Psychophysical Evaluation of Sweetness Functions Across Multiple Sweeteners

PubMed Central

Low, Julia Y.Q.; McBride, Robert L.; Lacy, Kathleen E.

2017-01-01

Sweetness is one of the 5 prototypical tastes and is activated by sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS). The aim of this study was to investigate measures of sweet taste function [detection threshold (DT), recognition threshold (RT), and suprathreshold intensity ratings] across multiple sweeteners. Sixty participants, 18–52 years of age (mean age in years = 26, SD = ±7.8), were recruited to participate in the study. DT and RT were collected for caloric sweeteners (glucose, fructose, sucrose, erythritol) and NNS (sucralose, rebaudioside A). Sweetness intensity for all sweeteners was measured using a general Labeled Magnitude Scale. There were strong correlations between DT and RT of all 4 caloric sweeteners across people (r = 0.62–0.90, P < 0.001), and moderate correlations between DT and RT for both of the NNS (r = 0.39–0.48, P < 0.05); however, weaker correlations were observed between the DT or RT of the caloric sweeteners and NNS (r = 0.26–0.48, P < 0.05). The DT and RT of glucose and fructose were not correlated with DT or RT of sucralose (P > 0.05). In contrast, there were strong correlations between the sweetness intensity ratings of all sweeteners (r = 0.70–0.96, P < 0.001). This suggests those caloric sweeteners and NNS access at least partially independent mechanisms with respect to DT and RT measures. At suprathreshold level, however, the strong correlation between caloric sweeteners and NNS through weak, moderate, and strong intensity indicates a commonality in sweet taste mechanism for the perceived intensity range. PMID:27765786

Elucidation of spin echo small angle neutron scattering correlation functions through model studies.

PubMed

Shew, Chwen-Yang; Chen, Wei-Ren

2012-02-14

Several single-modal Debye correlation functions to approximate part of the overall Debey correlation function of liquids are closely examined for elucidating their behavior in the corresponding spin echo small angle neutron scattering (SESANS) correlation functions. We find that the maximum length scale of a Debye correlation function is identical to that of its SESANS correlation function. For discrete Debye correlation functions, the peak of SESANS correlation function emerges at their first discrete point, whereas for continuous Debye correlation functions with greater width, the peak position shifts to a greater value. In both cases, the intensity and shape of the peak of the SESANS correlation function are determined by the width of the Debye correlation functions. Furthermore, we mimic the intramolecular and intermolecular Debye correlation functions of liquids composed of interacting particles based on a simple model to elucidate their competition in the SESANS correlation function. Our calculations show that the first local minimum of a SESANS correlation function can be negative and positive. By adjusting the spatial distribution of the intermolecular Debye function in the model, the calculated SESANS spectra exhibit the profile consistent with that of hard-sphere and sticky-hard-sphere liquids predicted by more sophisticated liquid state theory and computer simulation. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

A Discrete Probability Function Method for the Equation of Radiative Transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sivathanu, Y. R.; Gore, J. P.

1993-01-01

A discrete probability function (DPF) method for the equation of radiative transfer is derived. The DPF is defined as the integral of the probability density function (PDF) over a discrete interval. The derivation allows the evaluation of the PDF of intensities leaving desired radiation paths including turbulence-radiation interactions without the use of computer intensive stochastic methods. The DPF method has a distinct advantage over conventional PDF methods since the creation of a partial differential equation from the equation of transfer is avoided. Further, convergence of all moments of intensity is guaranteed at the basic level of simulation unlike the stochastic method where the number of realizations for convergence of higher order moments increases rapidly. The DPF method is described for a representative path with approximately integral-length scale-sized spatial discretization. The results show good agreement with measurements in a propylene/air flame except for the effects of intermittency resulting from highly correlated realizations. The method can be extended to the treatment of spatial correlations as described in the Appendix. However, information regarding spatial correlations in turbulent flames is needed prior to the execution of this extension.

Evaluation of liver function using gadoxetate disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced MR imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Akira; Hara, Takeshi; Li, Feng; Doi, Kunio

2010-03-01

Indocyanine green (ICG) is widely used for its clearance test in the evaluation of liver function. Gadoxetate disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA) is a targeted MR contrast agent partially taken up by hepatocytes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an estimation of the liver function corresponding to plasma disappearance rate of indocyanine green (ICG-PDR) by use of the signal intensity of the liver alone in Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MR imaging (EOB-MRI). We evaluated fourteen patients who had EOB-MRI and ICG clearance test within 1 month. 2D-GRE T1 weighted images were obtained at pre contrast, 3 min (equilibrium phase) and 20 min (hepatobiliary phase) after the intravenous administration of Gd-EOB-DTPA, and the mean signal intensity of the liver was measured. The correlation between ICG-PDR and many parameters derived from the signal intensity of the liver in EOB-MRI was evaluated. The correlation coefficient between ICG-PDR and many parameters derived from the signal intensity of the liver in EOBMRI was low and not significant. The estimation of the liver function corresponding to ICG-PDR by use of the signal intensity of the liver alone in EOB-MRI would not be reliable.

Image correlation and sampling study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Popp, D. J.; Mccormack, D. S.; Sedwick, J. L.

1972-01-01

The development of analytical approaches for solving image correlation and image sampling of multispectral data is discussed. Relevant multispectral image statistics which are applicable to image correlation and sampling are identified. The general image statistics include intensity mean, variance, amplitude histogram, power spectral density function, and autocorrelation function. The translation problem associated with digital image registration and the analytical means for comparing commonly used correlation techniques are considered. General expressions for determining the reconstruction error for specific image sampling strategies are developed.

The Neural Correlates of Shoulder Apprehension: A Functional MRI Study

PubMed Central

Shitara, Hitoshi; Shimoyama, Daisuke; Sasaki, Tsuyoshi; Hamano, Noritaka; Ichinose, Tsuyoshi; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Kobayashi, Tsutomu; Osawa, Toshihisa; Iizuka, Haku; Hanakawa, Takashi; Tsushima, Yoshito; Takagishi, Kenji

2015-01-01

Although shoulder apprehension is an established clinical finding and is important for the prevention of shoulder dislocation, how this subjective perception is evoked remains unclear. We elucidated the functional neuroplasticity associated with apprehension in patients with recurrent anterior shoulder instability (RSI) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twelve healthy volunteers and 14 patients with right-sided RSI performed a motor imagery task and a passive shoulder motion task. Brain activity was compared between healthy participants and those with RSI and was correlated with the apprehension intensity reported by participants after each task. Compared to healthy volunteers, participants with RSI exhibited decreased brain activity in the motor network, but increased activity in the hippocampus and amygdala. During the passive motion task, participants with RSI exhibited decreased activity in the left premotor and primary motor/somatosensory areas. Furthermore, brain activity was correlated with apprehension intensity in the left amygdala and left thalamus during the motor imagery task (memory-induced), while a correlation between apprehension intensity and brain activity was found in the left prefrontal cortex during the passive motion task (instability-induced). Our findings provide insight into the pathophysiology of RSI by identifying its associated neural alterations. We elucidated that shoulder apprehension was induced by two different factors, namely instability and memory. PMID:26351854

Phase retrieval using regularization method in intensity correlation imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiyu; Gao, Xin; Tang, Jia; Lu, Changming; Wang, Jianli; Wang, Bin

2014-11-01

Intensity correlation imaging(ICI) method can obtain high resolution image with ground-based low precision mirrors, in the imaging process, phase retrieval algorithm should be used to reconstituted the object's image. But the algorithm now used(such as hybrid input-output algorithm) is sensitive to noise and easy to stagnate. However the signal-to-noise ratio of intensity interferometry is low especially in imaging astronomical objects. In this paper, we build the mathematical model of phase retrieval and simplified it into a constrained optimization problem of a multi-dimensional function. New error function was designed by noise distribution and prior information using regularization method. The simulation results show that the regularization method can improve the performance of phase retrieval algorithm and get better image especially in low SNR condition

Photon statistics of pulse-pumped four-wave mixing in fiber with weak signal injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nan-Nan, Liu; Yu-Hong, Liu; Jia-Min, Li; Xiao-Ying, Li

2016-07-01

We study the photon statistics of pulse-pumped four-wave mixing in fibers with weak coherent signal injection by measuring the intensity correlation functions of individual signal and idler fields. The experimental results show that the intensity correlation function of individual signal (idler) field decreases with the intensity of signal injection. After applying narrow band filter in signal (idler) band, the value of decreases from 1.9 ± 0.02 (1.9 ± 0.02) to 1.03 ± 0.02 (1.05 ± 0.02) when the intensity of signal injection varies from 0 to 120 photons/pulse. The results indicate that the photon statistics changes from Bose-Einstein distribution to Poisson distribution. We calculate the intensity correlation functions by using the multi-mode theory of four-wave mixing in fibers. The theoretical curves well fit the experimental results. Our investigation will be useful for mitigating the crosstalk between quantum and classical channels in a dense wavelength division multiplexing network. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11527808), the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China (Grant No. 2014CB340103), the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 20120032110055), the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin, China (Grant No. 14JCQNJC02300), the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University, China, and the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities, China (Grant No. B07014).

Phase dependence of the unnormalized second-order photon correlation function

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

Ciornea, V.; Bardetski, P.; Macovei, M. A., E-mail: macovei@phys.asm.md

2016-10-15

We investigate the resonant quantum dynamics of a multi-qubit ensemble in a microcavity. Both the quantum-dot subsystem and the microcavity mode are pumped coherently. We find that the microcavity photon statistics depends on the phase difference of the driving lasers, which is not the case for the photon intensity at resonant driving. This way, one can manipulate the two-photon correlations. In particular, higher degrees of photon correlations and, eventually, stronger intensities are obtained. Furthermore, the microcavity photon statistics exhibits steady-state oscillatory behaviors as well as asymmetries.

Relationship of moderate and low isometric lumbar extension through architectural and muscular activity variables: a cross sectional study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background No study relating the changes obtained in the architecture of erector spinae (ES) muscle were registered with ultrasound and different intensities of muscle contraction recorded by surface EMG (electromyography) on the ES muscle was found. The aim of this study was analyse the relationship in the response of the ES muscle during isometric moderate and light lumbar isometric extension considering architecture and functional muscle variables. Methods Cross-sectional study. 46 subjects (52% men) with a group mean age of 30.4 (±7.78). The participants developed isometric lumbar extension while performing moderate and low isometric trunk and hip extension in a sitting position with hips flexed 90 degrees and the lumbar spine in neutral position. During these measurements, electromyography recordings and ultrasound images were taken bilaterally. Bilaterally pennation angle, muscle thickness, torque and muscle activation were measured. This study was developed at the human movement analysis laboratory of the Health Science Faculty of the University of Malaga (Spain). Results Strong and moderate correlations were found at moderate and low intensities contraction between the variable of the same intensity, with correlation values ranging from 0.726 (Torque Moderate – EMG Left Moderate) to 0.923 (Angle Left Light – Angle Right Light) (p < 0.001). This correlation is observed between the variables that describe the same intensity of contraction, showing a poor correlation between variables of different intensities. Conclusion There is a strong relationship between architecture and function variables of ES muscle when describe an isometric lumbar extension at light or moderate intensity. PMID:24252273

Computer Simulation for Calculating the Second-Order Correlation Function of Classical and Quantum Light

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Facao, M.; Lopes, A.; Silva, A. L.; Silva, P.

2011-01-01

We propose an undergraduate numerical project for simulating the results of the second-order correlation function as obtained by an intensity interference experiment for two kinds of light, namely bunched light with Gaussian or Lorentzian power density spectrum and antibunched light obtained from single-photon sources. While the algorithm for…

[Correlation between depressive and anxiety symptoms, distress and functioning].

PubMed

Małyszczak, Krzysztof; Pawłowski, Tomasz; Pyszel, Angelika; Kiejna, Andrzej

2006-01-01

The aim of the study was to define the correlation between anxiety/depressive symptoms, distress and functioning. The research is based on the analysis of 104 persons (65 women, 39 men), who were patients of psychiatrists (42 persons), or general physician attenders (62 persons) complaining of anxiety or depressive symptoms. Distress was estimated with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30), psychopathological symptoms and diagnoses were evaluated with the Present State Examination (PSE) and the level of functioning with Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). The intensity of ICD-10 symptoms was calculated for: generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, panic disorder, depressive disorder and dysthymia. The lowest score of distress was found in the group with sub-clinical, sole anxiety or depressive symptoms. An intermediate level was present in the group with anxiety and mixed anxiety-depressive disorders, and the highest in the group with depression. The functioning scores were in an inverse order. The differences in scores of distress and functioning between groups of patients with anxiety disorders, mixed anxiety-depressive disorders and depression are dependent on the intensity of depressive symptoms and are independent of the intensity of anxiety symptoms.

Geometry and scaling laws of excursion and iso-sets of enstrophy and dissipation in isotropic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsas, José Hugo; Szalay, Alexander S.; Meneveau, Charles

2018-04-01

Motivated by interest in the geometry of high intensity events of turbulent flows, we examine the spatial correlation functions of sets where turbulent events are particularly intense. These sets are defined using indicator functions on excursion and iso-value sets. Their geometric scaling properties are analysed by examining possible power-law decay of their radial correlation function. We apply the analysis to enstrophy, dissipation and velocity gradient invariants Q and R and their joint spatial distributions, using data from a direct numerical simulation of isotropic turbulence at Reλ ≈ 430. While no fractal scaling is found in the inertial range using box-counting in the finite Reynolds number flow considered here, power-law scaling in the inertial range is found in the radial correlation functions. Thus, a geometric characterisation in terms of these sets' correlation dimension is possible. Strong dependence on the enstrophy and dissipation threshold is found, consistent with multifractal behaviour. Nevertheless, the lack of scaling of the box-counting analysis precludes direct quantitative comparisons with earlier work based on multifractal formalism. Surprising trends, such as a lower correlation dimension for strong dissipation events compared to strong enstrophy events, are observed and interpreted in terms of spatial coherence of vortices in the flow.

Relationship of The Tropical Cyclogenesis With Solar and Magnetospheric Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vishnevsky, O. V.; Pankov, V. M.; Erokhine, N. S.

Formation of tropical cyclones is a badly studied period in their life cycle even though there are many papers dedicated to analysis of influence of different parameters upon cyclones occurrence frequency (see e.g., Gray W.M.). Present paper is dedicated to study of correlation of solar and magnetospheric activity with the appearance of tropical cyclones in north-west region of Pacific ocean. Study of correlation was performed by using both classical statistical methods (including maximum entropy method) and quite modern ones, for example multifractal analysis. Information about Wolf's numbers and cyclogenesis intensity in period of 1944-2000 was received from different Internet databases. It was shown that power spectra maximums of Wolf's numbers and appeared tropical cyclones ones corresponds to 11-year period; solar activity and cyclogenesis processes intensity are in antiphase; maximum of mutual correlation coefficient (~ 0.8) between Wolf's numbers and cyclogenesis intensity is in South-China sea. There is a relation of multifractal characteristics calculated for both time series with the mutual correlation function that is another indicator of correlation between tropical cyclogenesis and solar-magnetospheric activity. So, there is the correlation between solar-magnetospheric activity and tropical cyclone intensity in this region. Possible physical mechanisms of such correlation including anomalous precipitations charged particles from the Earth radiation belts and wind intensity amplification in the troposphere are discussed.

Relationship of The Tropical Cyclogenesis With Solar and Magnetospheric Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vishnevsky, O.; Pankov, V.; Erokhine, N.

Formation of tropical cyclones is a badly studied period in their life cycle even though there are many papers dedicated to analysis of influence of different parameters upon cyclones occurrence frequency (see e.g., Gray W.M.). Present paper is dedicated to study of correlation of solar and magnetospheric activity with the appearance of tropi- cal cyclones in north-west region of Pacific ocean. Study of correlation was performed by using both classical statistical methods (including maximum entropy method) and quite modern ones, for example multifractal analysis. Information about Wolf's num- bers and cyclogenesis intensity in period of 1944-2000 was received from different Internet databases. It was shown that power spectra maximums of Wolf's numbers and appeared tropical cyclones ones corresponds to 11-year period; solar activity and cyclogenesis processes intensity are in antiphase; maximum of mutual correlation co- efficient ( 0.8) between Wolf's numbers and cyclogenesis intensity is in South-China sea. There is a relation of multifractal characteristics calculated for both time series with the mutual correlation function that is another indicator of correlation between tropical cyclogenesis and solar-magnetospheric activity. So, there is the correlation between solar-magnetospheric activity and tropical cyclone intensity in this region. Possible physical mechanisms of such correlation including anomalous precipitations charged particles from the Earth radiation belts and wind intensity amplification in the troposphere are discussed.

Scintigraphic assessment of salivary function after intensity-modulated radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: correlations with parotid dose and quality of life.

PubMed

Chen, Wen-Cheng; Lai, Chia-Hsuan; Lee, Tsair-Fwu; Hung, Chao-Hsiung; Liu, Kuo-Chi; Tsai, Ming-Fong; Wang, Wen-Hung; Chen, Hungcheng; Fang, Fu-Ming; Chen, Miao-Fen

2013-01-01

We investigated salivary function using quantitative scintigraphy and sought to identify functional correlations between parotid dose and quality of life (QoL) for head and neck cancer (HNC) patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Between August, 2007 and June, 2008, 31 patients treated IMRT for HNC were enrolled in this prospective study. Salivary excretion function (SEF) was previously measured by salivary scintigraphy at annual intervals for 2 years after IMRT. A dose-volume histogram of each parotid gland was calculated, and the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) was used to determine the tolerance dose. QoL was longitudinally assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 and H&N35 questionnaires prior to RT, and at one, three, 12 and 24 months after RT. A significant correlation was found between the reduction of SEF and the mean parotid dose measured at 1 year (correlation coefficient, R(2)=0.651) and 2 years (R(2)=0.310) after IMRT (p<0.001). The TD(50) of the parotid gland at 1 year after IMRT is 43.6 Gy, comparable to results from western countries. We further found that contralateral parotid and submandibular gland function preservation was correlated with reduced sticky saliva and a better QoL compared to the functional preservation of both parotid glands, as determined by the EORTC QLQ-H&N35 questionnaire. A significant correlation was found between the reduction of SEF and the mean parotid dose. Preservation of contralateral parotid and submandibular gland function predicts a better QoL compared to preservation of the function of both parotid glands. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation of ground motion and intensity for the 17 January 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boatwright, J.; Thywissen, K.; Seekins, L.C.

2001-01-01

We analyze the correlations between intensity and a set of groundmotion parameters obtained from 66 free-field stations in Los Angeles County that recorded the 1994 Northridge earthquake. We use the tagging intensities from Thywissen and Boatwright (1998) because these intensities are determined independently on census tracts, rather than interpolated from zip codes, as are the modified Mercalli isoseismals from Dewey et al. (1995). The ground-motion parameters we consider are the peak ground acceleration (PGA), the peak ground velocity (PGV), the 5% damped pseudovelocity response spectral (PSV) ordinates at 14 periods from 0.1 to 7.5 sec, and the rms average of these spectral ordinates from 0.3 to 3 sec. Visual comparisons of the distribution of tagging intensity with contours of PGA, PGV, and the average PSV suggest that PGV and the average PSV are better correlated with the intensity than PGA. The correlation coefficients between the intensity and the ground-motion parameters bear this out: r = 0.75 for PGA, 0.85 for PGV, and 0.85 for the average PSV. Correlations between the intensity and the PSV ordinates, as a function of period, are strongest at 1.5 sec (r = 0.83) and weakest at 0.2 sec (r = 0.66). Regressing the intensity on the logarithms of these ground-motion parameters yields relations I ?? mlog?? with 3.0 ??? m ??? 5.2 for the parameters analyzed, where m = 4.4 ?? 0.7 for PGA, 3.4 ?? 0.4 for PGV, and 3.6 ?? 0.5 for the average PSV.

[Changes in soil organic carbon and soil microbial functional diversity of Carya cathayensis plantations under intensive managements].

PubMed

Wu, Jia-Sen; Qian, Jin-Fang; Tong, Zhi-Peng; Huang, Jian-Qin; Zhao, Ke-Li

2014-09-01

The change characteristics of soil organic carbon and microbial function diversity in Chinese hickory Carya cathayensis stands with different intensive-management durations (5, 10, 15 and 20 years) were studied. The results showed that soil total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) decreased significantly, while the stability of soil C pool increased significantly after the conversion from evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forest to intensively-managed forest (IMF). TOC, MBC and WSOC in the hickory forest soil decreased by 28.4%, 34.1% and 53.3% with 5-year intensive management, and by 38.6%, 48.9% and 64.1% with 20-year intensive management, respectively. The proportions of carboxyl C, phenolic C and aromatic C in the hickory forest soil all increased significantly, and the aromaticity of soil organic C increased by 23.0%. Soil microbial functional diversity decreased greatly af- ter intensive management of Chinese hickory forest. Significant differences in average well color development (AWCD) were found between the 0- and 5-year treatments and the 10-, 15- and 20- year treatments. The microbial diversity indexes (H) and evenness indexes (E) in the 0- and 5-year treatments were much greater than in the 10- and 20-year treatments. Correlation analysis showed that there were significant correlations among soil TOC, WSOC, MBC, AWCD, H and E.

A pilot study examining correlates of body image among women living with SCI.

PubMed

Bassett, R L; Martin Ginis, K A; Buchholz, A C

2009-06-01

Cross-sectional pilot study. To explore correlates of body image among women with spinal cord injury (SCI), within the framework of Cash's cognitive behavioral model of body image. Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Women with SCI (N=11, 64% with tetraplegia) reported their functional and appearance body image (Adult Body Satisfaction Questionnaire). A 3-day recall of leisure time physical activity (LTPA), three measures of body composition (that is, weight, waist circumference, body fat) and several demographic variables were assessed as potential correlates. Appearance satisfaction was negatively correlated with all three measures of body composition and positively correlated with years postinjury. Functional satisfaction was positively correlated with years postinjury, and negatively correlated with various LTPA variables. Functional and appearance body image may improve with time following SCI. Body composition may impact satisfaction with physical appearance for some women. The negative relationship between LTPA and functional satisfaction merits further examination, as functional dissatisfaction may motivate individuals to engage in certain types and intensities of LTPA. Correlates of body image differ between appearance and functional satisfaction. Future research should examine appearance and functional satisfaction separately among women with SCI.

Interference of Photons from a Weak Laser and a Quantum Dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritchie, David; Bennett, Anthony; Patel, Raj; Nicoll, Christine; Shields, Andrew

2010-03-01

We demonstrate two-photon interference from two unsynchronized sources operating via different physical processes [1]. One source is spontaneous emission from the X^- state of an electrically-driven InAs/GaAs single quantum dot with μeV linewidth, the other stimulated emission from a laser with a neV linewidth. We mix the emission from these sources on a balanced non-polarising beam splitter and measure correlations in the photons that exit using Si-avalanche photodiodes and a time-correlated counting card. By periodically switching the polarisation state of the weak laser we simultaneously measure the correlation for parallel and orthogonally polarised sources, corresponding to maximum and minimum degrees of interference. When the two sources have the same intensity, a reduction in the correlation function at time zero for the case of parallel photon sources clearly indicates this interference effect. To quantify the degree of interference, we develop a theory that predicts the correlation function. Data and experiment are then compared for a range of intensity ratios. Based on this analysis we infer a wave-function overlap of 91%, which is remarkable given the fundamental differences between the two sources. [1] Bennett A. J et al Nature Physics, 5, 715--717 (2009).

Parallel algorithm of VLBI software correlator under multiprocessor environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Weimin; Zhang, Dong

2007-11-01

The correlator is the key signal processing equipment of a Very Lone Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) synthetic aperture telescope. It receives the mass data collected by the VLBI observatories and produces the visibility function of the target, which can be used to spacecraft position, baseline length measurement, synthesis imaging, and other scientific applications. VLBI data correlation is a task of data intensive and computation intensive. This paper presents the algorithms of two parallel software correlators under multiprocessor environments. A near real-time correlator for spacecraft tracking adopts the pipelining and thread-parallel technology, and runs on the SMP (Symmetric Multiple Processor) servers. Another high speed prototype correlator using the mixed Pthreads and MPI (Massage Passing Interface) parallel algorithm is realized on a small Beowulf cluster platform. Both correlators have the characteristic of flexible structure, scalability, and with 10-station data correlating abilities.

Correlation singularities in partially coherent electromagnetic beams.

PubMed

Raghunathan, Shreyas B; Schouten, Hugo F; Visser, Taco D

2012-10-15

We demonstrate that coherence vortices, singularities of the correlation function, generally occur in partially coherent electromagnetic beams. In successive cross sections of Gaussian Schell-model beams, their locus is found to be a closed string. These coherence singularities have implications for both interference experiments and correlation of intensity fluctuation measurements performed with such beams.

Simulating superradiance from higher-order-intensity-correlation measurements: Single atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiegner, R.; Oppel, S.; Bhatti, D.; von Zanthier, J.; Agarwal, G. S.

2015-09-01

Superradiance typically requires preparation of atoms in highly entangled multiparticle states, the so-called Dicke states. In this paper we discuss an alternative route where we prepare such states from initially uncorrelated atoms by a measurement process. By measuring higher-order intensity-intensity correlations we demonstrate that we can simulate the emission characteristics of Dicke superradiance by starting with atoms in the fully excited state. We describe the essence of the scheme by first investigating two excited atoms. Here we demonstrate how via Hanbury Brown and Twiss type of measurements we can produce Dicke superradiance and subradiance displayed commonly with two atoms in the single excited symmetric and antisymmetric Dicke states, respectively. We thereafter generalize the scheme to arbitrary numbers of atoms and detectors, and explain in detail the mechanism which leads to this result. The approach shows that the Hanbury Brown and Twiss type of intensity interference and the phenomenon of Dicke superradiance can be regarded as two sides of the same coin. We also present a compact result for the characteristic functional which generates all order intensity-intensity correlations.

Extracting physical quantities from BES data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, Michael; Field, Anthony; Schekochihin, Alexander; van Wyk, Ferdinand; MAST Team

2015-11-01

We propose a method to extract the underlying physical properties of turbulence from measurements, thereby facilitating quantitative comparisons between theory and experiment. Beam Emission Spectroscopy (BES) diagnostics record fluctuating intensity time series, which are related to the density field in the plasma through Point-Spread Functions (PSFs). Assuming a suitable form for the correlation function of the underlying turbulence, analytical expressions are derived that relate the correlation parameters of the intensity field: the radial and poloidal correlation lengths and wavenumbers, the correlation time and the fluctuation amplitude, to the equivalent correlation properties of the density field. In many cases, the modification caused by the PSFs is substantial enough to change conclusions about physics. Our method is tested by applying PSFs to the ``real'' density field, generated by non-linear gyrokinetic simulations of MAST, to create synthetic turbulence data, from which the method successfully recovers the correlation function of the ``real'' density field. This method is applied to BES data from MAST to determine the scaling of the 2D structure of the ion-scale turbulence with equilibrium parameters, including the ExB flow shear. Work funded by the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under grant agreement No 633053 and from the RCUK Energy Programme [grant number EP/I501045].

Correlated peak relative light intensity and peak current in triggered lightning subsequent return strokes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Idone, V. P.; Orville, R. E.

1985-01-01

The correlation between peak relative light intensity L(R) and stroke peak current I(R) is examined for 39 subsequent return strokes in two triggered lightning flashes. One flash contained 19 strokes and the other 20 strokes for which direct measurements were available of the return stroke peak current at ground. Peak currents ranged from 1.6 to 21 kA. The measurements of peak relative light intensity were obtained from photographic streak recordings using calibrated film and microsecond resolution. Correlations, significant at better than the 0.1 percent level, were found for several functional relationships. Although a relation between L(R) and I(R) is evident in these data, none of the analytical relations considered is clearly favored. The correlation between L(R) and the maximum rate of current rise is also examined, but less correlation than between L(R) and I(R) is found. In addition, the peak relative intensity near ground is evaluated for 22 dart leaders, and a mean ratio of peak dart leader to peak return stroke relative light intensity was found to be 0.1 with a range of 0.02-0.23. Using two different methods, the peak current near ground in these dart leaders is estimated to range from 0.1 to 6 kA.

Velocity persistence of Brownian particles generated in a glow discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurd, Alan J.; Ho, Pauline

1989-06-01

Quasielastic light scattering from Brownian particles in the rarefied environment of a glow discharge exhibits Gaussianlike intensity correlation functions owing to the long mean free paths of the particles. The shape of the correlation function depends on the particles' average thermal velocity and friction coefficient, which can be related to aggregate mass and structure, and indicates a crossover from kinetic to hydrodynamic behavior.

The examinations of microorganisms by correlation optics method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilyi, Olexander I.

2004-06-01

In report described methods of correlation optics, which are based on the analysis of intensity changes of quasielastic light scattering by micro-organisms and allow the type of correlation function to obtain information about the size of dispersive particles. The principle of new optical method of verification is described. In this method the gauging of intensity of an indirect illumination is carried out by static spectroscopy and processing of observed data by a method of correlation spectroscopy. The given mode of gauging allows measuring allocation of micro-organisms in size interval of 0.1 - 10.0 microns. In the report results of examinations of cultures Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus lutteus, Lamprocystis and Triocapsa bacteriachlorofil are considered.

Reward, motivation, and emotion systems associated with early-stage intense romantic love.

PubMed

Aron, Arthur; Fisher, Helen; Mashek, Debra J; Strong, Greg; Li, Haifang; Brown, Lucy L

2005-07-01

Early-stage romantic love can induce euphoria, is a cross-cultural phenomenon, and is possibly a developed form of a mammalian drive to pursue preferred mates. It has an important influence on social behaviors that have reproductive and genetic consequences. To determine which reward and motivation systems may be involved, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging and studied 10 women and 7 men who were intensely "in love" from 1 to 17 mo. Participants alternately viewed a photograph of their beloved and a photograph of a familiar individual, interspersed with a distraction-attention task. Group activation specific to the beloved under the two control conditions occurred in dopamine-rich areas associated with mammalian reward and motivation, namely the right ventral tegmental area and the right postero-dorsal body and medial caudate nucleus. Activation in the left ventral tegmental area was correlated with facial attractiveness scores. Activation in the right anteromedial caudate was correlated with questionnaire scores that quantified intensity of romantic passion. In the left insula-putamen-globus pallidus, activation correlated with trait affect intensity. The results suggest that romantic love uses subcortical reward and motivation systems to focus on a specific individual, that limbic cortical regions process individual emotion factors, and that there is localization heterogeneity for reward functions in the human brain.

Photon correlation in single-photon frequency upconversion.

PubMed

Gu, Xiaorong; Huang, Kun; Pan, Haifeng; Wu, E; Zeng, Heping

2012-01-30

We experimentally investigated the intensity cross-correlation between the upconverted photons and the unconverted photons in the single-photon frequency upconversion process with multi-longitudinal mode pump and signal sources. In theoretical analysis, with this multi-longitudinal mode of both signal and pump sources system, the properties of the signal photons could also be maintained as in the single-mode frequency upconversion system. Experimentally, based on the conversion efficiency of 80.5%, the joint probability of simultaneously detecting at upconverted and unconverted photons showed an anti-correlation as a function of conversion efficiency which indicated the upconverted photons were one-to-one from the signal photons. While due to the coherent state of the signal photons, the intensity cross-correlation function g(2)(0) was shown to be equal to unity at any conversion efficiency, agreeing with the theoretical prediction. This study will benefit the high-speed wavelength-tunable quantum state translation or photonic quantum interface together with the mature frequency tuning or longitudinal mode selection techniques.

Diastolic Backward-Traveling Decompression (Suction) Wave Correlates With Simultaneously Acquired Indices of Diastolic Function and Is Reduced in Left Ventricular Stunning.

PubMed

Ladwiniec, Andrew; White, Paul A; Nijjer, Sukhjinder S; O'Sullivan, Michael; West, Nick E J; Davies, Justin E; Hoole, Stephen P

2016-09-01

Wave intensity analysis can distinguish proximal (propulsion) and distal (suction) influences on coronary blood flow and is purported to reflect myocardial performance and microvascular function. Quantifying the amplitude of the peak, backwards expansion wave (BEW) may have clinical utility. However, simultaneously acquired wave intensity analysis and left ventricular (LV) pressure-volume loop data, confirming the origin and effect of myocardial function on the BEW in humans, have not been previously reported. Patients with single-vessel left anterior descending coronary disease and normal ventricular function (n=13) were recruited prospectively. We simultaneously measured LV function with a conductance catheter and derived wave intensity analysis using a pressure-low velocity guidewire at baseline and again 30 minutes after a 1-minute coronary balloon occlusion. The peak BEW correlated with the indices of diastolic LV function: LV dP/dtmin (rs=-0.59; P=0.002) and τ (rs=-0.59; P=0.002), but not with systolic function. In 12 patients with paired measurements 30 minutes post balloon occlusion, LV dP/dtmax decreased from 1437.1±163.9 to 1299.4±152.9 mm Hg/s (median difference, -110.4 [-183.3 to -70.4]; P=0.015) and τ increased from 48.3±7.4 to 52.4±7.9 ms (difference, 4.1 [1.3-6.9]; P=0.01), but basal average peak coronary flow velocity was unchanged, indicating LV stunning post balloon occlusion. However, the peak BEW amplitude decreased from -9.95±5.45 W·m(-2)/s(2)×10(5) to -7.52±5.00 W·m(-2)/s(2)×10(5) (difference 2.43×10(5) [0.20×10(5) to 4.67×10(5); P=0.04]). Peak BEW assessed by coronary wave intensity analysis correlates with invasive indices of LV diastolic function and mirrors changes in LV diastolic function confirming the origin of the suction wave. This may have implications for physiological lesion assessment after percutaneous coronary intervention. URL: http://www.isrctn.org. Unique identifier: ISRCTN42864201. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Univariate and multivariate molecular spectral analyses of lipid related molecular structural components in relation to nutrient profile in feed and food mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abeysekara, Saman; Damiran, Daalkhaijav; Yu, Peiqiang

2013-02-01

The objectives of this study were (i) to determine lipid related molecular structures components (functional groups) in feed combination of cereal grain (barley, Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) based dried distillers grain solubles (wheat DDGSs) from bioethanol processing at five different combination ratios using univariate and multivariate molecular spectral analyses with infrared Fourier transform molecular spectroscopy, and (ii) to correlate lipid-related molecular-functional structure spectral profile to nutrient profiles. The spectral intensity of (i) CH3 asymmetric, CH2 asymmetric, CH3 symmetric and CH2 symmetric groups, (ii) unsaturation (Cdbnd C) group, and (iii) carbonyl ester (Cdbnd O) group were determined. Spectral differences of functional groups were detected by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal components analysis (PCA). The results showed that the combination treatments significantly inflicted modifications (P < 0.05) in nutrient profile and lipid related molecular spectral intensity (CH2 asymmetric stretching peak height, CH2 symmetric stretching peak height, ratio of CH2 to CH3 symmetric stretching peak intensity, and carbonyl peak area). Ratio of CH2 to CH3 symmetric stretching peak intensity, and carbonyl peak significantly correlated with nutrient profiles. Both PCA and HCA differentiated lipid-related spectrum. In conclusion, the changes of lipid molecular structure spectral profiles through feed combination could be detected using molecular spectroscopy. These changes were associated with nutrient profiles and functionality.

Time-dependent density-functional theory with optimized effective potential and self-interaction correction and derivative discontinuity for the treatment of double ionization of He and Be atoms in intense laser fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heslar, John; Telnov, Dmitry A.; Chu, Shih-I.

2013-05-01

We present a self-interaction-free time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) for the treatment of double-ionization processes of many-electron systems. The method is based on the extension of the Krieger-Li-Iafrate (KLI) treatment of the optimized effective potential (OEP) theory and the incorporation of an explicit self-interaction correction (SIC) term. In the framework of the time-dependent density functional theory, we have performed three-dimensional (3D) calculations of double ionization of He and Be atoms by intense near-infrared laser fields. We make use of the exchange-correlation potential with the integer discontinuity which improves the description of the double-ionization process. We found that a proper description of the double ionization requires the TDDFT exchange-correlation potential with the discontinuity with respect to the variation of the total particle number (TPN). The results for the intensity-dependent rates of double ionization of He and Be atoms are presented.

Correlation of hard X-ray and type 3 bursts in solar flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petrosian, V.; Leach, J.

1982-01-01

Correlations between X-ray and type 3 radio emission of solar bursts are described through a bivariate distribution function. Procedures for determining the form of this distribution are described. A model is constructed to explain the correlation between the X-ray spectral index and the ratio of X-ray to radio intensities. Implications of the model are discussed.

N-Ω Interaction from High-Energy Heavy Ion Collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morita, Kenji; Ohnishi, Akira; Hatsuda, Tetsuo

We discuss possible observation of the N-Ω interaction from intensity correlation function in high energy heavy ion collisions. Recently a lattice QCD simulation by the HAL QCD collaboration predicts the existence of a N-Ω bound state in the 5S2 channel. We adopt the N-Ω interaction potential obtained by the lattice simulation and use it to calculate the N-Ω correlation function. We also study the variation of the correlation function with respect to the change of the binding energy and scattering parameters. Our result indicates that heavy ion collisions at RHIC and LHC may provide information on the possible existence of the N-Ω dibaryon.

Effects of cross correlation on the relaxation time of a bistable system driven by cross-correlated noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, Dongcheng; Xie, Chongwei; Zhang, Li

2003-11-01

We study the effects of correlations between additive and multiplicative noise on relaxation time in a bistable system driven by cross-correlated noise. Using the projection-operator method, we derived an analytic expression for the relaxation time Tc of the system, which is the function of additive (α) and multiplicative (D) noise intensities, correlation intensity λ of noise, and correlation time τ of noise. After introducing a noise intensity ratio and a dimensionless parameter R=D/α, and then performing numerical computations, we find the following: (i) For the case of R<1, the relaxation time Tc increases as R increases. (ii) For the cases of R⩾1, there is a one-peak structure on the Tc-R plot and the effects of cross-correlated noise on the relaxation time are very notable. (iii) For the case of R<1, Tc almost does not change with both λ and τ, and for the cases of R⩾1, Tc decreases as λ increases, however Tc increases as τ increases. λ and τ play opposite roles in Tc, i.e., λ enhances the fluctuation decay of dynamical variable and τ slows down the fluctuation decay of dynamical variable.

Data transformation methods for multiplexed assays

DOEpatents

Tammero, Lance F. Bentley; Dzenitis, John M; Hindson, Benjamin J

2013-07-23

Methods to improve the performance of an array assay are described. A correlation between fluorescence intensity-related parameters and negative control values of the assay is determined. The parameters are then adjusted as a function of the correlation. As a result, sensitivity of the assay is improved without changes in its specificity.

Most efficient questionnaires to measure quality of life, physical function, and pain in patients with metastatic spine disease: a cross-sectional prospective survey study.

PubMed

Paulino Pereira, Nuno Rui; Janssen, Stein J; Raskin, Kevin A; Hornicek, Francis J; Ferrone, Marco L; Shin, John H; Bramer, Jos A M; van Dijk, Cornelis Nicolaas; Schwab, Joseph H

2017-07-01

Assessing quality of life, functional outcome, and pain has become important in assessing the effectiveness of treatment for metastatic spine disease. Many questionnaires are able to measure these outcomes; few are validated in patients with metastatic spine disease. As a result, there is no consensus on the ideal questionnaire to use in these patients. Our study aim was to assess whether certain questionnaires measuring quality of life, functional outcome, and pain (1) correlated with each other, (2) measured the construct they claim to measure, (3) had good coverage-floor and ceiling effects, (4) were reliable, and (5) whether there were differences in completion time between them. This is a prospective cross-sectional survey study from three outpatient clinics (two orthopedic oncology clinics and one neurosurgery clinic) from two affiliated tertiary hospital care centers. We included 100 consecutive patients with metastatic spine disease between July 2014 and February 2016. We excluded non-English-speaking patients. The following questionnaires were given in random order: Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) or Neck Disability Index (NDI), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function, PROMIS Pain Intensity, EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), and the Spine Oncology Study Group Outcome Questionnaire (SOSG-OQ). We used exploratory factor analysis-correlating questionnaires with an underlying mathematically derived trait-to assess if questionnaires measured the same concept. Coverage was assessed by floor and ceiling effects, and reliability was assessed by standard error of measurement as a function of ability. Differences in completion times were tested using the Friedman test. Questionnaires measured the construct they were developed for, as demonstrated with high correlations (>0.7) with the underlying trait. A floor effect was present in the PROMIS Pain Intensity (7.0%), ODI or NDI (4.0%), and the PROMIS Physical Function (1.0%) questionnaires. A ceiling effect was present in the EQ-5D questionnaire (6.0%). The SOSG-OQ had no floor or ceiling effect. The PROMIS Physical Function and PROMIS Pain Intensity proved to be the most reliable, whereas the EQ-5D was the least reliable. Completion time differed among questionnaires (p<.001) and was shortest for the PROMIS Pain Intensity (median 24 seconds) and PROMIS Physical Function (median 42 seconds). In patients with metastatic spine disease, we recommend the SOSG-OQ for measuring quality of life, the PROMIS Physical Function for measuring physical function, and the PROMIS Pain Intensity for measuring pain. Published by Elsevier Inc.

