequences taken from Genbank, the online database of the United States that stores the results of molecular biological experiments from all over the world (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). In this case, bioinformatics plays an important role of reading sequences of DNA and genetic information by using the main device in the form of software that is supported by the availability of the Internet, while the analysis there in made and proven with mathematical methods. In similar research conducted by molecular biologists and physicians, the process of DNA sequencing is done with software that is already available like BLAST. In order to determine the MERS geographical distribution patterns in the Arabian Peninsula is done with program Clustal W, Bayesian, Phylip, etc. In this study, the writer use the Matlab simulation for all processes starting sequence alignment, counting the number of transitions and transversion substitutions for each sequence and its location up to the process of forming a phylogenetic tree that figures out the pattern of spread of the epidemic MERS. Mathematical analysis performed on a decline in the formula is to find Kimura evolutionary models and the process of forming a phylogenetic tree (the pattern of the epidemic MERS distribution) with neighbor joining algorithm. Finally it was obtained the pattern of geographical spread with 6 groups epidemic of MERS which ultimately turns out that all the MERS viruses that were spread in the Arabian Peninsula everything are almost the same as the virus sequence found in al-Hasa.

Protein patterning in polycarbonate microfluidic channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomson, David A.; Hayes, Jason P.; Thissen, Helmut

2004-03-01

In this work protein patterning has been achieved within a polycarbonate microfluidic device. Channel structures were first coated with plasma polymerized allylamine (ALAPP) followed by the "cloud point" deposition of polyethylene oxide (PEO), a protein repellent molecule. Excimer laser micromachining was used to pattern the PEO to control protein localization. Subsequent removal of a sacrificial layer of polycarbonate resulted in the patterned polymer coating only in the channels of a simple fluidic device. Following a final diffusion bonding fabrication step the devices were filled with a buffer containing Streptavidin conjugated with fluorescein, and visualized under a confocal fluorescent microscope. This confirmed that protein adhesion occurred only in laser patterned areas. The ability to control protein adhesion in microfludic channels leads to the possibility of generating arrays of proteins or cells within polymer microfludics for cheap automated biosensors and synthesis systems.

A microfluidic device for simultaneous measurement of viscosity and flow rate of blood in a complex fluidic network

PubMed Central

Jun Kang, Yang; Yeom, Eunseop; Lee, Sang-Joon

2013-01-01

Blood viscosity has been considered as one of important biophysical parameters for effectively monitoring variations in physiological and pathological conditions of circulatory disorders. Standard previous methods make it difficult to evaluate variations of blood viscosity under cardiopulmonary bypass procedures or hemodialysis. In this study, we proposed a unique microfluidic device for simultaneously measuring viscosity and flow rate of whole blood circulating in a complex fluidic network including a rat, a reservoir, a pinch valve, and a peristaltic pump. To demonstrate the proposed method, a twin-shaped microfluidic device, which is composed of two half-circular chambers, two side channels with multiple indicating channels, and one bridge channel, was carefully designed. Based on the microfluidic device, three sequential flow controls were applied to identify viscosity and flow rate of blood, with label-free and sensorless detection. The half-circular chamber was employed to achieve mechanical membrane compliance for flow stabilization in the microfluidic device. To quantify the effect of flow stabilization on flow fluctuations, a formula of pulsation index (PI) was analytically derived using a discrete fluidic circuit model. Using the PI formula, the time constant contributed by the half-circular chamber is estimated to be 8 s. Furthermore, flow fluctuations resulting from the peristaltic pumps are completely removed, especially under periodic flow conditions within short periods (T < 10 s). For performance demonstrations, the proposed method was applied to evaluate blood viscosity with respect to varying flow rate conditions [(a) known blood flow rate via a syringe pump, (b) unknown blood flow rate via a peristaltic pump]. As a result, the flow rate and viscosity of blood can be simultaneously measured with satisfactory accuracy. In addition, the proposed method was successfully applied to identify the viscosity of rat blood, which circulates in a complex fluidic network. These observations confirm that the proposed method can be used for simultaneous measurement of viscosity and flow rate of whole blood circulating in the complex fluid network, with sensorless and label-free detection. Furthermore, the proposed method will be used in evaluating variations in the viscosity of human blood during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures or hemodialysis. PMID:24404074

A microfluidic device for simultaneous measurement of viscosity and flow rate of blood in a complex fluidic network.

PubMed

Jun Kang, Yang; Yeom, Eunseop; Lee, Sang-Joon

2013-01-01

Blood viscosity has been considered as one of important biophysical parameters for effectively monitoring variations in physiological and pathological conditions of circulatory disorders. Standard previous methods make it difficult to evaluate variations of blood viscosity under cardiopulmonary bypass procedures or hemodialysis. In this study, we proposed a unique microfluidic device for simultaneously measuring viscosity and flow rate of whole blood circulating in a complex fluidic network including a rat, a reservoir, a pinch valve, and a peristaltic pump. To demonstrate the proposed method, a twin-shaped microfluidic device, which is composed of two half-circular chambers, two side channels with multiple indicating channels, and one bridge channel, was carefully designed. Based on the microfluidic device, three sequential flow controls were applied to identify viscosity and flow rate of blood, with label-free and sensorless detection. The half-circular chamber was employed to achieve mechanical membrane compliance for flow stabilization in the microfluidic device. To quantify the effect of flow stabilization on flow fluctuations, a formula of pulsation index (PI) was analytically derived using a discrete fluidic circuit model. Using the PI formula, the time constant contributed by the half-circular chamber is estimated to be 8 s. Furthermore, flow fluctuations resulting from the peristaltic pumps are completely removed, especially under periodic flow conditions within short periods (T < 10 s). For performance demonstrations, the proposed method was applied to evaluate blood viscosity with respect to varying flow rate conditions [(a) known blood flow rate via a syringe pump, (b) unknown blood flow rate via a peristaltic pump]. As a result, the flow rate and viscosity of blood can be simultaneously measured with satisfactory accuracy. In addition, the proposed method was successfully applied to identify the viscosity of rat blood, which circulates in a complex fluidic network. These observations confirm that the proposed method can be used for simultaneous measurement of viscosity and flow rate of whole blood circulating in the complex fluid network, with sensorless and label-free detection. Furthermore, the proposed method will be used in evaluating variations in the viscosity of human blood during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures or hemodialysis.

Manycore Performance-Portability: Kokkos Multidimensional Array Library

DOE PAGES

Edwards, H. Carter; Sunderland, Daniel; Porter, Vicki; ...

2012-01-01

Large, complex scientific and engineering application code have a significant investment in computational kernels to implement their mathematical models. Porting these computational kernels to the collection of modern manycore accelerator devices is a major challenge in that these devices have diverse programming models, application programming interfaces (APIs), and performance requirements. The Kokkos Array programming model provides library-based approach to implement computational kernels that are performance-portable to CPU-multicore and GPGPU accelerator devices. This programming model is based upon three fundamental concepts: (1) manycore compute devices each with its own memory space, (2) data parallel kernels and (3) multidimensional arrays. Kernel executionmore » performance is, especially for NVIDIA® devices, extremely dependent on data access patterns. Optimal data access pattern can be different for different manycore devices – potentially leading to different implementations of computational kernels specialized for different devices. The Kokkos Array programming model supports performance-portable kernels by (1) separating data access patterns from computational kernels through a multidimensional array API and (2) introduce device-specific data access mappings when a kernel is compiled. An implementation of Kokkos Array is available through Trilinos [Trilinos website, http://trilinos.sandia.gov/, August 2011].« less

Vertebral Formula in Red-Crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) and Hooded Crane (Grus monacha)

PubMed Central

HIRAGA, Takeo; SAKAMOTO, Haruka; NISHIKAWA, Sayaka; MUNEUCHI, Ippei; UEDA, Hiromi; INOUE, Masako; SHIMURA, Ryoji; UEBAYASHI, Akiko; YASUDA, Nobuhiro; MOMOSE, Kunikazu; MASATOMI, Hiroyuki; TERAOKA, Hiroki

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT Red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) are distributed separately in the east Eurasian Continent (continental population) and in Hokkaido, Japan (island population). The island population is sedentary in eastern Hokkaido and has increased from a very small number of cranes to over 1,300, thus giving rise to the problem of poor genetic diversity. While, Hooded cranes (Grus monacha), which migrate from the east Eurasian Continent and winter mainly in Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, are about eight-time larger than the island population of Red-crowned cranes. We collected whole bodies of these two species, found dead or moribund in eastern Hokkaido and in Izumi, and observed skeletons with focus on vertebral formula. Numbers of cervical vertebrae (Cs), thoracic vertebrae (Ts), vertebrae composing the synsacrum (Sa) and free coccygeal vertebrae (free Cos) in 22 Red-crowned cranes were 17 or 18, 9–11, 13 or 14 and 7 or 8, respectively. Total number of vertebrae was 47, 48 or 49, and the vertebral formula was divided into three types including 9 sub-types. Numbers of Cs, Ts, vertebrae composing the Sa and free Cos in 25 Hooded cranes were 17 or 18, 9 or 10, 12–14 and 6–8, respectively. Total number of vertebrae was 46, 47, 48 or 49, and the vertebral formula was divided into four types including 14 sub-types. Our findings clearly showed various numerical vertebral patterns in both crane species; however, these variations in the vertebral formula may be unrelated to the genetic diversity. PMID:24334828

Design of a variable-line-spacing grating pattern for spectrometers based on a grating Fresnel device.

PubMed

Li, Xinghui; Zhang, Jinchao; Zhou, Qian; Ni, Kai; Pang, Jinchao; Tian, Rui

2016-04-01

In this Letter, we propose a variable-line-spacing (VLS) grating pattern for a hybrid diffractive device termed a grating Fresnel (G-Fresnel) lens, which is used in spectrometers to improve spectral resolution over a wide spectral range. The VLS grating pattern disperses light of specific wavelengths with a different angle and position such that the aberration caused by the Fresnel surface can be compensated for. In this manner, high resolution can be achieved over a relatively wide spectral range. The VLS grating pattern is designed based on the least wave-change principle and simulated by ZEMAX. Results reveal that the VLS G-Fresnel device allows a subnanometer resolution over a spectral range of 200 nm.

Patterning control strategies for minimum edge placement error in logic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulkens, Jan; Hanna, Michael; Slachter, Bram; Tel, Wim; Kubis, Michael; Maslow, Mark; Spence, Chris; Timoshkov, Vadim

2017-03-01

In this paper we discuss the edge placement error (EPE) for multi-patterning semiconductor manufacturing. In a multi-patterning scheme the creation of the final pattern is the result of a sequence of lithography and etching steps, and consequently the contour of the final pattern contains error sources of the different process steps. We describe the fidelity of the final pattern in terms of EPE, which is defined as the relative displacement of the edges of two features from their intended target position. We discuss our holistic patterning optimization approach to understand and minimize the EPE of the final pattern. As an experimental test vehicle we use the 7-nm logic device patterning process flow as developed by IMEC. This patterning process is based on Self-Aligned-Quadruple-Patterning (SAQP) using ArF lithography, combined with line cut exposures using EUV lithography. The computational metrology method to determine EPE is explained. It will be shown that ArF to EUV overlay, CDU from the individual process steps, and local CD and placement of the individual pattern features, are the important contributors. Based on the error budget, we developed an optimization strategy for each individual step and for the final pattern. Solutions include overlay and CD metrology based on angle resolved scatterometry, scanner actuator control to enable high order overlay corrections and computational lithography optimization to minimize imaging induced pattern placement errors of devices and metrology targets.

Spiking Neural Classifier with Lumped Dendritic Nonlinearity and Binary Synapses: A Current Mode VLSI Implementation and Analysis.

PubMed

Bhaduri, Aritra; Banerjee, Amitava; Roy, Subhrajit; Kar, Sougata; Basu, Arindam

2018-03-01

We present a neuromorphic current mode implementation of a spiking neural classifier with lumped square law dendritic nonlinearity. It has been shown previously in software simulations that such a system with binary synapses can be trained with structural plasticity algorithms to achieve comparable classification accuracy with fewer synaptic resources than conventional algorithms. We show that even in real analog systems with manufacturing imperfections (CV of 23.5% and 14.4% for dendritic branch gains and leaks respectively), this network is able to produce comparable results with fewer synaptic resources. The chip fabricated in [Formula: see text]m complementary metal oxide semiconductor has eight dendrites per cell and uses two opposing cells per class to cancel common-mode inputs. The chip can operate down to a [Formula: see text] V and dissipates 19 nW of static power per neuronal cell and [Formula: see text] 125 pJ/spike. For two-class classification problems of high-dimensional rate encoded binary patterns, the hardware achieves comparable performance as software implementation of the same with only about a 0.5% reduction in accuracy. On two UCI data sets, the IC integrated circuit has classification accuracy comparable to standard machine learners like support vector machines and extreme learning machines while using two to five times binary synapses. We also show that the system can operate on mean rate encoded spike patterns, as well as short bursts of spikes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt in hardware to perform classification exploiting dendritic properties and binary synapses.

Pattern classification using charge transfer devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The feasibility of using charge transfer devices in the classification of multispectral imagery was investigated by evaluating particular devices to determine their suitability in matrix multiplication subsystem of a pattern classifier and by designing a protype of such a system. Particular attention was given to analog-analog correlator devices which consist of two tapped delay lines, chip multipliers, and a summed output. The design for the classifier and a printed circuit layout for the analog boards were completed and the boards were fabricated. A test j:g for the board was built and checkout was begun.

Progress in wet-coated organic light-emitting devices for lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jie; Ye, Qing; Lewis, Larry N.; Duggal, Anil R.

2007-09-01

Here we present recent progress in developing efficient wet-coated organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) for lighting applications. In particular, we describe a novel approach for building efficient wet-coated dye-doped blue phosphorescent devices. Further, a novel approach for achieving arbitrary emission patterning for OLEDs is discussed. This approach utilizes a photo-induced chemical doping strategy for selectively activating charge injection materials, thus enabling devices with arbitrary emission patterning. This approach may provide a simple, low cost path towards specialty lighting and signage applications for OLED technology.

Quantification of Inlet Impedance Concept and a Study of the Rayleigh Formula for Noise Radiation from Ducted Fan Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Posey, Joe W.; Dunn, M. H.; Farassat, F.

2004-01-01

This paper addresses two aspects of duct propagation and radiation which can contribute to more efficient fan noise predictions. First, we assess the effectiveness of Rayleigh's formula as a ducted fan noise prediction tool. This classical result which predicts the sound produced by a piston in a flanged duct is expanded to include the uniform axial inflow case. Radiation patterns using Rayleigh's formula with single radial mode input are compared to those obtained from the more precise ducted fan noise prediction code TBIEM3D. Agreement between the two methods is excellent in the peak noise regions both forward and aft. Next, we use TBIEM3D to calculate generalized radiation impedances and power transmission coefficients. These quantities are computed for a wide range of operating parameters. Results were obtained for higher Mach numbers, frequencies, and circumferential mode orders than have been previously published. Viewed as functions of frequency, calculated trends in lower order inlet impedances and power transmission coefficients are in agreement with known results. The relationships are more oscillatory for higher order modes and higher Mach numbers.

CASMI 2013: Identification of Small Molecules by Tandem Mass Spectrometry Combined with Database and Literature Mining

PubMed Central

Newsome, Andrew G.; Nikolic, Dejan

2014-01-01

The Critical Assessment of Small Molecule Identification (CASMI) contest was initiated in 2012 to evaluate manual and automated strategies for the identification of small molecules from raw mass spectrometric data. The authors participated in both category 1 (molecular formula determination) and category 2 (molecular structure determination) of the second annual CASMI contest (CASMI 2013) using slow but effective manual methods. The provided high resolution mass spectrometric data were interpreted manually using a combination of molecular formula calculators, fragment and neutral loss analysis, literature consultation, manual database searches, deductive logic, and experience. The authors submitted correct formulas as lead candidates for 16 of 16 challenges and submitted correct structure solutions as lead candidates for 14 of 16 challenges. One structure submission (Challenge 3) was very close but not exact (N2-acetylglutaminylisoleucinamide instead of the correct N2-acetylglutaminylleucinamide). A solution for one (Challenge 13) was not submitted due to an inability to reconcile the provided fragmentation pattern with any known structures with the provided molecular composition. PMID:26819877

Stability and Change in One Adult's Second Language English Negation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauser, Eric

2013-01-01

This article reports on how, against a background of relatively stable patterns of second language negation, a Japanese-speaking adult learning English made use of a negative formula, "I don't know," and how, in and through interaction, analyzed it into its component parts and began using "don't" more productively.…

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Restatement of Torts Section 757, Comment b

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... chemical compound, a process of manufacturing, treating or preserving materials, a pattern for a machine or..., as, for example, a machine or formula for the production of an article. It may, however, relate to.... The protection is merely against breach of faith and reprehensible means of learning another's secret...

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Restatement of Torts Section 757, Comment b

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... chemical compound, a process of manufacturing, treating or preserving materials, a pattern for a machine or..., as, for example, a machine or formula for the production of an article. It may, however, relate to.... The protection is merely against breach of faith and reprehensible means of learning another's secret...

Using Federal Education Formula Funds for School Turnaround Initiatives: Opportunities for State Education Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Junge, Melissa; Krvaric, Sheara

2016-01-01

Much has been written on the subject of school turnaround, but relatively little about how to "pay for" turnaround-related work. Turning around low-performing schools not only requires changing instructional and related practices, but changing spending patterns as well. Too often education dollars are spent on the same costs from…

Impact of the Basic Education Program on Educational Spending and Equity in Tennessee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Callahan, Karen

2001-01-01

Examines state- and district-level spending patterns in Tennessee to assess the extent to which the Basic Education Program (BEP) funding formula has affected spending in the state and spending in districts with varying characteristics, for example, poverty status of students, school district size. Suggests that BEP led to greater education…

26 CFR 1.482-2A - Determination of taxable income in specific situations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... paragraph of this section (except as provided in (b) of this subdivision) until such time as any property... been transferred to Y at that time by virtue of the fact that Y obtained the patent rights to product M..., inventions, formulas, processes, designs, patterns, and other similar items; (b) Copyrights, literary...

26 CFR 1.482-2A - Determination of taxable income in specific situations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... paragraph of this section (except as provided in (b) of this subdivision) until such time as any property... been transferred to Y at that time by virtue of the fact that Y obtained the patent rights to product M..., inventions, formulas, processes, designs, patterns, and other similar items; (b) Copyrights, literary...

26 CFR 1.482-2A - Determination of taxable income in specific situations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... paragraph of this section (except as provided in (b) of this subdivision) until such time as any property... been transferred to Y at that time by virtue of the fact that Y obtained the patent rights to product M..., inventions, formulas, processes, designs, patterns, and other similar items; (b) Copyrights, literary...

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Restatement of Torts Section 757, Comment b

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... chemical compound, a process of manufacturing, treating or preserving materials, a pattern for a machine or..., as, for example, a machine or formula for the production of an article. It may, however, relate to.... The protection is merely against breach of faith and reprehensible means of learning another's secret...

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Restatement of Torts Section 757, Comment b

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... chemical compound, a process of manufacturing, treating or preserving materials, a pattern for a machine or..., as, for example, a machine or formula for the production of an article. It may, however, relate to.... The protection is merely against breach of faith and reprehensible means of learning another's secret...

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Restatement of Torts Section 757, Comment b

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... chemical compound, a process of manufacturing, treating or preserving materials, a pattern for a machine or..., as, for example, a machine or formula for the production of an article. It may, however, relate to.... The protection is merely against breach of faith and reprehensible means of learning another's secret...

The Use and the Prescription Pattern of Traditional Chinese Medicine Among Urolithiasis Patients in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Lin, Po-Hung; Lin, Shun-Ku; Hsu, Ren-Jun; Cheng, Kuan-Chen; Liu, Jui-Ming

2016-01-01

To investigate the pattern of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) usage for urolithiasis patients in Taiwan and to determine the most common Chinese herbal products used for urolithiasis. Retrospective review of urolithiasis patients treated with TCM treatment. One million randomly selected samples in the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2008. Eighty-two thousand five hundred and fifty-one newly diagnosed urolithiasis patients. The correlation between TCM treatment, demographic factors, or medical conditions. A total of 62.6% of urolithiasis patients use TCM treatment. A younger age, female gender, polypharmacy, multiple comorbidities, and stone in the lower urinary tract result in a greater tendency to use TCM, after adjusting for demographic factors. Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San Extract Powder and Ji-Sheng-Shen-Qi-Wan Extract Powder are the most frequently prescribed Chinese medicine formulae. This is the first study to examine the use of and the prescription pattern for TCM in urolithiasis patients using a random, national population-based sample. More than 62% of urolithiasis patients use TCM, and patients with polypharmacy, multiple comorbidities, and stone in the ureter are more likely to use TCM. The most frequently prescribed Chinese medicine formulae were Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San Extract Powder and Ji-Sheng-Shen-Qi-Wan Extract Powder, which were reported to retard the progression of renal failure and alleviate flank pain or tenderness.

Frequency and pattern of Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions for chronic hepatitis in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chen, Fang-Pey; Kung, Yen-Ying; Chen, Yu-Chun; Jong, Maw-Shiou; Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Chen, Fun-Jou; Hwang, Shinn-Jang

2008-04-17

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been commonly used in treating liver diseases in Asian countries. To conduct a large-scale pharmacoepidemiological study and evaluate the frequency and pattern of CHM prescriptions in treating chronic hepatitis. We obtained the database of traditional Chinese medicine outpatient claims from the national health insurance in Taiwan for the whole 2002. Patients with chronic hepatitis were identified by the corresponding diagnosis of International Classification of Disease among claimed visiting files. Corresponding prescription files were analyzed, and association rule were applied to evaluate the co-prescription of CHM in treating chronic hepatitis. Among the 91,080 subjects treated by CHM for chronic hepatitis, the peak age was in the 40 s, followed by 30 s and 50 s. Male/female ratio was 2.07:1. Long-dan-xie-gan-tang and Saliva miltiorrhiza (Dan-shen) were the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula and single herbal drug, respectively. The most common two-drug prescription was Jia-wei-xia-yao-san plus Saliva miltiorrhiza, and the most common three-drug prescription was Jia-wei-xia-yao-san plus Saliva miltiorrhiza and Artemisia capillaries (Yin-chen-hao). This study showed the utilization pattern of Chinese herbal drugs or formulae in treating chronic hepatitis. Further researches and clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of these Chinese herbs or its ingredients in treating chronic hepatitis.