3D radiation belt diffusion model results using new empirical models of whistler chorus and hiss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, G.; Chen, Y.; Henderson, M. G.; Reeves, G. D.; Tu, W.

2012-12-01

3D diffusion codes model the energization, radial transport, and pitch angle scattering due to wave-particle interactions. Diffusion codes are powerful but are limited by the lack of knowledge of the spatial & temporal distribution of waves that drive the interactions for a specific event. We present results from the 3D DREAM model using diffusion coefficients driven by new, activity-dependent, statistical models of chorus and hiss waves. Most 3D codes parameterize the diffusion coefficients or wave amplitudes as functions of magnetic activity indices like Kp, AE, or Dst. These functional representations produce the average value of the wave intensities for a given level of magnetic activity; however, the variability of the wave population at a given activity level is lost with such a representation. Our 3D code makes use of the full sample distributions contained in a set of empirical wave databases (one database for each wave type, including plasmaspheric hiss, lower and upper hand chorus) that were recently produced by our team using CRRES and THEMIS observations. The wave databases store the full probability distribution of observed wave intensity binned by AE, MLT, MLAT and L*. In this presentation, we show results that make use of the wave intensity sample probability distributions for lower-band and upper-band chorus by sampling the distributions stochastically during a representative CRRES-era storm. The sampling of the wave intensity probability distributions produces a collection of possible evolutions of the phase space density, which quantifies the uncertainty in the model predictions caused by the uncertainty of the chorus wave amplitudes for a specific event. A significant issue is the determination of an appropriate model for the spatio-temporal correlations of the wave intensities, since the diffusion coefficients are computed as spatio-temporal averages of the waves over MLT, MLAT and L*. The spatiotemporal correlations cannot be inferred from the wave databases. In this study we use a temporal correlation of ~1 hour for the sampled wave intensities that is informed by the observed autocorrelation in the AE index, a spatial correlation length of ~100 km in the two directions perpendicular to the magnetic field, and a spatial correlation length of 5000 km in the direction parallel to the magnetic field, according to the work of Santolik et al (2003), who used multi-spacecraft measurements from Cluster to quantify the correlation length scales for equatorial chorus . We find that, despite the small correlation length scale for chorus, there remains significant variability in the model outcomes driven by variability in the chorus wave intensities.

Family accommodation of anxiety symptoms in youth undergoing intensive multimodal treatment for anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder: Nature, clinical correlates, and treatment response.

PubMed

La Buissonnière-Ariza, Valérie; Schneider, Sophie C; Højgaard, Davíð; Kay, Brian C; Riemann, Bradley C; Eken, Stephanie C; Lake, Peter; Nadeau, Joshua M; Storch, Eric A

2018-01-01

Family accommodation is associated with a range of clinical features including symptom severity, functional impairment, and treatment response. However, most previous studies in children and adolescents investigated family accommodation in samples of youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or anxiety disorders receiving non-intensive outpatient services. In this study, we aimed to investigate family accommodation of anxiety symptoms in a sample of youth with clinical anxiety levels undergoing an intensive multimodal intervention for anxiety disorders or OCD. We first assessed the internal consistency of the Family Accommodation Scale - Anxiety (FASA). We next examined family accommodation presentation and correlates. The FASA showed high internal consistency for all subscales and total score, and good item and subscale correlations with the total score. All parents reported at least mild accommodation, and the mean levels of family accommodation were particularly high. Child age, anxiety severity, and comorbid depressive symptoms predicted baseline accommodation. However, the association between anxiety severity and family accommodation no longer remained significant after adding the other factors to the model. In addition, family accommodation partially mediated the relationship between anxiety severity and functional impairment. Finally, post-treatment changes in family accommodation predicted changes in symptom severity and functional impairment. These findings suggest the FASA is an appropriate tool to assess family accommodation in intensive treatment samples. Further, they underline the importance of addressing family accommodation in this population given the particularly high levels of accommodating behaviors and the evidence for adverse outcomes associated with this feature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Relationship between Executive Functioning, Central Coherence, and Repetitive Behaviors in the High-Functioning Autism Spectrum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South, Mikle; Ozonoff, Sally; McMahon, William M.

2007-01-01

This study examined the relationship between everyday repetitive behavior (primary symptoms of autism) and performance on neuropsychological tests of executive function and central coherence (secondary symptoms). It was hypothesized that the frequency and intensity of repetitive behavior would be positively correlated with laboratory measures of…

Accuracy of RGD approximation for computing light scattering properties of diffusing and motile bacteria. [Rayleigh-Gans-Debye

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kottarchyk, M.; Chen, S.-H.; Asano, S.

1979-01-01

The study tests the accuracy of the Rayleigh-Gans-Debye (RGD) approximation against a rigorous scattering theory calculation for a simplified model of E. coli (about 1 micron in size) - a solid spheroid. A general procedure is formulated whereby the scattered field amplitude correlation function, for both polarized and depolarized contributions, can be computed for a collection of particles. An explicit formula is presented for the scattered intensity, both polarized and depolarized, for a collection of randomly diffusing or moving particles. Two specific cases for the intermediate scattering functions are considered: diffusing particles and freely moving particles with a Maxwellian speed distribution. The formalism is applied to microorganisms suspended in a liquid medium. Sensitivity studies revealed that for values of the relative index of refraction greater than 1.03, RGD could be in serious error in computing the intensity as well as correlation functions.

Predictors of Upper-Extremity Physical Function in Older Adults.

PubMed

Hermanussen, Hugo H; Menendez, Mariano E; Chen, Neal C; Ring, David; Vranceanu, Ana-Maria

2016-10-01

Little is known about the influence of habitual participation in physical exercise and diet on upper-extremity physical function in older adults. To assess the relationship of general physical exercise and diet to upper-extremity physical function and pain intensity in older adults. A cohort of 111 patients 50 or older completed a sociodemographic survey, the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA), an 11-point ordinal pain intensity scale, a Mediterranean diet questionnaire, and three Patient- Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) based questionnaires: Pain Interference to measure inability to engage in activities due to pain, Upper-Extremity Physical Function, and Depression. Multivariable linear regression modeling was used to characterize the association of physical activity, diet, depression, and pain interference to pain intensity and upper-extremity function. Higher general physical activity was associated with higher PROMIS Upper-Extremity Physical Function and lower pain intensity in bivariate analyses. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet did not correlate with PROMIS Upper-Extremity Physical Function or pain intensity in bivariate analysis. In multivariable analyses factors associated with higher PROMIS Upper-Extremity Physical Function were male sex, non-traumatic diagnosis and PROMIS Pain Interference, with the latter accounting for most of the observed variability (37%). Factors associated with greater pain intensity in multivariable analyses included fewer years of education and higher PROMIS Pain Interference. General physical activity and diet do not seem to be as strongly or directly associated with upper-extremity physical function as pain interference.

Coronary wave energy: a novel predictor of functional recovery after myocardial infarction.

PubMed

De Silva, Kalpa; Foster, Paul; Guilcher, Antoine; Bandara, Asela; Jogiya, Roy; Lockie, Tim; Chowiencyzk, Phil; Nagel, Eike; Marber, Michael; Redwood, Simon; Plein, Sven; Perera, Divaka

2013-04-01

Revascularization after acute coronary syndromes provides prognostic benefit, provided that the subtended myocardium is viable. The microcirculation and contractility of the subtended myocardium affect propagation of coronary flow, which can be characterized by wave intensity analysis. The study objective was to determine in acute coronary syndromes whether early wave intensity analysis-derived microcirculatory (backward) expansion wave energy predicts late viability, defined by functional recovery. Thirty-one patients (58±11 years) were enrolled after non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. Regional left ventricular function and late-gadolinium enhancement were assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, before and 3 months after revascularization. The backward-traveling (microcirculatory) expansion wave was derived from wave intensity analysis of phasic coronary pressure and velocity in the infarct-related artery, whereas mean values were used to calculate hyperemic microvascular resistance. Twelve-hour troponin T, left ventricular ejection fraction, and percentage late-gadolinium enhancement mass were 1.35±1.21 µg/L, 56±11%, and 8.4±6.0%, respectively. The infarct-related artery backward-traveling (microcirculatory) expansion wave was inversely correlated with late-gadolinium enhancement infarct mass (r=-0.81; P<0.0001) and strongly predicted regional left ventricular recovery (r=0.68; P=0.001). By receiver operating characteristic analysis, a backward-traveling (microcirculatory) expansion wave threshold of 2.8 W m(-2) s(-2)×10(5) predicted functional recovery with sensitivity and specificity of 0.91 and 0.82 (AUC 0.88). Hyperemic microvascular resistance correlated with late-gadolinium enhancement mass (r=0.48; P=0.03) but not left ventricular recovery (r=-0.34; P=0.07). The microcirculation-derived backward expansion wave is a new index that correlates with the magnitude and location of infarction, which may allow for the prediction of functional myocardial recovery. Coronary wave intensity analysis may facilitate myocardial viability assessment during cardiac catheterization.

[Correlations between functional activity of animal blood lymphocytes and change in solar activity].

PubMed

Karnaukhova, N A; Sergievich, L A

1999-01-01

It is shown that increase of Solar activity as measurement of the intensity of solar radio emissions at frequency of 2804 MHz leads to the reducing of the functional activity of immunocompetent cells in animal blood defining by parameter alpha.

Neural Mechanisms of Grief Regulation

PubMed Central

Freed, Peter J.; Yanagihara, Ted K.; Hirsch, Joy; Mann, J. John

2009-01-01

Background: The death of an attachment figure triggers intrusive thoughts of the deceased, sadness, and yearning for reunion. Recovery requires reduction of symptoms. We hypothesized that symptoms might correlate with a capacity to regulate attention toward reminders of the deceased, and activity in, and functional connectivity between, prefrontal regulatory regions and the amygdala. Methods: Twenty recently bereaved subjects rated intrusive thoughts of the deceased versus a capacity to avoid thoughts (grief style). Reaction time was measured while subjects completed an Emotional Stroop (ES) task contrasting deceased-related with control words during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Subjects subsequently visualized the death of the deceased and rated induced emotions. Results: Subjects demonstrated attentional bias toward deceased-related words. Bias magnitude correlated with amygdala, insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity. Amygdala activity predicted induced sadness intensity. A double dissociation between grief style and both prefrontal and amygdala subregion activity was found. Intrusiveness correlated with activation of ventral amygdala and rostral anterior cingulate (rACC); avoidance correlated with deactivation of dorsal amygdala and DLPFC. A double dissociation between regulatory region and task-dependent functional connectivity (FC) was found. High DLPFC-amygdala FC correlated with reduced attentional bias, while low rACC-amygdala FC predicted sadness intensity. Conclusions: Results are consistent with a model in which activity in and functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal regulatory regions indexes differences in mourners' regulation of attention and sadness during pangs of grief, and may be used to distinguish between clinically relevant differences in grief style. PMID:19249748

Age Moderates the Relationships between Family Functioning and Neck Pain/Disability

PubMed Central

Guzy, Grażyna; Polczyk, Romuald; Szpitalak, Malwina; Vernon, Howard

2016-01-01

This cross-sectional clinical study was designed to explore the relationships between family functioning, coping styles, and neck pain and neck disability. It was hypothesized that better family functioning and more effective coping styles would be associated with less pain and pain-related disability. It also was hypothesized that these relationships would be stronger in older people because they have fewer resources, more limited coping styles, and may depend more on their family for support. In this study, 88 women with chronic non-traumatic neck pain completed the Family Assessment Measure (FAM), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and a Visual-Analogue Scale (VAS) measuring the subjective intensity of neck pain. Zero-order and partial correlations and hierarchical stepwise regression were performed. CISS was not correlated with the NDI orVAS. Good family functioning was correlated with lower NDI and VAS scores. Age was found to moderate the relationship between the FAM and both NDI and VAS. This relationship was significant and positive in older patients, but non-significant in younger patients. It was concluded that better family functioning is associated with lower neck disability and pain intensity, especially in the case of older women suffering from non-traumatic neck pain. PMID:27078854

Experimental determination of turbulence in a GH2-GOX rocket combustion chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tou, P.; Russell, R.; Ohara, J.

1974-01-01

The intensity of turbulence and the Lagrangian correlation coefficient for a gaseous rocket combustion chamber have been determined from the experimental measurements of the tracer gas diffusion. A combination of Taylor's turbulent diffusion theory and Spalding's numerical method for solving the conservation equations of fluid mechanics was used to calculate these quantities. Taylor's theory was extended to consider the inhomogeneity of the turbulence field in the axial direction of the combustion chamber. An exponential function was used to represent the Lagrangian correlation coefficient. The results indicate that the maximum value of the intensity of turbulence is about 15% and the Lagrangian correlation coefficient drops to about 0.12 in one inch of the chamber length.

On the effect of velocity gradients on the depth of correlation in μPIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustin, B.; Stoeber, B.

2016-03-01

The present work revisits the effect of velocity gradients on the depth of the measurement volume (depth of correlation) in microscopic particle image velocimetry (μPIV). General relations between the μPIV weighting functions and the local correlation function are derived from the original definition of the weighting functions. These relations are used to investigate under which circumstances the weighting functions are related to the curvature of the local correlation function. Furthermore, this work proposes a modified definition of the depth of correlation that leads to more realistic results than previous definitions for the case when flow gradients are taken into account. Dimensionless parameters suitable to describe the effect of velocity gradients on μPIV cross correlation are derived and visual interpretations of these parameters are proposed. We then investigate the effect of the dimensionless parameters on the weighting functions and the depth of correlation for different flow fields with spatially constant flow gradients and with spatially varying gradients. Finally this work demonstrates that the results and dimensionless parameters are not strictly bound to a certain model for particle image intensity distributions but are also meaningful when other models for particle images are used.

Univariate and multivariate molecular spectral analyses of lipid related molecular structural components in relation to nutrient profile in feed and food mixtures.

PubMed

Abeysekara, Saman; Damiran, Daalkhaijav; Yu, Peiqiang

2013-02-01

The objectives of this study were (i) to determine lipid related molecular structures components (functional groups) in feed combination of cereal grain (barley, Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) based dried distillers grain solubles (wheat DDGSs) from bioethanol processing at five different combination ratios using univariate and multivariate molecular spectral analyses with infrared Fourier transform molecular spectroscopy, and (ii) to correlate lipid-related molecular-functional structure spectral profile to nutrient profiles. The spectral intensity of (i) CH(3) asymmetric, CH(2) asymmetric, CH(3) symmetric and CH(2) symmetric groups, (ii) unsaturation (CC) group, and (iii) carbonyl ester (CO) group were determined. Spectral differences of functional groups were detected by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal components analysis (PCA). The results showed that the combination treatments significantly inflicted modifications (P<0.05) in nutrient profile and lipid related molecular spectral intensity (CH(2) asymmetric stretching peak height, CH(2) symmetric stretching peak height, ratio of CH(2) to CH(3) symmetric stretching peak intensity, and carbonyl peak area). Ratio of CH(2) to CH(3) symmetric stretching peak intensity, and carbonyl peak significantly correlated with nutrient profiles. Both PCA and HCA differentiated lipid-related spectrum. In conclusion, the changes of lipid molecular structure spectral profiles through feed combination could be detected using molecular spectroscopy. These changes were associated with nutrient profiles and functionality. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring fatigue in people living with HIV/AIDS: psychometric characteristics of the HIV-Related Fatigue Scale

PubMed Central

BW, Pence; Barroso, J.; Leserman, J.; Harmon, J.L.; Salahuddin, N.

2008-01-01

In the era of life-prolonging antiretroviral therapy, chronic fatigue is one of the most prevalent and disabling symptoms of people living with HIV/AIDS, yet its measurement remains challenging. No instruments have been developed specifically to describe HIV-related fatigue. We assessed the reliability and construct validity of the HIV-Related Fatigue Scale (HRFS), a 56-item self-report instrument developed through formative qualitative research and designed to measure the intensity and consequences of fatigue as well as the circumstances surrounding fatigue in people living with HIV. The HRFS has three main scales, which measure fatigue intensity, the responsiveness of fatigue to circumstances and fatigue-related impairment of functioning. The functioning scale can be further divided into subscales measuring impairment of activities of daily living, impairment of mental functioning and impairment of social functioning. Each scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha=0.93, 0.91 and 0.97 for the intensity, responsiveness and functioning scales, respectively). The HRFS scales also demonstrated satisfactory convergent validity when compared to other fatigue measures. HIV-Related Fatigue Scales were moderately correlated with quality of nighttime sleep (rho = 0.46, 0.47 and 0.35) but showed only weak correlations with daytime sleepiness (rho = 0.20, 0.33 and 0.18). The scales were also moderately correlated with general mental and physical health as measured by the SF-36 Health Survey (rho ranged from 0.30 to 0.68 across the 8 SF-36 subscales with most >0.40). The HRFS is a promising tool to help facilitate research on the prevalence, etiology and consequences of fatigue in people living with HIV. PMID:18608084

Measuring fatigue in people living with HIV/AIDS: psychometric characteristics of the HIV-related fatigue scale.

PubMed

Pence, B W; Barroso, J; Leserman, J; Harmon, J L; Salahuddin, N

2008-08-01

In the era of life-prolonging antiretroviral therapy, chronic fatigue is one of the most prevalent and disabling symptoms of people living with HIV/AIDS, yet its measurement remains challenging. No instruments have been developed specifically to describe HIV-related fatigue. We assessed the reliability and construct validity of the HIV-Related Fatigue Scale (HRFS), a 56-item self-report instrument developed through formative qualitative research and designed to measure the intensity and consequences of fatigue as well as the circumstances surrounding fatigue in people living with HIV. The HRFS has three main scales, which measure fatigue intensity, the responsiveness of fatigue to circumstances and fatigue-related impairment of functioning. The functioning scale can be further divided into subscales measuring impairment of activities of daily living, impairment of mental functioning and impairment of social functioning. Each scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.93, 0.91 and 0.97 for the intensity, responsiveness and functioning scales, respectively). The HRFS scales also demonstrated satisfactory convergent validity when compared to other fatigue measures. HIV-Related Fatigue Scales were moderately correlated with quality of nighttime sleep (rho=0.46, 0.47 and 0.35) but showed only weak correlations with daytime sleepiness (rho=0.20, 0.33 and 0.18). The scales were also moderately correlated with general mental and physical health as measured by the SF-36 Health Survey (rho ranged from 0.30 to 0.68 across the 8 SF-36 subscales with most >0.40). The HRFS is a promising tool to help facilitate research on the prevalence, etiology and consequences of fatigue in people living with HIV.

Long-term effect of surface light scattering and glistenings of intraocular lenses on visual function.

PubMed

Hayashi, Ken; Hirata, Akira; Yoshida, Motoaki; Yoshimura, Koichi; Hayashi, Hideyuki

2012-08-01

To investigate the long-term effect of surface light scattering and glistenings of various intraocular lenses (IOLs) on visual function and optical aberrations after cataract surgery. Case-control study. Thirty-five eyes that underwent implantation of a hydrophobic acrylic, silicone, or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) IOL more than 10 years ago were recruited. The scattering light intensity of the surface and internal matrix of the optic was measured using Scheimpflug photography. Visual acuity (VA) was measured using VA charts, and contrast VA and that with glare (glare VA) were examined using a contrast sensitivity tester. Ocular higher-order aberrations (HOAs) were measured using a Hartmann-Shack aberrometer. Mean scattering light intensity of the surface and internal matrix of the optic was significantly higher in the acrylic group than in the silicone and PMMA groups (P < .0001). Mean uncorrected VA, photopic and mesopic contrast VA and glare VA, and HOAs did not differ significantly among groups, although mean corrected VA in the acrylic group was significantly better than that in the other groups (P = .0023). Scattering light intensity of the surface and internal matrix did not correlate with VA, contrast VA, or glare VA, and did not correlate with ocular and internal optic HOAs in the acrylic group. At more than 10 years postoperatively, visual function, including contrast sensitivity, and ocular HOAs were comparable among eyes that received acrylic, silicone, and PMMA IOLs. Surface scattering and glistenings with the acrylic IOLs were not significantly correlated with visual function and optical aberrations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Robust mosiacs of close-range high-resolution images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Ran; Szymanski, John E.

2008-03-01

This paper presents a robust algorithm which relies only on the information contained within the captured images for the construction of massive composite mosaic images from close-range and high-resolution originals, such as those obtained when imaging architectural and heritage structures. We first apply Harris algorithm to extract a selection of corners and, then, employ both the intensity correlation and the spatial correlation between the corresponding corners for matching them. Then we estimate the eight-parameter projective transformation matrix by the genetic algorithm. Lastly, image fusion using a weighted blending function together with intensity compensation produces an effective seamless mosaic image.

Theoretical Calculation of the Power Spectra of the Rolling and Yawing Moments on a Wing in Random Turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eggleston, John M; Diederich, Franklin W

1957-01-01

The correlation functions and power spectra of the rolling and yawing moments on an airplane wing due to the three components of continuous random turbulence are calculated. The rolling moments to the longitudinal (horizontal) and normal (vertical) components depend on the spanwise distributions of instantaneous gust intensity, which are taken into account by using the inherent properties of symmetry of isotropic turbulence. The results consist of expressions for correlation functions or spectra of the rolling moment in terms of the point correlation functions of the two components of turbulence. Specific numerical calculations are made for a pair of correlation functions given by simple analytic expressions which fit available experimental data quite well. Calculations are made for four lift distributions. Comparison is made with the results of previous analyses which assumed random turbulence along the flight path and linear variations of gust velocity across the span.

Dynamics in the solar chromosphere as a function of the magnetic field topology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karlsen, N.; Carlsson, M.

2002-06-01

We have looked at the coupling between the magnetic field and chromospheric dynamics. Observations with the SUMER spectrograph of the continuum radiation at 1319 Å have been correlated with simultaneous MDI magnetograms and dopplergrams in high resolution mode. We have used 7 different observing runs for our analysis, all from 1996. The absolute value of the magnetic field crossing the SUMER slit lies in the range 0-100 gauss. We observe a correlation between continuum intensity and magnetic field strength all the way to the sensitivity limit of MDI (about 2 G as 3σ in the mean value). Relative intensity fluctuations at frequencies corresponding to propagating acoustic waves (>4.5 mHz) have smaller amplitudes with increasing radiation temperature (or magnetic field strength). The absolute intensity fluctuations show an increase with increasing radiation temperature. These findings are consistent with a picture where a basic intensity level is set by a magnetic heating process even in the darkest internetwork areas with superimposed intensity variations caused by acoustic waves.

Provoked Vestibulodynia: Does Pain Intensity Correlate With Sexual Dysfunction and Dissatisfaction?

PubMed

Aerts, Leen; Bergeron, Sophie; Pukall, Caroline F; Khalifé, Samir

2016-06-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is suspected to be the most frequent cause of vulvodynia in premenopausal women. Previous research has been inconclusive as to whether higher vulvovaginal pain ratings are associated with lower sexual function and satisfaction in women with PVD. Whether pain intensity correlates with sexual impairment is an important question given its implications for treatment recommendations. To examine the associations among self-reported and objective pain measurements, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction in a large combined clinical and community sample of premenopausal women diagnosed with PVD. Ninety-eight women with PVD underwent a cotton-swab test, a vestibular friction pain measurement, and a vestibular pressure-pain threshold measurement. In addition to sociodemographics, participants completed measurements of pain, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction. Self-report measurements were the pain numerical rating scale (0-10), the McGill-Melzack Pain Questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index, and the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction. Objective measurements were pain during a cotton-swab test, pain during a vestibular friction procedure, and the vestibular pressure-pain threshold measurement. Age and relationship duration were significantly correlated with the Female Sexual Function Index total score (r = -0.31, P < .01; and r = -0.22, P < .05, respectively). When controlling for age, intercourse-related pain intensity, pain during the cotton-swab test, pain during vestibular friction, the vestibular pressure-pain threshold, and the McGill-Melzack Pain Questionnaire sensory and affective subscale scores were not significantly associated with sexual function and satisfaction in women with PVD. The findings show that in women with PVD, self-report and objective pain ratings are not associated with sexual function and satisfaction. The results support the biopsychosocial nature of PVD and underscore the importance of a patient-focused multidisciplinary treatment approach for PVD. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamical photoionization observables of the CS molecule: The role of electron correlation

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

Ponzi, Aurora; Coriani, Sonia; Decleva, Piero

2014-05-28

Highly correlated calculations are performed on the primary ionic states and the prominent satellite present in the outer valence photoelectron spectrum of carbon monosulfide (CS). Dyson orbitals are coupled to accurate one particle continuum orbitals to provide a correlated description of energy dependent cross sections, asymmetry parameters, branching ratios, and molecular frame photoelectron angular distributions. The comparison with results obtained at the Hartree-Fock and Density Functional Theory level shows the strong sensitivity of these observables to details of the correlation in the bound states. The behaviour of the well characterized satellite state is analyzed in detail, and shows differences frommore » the relevant primary states, revealing the limitations of a simple intensity borrowing mechanism. The results resolve the intensity disagreement with experiment obtained at the level of the sudden approximation.« less

Sex differences in the neural correlates of affective experience

PubMed Central

Moriguchi, Yoshiya; Touroutoglou, Alexandra; Dickerson, Bradford C.

2014-01-01

People believe that women are more emotionally intense than men, but the scientific evidence is equivocal. In this study, we tested the novel hypothesis that men and women differ in the neural correlates of affective experience, rather than in the intensity of neural activity, with women being more internally (interoceptively) focused and men being more externally (visually) focused. Adult men (n = 17) and women (n = 17) completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging study while viewing affectively potent images and rating their moment-to-moment feelings of subjective arousal. We found that men and women do not differ overall in their intensity of moment-to-moment affective experiences when viewing evocative images, but instead, as predicted, women showed a greater association between the momentary arousal ratings and neural responses in the anterior insula cortex, which represents bodily sensations, whereas men showed stronger correlations between their momentary arousal ratings and neural responses in the visual cortex. Men also showed enhanced functional connectivity between the dorsal anterior insula cortex and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, which constitutes the circuitry involved with regulating shifts of attention to the world. These results demonstrate that the same affective experience is realized differently in different people, such that women’s feelings are relatively more self-focused, whereas men’s feelings are relatively more world-focused. PMID:23596188

Multiphoton correlations in parametric down-conversion and their measurement in the pulsed regime

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

Ivanova, O A; Iskhakov, T Sh; Penin, A N

2006-10-31

We consider normalised intensity correlation functions (CFs) of different orders for light emitted via parametric down-conversion (PDC) and their dependence on the number of photons per mode. The main problem in measuring such correlation functions is their extremely small width, which considerably reduces their contrast. It is shown that if the radiation under study is modulated by a periodic sequence of pulses that are short compared to the CF width, no decrease in the contrast occurs. A procedure is proposed for measuring normalised CFs of various orders in the pulsed regime. For nanosecond-pulsed PDC radiation, normalised second-order CF is measuredmore » experimentally as a function of the mean photon number. (nonlinear optical phenomena)« less

Relationships among cardiovascular, muscular, and oxytocin responses during human sexual activity.

PubMed

Carmichael, M S; Warburton, V L; Dixen, J; Davidson, J M

1994-02-01

To determine the psychophysiological correlates of hormonal response during sexual activity, systolic blood pressure (SBP), anal electromyography (EMG), and anal photoplethysmography (APG) were monitored continuously throughout testing in 13 women and 10 men. Each subject completed two or more tests of self-stimulation to 5 min beyond orgasm. Blood samples were obtained continuously for measurement of oxytocin (OT) levels. In both men and women, very high positive correlations were observed between the percentage change in levels from baseline through orgasm of: OT and SBP; OT and EMG intensity prior to and during orgasm; APG and EMG. The number of anal contractions and duration of orgasm were also highly correlated. Two patterns of orgasm were defined by the presence or absence of a quiescent period between orgasmic contractions. EMG and APG amplitudes correlated with the pattern of orgasm. Subjective orgasm intensity correlated significantly with increased levels of OT in multiorgasmic women only. The positive correlations between measures are consistent with a possible functional role for OT in human sexual response.

SU-F-J-94: Development of a Plug-in Based Image Analysis Tool for Integration Into Treatment Planning

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

Owen, D; Anderson, C; Mayo, C

Purpose: To extend the functionality of a commercial treatment planning system (TPS) to support (i) direct use of quantitative image-based metrics within treatment plan optimization and (ii) evaluation of dose-functional volume relationships to assist in functional image adaptive radiotherapy. Methods: A script was written that interfaces with a commercial TPS via an Application Programming Interface (API). The script executes a program that performs dose-functional volume analyses. Written in C#, the script reads the dose grid and correlates it with image data on a voxel-by-voxel basis through API extensions that can access registration transforms. A user interface was designed through WinFormsmore » to input parameters and display results. To test the performance of this program, image- and dose-based metrics computed from perfusion SPECT images aligned to the treatment planning CT were generated, validated, and compared. Results: The integration of image analysis information was successfully implemented as a plug-in to a commercial TPS. Perfusion SPECT images were used to validate the calculation and display of image-based metrics as well as dose-intensity metrics and histograms for defined structures on the treatment planning CT. Various biological dose correction models, custom image-based metrics, dose-intensity computations, and dose-intensity histograms were applied to analyze the image-dose profile. Conclusion: It is possible to add image analysis features to commercial TPSs through custom scripting applications. A tool was developed to enable the evaluation of image-intensity-based metrics in the context of functional targeting and avoidance. In addition to providing dose-intensity metrics and histograms that can be easily extracted from a plan database and correlated with outcomes, the system can also be extended to a plug-in optimization system, which can directly use the computed metrics for optimization of post-treatment tumor or normal tissue response models. Supported by NIH - P01 - CA059827.« less

Image features dependant correlation-weighting function for efficient PRNU based source camera identification.

PubMed

Tiwari, Mayank; Gupta, Bhupendra

2018-04-01

For source camera identification (SCI), photo response non-uniformity (PRNU) has been widely used as the fingerprint of the camera. The PRNU is extracted from the image by applying a de-noising filter then taking the difference between the original image and the de-noised image. However, it is observed that intensity-based features and high-frequency details (edges and texture) of the image, effect quality of the extracted PRNU. This effects correlation calculation and creates problems in SCI. For solving this problem, we propose a weighting function based on image features. We have experimentally identified image features (intensity and high-frequency contents) effect on the estimated PRNU, and then develop a weighting function which gives higher weights to image regions which give reliable PRNU and at the same point it gives comparatively less weights to the image regions which do not give reliable PRNU. Experimental results show that the proposed weighting function is able to improve the accuracy of SCI up to a great extent. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of rheumatoid arthritis by evaluation of normalized variances of fluorescence time correlation functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dziekan, Thomas; Weissbach, Carmen; Voigt, Jan; Ebert, Bernd; MacDonald, Rainer; Bahner, Malte L.; Mahler, Marianne; Schirner, Michael; Berliner, Michael; Berliner, Birgitt; Osel, Jens; Osel, Ilka

2011-07-01

Fluorescence imaging using the dye indocyanine green as a contrast agent was investigated in a prospective clinical study for the detection of rheumatoid arthritis. Normalized variances of correlated time series of fluorescence intensities describing the bolus kinetics of the contrast agent in certain regions of interest were analyzed to differentiate healthy from inflamed finger joints. These values are determined using a robust, parameter-free algorithm. We found that the normalized variance of correlation functions improves the differentiation between healthy joints of volunteers and joints with rheumatoid arthritis of patients by about 10% compared to, e.g., ratios of areas under the curves of raw data.

Validation of the Social Networking Activity Intensity Scale among Junior Middle School Students in China.

PubMed

Li, Jibin; Lau, Joseph T F; Mo, Phoenix K H; Su, Xuefen; Wu, Anise M S; Tang, Jie; Qin, Zuguo

2016-01-01

Online social networking use has been integrated into adolescents' daily life and the intensity of online social networking use may have important consequences on adolescents' well-being. However, there are few validated instruments to measure social networking use intensity. The present study aims to develop the Social Networking Activity Intensity Scale (SNAIS) and validate it among junior middle school students in China. A total of 910 students who were social networking users were recruited from two junior middle schools in Guangzhou, and 114 students were retested after two weeks to examine the test-retest reliability. The psychometrics of the SNAIS were estimated using appropriate statistical methods. Two factors, Social Function Use Intensity (SFUI) and Entertainment Function Use Intensity (EFUI), were clearly identified by both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. No ceiling or floor effects were observed for the SNAIS and its two subscales. The SNAIS and its two subscales exhibited acceptable reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89, 0.90 and 0.60, and test-retest Intra-class Correlation Coefficient = 0.85, 0.87 and 0.67 for Overall scale, SFUI and EFUI subscale, respectively, p<0.001). As expected, the SNAIS and its subscale scores were correlated significantly with emotional connection to social networking, social networking addiction, Internet addiction, and characteristics related to social networking use. The SNAIS is an easily self-administered scale with good psychometric properties. It would facilitate more research in this field worldwide and specifically in the Chinese population.

Basal Ganglia Perfusion in Fibromyalgia is Related to Pain Disability and Disease Impact: An Arterial Spin Labeling Study.

PubMed

Shokouhi, Mahsa; Davis, Karen D; Moulin, Dwight E; Morley-Forster, Pat; Nielson, Warren R; Bureau, Yves; St Lawrence, Keith

2016-06-01

Pain disability is a major impediment to fibromyalgia (FM) patients' quality of life. Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated abnormal pain processing in FM. However, it is not known whether there are brain abnormalities linked to pain disability. Understanding neural correlates of pain disability in FM, independent from pain intensity, could provide a framework to guide future more efficient therapy strategies to improve patients' functional ability. We used arterial spin labeling to image cerebral blood flow (CBF) in 23 FM patients and 16 controls. Functional connectivity was also estimated using blood oxygenation level-dependent imaging to further investigate the possible underpinnings of the observed CBF changes. Among patients, CBF in the basal ganglia correlated negatively with pain disability index and positively with the overall impact of FM (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire) but did not correlate with pain intensity. Whole-brain analysis revealed no CBF differences between the 2 groups; however, post hoc analysis in the basal ganglia showed CBF reductions mainly in the right putamen and right lateral globus pallidus in patients, likely reflecting the negative correlation with the pain disability index. However, the connectivity of the corresponding corticobasal ganglia-thalamus loop, that is, motor network (the connection between supplementary motor area, putamen, and thalamus) remained intact. Basal ganglia perfusion reflects long-term symptoms, including somatic and psychological components of FM rather than pain intensity. These CBF findings may reflect differences in behavioral and psychological responses between patients.

Influence of weather and climate on subjective symptom intensity in atopic eczema

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vocks, E.; Busch, R.; Fröhlich, C.; Borelli, S.; Mayer, H.; Ring, J.

The frequent clinical observation that the course of atopic eczema, a skin disease involving a disturbed cutaneous barrier function, is influenced by climate and weather motivated us to analyse these relationships biometrically. In the Swiss high-mountain area of Davos the intensity of itching experienced by patients with atopic eczema was evaluated and compared to 15 single meteorological variables recorded daily during an entire 7-year observation period. By means of univariate analyses and multiple regressions, itch intensity was found to be correlated with some meteorological variables. A clear-cut inverse correlation exists with air temperature (coefficient of correlation: -0.235, P<0.001), but the effects of water vapour pressure, air pressure and hours of sunshine are less pronounced. The results show that itching in atopic eczema is significantly dependent on meteorological conditions. The data suggest that, in patients with atopic eczema, a certain range of thermo-hygric atmospheric conditions with a balance of heat and water loss on the skin surface is essential for the skin to feel comfortable.

Turbulence intensity's effect on liquid jet breakup from long circular pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trettel, Ben; Ezekoye, Ofodike

2017-11-01

Long pipes which produce fully developed flow are frequently used as a nozzle in jet breakup research. We compiled experimental data from over 20 pipe jet studies for many breakup quantities and developed correlations for these quantities based on existing theories and our own theories. Previous experimental studies often had confounding between some variables (e.g., the Reynolds and Weber numbers), neglected important quantities (e.g., the turbulence intensity), or made apples to oranges comparisons (e.g., different nozzles). By independently tracking the Reynolds number, Weber number, density ratio, and turbulence intensity, and focusing only on pipe jets to keep other variables nearly constant, we minimize these issues. Turbulence is a cause of jet breakup, yet there is little quantitative research on this due to the difficulty of turbulence measurements in free surface flows. To avoid those difficulties, we exploited the fact that adjusting the roughness of a long pipe allows one to quantifiably control the turbulence intensity. We correlated turbulence intensity as a function of the friction factor. Data for rough pipes was used to include turbulence intensity in our study. Comparisons were made with theories for the effect of turbulence intensity on breakup.

Neural correlates of long-term intense romantic love.

PubMed

Acevedo, Bianca P; Aron, Arthur; Fisher, Helen E; Brown, Lucy L

2012-02-01

The present study examined the neural correlates of long-term intense romantic love using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Ten women and 7 men married an average of 21.4 years underwent fMRI while viewing facial images of their partner. Control images included a highly familiar acquaintance; a close, long-term friend; and a low-familiar person. Effects specific to the intensely loved, long-term partner were found in: (i) areas of the dopamine-rich reward and basal ganglia system, such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and dorsal striatum, consistent with results from early-stage romantic love studies; and (ii) several regions implicated in maternal attachment, such as the globus pallidus (GP), substantia nigra, Raphe nucleus, thalamus, insular cortex, anterior cingulate and posterior cingulate. Correlations of neural activity in regions of interest with widely used questionnaires showed: (i) VTA and caudate responses correlated with romantic love scores and inclusion of other in the self; (ii) GP responses correlated with friendship-based love scores; (iii) hypothalamus and posterior hippocampus responses correlated with sexual frequency; and (iv) caudate, septum/fornix, posterior cingulate and posterior hippocampus responses correlated with obsession. Overall, results suggest that for some individuals the reward-value associated with a long-term partner may be sustained, similar to new love, but also involves brain systems implicated in attachment and pair-bonding.

Neural correlates of long-term intense romantic love

PubMed Central

Aron, Arthur; Fisher, Helen E.; Brown, Lucy L.

2012-01-01

The present study examined the neural correlates of long-term intense romantic love using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Ten women and 7 men married an average of 21.4 years underwent fMRI while viewing facial images of their partner. Control images included a highly familiar acquaintance; a close, long-term friend; and a low-familiar person. Effects specific to the intensely loved, long-term partner were found in: (i) areas of the dopamine-rich reward and basal ganglia system, such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and dorsal striatum, consistent with results from early-stage romantic love studies; and (ii) several regions implicated in maternal attachment, such as the globus pallidus (GP), substantia nigra, Raphe nucleus, thalamus, insular cortex, anterior cingulate and posterior cingulate. Correlations of neural activity in regions of interest with widely used questionnaires showed: (i) VTA and caudate responses correlated with romantic love scores and inclusion of other in the self; (ii) GP responses correlated with friendship-based love scores; (iii) hypothalamus and posterior hippocampus responses correlated with sexual frequency; and (iv) caudate, septum/fornix, posterior cingulate and posterior hippocampus responses correlated with obsession. Overall, results suggest that for some individuals the reward-value associated with a long-term partner may be sustained, similar to new love, but also involves brain systems implicated in attachment and pair-bonding. PMID:21208991

LEO-ground scintillation measurements with the optical ground station Oberpfaffenhofen and SOTA/OPALS space terminals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moll, Florian; Kolev, Dimitar; Abrahamson, Matthew; Schmidt, Christopher; Mata Calvo, Ramon; Fuchs, Christian

2016-10-01

The optical satellite-ground channel is turbulent and causes scintillation of the power received by a ground based telescope. Measurements are important to quantify the effect and evaluate common theory. A telescope with 40 cm primary mirror is used to measure the signals from the OPALS terminal on the International Space Station and the SOTA terminal on the SOCRATES satellite. The measurement instrument is a pupil camera from which images are recorded and intensity scintillation index, power scintillation index, probability density function of intensity and intensity correlation width are derived. A preliminary analysis of measurements from three satellite passed is performed, presented and discussed. The intensity scintillation index ranges from 0.25 to 0.03 within elevations of 26 to 66 deg. Power scintillation index varies from 0.08 to 0.006 and correlation width of intensity between 11 and 3 cm. The measurements can be used to estimate the fluctuation dynamics to be expected for a future operational ground receiver. The measurements are compared to model calculations based on the HV5/7-profile. Good agreement is observed to some part in the intensity scintillation index. Agreement is less for the power scintillation index and intensity correlation width. The reason seems to be a reduction of aperture averaging in some sections of the measurements due to increased speckle size. Finally, topics for future work are identified to improve the measurement analysis and deeper investigate the origin of the observed behavior.

Turbulence in a gaseous hydrogen-liquid oxygen rocket combustion chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lebas, J.; Tou, P.; Ohara, J.

1975-01-01

The intensity of turbulence and the Lagrangian correlation coefficient for a LOX-GH2 rocket combustion chamber was determined from experimental measurements of tracer gas diffusion. A combination of Taylor's turbulent diffusion theory and a numerical method for solving the conservation equations of fluid mechanics was used to calculate these quantities. Taylor's theory was extended to consider the inhomogeneity of the turbulence field in the axial direction of the combustion chamber, and an exponential function was used to represent the Lagrangian correlation coefficient. The results indicate that the value of the intensity of turbulence reaches a maximum of 14% at a location about 7" downstream from the injector. The Lagrangian correlation coefficient associated with this value is given by the above exponential expression where alpha = 10,000/sec.

Wind profiling based on the optical beam intensity statistics in a turbulent atmosphere.

PubMed

Banakh, Victor A; Marakasov, Dimitrii A

2007-10-01

Reconstruction of the wind profile from the statistics of intensity fluctuations of an optical beam propagating in a turbulent atmosphere is considered. The equations for the spatiotemporal correlation function and the spectrum of weak intensity fluctuations of a Gaussian beam are obtained. The algorithms of wind profile retrieval from the spatiotemporal intensity spectrum are described and the results of end-to-end computer experiments on wind profiling based on the developed algorithms are presented. It is shown that the developed algorithms allow retrieval of the wind profile from the turbulent optical beam intensity fluctuations with acceptable accuracy in many practically feasible laser measurements set up in the atmosphere.

Communication: Time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster method for multielectron dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Takeshi; Pathak, Himadri; Orimo, Yuki; Ishikawa, Kenichi L.

2018-02-01

Time-dependent coupled-cluster method with time-varying orbital functions, called time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster (TD-OCC) method, is formulated for multielectron dynamics in an intense laser field. We have successfully derived the equations of motion for CC amplitudes and orthonormal orbital functions based on the real action functional, and implemented the method including double excitations (TD-OCCD) and double and triple excitations (TD-OCCDT) within the optimized active orbitals. The present method is size extensive and gauge invariant, a polynomial cost-scaling alternative to the time-dependent multiconfiguration self-consistent-field method. The first application of the TD-OCC method of intense-laser driven correlated electron dynamics in Ar atom is reported.

Communication: Time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster method for multielectron dynamics.

PubMed

Sato, Takeshi; Pathak, Himadri; Orimo, Yuki; Ishikawa, Kenichi L

2018-02-07

Time-dependent coupled-cluster method with time-varying orbital functions, called time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster (TD-OCC) method, is formulated for multielectron dynamics in an intense laser field. We have successfully derived the equations of motion for CC amplitudes and orthonormal orbital functions based on the real action functional, and implemented the method including double excitations (TD-OCCD) and double and triple excitations (TD-OCCDT) within the optimized active orbitals. The present method is size extensive and gauge invariant, a polynomial cost-scaling alternative to the time-dependent multiconfiguration self-consistent-field method. The first application of the TD-OCC method of intense-laser driven correlated electron dynamics in Ar atom is reported.

Aperture synthesis for microwave radiometers in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, D. M.; Good, J. C.

1983-01-01

A technique is described for obtaining passive microwave measurements from space with high spatial resolution for remote sensing applications. The technique involves measuring the product of the signal from pairs of antennas at many different antenna spacings, thereby mapping the correlation function of antenna voltage. The intensity of radiation at the source can be obtained from the Fourier transform of this correlation function. Theory is presented to show how the technique can be applied to large extended sources such as the Earth when observed from space. Details are presented for a system with uniformly spaced measurements.

The "long tail" of the protein tumbling correlation function: observation by (1)H NMR relaxometry in a wide frequency and concentration range.

PubMed

Roos, Matthias; Hofmann, Marius; Link, Susanne; Ott, Maria; Balbach, Jochen; Rössler, Ernst; Saalwächter, Kay; Krushelnitsky, Alexey

2015-12-01

Inter-protein interactions in solution affect the auto-correlation function of Brownian tumbling not only in terms of a simple increase of the correlation time, they also lead to the appearance of a weak slow component ("long tail") of the correlation function due to a slowly changing local anisotropy of the microenvironment. The conventional protocol of correlation time estimation from the relaxation rate ratio R1/R2 assumes a single-component tumbling correlation function, and thus can provide incorrect results as soon as the "long tail" is of relevance. This effect, however, has been underestimated in many instances. In this work we present a detailed systematic study of the tumbling correlation function of two proteins, lysozyme and bovine serum albumin, at different concentrations and temperatures using proton field-cycling relaxometry combined with R1ρ and R2 measurements. Unlike high-field NMR relaxation methods, these techniques enable a detailed study of dynamics on a time scale longer than the normal protein tumbling correlation time and, thus, a reliable estimate of the parameters of the "long tail". In this work we analyze the concentration dependence of the intensity and correlation time of the slow component and perform simulations of high-field (15)N NMR relaxation data demonstrating the importance of taking the "long tail" in the analysis into account.

Dipolar filtered magic-sandwich-echoes as a tool for probing molecular motions using time domain NMR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filgueiras, Jefferson G.; da Silva, Uilson B.; Paro, Giovanni; d'Eurydice, Marcel N.; Cobo, Márcio F.; deAzevedo, Eduardo R.

2017-12-01

We present a simple 1 H NMR approach for characterizing intermediate to fast regime molecular motions using 1 H time-domain NMR at low magnetic field. The method is based on a Goldmann Shen dipolar filter (DF) followed by a Mixed Magic Sandwich Echo (MSE). The dipolar filter suppresses the signals arising from molecular segments presenting sub kHz mobility, so only signals from mobile segments are detected. Thus, the temperature dependence of the signal intensities directly evidences the onset of molecular motions with rates higher than kHz. The DF-MSE signal intensity is described by an analytical function based on the Anderson Weiss theory, from where parameters related to the molecular motion (e.g. correlation times and activation energy) can be estimated when performing experiments as function of the temperature. Furthermore, we propose the use of the Tikhonov regularization for estimating the width of the distribution of correlation times.

Development of a digital astronomical intensity interferometer: laboratory results with thermal light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Nolan; Kieda, David; LeBohec, Stephan

2018-06-01

We present measurements of the second-order spatial coherence function of thermal light sources using Hanbury-Brown and Twiss interferometry with a digital correlator. We demonstrate that intensity fluctuations between orthogonal polarizations, or at detector separations greater than the spatial coherence length of the source, are uncorrelated but can be used to reduce systematic noise. The work performed here can readily be applied to existing and future Imaging Air-Cherenkov Telescopes used as star light collectors for stellar intensity interferometry to measure spatial properties of astronomical objects.

[Intensity of negative symptoms, working memory and executive functions disturbances in schizophrenic patients in partial remission period].

PubMed

Hintze, Beata; Borkowska, Alina

2011-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the correlation between the level of working memory and executive functions impairment in schizophrenic subjects in their partial remission period and the intensity of psychopathological symptoms measured by PANSS scale. 45 patients with schizophrenia were included in the study (28 male and 17 female), aged 18-46 (mean 27 +/- 7) years during partial remission of psychopathological symptoms (PANSS < 70). The control group consisted in 35 age, gender and education matched healthy persons (13 male i 22 female), aged 21-49 (mean 30 +/- 8) years. To assess the intensity of psychopathological symptoms the PANSS scale was used, neuropsychological assessment included the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), N-back test and Stroop test from the Vienna Tests Battery. In schizophrenic patients in partial remission period, the significant dysfunctions of working memory and executive functions show association with negative (not positive) schizophrenic symptoms.

Fatigue in older adults with stable heart failure.

PubMed

Stephen, Sharon A

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe fatigue and the relationships among fatigue intensity, self-reported functional status, and quality of life in older adults with stable heart failure. A descriptive, correlational design was used to collect quantitative data with reliable and valid instruments. Fifty-three eligible volunteers completed a questionnaire during an interview. Those with recent changes in their medical regimen, other fatigue-inducing illnesses, and isolated diastolic dysfunction were excluded. Fatigue intensity (Profile of Mood States fatigue subscale) was associated with lower quality of life, perceived health, and satisfaction with life. Fatigue was common, and no relationship was found between fatigue intensity and self-reported functional status. Marital status was the only independent predictor of fatigue. In stable heart failure, fatigue is a persistent symptom. Clinicians need to ask patients about fatigue and assess the impact on quality of life. Self-reported functional status cannot serve as a proxy measure for fatigue.

Stochastic resonance and MFPT in an asymmetric bistable system driven by correlated multiplicative colored noise and additive white noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Pei-Ming; Li, Qun; Han, Dong-Ying

2017-06-01

This paper investigates a new asymmetric bistable model driven by correlated multiplicative colored noise and additive white noise. The mean first-passage time (MFPT) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as the indexes of evaluating the model are researched. Based on the two-state theory and the adiabatic approximation theory, the expressions of MFPT and SNR have been obtained for the asymmetric bistable system driven by a periodic signal, correlated multiplicative colored noise and additive noise. Simulation results show that it is easier to generate stochastic resonance (SR) to adjust the intensity of correlation strength λ. Meanwhile, the decrease of asymmetric coefficient r2 and the increase of noise intensity are beneficial to realize the transition between the two steady states in the system. At the same time, the twice SR phenomena can be observed by adjusting additive white noise and correlation strength. The influence of asymmetry of potential function on the MFPTs in two different directions is different.

Stochastic resonance in a piecewise nonlinear model driven by multiplicative non-Gaussian noise and additive white noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yongfeng; Shen, Yajun; Tan, Jianguo

2016-09-01

The phenomenon of stochastic resonance (SR) in a piecewise nonlinear model driven by a periodic signal and correlated noises for the cases of a multiplicative non-Gaussian noise and an additive Gaussian white noise is investigated. Applying the path integral approach, the unified colored noise approximation and the two-state model theory, the analytical expression of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is derived. It is found that conventional stochastic resonance exists in this system. From numerical computations we obtain that: (i) As a function of the non-Gaussian noise intensity, the SNR is increased when the non-Gaussian noise deviation parameter q is increased. (ii) As a function of the Gaussian noise intensity, the SNR is decreased when q is increased. This demonstrates that the effect of the non-Gaussian noise on SNR is different from that of the Gaussian noise in this system. Moreover, we further discuss the effect of the correlation time of the non-Gaussian noise, cross-correlation strength, the amplitude and frequency of the periodic signal on SR.

INTENSITY, DURATION AND TYPE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIRED TO IMPROVE FUNCTION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

PubMed Central

KIRIHARA, RICARDO AKIHIRO; CATELAN, FELLIPE BRAVIM; FARIAS, FABIANE ELIZE SABINO DE; SILVA, CLEIDNÉIA APARECIDA CLEMENTE DA; CERNIGOY, CLAUDIA HELENA DE AZEVEDO; REZENDE, MÁRCIA UCHOA DE

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effects of physical activity intensity, type and duration in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods: A retrospective study of 195 KOA patients who were followed for two years after receiving educational material about KOA with or without attending classes. The patients were evaluated at baseline and 24 months. At the evaluations, the patients answered questionnaires pertaining to pain and function (WOMAC, Lequesne, VAS and SF-36); reported the intensity, duration and type of exercise performed per week; and performed the Timed Up & Go (TUG) and Five Times Sit-to-Stand (FTSST) tests. Results: Increased age affected improvements in the TUG results (p=0.017). The type, intensity and duration of physical activity did not correlate with pain, function or quality of life improvements (p>0.05), but the TUG results were on average 4 seconds faster among the patients who practiced intense physical activity and/or exercised for more than 180 minutes per week and/or performed isolated weight training or swam compared with those who remained sedentary after 2 years (p=0.01; p<0.001; p=0.01; p=0.04, respectively). Conclusions: Patients with KOA should aim for intense physical activity and/or more than 180 minutes of exercise per week and/or weight training (bodybuilding) for relevant pain reduction and functional improvement.Level of Evidence II, Retrospective Study. PMID:28642646

Fatigue reliability of deck structures subjected to correlated crack growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, G. Q.; Garbatov, Y.; Guedes Soares, C.

2013-12-01

The objective of this work is to analyse fatigue reliability of deck structures subjected to correlated crack growth. The stress intensity factors of the correlated cracks are obtained by finite element analysis and based on which the geometry correction functions are derived. The Monte Carlo simulations are applied to predict the statistical descriptors of correlated cracks based on the Paris-Erdogan equation. A probabilistic model of crack growth as a function of time is used to analyse the fatigue reliability of deck structures accounting for the crack propagation correlation. A deck structure is modelled as a series system of stiffened panels, where a stiffened panel is regarded as a parallel system composed of plates and are longitudinal. It has been proven that the method developed here can be conveniently applied to perform the fatigue reliability assessment of structures subjected to correlated crack growth.

TEM1 expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts is correlated with a poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer

PubMed Central

Fujii, Satoshi; Fujihara, Ayano; Natori, Kei; Abe, Anna; Kuboki, Yasutoshi; Higuchi, Youichi; Aizawa, Masaki; Kuwata, Takeshi; Kinoshita, Takahiro; Yasui, Wataru; Ochiai, Atsushi

2015-01-01

The cancer stroma, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), is known to contribute to cancer cell progression and metastasis, suggesting that functional proteins expressed specifically in CAFs might be candidate molecular targets for cancer treatment. The purpose of the present study was to explore the possibility of using TEM1 (tumor endothelial marker 1), which is known to be expressed in several types of mesenchymal cells, as a molecular target by examining the impact of TEM1 expression on clinicopathological factors in gastric cancer patients. A total of 945 consecutive patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery at the National Cancer Center Hospital East between January 2003 and July 2007 were examined using a tissue microarray approach. TEM1 expression in CAFs or vessel-associated cells was determined using immunohistochemical staining. Three items (CAF-TEM1-positivity, CAF-TEM1-intensity, and vessel-TEM1-intensity) were then examined to determine the correlations between the TEM1 expression status and the recurrence-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), cancer-related survival (COS), and other clinicopathological factors. Significant correlations between CAF-TEM1-positivity or CAF-TEM1-intensity and RFS, OS, or COS were observed (P < 0.001, Kaplan–Meier curves); however, no significant correlation between vessel-TEM1-intensity and RFS, OS, or COS was observed. A univariate analysis showed that CAF-TEM1-positivity and CAF-TEM1-intensity were each correlated with a scirrhous subtype, tumor depth, nodal status, distant metastasis, serosal invasion, lymphatic or venous vessel infiltrations, and pTMN stage. This study suggests that the inhibition of TEM1 expression specifically in the CAFs of gastric carcinoma might represent a new strategy for the treatment of gastric cancer. PMID:26336878

High-order nonuniformly correlated beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Dan; Wang, Fei; Cai, Yangjian

2018-02-01

We have introduced a class of partially coherent beams with spatially varying correlations named high-order nonuniformly correlated (HNUC) beams, as an extension of conventional nonuniformly correlated (NUC) beams. Such beams bring a new parameter (mode order) which is used to tailor the spatial coherence properties. The behavior of the spectral density of the HNUC beams on propagation has been investigated through numerical examples with the help of discrete model decomposition and fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm. Our results reveal that by selecting the mode order appropriately, the more sharpened intensity maxima can be achieved at a certain propagation distance compared to that of the NUC beams, and the lateral shift of the intensity maxima on propagation is closed related to the mode order. Furthermore, analytical expressions for the r.m.s width and the propagation factor of the HNUC beams on free-space propagation are derived by means of Wigner distribution function. The influence of initial beam parameters on the evolution of the r.m.s width and the propagation factor, and the relation between the r.m.s width and the occurring of the sharpened intensity maxima on propagation have been studied and discussed in detail.

Validation of the Social Networking Activity Intensity Scale among Junior Middle School Students in China

PubMed Central

Li, Jibin; Lau, Joseph T. F.; Mo, Phoenix K. H.; Su, Xuefen; Wu, Anise M. S.; Tang, Jie; Qin, Zuguo

2016-01-01

Background Online social networking use has been integrated into adolescents’ daily life and the intensity of online social networking use may have important consequences on adolescents’ well-being. However, there are few validated instruments to measure social networking use intensity. The present study aims to develop the Social Networking Activity Intensity Scale (SNAIS) and validate it among junior middle school students in China. Methods A total of 910 students who were social networking users were recruited from two junior middle schools in Guangzhou, and 114 students were retested after two weeks to examine the test-retest reliability. The psychometrics of the SNAIS were estimated using appropriate statistical methods. Results Two factors, Social Function Use Intensity (SFUI) and Entertainment Function Use Intensity (EFUI), were clearly identified by both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. No ceiling or floor effects were observed for the SNAIS and its two subscales. The SNAIS and its two subscales exhibited acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89, 0.90 and 0.60, and test-retest Intra-class Correlation Coefficient = 0.85, 0.87 and 0.67 for Overall scale, SFUI and EFUI subscale, respectively, p<0.001). As expected, the SNAIS and its subscale scores were correlated significantly with emotional connection to social networking, social networking addiction, Internet addiction, and characteristics related to social networking use. Conclusions The SNAIS is an easily self-administered scale with good psychometric properties. It would facilitate more research in this field worldwide and specifically in the Chinese population. PMID:27798699

Effect of adding one 15-minute-walk on the day of surgery to fast-track rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized, single-blind study.

PubMed

Zietek, P; Zietek, J; Szczypior, K; Safranow, K

2015-06-01

Earlier and more intensive physiotherapy exercise after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) enhance recovery, but the best combination of intensity and duration has not been determined. To determine whether adding a single, 15-minute walk on the day of surgery to a fast-track rehabilitation protocol would reduce knee pain and improve knee function after TKA. A randomized single-blind study. Inpatient. Patients with primary osteoarthrosis after TKA. Patients undergoing TKA were randomly assigned to a standard, fast-track rehabilitation protocol consisting of a single, 15-minute walk with a high-rolling walker 4 to 6 hours after recovery from spinal anesthesia or to an intensive protocol, in which patients took a second 15-minute walk at least 3 hours after the first, only on the day of surgery. Outcomes were pain measured on a visual analog scale, Knee Society's (KSS) clinical and functional scores, Oxford knee scores, and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores. Patients were blinded to group assignment. Since most data were non-normally distributed non-parametric tests were used. Groups were compared with Mann-Whitney U test (for continuous variables). Association between continuous variables was evaluated with Spearman`s rank correlation coefficient. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test was used to assess differences in categorical variables. Of 86 patients assessed for eligibility, 66 were randomly assigned. The 31 evaluable patients on the intensive protocol (mean age, 68 years; 18 women) did not differ significantly from the 31 (mean age, 70 years; 20 women) on the standard protocol on any baseline characteristic or on any outcome measure on any day. On the second postoperative day, pain while walking dropped from a mean of 6.1 to a mean of 4.9 in the intensive group and from 6.4 to 5.4 in the standard group. Results for pain at rest were 3.3 to 2.2, respectively, for the intensive group and 4.0 to 3.0 for the standard group. At 2 weeks, pain at rest was 2.8 in both groups, and pain while walking was 3.0, respectively, for the intensive group and 3.4 for the standard group. At 2 weeks, mean (SD) KSS clinical and KSS function scores were, respectively, 74.9 (12.5) and 51.6 (16.2) in the intensive group and 71.2 (14.3) and 46.3 (16.1) in the standard group. Older age correlated with decreasing knee function (rS=-0.43, P<0.001), and less knee flexion correlated with preoperatively higher state anxiety (rS=-0.37, P=0.005) and trait anxiety (rS=-0.29, P=0.027). The study is limited by its small sample. The fast-track program was not in line with the best available evidence following knee arthroplasty, because patients did not undergo such treatment as NMES. Finally, the intervention itself was modest. Adding an additional 15-minute walk to a fast-track rehabilitation protocol did not increase pain, but neither did it improve functional recovery. A 15-minute walk immediately after recovery from spinal anesthesia did not increase pain in patients with TKA. More intense exercise during this period might improve functional recovery without increasing pain.

What is the most suitable MR signal index for quantitative evaluation of placental function using Half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo compared with T2-relaxation time?

PubMed

Kameyama, Kyoko Nakao; Kido, Aki; Himoto, Yuki; Moribata, Yusaku; Minamiguchi, Sachiko; Konishi, Ikuo; Togashi, Kaori

2018-06-01

Background Half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) imaging is now widely used for placental and fetal imaging because of its rapidity and low sensitivity to fetal movement. If placental dysfunction is also predicted by quantitative value obtained from HASTE image, then it might be beneficial for evaluating placental wellbeing. Purpose To ascertain the most suitable magnetic resonance (MR) signal indexes reflecting placental function using HASTE imaging. Material and Methods This retrospective study included 37 consequent patients who had given informed consent to MR imaging (MRI) examinations. All had undergone MRI examinations between February 2014 and June 2015. First, the correlation between T2-relaxation time of normal placenta and gestational age (GA) was examined. Second, correlation between signal intensity ratios (SIRs) using HASTE imaging and placental T2-relaxation time were assessed. The SIRs were calculated using placental signal intensity (SI) relative to the SI of the amniotic fluid, fetal ocular globes, gastric fluid, bladder, maternal psoas major muscles, and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue. Results Among the 37 patients, the correlation between T2-relaxation time of the 25 normal placentas and GA showed a moderately strong correlation (Spearman rho = -0.447, P = 0.0250). The most significant correlation with placental T2-relaxation time was observed with the placental SIR relative to the maternal psoas major muscles (SIR pl./psoas muscle ) (Spearman rho = -0.531, P = 0.0007). Conclusion This study revealed that SIR pl./psoas muscle showed the best correlation to placental T2-relaxation time. Results show that SIR pl./psoas muscle might be optimal as a clinically available quantitative index of placental function.

Solar wind-magnetosphere coupling during intense magnetic storms (1978-1979)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, Walter D.; Gonzalez, Alicia L. C.; Tsurutani, Bruce T.; Smith, Edward J.; Tang, Frances

1989-01-01

The solar wind-magnetosphere coupling problem during intense magnetic storms was investigated for ten intense magnetic storm events occurring between August 16, 1978 to December 28, 1979. Particular attention was given to the dependence of the ring current energization on the ISEE-measured solar-wind parameters and the evolution of the ring current during the main phase of the intense storms. Several coupling functions were tested as energy input, and several sets of the ring current decay time-constant were searched for the best correlation with the Dst response. Results indicate that a large-scale magnetopause reconnection operates during an intense storm event and that the solar wind ram pressure plays an important role in the energization of the ring current.

Use of wave intensity analysis of carotid arteries in identifying and monitoring left ventricular systolic function dynamics in rabbits.

PubMed

Zhang, Hui; Zheng, Rongqin; Qian, Xiaoxian; Zhang, Chengxi; Hao, Baoshun; Huang, Zeping; Wu, Tao

2014-03-01

Wave intensity analysis (WIA) of the carotid artery was conducted to determine the changes that occur in left ventricular systolic function after administration of doxorubicin in rabbits. Each randomly selected rabbit was subject to routine ultrasound, WIA of the carotid artery, cardiac catheterization and pathologic examination every week and was followed for 16 wk. The first positive peak (WI1) of the carotid artery revealed that left ventricular systolic dysfunction occurred earlier than conventional indexes of heart function. WI1 was highly, positively correlated with the maximum rate of rise in left ventricular pressure in cardiac catheterization (r = 0.94, p < 0.01) and moderately negatively correlated with the apoptosis index of myocardial cells, an indicator of myocardial damage (r = -0.69, p < 0.01). Ultrasound WIA of the carotid artery sensitively reflects early myocardial damage and cardiac function, and the result is highly consistent with cardiac catheterization findings and the apoptosis index of myocardial cells. Copyright © 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of balance training on cervical sensorimotor function and neck pain.

PubMed

Beinert, Konstantin; Taube, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

The authors' aim was to evaluate the effect of balance training on cervical joint position sense in people with subclinical neck pain. Thirty-four participants were randomly assigned to balance training or to stay active. Sensorimotor function was determined before and after 5 weeks of training by assessing the ability to reproduce the neutral head position and a predefined rotated head position. After balance training, the intervention group showed improved joint repositioning accuracy and decreased pain whereas no effects were observed in the control group. A weak correlation was identified between reduced neck pain intensity and improved joint repositioning. The present data demonstrate that balance training can effectively improve cervical sensorimotor function and decrease neck pain intensity.

Dynamical properties of a tumor growth system in the presence of immunization and colored cross-correlated noises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Zheng-Lin; Mei, Dong-Cheng

2010-05-01

We investigate the effects of the noise parameters and immunization strength β on the dynamical properties of a tumor growth system with both immunization and colored cross-correlated noises. The analytical expressions for the associated relaxation time TC and the normalized correlation function C(s) are derived by means of the projection operator method. The results indicate that: (i) TC as a function of the multiplicative noise intensity α shows resonance-like behavior, i.e. the curves of TC versus α exhibit a single-peak structure and its peak position changes with increasing correlation strength between noises λ, the autocorrelation time of multiplicative noise τ1, the autocorrelation time of additive noise τ2 and the cross-correlation time τ3. This behavior can be understood in terms of the noise-enhanced stability effect and the influence of the memory effects on it. (ii) The increasing λ, τ1, τ2 and the additive noise intensity D slow down the fluctuation decay of the tumor population, whereas the increasing τ3 and β speed it up. (iii) C(s) increases as λ, τ1, τ2 and β increase, while it decreases with τ3 increasing. Our study shows that the effects of some noise parameters on tumor growth can be modified due to the presence of the immunization effect.

Correlation Time of Ocean Ambient Noise Intensity in San Diego Bay and Target Recognition in Acoustic Daylight Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wadsworth, Adam J.

A method for passively detecting and imaging underwater targets using ambient noise as the sole source of illumination (named acoustic daylight) was successfully implemented in the form of the Acoustic Daylight Ocean Noise Imaging System (ADONIS). In a series of imaging experiments conducted in San Diego Bay, where the dominant source of high-frequency ambient noise is snapping shrimp, a large quantity of ambient noise intensity data was collected with the ADONIS (Epifanio, 1997). In a subset of the experimental data sets, fluctuations of time-averaged ambient noise intensity exhibited a diurnal pattern consistent with the increase in frequency of shrimp snapping near dawn and dusk. The same subset of experimental data is revisited here and the correlation time is estimated and analysed for sequences of ambient noise data several minutes in length, with the aim of detecting possible periodicities or other trends in the fluctuation of the shrimp-dominated ambient noise field. Using videos formed from sequences of acoustic daylight images along with other experimental information, candidate segments of static-configuration ADONIS raw ambient noise data were isolated. For each segment, the normalized intensity auto-correlation closely resembled the delta function, the auto-correlation of white noise. No intensity fluctuation patterns at timescales smaller than a few minutes were discernible, suggesting that the shrimp do not communicate, synchronise, or exhibit any periodicities in their snapping. Also presented here is a ADONIS-specific target recognition algorithm based on principal component analysis, along with basic experimental results using a database of acoustic daylight images.

Imprints of magnetic power and helicity spectra on radio polarimetry statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junklewitz, H.; Enßlin, T. A.

2011-06-01

The statistical properties of turbulent magnetic fields in radio-synchrotron sources should be imprinted on the statistics of polarimetric observables. In search of these imprints, i.e. characteristic modifications of the polarimetry statistics caused by magnetic field properties, we calculate correlation and cross-correlation functions from a set of observables that contain total intensity I, polarized intensity P, and Faraday depth φ. The correlation functions are evaluated for all combinations of observables up to fourth order in magnetic field B. We derive these analytically as far as possible and from first principles using only some basic assumptions, such as Gaussian statistics for the underlying magnetic field in the observed region and statistical homogeneity. We further assume some simplifications to reduce the complexity of the calculations, because for a start we were interested in a proof of concept. Using this statistical approach, we show that it is possible to gain information about the helical part of the magnetic power spectrum via the correlation functions < P(kperp) φ(k'_{perp)φ(k''perp)>B} and < I(kperp) φ(k'_{perp)φ(k''perp)>B}. Using this insight, we construct an easy-to-use test for helicity called LITMUS (Local Inference Test for Magnetic fields which Uncovers heliceS), which gives a spectrally integrated measure of helicity. For now, all calculations are given in a Faraday-free case, but set up so that Faraday rotational effects can be included later.

The experimental study of hydrodynamic characteristics of the overland flow on a slope with three-dimensional Geomat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guang-yue; Sun, Guo-rui; Li, Jian-kang; Li, Jiong

2018-02-01

The hydrodynamic characteristics of the overland flow on a slope with a three-dimensional Geomat are studied for different rainfall intensities and slope gradients. The rainfall intensity is adjusted in the rainfall simulation system. It is shown that the velocity of the overland flow has a strong positive correlation with the slope length and the rainfall intensity, the scour depth decreases with the increase of the slope gradient for a given rainfall intensity, and the scour depth increases with the increase of the rainfall intensity for a given slope gradient, the overland flow starts with a transitional flow on the top and finishes with a turbulent flow on the bottom on the slope with the three-dimensional Geomat for different rainfall intensities and slope gradients, the resistance coefficient and the turbulent flow Reynolds number are in positively related logarithmic functions, the resistance coefficient and the slope gradient are in positively related power functions, and the trend becomes leveled with the increase of the rainfall intensity. This study provides some important theoretical insight for further studies of the hydrodynamic process of the erosion on the slope surface with a three-dimensional Geomat.

Functional Status Score for the Intensive Care Unit (FSS-ICU): An International Clinimetric Analysis of Validity, Responsiveness, and Minimal Important Difference

PubMed Central

Huang, Minxuan; Chan, Kitty S.; Zanni, Jennifer M.; Parry, Selina M.; Neto, Saint-Clair G. B.; Neto, Jose A. A.; da Silva, Vinicius Z. M.; Kho, Michelle E.; Needham, Dale M.

2017-01-01

Objective To evaluate the internal consistency, validity, responsiveness, and minimal important difference of the Functional Status Score for the Intensive Care Unit (FSS-ICU), a physical function measure designed for the intensive care unit (ICU). Design Clinimetric analysis. Settings Five international data sets from the United States, Australia, and Brazil. Patients 819 ICU patients. Intervention None. Measurements and Main Results Clinimetric analyses were initially conducted separately for each data source and time point to examine generalizability of findings, with pooled analyses performed thereafter to increase power of analyses. The FSS-ICU demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency. There was good convergent and discriminant validity, with significant and positive correlations (r = 0.30 to 0.95) between FSS-ICU and other physical function measures, and generally weaker correlations with non-physical measures (|r| = 0.01 to 0.70). Known group validity was demonstrated by significantly higher FSS-ICU scores among patients without ICU-acquired weakness (Medical Research Council sumscore ≥48 versus <48) and with hospital discharge to home (versus healthcare facility). FSS-ICU at ICU discharge predicted post-ICU hospital length of stay and discharge location. Responsiveness was supported via increased FSS-ICU scores with improvements in muscle strength. Distribution-based methods indicated a minimal important difference of 2.0 to 5.0. Conclusions The FSS-ICU has good internal consistency and is a valid and responsive measure of physical function for ICU patients. The estimated minimal important difference can be used in sample size calculations and in interpreting studies comparing the physical function of groups of ICU patients. PMID:27488220

Estimation of glacier surface motion by robust phase correlation and point like features of SAR intensity images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Li; Xu, Yusheng; Yao, Wei; Stilla, Uwe

2016-11-01

For monitoring of glacier surface motion in pole and alpine areas, radar remote sensing is becoming a popular technology accounting for its specific advantages of being independent of weather conditions and sunlight. In this paper we propose a method for glacier surface motion monitoring using phase correlation (PC) based on point-like features (PLF). We carry out experiments using repeat-pass TerraSAR X-band (TSX) and Sentinel-1 C-band (S1C) intensity images of the Taku glacier in Juneau icefield located in southeast Alaska. The intensity imagery is first filtered by an improved adaptive refined Lee filter while the effect of topographic reliefs is removed via SRTM-X DEM. Then, a robust phase correlation algorithm based on singular value decomposition (SVD) and an improved random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm is applied to sequential PLF pairs generated by correlation using a 2D sinc function template. The approaches for glacier monitoring are validated by both simulated SAR data and real SAR data from two satellites. The results obtained from these three test datasets confirm the superiority of the proposed approach compared to standard correlation-like methods. By the use of the proposed adaptive refined Lee filter, we achieve a good balance between the suppression of noise and the preservation of local image textures. The presented phase correlation algorithm shows the accuracy of better than 0.25 pixels, when conducting matching tests using simulated SAR intensity images with strong noise. Quantitative 3D motions and velocities of the investigated Taku glacier during a repeat-pass period are obtained, which allows a comprehensive and reliable analysis for the investigation of large-scale glacier surface dynamics.

The Clonic Phase of Seizures in Patients Treated with Electroconvulsive Therapy is Related to Age and Stimulus Intensity.

PubMed

Wang, Chao-Chih; Lin, Ching-Hung; Chiu, Yao-Chu; Tseng, Chih-Chieh

2013-01-01

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder and schizophrenia in patients who are drug-naïve or less-receptive to antipsychotic drugs. Several studies have discussed the correlation between patient characteristics, input-current volume, and seizure duration. According to the present principle of ECT guidelines, the therapeutic effect of ECT mostly correlates with seizure duration. As the tonic phase is different from the clonic phase with respect to brain function and activity, it is informative to analyze both the tonic and clonic phases. Thus, this study sought to clarify the relationship between the features of the two phases, and to re-examine and refine guidelines regarding ECT treatment. ECT-course data from 44 schizophrenia or bipolar I patients were recollected, including the number of treatments that they had received, their gender, age, and the association of these characteristics with motor seizure duration was analyzed. A two-factor correlation was employed to test the relationship between each of the two factors. The post-analysis results indicate that seizure duration and age are significantly correlated. Older patients had relatively short seizure durations after ECT-treatment. Notably, a negative correlation was only found between age and the clonic phase of the seizure, not between age and the tonic phase. Furthermore, this study also found an inverse relationship between ECT-intensity and the clonic phase, but not between ECT-intensity and the tonic phase. This study demonstrated that age and ECT-intensity are negatively correlated with seizure duration, particularly in the clonic phase. The present observations are not fully consistent with the basic guidelines of the APA-ECT practical manual. Accordingly, the predictions regarding the therapeutic effect of ECT can be based on both the seizure duration and the clonic phase.

Training intensity and sagittal curvature of the spine in male and female artistic gymnasts.

PubMed

Sanz-Mengibar, Jose M; Sainz-de-Baranda, Pilar; Santonja-Medina, Fernando

2018-04-01

Specific adaptations of the spine in the sagittal plane have been described according to different sports disciplines. The goal of this study was to describe the integrative diagnosis of the sagittal morphotype of the spine in male and female artistic gymnasts. Forty-eight gymnasts were measured with an inclinometer. Thoracic and lumbar curves were quantified in standing position, in Sit and Reach and Slump Sitting in order to assess the sagittal spine posture and analyze if adaptations were related to training intensity. Correlation values of the sagittal plane spine measurements showed significantly increased thoracic kyphosis in men (-0.445, P<0.001). No significant correlations have been found between training hours per year or training volume and any measurements of the spine on the sagittal plane. When data from the two sitting tests were integrated, 62.5% of gymnasts had a functional thoracic kyphosis and 39.6% had lumbar kyphotic attitude. Our hypothesis has only been partially confirmed, because training intensity did not influence the sagittal curvatures in artistic gymnastics; however, this sport seems to cause specific adaptations in postural hypolordosis, functional thoracic kyphosis and lumbar kyphotic attitude during sitting and trunk flexion. The implications of the functional adaptations observed in our results may require a preventive intervention in male and female artistic gymnasts can be assessed with the integrative diagnosis of the sagittal morphotype of the spine.

Dose-response relationships using brain–computer interface technology impact stroke rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Young, Brittany M.; Nigogosyan, Zack; Walton, Léo M.; Remsik, Alexander; Song, Jie; Nair, Veena A.; Tyler, Mitchell E.; Edwards, Dorothy F.; Caldera, Kristin; Sattin, Justin A.; Williams, Justin C.; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2015-01-01

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) are an emerging novel technology for stroke rehabilitation. Little is known about how dose-response relationships for BCI therapies affect brain and behavior changes. We report preliminary results on stroke patients (n = 16, 11 M) with persistent upper extremity motor impairment who received therapy using a BCI system with functional electrical stimulation of the hand and tongue stimulation. We collected MRI scans and behavioral data using the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT), and Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) before, during, and after the therapy period. Using anatomical and functional MRI, we computed Laterality Index (LI) for brain activity in the motor network during impaired hand finger tapping. Changes from baseline LI and behavioral scores were assessed for relationships with dose, intensity, and frequency of BCI therapy. We found that gains in SIS Strength were directly responsive to BCI therapy: therapy dose and intensity correlated positively with increased SIS Strength (p ≤ 0.05), although no direct relationships were identified with ARAT or 9-HPT scores. We found behavioral measures that were not directly sensitive to differences in BCI therapy administration but were associated with concurrent brain changes correlated with BCI therapy administration parameters: therapy dose and intensity showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) or trending (0.05 < p < 0.1) negative correlations with LI changes, while therapy frequency did not affect LI. Reductions in LI were then correlated (p ≤ 0.05) with increased SIS Activities of Daily Living scores and improved 9-HPT performance. Therefore, some behavioral changes may be reflected by brain changes sensitive to differences in BCI therapy administration, while others such as SIS Strength may be directly responsive to BCI therapy administration. Data preliminarily suggest that when using BCI in stroke rehabilitation, therapy frequency may be less important than dose and intensity. PMID:26157378

Neural systems for guilt from actions affecting self versus others

PubMed Central

Morey, Rajendra A.; McCarthy, Gregory; Selgrade, Elizabeth S.; Seth, Srishti; Nasser, Jessica D.; LaBar, Kevin S.

2012-01-01

Guilt is a core emotion governing social behavior by promoting compliance with social norms or self-imposed standards. The goal of this study was to contrast guilty responses to actions that affect self versus others, since actions with social consequences are hypothesized to yield greater guilty feelings due to adopting the perspective and subjective emotional experience of others. Sixteen participants were presented with brief hypothetical scenarios in which the participant’s actions resulted in harmful consequences to self (guilt-self) or to others (guilt-other) during functional MRI. Participants felt more intense guilt for guilt-other than guilt-self and guilt-neutral scenarios. Guilt scenarios revealed distinct regions of activity correlated with intensity of guilt, social consequences of actions, and the interaction of guilt by social consequence. Guilt intensity was associated with activation of the dorsomedial PFC, superior frontal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, and anterior inferior frontal gyrus. Guilt accompanied by social consequences was associated with greater activation than without social consequences in the ventromedial and dorsomedial PFC, precuneus, posterior cingulate, and posterior superior temporal sulcus. Finally, the interaction analysis highlighted select regions that were more strongly correlated with guilt intensity as a function of social consequence, including the left anterior inferior frontal gyrus, left ventromedial PFC, and left anterior inferior parietal cortex. Our results suggest these regions intensify guilt where harm to others may incur a greater social cost. PMID:22230947

Spatial-temporal characteristics of lightning flash size in a supercell storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhixiao; Zheng, Dong; Zhang, Yijun; Lu, Gaopeng

2017-11-01

The flash sizes of a supercell storm, in New Mexico on October 5, 2004, are studied using the observations from the New Mexico Lightning Mapping Array and the Albuquerque, New Mexico, Doppler radar (KABX). First, during the temporal evolution of the supercell, the mean flash size is anti-correlated with the flash rate, following a unary power function, with a correlation coefficient of - 0.87. In addition, the mean flash size is linearly correlated with the area of reflectivity > 30 dBZ at 5 km normalized by the flash rate, with a correlation coefficient of 0.88. Second, in the horizontal, flash size increases along the direction from the region near the convection zone to the adjacent forward anvil. The region of minimum flash size usually corresponds to the region of maximum flash initiation and extent density. The horizontal correspondence between the mean flash size and the flash extent density can also be fitted by a unary power function, and the correlation coefficient is > 0.5 in 50% of the radar volume scans. Furthermore, the quality of fit is positively correlated to the convective intensity. Third, in the vertical direction, the height of the maximum flash initiation density is close to the height of maximum flash extent density, but corresponds to the height where the mean flash size is relatively small. In the discussion, the distribution of the small and dense charge regions when and where convection is vigorous in the storm, is deduced to be responsible for the relationship that flash size is temporally and spatially anti-correlated with flash rate and density, and the convective intensity.