Coagulation and ablation patterns of high-intensity focused ultrasound on a tissue-mimicking phantom and cadaveric skin.

PubMed

Kim, Hee-Jin; Kim, Han Gu; Zheng, Zhenlong; Park, Hyoun Jun; Yoon, Jeung Hyun; Oh, Wook; Lee, Cheol Woo; Cho, Sung Bin

2015-12-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can be applied noninvasively to create focused zones of tissue coagulation on various skin layers. We performed a comparative study of HIFU, evaluating patterns of focused tissue coagulation and ablation upon application thereof. A tissue-mimicking (TM) phantom was prepared with bovine serum albumin and polyacrylamide hydrogel to evaluate the geometric patterns of HIFU-induced thermal injury zones (TIZs) for five different HIFU devices. Additionally, for each device, we investigated histologic patterns of HIFU-induced coagulation and ablation in serial sections of cadaveric skin of the face and neck. All HIFU devices generated remarkable TIZs in the TM phantom, with different geometric values of coagulation for each device. Most of the TIZs seemed to be separated into two or more tiny parts. In cadaveric skin, characteristic patterns of HIFU-induced ablation and coagulation were noted along the mid to lower dermis at the focal penetration depth of 3 mm and along subcutaneous fat to the superficial musculoaponeurotic system or the platysma muscle of the neck at 4.5 mm. Additionally, remarkable pre-focal areas of tissue coagulation were observed in the upper and mid dermis at the focal penetration depth of 3 mm and mid to lower dermis at 4.5 mm. For five HIFU devices, we outlined various patterns of HIFU-induced TIZ formation along pre-focal, focal, and post-focal areas of TM phantom and cadaveric skin of the face and neck.

Agreement and clinical comparison between a new swept-source optical coherence tomography-based optical biometer and an optical low-coherence reflectometry biometer

PubMed Central

Arriola-Villalobos, P; Almendral-Gómez, J; Garzón, N; Ruiz-Medrano, J; Fernández-Pérez, C; Martínez-de-la-Casa, J M; Díaz-Valle, D

2017-01-01

Purpose To compare measurements taken using a swept-source optical coherence tomography-based optical biometer (IOLmaster 700) and an optical low-coherence reflectometry biometer (Lenstar 900), and to determine the clinical impacts of differences in their measurements on intraocular lens (IOL) power predictions. Methods Eighty eyes of 80 patients scheduled to undergo cataract surgery were examined with both biometers. The measurements made using each device were axial length (AL), central corneal thickness (CCT), aqueous depth (AQD), lens thickness (LT), mean keratometry (MK), white-to-white distance (WTW), and pupil diameter (PD). Holladay 2 and SRK/T formulas were used to calculate IOL power. Differences in measurement between the two biometers were determined using the paired t-test. Agreement was assessed through intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland–Altman plots. Results Mean patient age was 76.3±6.8 years (range 59–89). Using the Lenstar, AL and PD could not be measured in 12.5 and 5.25% of eyes, respectively, while IOLMaster 700 took all measurements in all eyes. The variables CCT, AQD, LT, and MK varied significantly between the two biometers. According to ICCs, correlation between measurements made with both devices was excellent except for WTW and PD. Using the SRK/T formula, IOL power prediction based on the data from the two devices were statistically different, but differences were not clinically significant. Conclusions No clinically relevant differences were detected between the biometers in terms of their measurements and IOL power predictions. Using the IOLMaster 700, it was easier to obtain biometric measurements in eyes with less transparent ocular media or longer AL. PMID:27834962

Molecular markers as a method to evaluate the movement of Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari).

PubMed

Gil, Zulma Nancy; Benavides, Pablo; De Souza, Og; Acevedo, Flor Edith; Lima, Eraldo

2015-01-01

The objective of this research was to develop a methodology to describe the movement of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the field through: (i) the evaluation of allele variation of a microsatellite marker on polymorphic Colombian H. hampei populations; (ii) the invention of a device for releasing H. hampei adults; (iii) the standardization of a release-recapture technique for H. hampei populations; (iv) the estimation of the flight distance of the insect; and (v) the calculation of a mathematical expression that describes the movement of H. hampei in space over time. The results indicated that: (i) the microsatellite molecular marker HHK.1.6 was exclusively present in a population from Guapotá-Santander, was dominant and allows the evaluation of H. hampei movement for several generations; (ii) a device that released 88.8% of H. hampei adults in 2 s was designed; (iii) this device was used as H. hampei populations containing HHK.1.6 marker release strategy, and coffee seeds as recapture strategy; (iv) it was estimated that H. hampei adults flew as far as 65 m, however, 90% were recovered in a radius of <40 m. Finally, (v) the mathematical expression that described the movement of H. hampei in space over time was [Formula: see text], being [Formula: see text] the average number of borer beetles recaptured per tree, and x the distance in meters. This method will allow to determine the movement of H. hampei from different environmental and ecological scenarios. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Next Place Prediction Based on Spatiotemporal Pattern Mining of Mobile Device Logs.

PubMed

Lee, Sungjun; Lim, Junseok; Park, Jonghun; Kim, Kwanho

2016-01-23

Due to the recent explosive growth of location-aware services based on mobile devices, predicting the next places of a user is of increasing importance to enable proactive information services. In this paper, we introduce a data-driven framework that aims to predict the user's next places using his/her past visiting patterns analyzed from mobile device logs. Specifically, the notion of the spatiotemporal-periodic (STP) pattern is proposed to capture the visits with spatiotemporal periodicity by focusing on a detail level of location for each individual. Subsequently, we present algorithms that extract the STP patterns from a user's past visiting behaviors and predict the next places based on the patterns. The experiment results obtained by using a real-world dataset show that the proposed methods are more effective in predicting the user's next places than the previous approaches considered in most cases.

A General Approach for Fluid Patterning and Application in Fabricating Microdevices.

PubMed

Huang, Zhandong; Yang, Qiang; Su, Meng; Li, Zheng; Hu, Xiaotian; Li, Yifan; Pan, Qi; Ren, Wanjie; Li, Fengyu; Song, Yanlin

2018-06-19

Engineering the fluid interface such as the gas-liquid interface is of great significance for solvent processing applications including functional material assembly, inkjet printing, and high-performance device fabrication. However, precisely controlling the fluid interface remains a great challenge owing to its flexibility and fluidity. Here, a general method to manipulate the fluid interface for fluid patterning using micropillars in the microchannel is reported. The principle of fluid patterning for immiscible fluid pairs including air, water, and oils is proposed. This understanding enables the preparation of programmable multiphase fluid patterns and assembly of multilayer functional materials to fabricate micro-optoelectronic devices. This general strategy of fluid patterning provides a promising platform to study the fundamental processes occurring on the fluid interface, and benefits applications in many subjects, such as microfluidics, microbiology, chemical analysis and detection, material synthesis and assembly, device fabrication, etc. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Materials for optoelectronic devices

DOEpatents

Shiang, Joseph John; Smigelski, Jr., Paul Michael

2015-01-27

Energy efficient optoelectronic devices include an electroluminescent layer containing a polymer made up of structural units of formula I and II; ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently C.sub.22-44 hydrocarbyl, C.sub.22-44 hydrocarbyl containing one or more S, N, O, P, or Si atoms, oxaalkylaryl, or a combination thereof; R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently H, C.sub.1-44 hydrocarbyl or C.sub.1-44 hydrocarbyl containing one or more S, N, O, P, or Si atoms, or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, taken together, form a C.sub.2-10 monocyclic or bicyclic ring containing up to three S, N, O, P, or Si heteroatoms; and X is S, Se, or a combination thereof.

Double-Barrier Memristive Devices for Unsupervised Learning and Pattern Recognition.

PubMed

Hansen, Mirko; Zahari, Finn; Ziegler, Martin; Kohlstedt, Hermann

2017-01-01

The use of interface-based resistive switching devices for neuromorphic computing is investigated. In a combined experimental and numerical study, the important device parameters and their impact on a neuromorphic pattern recognition system are studied. The memristive cells consist of a layer sequence Al/Al 2 O 3 /Nb x O y /Au and are fabricated on a 4-inch wafer. The key functional ingredients of the devices are a 1.3 nm thick Al 2 O 3 tunnel barrier and a 2.5 mm thick Nb x O y memristive layer. Voltage pulse measurements are used to study the electrical conditions for the emulation of synaptic functionality of single cells for later use in a recognition system. The results are evaluated and modeled in the framework of the plasticity model of Ziegler et al. Based on this model, which is matched to experimental data from 84 individual devices, the network performance with regard to yield, reliability, and variability is investigated numerically. As the network model, a computing scheme for pattern recognition and unsupervised learning based on the work of Querlioz et al. (2011), Sheridan et al. (2014), Zahari et al. (2015) is employed. This is a two-layer feedforward network with a crossbar array of memristive devices, leaky integrate-and-fire output neurons including a winner-takes-all strategy, and a stochastic coding scheme for the input pattern. As input pattern, the full data set of digits from the MNIST database is used. The numerical investigation indicates that the experimentally obtained yield, reliability, and variability of the memristive cells are suitable for such a network. Furthermore, evidence is presented that their strong I - V non-linearity might avoid the need for selector devices in crossbar array structures.

A Novel Classification System for Injuries After Electronic Cigarette Explosions.

PubMed

Patterson, Scott B; Beckett, Allison R; Lintner, Alicia; Leahey, Carly; Greer, Ashley; Brevard, Sidney B; Simmons, Jon D; Kahn, Steven A

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) contain lithium batteries that have been known to explode and/or cause fires that have resulted in burn injury. The purpose of this article is to present a case study, review injuries caused by e-cigarettes, and present a novel classification system from the newly emerging patterns of burns. A case study was presented and online media reports for e-cigarette burns were queried with search terms "e-cigarette burns" and "electronic cigarette burns." The reports and injury patterns were tabulated. Analysis was then performed to create a novel classification system based on the distinct injury patterns seen in the study. Two patients were seen at our regional burn center after e-cigarette burns. One had an injury to his thigh and penis that required operative intervention after ignition of this device in his pocket. The second had a facial burn and corneal abrasions when the device exploded while he was inhaling vapor. The Internet search and case studies resulted in 26 cases for evaluation. The burn patterns were divided in direct injury from the device igniting and indirect injury when the device caused a house or car fire. A numerical classification was created: direct injury: type 1 (hand injury) 7 cases, type 2 (face injury) 8 cases, type 3 (waist/groin injury) 11 cases, and type 5a (inhalation injury from using device) 2 cases; indirect injury: type 4 (house fire injury) 7 cases and type 5b (inhalation injury from fire started by the device) 4 cases. Multiple e-cigarette injuries are occurring in the United States and distinct patterns of burns are emerging. The classification system developed in this article will aid in further study and future regulation of these dangerous devices.

Biomimetic patterned surfaces for controllable friction in micro- and nanoscale devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Arvind; Suh, Kahp-Yang

2013-12-01

Biomimetics is the study and simulation of biological systems for desired functional properties. It involves the transformation of underlying principles discovered in nature into man-made technologies. In this context, natural surfaces have significantly inspired and motivated new solutions for micro- and nano-scale devices (e.g., Micro/Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems, MEMS/NEMS) towards controllable friction, during their operation. As a generic solution to reduce friction at small scale, various thin films/coatings have been employed in the last few decades. In recent years, inspiration from `Lotus Effect' has initiated a new research direction for controllable friction with biomimetic patterned surfaces. By exploiting the intrinsic hydrophobicity and ability to reduce contact area, such micro- or nano-patterned surfaces have demonstrated great strength and potential for applications in MEMS/NEMS devices. This review highlights recent advancements on the design, development and performance of these biomimetic patterned surfaces. Also, we present some hybrid approaches to tackle current challenges in biomimetic tribological applications for MEMS/NEMS devices.

Interactive Effects of Early Exclusive Breastfeeding and Pre-Pregnancy Maternal Weight Status on Young Children’s BMI – A Chinese Birth Cohort

PubMed Central

Yin, Baomin; Liang, Xiong; Adair, Linda; Thompson, Amanda; Zhang, Jianduan

2015-01-01

Objectives To assess if the maternal pre-pregnancy weight status (MPWS) alters the association of early infant feeding pattern (at one and third months) with infant body mass index (BMI) in the first two years of life. Methods A cohort of 2,220 neonates were recruited in a community-based study conducted in China. Body weight and length were measured at birth, at age one and two, with BMI calculated accordingly. The BMI z-scores (BMI-Z) were computed according to the World Health Organization Growth Standard (2006). Feeding patterns were classified as exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), mixed feeding (MF), and formula feeding (FF). General linear models (GLM) were employed to estimate main and interaction effects of EBF and MPWS on children’s BMI-Z. Results No main effect of MPWS was found on child BMI-Z at ages one and two, nor the feeding patterns. An interaction between MPWS and feeding patterns was detected (p<0.05). For children who were formula fed during the first month, those who were born to overweight/obesity (OW/OB) mothers had a significantly greater BMI-Z at ages one and two, compared with those with underweight/normal weight (UW/NW) mothers. FF children had greater BMI-Z at ages one and two compared with their EBF and MF counterparts, when they were born to OW/OB mothers. Conclusions Maternal pre-pregnancy weight control and early initiation of EBF for children are essential for healthy development in children’s BMI, hence the prevention of early life obesity. PMID:26641272

Photolithographic patterning of vacuum-deposited organic light emitting devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, P. F.; Burrows, P. E.; Forrest, S. R.

1997-12-01

We demonstrate a photolithographic technique to fabricate vacuum-deposited organic light emitting devices. Photoresist liftoff combined with vertical deposition of the emissive organic materials and the metal cathode, followed by oblique deposition of a metal cap, avoids the use of high processing temperatures and the exposure of the organic materials to chemical degradation. The unpackaged devices show no sign of deterioration in room ambient when compared with conventional devices fabricated using low-resolution, shadow mask patterning. Furthermore, the devices are resistant to rapid degradation when operated in air for extended periods. This work illustrates a potential foundation for the volume production of very high-resolution, full color, flat panel displays based on small molecular weight organic light emitting devices.

Exact solutions for unsteady free convection flow over an oscillating plate due to non-coaxial rotation.

PubMed

Mohamad, Ahmad Qushairi; Khan, Ilyas; Ismail, Zulkhibri; Shafie, Sharidan

2016-01-01

Non-coaxial rotation has wide applications in engineering devices, e.g. in food processing such as mixer machines and stirrers with a two-axis kneader, in cooling turbine blades, jet engines, pumps and vacuum cleaners, in designing thermal syphon tubes, and in geophysical flows. Therefore, this study aims to investigate unsteady free convection flow of viscous fluid due to non-coaxial rotation and fluid at infinity over an oscillating vertical plate with constant wall temperature. The governing equations are modelled by a sudden coincidence of the axes of a disk and the fluid at infinity rotating with uniform angular velocity, together with initial and boundary conditions. Some suitable non-dimensional variables are introduced. The Laplace transform method is used to obtain the exact solutions of the corresponding non-dimensional momentum and energy equations with conditions. Solutions of the velocity for cosine and sine oscillations as well as for temperature fields are obtained and displayed graphically for different values of time ( t ), the Grashof number ( Gr ), the Prandtl number ([Formula: see text]), and the phase angle ([Formula: see text]). Skin friction and the Nusselt number are also evaluated. The exact solutions are obtained and in limiting cases, the present solutions are found to be identical to the published results. Further, the obtained exact solutions also validated by comparing with results obtained by using Gaver-Stehfest algorithm. The interested physical property such as velocity, temperature, skin friction and Nusselt number are affected by the embedded parameters time ( t ), the Grashof number ( Gr ), the Prandtl number ([Formula: see text]), and the phase angle ([Formula: see text]).

Analysis of magnetic-dipole transitions in tungsten plasmas using detailed and configuration-average descriptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na, Xieyu; Poirier, Michel

2017-06-01

This paper is devoted to the analysis of transition arrays of magnetic-dipole (M1) type in highly charged ions. Such transitions play a significant role in highly ionized plasmas, for instance in the tungsten plasma present in tokamak devices. Using formulas recently published and their implementation in the Flexible Atomic Code for M1-transition array shifts and widths, absorption and emission spectra arising from transitions inside the 3*n complex of highly-charged tungsten ions are analyzed. A comparison of magnetic-dipole transitions with electric-dipole (E1) transitions shows that, while the latter are better described by transition array formulas, M1 absorption and emission structures reveal some insufficiency of these formulas. It is demonstrated that the detailed spectra account for significantly richer structures than those predicted by the transition array formalism. This is due to the fact that M1 transitions may occur between levels inside the same relativistic configuration, while such inner configuration transitions are not accounted for by the currently available averaging expression. In addition, because of configuration interaction, transition processes involving more than one electron jump, such as 3p1/23d5/2 → 3p3/23d3/2, are possible but not accounted for in the transition array formulas. These missing transitions are collected in pseudo-arrays using a post-processing method described in this paper. The relative influence of inner- and inter-configuration transitions is carefully analyzed in cases of tungsten ions with net charge around 50. The need for an additional theoretical development is emphasized.

Quantum 1/F Noise in Solid State Double Devices, in Particular Hg(1-x) CdxTe Diodes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-22

1 / f noise , diffusion noise , recombination noise , Hooge formula, Hooge parameter, coherent and...The data will be discussed and interpreted in subsequent sections. f 1 . The Hooge equation and quantum 1 / f noise (A. van der Ziel) According to Hooge [ 1 ...the relative current 1 / f noise of a semiconductor resistor may be written as SI( f ) uH 12 N where uH is the Hooge

Redox shuttles for lithium ion batteries

DOEpatents

Weng, Wei; Zhang, Zhengcheng; Amine, Khalil

2014-11-04

Compounds may have general Formula IVA or IVB. ##STR00001## where, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, and R.sup.11 are each independently selected from H, F, Cl, Br, CN, NO.sub.2, alkyl, haloalkyl, and alkoxy groups; X and Y are each independently O, S, N, or P; and Z' is a linkage between X and Y. Such compounds may be used as redox shuttles in electrolytes for use in electrochemical cells, batteries and electronic devices.

Method of gettering hydrogen under conditions of low pressure

DOEpatents

Mendelsohn, M.H.; Gruen, D.M.

1983-08-09

A ternary intermetallic compound having the formula Zr(V[sub 1[minus]x]Cr[sub x])[sub 2] where x is in the range of 0.01 to 0.90 is capable of reversibly sorbing hydrogen at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 200 C, at pressures down to 10[sup [minus]6] Torr. The compound is suitable for use as a hydrogen getter in low pressure, high temperature applications such as magnetic confinement fusion devices. 3 figs.

Design, processing and testing of LSI arrays: Hybrid microelectronics task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Himmel, R. P.; Stuhlbarg, S. M.; Ravetti, R. G.; Zulueta, P. J.

1979-01-01

Mathematical cost factors were generated for both hybrid microcircuit and printed wiring board packaging methods. A mathematical cost model was created for analysis of microcircuit fabrication costs. The costing factors were refined and reduced to formulae for computerization. Efficient methods were investigated for low cost packaging of LSI devices as a function of density and reliability. Technical problem areas such as wafer bumping, inner/outer leading bonding, testing on tape, and tape processing, were investigated.

Generation of standard gas mixtures of halogenated, aliphatic, and aromatic compounds and prediction of the individual output rates based on molecular formula and boiling point.

PubMed

Thorenz, Ute R; Kundel, Michael; Müller, Lars; Hoffmann, Thorsten

2012-11-01

In this work, we describe a simple diffusion capillary device for the generation of various organic test gases. Using a set of basic equations the output rate of the test gas devices can easily be predicted only based on the molecular formula and the boiling point of the compounds of interest. Since these parameters are easily accessible for a large number of potential analytes, even for those compounds which are typically not listed in physico-chemical handbooks or internet databases, the adjustment of the test gas source to the concentration range required for the individual analytical application is straightforward. The agreement of the predicted and measured values is shown to be valid for different groups of chemicals, such as halocarbons, alkanes, alkenes, and aromatic compounds and for different dimensions of the diffusion capillaries. The limits of the predictability of the output rates are explored and observed to result in an underprediction of the output rates when very thin capillaries are used. It is demonstrated that pressure variations are responsible for the observed deviation of the output rates. To overcome the influence of pressure variations and at the same time to establish a suitable test gas source for highly volatile compounds, also the usability of permeation sources is explored, for example for the generation of molecular bromine test gases.

Rapid Stencil Mask Fabrication Enabled One-Step Polymer-Free Graphene Patterning and Direct Transfer for Flexible Graphene Devices

PubMed Central

Yong, Keong; Ashraf, Ali; Kang, Pilgyu; Nam, SungWoo

2016-01-01

We report a one-step polymer-free approach to patterning graphene using a stencil mask and oxygen plasma reactive-ion etching, with a subsequent polymer-free direct transfer for flexible graphene devices. Our stencil mask is fabricated via a subtractive, laser cutting manufacturing technique, followed by lamination of stencil mask onto graphene grown on Cu foil for patterning. Subsequently, micro-sized graphene features of various shapes are patterned via reactive-ion etching. The integrity of our graphene after patterning is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. We further demonstrate the rapid prototyping capability of a stretchable, crumpled graphene strain sensor and patterned graphene condensation channels for potential applications in sensing and heat transfer, respectively. We further demonstrate that the polymer-free approach for both patterning and transfer to flexible substrates allows the realization of cleaner graphene features as confirmed by water contact angle measurements. We believe that our new method promotes rapid, facile fabrication of cleaner graphene devices, and can be extended to other two dimensional materials in the future. PMID:27118249

Accelerated life-test methods and results for implantable electronic devices with adhesive encapsulation.