Indirect Self-Destructiveness and Emotional Intelligence.

PubMed

Tsirigotis, Konstantinos

2016-06-01

While emotional intelligence may have a favourable influence on the life and psychological and social functioning of the individual, indirect self-destructiveness exerts a rather negative influence. The aim of this study has been to explore possible relations between indirect self-destructiveness and emotional intelligence. A population of 260 individuals (130 females and 130 males) aged 20-30 (mean age of 24.5) was studied by using the Polish version of the chronic self-destructiveness scale and INTE, i.e., the Polish version of the assessing emotions scale. Indirect self-destructiveness has significant correlations with all variables of INTE (overall score, factor I, factor II), and these correlations are negative. The intensity of indirect self-destructiveness differentiates significantly the height of the emotional intelligence and vice versa: the height of the emotional intelligence differentiates significantly the intensity of indirect self-destructiveness. Indirect self-destructiveness has negative correlations with emotional intelligence as well as its components: the ability to recognize emotions and the ability to utilize emotions. The height of emotional intelligence differentiates the intensity of indirect self-destructiveness, and vice versa: the intensity of indirect self-destructiveness differentiates the height of emotional intelligence. It seems advisable to use emotional intelligence in the prophylactic and therapeutic work with persons with various types of disorders, especially with the syndrome of indirect self-destructiveness.

Acute Effects of the Different Intensity of Static Stretching on Flexibility and Isometric Muscle Force.

PubMed

Kataura, Satoshi; Suzuki, Shigeyuki; Matsuo, Shingo; Hatano, Genki; Iwata, Masahiro; Yokoi, Kazuaki; Tsuchida, Wakako; Banno, Yasuhiro; Asai, Yuji

2017-12-01

Kataura, S, Suzuki, S, Matsuo, S, Hatano, G, Iwata, M, Yokoi, K, Tsuchida, W, Banno, Y, and Asai, Y. Acute effects of the different intensity of static stretching on flexibility and isometric muscle force. J Strength Cond Res 31(12): 3403-3410, 2017-In various fields, static stretching is commonly performed to improve flexibility, whereas the acute effects of different stretch intensities are unclear. Therefore, we investigated the acute effects of different stretch intensities on flexibility and muscle force. Eighteen healthy participants (9 men and 9 women) performed 180-second static stretches of the right hamstrings at 80, 100, and 120% of maximum tolerable intensity without stretching pain, in random order. The following outcomes were assessed as markers of lower limb function and flexibility: static passive torque (SPT), range of motion (ROM), passive joint (muscle-tendon) stiffness, passive torque (PT) at onset of pain, and isometric muscle force. Static passive torque was significantly decreased after all stretching intensities (p ≤ 0.05). Compared with before stretching at 100 and 120% intensities, ROM and PT were significantly increased after stretching (p ≤ 0.05), and passive stiffness (p = 0.05) and isometric muscle force (p ≤ 0.05) were significantly decreased. In addition, ROM was significantly greater after stretching at 100 and 120% than at 80%, and passive stiffness was significantly lower after 120% than after 80% (p ≤ 0.05). However, all measurements except SPT were unchanged after 80% intensity. There was a weak positive correlation between the intensities of stretching and the relative change for SPT (p ≤ 0.05), a moderate positive correlation with ROM (p ≤ 0.05), and a moderate positive correlation with passive stiffness (p ≤ 0.05). These results indicate that static stretching at greater intensity is more effective for increasing ROM and decreasing passive muscle-tendon stiffness.

Hepatobiliary MRI: Signal intensity based assessment of liver function correlated to 13C-Methacetin breath test.

PubMed

Haimerl, Michael; Probst, Ute; Poelsterl, Stefanie; Beyer, Lukas; Fellner, Claudia; Selgrad, Michael; Hornung, Matthias; Stroszczynski, Christian; Wiggermann, Philipp

2018-06-13

Gadoxetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) is a paramagnetic MRI contrast agent with raising popularity and has been used for evaluation of imaging-based liver function in recent years. In order to verify whether liver function as determined by real-time breath analysis using the intravenous administration of 13 C-methacetin can be estimated quantitatively from Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI using signal intensity (SI) values. 110 patients underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3-T MRI and, for the evaluation of liver function, a 13 C-methacetin breath test ( 13 C-MBT). SI values from before (SI pre ) and 20 min after (SI post ) contrast media injection were acquired by T1-weighted volume-interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) sequences with fat suppression. The relative enhancement (RE) between the plain and contrast-enhanced SI values was calculated and evaluated in a correlation analysis of 13 C-MBT values to SI post and RE to obtain a SI-based estimation of 13 C-MBT values. The simple regression model showed a log-linear correlation of 13 C-MBT values with SI post and RE (p < 0.001). Stratified by 3 different categories of 13 C-MBT readouts, there was a constant significant decrease in both SI post (p ≤ 0.002) and RE (p ≤ 0.033) with increasing liver disease progression as assessed by the 13 C-MBT. Liver function as determined using real-time 13 C-methacetin breath analysis can be estimated quantitatively from Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI using SI-based indices.

A preliminary study of the neural correlates of the intensities of self-reported gambling urges and emotions in men with pathological gambling.

PubMed

Balodis, Iris M; Lacadie, Cheryl M; Potenza, Marc N

2012-09-01

Although self-reported gambling urge intensities have clinical utility in the treatment of pathological gambling (PG), prior studies have not investigated their neural correlates. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted while 10 men with PG and 11 control comparison (CON) men viewed videotaped scenarios of gambling, happy or sad content. Participants rated the intensity of their emotions and motivations and reported the qualities of their responses. Relative to the CON group, the PG group reported similar responses to sad and happy scenarios, but stronger emotional responses and gambling urges when viewing the gambling scenarios. Correlations between self-reported responses and brain activations were typically strongest during the period of reported onset of emotional/motivational response and more robust in PG than in CON subjects for all conditions. During this epoch, corresponding with conscious awareness of an emotional/motivational response, subjective ratings of gambling urges in the PG group were negatively correlated with medial prefrontal cortex activation and positively correlated with middle temporal gyrus and temporal pole activations. Sadness ratings in the PG group correlated positively with activation of the medial orbitofrontal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and retrosplenial cortex, while self-reported happiness during the happy videos demonstrated largely inverse correlations with activations in the temporal poles. Brain areas identified in the PG subjects have been implicated in explicit, self-referential processing and episodic memory. The findings demonstrate different patterns of correlations between subjective measures of emotions and motivations in PG and CON subjects when viewing material of corresponding content, suggesting in PG alterations in the neural correlates underlying experiential aspects of affective processing.

A Preliminary Study of the Neural Correlates of the Intensities of Self-Reported Gambling Urges and Emotions in Men with Pathological Gambling

PubMed Central

Lacadie, Cheryl M.; Potenza, Marc N.

2011-01-01

Although self-reported gambling urge intensities have clinical utility in the treatment of pathological gambling (PG), prior studies have not investigated their neural correlates. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted while 10 men with PG and 11 control comparison (CON) men viewed videotaped scenarios of gambling, happy or sad content. Participants rated the intensity of their emotions and motivations and reported the qualities of their responses. Relative to the CON group, the PG group reported similar responses to sad and happy scenarios, but stronger emotional responses and gambling urges when viewing the gambling scenarios. Correlations between self-reported responses and brain activations were typically strongest during the period of reported onset of emotional/motivational response and more robust in PG than in CON subjects for all conditions. During this epoch, corresponding with conscious awareness of an emotional/motivational response, subjective ratings of gambling urges in the PG group were negatively correlated with medial prefrontal cortex activation and positively correlated with middle temporal gyrus and temporal pole activations. Sadness ratings in the PG group correlated positively with activation of the medial orbitofrontal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and retrosplenial cortex, while self-reported happiness during the happy videos demonstrated largely inverse correlations with activations in the temporal poles. Brain areas identified in the PG subjects have been implicated in explicit, self-referential processing and episodic memory. The findings demonstrate different patterns of correlations between subjective measures of emotions and motivations in PG and CON subjects when viewing material of corresponding content, suggesting in PG alterations in the neural correlates underlying experiential aspects of affective processing. PMID:21811809

Estimating Function Approaches for Spatial Point Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Chong

Spatial point pattern data consist of locations of events that are often of interest in biological and ecological studies. Such data are commonly viewed as a realization from a stochastic process called spatial point process. To fit a parametric spatial point process model to such data, likelihood-based methods have been widely studied. However, while maximum likelihood estimation is often too computationally intensive for Cox and cluster processes, pairwise likelihood methods such as composite likelihood, Palm likelihood usually suffer from the loss of information due to the ignorance of correlation among pairs. For many types of correlated data other than spatial point processes, when likelihood-based approaches are not desirable, estimating functions have been widely used for model fitting. In this dissertation, we explore the estimating function approaches for fitting spatial point process models. These approaches, which are based on the asymptotic optimal estimating function theories, can be used to incorporate the correlation among data and yield more efficient estimators. We conducted a series of studies to demonstrate that these estmating function approaches are good alternatives to balance the trade-off between computation complexity and estimating efficiency. First, we propose a new estimating procedure that improves the efficiency of pairwise composite likelihood method in estimating clustering parameters. Our approach combines estimating functions derived from pairwise composite likeli-hood estimation and estimating functions that account for correlations among the pairwise contributions. Our method can be used to fit a variety of parametric spatial point process models and can yield more efficient estimators for the clustering parameters than pairwise composite likelihood estimation. We demonstrate its efficacy through a simulation study and an application to the longleaf pine data. Second, we further explore the quasi-likelihood approach on fitting second-order intensity function of spatial point processes. However, the original second-order quasi-likelihood is barely feasible due to the intense computation and high memory requirement needed to solve a large linear system. Motivated by the existence of geometric regular patterns in the stationary point processes, we find a lower dimension representation of the optimal weight function and propose a reduced second-order quasi-likelihood approach. Through a simulation study, we show that the proposed method not only demonstrates superior performance in fitting the clustering parameter but also merits in the relaxation of the constraint of the tuning parameter, H. Third, we studied the quasi-likelihood type estimating funciton that is optimal in a certain class of first-order estimating functions for estimating the regression parameter in spatial point process models. Then, by using a novel spectral representation, we construct an implementation that is computationally much more efficient and can be applied to more general setup than the original quasi-likelihood method.

Assessment of curing behavior of light-activated dental composites using intensity correlation based multiple reference optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Dsouza, Roshan; Subhash, Hrebesh; Neuhaus, Kai; Kantamneni, Ramakrishna; McNamara, Paul M; Hogan, Josh; Wilson, Carol; Leahy, Martin

2016-01-01

Monitoring the curing kinetics of light-activated resin is a key area of research. These resins are used in restorative applications and particularly in dental applications. They can undergo volumetric shrinkage due to poor control of the depth dependent curing process, modulated by the intensity and duration of the curing light source. This often results in the formation of marginal gaps, causing pain and damage to the restoration site. In this study, we demonstrate the capabilities of a correlation method applied using a multiple references optical coherence tomography (MR-OCT) architecture to monitor the curing of the resin. A MR-OCT system is used in this study to monitor the curing of the resin. The system operates at the center wavelength of 1310 nm with an A-scan rate of 1200 A-scans per second. The axial and lateral resolution of the system is ∼13 μm and ∼27 μm. The method to determine the intensity correlation between adjacent B-frames is based on the Pearson correlation coefficient for a region of interest. Calculating the correlation coefficient for multiple B-frames related to the first B-frame at regular spaced time points, shows for a noncured resin a reduction of the correlation coefficient over time due to Brownian motion. The time constant of the reduction of the correlation value is a measure for the progress of the polymerization during LED light irradiation of the resin. The proposed approach is potentially a low-cost, powerful and unique optical imaging modality for measuring the curing behavior of dental resin and other resins, coatings, and adhesives in medical and industrial applications. To demonstrate the proposed method to monitor the curing process, a light-activated resin composite from GRADIA DIRECT ANTERIOR (GC Corporation, Japan) is studied. The curing time of resin was measured and monitored as a function of depth. The correlation coefficient method is highly sensitive to Brownian motion. The process of curing results in a change in intensity as measured by the MR-OCT signal and hence can be monitored using this method. These results show that MR-OCT has the potential to measure the curing time and monitor the curing process as a function of depth. Moreover, MR-OCT as a product has potential to be compact, low-cost and to fit into a smartphone. Using such a device for monitoring the curing of the resin will be suitable for dentists in stationary and mobile clinical settings. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abnormal activation of the primary somatosensory cortex in spasmodic dysphonia: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Simonyan, Kristina; Ludlow, Christy L

2010-11-01

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a task-specific focal dystonia of unknown pathophysiology, characterized by involuntary spasms in the laryngeal muscles during speaking. Our aim was to identify symptom-specific functional brain activation abnormalities in adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) and abductor spasmodic dysphonia (ABSD). Both SD groups showed increased activation extent in the primary sensorimotor cortex, insula, and superior temporal gyrus during symptomatic and asymptomatic tasks and decreased activation extent in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum during asymptomatic tasks. Increased activation intensity in SD patients was found only in the primary somatosensory cortex during symptomatic voice production, which showed a tendency for correlation with ADSD symptoms. Both SD groups had lower correlation of activation intensities between the primary motor and sensory cortices and additional correlations between the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum during symptomatic and asymptomatic tasks. Compared with ADSD patients, ABSD patients had larger activation extent in the primary sensorimotor cortex and ventral thalamus during symptomatic task and in the inferior temporal cortex and cerebellum during symptomatic and asymptomatic voice production. The primary somatosensory cortex shows consistent abnormalities in activation extent, intensity, correlation with other brain regions, and symptom severity in SD patients and, therefore, may be involved in the pathophysiology of SD.

Abnormal Activation of the Primary Somatosensory Cortex in Spasmodic Dysphonia: An fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Ludlow, Christy L.

2010-01-01

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a task-specific focal dystonia of unknown pathophysiology, characterized by involuntary spasms in the laryngeal muscles during speaking. Our aim was to identify symptom-specific functional brain activation abnormalities in adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) and abductor spasmodic dysphonia (ABSD). Both SD groups showed increased activation extent in the primary sensorimotor cortex, insula, and superior temporal gyrus during symptomatic and asymptomatic tasks and decreased activation extent in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum during asymptomatic tasks. Increased activation intensity in SD patients was found only in the primary somatosensory cortex during symptomatic voice production, which showed a tendency for correlation with ADSD symptoms. Both SD groups had lower correlation of activation intensities between the primary motor and sensory cortices and additional correlations between the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum during symptomatic and asymptomatic tasks. Compared with ADSD patients, ABSD patients had larger activation extent in the primary sensorimotor cortex and ventral thalamus during symptomatic task and in the inferior temporal cortex and cerebellum during symptomatic and asymptomatic voice production. The primary somatosensory cortex shows consistent abnormalities in activation extent, intensity, correlation with other brain regions, and symptom severity in SD patients and, therefore, may be involved in the pathophysiology of SD. PMID:20194686

Relationships between watershed emergy flow and coastal New England salt marsh structure, function, and condition.

PubMed

Brandt-Williams, Sherry; Wigand, Cathleen; Campbell, Daniel E

2013-02-01

This study evaluated the link between watershed activities and salt marsh structure, function, and condition using spatial emergy flow density (areal empower density) in the watershed and field data from 10 tidal salt marshes in Narragansett Bay, RI, USA. The field-collected data were obtained during several years of vegetation, invertebrate, soil, and water quality sampling. The use of emergy as an accounting mechanism allowed disparate factors (e.g., the amount of building construction and the consumption of electricity) to be combined into a single landscape index while retaining a uniform quantitative definition of the intensity of landscape development. It expanded upon typical land use percentage studies by weighting each category for the intensity of development. At the RI salt marsh sites, an impact index (watershed emergy flow normalized for marsh area) showed significant correlations with mudflat infauna species richness, mussel density, plant species richness, the extent and density of dominant plant species, and denitrification potential within the high salt marsh. Over the 4-year period examined, a loading index (watershed emergy flow normalized for watershed area) showed significant correlations with nitrite and nitrate concentrations, as well as with the nitrogen to phosphorus ratios in stream discharge into the marshes. Both the emergy impact and loading indices were significantly correlated with a salt marsh condition index derived from intensive field-based assessments. Comparison of the emergy indices to calculated nitrogen loading estimates for each watershed also produced significant positive correlations. These results suggest that watershed emergy flow is a robust index of human disturbance and a potential tool for rapid assessment of coastal wetland condition.

Assessing a Tornado Climatology from Global Tornado Intensity Distributions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feuerstein, Bernold; Dotzek, Nikolai; Grieser, Jürgen

2005-02-01

Recent work demonstrated that the shape of tornado intensity distributions from various regions worldwide is well described by Weibull functions. This statistical modeling revealed a strong correlation between the fit parameters c for shape and b for scale regardless of the data source. In the present work it is shown that the quality of the Weibull fits is optimized if only tornado reports of F1 and higher intensity are used and that the c-b correlation does indeed reflect a universal feature of the observed tornado intensity distributions. For regions with likely supercell tornado dominance, this feature is the number ratio of F4 to F3 tornado reports R(F4/F3) = 0.238. The c-b diagram for the Weibull shape and scale parameters is used as a climatological chart, which allows different types of tornado climatology to be distinguished, presumably arising from supercell versus nonsupercell tornadogenesis. Assuming temporal invariance of the climatology and using a detection efficiency function for tornado observations, a stationary climatological probability distribution from large tornado records (U.S. decadal data 1950-99) is extracted. This can be used for risk assessment, comparative studies on tornado intensity distributions worldwide, and estimates of the degree of underreporting for areas with poor databases. For the 1990s U.S. data, a likely tornado underreporting of the weak events (F0, F1) by a factor of 2 can be diagnosed, as well as asymptotic climatological c,b values of c = 1.79 and b = 2.13, to which a convergence in the 1950-99 U.S. decadal data is verified.

Statistical against dynamical PLF fission as seen by the IMF-IMF correlation functions and comparisons with CoMD model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagano, E. V.; Acosta, L.; Auditore, L.; Cap, T.; Cardella, G.; Colonna, M.; De Filippo, E.; Geraci, E.; Gnoffo, B.; Lanzalone, G.; Maiolino, C.; Martorana, N.; Pagano, A.; Papa, M.; Piasecki, E.; Pirrone, S.; Politi, G.; Porto, F.; Quattrocchi, L.; Rizzo, F.; Russotto, P.; Trifiro’, A.; Trimarchi, M.; Siwek-Wilczynska, K.

2018-05-01

In nuclear reactions at Fermi energies two and multi particles intensity interferometry correlation methods are powerful tools in order to pin down the characteristic time scale of the emission processes. In this paper we summarize an improved application of the fragment-fragment correlation function in the specific physics case of heavy projectile-like (PLF) binary massive splitting in two fragments of intermediate mass(IMF). Results are shown for the reverse kinematics reaction 124 Sn+64 Ni at 35 AMeV that has been investigated by using the forward part of CHIMERA multi-detector. The analysis was performed as a function of the charge asymmetry of the observed couples of IMF. We show a coexistence of dynamical and statistical components as a function of the charge asymmetry. Transport CoMD simulations are compared with the data in order to pin down the timescale of the fragments production and the relevant ingredients of the in medium effective interaction used in the transport calculations.

Conformal correlation functions in the Brownian loop soup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camia, Federico; Gandolfi, Alberto; Kleban, Matthew

2016-01-01

We define and study a set of operators that compute statistical properties of the Brownian loop soup, a conformally invariant gas of random Brownian loops (Brownian paths constrained to begin and end at the same point) in two dimensions. We prove that the correlation functions of these operators have many of the properties of conformal primaries in a conformal field theory, and compute their conformal dimension. The dimensions are real and positive, but have the novel feature that they vary continuously as a periodic function of a real parameter. We comment on the relation of the Brownian loop soup to the free field, and use this relation to establish that the central charge of the loop soup is twice its intensity.

Kinesiophobia, Pain, Muscle Functions, and Functional Performances among Older Persons with Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Ishak, Nor Azizah; Zahari, Zarina; Justine, Maria

2017-01-01

This study aims (1) to determine the association between kinesiophobia and pain, muscle functions, and functional performances and (2) to determine whether kinesiophobia predicts pain, muscle functions, and functional performance among older persons with low back pain (LBP). This is a correlational study, involving 63 institutionalized older persons (age = 70.98 ± 7.90 years) diagnosed with LBP. Anthropometric characteristics (BMI) and functional performances (lower limb function, balance and mobility, and hand grip strength) were measured. Muscle strength (abdominal and back muscle strength) was assessed using the Baseline® Mechanical Push/Pull Dynamometer, while muscle control (transverse abdominus and multifidus) was measured by using the Pressure Biofeedback Unit. The pain intensity and the level of kinesiophobia were measured using Numerical Rating Scale and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, respectively. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients and multivariate linear regressions. No significant correlations were found between kinesiophobia and pain and muscle functions (all p > 0.05). Kinesiophobia was significantly correlated with mobility and balance ( p = 0.038, r = 0.263). Regressions analysis showed that kinesiophobia was a significant predictor of mobility and balance ( p = 0.038). We can conclude that kinesiophobia predicted mobility and balance in older persons with LBP. Kinesiophobia should be continuously assessed in clinical settings to recognize the obstacles that may affect patient's compliance towards a rehabilitation program in older persons with LBP.

Kinesiophobia, Pain, Muscle Functions, and Functional Performances among Older Persons with Low Back Pain

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objectives This study aims (1) to determine the association between kinesiophobia and pain, muscle functions, and functional performances and (2) to determine whether kinesiophobia predicts pain, muscle functions, and functional performance among older persons with low back pain (LBP). Methods This is a correlational study, involving 63 institutionalized older persons (age = 70.98 ± 7.90 years) diagnosed with LBP. Anthropometric characteristics (BMI) and functional performances (lower limb function, balance and mobility, and hand grip strength) were measured. Muscle strength (abdominal and back muscle strength) was assessed using the Baseline® Mechanical Push/Pull Dynamometer, while muscle control (transverse abdominus and multifidus) was measured by using the Pressure Biofeedback Unit. The pain intensity and the level of kinesiophobia were measured using Numerical Rating Scale and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, respectively. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients and multivariate linear regressions. Results No significant correlations were found between kinesiophobia and pain and muscle functions (all p > 0.05). Kinesiophobia was significantly correlated with mobility and balance (p = 0.038, r = 0.263). Regressions analysis showed that kinesiophobia was a significant predictor of mobility and balance (p = 0.038). Conclusion We can conclude that kinesiophobia predicted mobility and balance in older persons with LBP. Kinesiophobia should be continuously assessed in clinical settings to recognize the obstacles that may affect patient's compliance towards a rehabilitation program in older persons with LBP. PMID:28634547

Intrinsic Functional Connectivity in the Adult Brain and Success in Second-Language Learning.

PubMed

Chai, Xiaoqian J; Berken, Jonathan A; Barbeau, Elise B; Soles, Jennika; Callahan, Megan; Chen, Jen-Kai; Klein, Denise

2016-01-20

There is considerable variability in an individual's ability to acquire a second language (L2) during adulthood. Using resting-state fMRI data acquired before training in English speakers who underwent a 12 week intensive French immersion training course, we investigated whether individual differences in intrinsic resting-state functional connectivity relate to a person's ability to acquire an L2. We focused on two key aspects of language processing--lexical retrieval in spontaneous speech and reading speed--and computed whole-brain functional connectivity from two regions of interest in the language network, namely the left anterior insula/frontal operculum (AI/FO) and the visual word form area (VWFA). Connectivity between the left AI/FO and left posterior superior temporal gyrus (STG) and between the left AI/FO and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex correlated positively with improvement in L2 lexical retrieval in spontaneous speech. Connectivity between the VWFA and left mid-STG correlated positively with improvement in L2 reading speed. These findings are consistent with the different language functions subserved by subcomponents of the language network and suggest that the human capacity to learn an L2 can be predicted by an individual's intrinsic functional connectivity within the language network. Significance statement: There is considerable variability in second-language learning abilities during adulthood. We investigated whether individual differences in intrinsic functional connectivity in the adult brain relate to success in second-language learning, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in English speakers who underwent a 12 week intensive French immersion training course. We found that pretraining functional connectivity within two different language subnetworks correlated strongly with learning outcome in two different language skills: lexical retrieval in spontaneous speech and reading speed. Our results suggest that the human capacity to learn a second language can be predicted by an individual's intrinsic functional connectivity within the language network. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/360755-07$15.00/0.

Decision making and preferences for acoustic signals in choice situations by female crickets.

PubMed

Gabel, Eileen; Kuntze, Janine; Hennig, R Matthias

2015-08-01

Multiple attributes usually have to be assessed when choosing a mate. Efficient choice of the best mate is complicated if the available cues are not positively correlated, as is often the case during acoustic communication. Because of varying distances of signalers, a female may be confronted with signals of diverse quality at different intensities. Here, we examined how available cues are weighted for a decision by female crickets. Two songs with different temporal patterns and/or sound intensities were presented in a choice paradigm and compared with female responses from a no-choice test. When both patterns were presented at equal intensity, preference functions became wider in choice situations compared with a no-choice paradigm. When the stimuli in two-choice tests were presented at different intensities, this effect was counteracted as preference functions became narrower compared with choice tests using stimuli of equal intensity. The weighting of intensity differences depended on pattern quality and was therefore non-linear. A simple computational model based on pattern and intensity cues reliably predicted female decisions. A comparison of processing schemes suggested that the computations for pattern recognition and directionality are performed in a network with parallel topology. However, the computational flow of information corresponded to serial processing. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Testosterone Plus Low-Intensity Physical Training in Late Life Improves Functional Performance, Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Biogenesis, and Mitochondrial Quality Control in Male Mice

PubMed Central

Guo, Wen; Wong, Siu; Li, Michelle; Liang, Wentao; Liesa, Marc; Serra, Carlo; Jasuja, Ravi; Bartke, Andrzej; Kirkland, James L.; Shirihai, Orian; Bhasin, Shalender

2012-01-01

Testosterone supplementation increases muscle mass in older men but has not been shown to consistently improve physical function and activity. It has been hypothesized that physical exercise is required to induce the adaptations necessary for translation of testosterone-induced muscle mass gain into functional improvements. However, the effects of testosterone plus low intensity physical exercise training (T/PT) on functional performance and bioenergetics are unknown. In this pilot study, we tested the hypothesis that combined administration of T/PT would improve functional performance and bioenergetics in male mice late in life more than low-intensity physical training alone. 28-month old male mice were randomized to receive T/PT or vehicle plus physical training (V/PT) for 2 months. Compare to V/PT control, administration of T/PT was associated with improvements in muscle mass, grip strength, spontaneous physical movements, and respiratory activity. These changes were correlated with increased mitochondrial DNA copy number and expression of markers for mitochondrial biogenesis. Mice receiving T/PT also displayed increased expression of key elements for mitochondrial quality control, including markers for mitochondrial fission-and-fusion and mitophagy. Concurrently, mice receiving T/PT also displayed increased expression of markers for reduced tissue oxidative damage and improved muscle quality. Conclusion: Testosterone administered with low-intensity physical training improves grip strength, spontaneous movements, and respiratory activity. These functional improvements were associated with increased muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and improved mitochondrial quality control. PMID:23240002

The effects of visitor density and intensity on the behavior of two captive jaguars (Panthera onca).

PubMed

Sellinger, Rebecca L; Ha, James C

2005-01-01

Several researchers have reported significant effects of visitor density and intensity on captive animal behavior. This study determined whether this was the case for 2 captive jaguars housed at the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA. Subjects were monitored for changes in behavior as a function of visitor density and intensity. The jaguars were observed for 8 hr per week for 29 weeks--March 31 until October 11, 1998--for a total of 230 hr. Continuous frequency sampling was used, and visitor density and intensity were recorded every minute. Parametric statistics were used to test for correlations between behavior and density, intensity, or a combination of the two. Both density and intensity were significant for time spent non-visible for both cats, and intensity showed a significant effect on the female's pacing behavior. In addition, the male cat exhibited a trend for increased aggression based on both visitor density and intensity and a trend of intensity affecting his social behavior. In conclusion, both density and intensity had a significant effect on behavior, with intensity showing a larger effect.

Quality of life and burden in caregivers of youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder presenting for intensive treatment

PubMed Central

Wu, Monica S.; Hamblin, Rebecca; Nadeau, Joshua; Simmons, Jessica; Smith, Ashley; Wilson, Meredith; Eken, Stephanie; Small, Brent; Phares, Vicky; Storch, Eric A.

2018-01-01

Background Pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with deleterious familial effects; caregivers are often enmeshed in the disorder and can experience considerable burden and decreased quality of life (QoL). Consequently, this study examined burden and QoL in caregivers of youth with OCD enrolled in an intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization program. Method The relationships between caregiver QoL and burden and the following variables were investigated: OCD symptom severity, functioning (youth functional impairment, general family functioning), family (family accommodation, parental relationship satisfaction, positive aspects of caregiving), and comorbid psychopathology (caregiver anxiety and depressive symptoms, youth internalizing and externalizing behaviors). Seventy-two child and caregiver dyads completed clinician- and self-rated questionnaires. Results Components of caregiver QoL correlated with caregiver-rated functional impairment, family accommodation, youth externalizing behaviors, and caregiver psychopathology. Aspects of caregiver burden correlated with child OCD symptom severity, functional impairment related to OCD, as well as caregiver and child comorbid psychopathology. Caregiver depressive symptoms predicted caregiver QoL, and caregiver depressive symptoms and child externalizing symptoms both predicted caregiver burden. Caregiver burden did not mediate the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptom severity and caregiver QoL. Conclusion Ultimately, elucidating factors associated with increased caregiver burden and poorer QoL is pertinent for identifying at-risk families and developing targeted interventions. PMID:29031217

Coulomb Interactions in Hanbury Brown-Twiss Experiments with Electrons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Kan

2009-01-01

This dissertation examines the effect of Coulomb interactions in Hanbury Brown-Twiss (HBT) type experiments with electrons. HBT experiments deal with intensity interference, which is related to the second-order correlation function of the particle field. This is an extension of the usual amplitude interference experiment, such as Young's…

Correlating ion energies and CF{sub 2} surface production during fluorocarbon plasma processing of silicon

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

Martin, Ina T.; Zhou Jie; Fisher, Ellen R.

2006-07-01

Ion energy distribution (IED) measurements are reported for ions in the plasma molecular beam source of the imaging of radicals interacting with surfaces (IRIS) apparatus. The IEDs and relative intensities of nascent ions in C{sub 3}F{sub 8} and C{sub 4}F{sub 8} plasma molecular beams were measured using a Hiden PSM003 mass spectrometer mounted on the IRIS main chamber. The IEDs are complex and multimodal, with mean ion energies ranging from 29 to 92 eV. Integrated IEDs provided relative ion intensities as a function of applied rf power and source pressure. Generally, higher applied rf powers and lower source pressures resultedmore » in increased ion intensities and mean ion energies. Most significantly, a comparison to CF{sub 2} surface interaction measurements previously made in our laboratories reveals that mean ion energies are directly and linearly correlated to CF{sub 2} surface production in these systems.« less

Study of V-OTDR stability for dynamic strain measurement in piezoelectric vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Meiqi; Lu, Ping; Chen, Liang; Bao, Xiaoyi

2016-09-01

In a phase-sensitive optical-time domain reflectometry (Φ-OTDR) system, the challenge for dynamic strain measurement lies in large intensity fluctuations from trace to trace. The intensity fluctuation caused by stochastic characteristics of Rayleigh backscattering sets detection limit for the minimum strength of vibration measurement and causes the large measurement uncertainty. Thus, a trace-to-trace correlation coefficient is introduced to quantify intensity fluctuation of Φ-OTDR traces and stability of the sensor system theoretically and experimentally. A novel approach of measuring dynamic strain induced by various driving voltages of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) in Φ-OTDR is also demonstrated. Piezoelectric vibration signals are evaluated through analyzing peak values of fast Fourier transform spectra at the fundamental frequency and high-order harmonics based on Bessel functions. High trace-to-trace correlation coefficients varying from 0.824 to 0.967 among 100 measurements are obtained in experimental results, showing the good stability of our sensor system, as well as small uncertainty of measured peak values.

Intensity-intensity correlations as a probe of interferences under conditions of noninterference in the intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, G. S.; von Zanthier, J.; Skornia, C.; Walther, H.

2002-05-01

The different behavior of first-order interferences and second-order correlations are investigated for the case of two coherently excited atoms. For intensity measurements this problem is in many respects equivalent to Young's double-slit experiment and was investigated in an experiment by Eichmann et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 2359 (1993)] and later analyzed in detail by Itano et al. [Phys. Rev. A 57, 4176 (1998)]. Our results show that in cases where the intensity interferences disappear the intensity-intensity correlations can display an interference pattern with a visibility of up to 100%. The contrast depends on the polarization selected for the detection and is independent of the strength of the driving field. The nonclassical nature of the calculated intensity-intensity correlations is also discussed.

Generalized multi-Gaussian correlated Schell-model beam: from theory to experiment.

PubMed

Wang, Fei; Liang, Chunhao; Yuan, Yangsheng; Cai, Yangjian

2014-09-22

A new kind of partially coherent beam with non-conventional correlation function named generalized multi-Gaussian correlated Schell-model (GMGCSM) beam is proposed. The GMGCSM beam of the first or second kind is capable of producing dark hollow or flat-topped beam profile in the focal plane (or in the far field). Furthermore, we carry out experimental generation of a GMGCSM beam of the first or second kind, and measure its focused intensity. Our experimental results verify theoretical predictions. The GMGCSM beam will be useful for free-space optical communications, material thermal processing, particle or atom trapping.

Correlation spectrometer for filtering of (quasi) elastic neutron scattering with variable resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magazù, Salvatore; Mezei, Ferenc; Migliardo, Federica

2018-05-01

In a variety of applications of inelastic neutron scattering spectroscopy the goal is to single out the elastic scattering contribution from the total scattered spectrum as a function of momentum transfer and sample environment parameters. The elastic part of the spectrum is defined in such a case by the energy resolution of the spectrometer. Variable elastic energy resolution offers a way to distinguish between elastic and quasi-elastic intensities. Correlation spectroscopy lends itself as an efficient, high intensity approach for accomplishing this both at continuous and pulsed neutron sources. On the one hand, in beam modulation methods the Liouville theorem coupling between intensity and resolution is relaxed and time-of-flight velocity analysis of the neutron velocity distribution can be performed with 50 % duty factor exposure for all available resolutions. On the other hand, the (quasi)elastic part of the spectrum generally contains the major part of the integrated intensity at a given detector, and thus correlation spectroscopy can be applied with most favorable signal to statistical noise ratio. The novel spectrometer CORELLI at SNS is an example for this type of application of the correlation technique at a pulsed source. On a continuous neutron source a statistical chopper can be used for quasi-random time dependent beam modulation and the total time-of-flight of the neutron from the statistical chopper to detection is determined by the analysis of the correlation between the temporal fluctuation of the neutron detection rate and the statistical chopper beam modulation pattern. The correlation analysis can either be used for the determination of the incoming neutron velocity or for the scattered neutron velocity, depending of the position of the statistical chopper along the neutron trajectory. These two options are considered together with an evaluation of spectrometer performance compared to conventional spectroscopy, in particular for variable resolution elastic neutron scattering (RENS) studies of relaxation processes and the evolution of mean square displacements. A particular focus of our analysis is the unique feature of correlation spectroscopy of delivering high and resolution independent beam intensity, thus the same statistical chopper scan contains both high intensity and high resolution information at the same time, and can be evaluated both ways. This flexibility for variable resolution data handling represents an additional asset for correlation spectroscopy in variable resolution work. Changing the beam width for the same statistical chopper allows us to additionally trade resolution for intensity in two different experimental runs, similarly for conventional single slit chopper spectroscopy. The combination of these two approaches is a capability of particular value in neutron spectroscopy studies requiring variable energy resolution, such as the systematic study of quasi-elastic scattering and mean square displacement. Furthermore the statistical chopper approach is particularly advantageous for studying samples with low scattering intensity in the presence of a high, sample independent background.

Qualitative assessment of gene expression in affymetrix genechip arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagarajan, Radhakrishnan; Upreti, Meenakshi

2007-01-01

Affymetrix Genechip microarrays are used widely to determine the simultaneous expression of genes in a given biological paradigm. Probes on the Genechip array are atomic entities which by definition are randomly distributed across the array and in turn govern the gene expression. In the present study, we make several interesting observations. We show that there is considerable correlation between the probe intensities across the array which defy the independence assumption. While the mechanism behind such correlations is unclear, we show that scaling behavior and the profiles of perfect match (PM) as well as mismatch (MM) probes are similar and immune-to-background subtraction. We believe that the observed correlations are possibly an outcome of inherent non-stationarities or patchiness in the array devoid of biological significance. This is demonstrated by inspecting their scaling behavior and profiles of the PM and MM probe intensities obtained from publicly available Genechip arrays from three eukaryotic genomes, namely: Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), Homo sapiens (humans) and Mus musculus (house mouse) across distinct biological paradigms and across laboratories, with and without background subtraction. The fluctuation functions were estimated using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) with fourth-order polynomial detrending. The results presented in this study provide new insights into correlation signatures of PM and MM probe intensities and suggests the choice of DFA as a tool for qualitative assessment of Affymetrix Genechip microarrays prior to their analysis. A more detailed investigation is necessary in order to understand the source of these correlations.

Neural Correlates of Efficacy of Voice Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease Identified by Performance–Correlation Analysis

PubMed Central

Narayana, Shalini; Fox, Peter T.; Zhang, Wei; Franklin, Crystal; Robin, Donald A.; Vogel, Deanie; Ramig, Lorraine O.

2009-01-01

LSVT® LOUD (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment) is efficacious in the treatment of speech disorders in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD), particularly hypophonia. Functional imaging in patients with IPD has shown abnormalities in several speech regions and changes in these areas immediately following treatment. This study serves to extend the analysis by correlating changes of regional neural activity with the main behavioral change following treatment, namely, increased vocal intensity. Ten IPD participants with hypophonia were studied before and after LSVT LOUD. Cerebral blood flow during rest and reading conditions were measured by H215O-positron emission tomography. Z-score images were generated by contrasting reading with rest conditions for pre- and post-LSVT LOUD sessions. Neuronal activity during reading in the pre- versus post-LSVT LOUD contrast was correlated with corresponding change in vocal intensity to generate correlation images. Behaviorally, vocal intensity for speech tasks increased significantly after LSVT LOUD. The contrast and correlation analyses indicate a treatment-dependent shift to the right hemisphere with modification in the speech motor regions as well as in prefrontal and temporal areas. We interpret the modification of activity in these regions to be a top–down effect of LSVT LOUD. The absence of an effect of LSVT LOUD on the basal ganglion supports this argument. Our findings indicate that the therapeutic effect of LSVT LOUD in IPD hypophonia results from a shift in cortical activity to the right hemisphere. These findings demonstrate that the short-term changes in the speech motor and multimodal integration areas can occur in a top–down manner. PMID:19639554

Neural correlates of efficacy of voice therapy in Parkinson's disease identified by performance-correlation analysis.

PubMed

Narayana, Shalini; Fox, Peter T; Zhang, Wei; Franklin, Crystal; Robin, Donald A; Vogel, Deanie; Ramig, Lorraine O

2010-02-01

LSVT LOUD (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment) is efficacious in the treatment of speech disorders in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD), particularly hypophonia. Functional imaging in patients with IPD has shown abnormalities in several speech regions and changes in these areas immediately following treatment. This study serves to extend the analysis by correlating changes of regional neural activity with the main behavioral change following treatment, namely, increased vocal intensity. Ten IPD participants with hypophonia were studied before and after LSVT LOUD. Cerebral blood flow during rest and reading conditions were measured by H(2)(15)O-positron emission tomography. Z-score images were generated by contrasting reading with rest conditions for pre- and post-LSVT LOUD sessions. Neuronal activity during reading in the pre- versus post-LSVT LOUD contrast was correlated with corresponding change in vocal intensity to generate correlation images. Behaviorally, vocal intensity for speech tasks increased significantly after LSVT LOUD. The contrast and correlation analyses indicate a treatment-dependent shift to the right hemisphere with modification in the speech motor regions as well as in prefrontal and temporal areas. We interpret the modification of activity in these regions to be a top-down effect of LSVT LOUD. The absence of an effect of LSVT LOUD on the basal ganglion supports this argument. Our findings indicate that the therapeutic effect of LSVT LOUD in IPD hypophonia results from a shift in cortical activity to the right hemisphere. These findings demonstrate that the short-term changes in the speech motor and multimodal integration areas can occur in a top-down manner. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Functional assessment of a series of paediatric patients receiving neurointensive treatment: New Functional status scale.

PubMed

Madurga-Revilla, P; López-Pisón, J; Samper-Villagrasa, P; Garcés-Gómez, R; García-Íñiguez, J P; Domínguez-Cajal, M; Gil-Hernández, I; Viscor-Zárate, S

2017-11-01

Functional health, a reliable parameter of the impact of disease, should be used systematically to assess prognosis in paediatric intensive care units (PICU). Developing scales for the assessment of functional health is therefore essential. The Paediatric Overall and Cerebral Performance Category (POPC, PCPC) scales have traditionally been used in paediatric studies. The new Functional Status Scale (FSS) was designed to provide more objective results. This study aims to confirm the validity of the FSS compared to the classic POPC and PCPC scales, and to evaluate whether it may also be superior to the latter in assessing of neurological function. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of 266 children with neurological diseases admitted to intensive care between 2012 and 2014. Functional health at discharge and at one year after discharge was evaluated using the PCPC and POPC scales and the new FSS. Global FSS scores were found to be well correlated with all POPC scores (P<.001), except in category 5 (coma/vegetative state). Global FSS score dispersion increases with POPC category. The neurological versions of both scales show a similar correlation. Comparison with classic POPC and PCPC categories suggests that the new FSS scale is a useful method for evaluating functional health in our setting. The dispersion of FSS values underlines the poor accuracy of POPC-PCPC compared to the new FSS scale, which is more disaggregated and objective. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Methods to detect, characterize, and remove motion artifact in resting state fMRI

PubMed Central

Power, Jonathan D; Mitra, Anish; Laumann, Timothy O; Snyder, Abraham Z; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Petersen, Steven E

2013-01-01

Head motion systematically alters correlations in resting state functional connectivity fMRI (RSFC). In this report we examine impact of motion on signal intensity and RSFC correlations. We find that motion-induced signal changes (1) are often complex and variable waveforms, (2) are often shared across nearly all brain voxels, and (3) often persist more than 10 seconds after motion ceases. These signal changes, both during and after motion, increase observed RSFC correlations in a distance-dependent manner. Motion-related signal changes are not removed by a variety of motion-based regressors, but are effectively reduced by global signal regression. We link several measures of data quality to motion, changes in signal intensity, and changes in RSFC correlations. We demonstrate that improvements in data quality measures during processing may represent cosmetic improvements rather than true correction of the data. We demonstrate a within-subject, censoring-based artifact removal strategy based on volume censoring that reduces group differences due to motion to chance levels. We note conditions under which group-level regressions do and do not correct motion-related effects. PMID:23994314

Modified Beer-Lambert law for blood flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Wesley B.; Parthasarathy, Ashwin B.; Busch, David R.; Mesquita, Rickson C.; Greenberg, Joel H.; Yodh, A. G.

2015-03-01

The modified Beer-Lambert law is among the most widely used approaches for analysis of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) reflectance signals for measurements of tissue blood volume and oxygenation. Briefly, the modified Beer-Lambert paradigm is a scheme to derive changes in tissue optical properties based on continuous-wave (CW) diffuse optical intensity measurements. In its simplest form, the scheme relates differential changes in light transmission (in any geometry) to differential changes in tissue absorption. Here we extend this paradigm to the measurement of tissue blood flow by diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS). In the new approach, differential changes of the intensity temporal auto-correlation function at a single delay-time are related to differential changes in blood flow. The key theoretical results for measurement of blood flow changes in any tissue geometry are derived, and we demonstrate the new method to monitor cerebral blood flow in a pig under conditions wherein the semi-infinite geometry approximation is fairly good. Specifically, the drug dinitrophenol was injected in the pig to induce a gradual 200% increase in cerebral blood flow, as measured with MRI velocity flow mapping and by DCS. The modified Beer-Lambert law for flow accurately recovered these flow changes using only a single delay-time in the intensity auto-correlation function curve. The scheme offers increased DCS measurement speed of blood flow. Further, the same techniques using the modified Beer-Lambert law to filter out superficial tissue effects in NIRS measurements of deep tissues can be applied to the DCS modified Beer-Lambert law for blood flow monitoring of deep tissues.

Physical practice is associated with less functional disability in medical students with migraine.

PubMed

Domingues, Renan B; Teixeira, Antônio Lúcio; Domingues, Simone A

2011-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate possible association between migraine and physical practice among 480 medical students who were submitted to a questionnaire about headaches and physical practices. Migraine diagnosis was assessed by ID-Migraine and functional disability was evaluated with MIDAS. The type (aerobic or strength training), the weekly frequency and the intensity of physical practice and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. There was a reduction in functional disability of migraine in students reporting physical practice (no physical practice - MIDAS=8.81±1.40, physical practice - MIDAS=15.49±1.78; P=0.03). Frequency, intensity, and type of physical practices were not associated with functional impact of migraine. BMI did not correlate with migraine impact (normal weight - MIDAS=12.34±1.33, overweight or obese - MIDAS=17.45±3.86; P=0.33). These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis. Our data suggest that physical practice is inversely related with functional disability of migraine in university students regardless of BMI.

Methodological problems with gamma-ray burst hardness/intensity correlations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaefer, Bradley E.

1993-01-01

The hardness and intensity are easily measured quantities for all gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), and so, many past and current studies have sought correlations between them. This Letter presents many serious methodological problems with the practical definitions for both hardness and intensity. These difficulties are such that significant correlations can be easily introduced as artifacts of the reduction procedure. In particular, cosmological models of GRBs cannot be tested with hardness/intensity correlations with current instrumentation and the time evolution of the hardness in a given burst may be correlated with intensity for reasons that are unrelated to intrinsic change in the spectral shape.

Experimental cancellation of aberrations in intensity correlation in classical optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jesus-Silva, A. J.; Silva, Juarez G.; Monken, C. H.; Fonseca, E. J. S.

2018-01-01

We study the classical correlation function of spatially incoherent beams with a phase aberration in the beam path. On the basis of our experimental measurements and in the optical coherence theory, we show that the effects of phase disturbances, independently of their kind and without need of coordinate inversion, can be canceled out if the same phase is aligned in the signal and reference beam path. These results can be useful for imaging and microscopy through random media.

Reliability and Validity of Objective Measures of Physical Activity in Youth With Cerebral Palsy Who Are Ambulatory.

PubMed

O'Neil, Margaret E; Fragala-Pinkham, Maria; Lennon, Nancy; George, Ameeka; Forman, Jeffrey; Trost, Stewart G

2016-01-01

Physical therapy for youth with cerebral palsy (CP) who are ambulatory includes interventions to increase functional mobility and participation in physical activity (PA). Thus, reliable and valid measures are needed to document PA in youth with CP. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inter-instrument reliability and concurrent validity of 3 accelerometer-based motion sensors with indirect calorimetry as the criterion for measuring PA intensity in youth with CP. Fifty-seven youth with CP (mean age=12.5 years, SD=3.3; 51% female; 49.1% with spastic hemiplegia) participated. Inclusion criteria were: aged 6 to 20 years, ambulatory, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I through III, able to follow directions, and able to complete the full PA protocol. Protocol activities included standardized activity trials with increasing PA intensity (resting, writing, household chores, active video games, and walking at 3 self-selected speeds), as measured by weight-relative oxygen uptake (in mL/kg/min). During each trial, participants wore bilateral accelerometers on the upper arms, waist/hip, and ankle and a portable indirect calorimeter. Intraclass coefficient correlations (ICCs) were calculated to evaluate inter-instrument reliability (left-to-right accelerometer placement). Spearman correlations were used to examine concurrent validity between accelerometer output (activity and step counts) and indirect calorimetry. Friedman analyses of variance with post hoc pair-wise analyses were conducted to examine the validity of accelerometers to discriminate PA intensity across activity trials. All accelerometers exhibited excellent inter-instrument reliability (ICC=.94-.99) and good concurrent validity (rho=.70-.85). All accelerometers discriminated PA intensity across most activity trials. This PA protocol consisted of controlled activity trials. Accelerometers provide valid and reliable measures of PA intensity among youth with CP. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Conformational dynamics of a crystalline protein from microsecond-scale molecular dynamics simulations and diffuse X-ray scattering.

PubMed

Wall, Michael E; Van Benschoten, Andrew H; Sauter, Nicholas K; Adams, Paul D; Fraser, James S; Terwilliger, Thomas C

2014-12-16

X-ray diffraction from protein crystals includes both sharply peaked Bragg reflections and diffuse intensity between the peaks. The information in Bragg scattering is limited to what is available in the mean electron density. The diffuse scattering arises from correlations in the electron density variations and therefore contains information about collective motions in proteins. Previous studies using molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations to model diffuse scattering have been hindered by insufficient sampling of the conformational ensemble. To overcome this issue, we have performed a 1.1-μs MD simulation of crystalline staphylococcal nuclease, providing 100-fold more sampling than previous studies. This simulation enables reproducible calculations of the diffuse intensity and predicts functionally important motions, including transitions among at least eight metastable states with different active-site geometries. The total diffuse intensity calculated using the MD model is highly correlated with the experimental data. In particular, there is excellent agreement for the isotropic component of the diffuse intensity, and substantial but weaker agreement for the anisotropic component. Decomposition of the MD model into protein and solvent components indicates that protein-solvent interactions contribute substantially to the overall diffuse intensity. We conclude that diffuse scattering can be used to validate predictions from MD simulations and can provide information to improve MD models of protein motions.

Correlation of a scanning laser derived oedema index and visual function following grid laser treatment for diabetic macular oedema.

PubMed

Hudson, C; Flanagan, J G; Turner, G S; Chen, H C; Young, L B; McLeod, D

2003-04-01

To correlate change of an oedema index derived by scanning laser tomography with change of visual function in patients undergoing grid laser photocoagulation for clinically significant diabetic macular oedema (DMO). The sample comprised 24 diabetic patients with retinal thickening within 500 micro m of the fovea. Inclusion criteria included a logMAR visual acuity of 0.25, or better. Patients were assessed twice before a single session of grid laser treatment and within 1 week of, and at 1, 2, 4, and 12 weeks after, treatment. At each visit, patients underwent logMAR visual acuity, conventional and short wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP), and scanning laser tomography. Each visual function parameter was correlated with the mean oedema index. The mean oedema index represented the z-profile signal width divided by the maximum reflectance intensity (arbitrary units). A Pearson correlation coefficient (Bonferroni corrected) was undertaken on the data set of each patient. 13 patients exhibited significant correlation of the mean oedema index and at least one measure of visual function for the 10 degrees x 10 degrees scan field while 10 patients correlated for the 20 degrees x 20 degrees scan field. Seven patients demonstrated correlation for both scan fields. Laser photocoagulation typically resulted in an immediate loss of perimetric sensitivity whereas the oedema index changed over a period of weeks. Localised oedema did not impact upon visual acuity or letter contrast sensitivity when situated extrafoveally. Correlation of change of the oedema index and of visual function following grid laser photocoagulation was not found in all patients. An absence of correlation can be explained by the localised distribution of DMO in this sample of patients, as well as by differences in the time course of change of the oedema index and visual function. The study has objectively documented change in the magnitude and distribution of DMO following grid laser treatment and has established the relation of this change to the change in visual function.

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with correlated source-light-intensity errors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Cong; Yu, Zong-Wen; Wang, Xiang-Bin

2018-04-01

We present an analysis for measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with correlated source-light-intensity errors. Numerical results show that the results here can greatly improve the key rate especially with large intensity fluctuations and channel attenuation compared with prior results if the intensity fluctuations of different sources are correlated.

Intensive language training enhances brain plasticity in chronic aphasia

PubMed Central

Meinzer, Marcus; Elbert, Thomas; Wienbruch, Christian; Djundja, Daniela; Barthel, Gabriela; Rockstroh, Brigitte

2004-01-01

Background Focal clusters of slow wave activity in the delta frequency range (1–4 Hz), as measured by magnetencephalography (MEG), are usually located in the vicinity of structural damage in the brain. Such oscillations are usually considered pathological and indicative of areas incapable of normal functioning owing to deafferentation from relevant input sources. In the present study we investigated the change in Delta Dipole Density in 28 patients with chronic aphasia (>12 months post onset) following cerebrovascular stroke of the left hemisphere before and after intensive speech and language therapy (3 hours/day over 2 weeks). Results Neuropsychologically assessed language functions improved significantly after training. Perilesional delta activity decreased after therapy in 16 of the 28 patients, while an increase was evident in 12 patients. The magnitude of change of delta activity in these areas correlated with the amount of change in language functions as measured by standardized language tests. Conclusions These results emphasize the significance of perilesional areas in the rehabilitation of aphasia even years after the stroke, and might reflect reorganisation of the language network that provides the basis for improved language functions after intensive training. PMID:15331014

[Quantitative relationships of intra- and interspecific competition in Cryptocarya concinna].

PubMed

Zhang, Chi; Huang, Zhongliang; Li, Jiong; Shi, Junhui; Li, Lin

2006-01-01

The monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest (MEBF) in Dinghushan Nature Reserve (DNR) has been considered as a zonal vegetation in lower subtropical China, with a history of more than 400 years. In this paper, the intra- and interspecific competition intensity in Cryptocarya concinna, one of the constructive species in MEBF in DNR was quantitatively analyzed by Hegyi single-tree competition index model. The results showed that the intraspecific competition intensity in C. concinna decreased gradually with increasing tree diameter. For C. concinna, its intraspecific competition was weaker than its interspecific competition with Aporosa yunnanensis. The competition intensity of interspecific competition with C. concinna followed the order of A. yunnanensis > Schima superba > Gironniera subaequalis > Acmena acuminatissima > Castanopsis chinensis > Syzygium rehderianum > Pygeum topengii > Blastus cochinchinensis > Sarcosperma laurinum > Pterospermum lanceaefolium > Cryptocarya chinensis. The relationship of the DBH of objective tree and the competition intensity between competitive tree and objective tree in the whole forest and C. concinna population nearly conformed to power function, while that between other competitive tree and the objective C. concinna tree conformed to logarithm function. There was a significantly negative correlation between the competition intensity and the DBH of objective tree.

Fatigue crack growth in unidirectional metal matrix composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghosn, Louis J.; Telesman, Jack; Kantzos, Peter

1990-01-01

The weight function method was used to determine the effective stress intensity factor and the crack opening profile for a fatigue tested composite which exhibited fiber bridging. The bridging mechanism was modeled using two approaches; the crack closure approach and the shear lag approach. The numerically determined stress intensity factor values from both methods were compared and correlated with the experimentally obtained crack growth rates for SiC/Ti-15-3 (0)(sub 8) oriented composites. The near crack tip opening profile was also determined for both methods and compared with the experimentally obtained measurements.

Diffuse correlation tomography in the transport regime: A theoretical study of the sensitivity to Brownian motion.

PubMed

Tricoli, Ugo; Macdonald, Callum M; Durduran, Turgut; Da Silva, Anabela; Markel, Vadim A

2018-02-01

Diffuse correlation tomography (DCT) uses the electric-field temporal autocorrelation function to measure the mean-square displacement of light-scattering particles in a turbid medium over a given exposure time. The movement of blood particles is here estimated through a Brownian-motion-like model in contrast to ordered motion as in blood flow. The sensitivity kernel relating the measurable field correlation function to the mean-square displacement of the particles can be derived by applying a perturbative analysis to the correlation transport equation (CTE). We derive an analytical expression for the CTE sensitivity kernel in terms of the Green's function of the radiative transport equation, which describes the propagation of the intensity. We then evaluate the kernel numerically. The simulations demonstrate that, in the transport regime, the sensitivity kernel provides sharper spatial information about the medium as compared with the correlation diffusion approximation. Also, the use of the CTE allows one to explore some additional degrees of freedom in the data such as the collimation direction of sources and detectors. Our results can be used to improve the spatial resolution of DCT, in particular, with applications to blood flow imaging in regions where the Brownian motion is dominant.

Diffuse correlation tomography in the transport regime: A theoretical study of the sensitivity to Brownian motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tricoli, Ugo; Macdonald, Callum M.; Durduran, Turgut; Da Silva, Anabela; Markel, Vadim A.

2018-02-01

Diffuse correlation tomography (DCT) uses the electric-field temporal autocorrelation function to measure the mean-square displacement of light-scattering particles in a turbid medium over a given exposure time. The movement of blood particles is here estimated through a Brownian-motion-like model in contrast to ordered motion as in blood flow. The sensitivity kernel relating the measurable field correlation function to the mean-square displacement of the particles can be derived by applying a perturbative analysis to the correlation transport equation (CTE). We derive an analytical expression for the CTE sensitivity kernel in terms of the Green's function of the radiative transport equation, which describes the propagation of the intensity. We then evaluate the kernel numerically. The simulations demonstrate that, in the transport regime, the sensitivity kernel provides sharper spatial information about the medium as compared with the correlation diffusion approximation. Also, the use of the CTE allows one to explore some additional degrees of freedom in the data such as the collimation direction of sources and detectors. Our results can be used to improve the spatial resolution of DCT, in particular, with applications to blood flow imaging in regions where the Brownian motion is dominant.

Molecular Histopathology Using Gold Nanorods and Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Prabhulkar, Shradha; Matthews, Jared; Rawal, Siddarth; Awdeh, Richard M.

2013-01-01

Purpose. To examine the novel application of a commercially available optical coherence tomography (OCT) system toward molecular histopathology using gold nanorod (GNR) linked antibodies as a functionalized contrast agent to evaluate ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN). Methods. GNRs were synthesized and covalently attached to anti–glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) antibodies via carbodiimide chemistry. Three specimens from each of three distinct categories of human conjunctival tissue were selected for analysis, including conjunctiva without epithelial atypia (controls); conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia, carcinoma in situ (CIS); and conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Tissue sections were incubated initially with GNR tagged anti–GLUT-1 antibodies and then with a fluorescent-tagged secondary antibody. Immunofluorescence and OCT imaging of the tissue was performed and the results were correlated to the light microscopic findings on traditional hemotoxyin and eosin stained sections. Results. No binding of the functionalized GNRs was observed within the epithelium of three normal conjunctiva controls. While immunofluorescence disclosed variable binding of the functionalized GNRs to atypical epithelial cells in all six cases of OSSN, the enhancement of the OCT signal in three cases of CIS was insufficient to distinguish these specimens from normal controls. In two of three cases of SCC, binding of functionalized GNRs was sufficient to produce an increased scattering effect on OCT in areas correlating to atypical epithelial cells which stained intensely on immunofluorescence imaging. Binding of functionalized GNRs was sufficient to produce an increased scattering effect on OCT in areas correlating to regions of erythrocytes and hemorrhage which stained intensely on immunofluorescence imaging within all nine tested samples. Conclusions. We have demonstrated the use of OCT for molecular histopathology using functionalized gold nanorods in the setting of OSSN. Our results suggest a threshold concentration of functionalized GNRs within tissue is required to achieve a detectable enhancement in scattering of the OCT signal. PMID:23307958

An independent software system for the analysis of dynamic MR images.

PubMed

Torheim, G; Lombardi, M; Rinck, P A

1997-01-01

A computer system for the manual, semi-automatic, and automatic analysis of dynamic MR images was to be developed on UNIX and personal computer platforms. The system was to offer an integrated and standardized way of performing both image processing and analysis that was independent of the MR unit used. The system consists of modules that are easily adaptable to special needs. Data from MR units or other diagnostic imaging equipment in techniques such as CT, ultrasonography, or nuclear medicine can be processed through the ACR-NEMA/DICOM standard file formats. A full set of functions is available, among them cine-loop visual analysis, and generation of time-intensity curves. Parameters such as cross-correlation coefficients, area under the curve, peak/maximum intensity, wash-in and wash-out slopes, time to peak, and relative signal intensity/contrast enhancement can be calculated. Other parameters can be extracted by fitting functions like the gamma-variate function. Region-of-interest data and parametric values can easily be exported. The system has been successfully tested in animal and patient examinations.

Speckle suppression by doubly scattering systems.

PubMed

Li, Dayan; Kelly, Damien P; Sheridan, John T

2013-12-10

Speckle suppression in a two-diffuser system is examined. An analytical expression for the speckle space-time correlation function is derived, so that the speckle suppression mechanism can be investigated statistically. The grain size of the speckle field illuminating the second diffuser has a major impact on the speckle contrast after temporal averaging. It is shown that, when both the diffusers are rotating, the one with the lower rotating speed determines the period of the speckle correlation function. The coherent length of the averaged speckle intensity is shown to equal the mean speckle size of the individual speckle pattern before averaging. Numerical and experimental results are presented to verify our analysis in the context of speckle reduction.

Femtosecond Photon-Counting Receiver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krainak, Michael A.; Rambo, Timothy M.; Yang, Guangning; Lu, Wei; Numata, Kenji

2016-01-01

An optical correlation receiver is described that provides ultra-precise distance and/or time/pulse-width measurements even for weak (single photons) and short (femtosecond) optical signals. A new type of optical correlation receiver uses a fourth-order (intensity) interferometer to provide micron distance measurements even for weak (single photons) and short (femtosecond) optical signals. The optical correlator uses a low-noise-integrating detector that can resolve photon number. The correlation (range as a function of path delay) is calculated from the variance of the photon number of the difference of the optical signals on the two detectors. Our preliminary proof-of principle data (using a short-pulse diode laser transmitter) demonstrates tens of microns precision.

Femtosecond Photon-Counting Receiver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krainak, Michael A.; Rambo, Timothy M.; Yang, Guangning; Lu, Wei; Numata, Kenji

2016-01-01

An optical correlation receiver is described that provides ultra-precise distance and/or time-pulse-width measurements even for weak (single photons) and short (femtosecond) optical signals. A new type of optical correlation receiver uses a fourth-order (intensity) interferometer to provide micron distance measurements even for weak (single photons) and short (femtosecond) optical signals. The optical correlator uses a low-noise-integrating detector that can resolve photon number. The correlation (range as a function of path delay) is calculated from the variance of the photon number of the difference of the optical signals on the two detectors. Our preliminary proof-of principle data (using a short-pulse diode laser transmitter) demonstrates tens of microns precision.

Optical nonclassicality test based on third-order intensity correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigovacca, L.; Kolthammer, W. S.; Di Franco, C.; Kim, M. S.

2018-03-01

We develop a nonclassicality criterion for the interference of three delayed, but otherwise identical, light fields in a three-mode Bell interferometer. We do so by comparing the prediction of quantum mechanics with those of a classical framework in which independent sources emit electric fields with random phases. In particular, we evaluate third-order correlations among output intensities as a function of the delays, and show how the presence of a correlation revival for small delays cannot be explained by the classical model of light. The observation of a revival is thus a nonclassicality signature, which can be achieved only by sources with a photon-number statistics that is highly sub-Poissonian. Our analysis provides strong evidence for the nonclassicality of the experiment discussed by Menssen et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 153603 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.153603], and shows how a collective "triad" phase affects the interference of any three or more light fields, irrespective of their quantum or classical character.

Anterior insular cortex mediates bodily sensibility and social anxiety

PubMed Central

Shibata, Midori; Moriguchi, Yoshiya; Umeda, Satoshi

2013-01-01

Studies in psychiatry and cognitive neuroscience have reported an important relationship between individual interoceptive accuracy and anxiety level. This indicates that greater attention to one’s bodily state may contribute to the development of intense negative emotions and anxiety disorders. We hypothesized that reactivity in the anterior insular cortex underlies the intensity of interoceptive awareness and anxiety. To elucidate this triadic mechanism, we conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and mediation analyses to examine the relationship between emotional disposition and activation in the anterior insular cortex while participants evaluated their own emotional and bodily states. Our results indicated that right anterior insular activation was positively correlated with individual levels of social anxiety and neuroticism and negatively correlated with agreeableness and extraversion. The results of the mediation analyses revealed that activity in the right anterior insula mediated the activity of neural correlates of interoceptive sensibility and social fear. Our findings suggest that attention to interoceptive sensation affects personality traits through how we feel emotion subjectively in various situations. PMID:22977199

Effects of soot absorption coefficient-Planck function correlation on radiative heat transfer in oxygen-enriched propane turbulent diffusion flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Consalvi, J. L.; Nmira, F.

2016-03-01

The main objective of this article is to quantify the influence of the soot absorption coefficient-Planck function correlation on radiative loss and flame structure in an oxygen-enhanced propane turbulent diffusion flame. Calculations were run with and without accounting for this correlation by using a standard k-ε model and the steady laminar flamelet model (SLF) coupled to a joint Probability Density Function (PDF) of mixture fraction, enthalpy defect, scalar dissipation rate, and soot quantities. The PDF transport equation is solved by using a Stochastic Eulerian Field (SEF) method. The modeling of soot production is carried out by using a flamelet-based semi-empirical acetylene/benzene soot model. Radiative heat transfer is modeled by using a wide band correlated-k model and turbulent radiation interactions (TRI) are accounted for by using the Optically-Thin Fluctuation Approximation (OTFA). Predicted soot volume fraction, radiant wall heat flux distribution and radiant fraction are in good agreement with the available experimental data. Model results show that soot absorption coefficient and Planck function are negatively correlated in the region of intense soot emission. Neglecting this correlation is found to increase significantly the radiative loss leading to a substantial impact on flame structure in terms of mean and rms values of temperature. In addition mean and rms values of soot volume fraction are found to be less sensitive to the correlation than temperature since soot formation occurs mainly in a region where its influence is low.

Impacts of underwater turbulence on acoustical and optical signals and their linkage.

PubMed

Hou, Weilin; Jarosz, Ewa; Woods, Sarah; Goode, Wesley; Weidemann, Alan

2013-02-25

Acoustical and optical signal transmission underwater is of vital interest for both civilian and military applications. The range and signal to noise during the transmission, as a function of system and water optical properties, in terms of absorption and scattering, determines the effectiveness of deployed electro-optical (EO) technology. The impacts from turbulence have been demonstrated to affect system performance comparable to those from particles by recent studies. This paper examines the impacts from underwater turbulence on both acoustic scattering and EO imaging degradation, and establishes a framework that can be used to correlate these. It is hypothesized here that underwater turbulence would influence the acoustic scattering cross section and the optical turbulence intensity coefficient in a similar manner. Data from a recent field campaign, Skaneateles Optical Turbulence Exercise (SOTEX, July, 2010) is used to examine the above relationship. Results presented here show strong correlation between the acoustic scattering cross-sections and the intensity coefficient related to the modulation transfer function of an EO imaging system. This significant finding will pave ways to utilize long range acoustical returns to predict EO system performance.

Wave intensity analysis in mice: an ultrasound-based study in the abdominal aorta and common carotid artery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Lascio, N.; Kusmic, C.; Stea, F.; Faita, F.

2017-03-01

Wave Intensity Analysis (WIA) can provide parameters representative of the interaction between the vascular network and the heart. It has been already demonstrated that WIA-derived biomarkes have a quantitative physiological meaning. Aim of this study was to develop an image process algorithm for performing non-invasive WIA in mice and correlate commonly used cardiac function parameters with WIA-derived indexes. Sixteen wild-type male mice (8 weeks-old) were imaged with high-resolution ultrasound (Vevo 2100). Abdominal aorta and common carotid pulse wave velocities (PWVabd, PWVcar) were obtained processing B-Mode and PW-Doppler images and employed to assess WIA. Amplitudes of the first (W1abd, W1car) and the second (W2abd, W2car) local maxima and minimum (Wbabd,Wbcar) were evaluated; areas under the negative part of the curve were also calculated (NAabd, NAcar). Cardiac output (CO), ejection fraction (EF) fractional shortening (FS) and stroke volume (SV) were estimated; strain analysis provided strain and strain rate values for longitudinal, radial and circumferential directions (LS, LSR, RS, RSR, CS, CSR). Isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) was calculated from mitral inflow PW-Doppler images; IVRT values were normalized for cardiac cycle length. W1abd was correlated with LS (R=0.65) and LSR (R=0.59), while W1car was correlated with CO (R=0.58), EF (R=0.72), LS (R=0.65), LSR (R=0.89), CS (R=0.71), CSR (R=0.70). Both W2abd and W2car were not correlated with IVRT. Carotid artery WIA-derived parameters are more representative of cardiac function than those obtained from the abdominal aorta. The described US-based method can provide information about cardiac function and cardio-vascular interaction simply studying a single vascular site.

Neuropsychological Correlates of Normal Variation in Emotional Response to Visual Stimuli

PubMed Central

Robinson, Robert G.; Paradiso, Sergio; Mizrahi, Romina; Fiedorowicz, Jess G.; Kouzoukas, Dimitrios E.; Moser, David J.

2007-01-01

Although the neural substrates of induced emotion have been the focus of numerous investigations, the factors related to individual variation in emotional experience have rarely been investigated in older adults. Twenty-six older normal subjects (mean age, 54) were shown color slides to elicit emotions of sadness, fear, or happiness and asked to rate the intensity of their emotional responses. Subjects who experienced negative emotion most intensely showed relative impairment on every aspect of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Intense positive emotion was associated with relatively impaired performance on the Rey Complex Figure Test. The volume of frontal brain structures, however, was not associated with emotion responses. Hemisphere-specific executive dysfunction was associated with greater intensity of emotional experience in normal older subjects. The role of these differences in intensity of induced emotion and impairment in executive function in daily social and vocational activity should be investigated. PMID:17299297

Random medium model for cusping of plane waves.

PubMed

Li, Jia; Korotkova, Olga

2017-09-01

We introduce a model for a three-dimensional (3D) Schell-type stationary medium whose degree of potential's correlation satisfies the Fractional Multi-Gaussian (FMG) function. Compared with the scattered profile produced by the Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) medium, the Fractional Multi-Gaussian Schell-model (FMGSM) medium gives rise to a sharp concave intensity apex in the scattered field. This implies that the FMGSM medium also accounts for a larger than Gaussian's power in the bucket (PIB) in the forward scattering direction, hence being a better candidate than the GSM medium for generating highly-focused (cusp-like) scattered profiles in the far zone. Compared to other mathematical models for the medium's correlation function which can produce similar cusped scattered profiles the FMG function offers unprecedented tractability being the weighted superposition of Gaussian functions. Our results provide useful applications to energy counter problems and particle manipulation by weakly scattered fields.

Changes in plant functional groups, litter quality, and soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization with sheep grazing in an Inner Mongolian Grassland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barger, N.N.; Ojima, D.S.; Belnap, J.; Shiping, W.; Yanfen, W.; Chen, Z.

2004-01-01

This study reports on changes in plant functional group composition, litter quality, and soil C and N mineralization dynamics from a 9-year sheep grazing study in Inner Mongolia. Addressed are these questions: 1) How does increasing grazing intensity affect plant community composition? 2) How does increasing grazing intensity alter soil C and N mineralization dynamics? 3) Do changes in soil C and N mineralization dynamics relate to changes in plant community composition via inputs of the quality or quantity of litter? Grazing plots were set up near the Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station (IMGERS) with 5 grazing intensities: 1.3, 2.7, 4.0, 5.3, and 6.7 sheep ha -1??yr-1. Plant cover was lower with increasing grazing intensity, which was primarily due to a dramatic decline in grasses, Carex duriuscula, and Artemisia frigida. Changes in litter mass and percentage organic C resulted in lower total C in the litter layer at 4.0 and 5.3 sheep ha-1??yr-1 compared with 2.7 sheep ha -1??yr-1. Total litter N was lower at 5.3 sheep ha-1??yr-1 compared with 2.7 sheep ha -1??yr-1. Litter C:N ratios, an index of litter quality, were significantly lower at 4.0 sheep ha-1??yr -1 relative to 1.3 and 5.3 sheep ha-1??yr -1. Cumulative C mineralized after 16 days decreased with increasing grazing intensity. In contrast, net N mineralization (NH4+ + NO3-) after a 12-day incubation increased with increasing grazing intensity. Changes in C and N mineralization resulted in a narrowing of CO2-C:net Nminratios with increasing grazing intensity. Grazing explained 31% of the variability in the ratio of CO 2-C:net Nmin. The ratio of CO2-C:net N min was positively correlated with litter mass. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between litter mass and A. frigida cover. Results suggest that as grazing intensity increases, microbes become more C limited resulting in decreased microbial growth and demand for N.

Challenge of assessing symptoms in seriously ill intensive care unit patients: can proxy reporters help?

PubMed

Puntillo, Kathleen A; Neuhaus, John; Arai, Shoshana; Paul, Steven M; Gropper, Michael A; Cohen, Neal H; Miaskowski, Christine

2012-10-01

Determine levels of agreement among intensive care unit patients and their family members, nurses, and physicians (proxies) regarding patients' symptoms and compare levels of mean intensity (i.e., the magnitude of a symptom sensation) and distress (i.e., the degree of emotionality that a symptom engenders) of symptoms among patients and proxy reporters. Prospective study of proxy reporters of symptoms in seriously ill patients. Two intensive care units in a tertiary medical center in the Western United States. Two hundred and forty-five intensive care unit patients, 243 family members, 103 nurses, and 92 physicians. None. On the basis of the magnitude of intraclass correlation coefficients, where coefficients from .35 to .78 are considered to be appropriately robust, correlation coefficients between patients' and family members' ratings met this criterion (≥.35) for intensity in six of ten symptoms. No intensity ratings between patients and nurses had intraclass correlation coefficients >.32. Three symptoms had intensity correlation coefficients of ≥.36 between patients' and physicians' ratings. Correlation coefficients between patients and family members were >.40 for five symptom-distress ratings. No symptoms had distress correlation coefficients of ≥.28 between patients' and nurses' ratings. Two symptoms had symptom-distress correlation coefficients between patients' and physicians' ratings at >.39. Family members, nurses, and physicians reported higher symptom-intensity scores than patients did for 80%, 60%, and 60% of the symptoms, respectively. Family members, nurses, and physicians reported higher symptom-distress scores than patients did for 90%, 70%, and 80% of the symptoms, respectively. Patient-family intraclass correlation coefficients were sufficiently close for us to consider using family members to help assess intensive care unit patients' symptoms. Relatively low intraclass correlation coefficients between intensive care unit clinicians' and patients' symptom ratings indicate that some proxy raters overestimate whereas others underestimate patients' symptoms. Proxy overestimation of patients' symptom scores warrants further study because this may influence decisions about treating patients' symptoms.

Degradation of Root Community Traits as Indicator for Transformation of Tropical Lowland Rain Forests into Oil Palm and Rubber Plantations

PubMed Central

Edy, Nur; Meyer, Marike; Corre, Marife D.; Polle, Andrea

2015-01-01

Conversion of tropical forests into intensely managed plantations is a threat to ecosystem functions. On Sumatra, Indonesia, oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations are rapidly expanding, displacing rain forests and extensively used rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) agro-forests. Here, we tested the influence of land use systems on root traits including chemical traits (carbon, nitrogen, mineral nutrients, potentially toxic elements [aluminium, iron] and performance traits (root mass, vitality, mycorrhizal colonization). Traits were measured as root community-weighed traits (RCWTs) in lowland rain forests, in rubber agro-forests mixed with rain forest trees, in rubber and oil palm plantations in two landscapes (Bukit Duabelas and Harapan, Sumatra). We hypothesized that RCWTs vary with land use system indicating increasing transformation intensity and loss of ecosystem functions. The main factors found to be related to increasing transformation intensity were declining root vitality and root sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, manganese concentrations and increasing root aluminium and iron concentrations as well as increasing spore densities of arbuscular mycorrhizas. Mycorrhizal abundance was high for arbuscular and low for ectomycorrhizas and unrelated to changes in RCWTs. The decline in RCWTs showed significant correlations with soil nitrogen, soil pH and litter carbon. Thus, our study uncovered a relationship between deteriorating root community traits and loss of ecosystem functionality and showed that increasing transformation intensity resulted in decreasing root nutrition and health. Based on these results we suggest that land management that improves root vitality may enhance the ecological functions of intense tropical production systems. PMID:26366576

Degradation of Root Community Traits as Indicator for Transformation of Tropical Lowland Rain Forests into Oil Palm and Rubber Plantations.

PubMed

Sahner, Josephine; Budi, Sri Wilarso; Barus, Henry; Edy, Nur; Meyer, Marike; Corre, Marife D; Polle, Andrea

2015-01-01

Conversion of tropical forests into intensely managed plantations is a threat to ecosystem functions. On Sumatra, Indonesia, oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations are rapidly expanding, displacing rain forests and extensively used rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) agro-forests. Here, we tested the influence of land use systems on root traits including chemical traits (carbon, nitrogen, mineral nutrients, potentially toxic elements [aluminium, iron] and performance traits (root mass, vitality, mycorrhizal colonization). Traits were measured as root community-weighed traits (RCWTs) in lowland rain forests, in rubber agro-forests mixed with rain forest trees, in rubber and oil palm plantations in two landscapes (Bukit Duabelas and Harapan, Sumatra). We hypothesized that RCWTs vary with land use system indicating increasing transformation intensity and loss of ecosystem functions. The main factors found to be related to increasing transformation intensity were declining root vitality and root sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, manganese concentrations and increasing root aluminium and iron concentrations as well as increasing spore densities of arbuscular mycorrhizas. Mycorrhizal abundance was high for arbuscular and low for ectomycorrhizas and unrelated to changes in RCWTs. The decline in RCWTs showed significant correlations with soil nitrogen, soil pH and litter carbon. Thus, our study uncovered a relationship between deteriorating root community traits and loss of ecosystem functionality and showed that increasing transformation intensity resulted in decreasing root nutrition and health. Based on these results we suggest that land management that improves root vitality may enhance the ecological functions of intense tropical production systems.

The Neural Correlates of Chronic Symptoms of Vertigo Proneness in Humans

PubMed Central

Alsalman, Ola; Ost, Jan; Vanspauwen, Robby; Blaivie, Catherine; De Ridder, Dirk; Vanneste, Sven

2016-01-01

Vestibular signals are of significant importance for variable functions including gaze stabilization, spatial perception, navigation, cognition, and bodily self-consciousness. The vestibular network governs functions that might be impaired in patients affected with vestibular dysfunction. It is currently unclear how different brain regions/networks process vestibular information and integrate the information into a unified spatial percept related to somatosensory awareness and whether people with recurrent balance complaints have a neural signature as a trait affecting their development of chronic symptoms of vertigo. Pivotal evidence points to a vestibular-related brain network in humans that is widely distributed in nature. By using resting state source localized electroencephalography in non-vertiginous state, electrophysiological changes in activity and functional connectivity of 23 patients with balance complaints where chronic symptoms of vertigo and dizziness are among the most common reported complaints are analyzed and compared to healthy subjects. The analyses showed increased alpha2 activity within the posterior cingulate cortex and the precuneues/cuneus and reduced beta3 and gamma activity within the pregenual and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex for the subjects with balance complaints. These electrophysiological variations were correlated with reported chronic symptoms of vertigo intensity. A region of interest analysis found reduced functional connectivity for gamma activity within the vestibular cortex, precuneus, frontal eye field, intra-parietal sulcus, orbitofrontal cortex, and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, there was a positive correlation between chronic symptoms of vertigo intensity and increased alpha-gamma nesting in the left frontal eye field. When compared to healthy subjects, there is evidence of electrophysiological changes in the brain of patients with balance complaints even outside chronic symptoms of vertigo episodes. This suggests that these patients have a neural signature or trait that makes them prone to developing chronic balance problems. PMID:27089185

The Neural Correlates of Chronic Symptoms of Vertigo Proneness in Humans.