PubMed

Huang, Xuechen; Denprasert, Petcharat May; Zhou, Li; Vest, Adriana Nicholson; Kohan, Sam; Loeb, Gerald E

2017-09-01

We have developed and applied new methods to estimate the functional life of miniature, implantable, wireless electronic devices that rely on non-hermetic, adhesive encapsulants such as epoxy. A comb pattern board with a high density of interdigitated electrodes (IDE) could be used to detect incipient failure from water vapor condensation. Inductive coupling of an RF magnetic field was used to provide DC bias and to detect deterioration of an encapsulated comb pattern. Diodes in the implant converted part of the received energy into DC bias on the comb pattern. The capacitance of the comb pattern forms a resonant circuit with the inductor by which the implant receives power. Any moisture affects both the resonant frequency and the Q-factor of the resonance of the circuitry, which was detected wirelessly by its effects on the coupling between two orthogonal RF coils placed around the device. Various defects were introduced into the comb pattern devices to demonstrate sensitivity to failures and to correlate these signals with visual inspection of failures. Optimized encapsulation procedures were validated in accelerated life tests of both comb patterns and a functional neuromuscular stimulator under development. Strong adhesive bonding between epoxy and electronic circuitry proved to be necessary and sufficient to predict 1 year packaging reliability of 99.97% for the neuromuscular stimulator.

Hair treatment process providing dispersed colors by light diffraction

DOEpatents

Sutton, Richard Matthew Charles; Lamartine, Bruce Carvell; Orler, E. Bruce; Song, Shuangqi

2015-12-22

A hair treatment process for providing dispersed colors by light diffraction including (a) coating the hair with a material comprising a polymer, (b) pressing the hair with a pressing device including one or more surfaces, and (c) forming a secondary nanostructured surface pattern on the hair that is complementary to the primary nanostructured surface pattern on the one or more surfaces of the pressing device. The secondary nanostructured surface pattern diffracts light into dispersed colors that are visible on the hair. The section of the hair is pressed with the pressing device for from about 1 to 55 seconds. The polymer has a glass transition temperature from about 55.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C. The one or more surfaces include a primary nanostructured surface pattern.

Light distribution in diffractive multifocal optics and its optimization.

PubMed

Portney, Valdemar

2011-11-01

To expand a geometrical model of diffraction efficiency and its interpretation to the multifocal optic and to introduce formulas for analysis of far and near light distribution and their application to multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) and to diffraction efficiency optimization. Medical device consulting firm, Newport Coast, California, USA. Experimental study. Application of a geometrical model to the kinoform (single focus diffractive optical element) was expanded to a multifocal optic to produce analytical definitions of light split between far and near images and light loss to other diffraction orders. The geometrical model gave a simple interpretation of light split in a diffractive multifocal IOL. An analytical definition of light split between far, near, and light loss was introduced as curve fitting formulas. Several examples of application to common multifocal diffractive IOLs were developed; for example, to light-split change with wavelength. The analytical definition of diffraction efficiency may assist in optimization of multifocal diffractive optics that minimize light loss. Formulas for analysis of light split between different foci of multifocal diffractive IOLs are useful in interpreting diffraction efficiency dependence on physical characteristics, such as blaze heights of the diffractive grooves and wavelength of light, as well as for optimizing multifocal diffractive optics. Disclosure is found in the footnotes. Copyright © 2011 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fast process flow, on-wafer interconnection and singulation for MEPV

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

Okandan, Murat; Nielson, Gregory N.; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis

2017-01-31

A method including providing a substrate comprising a device layer on which a plurality of device cells are defined; depositing a first dielectric layer on the device layer and metal interconnect such that the deposited interconnect is electrically connected to at least two of the device cells; depositing a second dielectric layer over the interconnect; and exposing at least one contact point on the interconnect through the second dielectric layer. An apparatus including a substrate having defined thereon a device layer including a plurality of device cells; a first dielectric layer disposed directly on the device layer; a plurality ofmore » metal interconnects, each of which is electrically connected to at least two of the device cells; and a second dielectric layer disposed over the first dielectric layer and over the interconnects, wherein the second dielectric layer is patterned in a positive or negative planar spring pattern.« less

Fast process flow, on-wafer interconnection and singulation for MEPV

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

Okandan, Murat; Nielson, Gregory N.; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis

2017-08-29

A method including providing a substrate comprising a device layer on which a plurality of device cells are defined; depositing a first dielectric layer on the device layer and metal interconnect such that the deposited interconnect is electrically connected to at least two of the device cells; depositing a second dielectric layer over the interconnect; and exposing at least one contact point on the interconnect through the second dielectric layer. An apparatus including a substrate having defined thereon a device layer including a plurality of device cells; a first dielectric layer disposed directly on the device layer; a plurality ofmore » metal interconnects, each of which is electrically connected to at least two of the device cells; and a second dielectric layer disposed over the first dielectric layer and over the interconnects, wherein the second dielectric layer is patterned in a positive or negative planar spring pattern.« less

Twin lead ballistic conductor based on nanoribbon edge transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konôpka, Martin; Dieška, Peter

2018-03-01

If a device like a graphene nanoribbon (GNR) has all its four corners attached to electric current leads, the device becomes a quantum junction through which two electrical circuits can interact. We study such system theoretically for stationary currents. The 4-point energy-dependent conductance matrix of the nanostructure and the classical resistors in the circuits are parameters of the model. The two bias voltages in the circuits are the control variables of the studied system while the electrochemical potentials at the device's terminals are non-trivially dependent on the voltages. For the special case of the linear-response regime analytical formulae for the operation of the coupled quantum-classical device are derived and applied. For higher bias voltages numerical solutions are obtained. The effects of non-equilibrium Fermi levels are captured using a recursive algorithm in which self-consistency between the electrochemical potentials and the currents is reached within few iterations. The developed approach allows to study scenarios ranging from independent circuits to strongly coupled ones. For the chosen model of the GNR with highly conductive zigzag edges we determine the regime in which the single device carries two almost independent currents.

Ultrahigh vacuum dc magnetron sputter-deposition of epitaxial Pd(111)/Al2O3(0001) thin films.

PubMed

Aleman, Angel; Li, Chao; Zaid, Hicham; Kindlund, Hanna; Fankhauser, Joshua; Prikhodko, Sergey V; Goorsky, Mark S; Kodambaka, Suneel

2018-05-01

Pd(111) thin films, ∼245 nm thick, are deposited on Al 2 O 3 (0001) substrates at ≈0.5 T m , where T m is the Pd melting point, by ultrahigh vacuum dc magnetron sputtering of Pd target in pure Ar discharges. Auger electron spectra and low-energy electron diffraction patterns acquired in situ from the as-deposited samples reveal that the surfaces are compositionally pure 111-oriented Pd. Double-axis x-ray diffraction (XRD) ω-2θ scans show only the set of Pd 111 peaks from the film. In triple-axis high-resolution XRD, the full width at half maximum intensity Γ ω of the Pd 111 ω-rocking curve is 630 arc sec. XRD 111 pole figure obtained from the sample revealed six peaks 60°-apart at a tilt angles corresponding to Pd 111 reflections. XRD ϕ scans show six 60°-rotated 111 peaks of Pd at the same ϕ angles for 11[Formula: see text]3 of Al 2 O 3 based on which the epitaxial crystallographic relationships between the film and the substrate are determined as [Formula: see text]ǁ[Formula: see text] with two in-plane orientations of [Formula: see text]ǁ[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]ǁ[Formula: see text]. Using triple axis symmetric and asymmetric reciprocal space maps, interplanar spacings of out-of-plane (111) and in-plane (11[Formula: see text]) are found to be 0.2242 ± 0.0003 and 0.1591 ± 0.0003 nm, respectively. These values are 0.18% lower than 0.2246 nm for (111) and the same, within the measurement uncertainties, as 0.1588 nm for (11[Formula: see text]) calculated from the bulk Pd lattice parameter, suggesting a small out-of-plane compressive strain and an in-plane tensile strain related to the thermal strain upon cooling the sample from the deposition temperature to room temperature. High-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectra obtained from the Pd(111)/Al 2 O 3 (0001) samples indicate that the Pd-Al 2 O 3 interfaces are essentially atomically abrupt and dislocation-free. These results demonstrate the growth of epitaxial Pd thin films with (111) out-of-plane orientation with low mosaicity on Al 2 O 3 (0001).

Growth and tolerance of formula with lactoferrin in infants through one year of age: double-blind, randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Johnston, William H; Ashley, Claude; Yeiser, Michael; Harris, Cheryl L; Stolz, Suzanne I; Wampler, Jennifer L; Wittke, Anja; Cooper, Timothy R

2015-11-07

Human milk provides necessary macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat) required for infant nutrition. Lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional iron-binding protein predominant in human milk, shares similar protein sequence, structure, and bioactivity with bovine Lf (bLf). This large-scale pediatric nutrition study was designed to evaluate growth and tolerance in healthy infants who received study formulas with bLf at concentrations within the range of mature human milk. In this multi-center, double-blind, parallel-designed, gender-stratified prospective study 480 infants were randomized to receive a marketed routine cow's milk-based infant formula (Control; n = 155) or one of two investigational formulas with bLf at 0.6 g/L (LF-0.6; n = 165) or 1.0 g/L (LF-1.0; n = 160) from 14-365 days of age. Investigational formulas also had a prebiotic blend of polydextrose (PDX) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and adjusted arachidonic acid (ARA). The primary outcome was weight growth rate from 14-120 days of age. Anthropometric measurements were taken at 14, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 275, and 365 days of age. Parental recall of formula intake, tolerance, and stool characteristics was collected at each time point. Medically-confirmed adverse events were collected throughout the study period. There were no group differences in growth rate (g/day) from 14-120 days of age; 353 infants completed the study through 365 days of age ( 110; LF-0.6: 127; LF-1.0: 116). Few differences in growth, formula intake, and infant fussiness or gassiness were observed through 365 day of age. Group discontinuation rates and the overall group incidence of medically-confirmed adverse events were not significantly different. From 30 through 180 days of age, group differences in stool consistency (P < 0.005) were detected with softer stools for infants in the LF-0.6 and LF-1.0 groups versus CONTROL. Compared to the Control, infants who received investigational formulas with bLf and the prebiotic blend of PDX and GOS experienced a softer stooling pattern similar to that reported in breastfed infants. This study demonstrated routine infant formulas with bLf, a blend of PDX and GOS, and adjusted ARA were safe, well-tolerated, and associated with normal growth when fed to healthy term infants through 365 days of age. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01122654 . Registered 10 May 2010.

Prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine are specific to cancer types and adjustable to temperature changes.

PubMed

Chiu, Pei-Hsun; Hsieh, Hsin-Ying; Wang, Sun-Chong

2012-01-01

Targeted cancer therapies, with specific molecular targets, ameliorate the side effect issue of radiation and chemotherapy and also point to the development of personalized medicine. Combination of drugs targeting multiple pathways of carcinogenesis is potentially more fruitful. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been tailoring herbal mixtures for individualized healthcare for two thousand years. A systematic study of the patterns of TCM formulas and herbs prescribed to cancers is valuable. We analysed a total of 187,230 TCM prescriptions to 30 types of cancer in Taiwan in 2007, a year's worth of collection from the National Health Insurance reimbursement database (Taiwan). We found that a TCM cancer prescription consists on average of two formulas and four herbs. We show that the percentage weights of TCM formulas and herbs in a TCM prescription follow Zipf's law with an exponent around 0.6. TCM prescriptions to benign neoplasms have a larger Zipf's exponent than those to malignant cancers. Furthermore, we show that TCM prescriptions, via weighted combination of formulas and herbs, are specific to not only the malignancy of neoplasms but also the sites of origins of malignant cancers. From the effects of formulas and natures of herbs that were heavily prescribed to cancers, that cancers are a 'warm and stagnant' syndrome in TCM can be proposed, suggesting anti-inflammatory regimens for better prevention and treatment of cancers. We show that TCM incorporated relevant formulas to the prescriptions to cancer patients with a secondary morbidity. We compared TCM prescriptions made in different seasons and identified temperatures as the environmental factor that correlates with changes in TCM prescriptions in Taiwan. Lung cancer patients were among the patients whose prescriptions were adjusted when temperatures drop. The findings of our study provide insight to TCM cancer treatment, helping dialogue between modern western medicine and TCM for better cancer care.

Prescriptions of Traditional Chinese Medicine Are Specific to Cancer Types and Adjustable to Temperature Changes

PubMed Central

Chiu, Pei-Hsun; Hsieh, Hsin-Ying; Wang, Sun-Chong

2012-01-01

Targeted cancer therapies, with specific molecular targets, ameliorate the side effect issue of radiation and chemotherapy and also point to the development of personalized medicine. Combination of drugs targeting multiple pathways of carcinogenesis is potentially more fruitful. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been tailoring herbal mixtures for individualized healthcare for two thousand years. A systematic study of the patterns of TCM formulas and herbs prescribed to cancers is valuable. We analysed a total of 187,230 TCM prescriptions to 30 types of cancer in Taiwan in 2007, a year's worth of collection from the National Health Insurance reimbursement database (Taiwan). We found that a TCM cancer prescription consists on average of two formulas and four herbs. We show that the percentage weights of TCM formulas and herbs in a TCM prescription follow Zipf's law with an exponent around 0.6. TCM prescriptions to benign neoplasms have a larger Zipf's exponent than those to malignant cancers. Furthermore, we show that TCM prescriptions, via weighted combination of formulas and herbs, are specific to not only the malignancy of neoplasms but also the sites of origins of malignant cancers. From the effects of formulas and natures of herbs that were heavily prescribed to cancers, that cancers are a ‘warm and stagnant’ syndrome in TCM can be proposed, suggesting anti-inflammatory regimens for better prevention and treatment of cancers. We show that TCM incorporated relevant formulas to the prescriptions to cancer patients with a secondary morbidity. We compared TCM prescriptions made in different seasons and identified temperatures as the environmental factor that correlates with changes in TCM prescriptions in Taiwan. Lung cancer patients were among the patients whose prescriptions were adjusted when temperatures drop. The findings of our study provide insight to TCM cancer treatment, helping dialogue between modern western medicine and TCM for better cancer care. PMID:22359613

Non-leaky modes and bandgaps of surface acoustic waves in wrinkled stiff-film/compliant-substrate bilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guo-Yang; Xu, Guoqiang; Zheng, Yang; Cao, Yanping

2018-03-01

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices have found a wide variety of technical applications, including SAW filters, SAW resonators, microfluidic actuators, biosensors, flow measurement devices, and seismic wave shields. Stretchable/flexible electronic devices, such as sensory skins for robotics, structural health monitors, and wearable communication devices, have received considerable attention across different disciplines. Flexible SAW devices are essential building blocks for these applications, wherein piezoelectric films may need to be integrated with the compliant substrates. When piezoelectric films are much stiffer than soft substrates, SAWs are usually leaky and the devices incorporating them suffer from acoustic losses. In this study, the propagation of SAWs in a wrinkled bilayer system is investigated, and our analysis shows that non-leaky modes can be achieved by engineering stress patterns through surface wrinkles in the system. Our analysis also uncovers intriguing bandgaps (BGs) related to the SAWs in a wrinkled bilayer system; these are caused by periodic deformation patterns, which indicate that diverse wrinkling patterns could be used as metasurfaces for controlling the propagation of SAWs.

Development of an Electronic Kit for detecting asthma in Human Respiratory System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shek Hong, Cheow; Ghani, Ahmad Shahrizan Abdul; Khairuddin, Ismail Mohd

2018-03-01

In this paper, a prototype of a carbon dioxide (CO2) measurement device is designed to detect and used to monitor asthma patients. Nowadays, capnogram device is widely used in monitoring asthma and asthma related medical services. However, capnogram is very costly and unaffordable for patient especially those who are in low income household. Thus, the proposed device is cost effective, affordable, and produced to detect and monitor the severity of asthma. Meanwhile, flow meter will cause patient to have chest pain as they needed maximum effort to blow in the device. To overcome these limitations, this prototype electronic kit is easy to use and suitable for all range patients. This prototype electronic kit consists of MH-Z14A carbon dioxide (CO2) sensor to detect the concentration of carbon dioxide from the user exhaled air. Arduino microcontroller is used to process the data while TFT Display shield is applied for data presentation. In addition, HC-06 Bluetooth module is used to communicate with PC for further analysis of the captured graph. This device was tested with 3 asthmatics and 3 normal users. The results showed that asthmatic user has a different graph pattern compared with normal user and these graphs are clearly differentiated on the device TFT screen. Asthmatic user produces “shark fin”-like pattern whereas normal user produces “square wave”-like pattern. This device has successfully produced distinguished-patterns difference between asthmatic and normal user; therefore, it is suitable for asthma monitoring.

Flow visualization of a non-contact transport device by Coanda effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iki, Norihiko; Abe, Hiroyuki; Okada, Takashi

2014-08-01

AIST proposes new technology of non-contact transport device utilizing Coanda effect. A proposed non-contact transport device has a cylindrical body and circular slit for air. The air flow around non-contact device is turbulent and its flow pattern depends on the injection condition. Therefore we tried visualization of the air flow around non -contact device as the first step of PIV measurement. Several tracer particles were tried such as TiO2 particles, water droplets, potatoes starch, rice starch, corn starch. Hot-wire anemometer is employed to velocity measurement. TiO2 particles deposit inside of a slit and clogging of a slit occurs frequently. Potato starch particles do not clog a slit but they are too heavy to trace slow flow area. Water droplets by ultrasonic atomization also deposit inside of slit but they are useful to visualize flow pattern around a non-contact transport device by being supplied from circumference. Coanda effect of proposed non-contact transport device was confirmed and injected air flow pattern switches by a work. Air flow around non-contact trance port device is turbulent and its velocity range is wide. Therefore flow measurement by tracer part icle has traceability issue. Suitable tracer and exposure condition depends on target area.

Expert panel on practice patterns in the management of cow's milk protein allergy and associated economic burden of disease on health service in Turkey.

PubMed

Sekerel, Bulent Enis; Seyhun, Oznur

2017-09-01

To evaluate practice patterns in the management of cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) and associated economic burden of disease on health service in Turkey. This study was based on experts' views on the practice patterns in management of CMPA manifesting with either proctocolitis or eczema symptoms and, thereby, aimed to estimate economic burden of CMPA. Practice patterns were determined via patient flow charts developed by experts using the modified Delphi method for CMPA presented with proctocolitis and eczema. Per patient total 2-year direct medical costs were calculated, including cost items of physician visits, laboratory tests, and treatment. According to the consensus opinion of experts, 2-year total direct medical cost from a payer perspective and societal perspective was calculated to be $US2,116.05 and $US2,435.84, respectively, in an infant with CMPA presenting with proctocolitis symptoms, and $US4,001.65 and $US4,828.90, respectively, in an infant with CMPA presenting with eczema symptoms. Clinical nutrition was the primary cost driver that accounted for 89-92% of 2-year total direct medical costs, while the highest total direct medical cost estimated from a payer perspective and societal perspective was noted for the management of an exclusively formula-fed infant presenting either with proctocolitis ($US3,743.85 and $US4,025.63, respectively) or eczema ($US6,854.10 and $US7,917.30, respectively). The first line use of amino acid based formula (AAF) was associated with total direct cost increment $US1,848.08 and $US3,444.52 in the case of proctocolitis and eczema, respectively. Certain limitations to this study should be considered. First, being focused only on direct costs, the lack of data on indirect costs or intangible costs of illness seems to be a major limitation of the present study, which likely results in a downward bias in the estimates of the economic cost of CMPA. Second, given the limited number of studies concerning epidemiology and practice patterns in CMPA in Turkey, use of expert clinical opinion of the panel members rather than real-life data on practice patterns that were used to identify direct medical costs might raise a concern with the validity and reliability of the data. Also, while this was a three-step study with six experts included in the first stage (developing local guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of infants with CMPA in Turkey) and 410 pediatricians included in the second stage (a cross-sectional questionnaire-survey to determine pediatricians' awareness and practice of CMPA in infants and children), only four members were included in the present Delphi panel, which allows a limited discussion. Third, lack of sensitivity analyses and exclusion of indirect costs and costs related to alterations in quality of life, behavior of infants, and general well-being of infants and their parents from the cost-analysis seems to be another limitation that may have caused under-estimation of relative cost-effectiveness of the formulae. Fourth, calculation of costs per local guidelines rather than real-life practice patterns is another limitation that, otherwise, would extend the knowledge achieved in the current study. Notwithstanding these limitations, the present expert panel provided practice patterns in the management of CMPA and an estimate of the associated costs, depending on the symptom profile at initial admission for the first time in Turkey. In conclusion, in providing the first health economic data on CMPA in Turkey, the findings revealed that CMPA imposes a substantial burden on the Turkish healthcare system from both a payer perspective and societal perspective, and indicated clinical nutrition as a primary cost driver. Management of infants presenting with eczema, exclusively formula-fed infants, and first line use of AAF were associated with higher estimates for 2-year direct medical costs.

A Rule-Based System Implementing a Method for Translating FOL Formulas into NL Sentences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mpagouli, Aikaterini; Hatzilygeroudis, Ioannis

In this paper, we mainly present the implementation of a system that translates first order logic (FOL) formulas into natural language (NL) sentences. The motivation comes from an intelligent tutoring system teaching logic as a knowledge representation language, where it is used as a means for feedback to the students-users. FOL to NL conversion is achieved by using a rule-based approach, where we exploit the pattern matching capabilities of rules. So, the system consists of rule-based modules corresponding to the phases of our translation methodology. Facts are used in a lexicon providing lexical and grammatical information that helps in producing the NL sentences. The whole system is implemented in Jess, a java-implemented rule-based programming tool. Experimental results confirm the success of our choices.

A Flexible High-Performance Photoimaging Device Based on Bioinspired Hierarchical Multiple-Patterned Plasmonic Nanostructures.

PubMed

Lee, Yoon Ho; Lee, Tae Kyung; Kim, Hongki; Song, Inho; Lee, Jiwon; Kang, Saewon; Ko, Hyunhyub; Kwak, Sang Kyu; Oh, Joon Hak

2018-03-01

In insect eyes, ommatidia with hierarchical structured cornea play a critical role in amplifying and transferring visual signals to the brain through optic nerves, enabling the perception of various visual signals. Here, inspired by the structure and functions of insect ommatidia, a flexible photoimaging device is reported that can simultaneously detect and record incoming photonic signals by vertically stacking an organic photodiode and resistive memory device. A single-layered, hierarchical multiple-patterned back reflector that can exhibit various plasmonic effects is incorporated into the organic photodiode. The multiple-patterned flexible organic photodiodes exhibit greatly enhanced photoresponsivity due to the increased light absorption in comparison with the flat systems. Moreover, the flexible photoimaging device shows a well-resolved spatiotemporal mapping of optical signals with excellent operational and mechanical stabilities at low driving voltages below half of the flat systems. Theoretical calculation and scanning near-field optical microscopy analyses clearly reveal that multiple-patterned electrodes have much stronger surface plasmon coupling than flat and single-patterned systems. The developed methodology provides a versatile and effective route for realizing high-performance optoelectronic and photonic systems. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Capnogram slope and ventilation dead space parameters: comparison of mainstream and sidestream techniques.

PubMed

Balogh, A L; Petak, F; Fodor, G H; Tolnai, J; Csorba, Z; Babik, B

2016-07-01

Capnography may provide useful non-invasive bedside information concerning heterogeneity in lung ventilation, ventilation-perfusion mismatching and metabolic status. Although the capnogram may be recorded by mainstream and sidestream techniques, the capnogram indices furnished by these approaches have not previously been compared systematically. Simultaneous mainstream and sidestream time and volumetric capnography was performed in anaesthetized, mechanically ventilated patients undergoing elective heart surgery. Time capnography was used to assess the phase II (SII,T) and III slopes (SIII,T). The volumetric method was applied to estimate phase II (SII,V) and III slopes (SIII,V), together with the dead space values according to the Fowler (VDF), Bohr (VDB), and Enghoff (VDE) methods and the volume of CO2 eliminated per breath ([Formula: see text]). The partial pressure of end-tidal CO2 ([Formula: see text]) was registered. Excellent correlation and good agreement were observed in SIII,T measured by the mainstream and sidestream techniques [ratio=1.05 (sem 0.16), R(2)=0.92, P<0.0001]. Although the sidestream technique significantly underestimated [Formula: see text] and overestimated SIII,V [1.32 (0.28), R(2)=0.93, P<0.0001], VDF, VDB, and VDE, the agreement between the mainstream and sidestream techniques in the difference between VDE and VDB, reflecting the intrapulmonary shunt, was excellent [0.97 (0.004), R(2)=0.92, P<0.0001]. The [Formula: see text] exhibited good correlation and mild differences between the mainstream and sidestream approaches [0.025 (0.005) kPa]. Sidestream capnography provides adequate quantitative bedside information about uneven alveolar emptying and ventilation-perfusion mismatching, because it allows reliable assessments of the phase III slope, [Formula: see text] and intrapulmonary shunt. Reliable measurement of volumetric parameters (phase II slope, dead spaces, and eliminated CO2 volumes) requires the application of a mainstream device. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Pattern Recognition by Retina-Like Devices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiman, Carl F. R.; Rothstein, Jerome

This study has investigated some pattern recognition capabilities of devices consisting of arrays of cooperating elements acting in parallel. The problem of recognizing straight lines in general position on the quadratic lattice has been completely solved by applying parallel acting algorithms to a special code for lines on the lattice. The…

Technological innovations for a sustainable business model in the semiconductor industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levinson, Harry J.

2014-09-01

Increasing costs of wafer processing, particularly for lithographic processes, have made it increasingly difficult to achieve simultaneous reductions in cost-per-function and area per device. Multiple patterning techniques have made possible the fabrication of circuit layouts below the resolution limit of single optical exposures but have led to significant increases in the costs of patterning. Innovative techniques, such as self-aligned double patterning (SADP) have enabled good device performance when using less expensive patterning equipment. Other innovations have directly reduced the cost of manufacturing. A number of technical challenges must be overcome to enable a return to single-exposure patterning using short wavelength optical techniques, such as EUV patterning.

Polydextrose enrichment of infant formula demonstrates prebiotic characteristics by altering intestinal microbiota, organic acid concentrations, and cytokine expression in suckling piglets.

PubMed

Herfel, Tina M; Jacobi, Sheila K; Lin, Xi; Fellner, Vivek; Walker, D Carey; Jouni, Zeina E; Odle, Jack

2011-12-01

Oligosaccharides, the 3rd-most abundant component in human milk, are virtually absent from infant formulas and from the cow milk on which most are based. In breast-fed infants, human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) act as both receptor analogs, interfering with pathogen adhesion, and as prebiotics, stimulating the growth of certain commensal bacteria (e.g. bifidobacteria) and supporting the innate immunity. To further align the functional properties of infant formula with those of human milk, polydextrose (PDX) is proposed as a substitute for HMO. To determine the prebiotic functionality of PDX, 1-d-old pigs were fed a cow milk-based formula supplemented with increasing concentrations of PDX (0, 1.7, 4.3, 8.5, or 17 g/L) for 18 d (n = 13). Additional reference groups included pigs sampled at d 0 and sow-reared pigs sampled at d 18 (n = 12). Ileal Lactobacilli CFU, but not Bifidobacteria, increased linearly with increasing PDX (P = 0.02). The propionic acid concentration in digesta linearly increased with the PDX level (P = 0.045) and lactic acid increased linearly by 5-fold with increasing PDX (P = 0.001). Accordingly, digesta pH decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as PDX increased, with a maximal reduction approaching 0.5 pH units in pigs fed 17 g/L. Expression of TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-8 showed a negative quadratic pattern in response to PDX supplementation, declining at intermediate concentrations and rebounding at higher concentrations of PDX. In summary, PDX enrichment of infant formula resulted in a prebiotic effect by increasing ileal lactobacilli and propionic and lactic acid concentrations and decreasing pH with associated alterations in ileal cytokine expression.

Dynamics of a quasiparticle in the α-T3 model: role of pseudospin polarization and transverse magnetic field on zitterbewegung.

PubMed

Biswas, Tutul; Kanti Ghosh, Tarun

2018-01-22

We consider the α-T 3 model which provides a smooth crossover between the honeycomb lattice with pseudospin 1/2 and the dice lattice with pseudospin 1 through the variation of a parameter α. We study the dynamics of a wave packet representing a quasiparticle in the α-T 3 model with zero and finite transverse magnetic field. For zero field, it is shown that the wave packet undergoes a transient zitterbewegung (ZB). Various features of ZB depending on the initial pseudospin polarization of the wave packet have been revealed. For an intermediate value of the parameter α i.e. for [Formula: see text] the resulting ZB consists of two distinct frequencies when the wave packet was located initially in rim site. However, the wave packet exhibits single frequency ZB for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. It is also unveiled that the frequency of ZB corresponding to [Formula: see text] gets exactly half of that corresponding to the [Formula: see text] case. On the other hand, when the initial wave packet was in hub site, the ZB consists of only one frequency for all values of α. Using stationary phase approximation, we find analytical expression of velocity average which can be used to extract the associated timescale over which the transient nature of ZB persists. On the contrary, the wave packet undergoes permanent ZB in presence of a transverse magnetic field. Due to the presence of a large number of Landau energy levels, the oscillations in ZB appear to be much more complicated. The oscillation pattern depends significantly on the initial pseudospin polarization of the wave packet. Furthermore, it is revealed that the number of the frequency components involved in ZB depends on the parameter α.

Targeted Prostate Thermal Therapy with Catheter-Based Ultrasound Devices and MR Thermal Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diederich, Chris; Ross, Anthony; Kinsey, Adam; Nau, Will H.; Rieke, Viola; Butts Pauly, Kim; Sommer, Graham

2006-05-01

Catheter-based ultrasound devices have significant advantages for thermal therapy procedures, including potential for precise spatial and dynamic control of heating patterns to conform to targeted volumes. Interstitial and transurethral ultrasound applicators, with associated treatment strategies, were developed for thermal ablation of prostate combined with MR thermal monitoring. Four types of multielement transurethral applicators were devised, each with different levels of selectivity and intended therapeutic goals: sectored tubular transducer devices with fixed directional heating patterns; planar and lightly focused curvilinear devices with narrow heating patterns; and multi-sectored tubular devices capable of dynamic angular control without applicator movement. These devices are integrated with a 4 mm delivery catheter, incorporate an inflatable cooling balloon (10 mm OD) for positioning within the prostate and capable of rotation via an MR-compatible motor. Similarly, interstitial devices (2.4 mm OD) have been developed for percutaneous implantation with fixed directional heating patterns (e.g., 180 deg.). In vivo experiments in canine prostate (n=15) under MR temperature imaging were used to evaluate the heating technology and develop treatment strategies. MR thermal imaging in a 0.5 T interventional MRI was used to monitor temperature contours and thermal dose in multiple slices through the target volume. Sectored transurethral devices produce directional coagulation zones, extending 15-20 mm radial distance to the outer prostate capsule. The curvilinear applicator produces distinct 2-3 mm wide lesions, and with sequential rotation and modulated dwell time can precisely conform thermal ablation to selected areas or the entire prostate gland. Multi-sectored transurethral applicators can dynamically control the angular heating profile and target large regions of the gland in short treatment times without applicator manipulation. Interstitial implants with directional devices can be used to effectively ablate the posterior peripheral zone of the gland while protecting the rectum. An implant with multi-sectored interstitial devices can effectively control the angular heating pattern without applicator rotation. The MR derived 52 °C and lethal thermal dose contours (t43=240 min) allowed for real-time control of the applicators and effectively defined the extent of thermal damage. Catheter-based ultrasound devices, combined with MR thermal monitoring, can produce relatively fast and precise thermal ablation of prostate, with potential for treatment of cancer or BPH.

Toucan hand feeding and nestling growth.

PubMed

St Leger, Judy; Vince, Martin; Jennings, Jerry; McKerney, Erin; Nilson, Erika

2012-05-01

A retrospective analysis of hand-feeding records and growth data from 3 facilities was performed to determine the growth pattern for 8 toucan species raised in captivity. General philosophies of breeding and rearing were similar but approaches to hand-feeding varied. General hand-feeding and chick management records from hatch to fledging were reviewed for 2 of the 3 facilities. Effective hand-feeding formulas were commercially available and minimally modified. Growth curves were developed. Curves approximated typical expected patterns of nestling growth with no loss of weight at fledging. This study provides a basis for hand-feeding protocols and growth curves to assess development.

Phraseology and Frequency of Occurrence on the Web: Native Speakers' Perceptions of Google-Informed Second Language Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geluso, Joe

2013-01-01

Usage-based theories of language learning suggest that native speakers of a language are acutely aware of formulaic language due in large part to frequency effects. Corpora and data-driven learning can offer useful insights into frequent patterns of naturally occurring language to second/foreign language learners who, unlike native speakers, are…

Using Technology to Optimize and Generalize: The Least-Squares Line

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Maurice J.; Hodgson, Ted R.

2007-01-01

With the help of technology and a basic high school algebra method for finding the vertex of a quadratic polynomial, students can develop and prove the formula for least-squares lines. Students are exposed to the power of a computer algebra system to generalize processes they understand and to see deeper patterns in those processes. (Contains 4…

26 CFR 1.936-6 - Intangible property income when an election out is made: Cost sharing and profit split options...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... right to use, a patent, invention, formula, process, design, pattern or know-how; and a proper allowance... affiliated possessions corporation. Q. 5: Are pre-TEFRA sales included in the cost sharing fraction? A. 5: No. Pre-TEFRA sales are sales of products produced by the possessions corporation and transferred to an...

26 CFR 1.936-6 - Intangible property income when an election out is made: Cost sharing and profit split options...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... right to use, a patent, invention, formula, process, design, pattern or know-how; and a proper allowance... affiliated possessions corporation. Q. 5: Are pre-TEFRA sales included in the cost sharing fraction? A. 5: No. Pre-TEFRA sales are sales of products produced by the possessions corporation and transferred to an...

26 CFR 1.936-6 - Intangible property income when an election out is made: Cost sharing and profit split options...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... right to use, a patent, invention, formula, process, design, pattern or know-how; and a proper allowance... affiliated possessions corporation. Q. 5: Are pre-TEFRA sales included in the cost sharing fraction? A. 5: No. Pre-TEFRA sales are sales of products produced by the possessions corporation and transferred to an...

26 CFR 1.936-6 - Intangible property income when an election out is made: Cost sharing and profit split options...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... right to use, a patent, invention, formula, process, design, pattern or know-how; and a proper allowance... affiliated possessions corporation. Q. 5: Are pre-TEFRA sales included in the cost sharing fraction? A. 5: No. Pre-TEFRA sales are sales of products produced by the possessions corporation and transferred to an...

The Development and Test of a Sensor for Measurement of the Working Level of Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in a Coalbed Methane Wellbore Annulus.

PubMed

Wu, Chuan; Ding, Huafeng; Han, Lei

2018-02-14

Coalbed methane (CBM) is one kind of clean-burning gas and has been valued as a new form of energy that will be used widely in the near future. When producing CBM, the working level within a CBM wellbore annulus needs to be monitored to dynamically adjust the gas drainage and extraction processes. However, the existing method of measuring the working level does not meet the needs of accurate adjustment, so we designed a new sensor for this purpose. The principle of our sensor is a liquid pressure formula, i.e., the sensor monitors the two-phase flow patterns and obtains the mean density of the two-phase flow according to the pattern recognition result in the first step, and then combines the pressure data of the working level to calculate the working level using the liquid pressure formula. The sensor was tested in both the lab and on site, and the tests showed that the sensor's error was ±8% and that the sensor could function well in practical conditions and remain stable in the long term.

Adding a solar-radiance function to the Hošek-Wilkie skylight model.

PubMed

Hošek, Lukáš; Wilkie, Alexander

2013-01-01

One prerequisite for realistic renderings of outdoor scenes is the proper capturing of the sky's appearance. Currently, an explicit simulation of light scattering in the atmosphere isn't computationally feasible, and won't be in the foreseeable future. Captured luminance patterns have proven their usefulness in practice but can't meet all user needs. To fill this capability gap, computer graphics technology has employed analytical models of sky-dome luminance patterns for more than two decades. For technical reasons, such models deal with only the sky dome's appearance, though, and exclude the solar disc. The widely used model proposed by Arcot Preetham and colleagues employed a separately derived analytical formula for adding a solar emitter of suitable radiant intensity. Although this yields reasonable results, the formula is derived in a manner that doesn't exactly match the conditions in their sky-dome model. But the more sophisticated a skylight model is and the more subtly it can represent different conditions, the more the solar radiance should exactly match the skylight's conditions. Toward that end, researchers propose a solar-radiance function that exactly matches a recently published high-quality analytical skylight model.

Computational analysis of hypersonic flows past elliptic-cone waveriders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoon, Bok-Hyun; Rasmussen, Maurice L.

1991-01-01

A comprehensive study for the inviscid numerical calculation of the hypersonic flow past a class of elliptic-cone derived waveriders is presented. The theoretical background associated with hypersonic small-disturbance theory (HSDT) is reviewed. Several approximation formulas for the waverider compression surface are established. A CFD algorithm is used to calculate flow fields for the on-design case and a variety of off-design cases. The results are compared with HSDT, experiment, and other available CFD results. For the waverider shape used in previous investigations, the bow shock for the on-design condition stands off from the leading-edge tip of the waverider. It was found that this occurs because the tip was too thick according to the approximating shape formula that was used to describe the compression surface. When this was corrected, the bow shock became closer to attached as it should be. At Mach numbers greater than the design condition, a lambda-shock configuration develops near the tip of the compression surface. At negative angles of attack, other complicated shock patterns occur near the leading-edge tip. These heretofore unknown flow patterns show the power and utility of CFD for investigating novel hypersonic configurations such as waveriders.

The Development and Test of a Sensor for Measurement of the Working Level of Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in a Coalbed Methane Wellbore Annulus

PubMed Central

Wu, Chuan; Ding, Huafeng; Han, Lei

2018-01-01

Coalbed methane (CBM) is one kind of clean-burning gas and has been valued as a new form of energy that will be used widely in the near future. When producing CBM, the working level within a CBM wellbore annulus needs to be monitored to dynamically adjust the gas drainage and extraction processes. However, the existing method of measuring the working level does not meet the needs of accurate adjustment, so we designed a new sensor for this purpose. The principle of our sensor is a liquid pressure formula, i.e., the sensor monitors the two-phase flow patterns and obtains the mean density of the two-phase flow according to the pattern recognition result in the first step, and then combines the pressure data of the working level to calculate the working level using the liquid pressure formula. The sensor was tested in both the lab and on site, and the tests showed that the sensor’s error was ±8% and that the sensor could function well in practical conditions and remain stable in the long term. PMID:29443871

Properties and Applications of Varistor-Transistor Hybrid Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, R. K.; Stapleton, William A.; Sutanto, Ivan; Scantlin, Amanda A.; Lin, Sidney

2014-05-01

The nonlinear current-voltage characteristics of a varistor device are modified with the help of external agents, resulting in tuned varistor-transistor hybrid devices with multiple applications. The substrate used to produce these hybrid devices belongs to the modified iron titanate family with chemical formula 0.55FeTiO3·0.45Fe2O3 (IHC45), which is a prominent member of the ilmenite-hematite solid-solution series. It is a wide-bandgap magnetic oxide semiconductor. Electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements from room temperature to about 700°C confirm that it retains its p-type nature for the entire temperature range. The direct-current (DC) and alternating-current (AC) properties of these hybrid devices are discussed and their applications identified. It is shown here that such varistor embedded ceramic transistors with many interesting properties and applications can be mass produced using incredibly simple structures. The tuned varistors by themselves can be used for current amplification and band-pass filters. The transistors on the other hand could be used to produce sensors, voltage-controlled current sources, current-controlled voltage sources, signal amplifiers, and low-band-pass filters. We believe that these devices could be suitable for a number of applications in consumer and defense electronics, high-temperature and space electronics, bioelectronics, and possibly also for electronics specific to handheld devices.

Wind noise within and across behind-the-ear and miniature behind-the-ear hearing aids.

PubMed

Zakis, Justin A; Hawkins, Daniel J

2015-10-01

Previous studies investigated wind noise with Behind-The-Ear (BTE) hearing aids, but not the more common mini-BTE style of device, which typically has a smaller shell and microphones located more deeply behind the pinna. The current study investigated wind-noise levels across one BTE and two mini-BTE devices, and between the front and rear omni-directional microphones within devices. Levels were measured at two wind speeds (3 and 6 m/s) and 36 wind azimuths (10° increments). The pattern of wind-noise level versus azimuth was similar across mini-BTE devices, and differed for the BTE device. However, mean levels were markedly different across mini-BTE devices, and could be higher, lower, or similar to those of the BTE device. For within-device level differences, the pattern and mean across azimuth were similar across mini-BTE devices, and differed for the BTE device. Wind noise had the potential to slightly or severely reduce speech intelligibility at 3 or 6 m/s, respectively, across all devices.

Nanoimprint lithography for nanodevice fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barcelo, Steven; Li, Zhiyong

2016-09-01

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is a compelling technique for low cost nanoscale device fabrication. The precise and repeatable replication of nanoscale patterns from a single high resolution patterning step makes the NIL technique much more versatile than other expensive techniques such as e-beam or even helium ion beam lithography. Furthermore, the use of mechanical deformation during the NIL process enables grayscale lithography with only a single patterning step, not achievable with any other conventional lithography techniques. These strengths enable the fabrication of unique nanoscale devices by NIL for a variety of applications including optics, plasmonics and even biotechnology. Recent advances in throughput and yield in NIL processes demonstrate the potential of being adopted for mainstream semiconductor device fabrication as well.

Metal complex-based electron-transfer mediators in dye-sensitized solar cells

DOEpatents

Elliott, C. Michael; Sapp, Shawn A.; Bignozzi, Carlo Alberto; Contado, Cristiano; Caramori, Stefano

2006-03-28

This present invention provides a metal-ligand complex and methods for using and preparing the same. In particular, the metal-ligand complex of the present invention is of the formula: L.sub.a-M-X.sub.b where L, M, X, a, and b are those define herein. The metal-ligand complexes of the present invention are useful in a variety of applications including as electron-transfer mediators in dye-sensitized solar cells and related photoelectrochromic devices.

Design technique for all-dielectric non-polarizing beam splitter plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizea, A.

2012-03-01

There are many situations when, for the proper working, an opto-electronic device requiring optical components does not change the polarization state of light after a reflection, splitting or filtering. In this paper, a design for a non-polarizing beam splitter plate is proposed. Based on certain optical properties of homogeneous dielectric materials we will establish a reliable thin film package formula, excellent for the start of optimization to obtain a 20-nm bandwidth non-polarizing beam splitter.

Inhibition delay increases neural network capacity through Stirling transform.

PubMed

Nogaret, Alain; King, Alastair

2018-03-01

Inhibitory neural networks are found to encode high volumes of information through delayed inhibition. We show that inhibition delay increases storage capacity through a Stirling transform of the minimum capacity which stabilizes locally coherent oscillations. We obtain both the exact and asymptotic formulas for the total number of dynamic attractors. Our results predict a (ln2)^{-N}-fold increase in capacity for an N-neuron network and demonstrate high-density associative memories which host a maximum number of oscillations in analog neural devices.

Inhibition delay increases neural network capacity through Stirling transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nogaret, Alain; King, Alastair

2018-03-01

Inhibitory neural networks are found to encode high volumes of information through delayed inhibition. We show that inhibition delay increases storage capacity through a Stirling transform of the minimum capacity which stabilizes locally coherent oscillations. We obtain both the exact and asymptotic formulas for the total number of dynamic attractors. Our results predict a (ln2) -N-fold increase in capacity for an N -neuron network and demonstrate high-density associative memories which host a maximum number of oscillations in analog neural devices.