PubMed

Alsalman, Ola; Ost, Jan; Vanspauwen, Robby; Blaivie, Catherine; De Ridder, Dirk; Vanneste, Sven

2016-01-01

Vestibular signals are of significant importance for variable functions including gaze stabilization, spatial perception, navigation, cognition, and bodily self-consciousness. The vestibular network governs functions that might be impaired in patients affected with vestibular dysfunction. It is currently unclear how different brain regions/networks process vestibular information and integrate the information into a unified spatial percept related to somatosensory awareness and whether people with recurrent balance complaints have a neural signature as a trait affecting their development of chronic symptoms of vertigo. Pivotal evidence points to a vestibular-related brain network in humans that is widely distributed in nature. By using resting state source localized electroencephalography in non-vertiginous state, electrophysiological changes in activity and functional connectivity of 23 patients with balance complaints where chronic symptoms of vertigo and dizziness are among the most common reported complaints are analyzed and compared to healthy subjects. The analyses showed increased alpha2 activity within the posterior cingulate cortex and the precuneues/cuneus and reduced beta3 and gamma activity within the pregenual and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex for the subjects with balance complaints. These electrophysiological variations were correlated with reported chronic symptoms of vertigo intensity. A region of interest analysis found reduced functional connectivity for gamma activity within the vestibular cortex, precuneus, frontal eye field, intra-parietal sulcus, orbitofrontal cortex, and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, there was a positive correlation between chronic symptoms of vertigo intensity and increased alpha-gamma nesting in the left frontal eye field. When compared to healthy subjects, there is evidence of electrophysiological changes in the brain of patients with balance complaints even outside chronic symptoms of vertigo episodes. This suggests that these patients have a neural signature or trait that makes them prone to developing chronic balance problems.

Effects of pharmacologic treatment based on airflow limitation and breathlessness on daily physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Minakata, Yoshiaki; Morishita, Yukiko; Ichikawa, Tomohiro; Akamatsu, Keiichiro; Hirano, Tsunahiko; Nakanishi, Masanori; Matsunaga, Kazuto; Ichinose, Masakazu

2015-01-01

Improvement in the daily physical activity (PA) is important for the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the effects of pharmacologic treatment on PA are not well understood. We evaluated the effects of additional medications, including bronchodilator with or without inhaled corticosteroid, based on airflow limitation and breathlessness on the PA in COPD patients and the factors that could predict or affect the improvement in PA. A prospective non-randomized observational study was employed. Twenty-one COPD subjects without any other diseases that might reduce PA were recruited. The PA was measured with a triaxial accelerometer for 2 weeks, and pulmonary function tests and incremental shuttle walking tests were administered before and after 4-week treatment with an additional medication. Bronchodilation was obtained by additional medication. The mean values of PA evaluated by metabolic equivalents (METs) at ≥3.0 METs and the duration of PA at ≥3.0 METs and ≥3.5 METs were improved by medication. The % change in the duration of PA at ≥3.5 METs was significantly correlated with the baseline functional residual capacity (FRC), residual volume, and inspiratory capacity/total lung capacity. However, the % change in the duration of PA at any intensity was not correlated with the % changes of any values of the pulmonary function tests or incremental shuttle walking test except the PA at ≥2.5 METs with FRC. Medication could improve the PA in patients with COPD, especially at a relatively high intensity of activity when medication was administered based on airflow limitation and breathlessness. The improvement was seen in the patients with better baseline lung volume, but was not correlated with the improvements in the pulmonary function tests or exercise capacity.

Correlation of conformational heterogeneity of the tryptophyl side chain and time-resolved fluorescence intensity decay kinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laws, William R.; Ross, J. B. Alexander

1992-04-01

The time-resolved fluorescence properties of a tryptophan residue should be useful for probing protein structure, function, and dynamics. To date, however, the non-single exponential fluorescence intensity decay kinetics for numerous peptides and proteins having a single tryptophan residue have not been adequately explained. Many possibilities have been considered and include: (1) contributions from the 1La and 1Lb states of indole; (2) excited-state hydrogen exchange; and (3) environmental heterogeneity from (chi) 1 and (chi) 2 rotamers. In addition, it has been suggested that generally many factors contribute to the decay and a distribution of probabilities may be more appropriate. Two recent results support multiple species due to conformational heterogeneity as the major contributor to complex kinetics. First, a rotationally constrained tryptophan analogue has fluorescence intensity decay kinetics that can be described by the sum of two exponentials with amplitudes comparable to the relative populations of the two rotational isomers. Second, the multiple exponentials observed for tyrosine-containing model compounds and peptides correlate with the (chi) 1 rotamer populations independently determined by 1H NMR. We now report similar correlations between rotamer populations and fluorescence intensity decay kinetics for a tryptophan analogue of oxytocin. It appears for this compound that either (chi) 2 rotations do not appreciably alter the indole environment, (chi) 2 rotations are rapid enough to average the observed dependence, or only one of two possible (chi) 2 populations is associated with each (chi) 1 rotamer.

Medical imaging technology shock and volatility of macro economics: Analysis using a three-sector dynamical stochastic general equilibrium REC model.

PubMed

Han, Shurong; Huang, Yeqing

2017-07-07

The study analysed the medical imaging technology business cycle from 1981 to 2009 and found that the volatility of consumption in Chinese medical imaging business was higher than that of the developed countries. The volatility of gross domestic product (GDP) and the correlation between consumption and GDP is also higher than that of the developed countries. Prior to the early 1990s the volatility of consumption is even higher than GDP. This fact makes it difficult to explain the volatile market using the standard one sector real economic cycle (REC) model. Contrary to the other domestic studies, this study considers a three-sector dynamical stochastic general equilibrium REC model. In this model there are two consumption sectors, whereby one is labour intensive and another is capital intensive. The more capital intensive investment sector only introduces technology shocks in the medical imaging market. Our response functions and Monte-Carlo simulation results show that the model can explain 90% of the volatility of consummation relative to GDP, and explain the correlation between consumption and GDP. The results demonstrated the significant correlation between the technological reform in medical imaging and volatility in the labour market on Chinese macro economy development.

The role of neuropsychological performance in the relationship between chronic pain and functional physical impairment.

PubMed

Pulles, Wiesje L J A; Oosterman, Joukje M

2011-12-01

  In this study, the relationship between pain intensity, neuropsychological, and physical function in adult chronic pain patients was examined.   Thirty participants with chronic pain completed neuropsychological tests tapping mental processing speed, memory, and executive function. Pain intensity was measured with three visual analog scales and the Pain Rating Index of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. A grip strength test, the 6-minute walk test, the Unipedal Stance Test and the Lifting Low Test were administered in order to obtain a performance-based measure of physical capacity. Self-reported physical ability was assessed with the Disability Rating Index and the Short Form-36 Physical Functioning, and Role Physical scales. Psychosocial function was examined using the Mental Health and Role Emotional subscales of the Short Form-36.   The study was set in two outpatient physical therapy clinics in The Netherlands.   The analysis showed that a lower mental processing speed was related to a higher level of pain, as well as to a lower performance-based and self-reported physical functioning. In addition, both performance-based and self-reported physical function revealed an inverse correlation with pain intensity. Psychosocial function turned out to be an important mediator of the relationship between pain and self-reported, but not performance-based, physical function. Mental processing speed, on the other hand, was found to mediate the relationship between pain and performance-based physical functioning.   The results suggest that in chronic pain patients, mental processing speed mediates the relationship between pain and physical function. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Novel Sensor Technology To Assess Independence and Limb-Use Laterality in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

Brogioli, Michael; Popp, Werner L; Albisser, Urs; Brust, Anne K; Frotzler, Angela; Gassert, Roger; Curt, Armin; Starkey, Michelle L

2016-11-01

After spinal cord injury (SCI), levels of independence are commonly assessed with standardized clinical assessments. However, such tests do not provide information about the actual extent of upper limb activities or the impact on independence of bi- versus unilateral usage throughout daily life following cervical SCI. The objective of this study was to correlate activity intensity and laterality of upper extremity activity measured by body-fixed inertial measurement units (IMUs) with clinical assessment scores of independence. Limb-use intensity and laterality of activities performed by the upper extremities was measured in 12 subjects with cervical SCI using four IMUs (positioned on both wrists, on the chest, and on one wheel of the wheelchair). Algorithms capable of reliably detecting self-propulsion and arm activity in a clinical environment were applied to rate functional outcome levels, and were related to clinical independence measures during inpatient rehabilitation. Measures of intensity of upper extremity activity during self-propulsion positively correlated (p < 0.05, r = 0.643) with independence measures related to mobility. Clinical measures of laterality were positively correlated (p < 0.01, r = 0.900) with laterality as measured by IMUs during "daily life," and increased laterality was negatively correlated (p < 0.01, r = -0.739) with independence. IMU sensor technology is sensitive in assessing and quantifying upper limb-use intensity and laterality in human cervical SCI. Continuous and objective movement data of distinct daily activities (i.e., mobility and day-to-day activities) can be related to levels of independence. Therefore, IMU sensor technology is suitable not only for monitoring activity levels during rehabilitation (including during clinical trials) but could also be used to assess levels of participation after discharge.

Exhaled breath malondialdehyde, spirometric results and dust exposure assessment in ceramics production workers.

PubMed

Sakhvidi, Mohammad Javad Zare; Biabani Ardekani, Javad; Firoozichahak, Ali; Zavarreza, Javad; Hajaghazade, Mohammad; Mostaghaci, Mehrdad; Mehrparvar, Amirhooshang; Barkhordari, Abolfazl

2015-01-01

The study aimed at measuring exhaled breath malondialdehyde (EBC-MDA) in workers exposed to dust containing silica and at its comparison with the non-exposed control group. The cross sectional, case-control study (N = 50) was performed in a tile and ceramics production factory in Yazd, Iran. EBC-MDA was quantified in exhaled breath of the participants by a lab made breath sampler. Exposure intensity was measured according to the NIOSH 0600 method in selected homogeneous exposure groups. Additionally, spirometry test was conducted to investigate a correlation between EBC-MDA and spirometric findings in the exposed workers. There was no difference in the observed exposure intensities of silica containing dust in different units. However, "coating preparation" was the unit with the highest concentration of dust. Although, the level of EBC-MDA in the cases was slightly higher than in the controls, the difference was not statistically significant (U = 252, p = 0.464). A significant and positive correlation was found between dust exposure intensity in working units and the measured EBC-MDA of workers (r = 0.467, N = 25, p = 0.027). There were also no statistically significant differences among job categories in the exposed group for the values of FEV1% (F(3, 44) = 0.656, p = 0.584), FVC% (F(3, 44) = 1.417, p = 0.172), and FEV1/FVC% (F(3, 44) = 1.929, p = 0.139). The results showed a significant correlation between respirable dust exposure intensity and the level of EBC-MDA of the exposed subjects. However, our results did not show a significant correlation between lung function decreases and EBC-MDA. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Psychophysical correspondence between vibrotactile intensity and intracortical microstimulation for tactile neuroprostheses in rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devecioğlu, İsmail; Güçlü, Burak

2017-02-01

Objective. Recent studies showed that intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) generates artificial sensations which can be utilized as somatosensory feedback in cortical neuroprostheses. To mimic the natural psychophysical response, ICMS parameters are modulated according to psychometric equivalence functions (PEFs). PEFs match the intensity levels of ICMS and mechanical stimuli, which elicit equal detection probabilities, but they typically do not include the frequency as a control variable. We aimed to establish frequency-dependent PEFs for vibrotactile stimulation of the glabrous skin and ICMS in the primary somatosensory cortex of awake freely behaving rats. Approach. We collected psychometric data for vibrotactile and ICMS detection at three stimulation frequencies (40, 60 and 80 Hz). The psychometric data were fitted with a model equation of two independent variables (stimulus intensity and frequency) and four subject-dependent parameters. For each rat, we constructed a separate PEF which was used to estimate the ICMS current amplitude for a given displacement amplitude and frequency. The ICMS frequency was set equal to the vibrotactile frequency. We validated the PEFs in a modified task which included randomly selected probe trials presented either with a vibrotactile or an ICMS stimulus, and also at frequencies and intensity levels not tested before. Main results. The PEFs were generally successful in estimating the ICMS current intensities (no significant differences between vibrotactile and ICMS trials in Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests). Specifically, hit rates from both trial conditions were significantly correlated in 86% of the cases, and 52% of all data had perfect match in linear regression. Significance. The psychometric correspondence model presented in this study was constructed based on surface functions which define psychophysical detection probability as a function of stimulus intensity and frequency. Therefore, it may be used for the real-time modulation of the frequency and intensity of ICMS pulses in somatosensory neuroprostheses.

Psychophysical correspondence between vibrotactile intensity and intracortical microstimulation for tactile neuroprostheses in rats.

PubMed

Devecioğlu, İsmail; Güçlü, Burak

2017-02-01

Recent studies showed that intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) generates artificial sensations which can be utilized as somatosensory feedback in cortical neuroprostheses. To mimic the natural psychophysical response, ICMS parameters are modulated according to psychometric equivalence functions (PEFs). PEFs match the intensity levels of ICMS and mechanical stimuli, which elicit equal detection probabilities, but they typically do not include the frequency as a control variable. We aimed to establish frequency-dependent PEFs for vibrotactile stimulation of the glabrous skin and ICMS in the primary somatosensory cortex of awake freely behaving rats. We collected psychometric data for vibrotactile and ICMS detection at three stimulation frequencies (40, 60 and 80 Hz). The psychometric data were fitted with a model equation of two independent variables (stimulus intensity and frequency) and four subject-dependent parameters. For each rat, we constructed a separate PEF which was used to estimate the ICMS current amplitude for a given displacement amplitude and frequency. The ICMS frequency was set equal to the vibrotactile frequency. We validated the PEFs in a modified task which included randomly selected probe trials presented either with a vibrotactile or an ICMS stimulus, and also at frequencies and intensity levels not tested before. The PEFs were generally successful in estimating the ICMS current intensities (no significant differences between vibrotactile and ICMS trials in Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests). Specifically, hit rates from both trial conditions were significantly correlated in 86% of the cases, and 52% of all data had perfect match in linear regression. The psychometric correspondence model presented in this study was constructed based on surface functions which define psychophysical detection probability as a function of stimulus intensity and frequency. Therefore, it may be used for the real-time modulation of the frequency and intensity of ICMS pulses in somatosensory neuroprostheses.

Sex-dependent correlations between the personality dimension of harm avoidance and the resting-state functional connectivity of amygdala subregions.

PubMed

Li, Ying; Qin, Wen; Jiang, Tianzi; Zhang, Yunting; Yu, Chunshui

2012-01-01

Harm avoidance (HA) is a personality dimension involving the tendency to respond intensely to signals of aversive stimuli. Many previous neuroimaging studies have associated HA scores with the structural and functional organization of the amygdala, but none of these studies have evaluated the correlation between HA score and amygdala resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC). Moreover, the amygdala is not a homogeneous structure, and it has been divided into several structurally and functionally distinct subregions. Investigating the associations between HA score and properties of subregions of the amygdala could greatly improve our understanding of HA. In the present study, using a large sample of 291 healthy young adults, we aimed to uncover correlations between HA scores and the rsFCs of each amygdala subregion and to uncover possible sex-based differences in these correlations. We found that subregions of the amygdala showed different rsFC patterns, which contributed differently to individual HA scores. More specifically, HA scores were correlated with rsFCs between the laterobasal amygdala subregion and temporal and occipital cortices related to emotional information input, between the centromedial subregion and the frontal cortices associated with emotional output control, and between the superficial subregion and the frontal and temporal areas involved in both functions. Moreover, significant gender-based differences were uncovered in these correlations. Our findings provide a more detailed model of association between HA scores and amygdala rsFC, extend our understanding of the connectivity of subregions of the amygdala, and confirm sex-based differences in HA associations.

Age-Related Changes in BOLD Activation Pattern in Phonemic Fluency Paradigm: An Investigation of Activation, Functional Connectivity and Psychophysiological Interactions.

PubMed

La, Christian; Garcia-Ramos, Camille; Nair, Veena A; Meier, Timothy B; Farrar-Edwards, Dorothy; Birn, Rasmus; Meyerand, Mary E; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2016-01-01

Healthy aging is associated with decline of cognitive functions. However, even before those declines become noticeable, the neural architecture underlying those mechanisms has undergone considerable restructuring and reorganization. During performance of a cognitive task, not only have the task-relevant networks demonstrated reorganization with aging, which occurs primarily by recruitment of additional areas to preserve performance, but the task-irrelevant network of the "default-mode" network (DMN), which is normally deactivated during task performance, has also consistently shown reduction of this deactivation with aging. Here, we revisited those age-related changes in task-relevant (i.e., language system) and task-irrelevant (i.e., DMN) systems with a language production paradigm in terms of task-induced activation/deactivation, functional connectivity, and context-dependent correlations between the two systems. Our task fMRI data demonstrated a late increase in cortical recruitment in terms of extent of activation, only observable in our older healthy adult group, when compared to the younger healthy adult group, with recruitment of the contralateral hemisphere, but also other regions from the network previously underutilized. Our middle-aged individuals, when compared to the younger healthy adult group, presented lower levels of activation intensity and connectivity strength, with no recruitment of additional regions, possibly reflecting an initial, uncompensated, network decline. In contrast, the DMN presented a gradual decrease in deactivation intensity and deactivation extent (i.e., low in the middle-aged, and lower in the old) and similar gradual reduction of functional connectivity within the network, with no compensation. The patterns of age-related changes in the task-relevant system and DMN are incongruent with the previously suggested notion of anti-correlation of the two systems. The context-dependent correlation by psycho-physiological interaction (PPI) analysis demonstrated an independence of these two systems, with the onset of task not influencing the correlation between the two systems. Our results suggest that the language network and the DMN may be non-dependent systems, potentially correlated through the re-allocation of cortical resources, and that aging may affect those two systems differently.

Age-Related Changes in BOLD Activation Pattern in Phonemic Fluency Paradigm: An Investigation of Activation, Functional Connectivity and Psychophysiological Interactions

PubMed Central

La, Christian; Garcia-Ramos, Camille; Nair, Veena A.; Meier, Timothy B.; Farrar-Edwards, Dorothy; Birn, Rasmus; Meyerand, Mary E.; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2016-01-01

Healthy aging is associated with decline of cognitive functions. However, even before those declines become noticeable, the neural architecture underlying those mechanisms has undergone considerable restructuring and reorganization. During performance of a cognitive task, not only have the task-relevant networks demonstrated reorganization with aging, which occurs primarily by recruitment of additional areas to preserve performance, but the task-irrelevant network of the “default-mode” network (DMN), which is normally deactivated during task performance, has also consistently shown reduction of this deactivation with aging. Here, we revisited those age-related changes in task-relevant (i.e., language system) and task-irrelevant (i.e., DMN) systems with a language production paradigm in terms of task-induced activation/deactivation, functional connectivity, and context-dependent correlations between the two systems. Our task fMRI data demonstrated a late increase in cortical recruitment in terms of extent of activation, only observable in our older healthy adult group, when compared to the younger healthy adult group, with recruitment of the contralateral hemisphere, but also other regions from the network previously underutilized. Our middle-aged individuals, when compared to the younger healthy adult group, presented lower levels of activation intensity and connectivity strength, with no recruitment of additional regions, possibly reflecting an initial, uncompensated, network decline. In contrast, the DMN presented a gradual decrease in deactivation intensity and deactivation extent (i.e., low in the middle-aged, and lower in the old) and similar gradual reduction of functional connectivity within the network, with no compensation. The patterns of age-related changes in the task-relevant system and DMN are incongruent with the previously suggested notion of anti-correlation of the two systems. The context-dependent correlation by psycho-physiological interaction (PPI) analysis demonstrated an independence of these two systems, with the onset of task not influencing the correlation between the two systems. Our results suggest that the language network and the DMN may be non-dependent systems, potentially correlated through the re-allocation of cortical resources, and that aging may affect those two systems differently. PMID:27242519

The impact of complex chronic diseases on care utilization among assisted living residents

PubMed Central

McNabney, Matthew K.; Onyike, Chiadi; Johnston, Deirdre; Mayer, Lawrence; Lyketsos, Constantine; Brandt, Jason; Rosenblatt, Adam; Samus, Quincy

2014-01-01

Purpose Many residents of assisted living (AL) have chronic diseases that are difficult to manage, including congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes mellitus (DM). We estimated the amount and intensity of care delivered by the staff for residents with these conditions. Methods We performed a secondary data analysis from the Maryland Assisted Living (MDAL) Study (399 residents, 29 facilities). In-person assessments included measures of cognition, function, depression, and general medical health. Diagnosis of CHF, COPD, and DM, as well as current medications was abstracted from AL medical charts. Measures of care utilization were operationalized at the resident level as: 1) minutes per day of direct care (caregiver activity scale [CAS]), 2) subjective staff ratings of care burden, and 3) assigned AL “level of care” (based on state regulatory criteria). Results In best fit regression models, CHF and DM were not significant predictors of the evaluated care utilization measures; however, COPD was independently associated with increased minutes per day of direct care – 34% of the variance in the caregiver activity scale was explained by degree of functional dependency, cognitive impairment, age, and presence of COPD. Functional dependency, depressive symptoms, and age explained almost a quarter (23%) of the variance of staff care burden rating. For the AL level of care intensity rating, degree of functional dependency, level of cognition, and age were significant correlates, together explaining about 28% of the variance. Conclusion The presence of COPD was a significant predictor of time per day of direct care. However, CHF and DM were not correlates of care utilization measures. Functional and cognitive impairment was associated with measures of care utilization, reiterating the importance of these characteristics in the utilization and intensity of care consumed by AL residents. Further study of this population could reveal other forms and amounts of care utilization. PMID:24139207

Collisional redistribution of radiation. II - The effects of degeneracy on the equations of motion for the density matrix. III - The equation of motion for the correlation function and the scattered spectrum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burnett, K.; Cooper, J.

1980-01-01

The effect of correlations between an absorber atom and perturbers in the binary-collision approximation are applied to degenerate atomic systems. A generalized absorption profile which specifies the final state of the atom after an absorption event is related to the total intensities of Rayleigh scattering and fluorescence from the atom. It is suggested that additional dynamical information to that obtainable from ordinary absorption experiments is required in order to describe redistributed atomic radiation. The scattering of monochromatic radiation by a degenerate atom is computed in a binary-collision approximation; an equation of motion is derived for the correlation function which is valid outside the quantum-regression regime. Solutions are given for the weak-field conditions in terms of generalized absorption and emission profiles that depend on the indices of the atomic multipoles.

The effect of basis set and exchange-correlation functional on time-dependent density functional theory calculations within the Tamm-Dancoff approximation of the x-ray emission spectroscopy of transition metal complexes.

PubMed

Roper, Ian P E; Besley, Nicholas A

2016-03-21

The simulation of X-ray emission spectra of transition metal complexes with time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) is investigated. X-ray emission spectra can be computed within TDDFT in conjunction with the Tamm-Dancoff approximation by using a reference determinant with a vacancy in the relevant core orbital, and these calculations can be performed using the frozen orbital approximation or with the relaxation of the orbitals of the intermediate core-ionised state included. Both standard exchange-correlation functionals and functionals specifically designed for X-ray emission spectroscopy are studied, and it is shown that the computed spectral band profiles are sensitive to the exchange-correlation functional used. The computed intensities of the spectral bands can be rationalised by considering the metal p orbital character of the valence molecular orbitals. To compute X-ray emission spectra with the correct energy scale allowing a direct comparison with experiment requires the relaxation of the core-ionised state to be included and the use of specifically designed functionals with increased amounts of Hartree-Fock exchange in conjunction with high quality basis sets. A range-corrected functional with increased Hartree-Fock exchange in the short range provides transition energies close to experiment and spectral band profiles that have a similar accuracy to those from standard functionals.

The Regular Interaction Pattern among Odorants of the Same Type and Its Application in Odor Intensity Assessment.

PubMed

Yan, Luchun; Liu, Jiemin; Jiang, Shen; Wu, Chuandong; Gao, Kewei

2017-07-13

The olfactory evaluation function (e.g., odor intensity rating) of e-nose is always one of the most challenging issues in researches about odor pollution monitoring. But odor is normally produced by a set of stimuli, and odor interactions among constituents significantly influenced their mixture's odor intensity. This study investigated the odor interaction principle in odor mixtures of aldehydes and esters, respectively. Then, a modified vector model (MVM) was proposed and it successfully demonstrated the similarity of the odor interaction pattern among odorants of the same type. Based on the regular interaction pattern, unlike a determined empirical model only fit for a specific odor mixture in conventional approaches, the MVM distinctly simplified the odor intensity prediction of odor mixtures. Furthermore, the MVM also provided a way of directly converting constituents' chemical concentrations to their mixture's odor intensity. By combining the MVM with usual data-processing algorithm of e-nose, a new e-nose system was established for an odor intensity rating. Compared with instrumental analysis and human assessor, it exhibited accuracy well in both quantitative analysis (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.999 for individual aldehydes ( n = 12), 0.996 for their binary mixtures ( n = 36) and 0.990 for their ternary mixtures ( n = 60)) and odor intensity assessment (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.980 for individual aldehydes ( n = 15), 0.973 for their binary mixtures ( n = 24), and 0.888 for their ternary mixtures ( n = 25)). Thus, the observed regular interaction pattern is considered an important foundation for accelerating extensive application of olfactory evaluation in odor pollution monitoring.

Conformational dynamics of a crystalline protein from microsecond-scale molecular dynamics simulations and diffuse X-ray scattering

DOE PAGES

Wall, Michael E.; Van Benschoten, Andrew H.; Sauter, Nicholas K.; ...

2014-12-01

X-ray diffraction from protein crystals includes both sharply peaked Bragg reflections and diffuse intensity between the peaks. The information in Bragg scattering is limited to what is available in the mean electron density. The diffuse scattering arises from correlations in the electron density variations and therefore contains information about collective motions in proteins. Previous studies using molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations to model diffuse scattering have been hindered by insufficient sampling of the conformational ensemble. To overcome this issue, we have performed a 1.1-μs MD simulation of crystalline staphylococcal nuclease, providing 100-fold more sampling than previous studies. This simulation enables reproducible calculationsmore » of the diffuse intensity and predicts functionally important motions, including transitions among at least eight metastable states with different active-site geometries. The total diffuse intensity calculated using the MD model is highly correlated with the experimental data. In particular, there is excellent agreement for the isotropic component of the diffuse intensity, and substantial but weaker agreement for the anisotropic component. The decomposition of the MD model into protein and solvent components indicates that protein–solvent interactions contribute substantially to the overall diffuse intensity. In conclusion, diffuse scattering can be used to validate predictions from MD simulations and can provide information to improve MD models of protein motions.« less

Conformational dynamics of a crystalline protein from microsecond-scale molecular dynamics simulations and diffuse X-ray scattering

PubMed Central

Wall, Michael E.; Van Benschoten, Andrew H.; Sauter, Nicholas K.; Adams, Paul D.; Fraser, James S.; Terwilliger, Thomas C.

2014-01-01

X-ray diffraction from protein crystals includes both sharply peaked Bragg reflections and diffuse intensity between the peaks. The information in Bragg scattering is limited to what is available in the mean electron density. The diffuse scattering arises from correlations in the electron density variations and therefore contains information about collective motions in proteins. Previous studies using molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations to model diffuse scattering have been hindered by insufficient sampling of the conformational ensemble. To overcome this issue, we have performed a 1.1-μs MD simulation of crystalline staphylococcal nuclease, providing 100-fold more sampling than previous studies. This simulation enables reproducible calculations of the diffuse intensity and predicts functionally important motions, including transitions among at least eight metastable states with different active-site geometries. The total diffuse intensity calculated using the MD model is highly correlated with the experimental data. In particular, there is excellent agreement for the isotropic component of the diffuse intensity, and substantial but weaker agreement for the anisotropic component. Decomposition of the MD model into protein and solvent components indicates that protein–solvent interactions contribute substantially to the overall diffuse intensity. We conclude that diffuse scattering can be used to validate predictions from MD simulations and can provide information to improve MD models of protein motions. PMID:25453071

Demand curves for hypothetical cocaine in cocaine-dependent individuals.

PubMed

Bruner, Natalie R; Johnson, Matthew W

2014-03-01

Drug purchasing tasks have been successfully used to examine demand for hypothetical consumption of abused drugs including heroin, nicotine, and alcohol. In these tasks, drug users make hypothetical choices whether to buy drugs, and if so, at what quantity, at various potential prices. These tasks allow for behavioral economic assessment of that drug's intensity of demand (preferred level of consumption at extremely low prices) and demand elasticity (sensitivity of consumption to price), among other metrics. However, a purchasing task for cocaine in cocaine-dependent individuals has not been investigated. This study examined a novel Cocaine Purchasing Task and the relation between resulting demand metrics and self-reported cocaine use data. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing hypothetical purchases of cocaine units at prices ranging from $0.01 to $1,000. Demand curves were generated from responses on the Cocaine Purchasing Task. Correlations compared metrics from the demand curve to measures of real-world cocaine use. Group and individual data were well modeled by a demand curve function. The validity of the Cocaine Purchasing Task was supported by a significant correlation between the demand curve metrics of demand intensity and O max (determined from Cocaine Purchasing Task data) and self-reported measures of cocaine use. Partial correlations revealed that after controlling for demand intensity, demand elasticity and the related measure, P max, were significantly correlated with real-world cocaine use. Results indicate that the Cocaine Purchasing Task produces orderly demand curve data, and that these data relate to real-world measures of cocaine use.

Tracking Image Correlation: Combining Single-Particle Tracking and Image Correlation

PubMed Central

Dupont, A.; Stirnnagel, K.; Lindemann, D.; Lamb, D.C.

2013-01-01

The interactions and coordination of biomolecules are crucial for most cellular functions. The observation of protein interactions in live cells may provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. After fluorescent labeling of the interacting partners and live-cell microscopy, the colocalization is generally analyzed by quantitative global methods. Recent studies have addressed questions regarding the individual colocalization of moving biomolecules, usually by using single-particle tracking (SPT) and comparing the fluorescent intensities in both color channels. Here, we introduce a new method that combines SPT and correlation methods to obtain a dynamical 3D colocalization analysis along single trajectories of dual-colored particles. After 3D tracking, the colocalization is computed at each particle’s position via the local 3D image cross correlation of the two detection channels. For every particle analyzed, the output consists of the 3D trajectory, the time-resolved 3D colocalization information, and the fluorescence intensity in both channels. In addition, the cross-correlation analysis shows the 3D relative movement of the two fluorescent labels with an accuracy of 30 nm. We apply this method to the tracking of viral fusion events in live cells and demonstrate its capacity to obtain the time-resolved colocalization status of single particles in dense and noisy environments. PMID:23746509

Multiscale analysis of neural spike trains.

PubMed

Ramezan, Reza; Marriott, Paul; Chenouri, Shojaeddin

2014-01-30

This paper studies the multiscale analysis of neural spike trains, through both graphical and Poisson process approaches. We introduce the interspike interval plot, which simultaneously visualizes characteristics of neural spiking activity at different time scales. Using an inhomogeneous Poisson process framework, we discuss multiscale estimates of the intensity functions of spike trains. We also introduce the windowing effect for two multiscale methods. Using quasi-likelihood, we develop bootstrap confidence intervals for the multiscale intensity function. We provide a cross-validation scheme, to choose the tuning parameters, and study its unbiasedness. Studying the relationship between the spike rate and the stimulus signal, we observe that adjusting for the first spike latency is important in cross-validation. We show, through examples, that the correlation between spike trains and spike count variability can be multiscale phenomena. Furthermore, we address the modeling of the periodicity of the spike trains caused by a stimulus signal or by brain rhythms. Within the multiscale framework, we introduce intensity functions for spike trains with multiplicative and additive periodic components. Analyzing a dataset from the retinogeniculate synapse, we compare the fit of these models with the Bayesian adaptive regression splines method and discuss the limitations of the methodology. Computational efficiency, which is usually a challenge in the analysis of spike trains, is one of the highlights of these new models. In an example, we show that the reconstruction quality of a complex intensity function demonstrates the ability of the multiscale methodology to crack the neural code. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Detecting facial emotion recognition deficits in schizophrenia using dynamic stimuli of varying intensities.

PubMed

Hargreaves, A; Mothersill, O; Anderson, M; Lawless, S; Corvin, A; Donohoe, G

2016-10-28

Deficits in facial emotion recognition have been associated with functional impairments in patients with Schizophrenia (SZ). Whilst a strong ecological argument has been made for the use of both dynamic facial expressions and varied emotion intensities in research, SZ emotion recognition studies to date have primarily used static stimuli of a singular, 100%, intensity of emotion. To address this issue, the present study aimed to investigate accuracy of emotion recognition amongst patients with SZ and healthy subjects using dynamic facial emotion stimuli of varying intensities. To this end an emotion recognition task (ERT) designed by Montagne (2007) was adapted and employed. 47 patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of SZ and 51 healthy participants were assessed for emotion recognition. Results of the ERT were tested for correlation with performance in areas of cognitive ability typically found to be impaired in psychosis, including IQ, memory, attention and social cognition. Patients were found to perform less well than healthy participants at recognising each of the 6 emotions analysed. Surprisingly, however, groups did not differ in terms of impact of emotion intensity on recognition accuracy; for both groups higher intensity levels predicted greater accuracy, but no significant interaction between diagnosis and emotional intensity was found for any of the 6 emotions. Accuracy of emotion recognition was, however, more strongly correlated with cognition in the patient cohort. Whilst this study demonstrates the feasibility of using ecologically valid dynamic stimuli in the study of emotion recognition accuracy, varying the intensity of the emotion displayed was not demonstrated to impact patients and healthy participants differentially, and thus may not be a necessary variable to include in emotion recognition research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The PROMIS physical function correlates with the QuickDASH in patients with upper extremity illness.

PubMed

Overbeek, Celeste L; Nota, Sjoerd P F T; Jayakumar, Prakash; Hageman, Michiel G; Ring, David

2015-01-01

To assess disability more efficiently with less burden on the patient, the National Institutes of Health has developed the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function-an instrument based on item response theory and using computer adaptive testing (CAT). Initially, upper and lower extremity disabilities were not separated and we were curious if the PROMIS Physical Function CAT could measure upper extremity disability and the Quick Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH). We aimed to find correlation between the PROMIS Physical Function and the QuickDASH questionnaires in patients with upper extremity illness. Secondarily, we addressed whether the PROMIS Physical Function and QuickDASH correlate with the PROMIS Depression CAT and PROMIS Pain Interference CAT instruments. Finally, we assessed factors associated with QuickDASH and PROMIS Physical Function in multivariable analysis. A cohort of 93 outpatients with upper extremity illnesses completed the QuickDASH and three PROMIS CAT questionnaires: Physical Function, Pain Interference, and Depression. Pain intensity was measured with an 11-point ordinal measure (0-10 numeric rating scale). Correlation between PROMIS Physical Function and the QuickDASH was assessed. Factors that correlated with the PROMIS Physical Function and QuickDASH were assessed in multivariable regression analysis after initial bivariate analysis. There was a moderate correlation between the PROMIS Physical Function and the QuickDASH questionnaire (r=-0.55, p<0.001). Greater disability as measured with the PROMIS and QuickDASH correlated most strongly with PROMIS Depression (r=-0.35, p<0.001 and r=0.34, p<0.001 respectively) and Pain Interference (r=-0.51, p<0.001 and r=0.74, p<0.001 respectively). The factors accounting for the variability in PROMIS scores are comparable to those for the QuickDASH except that the PROMIS Physical Function is influenced by other pain conditions while the QuickDASH is not. The PROMIS Physical Function instrument may be used as an upper extremity disability measure, as it correlates with the QuickDASH questionnaire, and both instruments are influenced most strongly by the degree to which pain interferes with achieving goals. Level III, diagnostic study. See the Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Joint health and functional ability in children with haemophilia who receive intensive replacement therapy.

PubMed

Groen, W; van der Net, J; Bos, K; Abad, A; Bergstrom, B-M; Blanchette, V S; Feldman, B M; Funk, S; Helders, P; Hilliard, P; Manco-Johnson, M; Petrini, P; Zourikian, N; Fischer, K

2011-09-01

Joint physical examination is an important outcome in haemophilia; however its relationship with functional ability is not well established in children with intensive replacement therapy. Boys aged 4-16 years were recruited from two European and three North American treatment centres. Joint physical structure and function was measured with the Haemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS) while functional ability was measured with the revised Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ₃₈. Two haemophilia-specific domains were created by selecting items of the CHAQ₃₈ that cover haemophilia-specific problems. Associations between CHAQ, HJHS, cumulative number of haemarthroses and age were assessed. A total of 226 subjects - mean 10.8 years old (SD 3.8) - participated; the majority (68%) had severe haemophilia. Most severe patients (91%) were on prophylactic treatment. Lifetime number of haemarthroses [median=5; interquartile range (IQR)=1-12] and total HJHS (median = 5; IQR=1-12) correlated strongly (ρ = 0.51). Total HJHS did not correlate with age and only weakly (ρ=-0.19) with functional ability scores (median=0; IQR=-0.06-0). Overall, haemarthroses were reported most frequently in the ankles. Detailed analysis of ankle joint health scores revealed moderate associations (ρ=0.3-0.5) of strength, gait and atrophy with lower extremity tasks (e.g. stair climbing). In this population, HJHS summating six joints did not perform as well as individual joint scores, however, certain elements of ankle impairment, specifically muscle strength, atrophy and gait associated significantly with functional loss in lower extremity activities. Mild abnormalities in ankle assessment by HJHS may lead to functional loss. Therefore, ankle joints may warrant special attention in the follow up of these children. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Are corporations people too? The neural correlates of moral judgments about companies and individuals.

PubMed

Plitt, Mark; Savjani, Ricky R; Eagleman, David M

2015-04-01

To investigate whether the legal concept of "corporate personhood" mirrors an inherent similarity in the neural processing of the actions of corporations and people, we measured brain responses to vignettes about corporations and people while participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. We found that anti-social actions of corporations elicited more intense negative emotions and that pro-social actions of people elicited more intense positive emotions. However, the networks underlying the moral decisions about corporations and people are strikingly similar, including regions of the canonical theory of mind network. In analyzing the activity in these networks, we found differences in the emotional processing of these two types of vignettes: neutral actions of corporations showed neural correlates that more closely resembled negative actions than positive actions. Collectively, these findings indicate that our brains understand and analyze the actions of corporations and people very similarly, with a small emotional bias against corporations.

Experimental investigation of dynamic impact of firearm with suppressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilikevicius, Arturas; Skeivalas, Jonas; Jurevicius, Mindaugas; Turla, Vytautas; Kilikeviciene, Kristina; Bureika, Gintautas; Jakstas, Arunas

2017-09-01

The internal ballistics processes occur in the tube during firearm firing. They cause tremendous vibratory shock forces and robust sounds. The determination of these dynamic parameters is relevant in order to reasonably estimate the firearm ergonomic and noise reduction features. The objective of this study is to improve the reliability of the results of measuring a firearm suppressor's dynamic parameters. The analysis of indicator stability is based on an assessment of dynamic parameters and setting the correlation during experimental research. An examination of the spread of intensity of firearm with suppressor dynamic vibration and an analysis of its signals upon applying the theory of covariance functions are carried out in this paper. The results of measuring the intensity of vibrations in fixed points of a firearm and a shooter have been recorded on a time scale in the form of data arrays (matrices). The estimates of covariance functions between the arrays of digital results in measuring the intensity of firearm vibrations and the estimates of covariance functions of single arrays have been calculated upon changing the quantization interval on the time scale. Software Matlab 7 has been applied in the calculation. Finally, basic conclusions are given.