Reliability Analysis of the Gradual Degradation of Semiconductor Devices.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-20

under the heading of linear models or linear statistical models . 3 ,4 We have not used this material in this report. Assuming catastrophic failure when...assuming a catastrophic model . In this treatment we first modify our system loss formula and then proceed to the actual analysis. II. ANALYSIS OF...Failure Time 1 Ti Ti 2 T2 T2 n Tn n and are easily analyzed by simple linear regression. Since we have assumed a log normal/Arrhenius activation

Patterns of Chinese medicine use in prescriptions for treating Alzheimer's disease in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Shun-Ku; Yan, Sui-Hing; Lai, Jung-Nien; Tsai, Tung-Hu

2016-01-01

Certain Chinese medicine (CM) herbs and acupuncture may protect against Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there is a lack of research regarding the use of CM in patients with AD. The aim of this study was to investigate CM usage patterns in patients with AD, and identify the Chinese herbal formulae most commonly used for AD. This retrospective, nationwide, population-based cohort study was conducted using a randomly sampled cohort of one million patients, selected from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2008 in Taiwan. CM use and the top ten most frequently prescribed formulae for treating AD were assessed, including average formulae dose and frequency of prescriptions. Demographic characteristics, including sex, age and insurance level were examined, together with geographic location. Existing medical conditions with the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and medications associated with CM were also examined. Factors associated with CM use were analyzed by multiple logistic regressions. The cohort included 1137 newly diagnosed AD patients, who were given conventional treatment for AD between 1997 and 2008. Among them, 78.2 % also used CM treatments, including Chinese herbal remedies, acupuncture and massage manipulation. Female patients (aOR 1.57 with 95 % CI 1.16-2.13) and those living in urban areas (aOR 3.00 with 95 % CI 1.83-4.90 in the middle of Taiwan) were more likely to use CM. After adjusting for demographic factors, AD patients suffering from the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were more likely to seek CM treatment than those with no symptoms (aOR 2.26 with 95 % CI 1.48-3.43 in patients suffering more than three symptoms). Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang and Ji-Sheng-Shen-Qi-Wan were the two formulae most frequently prescribed by CM practitioners for treating AD. Most people with AD who consumed herbal products used supplement qi, nourish the blood, and quiet the heart spirit therapy as complementary medicines to relieve AD-related symptoms, in addition to using standard anti-AD treatments.

Using Multiple Barometers to Detect the Floor Location of Smart Phones with Built-in Barometric Sensors for Indoor Positioning

PubMed Central

Xia, Hao; Wang, Xiaogang; Qiao, Yanyou; Jian, Jun; Chang, Yuanfei

2015-01-01

Following the popularity of smart phones and the development of mobile Internet, the demands for accurate indoor positioning have grown rapidly in recent years. Previous indoor positioning methods focused on plane locations on a floor and did not provide accurate floor positioning. In this paper, we propose a method that uses multiple barometers as references for the floor positioning of smart phones with built-in barometric sensors. Some related studies used barometric formula to investigate the altitude of mobile devices and compared the altitude with the height of the floors in a building to obtain the floor number. These studies assume that the accurate height of each floor is known, which is not always the case. They also did not consider the difference in the barometric-pressure pattern at different floors, which may lead to errors in the altitude computation. Our method does not require knowledge of the accurate heights of buildings and stories. It is robust and less sensitive to factors such as temperature and humidity and considers the difference in the barometric-pressure change trends at different floors. We performed a series of experiments to validate the effectiveness of this method. The results are encouraging. PMID:25835189

Room Temperature Antiferromagnetic Ordering of Nanocrystalline Tb1.90Ni0.10O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, J.; Dalal, M.; Sarkar, B. J.; Chakrabarti, P. K.

2017-02-01

Nanocrystalline Ni-doped terbium oxide (Tb1.90Ni0.10O3) has been synthesized by the co-precipitation method followed by annealing at 700°C for 6 h in vacuum. The crystallographic phase and the substitution of Ni2+ ions in the lattice of Tb2O3 are confirmed by Rietveld analysis of the x-ray diffraction pattern using the software MAUD. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy is also carried out to study the morphology of the sample. Magnetic measurements are carried out at different temperatures from 5 K to 300 K using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. The dependence of the magnetization of Tb1.90Ni0.10O3 as a function of temperature ( M- T) and magnetic field ( M- H) suggests the presence of both paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phase at room temperature, but antiferromagnetic phase dominates below ˜120 K. The lack of saturation in the M- H curve and good fitting of the M- T curve by the Johnston formula also indicate the presence of both paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phase at room temperature. Interestingly, an antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition is observed below ˜40 K. The result also shows a high value of magnetization at 5 K.

Considerations for fine hole patterning for the 7nm node

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaegashi, Hidetami; Oyama, Kenichi; Hara, Arisa; Natori, Sakurako; Yamauchi, Shohei; Yamato, Masatoshi; Koike, Kyohei

2016-03-01

One of the practical candidates to produce 7nm node logic devices is to use the multiple patterning with 193-immersion exposure. For the multiple patterning, it is important to evaluate the relation between the number of mask layer and the minimum pitch systematically to judge the device manufacturability. Although the number of the time of patterning, namely LE(Litho-Etch) ^ x-time, and overlay steps have to be reduced, there are some challenges in miniaturization of hole size below 20nm. Various process fluctuations on contact hole have a direct impact on device performance. According to the technical trend, 12nm diameter hole on 30nm-pitch hole will be needed on 7nm node. Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) and Directed self-assembly (DSA) are attracting considerable attention to obtain small feature size pattern, however, 193-immersion still has the potential to extend optical lithography cost-effectively for sub-7nm node. The objective of this work is to study the process variation challenges and resolution in post-processing for the CD-bias control to meet sub-20nm diameter contact hole. Another pattern modulation is also demonstrated during post-processing step for hole shrink. With the realization that pattern fidelity and pattern placement management will limit scaling long before devices and interconnects fail to perform intrinsically, the talk will also outline how circle edge roughness (CER) and Local-CD uniformity can correct efficiency. On the other hand, 1D Gridded-Design-Rules layout (1D layout) has simple rectangular shapes. Also, we have demonstrated CD-bias modification on short trench pattern to cut grating line for its fabrication.

Electro-active device using radial electric field piezo-diaphragm for sonic applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Robert G. (Inventor); Fox, Robert L. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

An electro-active transducer for sonic applications includes a ferroelectric material sandwiched by first and second electrode patterns to form a piezo-diaphragm coupled to a mounting frame. When the device is used as a sonic actuator, the first and second electrode patterns are configured to introduce an electric field into the ferroelectric material when voltage is applied to the electrode patterns. When the device is used as a sonic sensor, the first and second electrode patterns are configured to introduce an electric field into the ferroelectric material when the ferroelectric material experiences deflection in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto. In each case, the electrode patterns are designed to cause the electric field to: i) originate at a region of the ferroelectric material between the first and second electrode patterns, and ii) extend radially outward from the region of the ferroelectric material (at which the electric field originates) and substantially parallel to the plane of the ferroelectric material. The mounting frame perimetrically surrounds the peizo-diaphragm and enables attachment of the piezo-diaphragm to a housing.

Neutral oligosaccharides in feces of breastfed and formula-fed infants at different ages.

PubMed

Dotz, Viktoria; Adam, Rüdiger; Lochnit, Günter; Schroten, Horst; Kunz, Clemens

2016-12-01

Beneficial effects have been proposed for human milk oligosaccharides (HMO), as deduced from in vitro and animal studies. To date, in vivo evidence of the link between certain oligosaccharide structures in milk and their consumption by infant gut microbiota is still missing, although likely. Whereas many studies have described HMO patterns in human milk from larger cohorts, data on the excretion of HMO and possible metabolites produced in the infant gut are still very limited. From smaller-scale studies, an age-dependency according to infant gut maturation and microbiota adaptation has previously been hypothesized. To further investigate this, we profiled neutral fecal oligosaccharides from term-born infants who were exclusively breastfed, formula-fed or mixed-fed at the age of 2 months, and from a follow-up of a subgroup at 7 months of age (INFABIO study). Data on maternal antibiotic exposure was also included. Automated matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry analyses revealed the presence of HMO and metabolites in the feces of most, but not all breastfed infants at 2 months, with highly varying patterns that appeared not to differ with maternal antibiotics exposure. Formula-fed infants at 2 months and most of the breastfed infants at 7 months did not excrete HMO-like structures in their feces, the latter corresponding to the hypothesis of age-dependency. Together with our previous results that were partly contradictory to what has been proposed by others, here, we suggest alternative explanations for the described association of oligosaccharide excretion with age and feeding type in infants below 7 months of age. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Fabrication of Nanoimprinted P3HT Nanograting by Patterned ETFE Mold at Room Temperature and Its Application for Solar Cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Guangzhu; Wang, Kaixuan; Li, Xiaohui; Chen, Qing; Hu, Zhijun; Liu, Jieping

2016-05-01

Nanoimprinting lithography (NIL) is investigated as a promising method to define nanostructure; however, finding a practical method to achieve large area patterning of conjugated polymer remains a challenge. We demonstrate here that a simple and cost-effective technique is proposed to fabricate the nanoimprinted P3HT nanograting by solvent-assisted room temperature NIL (SART-NIL) method with patterned ETFE film as mold. The patterned ETFE template is produced by embossing ETFE film into a patterned silicon master and is used as template to transfer nanogratings during the SART-NIL process. It indicates that highly reproducible and well-controlled P3HT nanograting film is obtained successfully with feature size of nanogratings ranging from 130 to 700 nm, due to the flexibility, stiffness, and low surface energy of ETFE mold. Moreover, the SART-NIL method using ETFE mold is able to fabricate nanogratings but not to induce the change of molecular orientation within conjugated polymer. The conducting ability of P3HT nanograting in the vertical direction is also not damaged after patterning. Finally, we further apply P3HT nanograting for the fabrication of active layer of OBHJ solar cell device, to investigate the morphology role presented by ETFE mold in device performance. The device performance of OBHJ solar cell is preferential to that of PBHJ device obviously.

The Fabrication of Nanoimprinted P3HT Nanograting by Patterned ETFE Mold at Room Temperature and Its Application for Solar Cell.

PubMed

Ding, Guangzhu; Wang, Kaixuan; Li, Xiaohui; Chen, Qing; Hu, Zhijun; Liu, Jieping

2016-12-01

Nanoimprinting lithography (NIL) is investigated as a promising method to define nanostructure; however, finding a practical method to achieve large area patterning of conjugated polymer remains a challenge. We demonstrate here that a simple and cost-effective technique is proposed to fabricate the nanoimprinted P3HT nanograting by solvent-assisted room temperature NIL (SART-NIL) method with patterned ETFE film as mold. The patterned ETFE template is produced by embossing ETFE film into a patterned silicon master and is used as template to transfer nanogratings during the SART-NIL process. It indicates that highly reproducible and well-controlled P3HT nanograting film is obtained successfully with feature size of nanogratings ranging from 130 to 700 nm, due to the flexibility, stiffness, and low surface energy of ETFE mold. Moreover, the SART-NIL method using ETFE mold is able to fabricate nanogratings but not to induce the change of molecular orientation within conjugated polymer. The conducting ability of P3HT nanograting in the vertical direction is also not damaged after patterning. Finally, we further apply P3HT nanograting for the fabrication of active layer of OBHJ solar cell device, to investigate the morphology role presented by ETFE mold in device performance. The device performance of OBHJ solar cell is preferential to that of PBHJ device obviously.

Colorimetric Characterization of Mobile Devices for Vision Applications.

PubMed

de Fez, Dolores; Luque, Maria José; García-Domene, Maria Carmen; Camps, Vicente; Piñero, David

2016-01-01

Available applications for vision testing in mobile devices usually do not include detailed setup instructions, sacrificing rigor to obtain portability and ease of use. In particular, colorimetric characterization processes are generally obviated. We show that different mobile devices differ also in colorimetric profile and that those differences limit the range of applications for which they are most adequate. The color reproduction characteristics of four mobile devices, two smartphones (Samsung Galaxy S4, iPhone 4s) and two tablets (Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, iPad 4), have been evaluated using two procedures: 3D LUT (Look Up Table) and a linear model assuming primary constancy and independence of the channels. The color reproduction errors have been computed with the CIEDE2000 color difference formula. There is good constancy of primaries but large deviations of additivity. The 3D LUT characterization yields smaller reproduction errors and dispersions for the Tab 3 and iPhone 4 devices, but for the iPad 4 and S4, both models are equally good. The smallest reproduction errors occur with both Apple devices, although the iPad 4 has the highest number of outliers of all devices with both colorimetric characterizations. Even though there is good constancy of primaries, the large deviations of additivity exhibited by the devices and the larger reproduction errors make any characterization based on channel independence not recommendable. The smartphone screens show, in average, the best color reproduction performance, particularly the iPhone 4, and therefore, they are more adequate for applications requiring precise color reproduction.

NLL-Assisted Multilayer Graphene Patterning

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The range of applications of diverse graphene-based devices could be limited by insufficient surface reactivity, unsatisfied shaping, or null energy gap of graphene. Engineering the graphene structure by laser techniques can adjust the transport properties and the surface area of graphene, providing devices of different nature with a higher capacitance. Additionally, the created periodic potential and appearance of the active external/inner/edge surface centers determine the multifunctionality of the graphene surface and corresponding devices. Here, we report on the first implementation of nonlinear laser lithography (NLL) for multilayer graphene (MLG) structuring, which offers a low-cost, single-step, and high-speed nanofabrication process. The NLL relies on the employment of a high repetition rate femtosecond Yb fiber laser that provides generation of highly reproducible, robust, uniform, and periodic nanostructures over a large surface area (1 cm2/15 s). NLL allows one to obtain clearly predesigned patterned graphene structures without fabrication tolerances, which are caused by contacting mask contamination, polymer residuals, and direct laser exposure of the graphene layers. We represent regularly patterned MLG (p-MLG) obtained by the chemical vapor deposition method on an NLL-structured Ni foil. We also demonstrate tuning of chemical (wettability) and electro-optical (transmittance and sheet resistance) properties of p-MLG by laser power adjustments. In conclusion, we show the great promise of fabricated devices, namely, supercapacitors, and Li-ion batteries by using NLL-assisted graphene patterning. Our approach demonstrates a new avenue to pattern graphene for multifunctional device engineering in optics, photonics, and bioelectronics. PMID:29503971

NLL-Assisted Multilayer Graphene Patterning.

PubMed

Kovalska, Evgeniya; Pavlov, Ihor; Deminskyi, Petro; Baldycheva, Anna; Ilday, F Ömer; Kocabas, Coskun

2018-02-28

The range of applications of diverse graphene-based devices could be limited by insufficient surface reactivity, unsatisfied shaping, or null energy gap of graphene. Engineering the graphene structure by laser techniques can adjust the transport properties and the surface area of graphene, providing devices of different nature with a higher capacitance. Additionally, the created periodic potential and appearance of the active external/inner/edge surface centers determine the multifunctionality of the graphene surface and corresponding devices. Here, we report on the first implementation of nonlinear laser lithography (NLL) for multilayer graphene (MLG) structuring, which offers a low-cost, single-step, and high-speed nanofabrication process. The NLL relies on the employment of a high repetition rate femtosecond Yb fiber laser that provides generation of highly reproducible, robust, uniform, and periodic nanostructures over a large surface area (1 cm 2 /15 s). NLL allows one to obtain clearly predesigned patterned graphene structures without fabrication tolerances, which are caused by contacting mask contamination, polymer residuals, and direct laser exposure of the graphene layers. We represent regularly patterned MLG (p-MLG) obtained by the chemical vapor deposition method on an NLL-structured Ni foil. We also demonstrate tuning of chemical (wettability) and electro-optical (transmittance and sheet resistance) properties of p-MLG by laser power adjustments. In conclusion, we show the great promise of fabricated devices, namely, supercapacitors, and Li-ion batteries by using NLL-assisted graphene patterning. Our approach demonstrates a new avenue to pattern graphene for multifunctional device engineering in optics, photonics, and bioelectronics.

Pattern optimizing verification of self-align quadruple patterning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamato, Masatoshi; Yamada, Kazuki; Oyama, Kenichi; Hara, Arisa; Natori, Sakurako; Yamauchi, Shouhei; Koike, Kyohei; Yaegashi, Hidetami

2017-03-01

Lithographic scaling continues to advance by extending the life of 193nm immersion technology, and spacer-type multi-patterning is undeniably the driving force behind this trend. Multi-patterning techniques such as self-aligned double patterning (SADP) and self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) have come to be used in memory devices, and they have also been adopted in logic devices to create constituent patterns in the formation of 1D layout designs. Multi-patterning has consequently become an indispensible technology in the fabrication of all advanced devices. In general, items that must be managed when using multi-patterning include critical dimension uniformity (CDU), line edge roughness (LER), and line width roughness (LWR). Recently, moreover, there has been increasing focus on judging and managing pattern resolution performance from a more detailed perspective and on making a right/wrong judgment from the perspective of edge placement error (EPE). To begin with, pattern resolution performance in spacer-type multi-patterning is affected by the process accuracy of the core (mandrel) pattern. Improving the controllability of CD and LER of the mandrel is most important, and to reduce LER, an appropriate smoothing technique should be carefully selected. In addition, the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique is generally used to meet the need for high accuracy in forming the spacer film. Advances in scaling are accompanied by stricter requirements in the controllability of fine processing. In this paper, we first describe our efforts in improving controllability by selecting the most appropriate materials for the mandrel pattern and spacer film. Then, based on the materials selected, we present experimental results on a technique for improving etching selectivity.

A 50/50 electronic beam splitter in graphene nanoribbons as a building block for electron optics.

PubMed

Lima, Leandro R F; Hernández, Alexis R; Pinheiro, Felipe A; Lewenkopf, Caio

2016-12-21

Based on the investigation of the multi-terminal conductance of a system composed of two graphene nanoribbons, in which one is on top of the other and rotated by [Formula: see text], we propose a setup for a 50/50 electronic beam splitter that neither requires large magnetic fields nor ultra low temperatures. Our findings are based on an atomistic tight-binding description of the system and on the Green function method to compute the Landauer conductance. We demonstrate that this system acts as a perfect 50/50 electronic beam splitter, in which its operation can be switched on and off by varying the doping (Fermi energy). We show that this device is robust against thermal fluctuations and long range disorder, as zigzag valley chiral states of the nanoribbons are protected against backscattering. We suggest that the proposed device can be applied as the fundamental element of the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer, as well as a building block of many devices in electron optics.

Magnetically-driven medical robots: An analytical magnetic model for endoscopic capsules design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jing; Barjuei, Erfan Shojaei; Ciuti, Gastone; Hao, Yang; Zhang, Peisen; Menciassi, Arianna; Huang, Qiang; Dario, Paolo

2018-04-01

Magnetic-based approaches are highly promising to provide innovative solutions for the design of medical devices for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, such as in the endoluminal districts. Due to the intrinsic magnetic properties (no current needed) and the high strength-to-size ratio compared with electromagnetic solutions, permanent magnets are usually embedded in medical devices. In this paper, a set of analytical formulas have been derived to model the magnetic forces and torques which are exerted by an arbitrary external magnetic field on a permanent magnetic source embedded in a medical robot. In particular, the authors modelled cylindrical permanent magnets as general solution often used and embedded in magnetically-driven medical devices. The analytical model can be applied to axially and diametrically magnetized, solid and annular cylindrical permanent magnets in the absence of the severe calculation complexity. Using a cylindrical permanent magnet as a selected solution, the model has been applied to a robotic endoscopic capsule as a pilot study in the design of magnetically-driven robots.

Solution-processed flexible NiO resistive random access memory device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Soo-Jung; Lee, Heon; Hong, Sung-Hoon

2018-04-01

Non-volatile memories (NVMs) using nanocrystals (NCs) as active materials can be applied to soft electronic devices requiring a low-temperature process because NCs do not require a heat treatment process for crystallization. In addition, memory devices can be implemented simply by using a patterning technique using a solution process. In this study, a flexible NiO ReRAM device was fabricated using a simple NC patterning method that controls the capillary force and dewetting of a NiO NC solution at low temperature. The switching behavior of a NiO NC based memory was clearly observed by conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM).

Analogue spin-orbit torque device for artificial-neural-network-based associative memory operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borders, William A.; Akima, Hisanao; Fukami, Shunsuke; Moriya, Satoshi; Kurihara, Shouta; Horio, Yoshihiko; Sato, Shigeo; Ohno, Hideo

2017-01-01

We demonstrate associative memory operations reminiscent of the brain using nonvolatile spintronics devices. Antiferromagnet-ferromagnet bilayer-based Hall devices, which show analogue-like spin-orbit torque switching under zero magnetic fields and behave as artificial synapses, are used. An artificial neural network is used to associate memorized patterns from their noisy versions. We develop a network consisting of a field-programmable gate array and 36 spin-orbit torque devices. An effect of learning on associative memory operations is successfully confirmed for several 3 × 3-block patterns. A discussion on the present approach for realizing spintronics-based artificial intelligence is given.

Thiol-modified MoS2 nanosheets as a functional layer for electrical bistable devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guan; Tan, Fenxue; Lv, Bokun; Wu, Mengying; Wang, Ruiqi; Lu, Yue; Li, Xu; Li, Zhiqiang; Teng, Feng

2018-01-01

Molybdenum disulfide nanosheets have been synthesized by one-pot method using 1-ODT as sulfur source and surfactant. The structure, morphology and optical properties of samples were investigated by XRD, FTIR, Abs spectrum and TEM patterns. The XRD pattern indicated that the as-obtained MoS2 belong to hexagonal system. The as-obtained MoS2 nanosheets blending with PVK could be used to fabricate an electrically bistable devices through a simple spin-coating method and the device exhibited an obvious electrical bistability properties. The charge transport mechanism of the device was discussed based on the filamentary switching models.