Resilience does not explain the dissociation between chronic pain and physical activity in South Africans living with HIV

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Duncan

2016-01-01

Pain burden is high in people living with HIV (PLWH), but the effect of this pain on functionality is equivocal. Resilience, the ability to cope with adversity, may promote adaptation to pain, so we hypothesised that higher resilience would correlate with less pain-related impairment of activity. We recruited 197 black South African PLWH, 99 with chronic pain (CP) and 98 patients without. We measured pain intensity and interference using the Brief Pain Inventory, and resilience using the Resilience Scale. Participants were generally highly resilient. Greater resilience correlated with better health-related quality of life, but not with pain intensity or interference. We also measured physical activity objectively, by actigraphy, in a subset of patients (37 with chronic pain and 31 without chronic pain), who wore accelerometers for two weeks. There was no difference in duration or intensity of activity between those with and without pain, and activity was not associated with resilience. In this sample, pain was not associated with altered physical activity. Resilience did not explain differences in pain intensity or pain interference but was associated with improved quality of life. Financial stresses and the fear of HIV stigma may have driven patients to conceal pain and to suppress its expected impairment of activity. PMID:27672513

Effective equilibrium states in mixtures of active particles driven by colored noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wittmann, René; Brader, J. M.; Sharma, A.; Marconi, U. Marini Bettolo

2018-01-01

We consider the steady-state behavior of pairs of active particles having different persistence times and diffusivities. To this purpose we employ the active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck model, where the particles are driven by colored noises with exponential correlation functions whose intensities and correlation times vary from species to species. By extending Fox's theory to many components, we derive by functional calculus an approximate Fokker-Planck equation for the configurational distribution function of the system. After illustrating the predicted distribution in the solvable case of two particles interacting via a harmonic potential, we consider systems of particles repelling through inverse power-law potentials. We compare the analytic predictions to computer simulations for such soft-repulsive interactions in one dimension and show that at linear order in the persistence times the theory is satisfactory. This work provides the toolbox to qualitatively describe many-body phenomena, such as demixing and depletion, by means of effective pair potentials.

Analytic calculations of hyper-Raman spectra from density functional theory hyperpolarizability gradients

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

Ringholm, Magnus; Ruud, Kenneth; Bast, Radovan

We present the first analytic calculations of the geometrical gradients of the first hyperpolarizability tensors at the density-functional theory (DFT) level. We use the analytically calculated hyperpolarizability gradients to explore the importance of electron correlation effects, as described by DFT, on hyper-Raman spectra. In particular, we calculate the hyper-Raman spectra of the all-trans and 11-cis isomers of retinal at the Hartree-Fock (HF) and density-functional levels of theory, also allowing us to explore the sensitivity of the hyper-Raman spectra on the geometrical characteristics of these structurally related molecules. We show that the HF results, using B3LYP-calculated vibrational frequencies and force fields,more » reproduce the experimental data for all-trans-retinal well, and that electron correlation effects are of minor importance for the hyper-Raman intensities.« less

Statistical analysis of geomagnetic field intensity differences between ASM and VFM instruments onboard Swarm constellation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Michelis, Paola; Tozzi, Roberta; Consolini, Giuseppe

2017-02-01

From the very first measurements made by the magnetometers onboard Swarm satellites launched by European Space Agency (ESA) in late 2013, it emerged a discrepancy between scalar and vector measurements. An accurate analysis of this phenomenon brought to build an empirical model of the disturbance, highly correlated with the Sun incidence angle, and to correct vector data accordingly. The empirical model adopted by ESA results in a significant decrease in the amplitude of the disturbance affecting VFM measurements so greatly improving the vector magnetic data quality. This study is focused on the characterization of the difference between magnetic field intensity measured by the absolute scalar magnetometer (ASM) and that reconstructed using the vector field magnetometer (VFM) installed on Swarm constellation. Applying empirical mode decomposition method, we find the intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) associated with ASM-VFM total intensity differences obtained with data both uncorrected and corrected for the disturbance correlated with the Sun incidence angle. Surprisingly, no differences are found in the nature of the IMFs embedded in the analyzed signals, being these IMFs characterized by the same dominant periodicities before and after correction. The effect of correction manifests in the decrease in the energy associated with some IMFs contributing to corrected data. Some IMFs identified by analyzing the ASM-VFM intensity discrepancy are characterized by the same dominant periodicities of those obtained by analyzing the temperature fluctuations of the VFM electronic unit. Thus, the disturbance correlated with the Sun incidence angle could be still present in the corrected magnetic data. Furthermore, the ASM-VFM total intensity difference and the VFM electronic unit temperature display a maximal shared information with a time delay that depends on local time. Taken together, these findings may help to relate the features of the observed VFM-ASM total intensity difference to the physical characteristics of the real disturbance thus contributing to improve the empirical model proposed for the correction of data.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Neural substrates and behavioral profiles of romantic jealousy and its temporal dynamics.

PubMed

Sun, Yan; Yu, Hongbo; Chen, Jie; Liang, Jie; Lu, Lin; Zhou, Xiaolin; Shi, Jie

2016-06-07

Jealousy is not only a way of experiencing love but also a stabilizer of romantic relationships, although morbid romantic jealousy is maladaptive. Being engaged in a formal romantic relationship can tune one's romantic jealousy towards a specific target. Little is known about how the human brain processes romantic jealousy by now. Here, by combining scenario-based imagination and functional MRI, we investigated the behavioral and neural correlates of romantic jealousy and their development across stages (before vs. after being in a formal relationship). Romantic jealousy scenarios elicited activations primarily in the basal ganglia (BG) across stages, and were significantly higher after the relationship was established in both the behavioral rating and BG activation. The intensity of romantic jealousy was related to the intensity of romantic happiness, which mainly correlated with ventral medial prefrontal cortex activation. The increase in jealousy across stages was associated with the tendency for interpersonal aggression. These results bridge the gap between the theoretical conceptualization of romantic jealousy and its neural correlates and shed light on the dynamic changes in jealousy.

Neural substrates and behavioral profiles of romantic jealousy and its temporal dynamics

PubMed Central

Sun, Yan; Yu, Hongbo; Chen, Jie; Liang, Jie; Lu, Lin; Zhou, Xiaolin; Shi, Jie

2016-01-01

Jealousy is not only a way of experiencing love but also a stabilizer of romantic relationships, although morbid romantic jealousy is maladaptive. Being engaged in a formal romantic relationship can tune one’s romantic jealousy towards a specific target. Little is known about how the human brain processes romantic jealousy by now. Here, by combining scenario-based imagination and functional MRI, we investigated the behavioral and neural correlates of romantic jealousy and their development across stages (before vs. after being in a formal relationship). Romantic jealousy scenarios elicited activations primarily in the basal ganglia (BG) across stages, and were significantly higher after the relationship was established in both the behavioral rating and BG activation. The intensity of romantic jealousy was related to the intensity of romantic happiness, which mainly correlated with ventral medial prefrontal cortex activation. The increase in jealousy across stages was associated with the tendency for interpersonal aggression. These results bridge the gap between the theoretical conceptualization of romantic jealousy and its neural correlates and shed light on the dynamic changes in jealousy. PMID:27273024

Spatial and spectral interpolation of ground-motion intensity measure observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Worden, Charles; Thompson, Eric M.; Baker, Jack W.; Bradley, Brendon A.; Luco, Nicolas; Wilson, David

2018-01-01

Following a significant earthquake, ground‐motion observations are available for a limited set of locations and intensity measures (IMs). Typically, however, it is desirable to know the ground motions for additional IMs and at locations where observations are unavailable. Various interpolation methods are available, but because IMs or their logarithms are normally distributed, spatially correlated, and correlated with each other at a given location, it is possible to apply the conditional multivariate normal (MVN) distribution to the problem of estimating unobserved IMs. In this article, we review the MVN and its application to general estimation problems, and then apply the MVN to the specific problem of ground‐motion IM interpolation. In particular, we present (1) a formulation of the MVN for the simultaneous interpolation of IMs across space and IM type (most commonly, spectral response at different oscillator periods) and (2) the inclusion of uncertain observation data in the MVN formulation. These techniques, in combination with modern empirical ground‐motion models and correlation functions, provide a flexible framework for estimating a variety of IMs at arbitrary locations.

Temporal intensity interferometry: photon bunching in three bright stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerin, W.; Dussaux, A.; Fouché, M.; Labeyrie, G.; Rivet, J.-P.; Vernet, D.; Vakili, F.; Kaiser, R.

2017-12-01

We report the first intensity correlation measured with starlight since the historical experiments of Hanbury Brown and Twiss. The photon bunching g(2)(τ, r = 0), obtained in the photon-counting regime, was measured for three bright stars: α Boo, α CMi and β Gem. The light was collected at the focal plane of a 1-m optical telescope, transported by a multi-mode optical fibre, split into two avalanche photodiodes and correlated digitally in real time. For total exposure times of a few hours, we obtained contrast values around 2 × 10-3, in agreement with the expectation for chaotic sources, given the optical and electronic bandwidths of our set-up. Comparing our results with the measurement of Hanbury Brown et al. for α CMi, we argue for the timely opportunity to extend our experiments to measuring the spatial correlation function over existing and/or foreseen arrays of optical telescopes diluted over several kilometres. This would enable microarcsec long-baseline interferometry in the optical, especially in the visible wavelengths, with a limiting magnitude of 10.

Functional reorganisation in chronic pain and neural correlates of pain sensitisation: A coordinate based meta-analysis of 266 cutaneous pain fMRI studies.

PubMed

Tanasescu, Radu; Cottam, William J; Condon, Laura; Tench, Christopher R; Auer, Dorothee P

2016-09-01

Maladaptive mechanisms of pain processing in chronic pain conditions (CP) are poorly understood. We used coordinate based meta-analysis of 266 fMRI pain studies to study functional brain reorganisation in CP and experimental models of hyperalgesia. The pattern of nociceptive brain activation was similar in CP, hyperalgesia and normalgesia in controls. However, elevated likelihood of activation was detected in the left putamen, left frontal gyrus and right insula in CP comparing stimuli of the most painful vs. other site. Meta-analysis of contrast maps showed no difference between CP, controls, mood conditions. In contrast, experimental hyperalgesia induced stronger activation in the bilateral insula, left cingulate and right frontal gyrus. Activation likelihood maps support a shared neural pain signature of cutaneous nociception in CP and controls. We also present a double dissociation between neural correlates of transient and persistent pain sensitisation with general increased activation intensity but unchanged pattern in experimental hyperalgesia and, by contrast, focally increased activation likelihood, but unchanged intensity, in CP when stimulated at the most painful body part. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

HEAO 1 high-energy X-ray observations of Centaurus X-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howe, S. K.; Primini, F. A.; Bautz, M. W.; Lang, F. L.; Levine, A. M.; Lewin, W. H. G.

1983-01-01

Pulsations of 4.8 sec were detected up to energies above 38 keV by the present High Energy X-ray and Low Energy Gamma-Ray HEAO 1 satellite experiment observations of Cen X-3, and an analysis of the X-ray spectrum as a function of pulse phase indicates that the spectrum hardens during an interval of about 1.2 sec which lags the pulse peak by about 0.6 sec. The results of correlated observations of pulse period and X-ray intensity include (1) the detection of a high intensity state during which the pulse period is on the average increasing, (2) the measurement of comparable high intensities during episodes of both period increase and decrease, (3) the detection of X-ray pulsations at a much reduced level during a period of low intensity, and (4) the detection of a transition between spin-down, and spin-up episodes that coincides with a rapid decrease in X-ray intensity.

A correlative comparison of the ring current and auroral electrojects usig geomagnetic indices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cade, W. B., III; Sojka, J. J.; Zhu, L.

1995-01-01

From a study of the 21 largest geomagnetic storms during solar cycle 21, a strong correlation is established between the ring current index Dst and the time-weighted accumulation of the 1-hour auroral electrojets indices, AE and AL. The time-weighted accumulation corresponds to convolution of the auroral electrojet indices with an exponential weighting function with an e-folding time of 9.4 hours. The weighted indices AE(sub w) and AL(sub w) have correltation coefficients against Dst ranging between 0.8 and 0.95 for 20 of the 21 storms. Correlation over the entire solar cycle 21 database is also strong but not as strong as for an individual storm. A set of simple Dst prediction functions provide a first approximation of the inferred dependence, but the specific functional relationship of Dst (AL(sub w)) or Dst (AL(sub w)) varies from one storm to the next in a systematic way. This variation reveals a missing parametric dependence in the transfer function. However, our results indicate that auroral electroject indices are potentially useful for predicting storm time enhancements of ring current intensity with a few hours lead time.

Complex Networks Dynamics Based on Events-Phase Synchronization and Intensity Correlation Applied to The Anomaly Patterns and Extremes in The Tropical African Climate System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oluoch, K.; Marwan, N.; Trauth, M.; Loew, A.; Kurths, J.

2012-04-01

The African continent lie almost entirely within the tropics and as such its (tropical) climate systems are predominantly governed by the heterogeneous, spatial and temporal variability of the Hadley and Walker circulations. The variabilities in these meridional and zonal circulations lead to intensification or suppression of the intensities, durations and frequencies of the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ICTZ) migration, trade winds and subtropical high-pressure regions and the continental monsoons. The above features play a central role in determining the African rainfall spatial and temporal variability patterns. The current understanding of these climate features and their influence on the rainfall patterns is not sufficiently understood. Like many real-world systems, atmospheric-oceanic processes exhibit non-linear properties that can be better explored using non-linear (NL) methods of time-series analysis. Over the recent years, the complex network approach has evolved as a powerful new player in understanding spatio-temporal dynamics and evolution of complex systems. Together with NL techniques, it is continuing to find new applications in many areas of science and technology including climate research. We would like to use these two powerful methods to understand the spatial structure and dynamics of African rainfall anomaly patterns and extremes. The method of event synchronization (ES) developed by Quiroga et al., 2002 and first applied to climate networks by Malik et al., 2011 looks at correlations with a dynamic time lag and as such, it is a more intuitive way to correlate a complex and heterogeneous system like climate networks than a fixed time delay most commonly used. On the other hand, the short comings of ES is its lack of vigorous test statistics for the significance level of the correlations, and the fact that only the events' time indices are synchronized while all information about how the relative intensities propagate within network framework is lost. The new method we present is motivated by the ES and borrows ideas from signal processing where a signal is represented by its intensity and frequency. Even though the anomaly signals are not periodic, the idea of phase synchronization is not far fetched. It brings into one umbrella, the traditionally known linear Intensity correlation methods like Pearson correlation, spear-man's rank or non-linear ones like mutual information with the ES for non-linear temporal synchronization. The intensity correlation is only performed where there is a temporal synchronization. The former just measures how constant the intensity differences are. In other words, how monotonic are the two functions. The overall measure of correlation and synchronization is the product of the two coefficients. Complex networks constructed by this technique has all the advantages inherent in each of the techniques it borrows. But, it is more superior and able to uncover many known and unknown dynamical features in rainfall field or any variable of interest. The main aim of this work is to develop a method that can identify the footprints of coherent or incoherent structures within the ICTZ, the African and the Indian monsoons and the ENSO signal on the tropical African continent and their temporal evolution.

A high-speed, reconfigurable, channel- and time-tagged photon arrival recording system for intensity-interferometry and quantum optics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girish, B. S.; Pandey, Deepak; Ramachandran, Hema

2017-08-01

We present a compact, inexpensive multichannel module, APODAS (Avalanche Photodiode Output Data Acquisition System), capable of detecting 0.8 billion photons per second and providing real-time recording on a computer hard-disk, of channel- and time-tagged information of the arrival of upto 0.4 billion photons per second. Built around a Virtex-5 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) unit, APODAS offers a temporal resolution of 5 nanoseconds with zero deadtime in data acquisition, utilising an efficient scheme for time and channel tagging and employing Gigabit ethernet for the transfer of data. Analysis tools have been developed on a Linux platform for multi-fold coincidence studies and time-delayed intensity interferometry. As illustrative examples, the second-order intensity correlation function ( g 2) of light from two commonly used sources in quantum optics —a coherent laser source and a dilute atomic vapour emitting spontaneously, constituting a thermal source— are presented. With easy reconfigurability and with no restriction on the total record length, APODAS can be readily used for studies over various time scales. This is demonstrated by using APODAS to reveal Rabi oscillations on nanosecond time scales in the emission of ultracold atoms, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, to measure the second-order correlation function on the millisecond time scales from tailored light sources. The efficient and versatile performance of APODAS promises its utility in diverse fields, like quantum optics, quantum communication, nuclear physics, astrophysics and biology.

Function of a large biarticular hip and knee extensor during walking and running in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).

PubMed

Carr, Jennifer A; Ellerby, David J; Marsh, Richard L

2011-10-15

Physiological and anatomical evidence suggests that in birds the iliotibialis lateralis pars postacetabularis (ILPO) is functionally important for running. Incorporating regional information, we estimated the mean sarcomere strain trajectory and electromyographic (EMG) amplitude of the ILPO during level and incline walking and running. Using these data and data in the literature of muscle energy use, we examined three hypotheses: (1) active lengthening will occur on the ascending limb of the length-tension curve to avoid potential damage caused by stretch on the descending limb; (2) the active strain cycle will shift to favor active shortening when the birds run uphill and shortening will occur on the plateau and shallow ascending limb of the length-tension curve; and (3) measures of EMG intensity will correlate with energy use when the mechanical function of the muscle is similar. Supporting the first hypothesis, we found that the mean sarcomere lengths at the end of active lengthening during level locomotion were smaller than the predicted length at the start of the plateau of the length-tension curve. Supporting the second hypothesis, the magnitude of active lengthening decreased with increasing slope, whereas active shortening increased. In evaluating the relationship between EMG amplitude and energy use (hypothesis 3), we found that although increases in EMG intensity with speed, slope and loading were positively correlated with muscle energy use, the quantitative relationships between these variables differed greatly under different conditions. The relative changes in EMG intensity and energy use by the muscle probably varied because of changes in the mechanical function of the muscle that altered the ratio of muscle energy use to active muscle volume. Considering the overall function of the cycle of active lengthening and shortening of the fascicles of the ILPO, we conclude that the function of active lengthening is unlikely to be energy conservation and may instead be related to promoting stability at the knee. The work required to lengthen the ILPO during stance is provided by co-contracting knee flexors. We suggest that this potentially energetically expensive co-contraction serves to stabilize the knee in early stance by increasing the mechanical impedance of the joint.

Estradiol selectively enhances auditory function in avian forebrain neurons

PubMed Central

Caras, Melissa L.; O’Brien, Matthew; Brenowitz, Eliot A.; Rubel, Edwin W

2012-01-01

Sex steroids modulate vertebrate sensory processing, but the impact of circulating hormone levels on forebrain function remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that circulating sex steroids modulate single-unit responses in the avian telencephalic auditory nucleus, field L. We mimicked breeding or non-breeding conditions by manipulating plasma 17β-estradiol levels in wild-caught female Gambel’s white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii). Extracellular responses of single neurons to tones and conspecific songs presented over a range of intensities revealed that estradiol selectively enhanced auditory function in cells that exhibited monotonic rate-level functions to pure tones. In these cells, estradiol treatment increased spontaneous and maximum evoked firing rates, increased pure tone response strengths and sensitivity, and expanded the range of intensities over which conspecific song stimuli elicited significant responses. Estradiol did not significantly alter the sensitivity or dynamic ranges of cells that exhibited non-monotonic rate-level functions. Notably, there was a robust correlation between plasma estradiol concentrations in individual birds and physiological response properties in monotonic, but not non-monotonic neurons. These findings demonstrate that functionally distinct classes of anatomically overlapping forebrain neurons are differentially regulated by sex steroid hormones in a dose-dependent manner. PMID:23223283

Brain intrinsic network connectivity in individuals with frequent tanning behavior.

PubMed

Ketcherside, Ariel; Filbey, Francesca M; Aubert, Pamela M; Seibyl, John P; Price, Julianne L; Adinoff, Bryon

2018-05-01

Emergent studies suggest a bidirectional relationship between brain functioning and the skin. This neurocutaneous connection may be responsible for the reward response to tanning and, thus, may contribute to excessive tanning behavior. To date, however, this association has not yet been examined. To explore whether intrinsic brain functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) is related to indoor tanning behavior. Resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) was obtained in twenty adults (16 females) with a history of indoor tanning. Using a seed-based [(posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)] approach, the relationship between tanning severity and FC strength was assessed. Tanning severity was measured with symptom count from the Structured Clinical Interview for Tanning Abuse and Dependence (SITAD) and tanning intensity (lifetime indoor tanning episodes/years tanning). rsFC strength between the PCC and other DMN regions (left globus pallidus, left medial frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus) is positively correlated with tanning symptom count. rsFC strength between the PCC and salience network regions (right anterior cingulate cortex, left inferior parietal lobe, left inferior temporal gyrus) is correlated with tanning intensity. Greater connectivity between tanning severity and DMN and salience network connectivity suggests that heightened self-awareness of salient stimuli may be a mechanism that underlies frequent tanning behavior. These findings add to the growing evidence of brain-skin connection and reflect dysregulation in the reward processing networks in those with frequent tanning.

Prolonged central motor conduction time of lower limb muscle in spinocerebellar ataxia 6.

PubMed

Chen, Jen-Tse; Lin, Yung-Yang; Lee, Yi-Chung; Soong, Bing-Wen; Wu, Zin-An; Liao, Kwong-Kum

2004-05-01

We investigated the function of corticospinal tract in spinocerebellar ataxia 6 (SCA6) by measuring the central motor conduction time (CMCT). Motor evoked potentials (MEP) of tibialis anterior (TA) muscle were elicited by magnetic stimulation to motor cortex and spinal cord in 9 SCA6 patients and 10 normal height- and age-matched subjects. CMCT in lower limb of SCA6 patients (18.1+/-1.9 ms) was significantly prolonged than that of the normal subjects (15.0+/-1.0 ms) ((p < 0.001). The prolonged CMCT was well correlated with the duration of disease (p = 0.005), but MEP amplitudes and stimulation intensities were not significantly different. These results indicate that the corticospinal tract function is also impaired and correlate with the disease duration in SCA6.

[A field experiment of runoff and sediment yielding processes from residues in Shenfu-Dongsheng Coalfield].

PubMed

Li, Jian-Ming; Wang, Wen-Long; Wang, Zhen; Luo, Ting; Li, Hong-Wei; Jin, Jian

2013-12-01

The processes of runoff and sediment yields from and the benefits of water and sediment reductions by the residues produced in the Shenfu-Dongsheng Coalfield were investigated by a simulated field rainfall experiment. The runoff generation time generally presented a decreasing trend with increasing rainfall intensity, but varied widely with the change of residue compositions. Runoff from the slag reached a steady velocity faster than that from the spoil, and the average velocities of runoff from the residues were gradually decreased in the spoil, the slag with more sand and less stone, and the slag with less sand and more stone. Runoff rates for the residues reached a steady rate 6 min after runoff generation, and were significantly correlated with the rainfall intensities. Erosion on the residues mainly occurred in the first 6 min after runoff generation. Average sediment concentrations in the first 6 min were 0.43-4.27 times of those thereafter for the spoil, and 1.43-54.93 times for the slag. The runoff volume was a linear function of the rainfall intensity for the spoil and the slag with more sand and less stone, and was a power function of rainfall intensity for the slag with less sand and more stone. The relationships between single erosion and rainfall intensity for the spoil and the slag with less sand and more stone can be described by exponential and power functions, respectively. For the spoil, the erosion rate was a linear function of the runoff volume. When fish-scale pits and vegetation coverage were adopted on the surface of the slag, the generation of runoff lagged 24 min behind initial rainfall applications at intensities of 1.0 and 1.5 mm x min(-1), and the runoff and sediment yields were reduced by 29.5%-52.9% and 85.7%-97.9%, respectively.

Toward ab initio molecular dynamics modeling for sum-frequency generation spectra; an efficient algorithm based on surface-specific velocity-velocity correlation function.

PubMed

Ohto, Tatsuhiko; Usui, Kota; Hasegawa, Taisuke; Bonn, Mischa; Nagata, Yuki

2015-09-28

Interfacial water structures have been studied intensively by probing the O-H stretch mode of water molecules using sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. This surface-specific technique is finding increasingly widespread use, and accordingly, computational approaches to calculate SFG spectra using molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories of interfacial water molecules have been developed and employed to correlate specific spectral signatures with distinct interfacial water structures. Such simulations typically require relatively long (several nanoseconds) MD trajectories to allow reliable calculation of the SFG response functions through the dipole moment-polarizability time correlation function. These long trajectories limit the use of computationally expensive MD techniques such as ab initio MD and centroid MD simulations. Here, we present an efficient algorithm determining the SFG response from the surface-specific velocity-velocity correlation function (ssVVCF). This ssVVCF formalism allows us to calculate SFG spectra using a MD trajectory of only ∼100 ps, resulting in the substantial reduction of the computational costs, by almost an order of magnitude. We demonstrate that the O-H stretch SFG spectra at the water-air interface calculated by using the ssVVCF formalism well reproduce those calculated by using the dipole moment-polarizability time correlation function. Furthermore, we applied this ssVVCF technique for computing the SFG spectra from the ab initio MD trajectories with various density functionals. We report that the SFG responses computed from both ab initio MD simulations and MD simulations with an ab initio based force field model do not show a positive feature in its imaginary component at 3100 cm(-1).

Combined infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy matrix-isolated carbon vapor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurtz, Joe; Huffman, Donald R.

1990-01-01

Infrared and UV-visible absorption spectra have been measured on the same sample of matrix-isolated carbon vapor in order to establish correlations between absorption intensities of vibrational and electronic transitions as a function of sample annealing. A high degree of correlation has been found between the IR feature at 1998/cm recently assigned to C8 and a UV absorption feature at about 3100 A. Thus, for the first time, direct evidence is given for the assignment of one of the unknown UV-visible features of the long-studied matrix-isolated carbon vapor spectrum.

Measuring hepatic functional reserve using T1 mapping of Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced 3T MR imaging: A preliminary study comparing with 99mTc GSA scintigraphy and signal intensity based parameters.

PubMed

Nakagawa, Masataka; Namimoto, Tomohiro; Shimizu, Kie; Morita, Kosuke; Sakamoto, Fumi; Oda, Seitaro; Nakaura, Takeshi; Utsunomiya, Daisuke; Shiraishi, Shinya; Yamashita, Yasuyuki

2017-07-01

To determine the utility of liver T1-mapping on gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the measurement of liver functional reserve compared with the signal intensity (SI) based parameters, technetium-99m-galactosyl serum albumin ( 99m Tc-GSA) scintigraphy and indocyanine green (ICG) clearance. This retrospective study included 111 patients (Child-Pugh-A 90; -B 21) performed with both Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced liver MR imaging and 99m Tc-GSA (76 patients with ICG). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to compare diagnostic performances of T1-relaxation-time parameters [pre-(T1pre) and post-contrast (T1hb) Gd-EOB-DTPA], SI based parameters [relative enhancement (RE), liver-to-muscle-ratio (LMR), liver-to-spleen-ratio (LSR)] and 99m Tc-GSA scintigraphy blood clearance index (HH15)] for Child-Pugh classification. Pearson's correlation was used for comparisons among T1-relaxation-time parameters, SI-based parameters, HH15 and ICG. A significant difference was obtained for Child-Pugh classification with T1hb, ΔT1, all SI based parameters and HH15. T1hb had the highest AUC followed by RE, LMR, LSR, ΔT1, HH15 and T1pre. The correlation coefficients with HH15 were T1pre 0.22, T1hb 0.53, ΔT1 -0.38 of T1 relaxation parameters; RE -0.44, LMR -0.45, LSR -0.43 of SI-based parameters. T1hb was highest for correlation with HH15. The correlation coefficients with ICG were T1pre 0.29, T1hb 0.64, ΔT1 -0.42 of T1 relaxation parameters; RE -0.50, LMR -0.61, LSR -0.58 of SI-based parameters; 0.64 of HH15. Both T1hb and HH15 were highest for correlation with ICG. T1 relaxation time at post-contrast of Gd-EOB-DTPA (T1hb) was strongly correlated with ICG clearance and moderately correlated HH15 with 99m Tc-GSA. T1hb has the potential to provide robust parameter of liver functional reserve. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Demand Curves for Hypothetical Cocaine in Cocaine-Dependent Individuals

PubMed Central

Bruner, Natalie R.; Johnson, Matthew W.

2013-01-01

Rationale Drug purchasing tasks have been successfully used to examine demand for hypothetical consumption of abused drugs including heroin, nicotine, and alcohol. In these tasks drug users make hypothetical choices whether to buy drugs, and if so, at what quantity, at various potential prices. These tasks allow for behavioral economic assessment of that drug's intensity of demand (preferred level of consumption at extremely low prices) and demand elasticity (sensitivity of consumption to price), among other metrics. However, a purchasing task for cocaine in cocaine-dependent individuals has not been investigated. Objectives This study examined a novel Cocaine Purchasing Task and the relation between resulting demand metrics and self-reported cocaine use data. Methods Participants completed a questionnaire assessing hypothetical purchases of cocaine units at prices ranging from $0.01 to $1,000. Demand curves were generated from responses on the Cocaine Purchasing Task. Correlations compared metrics from the demand curve to measures of real-world cocaine use. Results Group and individual data were well modeled by a demand curve function. The validity of the Cocaine Purchasing Task was supported by a significant correlation between the demand curve metrics of demand intensity and Omax (determined from Cocaine Purchasing Task data) and self-reported measures of cocaine use. Partial correlations revealed that after controlling for demand intensity, demand elasticity and the related measure, Pmax, were significantly correlated with real-world cocaine use. Conclusions Results indicate that the Cocaine Purchasing Task produces orderly demand curve data, and that these data relate to real-world measures of cocaine use. PMID:24217899

Are Active Australia physical activity questions valid for older adults?

PubMed

Heesch, Kristiann C; Hill, Robert L; van Uffelen, Jannique G Z; Brown, Wendy J

2011-05-01

The Active Australia Survey (AAS) is used for physical activity (PA) surveillance in the general Australian adult population, but its validity in older adults has not been evaluated. Our aim was to examine the convergent validity of the AAS questions in older adults. The AAS was validated against pedometer step counts as an objective measure of PA, self-reported physical function, and a step-test to assess cardiorespiratory fitness. Participants were community-dwelling adults, aged 65-89 y, with the ability to walk 100 m. They completed a self-administered AAS and the step-test in one interview. One week earlier, they completed the Short Form-36 physical function subscale. Between these two interviews, they each wore a YAMAX Digiwalker SW200 pedometer and recorded daily steps. Using the AAS data, daily walking minutes and total PA minutes (walking, moderate-intensity PA and vigorous-intensity PA) were compared with the validity measures using Spearman rank-order correlations. Fifty-three adults completed the study. Median daily walking minutes were 34.2 (interquartile range [IQR] 17.1, 60.0), and median daily total PA minutes were 68.6 (IQR 31.4, 113.6). Walking and total PA minutes were both moderately correlated with pedometer steps (Spearman correlation r=0.42, p=0.003, for each) but not with step-test seconds to completion (r=-0.11, p=0.44; r=-0.25, p=0.08, respectively). Total PA minutes were significantly correlated with physical function scores (r=0.39, p=0.004), but walking minutes were not (r=0.15, p=0.29). This initial examination of the psychometric properties of the AAS for older adults suggests that this surveillance tool has acceptable convergent validity for ambulatory, community-dwelling older adults. Copyright © 2010 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Particle Size Distribution and Pollutant Speciation Analyses of Stormwater Runoff in the Ancient Town of Suzhou].

PubMed

Li, Huai; Wu, Wei; Tian, Yong-jing; Huang, Tian-yin

2016-02-15

The particle size distribution (PSD) and its transformation processes in the stormwater runoffs in the ancient town of Suzhou were studied based on the particles size analyses, the water-quality monitoring data and the parameters of the rainfall-runoff models. The commercial districts, the modern residential area, the old residential area, the traffic area and the landscape tourist area were selected as the five functional example areas in the ancient town of Suzhou. The effects of antecedent dry period, the rainfall intensity and the amount of runoffs on the particle size distributions were studied, and the existing forms of the main pollutants in different functional areas and their possible relations were analyzed as well. The results showed that the particle size distribution, the migration processes and the output characteristics in the stormwater runoffs were greatly different in these five functional areas, which indicated different control measures for the pollution of the runoffs should be taken in the design process. The antecedent dry period, the rainfall intensity and the amount of runoffs showed significant correlations with the particle size distribution, showing these were the important factors. The output of the particles was greatly influenced by the flow scouring in the early period of the rainfall, and the correlations between the amount of runoffs and the particle migration ability presented significant difference in 30% (early period) and 70% (later period) of the runoff volume. The major existence form of the output pollutants was particle, and the correlation analyses of different diameter particles showed that the particles smaller than 150 microm were the dominant carrier of the pollutants via adsorption and accumulation processes.

The impact of pain on spiritual well-being in people with a spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Siddall, P J; McIndoe, L; Austin, P; Wrigley, P J

2017-01-01

The study uses a cross-sectional, group comparison, questionnaire-based design. To determine whether spinal cord injury and pain have an impact on spiritual well-being and whether there is an association between spiritual well-being and measures of pain and psychological function. University teaching hospital in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Questionnaires evaluating pain, psychological and spiritual well-being were administered to a group of people with a spinal cord injury (n=53) and a group without spinal cord injury (n=37). Spiritual well-being was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness and Therapy - Spirituality Extended Scale (FACIT-Sp-Ex). Pain and psychological function were also assessed using standard, validated measures of pain intensity, pain interference, mood and cognition. Levels of spiritual well-being in people with a spinal cord injury were significantly lower when compared with people without a spinal cord injury. In addition, there was a moderate but significant negative correlation between spiritual well-being and pain intensity. There was also a strong and significant negative correlation between depression and spiritual well-being and a strong and significant positive correlation between spiritual well-being and both pain self-efficacy and satisfaction with life. Consequences of a spinal cord injury include increased levels of spiritual distress, which is associated, with higher levels of pain and depression and lower levels of pain self-efficacy and satisfaction with life. These findings indicate the importance of addressing spiritual well-being as an important component in the long-term rehabilitation of any person following spinal cord injury. This study was supported by grant funding from the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

Chromatin hydrodynamics.

PubMed

Bruinsma, Robijn; Grosberg, Alexander Y; Rabin, Yitzhak; Zidovska, Alexandra

2014-05-06

Following recent observations of large scale correlated motion of chromatin inside the nuclei of live differentiated cells, we present a hydrodynamic theory-the two-fluid model-in which the content of a nucleus is described as a chromatin solution with the nucleoplasm playing the role of the solvent and the chromatin fiber that of a solute. This system is subject to both passive thermal fluctuations and active scalar and vector events that are associated with free energy consumption, such as ATP hydrolysis. Scalar events drive the longitudinal viscoelastic modes (where the chromatin fiber moves relative to the solvent) while vector events generate the transverse modes (where the chromatin fiber moves together with the solvent). Using linear response methods, we derive explicit expressions for the response functions that connect the chromatin density and velocity correlation functions to the corresponding correlation functions of the active sources and the complex viscoelastic moduli of the chromatin solution. We then derive general expressions for the flow spectral density of the chromatin velocity field. We use the theory to analyze experimental results recently obtained by one of the present authors and her co-workers. We find that the time dependence of the experimental data for both native and ATP-depleted chromatin can be well-fitted using a simple model-the Maxwell fluid-for the complex modulus, although there is some discrepancy in terms of the wavevector dependence. Thermal fluctuations of ATP-depleted cells are predominantly longitudinal. ATP-active cells exhibit intense transverse long wavelength velocity fluctuations driven by force dipoles. Fluctuations with wavenumbers larger than a few inverse microns are dominated by concentration fluctuations with the same spectrum as thermal fluctuations but with increased intensity. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chromatin Hydrodynamics

PubMed Central

Bruinsma, Robijn; Grosberg, Alexander Y.; Rabin, Yitzhak; Zidovska, Alexandra

2014-01-01

Following recent observations of large scale correlated motion of chromatin inside the nuclei of live differentiated cells, we present a hydrodynamic theory—the two-fluid model—in which the content of a nucleus is described as a chromatin solution with the nucleoplasm playing the role of the solvent and the chromatin fiber that of a solute. This system is subject to both passive thermal fluctuations and active scalar and vector events that are associated with free energy consumption, such as ATP hydrolysis. Scalar events drive the longitudinal viscoelastic modes (where the chromatin fiber moves relative to the solvent) while vector events generate the transverse modes (where the chromatin fiber moves together with the solvent). Using linear response methods, we derive explicit expressions for the response functions that connect the chromatin density and velocity correlation functions to the corresponding correlation functions of the active sources and the complex viscoelastic moduli of the chromatin solution. We then derive general expressions for the flow spectral density of the chromatin velocity field. We use the theory to analyze experimental results recently obtained by one of the present authors and her co-workers. We find that the time dependence of the experimental data for both native and ATP-depleted chromatin can be well-fitted using a simple model—the Maxwell fluid—for the complex modulus, although there is some discrepancy in terms of the wavevector dependence. Thermal fluctuations of ATP-depleted cells are predominantly longitudinal. ATP-active cells exhibit intense transverse long wavelength velocity fluctuations driven by force dipoles. Fluctuations with wavenumbers larger than a few inverse microns are dominated by concentration fluctuations with the same spectrum as thermal fluctuations but with increased intensity. PMID:24806919

The role of prefrontal catecholamines in attention and working memory

PubMed Central

Clark, Kelsey L.; Noudoost, Behrad

2014-01-01

While much progress has been made in identifying the brain regions and neurochemical systems involved in the cognitive processes disrupted in mental illnesses, to date, the level of detail at which neurobiologists can describe the chain of events giving rise to cognitive functions is very rudimentary. Much of the intense interest in understanding cognitive functions is motivated by the hope that it might be possible to understand these complex functions at the level of neurons and neural circuits. Here, we review the current state of the literature regarding how modulations in catecholamine levels within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) alter the neuronal and behavioral correlates of cognitive functions, particularly attention and working memory. PMID:24782714

Minimisation of Signal Intensity Differences in Distortion Correction Approaches of Brain Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging.

PubMed

Lee, Dong-Hoon; Lee, Do-Wan; Henry, David; Park, Hae-Jin; Han, Bong-Soo; Woo, Dong-Cheol

2018-04-12

To evaluate the effects of signal intensity differences between the b0 image and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the image registration process. To correct signal intensity differences between the b0 image and DTI data, a simple image intensity compensation (SIMIC) method, which is a b0 image re-calculation process from DTI data, was applied before the image registration. The re-calculated b0 image (b0 ext ) from each diffusion direction was registered to the b0 image acquired through the MR scanning (b0 nd ) with two types of cost functions and their transformation matrices were acquired. These transformation matrices were then used to register the DTI data. For quantifications, the dice similarity coefficient (DSC) values, diffusion scalar matrix, and quantified fibre numbers and lengths were calculated. The combined SIMIC method with two cost functions showed the highest DSC value (0.802 ± 0.007). Regarding diffusion scalar values and numbers and lengths of fibres from the corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and cortico-spinal tract, only using normalised cross correlation (NCC) showed a specific tendency toward lower values in the brain regions. Image-based distortion correction with SIMIC for DTI data would help in image analysis by accounting for signal intensity differences as one additional option for DTI analysis. • We evaluated the effects of signal intensity differences at DTI registration. • The non-diffusion-weighted image re-calculation process from DTI data was applied. • SIMIC can minimise the signal intensity differences at DTI registration.

Pain Catastrophizing and Its Relationship with Health Outcomes: Does Pain Intensity Matter?

PubMed Central

García-Palacios, Azucena; Botella, Cristina; Ribera-Canudas, Maria Victoria

2017-01-01

Pain catastrophizing is known to contribute to physical and mental functioning, even when controlling for the effect of pain intensity. However, research has yet to explore whether the strength of the relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain-related outcomes varies across pain intensity levels (i.e., moderation). If this was the case, it would have important implications for existing models of pain and current interventions. The present investigation explored whether pain intensity moderates the relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain-related outcomes. Participants were 254 patients (62% women) with heterogeneous chronic pain. Patients completed a measure of pain intensity, pain interference, pain catastrophizing, and physical and mental health. Pain intensity moderated the relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain interference and between pain catastrophizing and physical health status. Specifically, the strength of the correlation between pain catastrophizing and these outcomes decreased considerably as pain intensity increased. In contrast, pain intensity did not moderate the relationship between pain catastrophizing and mental health. Study findings provide a new insight into the role of pain intensity (i.e., moderator) in the relationship between pain catastrophizing and various pain-related outcomes, which might help develop existent models of pain. Clinical implications are discussed in the context of personalized therapy. PMID:28348506

Multiphonon contribution to the polaron formation in cuprates with strong electron correlations and strong electron-phonon interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovchinnikov, Sergey G.; Makarov, Ilya A.; Kozlov, Peter A.