X ray sensitive area detection device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Daniel C. (Inventor); Witherow, William K. (Inventor); Pusey, Marc L. (Inventor); Yost, Vaughn H. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A radiation sensitive area detection device is disclosed which comprises a phosphor-containing film capable of receiving and storing an image formed by a pattern of incoming x rays, UV, or other radiation falling on the film. The device is capable of fluorescing in response to stimulation by a light source in a manner directly proportional to the stored radiation pattern. The device includes: (1) a light source capable of projecting light or other appropriate electromagnetic wave on the film so as to cause it to fluoresce; (2) a means to focus the fluoresced light coming from the phosphor-containing film after light stimulation; and (3) at least one charged coupled detector or other detecting element capable of receiving and digitizing the pattern of fluoresced light coming from the phosphor-containing film. The device will be able to generate superior x ray images of high resolution from a crystal or other sample and will be particularly advantageous in that instantaneous near-real-time images of rapidly deteriorating samples can be obtained. Furthermore, the device can be made compact and sturdy, thus capable of carrying out x ray or other radiation imaging under a variety of conditions, including those experienced in space.

On-Chip, Amplification-Free Quantification of Nucleic Acid for Point-of-Care Diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yen, Tony Minghung

This dissertation demonstrates three physical device concepts to overcome limitations in point-of-care quantification of nucleic acids. Enabling sensitive, high throughput nucleic acid quantification on a chip, outside of hospital and centralized laboratory setting, is crucial for improving pathogen detection and cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Among existing platforms, microarray have the advantages of being amplification free, low instrument cost, and high throughput, but are generally less sensitive compared to sequencing and PCR assays. To bridge this performance gap, this dissertation presents theoretical and experimental progress to develop a platform nucleic acid quantification technology that is drastically more sensitive than current microarrays while compatible with microarray architecture. The first device concept explores on-chip nucleic acid enrichment by natural evaporation of nucleic acid solution droplet. Using a micro-patterned super-hydrophobic black silicon array device, evaporative enrichment is coupled with nano-liter droplet self-assembly workflow to produce a 50 aM concentration sensitivity, 6 orders of dynamic range, and rapid hybridization time at under 5 minutes. The second device concept focuses on improving target copy number sensitivity, instead of concentration sensitivity. A comprehensive microarray physical model taking into account of molecular transport, electrostatic intermolecular interactions, and reaction kinetics is considered to guide device optimization. Device pattern size and target copy number are optimized based on model prediction to achieve maximal hybridization efficiency. At a 100-mum pattern size, a quantum leap in detection limit of 570 copies is achieved using black silicon array device with self-assembled pico-liter droplet workflow. Despite its merits, evaporative enrichment on black silicon device suffers from coffee-ring effect at 100-mum pattern size, and thus not compatible with clinical patient samples. The third device concept utilizes an integrated optomechanical laser system and a Cytop microarray device to reverse coffee-ring effect during evaporative enrichment at 100-mum pattern size. This method, named "laser-induced differential evaporation" is expected to enable 570 copies detection limit for clinical samples in near future. While the work is ongoing as of the writing of this dissertation, a clear research plan is in place to implement this method on microarray platform toward clinical sample testing for disease applications and future commercialization.

Modelling the large-scale yellow fever outbreak in Luanda, Angola, and the impact of vaccination.

PubMed

Zhao, Shi; Stone, Lewi; Gao, Daozhou; He, Daihai

2018-01-01

Yellow fever (YF), transmitted via bites of infected mosquitoes, is a life-threatening viral disease endemic to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and South America. YF has largely been controlled by widespread national vaccination campaigns. Nevertheless, between December 2015 and August 2016, YF resurged in Angola, quickly spread and became the largest YF outbreak for the last 30 years. Recently, YF resurged again in Brazil (December 2016). Thus, there is an urgent need to gain better understanding of the transmission pattern of YF. The present study provides a refined mathematical model, combined with modern likelihood-based statistical inference techniques, to assess and reconstruct important epidemiological processes underlying Angola's YF outbreak. This includes the outbreak's attack rate, the reproduction number ([Formula: see text]), the role of the mosquito vector, the influence of climatic factors, and the unusual but noticeable appearance of two-waves in the YF outbreak. The model explores actual and hypothetical vaccination strategies, and the impacts of possible human reactive behaviors (e.g., response to media precautions). While there were 73 deaths reported over the study period, the model indicates that the vaccination campaign saved 5.1-fold more people from death and saved from illness 5.6-fold of the observed 941 cases. Delaying the availability of the vaccines further would have greatly worsened the epidemic in terms of increased cases and deaths. The analysis estimated a mean [Formula: see text] and an attack rate of 0.09-0.15% (proportion of population infected) over the whole period from December 2015 to August 2016. Our estimated lower and upper bounds of [Formula: see text] are in line with previous studies. Unusually, [Formula: see text] oscillated in a manner that was "delayed" with the reported deaths. High recent number of deaths were associated (followed) with periods of relatively low disease transmission and low [Formula: see text], and vice-versa. The time-series of Luanda's YF cases suggest the outbreak occurred in two waves, a feature that would have become far more prominent had there been no mass vaccination. The waves could possibly be due to protective reactive behavioral changes of the population affecting the mosquito population. The second wave could well be an outcome of the March-April rainfall patterns in the 2016 El Niño year by creating ideal conditions for the breeding of the mosquito vectors. The modelling framework is a powerful tool for studying future YF epidemic outbreaks, and provides a basis for future vaccination campaign evaluations.

Effect of feeding pattern on infant illness in Chinese cities.

PubMed

Cai, Li; Yu, Pan; Zhang, Yumei; Yang, Xiaoguang; Li, Wenjun; Wang, Peiyu

2016-05-01

To investigate the effect of different feeding patterns on the occurrence of diseases among infants. Data on socio-economic status, feeding patterns before 6 months (exclusive breast-feeding (EBF); mixed feeding with breast milk and formula (MBF); exclusive formula-feeding (EFF)) and illness of infants were collected via face-to-face interviews. The proportions of infants who had ever been ill or hospitalized and their potential influence factors were investigated. Eight large cities in China. Infants (n 1654) aged 0-11·9 months were recruited from hospitals. For infants aged 0-2·9 months, the percentage who had been ill was 19·2%, 24·1% and 26·3% among the EBF, MBF and EFF groups, respectively. For those aged 3-5·9 and 6-11·9 months, the corresponding percentages were 41·6%, 45·6% and 51·0%, and 67·0%, 73·4% and 67·7%. Respiratory disease was the most common reported illness and cause of hospitalization. The risks of having (total) illness, diarrhoea and respiratory disease increased significantly with age, but not allergic disease. Compared with EBF, MBF and EFF infants had significantly higher risks of having illnesses except for allergic disease, and feeding patterns were not related to hospitalization. Low birth weight, middle family income and low level of mother's education also increased the risk of illness. A protective effect of EBF against total illness in urban Chinese infants was found. An increasing trend with age was observed among the percentages of infants who had been ill or had diarrhoea or respiratory disease, but not allergic disease.

Comparison of Driver Yielding for Three Rapid-flashing Patterns Used with Pedestrian Crossing Signs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-05-01

Flashing traffic control devices can help draw drivers attention to the traffic control device and to the area around the device. An example of a device that has resulted in significant improvements in increasing driver yielding to crossing pedest...

Assessment of gene order computing methods for Alzheimer's disease

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Computational genomics of Alzheimer disease (AD), the most common form of senile dementia, is a nascent field in AD research. The field includes AD gene clustering by computing gene order which generates higher quality gene clustering patterns than most other clustering methods. However, there are few available gene order computing methods such as Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO). Further, their performance in gene order computation using AD microarray data is not known. We thus set forth to evaluate the performances of current gene order computing methods with different distance formulas, and to identify additional features associated with gene order computation. Methods Using different distance formulas- Pearson distance and Euclidean distance, the squared Euclidean distance, and other conditions, gene orders were calculated by ACO and GA (including standard GA and improved GA) methods, respectively. The qualities of the gene orders were compared, and new features from the calculated gene orders were identified. Results Compared to the GA methods tested in this study, ACO fits the AD microarray data the best when calculating gene order. In addition, the following features were revealed: different distance formulas generated a different quality of gene order, and the commonly used Pearson distance was not the best distance formula when used with both GA and ACO methods for AD microarray data. Conclusion Compared with Pearson distance and Euclidean distance, the squared Euclidean distance generated the best quality gene order computed by GA and ACO methods. PMID:23369541

Simultaneously Occurring Elevated Metabolic States Expose Constraints in Maximal Levels of Oxygen Consumption in the Oviparous Snake Lamprophis fuliginosus.

PubMed

Jackson, Alexander Garrett Schavran; Leu, Szu-Yun; Hicks, James W

African house snakes (Lamprophis fuliginosus) were used to compare the metabolic increments associated with reproduction, digestion, and activity both individually and when combined simultaneously. Rates of oxygen consumption ([Formula: see text]) and carbon dioxide production ([Formula: see text]) were measured in adult female (nonreproductive and reproductive) and adult male snakes during rest, digestion, activity while fasting, and postprandial activity. We also compared the endurance time (i.e., time to exhaustion) during activity while fasting and postprandial activity in males and females. For nonreproductive females and males, our results indicate that the metabolic increments of digestion (∼3-6-fold) and activity while fasting (∼6-10-fold) did not interact in an additive fashion; instead, the aerobic scope associated with postprandial activity was 40%-50% lower, and animals reached exhaustion up to 11 min sooner. During reproduction, there was no change in digestive [Formula: see text], but aerobic scope for activity while fasting was 30% lower than nonreproductive values. The prioritization pattern of oxygen delivery exhibited by L. fuliginosus during postprandial activity (in both males and females) and for activity while fasting (in reproductive females) was more constrained than predicted (i.e., instead of unchanged [Formula: see text], peak values were 30%-40% lower). Overall, our results indicate that L. fuliginosus's cardiopulmonary system's capacity for oxygen delivery was not sufficient to maintain the metabolic increments associated with reproduction, digestion, and activity simultaneously without limiting aerobic scope and/or activity performance.

Thermal conductivity engineering of bulk and one-dimensional Si-Ge nanoarchitectures.

PubMed

Kandemir, Ali; Ozden, Ayberk; Cagin, Tahir; Sevik, Cem

2017-01-01

Various theoretical and experimental methods are utilized to investigate the thermal conductivity of nanostructured materials; this is a critical parameter to increase performance of thermoelectric devices. Among these methods, equilibrium molecular dynamics (EMD) is an accurate technique to predict lattice thermal conductivity. In this study, by means of systematic EMD simulations, thermal conductivity of bulk Si-Ge structures (pristine, alloy and superlattice) and their nanostructured one dimensional forms with square and circular cross-section geometries (asymmetric and symmetric) are calculated for different crystallographic directions. A comprehensive temperature analysis is evaluated for selected structures as well. The results show that one-dimensional structures are superior candidates in terms of their low lattice thermal conductivity and thermal conductivity tunability by nanostructuring, such as by diameter modulation, interface roughness, periodicity and number of interfaces. We find that thermal conductivity decreases with smaller diameters or cross section areas. Furthermore, interface roughness decreases thermal conductivity with a profound impact. Moreover, we predicted that there is a specific periodicity that gives minimum thermal conductivity in symmetric superlattice structures. The decreasing thermal conductivity is due to the reducing phonon movement in the system due to the effect of the number of interfaces that determine regimes of ballistic and wave transport phenomena. In some nanostructures, such as nanowire superlattices, thermal conductivity of the Si/Ge system can be reduced to nearly twice that of an amorphous silicon thermal conductivity. Additionally, it is found that one crystal orientation, [Formula: see text]100[Formula: see text], is better than the [Formula: see text]111[Formula: see text] crystal orientation in one-dimensional and bulk SiGe systems. Our results clearly point out the importance of lattice thermal conductivity engineering in bulk and nanostructures to produce high-performance thermoelectric materials.

Assessment of Simple Models for Molecular Simulation of Ethylene Carbonate and Propylene Carbonate as Solvents for Electrolyte Solutions.

PubMed

Chaudhari, Mangesh I; Muralidharan, Ajay; Pratt, Lawrence R; Rempe, Susan B

2018-02-12

Progress in understanding liquid ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) on the basis of molecular simulation, emphasizing simple models of interatomic forces, is reviewed. Results on the bulk liquids are examined from the perspective of anticipated applications to materials for electrical energy storage devices. Preliminary results on electrochemical double-layer capacitors based on carbon nanotube forests and on model solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers of lithium ion batteries are considered as examples. The basic results discussed suggest that an empirically parameterized, non-polarizable force field can reproduce experimental structural, thermodynamic, and dielectric properties of EC and PC liquids with acceptable accuracy. More sophisticated force fields might include molecular polarizability and Buckingham-model description of inter-atomic overlap repulsions as extensions to Lennard-Jones models of van der Waals interactions. Simple approaches should be similarly successful also for applications to organic molecular ions in EC/PC solutions, but the important case of Li[Formula: see text] deserves special attention because of the particularly strong interactions of that small ion with neighboring solvent molecules. To treat the Li[Formula: see text] ions in liquid EC/PC solutions, we identify interaction models defined by empirically scaled partial charges for ion-solvent interactions. The empirical adjustments use more basic inputs, electronic structure calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, and also experimental results on Li[Formula: see text] thermodynamics and transport in EC/PC solutions. Application of such models to the mechanism of Li[Formula: see text] transport in glassy SEI models emphasizes the advantage of long time-scale molecular dynamics studies of these non-equilibrium materials.

Cost effective solution using inverse lithography OPC for DRAM random contact layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jun, Jinhyuck; Hwang, Jaehee; Choi, Jaeseung; Oh, Seyoung; Park, Chanha; Yang, Hyunjo; Dam, Thuc; Do, Munhoe; Lee, Dong Chan; Xiao, Guangming; Choi, Jung-Hoe; Lucas, Kevin

2017-04-01

Many different advanced devices and design layers currently employ double patterning technology (DPT) as a means to overcome lithographic and OPC limitations at low k1 values. Certainly device layers with k1 value below 0.25 require DPT or other pitch splitting methodologies. DPT has also been used to improve patterning of certain device layers with k1 values slightly above 0.25, due to the difficulty of achieving sufficient pattern fidelity with only a single exposure. Unfortunately, this broad adoption of DPT also came with a significant increase in patterning process cost. In this paper, we discuss the development of a single patterning technology process using an integrated Inverse Lithography Technology (ILT) flow for mask synthesis. A single pattering technology flow will reduce the manufacturing cost for a k1 > 0.25 full chip random contact layer in a memory device by replacing the more expensive DPT process with ILT flow, while also maintaining good lithographic production quality and manufacturable OPC/RET production metrics. This new integrated flow consists of applying ILT to the difficult core region and traditional rule-based assist features (RBAFs) with OPC to the peripheral region of a DRAM contact layer. Comparisons of wafer results between the ILT process and the non-ILT process showed the lithographic benefits of ILT and its ability to enable a robust single patterning process for this low-k1 device layer. Advanced modeling with a negative tone develop (NTD) process achieved the accuracy levels needed for ILT to control feature shapes through dose and focus. Details of these afore mentioned results will be described in the paper.

Synthesis and characterization of a NaSICON series with general formula Na 2.8Zr 2-ySi 1.8-4yP 1.2+4yO 12 (0⩽ y⩽0.45)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Essoumhi, A.; Favotto, C.; Mansori, M.; Satre, P.

2004-12-01

In this work, we present the synthesis and the characterization of ionic conducting ceramics of NaSICON-type (Natrium super ionic conductor). The properties of this ceramic make it suitable for use in electrochemical devices. These solid electrolytes can be used as sensors for application in the manufacturing of potentiometric gas sensors, for the detection of pollutant emissions and for environment control. The family of NaSICON that we studied has as a general formula Na 2.8Zr 2-ySi 1.8-4yP 1.2+4yO 12 with 0⩽ y⩽0.45. The various compositions were synthesized by produced using the sol-gel method. The electric properties of these compositions were carried out by impedance spectroscopy. The results highlight the good conductivity of the Na 2.8Zr 1.775Si 0.9P 2.1O 12 composition.

On the applicability of the Natori formula to realistic multi-layer quantum well III-V FETs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gili, A.; Xanthakis, J. P.

2017-10-01

We investigated the validity of the Natori formalism for realistic multi-layer quantum well FETs. We show that the assumption of a single layer (the channel) carrying all of the current density is far from reality in the sub-threshold region, where in fact most of the current density resides below the channel. Our analysis is based on comparing results of Natori calculations with experimental ones and on comparing with other first-principles calculations. If the Natori calculations are employed in the subthreshold region then a misleadingly small subthreshold slope would be obtained. We propose a way to remedy this inefficiency of this formulation so that it can be applicable to realistic many-layer devices. In particular we show that if the 1-dimensional quantum well of the Natori method enclosing the electron gas is expanded to include the supply layer-usually below the channel- and a proper ab initio potential is used to obtain its eigenvalues, then the Natori formula regains its validity.

Calculation and Study of Graphene Conductivity Based on Terahertz Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Xiaodong; Hu, Min; Zhou, Jun; Liu, Shenggang

2017-07-01

Based on terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system and two-dimensional scanning control system, terahertz transmission and reflection intensity mapping images on a graphene film are obtained, respectively. Then, graphene conductivity mapping images in the frequency range 0.5 to 2.5 THz are acquired according to the calculation formula. The conductivity of graphene at some typical regions is fitted by Drude-Smith formula to quantitatively compare the transmission and reflection measurements. The results show that terahertz reflection spectroscopy has a higher signal-to-noise ratio with less interference of impurities on the back of substrates. The effect of a red laser excitation on the graphene conductivity by terahertz time-domain transmission spectroscopy is also studied. The results show that the graphene conductivity in the excitation region is enhanced while that in the adjacent area is weakened which indicates carriers transport in graphene under laser excitation. This paper can make great contribution to the study on graphene electrical and optical properties in the terahertz regime and help design graphene terahertz devices.

Analysis of the damage threshold of the GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor induced by the electromagnetic pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Xiao-Wen; Chai, Chang-Chun; Liu, Yang; Yang, Yin-Tang; Fan, Qing-Yang; Shi, Chun-Lei

2016-08-01

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP)-induced damage model based on the internal damage mechanism of the GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) is established in this paper. With this model, the relationships among the damage power, damage energy, pulse width and signal amplitude are investigated. Simulation results show that the pulse width index from the damage power formula obtained here is higher than that from the empirical formula due to the hotspot transferring in the damage process of the device. It is observed that the damage energy is not a constant, which decreases with the signal amplitude increasing, and then changes little when the signal amplitude reaches up to a certain level. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2014CB339900) and the Open Fund of Key Laboratory of Complex Electromagnetic Environment Science and Technology, China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP) (Grant No. 2015-0214.XY.K).

The Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Insurgent Attacks

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-13

INTRODUCTION We must not rely on changing the hearts and minds of terrorists. The motivation for terrorism results from long-term social, cultural and...psychological pressures, which are difficult to alter. But motivation is only part of the formula for terrorism. The other is opportunity for attack that...terrorists; motivation and opportunity reduction brings more immediate protection. In any case, easy opportunities encourage terrorists to attack

A Study of the Utah Public School Finance System: Findings and Recommendations of the Utah School Finance Task Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah State Office of Education, Salt Lake City.

Equity effects of program growth and diversification on the Utah public education finance system are examined. The degree to which student and taxpayer equity are achieved by district formulas of the Minimum School Program are assessed by analysis of school-related taxation and spending over time, current distribution patterns of state support,…

Comparing the Social Knowledge Construction Behavioral Patterns of Problem-Based Online Asynchronous Discussion in E/M-Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lan, Yu-Feng; Tsai, Pei-Wei; Yang, Shih-Hsien; Hung, Chun-Ling

2012-01-01

In recent years, researchers have conducted various studies on applying wireless networking technology and mobile devices in education settings. However, research on behavioral patterns in learners' online asynchronous discussions with mobile devices is limited. The purposes of this study are to develop a mobile learning system, mobile interactive…

High Sensitivity, Wearable, Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors Based on Irregular Microhump Structures and Its Applications in Body Motion Sensing.

PubMed

Wang, Zongrong; Wang, Shan; Zeng, Jifang; Ren, Xiaochen; Chee, Adrian J Y; Yiu, Billy Y S; Chung, Wai Choi; Yang, Yong; Yu, Alfred C H; Roberts, Robert C; Tsang, Anderson C O; Chow, Kwok Wing; Chan, Paddy K L

2016-07-01

A pressure sensor based on irregular microhump patterns has been proposed and developed. The devices show high sensitivity and broad operating pressure regime while comparing with regular micropattern devices. Finite element analysis (FEA) is utilized to confirm the sensing mechanism and predict the performance of the pressure sensor based on the microhump structures. Silicon carbide sandpaper is employed as the mold to develop polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microhump patterns with various sizes. The active layer of the piezoresistive pressure sensor is developed by spin coating PSS on top of the patterned PDMS. The devices show an averaged sensitivity as high as 851 kPa(-1) , broad operating pressure range (20 kPa), low operating power (100 nW), and fast response speed (6.7 kHz). Owing to their flexible properties, the devices are applied to human body motion sensing and radial artery pulse. These flexible high sensitivity devices show great potential in the next generation of smart sensors for robotics, real-time health monitoring, and biomedical applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Experimental verification of electrostatic boundary conditions in gate-patterned quantum devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, H.; Chung, Y.; Rughoobur, G.; Hsiao, T. K.; Nasir, A.; Flewitt, A. J.; Griffiths, J. P.; Farrer, I.; Ritchie, D. A.; Ford, C. J. B.

2018-06-01

In a model of a gate-patterned quantum device, it is important to choose the correct electrostatic boundary conditions (BCs) in order to match experiment. In this study, we model gated-patterned devices in doped and undoped GaAs heterostructures for a variety of BCs. The best match is obtained for an unconstrained surface between the gates, with a dielectric region above it and a frozen layer of surface charge, together with a very deep back boundary. Experimentally, we find a  ∼0.2 V offset in pinch-off characteristics of 1D channels in a doped heterostructure before and after etching off a ZnO overlayer, as predicted by the model. Also, we observe a clear quantised current driven by a surface acoustic wave through a lateral induced n-i-n junction in an undoped heterostructure. In the model, the ability to pump electrons in this type of device is highly sensitive to the back BC. Using the improved boundary conditions, it is straightforward to model quantum devices quite accurately using standard software.

Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation.

PubMed

Garner, Andrew J P; Thompson, Jayne; Vedral, Vlatko; Gu, Mile

2017-04-01

Many organisms capitalize on their ability to predict the environment to maximize available free energy and reinvest this energy to create new complex structures. This functionality relies on the manipulation of patterns-temporally ordered sequences of data. Here, we propose a framework to describe pattern manipulators-devices that convert thermodynamic work to patterns or vice versa-and use them to build a "pattern engine" that facilitates a thermodynamic cycle of pattern creation and consumption. We show that the least heat dissipation is achieved by the provably simplest devices, the ones that exhibit desired operational behavior while maintaining the least internal memory. We derive the ultimate limits of this heat dissipation and show that it is generally nonzero and connected with the pattern's intrinsic crypticity-a complexity theoretic quantity that captures the puzzling difference between the amount of information the pattern's past behavior reveals about its future and the amount one needs to communicate about this past to optimally predict the future.

Devices, Distractions and Digital Literacy: "Bring Your Own Device" to Polytech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drew, Leoni; Forbes, Dianne

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the ways polytechnic students use personal mobile devices to support their learning. This study used purposive sampling and mixed methods to generate data about student ownership and use of mobile digital devices within a single institution. Findings reveal patterns of device ownership, insights into how…

Left ventricular diastolic filling with an implantable ventricular assist device: beat to beat variability with overall improvement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakatani, S.; Thomas, J. D.; Vandervoort, P. M.; Zhou, J.; Greenberg, N. L.; Savage, R. M.; McCarthy, P. M.

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVES: We studied the effects of left ventricular (LV) unloading by an implantable ventricular assist device on LV diastolic filling. BACKGROUND: Although many investigators have reported reliable systemic and peripheral circulatory support with implantable LV assist devices, little is known about their effect on cardiac performance. METHODS: Peak velocities of early diastolic filling, late diastolic filling, late to early filling ratio, deceleration time of early filling, diastolic filling period and atrial filling fraction were measured by intraoperative transesophageal Doppler echocardiography before and after insertion of an LV assist device in eight patients. A numerical model was developed to simulate this situation. RESULTS: Before device insertion, all patients showed either a restrictive or a monophasic transmitral flow pattern. After device insertion, transmitral flow showed rapid beat to beat variation in each patient, from abnormal relaxation to restrictive patterns. However, when the average values obtained from 10 consecutive beats were considered, overall filling was significantly normalized from baseline, with early filling velocity falling from 87 +/- 31 to 64 +/- 26 cm/s (p < 0.01) and late filling velocity rising from 8 +/- 11 to 32 +/- 23 cm/s (p < 0.05), resulting in an increase in the late to early filling ratio from 0.13 +/- 0.18 to 0.59 +/- 0.38 (p < 0.01) and a rise in the atrial filling fraction from 8 +/- 10% to 26 +/- 17% (p < 0.01). The deceleration time (from 112 +/- 40 to 160 +/- 44 ms, p < 0.05) and the filling period corrected by the RR interval (from 39 +/- 8% to 54 +/- 10%, p < 0.005) were also significantly prolonged. In the computer model, asynchronous LV assistance produced significant beat to beat variation in filling indexes, but overall a normalization of deceleration time as well as other variables. CONCLUSIONS: With LV assistance, transmitral flow showed rapidly varying patterns beat by beat in each patient, but overall diastolic filling tended to normalize with an increase of atrial contribution to the filling. Because of the variable nature of the transmitral flow pattern with the assist device, the timing of the device cycle must be considered when inferring diastolic function from transmitral flow pattern.

High-resolution subject-specific mitral valve imaging and modeling: experimental and computational methods.

PubMed

Toma, Milan; Bloodworth, Charles H; Einstein, Daniel R; Pierce, Eric L; Cochran, Richard P; Yoganathan, Ajit P; Kunzelman, Karyn S

2016-12-01

The diversity of mitral valve (MV) geometries and multitude of surgical options for correction of MV diseases necessitates the use of computational modeling. Numerical simulations of the MV would allow surgeons and engineers to evaluate repairs, devices, procedures, and concepts before performing them and before moving on to more costly testing modalities. Constructing, tuning, and validating these models rely upon extensive in vitro characterization of valve structure, function, and response to change due to diseases. Micro-computed tomography ([Formula: see text]CT) allows for unmatched spatial resolution for soft tissue imaging. However, it is still technically challenging to obtain an accurate geometry of the diastolic MV. We discuss here the development of a novel technique for treating MV specimens with glutaraldehyde fixative in order to minimize geometric distortions in preparation for [Formula: see text]CT scanning. The technique provides a resulting MV geometry which is significantly more detailed in chordal structure, accurate in leaflet shape, and closer to its physiological diastolic geometry. In this paper, computational fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations are used to show the importance of more detailed subject-specific MV geometry with 3D chordal structure to simulate a proper closure validated against [Formula: see text]CT images of the closed valve. Two computational models, before and after use of the aforementioned technique, are used to simulate closure of the MV.

Control of a 7-DOF Robotic Arm System With an SSVEP-Based BCI.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaogang; Zhao, Bing; Wang, Yijun; Xu, Shengpu; Gao, Xiaorong

2018-04-12

Although robot technology has been successfully used to empower people who suffer from motor disabilities to increase their interaction with their physical environment, it remains a challenge for individuals with severe motor impairment, who do not have the motor control ability to move robots or prosthetic devices by manual control. In this study, to mitigate this issue, a noninvasive brain-computer interface (BCI)-based robotic arm control system using gaze based steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) was designed and implemented using a portable wireless electroencephalogram (EEG) system. A 15-target SSVEP-based BCI using a filter bank canonical correlation analysis (FBCCA) method allowed users to directly control the robotic arm without system calibration. The online results from 12 healthy subjects indicated that a command for the proposed brain-controlled robot system could be selected from 15 possible choices in 4[Formula: see text]s (i.e. 2[Formula: see text]s for visual stimulation and 2[Formula: see text]s for gaze shifting) with an average accuracy of 92.78%, resulting in a 15 commands/min transfer rate. Furthermore, all subjects (even naive users) were able to successfully complete the entire move-grasp-lift task without user training. These results demonstrated an SSVEP-based BCI could provide accurate and efficient high-level control of a robotic arm, showing the feasibility of a BCI-based robotic arm control system for hand-assistance.

A 5 nW Quasi-Linear CMOS Hot-Electron Injector for Self-Powered Monitoring of Biomechanical Strain Variations.

PubMed

Zhou, Liang; Abraham, Adam C; Tang, Simon Y; Chakrabartty, Shantanu

2016-12-01

Piezoelectricity-driven hot-electron injectors (p-HEI) are used for self-powered monitoring of mechanical activity in biomechanical implants and structures. Previously reported p-HEI devices operate by harvesting energy from a piezoelectric transducer to generate current and voltage references which are then used for initiating and controlling the process of hot-electron injection. As a result, the minimum energy required to activate the device is limited by the power requirements of the reference circuits. In this paper we present a p-HEI device that operates by directly exploiting the self-limiting capability of an energy transducer when driving the process of hot-electron injection in a pMOS floating-gate transistor. As a result, the p-HEI device can activate itself at input power levels less than 5 nW. Using a prototype fabricated in a 0.5- [Formula: see text] bulk CMOS process we validate the functionality of the proposed injector and show that for a fixed input power, its dynamics is quasi-linear with respect to time. The paper also presents measurement results using a cadaver phantom where the fabricated p-HEI device has been integrated with a piezoelectric transducer and is used for self-powered monitoring of mechanical activity.

Development and evaluation of a novel smart device-based application for burn assessment and management.

PubMed

Godwin, Zachary; Tan, James; Bockhold, Jennifer; Ma, Jason; Tran, Nam K

2015-06-01

We have developed a novel software application that provides a simple and interactive Lund-Browder diagram for automatic calculation of total body surface area (TBSA) burned, fluid formula recommendations, and serial wound photography on a smart device platform. The software was developed for the iPad (Apple, Cupertino, CA) smart device platforms. Ten burns ranging from 5 to 95% TBSA were computer generated on a patient care simulator using Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Adobe, San Jose, CA). Burn clinicians calculated the TBSA first using a paper-based Lund-Browder diagram. Following a one-week "washout period", the same clinicians calculated TBSA using the smart device application. Simulated burns were presented in a random fashion and clinicians were timed. Percent TBSA burned calculated by Peregrine vs. the paper-based Lund-Browder were similar (29.53 [25.57] vs. 28.99 [25.01], p=0.22, n=7). On average, Peregrine allowed users to calculate burn size significantly faster than the paper form (58.18 [31.46] vs. 90.22 [60.60]s, p<0.001, n=7). The smart device application also provided 5 megapixel photography capabilities, and acute burn resuscitation fluid calculator. We developed an innovative smart device application that enables accurate and rapid burn size assessment to be cost-effective and widely accessible. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 872.6890 - Intraoral dental wax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Intraoral dental wax. 872.6890 Section 872.6890...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6890 Intraoral dental wax. (a) Identification. Intraoral dental wax is a device made of wax intended to construct patterns from which custom made metal...

21 CFR 872.6890 - Intraoral dental wax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Intraoral dental wax. 872.6890 Section 872.6890...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6890 Intraoral dental wax. (a) Identification. Intraoral dental wax is a device made of wax intended to construct patterns from which custom made metal...

21 CFR 872.6890 - Intraoral dental wax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Intraoral dental wax. 872.6890 Section 872.6890...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6890 Intraoral dental wax. (a) Identification. Intraoral dental wax is a device made of wax intended to construct patterns from which custom made metal...

21 CFR 872.6890 - Intraoral dental wax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Intraoral dental wax. 872.6890 Section 872.6890...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6890 Intraoral dental wax. (a) Identification. Intraoral dental wax is a device made of wax intended to construct patterns from which custom made metal...

21 CFR 872.6890 - Intraoral dental wax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Intraoral dental wax. 872.6890 Section 872.6890...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Miscellaneous Devices § 872.6890 Intraoral dental wax. (a) Identification. Intraoral dental wax is a device made of wax intended to construct patterns from which custom made metal...

Using a flat-panel detector in high resolution cone beam CT for dental imaging.

PubMed

Baba, R; Ueda, K; Okabe, M

2004-09-01

Cone beam CT (CBCT) requires a two-dimensional X-ray detector. In the several CBCT systems developed for dental imaging, detection has been by the combination of an X-ray image intensifier and charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. In this paper, we propose a new CBCT system in which the detector is of the flat-panel type and evaluate its performance in dental imaging. We developed a prototype CBCT that has a flat-panel-type detector. The detector consists of a CsI scintillator screen and a photosensor array. First, the flat panel detector and image intensifier detector were compared in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of projected images. We then used these data and a theoretical formula to evaluate noise in reconstructed images. Second, reconstructed images of a bar pattern phantom were obtained as a way of evaluating the spatial resolution. Then, reconstructed images of a skull phantom were obtained. The SNR of the developed system was 1.6 times as high as that of a system with an image intensifier detector of equal detector pitch. The system was capable of resolving a 0.35 mm pattern and its field of view almost completely encompassed that of an image intensifier detector which is used in dentomaxillofacial imaging. The fine spatial resolution of the detector led to images in which the structural details of a skull phantom were clearly visible. The system's isotropically fine resolution will lead to improved precision in dental diagnosis and surgery. The next stage of our research will be the development of a flat panel detector system with a high frame acquisition rate.

Continuous nasogastric tube feeding: monitoring by combined use of refractometry and traditional gastric residual volumes.

PubMed

Chang, W-K; McClave, S-A; Chao, Y-C

2004-02-01

Traditional use of gastric residual volumes (GRVs) is insensitive and cannot distinguish retained enteral formula from the large volume of endogenous secretions. We designed this prospective study to determine whether refractometry and Brix value (BV) measurements could be used to monitor gastric emptying and tolerance in patients receiving continuous enteral feeding. Thirty-six patients on continuous nasogastric tube feeding were divided into two groups; patients with lower GRVs (<75 ml) in Group 1, patients with higher GRVs (>75 ml) in Group 2. Upon entry, all gastric contents were aspirated, the volume was recorded (Asp GRV), BV measurements were made by refractometry, and then the contents were reinstilled but diluted with 30 ml additional water. Finally, a small amount was reaspirated and repeat BV measurements were made. Three hours later, the entire procedure was repeated a second time. The BV ratio, calculated (Cal) GRV, and volume of formula remaining were calculated by derived equations. Mean BV ratios were significantly higher for those patients in Group 2 compared to those in Group 1. All but one of the 22 patients (95%) in Group 1 had a volume of formula remaining in the stomach estimated on both measurements to be less than the hourly infusion rate (all these patients had BV ratios <70%). In contrast, six of the 14 patients in Group 2 (43%) on both measurements were estimated to have volumes of formula remaining that were greater than the hourly infusion rate (all these patients had BV ratios >70%). Three of the Group 2 patients (21%) whose initial measurement showed evidence for retention of formula, improved on repeat follow-up measurement assuring adequate gastric emptying. The remaining five patients from Group 2 (35%) had a volume of formula remaining that was less than the hourly infusion rate on both measurements. The pattern of Asp GRVs and serial pre- and post-dilution BVs failed to differentiate these patients in Group 2 with potential emptying problems from those with sufficient gastric emptying. Refractometry and measurement of the BV may improve the clinical utilization of GRVs, by its ability to identify the component of formula within gastric contents and track changes in that component related to gastric emptying.

Experimental Investigation and Analysis of HEC-6 River Morphological Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tingsanchali, Tawatchai; Supharatid, Seree

1996-05-01

Only comparatively few experimental studies have been carried out to investigate the performance of the HEC-6 river morphological model. The model was developed by the Hydrologic Engineering Center of the US Army Corps of Engineers. In this study, experiments were carried out in a 20 m long concrete flume 0.6 m wide with varying rectangular cross-sections. The channel bed is paved with uniform sand of D50 = 0.9 mm and D90 = 1.2 mm within the test reach of 12 m. Two types of experiments were carried out with sediment transport, one under steady uniform flow and another under steady non-uniform flow conditions. Nine steady uniform flow experiments were carried out to compare the measured equilibrium relationship of flow and sediment transport rate with two bedload formulae, namely, Du Boys and Meyer-Peter and Muller, and with three total load formulae, namely, Toffaleti, Laursen and Yang. It was found that even though the sediment transport consists of a certain portion of bedload, the total load formulae give satisfactory results and better agreement than the two bedload formulae. Five steady non-uniform flow experiments were carried out under various conditions of varying bed profile and channel width and also with sediment addition and withdrawal. The measured transient water surface and bed profiles are compared with the computed results from the HEC-6 model. It was found that the Toffaleti and Yang total load formulae used in the HEC-6 model give the most satisfactory prediction of actual bed profiles under various conditions of non-uniform flow and sediment transport. The effects of Manning's n, variations of sediment inflow, various sediment transport formulae, sediment grain size and the model numerical parameters, i.e. distance interval x and numerical weighting factor, on the computed water surface and bed profiles were determined. It was found that the selection of the sediment transport formulae has the most significant effect on the computed results. It can be concluded that the HEC-6 model can predict satisfactorily a long-term average pattern of local scour and deposition along a channel with either a small abrupt change in geometry or gradually varying cross-sections. However, the accuracy of the model prediction is reduced in the regions where highly non-uniform flow occurs.

Hydrogen ion microlithography

DOEpatents

Tsuo, Y. Simon; Deb, Satyen K.

1990-01-01

Disclosed is a hydrogen ion microlithography process for use in microelectronic fabrication and semiconductor device processing. The process comprises the steps of providing a single layer of either an amorphous silicon or hydrogenated amorphous silicon material. A pattern is recorded in a selected layer of amorphous silicon or hydrogenated amorphous silicon materials by preferentially implanting hydrogen ions therein so as to permit the selected layer to serve as a mask-resist wafer suitable for subsequent development and device fabrication. The layer is developed to provide a surface pattern therein adaptable for subsequent use in microelectronic fabrication and semiconductor device processing.

Expanding the printable design space for lithography processes utilizing a cut mask

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wandell, Jerome; Salama, Mohamed; Wilkinson, William; Curtice, Mark; Feng, Jui-Hsuan; Gao, Shao Wen; Asthana, Abhishek

2016-03-01

The utilization of a cut-mask in semiconductor patterning processes has been in practice for logic devices since the inception of 32nm-node devices, notably with unidirectional gate level printing. However, the microprocessor applications where cut-mask patterning methods are used are expanding as Self-Aligned Double Patterning (SADP) processes become mainstream for 22/14nm fin diffusion, and sub-14nm metal levels. One common weakness for these types of lithography processes is that the initial pattern requiring the follow-up cut-mask typically uses an extreme off-axis imaging source such as dipole to enhance the resolution and line-width roughness (LWR) for critical dense patterns. This source condition suffers from poor process margin in the semi-dense (forbidden pitch) realm and wrong-way directional design spaces. Common pattern failures in these limited design regions include bridging and extra-printing defects that are difficult to resolve with traditional mask improvement means. This forces the device maker to limit the allowable geometries that a designer may use on a device layer. This paper will demonstrate methods to expand the usable design space on dipole-like processes such as unidirectional gate and SADP processes by utilizing the follow-up cut mask to improve the process window. Traditional mask enhancement means for improving the process window in this design realm will be compared to this new cut-mask approach. The unique advantages and disadvantages of the cut-mask solution will be discussed in contrast to those customary methods.

Identification of unique repeated patterns, location of mutation in DNA finger printing using artificial intelligence technique.

PubMed

Mukunthan, B; Nagaveni, N

2014-01-01

In genetic engineering, conventional techniques and algorithms employed by forensic scientists to assist in identification of individuals on the basis of their respective DNA profiles involves more complex computational steps and mathematical formulae, also the identification of location of mutation in a genomic sequence in laboratories is still an exigent task. This novel approach provides ability to solve the problems that do not have an algorithmic solution and the available solutions are also too complex to be found. The perfect blend made of bioinformatics and neural networks technique results in efficient DNA pattern analysis algorithm with utmost prediction accuracy.

Development of rotation sample designs for the estimation of crop acreages

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lycthuan-Lee, T. G. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

The idea behind the use of rotation sample designs is that the variation of the crop acreage of a particular sample unit from year to year is usually less than the variation of crop acreage between units within a particular year. The estimation theory is based on an additive mixed analysis of variance model with years as fixed effects, (a sub t), and sample units as a variable factor. The rotation patterns are decided upon according to: (1) the number of sample units in the design each year; (2) the number of units retained in the following years; and (3) the number of years to complete the rotation pattern. Different analytic formulae for the variance of (a sub t) and the variance comparisons in using a complete survey of the rotation patterns.

Spatio-Temporal Pattern Mining on Trajectory Data Using Arm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khoshahval, S.; Farnaghi, M.; Taleai, M.

2017-09-01

Preliminary mobile was considered to be a device to make human connections easier. But today the consumption of this device has been evolved to a platform for gaming, web surfing and GPS-enabled application capabilities. Embedding GPS in handheld devices, altered them to significant trajectory data gathering facilities. Raw GPS trajectory data is a series of points which contains hidden information. For revealing hidden information in traces, trajectory data analysis is needed. One of the most beneficial concealed information in trajectory data is user activity patterns. In each pattern, there are multiple stops and moves which identifies users visited places and tasks. This paper proposes an approach to discover user daily activity patterns from GPS trajectories using association rules. Finding user patterns needs extraction of user's visited places from stops and moves of GPS trajectories. In order to locate stops and moves, we have implemented a place recognition algorithm. After extraction of visited points an advanced association rule mining algorithm, called Apriori was used to extract user activity patterns. This study outlined that there are useful patterns in each trajectory that can be emerged from raw GPS data using association rule mining techniques in order to find out about multiple users' behaviour in a system and can be utilized in various location-based applications.

High resolution non-contact interior profilometer

DOEpatents

Piltch, Martin S.; Patterson, R. Alan; Leeches, Gerald W.; Nierop, John Van; Teti, John J.

2001-01-01

Apparatus and method for inspecting the interior surfaces of devices such as vessels having a single entry port. Laser energy is launched into the vessel, and the light reflected from the interior surfaces is interfered with reference laser energy to produce an interference pattern. This interference pattern is analyzed to reveal information about the condition of the interior surfaces of the device inspected.

Post-patterning of an electronic homojunction in atomically thin monoclinic MoTe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sera; Kim, Jung Ho; Kim, Dohyun; Hwang, Geunwoo; Baik, Jaeyoon; Yang, Heejun; Cho, Suyeon

2017-06-01

Monoclinic group 6 transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been extensively studied for their intriguing 2D physics (e.g. spin Hall insulator) as well as for ohmic homojunction contacts in 2D device applications. A critical prerequisite for those applications is thickness control of the monoclinic 2D materials, which allows subtle engineering of the topological states or electronic bandgaps. Local thickness control enables the realization of clean homojunctions between different electronic states, and novel device operation in a single material. However, conventional fabrication processes, including chemical methods, typically produce non-homogeneous and relatively thick monoclinic TMDs, due to their distorted octahedral structures. Here, we report on a post-patterning technique using laser-irradiation to fabricate homojunctions between two different thickness areas in monoclinic MoTe2. A thickness-dependent electronic change from a metallic to semiconducting state, resulting in an electronic homojunction, was realized by the optical patterning of pristine MoTe2 flakes, and a pre-patterned device channel of monoclinic MoTe2 with a thickness-resolution of 5 nm. Our work provides insight on an optical post-process method for controlling thickness, as a promising approach for fabricating impurity-free 2D TMDs homojunction devices.

Formation mechanisms and characteristics of transition patterns in oblique detonations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miao, Shikun; Zhou, Jin; Liu, Shijie; Cai, Xiaodong

2018-01-01

The transition structures of wedge-induced oblique detonation waves (ODWs) in high-enthalpy supersonic combustible mixtures are studied with two-dimensional reactive Euler simulations based on the open-source program AMROC (Adaptive Mesh Refinement in Object-oriented C++). The formation mechanisms of different transition patterns are investigated through theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. Results show that transition patterns of ODWs depend on the pressure ratio Pd/Ps, (Pd, Ps are the pressure behind the ODW and the pressure behind the induced shock, respectively). When Pd/Ps > 1.3, an abrupt transition occurs, while when Pd/Ps < 1.3, a smooth transition appears. A parameter ε is introduced to describe the transition patterns quantitatively. Besides, a criterion based on the velocity ratio Φ=U0/UCJ is proposed to predict the transition patterns based on the inflow conditions. It is concluded that an abrupt transition appears when Φ < 0.98Φ*, while a smooth transition occurs when Φ > 1.02Φ∗ (Φ∗ is the critical velocity ratio calculated with an empirical formula).

Three-dimensional patterning methods and related devices

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

Putnam, Morgan C.; Kelzenberg, Michael D.; Atwater, Harry A.

2016-12-27

Three-dimensional patterning methods of a three-dimensional microstructure, such as a semiconductor wire array, are described, in conjunction with etching and/or deposition steps to pattern the three-dimensional microstructure.

Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, Andrew J. P.; Thompson, Jayne; Vedral, Vlatko; Gu, Mile

2017-04-01

Many organisms capitalize on their ability to predict the environment to maximize available free energy and reinvest this energy to create new complex structures. This functionality relies on the manipulation of patterns—temporally ordered sequences of data. Here, we propose a framework to describe pattern manipulators—devices that convert thermodynamic work to patterns or vice versa—and use them to build a "pattern engine" that facilitates a thermodynamic cycle of pattern creation and consumption. We show that the least heat dissipation is achieved by the provably simplest devices, the ones that exhibit desired operational behavior while maintaining the least internal memory. We derive the ultimate limits of this heat dissipation and show that it is generally nonzero and connected with the pattern's intrinsic crypticity—a complexity theoretic quantity that captures the puzzling difference between the amount of information the pattern's past behavior reveals about its future and the amount one needs to communicate about this past to optimally predict the future.

Synchronization of three electrochemical oscillators: From local to global coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yifan; Sebek, Michael; Mori, Fumito; Kiss, István Z.

2018-04-01

We investigate the formation of synchronization patterns in an oscillatory nickel electrodissolution system in a network obtained by superimposing local and global coupling with three electrodes. We explored the behavior through numerical simulations using kinetic ordinary differential equations, Kuramoto type phase models, and experiments, in which the local to global coupling could be tuned by cross resistances between the three nickel wires. At intermediate coupling strength with predominant global coupling, two of the three oscillators, whose natural frequencies are closer, can synchronize. By adding even a relatively small amount of local coupling (about 9%-25%), a spatially organized partially synchronized state can occur where one of the two synchronized elements is in the center. A formula was derived for predicting the critical coupling strength at which full synchronization will occur independent of the permutation of the natural frequencies of the oscillators over the network. The formula correctly predicts the variation of the critical coupling strength as a function of the global coupling fraction, e.g., with local coupling the critical coupling strength is about twice than that required with global coupling. The results show the importance of the topology of the network on the synchronization properties in a simple three-oscillator setup and could provide guidelines for decrypting coupling topology from identification of synchronization patterns.

Experimental study on the seismic performance of new sandwich masonry walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Jianzhuang; Pu, Jie; Hu, Yongzhong

2013-03-01

Sandwich masonry walls are widely used as energy-saving panels since the interlayer between the outer leaves can act as an insulation layer. New types of sandwich walls are continually being introduced in research and applications, and due to their unique bond patterns, experimental studies have been performed to investigate their mechanical properties, especially with regard to their seismic performance. In this study, three new types of sandwich masonry wall have been designed, and cyclic lateral loading tests were carried out on five specimens. The results showed that the specimens failed mainly due to slippage along the bottom cracks or the development of diagonal cracks, and the failure patterns were considerably influenced by the aspect ratio. Analysis was undertaken on the seismic response of the new walls, which included ductility, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation capacity, and no obvious difference was observed between the seismic performance of the new walls and traditional walls. Comparisons were made between the experimental results and the calculated results of the shear capacity. It is concluded that the formulas in the two Chinese codes (GB 50011 and GB 50003) are suitable for the calculation of the shear capacity for the new types of walls, and the formula in GB 50011 tends to be more conservative.

Regular scattering patterns from near-cloaking devices and their implications for invisibility cloaking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kocyigit, Ilker; Liu, Hongyu; Sun, Hongpeng

2013-04-01

In this paper, we consider invisibility cloaking via the transformation optics approach through a ‘blow-up’ construction. An ideal cloak makes use of singular cloaking material. ‘Blow-up-a-small-region’ construction and ‘truncation-of-singularity’ construction are introduced to avoid the singular structure, however, giving only near-cloaks. The study in the literature is to develop various mechanisms in order to achieve high-accuracy approximate near-cloaking devices, and also from a practical viewpoint to nearly cloak an arbitrary content. We study the problem from a different viewpoint. It is shown that for those regularized cloaking devices, the corresponding scattering wave fields due to an incident plane wave have regular patterns. The regular patterns are both a curse and a blessing. On the one hand, the regular wave pattern betrays the location of a cloaking device which is an intrinsic defect due to the ‘blow-up’ construction, and this is particularly the case for the construction by employing a high-loss layer lining. Indeed, our numerical experiments show robust reconstructions of the location, even by implementing the phaseless cross-section data. The construction by employing a high-density layer lining shows a certain promising feature. On the other hand, it is shown that one can introduce an internal point source to produce the canceling scattering pattern to achieve a near-cloak of an arbitrary order of accuracy.

Optofluidic two-dimensional grating volume refractive index sensor.

PubMed

Sarkar, Anirban; Shivakiran Bhaktha, B N; Khastgir, Sugata Pratik

2016-09-10

We present an optofluidic reservoir with a two-dimensional grating for a lab-on-a-chip volume refractive index sensor. The observed diffraction pattern from the device resembles the analytically obtained fringe pattern. The change in the diffraction pattern has been monitored in the far-field for fluids with different refractive indices. Reliable measurements of refractive index variations, with an accuracy of 6×10^-3 refractive index units, for different fluids establishes the optofluidic device as a potential on-chip tool for monitoring dynamic refractive index changes.

Ordered arrays of Au catalysts by FIB assisted heterogeneous dewetting.

PubMed

Benkouider, A; Ronda, A; David, T; Favre, L; Abbarchi, M; Naffouti, M; Osmond, J; Delobbe, A; Sudraud, P; Berbezier, I

2015-12-18

Synthesizing Au0.8Si0.2 nanocatalysts that are homogeneous in size and have controlled position is becoming a challenging and crucial prequisite for the fabrication of ordered semiconductor nanowires. In this study, Au0.8Si0.2 nanocatalysts are synthesized via dewetting of Au layers on Si(111) during thermal annealing in an ultra-high vacuum. In the first part of the paper, the mechanism of homogeneous dewetting is analyzed as a function of the Au-deposited thickness (h Au). We distinguish three different dewetting regimes: (I) for a low thickness ([Formula: see text]), a submonolyer coverage of Au is stabilized and there is no dewetting. (II) For an intermediate thickness ([Formula: see text]), there is both dewetting and Au0.8Si0.2 phase formation. The size and density of the Au0.8Si0.2 clusters are directly related to h Au. When cooling down to room temperature, the clusters decompose and reject the Si at the Au/Si substrate interface. (III) For a large thickness ([Formula: see text]), only dewetting takes place, without forming AuSi clusters. In this regime, the dewetting is kinetically controlled by the self-diffusion of Au (activation energy ∼0.43 eV) without evidence of an Si-alloying effect. As a practical consequence, when relying solely on the homogeneous dewetting of Au/Si(111) to form the Au0.8Si0.2 catalysts (without a supply of Si atoms from vapor), regime II should be used to obtain good size and density control. In the second part of the paper, a process for ordering the catalysts using focused ion beam-(FIB) assisted dewetting (heterogeneous dewetting) is developed. We show that no matter what the FIB milling conditions and the Au nominal thickness are, dewetting is promoted by ion beam irradiation and is accompanied by the formation of Au0.8Si0.2 droplets. The droplets preferentially form on the patterned areas, while in similar annealing conditions, they do not form on the unpatterned areas. This behavior is attributed to the larger Au-Si interdiffusion in the patterned areas, which results from the Si amorphization induced by the FIB. A systematic analysis of the position of the nanodroplets shows their preferential nucleation inside the patterns, while thicker platelets of almost pure Au are observed between the patterns. The evolutions of the size homogeneity and the occupancy rate of the patterns are quantified as a function of the FIB dose and annealing temperature. Nice arrays of perfectly ordered AuSi catalysts are obtained after optimizing the FIB and dewetting conditions.

21 CFR 888.4800 - Template for clinical use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Template for clinical use. 888.4800 Section 888...) MEDICAL DEVICES ORTHOPEDIC DEVICES Surgical Devices § 888.4800 Template for clinical use. (a) Identification. A template for clinical use is a device that consists of a pattern or guide intended for medical...

Pattern recognition technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hong, J. P.

1971-01-01

Technique operates regardless of pattern rotation, translation or magnification and successfully detects out-of-register patterns. It improves accuracy and reduces cost of various optical character recognition devices and page readers and provides data input to computer.

Low noise parametric amplifiers for radio astronomy observations at 18-21 cm wavelength

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanevskiy, B. Z.; Veselov, V. M.; Strukov, I. A.; Etkin, V. S.

1974-01-01

The principle characteristics and use of SHF parametric amplifiers for radiometer input devices are explored. Balanced parametric amplifiers (BPA) are considered as the SHF signal amplifiers allowing production of the amplifier circuit without a special filter to achieve decoupling. Formulas to calculate the basic parameters of a BPA are given. A modulator based on coaxial lines is discussed as the input element of the SHF. Results of laboratory tests of the receiver section and long-term stability studies of the SHF sector are presented.

Fundamental Quantum 1/F Noise in Ultrasmall Semi Conductor Devices and Their Optimal Design Principles.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

1 . quantum 1 / f noise t - 12 . In that case the Hooge parameter0(H may be written H...Eqs. (4.2)-(4.5). The Hooge formula 2 0 is thus derived from first =.% principles as a quantum 1 / f result withOH given by Eq. (4.12). All i/ f noise ...between coherent state I/ f noise and the Umklapp I/ f noise . 1 / f noise in n+-p Hgl-xCdxTe occurs in many forms and each form should be tested. If a Hooge

Quantum 1/f Noise in Solid State Devices in Particular Hg(1-x)Cd(x)Te N(+)-P Diodes

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-05-15

1 / f noise in pentodes. 3. A. van der Ziel, P. H. Handel, X. C. Zhu, and K. H. Duh, "A theory of the Hooge parameters of solid-state...the progress reports 12. P. H. Hardel and A. van der Ziel, "Relativistic correction of the Hooge parameter for Umklapp 1 / f noise ," Physica, vol. 141B... Hooge parameter and of fundamental 1 / f noise sources. As a side result many quantum 1 / f noise formulas are verified

Buffer layers for REBCO films for use in superconducting devices

DOEpatents

Goyal, Amit; Wee, Sung-Hun

2014-06-10

A superconducting article includes a substrate having a biaxially textured surface. A biaxially textured buffer layer, which can be a cap layer, is supported by the substrate. The buffer layer includes a double perovskite of the formula A.sub.2B'B''O.sub.6, where A is rare earth or alkaline earth metal and B' and B'' are different transition metal cations. A biaxially textured superconductor layer is deposited so as to be supported by the buffer layer. A method of making a superconducting article is also disclosed.

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

Chichak, Kelly Scott; Liu, Jie Jerry; Shiang, Joseph John

Optoelectronic devices with enhanced internal outcoupling include a substrate, an anode, a cathode, an electroluminescent layer, and electron transporting layer comprising a fluoro compound of formula I (Ar.sup.2).sub.n--Ar.sup.1--(Ar.sup.2).sub.n I wherein Ar.sup.1 is C.sub.5-C.sub.40 aryl, C.sub.5-C.sub.40 substituted aryl, C.sub.5-C.sub.40 heteroaryl, or C.sub.5-C.sub.40 substituted heteroaryl; Ar.sup.2 is, independently at each occurrence, fluoro- or fluoroalkyl-substituted C.sub.5-40 heteroaryl; and n is 1, 2, or 3.

Application of simple negative feedback model for avalanche photodetectors investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kushpil, V. V.

2009-10-01

A simple negative feedback model based on Miller's formula is used to investigate the properties of Avalanche Photodetectors (APDs). The proposed method can be applied to study classical APD as well as new type of devices, which are operating in the Internal Negative Feedback (INF) regime. The method shows a good sensitivity to technological APD parameters making it possible to use it as a tool to analyse various APD parameters. It also allows better understanding of the APD operation conditions. The simulations and experimental data analysis for different types of APDs are presented.

Beta cell device using icosahedral boride compounds

DOEpatents

Aselage, Terrence L.; Emin, David

2002-01-01

A beta cell for converting beta-particle energies into electrical energy having a semiconductor junction that incorporates an icosahedral boride compound selected from B.sub.12 As.sub.2, B.sub.12 P.sub.2, elemental boron having an .alpha.-rhombohedral structure, elemental boron having a .beta.-rhombohedral structure, and boron carbides of the chemical formula B.sub.12-x C.sub.3-x, where 0.15

Computational mass spectrometry for small molecules

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The identification of small molecules from mass spectrometry (MS) data remains a major challenge in the interpretation of MS data. This review covers the computational aspects of identifying small molecules, from the identification of a compound searching a reference spectral library, to the structural elucidation of unknowns. In detail, we describe the basic principles and pitfalls of searching mass spectral reference libraries. Determining the molecular formula of the compound can serve as a basis for subsequent structural elucidation; consequently, we cover different methods for molecular formula identification, focussing on isotope pattern analysis. We then discuss automated methods to deal with mass spectra of compounds that are not present in spectral libraries, and provide an insight into de novo analysis of fragmentation spectra using fragmentation trees. In addition, this review shortly covers the reconstruction of metabolic networks using MS data. Finally, we list available software for different steps of the analysis pipeline. PMID:23453222

Effect of processing on fracture toughness of silicon carbide as determined by Vickers indentations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dannels, Christine M.; Dutta, Sunil

1989-01-01

Several alpha-SiC materials were processed by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) and by sintering an alpha-SiC powder containing boron and carbon. Several beta-SiC materials were processed by HIPing a beta-SiC powder with boron and carbon additions. The fracture toughnesses K(sub 1c) of these beta- and alpha-SiC materials were estimated from measurements of Vickers indentations. The three formulas used to estimate K(sub 1c) from the indentation fracture patterns resulted in three ranges of K(sub 1c) estimates. Furthermore, each formula measured the effects of processing differently. All three estimates indicated that fine-grained HIPed alpha-SiC has a higher K(sub 1c) than coarsed-grained sintered alpha-SiC. Hot isostatically pressed beta-SiC, which had an ultrafine grain structure, exhibited a K(sub 1c) comparable to that of HIPed alpha-SiC.

The Abcd Formula of Phase Definition in Optical Interferometry: Combined Effect of Air Dispersion and Broad Passband

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathar, Richard J.

Long-baseline interferometry detects fringes created by superposition of two beams of light collected by two telescopes pointing into a common direction. The external path difference is commonly compensated by adding a variable optical path length (delay) through air for one beam such that the optical path difference between the beams remains close to zero near the detector. The ABCD formula assigns a (wrapped) phase to the signals A to D of an interference pattern shifted by multiples of 90 degrees in phase. We study the interplay between a broad spectral passband of the optics and the dispersion of the air in the compensating delay, which leads to small deviations between the ABCD phase and the reduced, monochromatic group-delay representation of the wave packets. This adds dispersion to the effects that have been discussed for evacuated interferometers before (Milman 2005).

Insulin algorithms in the self-management of insulin-dependent diabetes: the interactive 'Apple Juice' program.

PubMed

Williams, A G

1996-01-01

The 'Apple Juice' program is an interactive diabetes self-management program which runs on a lap-top Macintosh Powerbook 100 computer. The dose-by-dose insulin advisory program was initially designed for children with insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus. It utilizes several different insulin algorithms, measurement formulae, and compensation factors for meals, activity, medication and the dawn phenomenon. It was developed to assist the individual with diabetes and/or care providers, in determining specific insulin dosage recommendations throughout a 24 h period. Information technology functions include, but are not limited to automated record keeping, data recall, event reminders, data trend/pattern analyses and education. This paper highlights issues, observations and recommendations surrounding the use of the current version of the software, along with a detailed description of the insulin algorithms and measurement formulae applied successfully with the author's daughter over a six year period.

Climate of Hungary in the twentieth century according to Feddema

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ács, Ferenc; Breuer, Hajnalka; Skarbit, Nóra

2015-01-01

Feddema's (Physical Geography 26:442-466, 2005) bioclimatic classification scheme is applied to Hungary for the twentieth century using the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) data series. The method is tested in two modes. In the first, its original form is used which is suitable for global scale analysis. In the second, the criteria used in the method are slightly modified for mesoscale classification purposes. In both versions, potential evapotranspiration (PET) is calculated using McKenney and Rosenberg's (Meteorol 64:81-110, 1993) formula. We showed that McKenney and Rosenberg's formula could be applied to Hungary. According to Feddema's global scale application, local climates of the three main geographical regions, the Great Hungarian Plain, the North Hungarian Mountains, and Transdanubia, can be distinguished. However, the spatial distribution pattern within the regions is poorly reproduced, if at all. According to Feddema's mesoscale application, a picture of climatic subregions could be observed.

Characterization of Personal Privacy Devices (PPD) radiation pattern impact on the ground and airborne segments of the local area augmentation system (LAAS) at GPS L1 frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkhateeb, Abualkair M. Khair

Personal Privacy Devices (PPDs) are radio-frequency transmitters that intentionally transmit in a frequency band used by other devices for the intent purpose of denying service to those devices. These devices have shown the potential to interfere with the ground and air sub-systems of the Local Area Augmentation Systems (LAAS), a GPS-based navigation aids at commercial airports. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is concerned by the potential impact of these devices to GPS navigation aids at airports and has commenced an activity to determine the severity of this threat. In support of this situation, the research in this dissertation has been conducted under (FAA) Cooperative Agreement 2011-G-012, to investigate the impact of these devices on the LAAS. In order to investigate the impact of PPDs Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) on the ground and air sub-systems of the LAAS, the work presented in phase one of this research is intended to characterize the vehicle's impact on the PPD's Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP). A study was conceived in this research to characterize PPD performance by examining the on-vehicle radiation patterns as a function of vehicle type, jammer type, jammer location inside a vehicle and jammer orientation at each location. Phase two was to characterize the GPS Radiation Pattern on Multipath Limiting Antenna. MLA has to meet stringent requirements for acceptable signal detection and multipath rejection. The ARL-2100 is the most recent MLA antenna proposed to be used in the LAAS ground segment. The ground-based antenna's radiation pattern was modeled. This was achieved via (HFSS) a commercial-off the shelf CAD-based modeling code with a full-wave electromagnetic software simulation package that uses the Finite Element Analysis. Phase three of this work has been conducted to study the characteristics of the GPS Radiation Pattern on Commercial Aircraft. The airborne GPS antenna was modeled and the resulting radiation pattern on a Bombardier Global 5000 commercial full aircraft was studied. This was achieved via CAD-based modeling with a full-wave electromagnetic software simulation package (FEKO). It is important because the aircraft comes in approach on a 3° glideslope angle. Elevation relative to PPD jammer is changing.

Diffractive optical devices produced by light-assisted trapping of nanoparticles.

PubMed

Muñoz-Martínez, J F; Jubera, M; Matarrubia, J; García-Cabañes, A; Agulló-López, F; Carrascosa, M

2016-01-15

One- and two-dimensional diffractive optical devices have been fabricated by light-assisted trapping and patterning of nanoparticles. The method is based on the dielectrophoretic forces appearing in the vicinity of a photovoltaic crystal, such as Fe:LiNbO3, during or after illumination. By illumination with the appropriate light distribution, the nanoparticles are organized along patterns designed at will. One- and two-dimensional diffractive components have been achieved on X- and Z-cut Fe:LiNbO3 crystals, with their polar axes parallel and perpendicular to the crystal surface, respectively. Diffraction gratings with periods down to around a few micrometers have been produced using metal (Al, Ag) nanoparticles with radii in the range of 70-100 nm. Moreover, several 2D devices, such as Fresnel zone plates, have been also produced showing the potential of the method. The diffractive particle patterns remain stable when light is removed. A method to transfer the diffractive patterns to other nonphotovoltaic substrates, such as silica glass, has been also reported.

Protein intakes and their nutritional sources during the first 2 years of life: secondary data evaluation from the European Childhood Obesity Project.

PubMed

Damianidi, L; Gruszfeld, D; Verduci, E; Vecchi, F; Xhonneux, A; Langhendries, J-P; Luque, V; Theurich, M A; Zaragoza-Jordana, M; Koletzko, B; Grote, V

2016-11-01

High protein intake in infancy affects future obesity risk and other health outcomes. We aim to describe total protein intake and its sources in a birth cohort in five European countries over the first 2 years of life. A total of 746 formula-fed infants were included. Three-day weighed dietary records at 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months of age were used. Kruskal-Wallis, ANOVA and Friedman's tests were used to assess possible differences in nutritional intake among countries and over time. Dairy products were the main components of the infants' diets. Cow's milk was rarely introduced before 12 months of age, whereas infants' formula was the main contributor of protein intake. Food choices and protein intake differed among countries (P<0.001). Protein intake often exceeded European recommendations from 9 months onwards, partly because of the substitution of dairy protein (mainly infant formula) by meat protein. Two nutritional patterns were identified that were characterised by differences in energy, fat, protein and animal protein intake. Finally, food consumption was not always in line with protein intakes, and thus infants from some countries showed high consumption of specific food groups but relatively low protein intakes. During weaning, over-limited substitution of dairy products with other sources (especially meat) resulted in relatively high protein intakes in formula-fed infants. Differences in preferences of specific protein sources from complementary foods existed among European countries. Great opportunities in improving early nutrition were revealed, although cultural and geographical differences should always be considered.