2017-03-01

In this work dependences of the electron band structure and spectral function in the HTSC cuprates on magnitude of electron-phonon interaction (EPI) and temperature are investigated. We use three-band p-d model with diagonal and offdiagonal EPI with breathing and buckling phonon mode in the frameworks of polaronic version of the generalized tight binding (GTB) method. The polaronic quasiparticle excitation in the system with EPI within this approach is formed by a hybridization of the local multiphonon Franck-Condon excitations with lower and upper Hubbard bands. Increasing EPI leads to transfer of spectral weight to high-energy multiphonon excitations and broadening of the spectral function. Temperature effects are taken into account by occupation numbers of local excited polaronic states and variations in the magnitude of spin-spin correlation functions. Increasing the temperature results in band structure reconstruction, spectral weight redistribution, broadening of the spectral function peak at the top of the valence band and the decreasing of the peak intensity. The effect of EPI with two phonon modes on the polaron spectral function is discussed.

Statistics of Optical Coherence Tomography Data From Human Retina

PubMed Central

de Juan, Joaquín; Ferrone, Claudia; Giannini, Daniela; Huang, David; Koch, Giorgio; Russo, Valentina; Tan, Ou; Bruni, Carlo

2010-01-01

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has recently become one of the primary methods for noninvasive probing of the human retina. The pseudoimage formed by OCT (the so-called B-scan) varies probabilistically across pixels due to complexities in the measurement technique. Hence, sensitive automatic procedures of diagnosis using OCT may exploit statistical analysis of the spatial distribution of reflectance. In this paper, we perform a statistical study of retinal OCT data. We find that the stretched exponential probability density function can model well the distribution of intensities in OCT pseudoimages. Moreover, we show a small, but significant correlation between neighbor pixels when measuring OCT intensities with pixels of about 5 µm. We then develop a simple joint probability model for the OCT data consistent with known retinal features. This model fits well the stretched exponential distribution of intensities and their spatial correlation. In normal retinas, fit parameters of this model are relatively constant along retinal layers, but varies across layers. However, in retinas with diabetic retinopathy, large spikes of parameter modulation interrupt the constancy within layers, exactly where pathologies are visible. We argue that these results give hope for improvement in statistical pathology-detection methods even when the disease is in its early stages. PMID:20304733

Comparing longitudinal assessments of quality of life by patient and parent in newly diagnosed children with cancer: the value of both raters' perspectives.

PubMed

Parsons, Susan K; Fairclough, Diane L; Wang, Jim; Hinds, Pamela S

2012-06-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) information from children facing rare and/or life-threatening disease serves important clinical functions. Longitudinal HRQoL ratings from 222 child-parent dyads collected at four time points during the first 16 weeks of cancer treatment are presented. Patient and parent HRQoL reports at the domain level, based on the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales, were compared over time, and variation in child/parent agreement by age, treatment intensity, and time on treatment was explored. Analyses included consideration of missingness, differences between child and parent group mean domain scores averaged over assessments, agreement between individual child and parent, compared to group averages, and within-subject changes between assessments. Children consistently reported higher functioning than their parents with differences varying by child age and HRQoL domain and diminishing over time. No differences were found by intensity of treatment. The between-subject correlation ranged from 0.61 (social functioning) to 0.86 (physical functioning) across time. Agreement within groups, defined by age, treatment intensity, and time were generally similar. Results indicate moderate-to-good child/parent agreement with variability by domain of HRQoL. Findings underscore the complexity of self- and proxy-based report and support the use of information from both raters.

Active motion assisted by correlated stochastic torques.

PubMed

Weber, Christian; Radtke, Paul K; Schimansky-Geier, Lutz; Hänggi, Peter

2011-07-01

The stochastic dynamics of an active particle undergoing a constant speed and additionally driven by an overall fluctuating torque is investigated. The random torque forces are expressed by a stochastic differential equation for the angular dynamics of the particle determining the orientation of motion. In addition to a constant torque, the particle is supplemented by random torques, which are modeled as an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process with given correlation time τ(c). These nonvanishing correlations cause a persistence of the particles' trajectories and a change of the effective spatial diffusion coefficient. We discuss the mean square displacement as a function of the correlation time and the noise intensity and detect a nonmonotonic dependence of the effective diffusion coefficient with respect to both correlation time and noise strength. A maximal diffusion behavior is obtained if the correlated angular noise straightens the curved trajectories, interrupted by small pirouettes, whereby the correlated noise amplifies a straightening of the curved trajectories caused by the constant torque.

Interpolating Non-Parametric Distributions of Hourly Rainfall Intensities Using Random Mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosthaf, Tobias; Bárdossy, András; Hörning, Sebastian

2015-04-01

The correct spatial interpolation of hourly rainfall intensity distributions is of great importance for stochastical rainfall models. Poorly interpolated distributions may lead to over- or underestimation of rainfall and consequently to wrong estimates of following applications, like hydrological or hydraulic models. By analyzing the spatial relation of empirical rainfall distribution functions, a persistent order of the quantile values over a wide range of non-exceedance probabilities is observed. As the order remains similar, the interpolation weights of quantile values for one certain non-exceedance probability can be applied to the other probabilities. This assumption enables the use of kernel smoothed distribution functions for interpolation purposes. Comparing the order of hourly quantile values over different gauges with the order of their daily quantile values for equal probabilities, results in high correlations. The hourly quantile values also show high correlations with elevation. The incorporation of these two covariates into the interpolation is therefore tested. As only positive interpolation weights for the quantile values assure a monotonically increasing distribution function, the use of geostatistical methods like kriging is problematic. Employing kriging with external drift to incorporate secondary information is not applicable. Nonetheless, it would be fruitful to make use of covariates. To overcome this shortcoming, a new random mixing approach of spatial random fields is applied. Within the mixing process hourly quantile values are considered as equality constraints and correlations with elevation values are included as relationship constraints. To profit from the dependence of daily quantile values, distribution functions of daily gauges are used to set up lower equal and greater equal constraints at their locations. In this way the denser daily gauge network can be included in the interpolation of the hourly distribution functions. The applicability of this new interpolation procedure will be shown for around 250 hourly rainfall gauges in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg. The performance of the random mixing technique within the interpolation is compared to applicable kriging methods. Additionally, the interpolation of kernel smoothed distribution functions is compared with the interpolation of fitted parametric distributions.

Observation of dynamic atom-atom correlation in liquid helium in real space

DOE PAGES

Dmowski, W.; Diallo, S. O.; Lokshin, K.; ...

2017-05-04

Liquid 4He becomes superfluid and flows without resistance below temperature 2.17 K. Superfluidity has been a subject of intense studies and notable advances were made in elucidating the phenomenon by experiment and theory. Nevertheless, details of the microscopic state, including dynamic atom–atom correlations in the superfluid state, are not fully understood. Here using a technique of neutron dynamic pair-density function (DPDF) analysis we show that 4He atoms in the Bose–Einstein condensate have environment significantly different from uncondensed atoms, with the interatomic distance larger than the average by about 10%, whereas the average structure changes little through the superfluid transition. DPDFmore » peak not seen in the snap-shot pair-density function is found at 2.3 Å, and is interpreted in terms of atomic tunnelling. The real space picture of dynamic atom–atom correlations presented here reveal characteristics of atomic dynamics not recognized so far, compelling yet another look at the phenomenon.« less

Observation of dynamic atom-atom correlation in liquid helium in real space

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

Dmowski, W.; Diallo, S. O.; Lokshin, K.

Liquid 4He becomes superfluid and flows without resistance below temperature 2.17 K. Superfluidity has been a subject of intense studies and notable advances were made in elucidating the phenomenon by experiment and theory. Nevertheless, details of the microscopic state, including dynamic atom–atom correlations in the superfluid state, are not fully understood. Here using a technique of neutron dynamic pair-density function (DPDF) analysis we show that 4He atoms in the Bose–Einstein condensate have environment significantly different from uncondensed atoms, with the interatomic distance larger than the average by about 10%, whereas the average structure changes little through the superfluid transition. DPDFmore » peak not seen in the snap-shot pair-density function is found at 2.3 Å, and is interpreted in terms of atomic tunnelling. The real space picture of dynamic atom–atom correlations presented here reveal characteristics of atomic dynamics not recognized so far, compelling yet another look at the phenomenon.« less

Observation of dynamic atom-atom correlation in liquid helium in real space.

PubMed

Dmowski, W; Diallo, S O; Lokshin, K; Ehlers, G; Ferré, G; Boronat, J; Egami, T

2017-05-04

Liquid 4 He becomes superfluid and flows without resistance below temperature 2.17 K. Superfluidity has been a subject of intense studies and notable advances were made in elucidating the phenomenon by experiment and theory. Nevertheless, details of the microscopic state, including dynamic atom-atom correlations in the superfluid state, are not fully understood. Here using a technique of neutron dynamic pair-density function (DPDF) analysis we show that 4 He atoms in the Bose-Einstein condensate have environment significantly different from uncondensed atoms, with the interatomic distance larger than the average by about 10%, whereas the average structure changes little through the superfluid transition. DPDF peak not seen in the snap-shot pair-density function is found at 2.3 Å, and is interpreted in terms of atomic tunnelling. The real space picture of dynamic atom-atom correlations presented here reveal characteristics of atomic dynamics not recognized so far, compelling yet another look at the phenomenon.

Electro-optic modulation for high-speed characterization of entangled photon pairs

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

Lukens, Joseph M.; Odele, Ogaga D.; Leaird, Daniel E.

In this study, we demonstrate a new biphoton manipulation and characterization technique based on electro-optic intensity modulation and time shifting. By applying fast modulation signals with a sharply peaked cross-correlation to each photon from an entangled pair, it is possible to measure temporal correlations with significantly higher precision than that attainable using standard single-photon detection. Low-duty-cycle pulses and maximal-length sequences are considered as modulation functions, reducing the time spread in our correlation measurement by a factor of five compared to our detector jitter. With state-of-the-art electro-optic components, we expect the potential to surpass the speed of any single-photon detectors currentlymore » available.« less

Electro-optic modulation for high-speed characterization of entangled photon pairs

DOE PAGES

Lukens, Joseph M.; Odele, Ogaga D.; Leaird, Daniel E.; ...

2015-11-10

In this study, we demonstrate a new biphoton manipulation and characterization technique based on electro-optic intensity modulation and time shifting. By applying fast modulation signals with a sharply peaked cross-correlation to each photon from an entangled pair, it is possible to measure temporal correlations with significantly higher precision than that attainable using standard single-photon detection. Low-duty-cycle pulses and maximal-length sequences are considered as modulation functions, reducing the time spread in our correlation measurement by a factor of five compared to our detector jitter. With state-of-the-art electro-optic components, we expect the potential to surpass the speed of any single-photon detectors currentlymore » available.« less

Intensive care unit referring physician usage of PACS workstation functions based on disease categories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horii, Steven C.; Kundel, Harold L.; Shile, Peter E.; Carey, Bruce; Seshadri, Sridhar B.; Feingold, Eric R.

1994-05-01

As part of a study of the use of a PACS workstation compared to film in a Medical Intensive Care Unit, logs of workstation activity were maintained. The software for the workstation kept track of the type of user (i.e., intern, resident, fellow, or attending physician) and also of the workstation image manipulation functions used. The functions logged were: no operation, brightness/contrast adjustment, invert video, zoom, and high resolution display (this last function resulted in the display of the full 2 K X 2 K image rather than the usual subsampled 1 K X 1 K image. Associated data collection allows us to obtain the diagnostic category of the examination being viewed (e.g., location of tubes and lines, rule out: pneumonia, congestive heart failure, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion). The diagnostic categories and user type were then correlated with the use of workstation functions during viewing of images. In general, there was an inverse relationship between the level of training and the number of workstation uses. About two-thirds of the time, there was no image manipulation operation performed. Adjustment of brightness/contrast had the highest percentage of use overall, followed by zoom, video invert, and high resolution display.

Influence of vestibular rehabilitation on neck pain and cervical range of motion among patients with whiplash-associated disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hansson, Eva Ekvall; Persson, Liselott; Malmström, Eva Maj

2013-09-01

To describe how vestibular rehabilitation influences pain and range of motion among patients with whiplash-associated disorder and dizziness, and to describe whether pain or range of motion correlated with balance performance or self-perceived dizziness handicap. A total of 29 patients, 20 women and 9 men, age range 22-76 years. Patients with whiplash-associated disorder and dizziness were randomized to either intervention (vestibular rehabilitation) or control. Neck pain intensity, cervical range of motion (CROM), balance and self-perceived dizziness handicap were measured at baseline, 6 weeks and 3 months. There were no differences in neck pain intensity or CROM between the 2 groups either at baseline, 6 weeks or 3 months (p = 0.10-0.89). At baseline, neck pain intensity correlated with CROM (-0.406) and self-perceived dizziness handicap (0.492). CROM correlated with self-perceived dizziness handicap and with 1 balance measure (-0.432). Neck pain intensity did not correlate with balance performance (-0.188-0.049). Neck pain intensity and CROM was not influenced by vestibular rehabilitation. Importantly, the programme did not appear to increase pain or decrease neck motion, as initially thought. Neck pain intensity and CROM correlated with self-perceived dizziness handicap. CROM also correlated with 1 balance measure.

Efficiency of Cathodoluminescence Emission by Nitrogen-Vacancy Color Centers in Nanodiamonds.

PubMed

Zhang, Huiliang; Glenn, David R; Schalek, Richard; Lichtman, Jeff W; Walsworth, Ronald L

2017-06-01

Correlated electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging using functionalized nanoparticles is a promising nanoscale probe of biological structure and function. Nanodiamonds (NDs) that contain CL-emitting color centers are particularly well suited for such applications. The intensity of CL emission from NDs is determined by a combination of factors, including particle size, density of color centers, efficiency of energy deposition by electrons passing through the particle, and conversion efficiency from deposited energy to CL emission. This paper reports experiments and numerical simulations that investigate the relative importance of each of these factors in determining CL emission intensity from NDs containing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color centers. In particular, it is found that CL can be detected from NV-doped NDs with dimensions as small as ≈40 nm, although CL emission decreases significantly for smaller NDs. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Relation between the Fear-Avoidance Model and Constructs from the Social Cognitive Theory in Acute WAD.

PubMed

Sandborgh, Maria; Johansson, Ann-Christin; Söderlund, Anne

2016-01-01

In the fear-avoidance (FA) model social cognitive constructs could add to explaining the disabling process in whiplash associated disorder (WAD). The aim was to exemplify the possible input from Social Cognitive Theory on the FA model. Specifically the role of functional self-efficacy and perceived responses from a spouse/intimate partner was studied. A cross-sectional and correlational design was used. Data from 64 patients with acute WAD were used. Measures were pain intensity measured with a numerical rating scale, the Pain Disability Index, support, punishing responses, solicitous responses, and distracting responses subscales from the Multidimensional Pain Inventory, the Catastrophizing subscale from the Coping Strategies Questionnaire, the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, and the Self-Efficacy Scale. Bivariate correlational, simple linear regression, and multiple regression analyses were used. In the statistical prediction models high pain intensity indicated high punishing responses, which indicated high catastrophizing. High catastrophizing indicated high fear of movement, which indicated low self-efficacy. Low self-efficacy indicated high disability, which indicated high pain intensity. All independent variables together explained 66.4% of the variance in pain disability, p < 0.001. Results suggest a possible link between one aspect of the social environment, perceived punishing responses from a spouse/intimate partner, pain intensity, and catastrophizing. Further, results support a mediating role of self-efficacy between fear of movement and disability in WAD.

Uterine Fibroids: Correlation of T2 Signal Intensity with Semiquantitative Perfusion MR Parameters in Patients Screened for MR-guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation.

PubMed

Kim, Young-Sun; Lee, Jeong-Won; Choi, Chel Hun; Kim, Byoung-Gie; Bae, Duk-Soo; Rhim, Hyunchul; Lim, Hyo Keun

2016-03-01

To evaluate the relationships between T2 signal intensity and semiquantitative perfusion magnetic resonance (MR) parameters of uterine fibroids in patients who were screened for MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation. Institutional review board approval was granted, and informed consents were waived. One hundred seventy most symptom-relevant, nondegenerated uterine fibroids (mean diameter, 7.3 cm; range, 3.0-17.2 cm) in 170 women (mean age, 43.5 years; range, 24-56 years) undergoing screening MR examinations for MR-guided HIFU ablation from October 2009 to April 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Fibroid signal intensity was assessed as the ratio of the fibroid T2 signal intensity to that of skeletal muscle. Parameters of semiquantitative perfusion MR imaging obtained during screening MR examination (peak enhancement, percentage of relative peak enhancement, time to peak [in seconds], wash-in rate [per seconds], and washout rate [per seconds]) were investigated to assess their relationships with T2 signal ratio by using multiple linear regression analysis. Correlations between T2 signal intensity and independently significant perfusion parameters were then evaluated according to fibroid type by using Spearman correlation test. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that relative peak enhancement showed an independently significant correlation with T2 signal ratio (Β = 0.004, P < .001). Submucosal intracavitary (n = 20, ρ = 0.275, P = .240) and type III (n = 18, ρ = 0.082, P = .748) fibroids failed to show significant correlations between perfusion and T2 signal intensity, while significant correlations were found for all other fibroid types (ρ = 0.411-0.629, P < .05). In possible candidates for MR-guided HIFU ablation, the T2 signal intensity of nondegenerated uterine fibroids showed an independently significant positive correlation with relative peak enhancement in most cases, except those of submucosal intracavitary or type III fibroids.

Noise Intensity-Intensity Correlations and the Fourth Cumulant of Photo-assisted Shot Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forgues, Jean-Charles; Sane, Fatou Bintou; Blanchard, Simon; Spietz, Lafe; Lupien, Christian; Reulet, Bertrand

2013-10-01

We report the measurement of the fourth cumulant of current fluctuations in a tunnel junction under both dc and ac (microwave) excitation. This probes the non-Gaussian character of photo-assisted shot noise. Our measurement reveals the existence of correlations between noise power measured at two different frequencies, which corresponds to two-mode intensity correlations in optics. We observe positive correlations, i.e. photon bunching, which exist only for certain relations between the excitation frequency and the two detection frequencies, depending on the dc bias of the sample.

Copenhagen five-second squeeze: a valid indicator of sports-related hip and groin function.

PubMed

Thorborg, K; Branci, S; Nielsen, M P; Langelund, M T; Hölmich, P

2017-04-01

No simple clinical measure exits to evaluate groin pain and its severity in athletes. The aim was to investigate the validity, reliability and responsiveness of a five-second hip-adduction squeeze test for football players designed to assess sports-related hip and groin function, pain and severity. Construct validity was assessed in 667 subelite male football players with a mean age (±SD) of 24±4 in the beginning of the season. Responsiveness and reliability were evaluated during the season in 52 and 10 players, respectively. Players answered the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) and performed the Copenhagen five-second squeeze assessed on a Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NRS) ranging from 0 to 10. As hypothesised higher pain scores during the Copenhagen five-second squeeze correlated significantly (Spearman's rho=-0.61, p<0.01) with a lesser HAGOS (Sport) Score. The change scores in the Copenhagen five-second squeeze also correlated significantly (Spearman's rho=-0.51, p<0.01), with HAGOS (Sport) change scores in the responsiveness analysis, and test-retest reliability (concordance correlation coefficient) was 0.90. Moreover, significant (p<0.01) between-group differences existed for HAGOS (Sport) Scores in players reporting groin pain intensity at one of the 3 different pain levels: NRS (0-2), NRS (3-5) and NRS (6-10). The NRS (6-10) group had the lowest median (IQR) HAGOS (Sport) Score of 47 (31-61). The Copenhagen five-second squeeze is a valid indicator of sports-related hip and groin function in football players. Players reporting groin pain intensity as 6 of 10 or more in the Copenhagen five-second squeeze experience substantially impaired sports-related hip and groin function. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Insight into resolution enhancement in generalized two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy.

PubMed

Ma, Lu; Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Hong, Zhenmin; Lednev, Igor K; Asher, Sanford A

2013-03-01

Generalized two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) can be used to enhance spectral resolution in order to help differentiate highly overlapped spectral bands. Despite the numerous extensive 2D-COS investigations, the origin of the 2D spectral resolution enhancement mechanism(s) is not completely understood. In the work here, we studied the 2D-COS of simulated spectra in order to develop new insights into the dependence of 2D-COS spectral features on the overlapping band separations, their intensities and bandwidths, and their band intensity change rates. We found that the features in the 2D-COS maps that are derived from overlapping bands were determined by the spectral normalized half-intensities and the total intensity changes of the correlated bands. We identified the conditions required to resolve overlapping bands. In particular, 2D-COS peak resolution requires that the normalized half-intensities of a correlating band have amplitudes between the maxima and minima of the normalized half-intensities of the overlapping bands.

Insight into Resolution Enhancement in Generalized Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Ma, Lu; Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Hong, Zhenmin; Lednev, Igor K.; Asher, Sanford A.

2014-01-01

Generalized two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D COS) can be used to enhance spectral resolution in order to help differentiate highly overlapped spectral bands. Despite the numerous extensive 2D COS investigations, the origin of the 2D spectral resolution enhancement mechanism(s) are not completely understood. In the work here we studied the 2D COS of simulated spectra in order to develop new insights into the dependence of the 2D COS spectral features on the overlapping band separations, their intensities and bandwidths, and their band intensity change rates. We find that the features in the 2D COS maps that derive from overlapping bands are determined by the spectral normalized half-intensities and the total intensity changes of the correlated bands. We identify the conditions required to resolve overlapping bands. In particular, 2D COS peak resolution requires that the normalized half-intensities of a correlating band have amplitudes between the maxima and minima of the normalized half-intensities of the overlapping bands. PMID:23452492

Quantification of Protein Biomarker Using SERS Nano-Stress Sensing with Peak Intensity Ratiometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goh, Douglas; Kong, Kien Voon; Jayakumar, Perumal; Gong, Tianxun; Dinish, U. S.; Olivo, Malini

We report a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) ratiometry method based on peak intensity coupled in a nano-stress sensing platform to detect and quantify biological molecules. Herein, we employed an antibody-conjugated p-aminothiophenol (ATP) functionalized on a bimetallic-film-over-nanosphere (BMFON) substrate as a sensitive SERS platform to detect human haptoglobin (Hp) protein, which is an acute phase protein and a biomarker for various cancers. Correlation between change in the ATP spectral characteristics and concentration of Hp protein was established by examining the peak intensity ratio at 1572cm-1 and 1592cm-1 that reflects the degree of stress experienced by the aromatic ring of ATP during Hp protein-antibody interaction. Development of this platform shows the potential in developing a low-cost and sensitive SERS sensor for the pre-screening of various biomarkers.

Reflection of Low Energy Positrons from the Surface of Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite and Single Layer Graphene.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imam, S. K.; Chirayath, V. A.; Chrysler, M. D.; Fairchild, A. J.; Gladen, R. W.; Koymen, A. R.; Weiss, A. H.; UT Arlington Positron Surface Laboratory Team

A time of flight positron annihilation induced Auger electron spectrometer (TOF-PAES) was utilized to measure the reflection of positrons as a function of incident positron energy (0 to 10 eV) from the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and from a single layer graphene (SLG) on a Cu foil. A NaI scintillation detector was used to measure the annihilation gamma from the reflected positrons as a function of incident positron kinetic energy. The annihilation of the positrons on HOPG and SLG were simultaneously measured using another NaI detector near the sample. The Auger electrons emitted as a result of the annihilation of positrons from the surface of the sample were also measured concurrently. As the positron kinetic energy was increased, the number of reflected positrons calculated from the intensity under the annihilation gamma peak showed a steady decrease. The positronium formation measured at the sample using the gamma spectrum showed a peak at 6 eV. The intensity of the carbon KVV Auger peak showed a dip at the same energy. The correlation of the three signals, intensity of reflected positrons, positrons annihilating at the sample and the Auger intensity are discussed for both samples. This work was supported by NSF Grant No. DMR 1508719 and DMR 1338130.

The influence of a constraint and bimanual training program using a variety of modalities on endurance and on the cardiac autonomic regulation system of children with unilateral cerebral palsy: A self-control clinical trial.

PubMed

Cohen-Holzer, Marilyn; Sorek, Gilad; Schweizer, Maayan; Katz-Leurer, Michal

2017-01-01

An intensive hybrid program, combining constraint with bimanual training, improves upper extremity function as well as walking endurance of children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP). Endurance improvement may be associated with the cardiac autonomic regulation system (CARS) adaptation, known to be impaired among these children. To examine the influence of an intensive hybrid program on CARS, walking endurance and the correlation with upper extremity function of children with UCP. Twenty-four children aged 6-10 years with UCP participated in a hybrid program, 10 days, 6 hours per day. Data were collected pre-, post- and 3-months post-intervention. Main outcome measures included the Polar RS800CX for heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) data, the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) for endurance, and the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) and Jebsen-Taylor Test of Hand Function (JTTHF) for bimanual and unimanual function. A significant reduction in HR and an increase in HRV at post- and 3-month post-intervention was noted (χ22= 8.3, p = 0.016) along with a significant increase in 6MWT with a median increase of 81 meters (χ22= 11.0, p = 0.004) at the same interval. A significant improvement was noted in unimanual and bimanual performance following the intervention. An intensive hybrid program effectively improved CARS function as well as walking endurance and upper extremity function in children with UCP (213).

Is non-invasive neuromuscular electrical stimulation effective in severe chronic neurogenic dysphagia? Reporton a post-traumatic brain injury patient.

PubMed

Calabrò, Rocco Salvatore; Nibali, Valeria Conti; Naro, Antonino; Floridia, Daniela; Pizzimenti, Maria; Salmeri, Lucia; Salviera, Carlo; Bramanti, Placido

2016-01-01

Neurogenic dysphagia is a difficulty in swallowing induced by nervous system disease. It often causes serious complications, which are preventable if dysphagia is properly managed. There is growing debate concerning the usefulness of non-invasive neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in treating swallowing dysfunction. Aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Vitalstim© device, and to investigate the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying functional recovery. A 34-year-old man, affected by severe chronic dysphagia following traumatic brain injury, underwent two different intensive rehabilitation trainings, including either conventional rehabilitation alone or coupled to Vitalstim training. We evaluated patient swallowing function in two separate sessions (i.e. before and after the two trainings) by means of ad hoc swallowing function scales and electrophysiological parameters (rapid paired associative stimulation). The overall Vitalstim program was articulated in 6 weekly sessions for 6 weeks. The patient did not report any side-effect either during or following both the intensive rehabilitation trainings. We observed an important improvement in swallowing function only after Vitalstim training. In fact, the patient was eventually able to safely eat even solid food. This is the first report objectively suggesting (by means of rPAS) a correlation between the brain neuroplastic changes induced by Vitalstim and the swallowing function improvement. It is hypothesizable that Vitalstim may have targeted cortical (and maybe subcortical) brain areas that are recruited during the highly coordinated function of swallowing, and it may have thus potentiated the well-known neuroplastic changes induced by repetitive and intensive swallowing exercises, probably thanks to metaplasticity phenomena.

Reduced Glutamate Decarboxylase 65 Protein Within Primary Auditory Cortex Inhibitory Boutons in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Moyer, Caitlin E.; Delevich, Kristen M.; Fish, Kenneth N.; Asafu-Adjei, Josephine K.; Sampson, Allan R.; Dorph-Petersen, Karl-Anton; Lewis, David A.; Sweet, Robert A.

2012-01-01

Background Schizophrenia is associated with perceptual and physiological auditory processing impairments that may result from primary auditory cortex excitatory and inhibitory circuit pathology. High-frequency oscillations are important for auditory function and are often reported to be disrupted in schizophrenia. These oscillations may, in part, depend on upregulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid synthesis by glutamate decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) in response to high interneuron firing rates. It is not known whether levels of GAD65 protein or GAD65-expressing boutons are altered in schizophrenia. Methods We studied two cohorts of subjects with schizophrenia and matched control subjects, comprising 27 pairs of subjects. Relative fluorescence intensity, density, volume, and number of GAD65-immunoreactive boutons in primary auditory cortex were measured using quantitative confocal microscopy and stereologic sampling methods. Bouton fluorescence intensities were used to compare the relative expression of GAD65 protein within boutons between diagnostic groups. Additionally, we assessed the correlation between previously measured dendritic spine densities and GAD65-immunoreactive bouton fluorescence intensities. Results GAD65-immunoreactive bouton fluorescence intensity was reduced by 40% in subjects with schizophrenia and was correlated with previously measured reduced spine density. The reduction was greater in subjects who were not living independently at time of death. In contrast, GAD65-immunoreactive bouton density and number were not altered in deep layer 3 of primary auditory cortex of subjects with schizophrenia. Conclusions Decreased expression of GAD65 protein within inhibitory boutons could contribute to auditory impairments in schizophrenia. The correlated reductions in dendritic spines and GAD65 protein suggest a relationship between inhibitory and excitatory synapse pathology in primary auditory cortex. PMID:22624794

Temperament, Beliefs About Pain Control, and Pain Intensity in Endometriosis Patients.

PubMed

Bylinka, Joanna; Oniszczenko, Włodzimierz

2016-12-01

This correlational study investigated the relationships between temperament, beliefs about pain control, and pain intensity ratings in a group of 103 women diagnosed with endometriosis. Temperament traits were assessed using the Formal Characteristics of Behaviour-Temperament Inventory. Beliefs about pain control were measured using the Polish version of the Beliefs about Pain Control Questionnaire. The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-11) was used to measure pain intensity. There was a high negative correlation between the temperament trait of endurance and pain intensity ratings. Moderate negative correlations with pain intensity were found for internal beliefs about pain control. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that the endurance trait and internal beliefs about pain control accounted for 33 % of the variance in pain intensity ratings in women with endometriosis.

Benefits of exercise training and the correlation between aerobic capacity and functional outcomes and quality of life in elderly patients with coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Chen, Chia-Hsin; Chen, Yi-Jen; Tu, Hung-Pin; Huang, Mao-Hsiung; Jhong, Jing-Hui; Lin, Ko-Long

2014-10-01

Cardiopulmonary exercise training is beneficial to people with coronary artery disease (CAD). Nevertheless, the correlation between aerobic capacity, and functional mobility and quality of life in elderly CAD patients is less addressed. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the beneficial effects of exercise training in elderly people with CAD, integrating exercise stress testing, functional mobility, handgrip strength, and health-related quality of life. Elderly people with CAD were enrolled from the outpatient clinic of a cardiac rehabilitation unit in a medical center. Participants were assigned to the exercise training group (N = 21) or the usual care group (N = 15). A total of 36 sessions of exercise training, completed in 12 weeks, was prescribed. Echocardiography, exercise stress testing, the 6-minute walking test, Timed Up and Go test, and handgrip strength testing were performed, and the Short-Form 36 questionnaire (SF-36) was administered at baseline and at 12-week follow-up. Peak oxygen consumption improved significantly after training. The heart rate recovery improved from 13.90/minute to 16.62/minute after exercise training. Functional mobility and handgrip strength also improved after training. Significant improvements were found in SF-36 physical function, social function, role limitation due to emotional problems, and mental health domains. A significant correlation between dynamic cardiopulmonary exercise testing parameters, the 6-minute walking test, Timed Up and Go test, handgrip strength, and SF-36 physical function and general health domains was also detected. Twelve-week, 36-session exercise training, including moderate-intensity cardiopulmonary exercise training, strengthening exercise, and balance training, is beneficial to elderly patients with CAD, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing parameters correlate well with balance and quality of life. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

Phase Time and Envelope Time in Time-Distance Analysis and Acoustic Imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Dean-Yi; Duvall, Thomas L.; Sun, Ming-Tsung; Chang, Hsiang-Kuang; Jimenez, Antonio; Rabello-Soares, Maria Cristina; Ai, Guoxiang; Wang, Gwo-Ping; Goode Philip; Marquette, William;

Atomic Dynamics in Simple Liquid: de Gennes Narrowing Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Bin; Iwashita, Takuya; Egami, Takeshi

2018-03-01

The de Gennes narrowing phenomenon is frequently observed by neutron or x -ray scattering measurements of the dynamics of complex systems, such as liquids, proteins, colloids, and polymers. The characteristic slowing down of dynamics in the vicinity of the maximum of the total scattering intensity is commonly attributed to enhanced cooperativity. In this Letter, we present an alternative view on its origin through the examination of the time-dependent pair correlation function, the van Hove correlation function, for a model liquid in two, three, and four dimensions. We find that the relaxation time increases monotonically with distance and the dependence on distance varies with dimension. We propose a heuristic explanation of this dependence based on a simple geometrical model. This finding sheds new light on the interpretation of the de Gennes narrowing phenomenon and the α -relaxation time.

Stress at the place of work and cognitive functions among women performing intellectual work during peri- and post-menopausal period.

PubMed

Gujski, Mariusz; Pinkas, Jarosław; Juńczyk, Tomasz; Pawełczak-Barszczowska, Adrianna; Raczkiewicz, Dorota; Owoc, Alfred; Bojar, Iwona

2017-10-06

The analysis of the relationship between stress at work and results of cognitive functions amongst women, at peri- and post-menopausal age, performing intellectual work. The study group included women, aged 45-66 years old, employed as intellectual workers. Research instruments were: the Montreal Cognitive Assessment; computer tests of the CNS Vital Signs; the Subjective Work Characteristics Questionnaire, and a questionnaire designed by the author. The results were statistically analyzed. Nearly a half of respondents experienced high stress at the place of work; 1/3 - on the average level, on a low level - every fifth. The largest number of respondents experienced stress caused by social contacts. Among a half of the women, stress was caused by the lack of awards at work, followed by the lack of support. Slightly fewer of them experienced stress caused by the feeling of psychological load related to the complexity of work or the feeling of uncertainty caused by the organization of work. Every third woman experienced stress due to the sense of responsibility or the lack of control. The smallest number experienced stress caused by physical arduousness, the sense of threat and unpleasant working conditions. The examined women obtained the best results with respect to simple attention, the worst results - with respect to the reaction time. The results concerning the remaining 9 cognitive functions were ranked in the middle of the aforementioned results. The intensity of stress at work and factors which caused this stress, negatively correlated with simple attention of women in the early peri-menopausal period, while positively correlating with the psychomotor and processing speed of women in the late peri-menopausal period. Among the post-menopausal women, negative correlations were observed between the majority of cognitive functions and the intensity of stress at work, and the majority of factors which caused this stress. Cognitive functions of the examined women remained within the range of average evaluations, and were correlated with stress-inducing factors at the place of work. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(6):943-961. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Manganese Accumulation in the Olfactory Bulbs and Other Brain Regions of “Asymptomatic” Welders

PubMed Central

Sen, Suman; Flynn, Michael R.; Du, Guangwei; Tröster, Alexander I.; An, Hongyu; Huang, Xuemei

2011-01-01

Welding-generated metallic fumes contain a substantial amount of manganese (Mn), making welders susceptible to Mn toxicity. Although overt Mn toxicity manifests as a type of parkinsonism, the consequences of chronic, low-level Mn exposure are unknown. To explore region-specific Mn accumulation and its potential functional consequences at subclinical levels of Mn exposure, we studied seven welders without obvious neurological deficits and seven age- and gender-matched controls. Mn exposure for welders was estimated by an occupational questionnaire. High-resolution brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Grooved Pegboard performance of both hands, Trail making, and olfactory function tests were obtained from all subjects. Compared with controls, the welders had a significantly higher T1 relaxation rate (R1) in the olfactory bulb (OB, p = 0.02), mean T1-weighted intensity at frontal white matter (FWM; p = 0.01), bilateral globus pallidus (GP; p = 0.03), and putamen (p = 0.03). The welders scored worse than the controls on the Grooved Pegboard test for both dominant (p = 0.06) and nondominant hand (p = 0.03). The dominant hand Grooved Pegboard scores correlated best with mean MRI intensity of FWM (R2 = 0.51, p = 0.004), GP (R2 = 0.51, p = 0.004), putamen (R2 = 0.49, p= 0.006), and frontal gray matter (R2 = 0.42, p = 0.01), whereas the nondominant hand scores correlated best with intensity of FWM (R2 = 0.37, p = 0.02) and GP (R2 = 0.28, p = 0.05). No statistical differences were observed in either the Trail-making test or the olfactory test between the two groups. This study suggests that Mn accumulates in OB and multiple other brain regions in “asymptomatic” welders and that MRI abnormalities correlate with fine motor but not cognitive deficits. Further investigations of subclinical Mn exposure are warranted. PMID:21307282

Decreased mental time travel to the past correlates with default-mode network disintegration under lysergic acid diethylamide.

PubMed

Speth, Jana; Speth, Clemens; Kaelen, Mendel; Schloerscheidt, Astrid M; Feilding, Amanda; Nutt, David J; Carhart-Harris, Robin L

2016-04-01

This paper reports on the effects of LSD on mental time travel during spontaneous mentation. Twenty healthy volunteers participated in a placebo-controlled crossover study, incorporating intravenous administration of LSD (75 μg) and placebo (saline) prior to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Six independent, blind judges analysed mentation reports acquired during structured interviews performed shortly after the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans (approximately 2.5 h post-administration). Within each report, specific linguistic references to mental spaces for the past, present and future were identified. Results revealed significantly fewer mental spaces for the past under LSD and this effect correlated with the general intensity of the drug's subjective effects. No differences in the number of mental spaces for the present or future were observed. Consistent with the previously proposed role of the default-mode network (DMN) in autobiographical memory recollection and ruminative thought, decreased resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) within the DMN correlated with decreased mental time travel to the past. These results are discussed in relation to potential therapeutic applications of LSD and related psychedelics, e.g. in the treatment of depression, for which excessive reflection on one's past, likely mediated by DMN functioning, is symptomatic. © The Author(s) 2016.

Laser-evoked potentials in painful radiculopathy.

PubMed

Hüllemann, P; von der Brelie, C; Manthey, G; Düsterhöft, J; Helmers, A K; Synowitz, M; Gierthmühlen, J; Baron, R

2017-11-01

The aims of this exploratory study were (1) to develop a standardized objective electrophysiological technique with laser-evoked potentials to assess dorsal root damage quantitatively and (2) to correlate these LEP measures with clinical parameters and sensory abnormalities (QST) in the affected dermatome. Thirty-eight patients with painful radiculopathy and 20 healthy subjects were investigated with LEP recorded from the affected dermatome and control areas as well as with quantitative sensory testing. Questionnaires evaluating severity and functionality were applied. On average, LEP amplitudes and latencies from the affected dermatomes did not differ from the contralateral control side. In patients with left L5 radiculopathy (more severely affected) the N2 latency was longer and the amplitudes reduced. The N2P2 amplitude correlated with pinprick evoked sensations in QST. The N2 latency from the affected dermatome correlates with pain intensity, chronicity, clinical severity and with a decrease of physical function. An increase in N2-latency indicates a more pronounced nerve root damage, which is associated with a decrease of function and an increase of severity and pain. LEP amplitudes are associated with the functional status of the nociceptive system and may distinguish between degeneration of neuronal systems and central sensitization processes. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CMEs, the Tail of the Solar Wind Magnetic Field Distribution, and 11-yr Cosmic Ray Modulation at 1 AU. Revised

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cliver, E. W.; Ling, A. G.; Richardson, I. G.

2003-01-01

Using a recent classification of the solar wind at 1 AU into its principal components (slow solar wind, high-speed streams, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) for 1972-2000, we show that the monthly-averaged galactic cosmic ray intensity is anti-correlated with the percentage of time that the Earth is imbedded in CME flows. We suggest that this correlation results primarily from a CME related change in the tail of the distribution function of hourly-averaged values of the solar wind magnetic field (B) between solar minimum and solar maximum. The number of high-B (square proper subset 10 nT) values increases by a factor of approx. 3 from minimum to maximum (from 5% of all hours to 17%), with about two-thirds of this increase due to CMEs. On an hour-to-hour basis, average changes of cosmic ray intensity at Earth become negative for solar wind magnetic field values square proper subset 10 nT.

Linear model for fast background subtraction in oligonucleotide microarrays.

PubMed

Kroll, K Myriam; Barkema, Gerard T; Carlon, Enrico

2009-11-16

One important preprocessing step in the analysis of microarray data is background subtraction. In high-density oligonucleotide arrays this is recognized as a crucial step for the global performance of the data analysis from raw intensities to expression values. We propose here an algorithm for background estimation based on a model in which the cost function is quadratic in a set of fitting parameters such that minimization can be performed through linear algebra. The model incorporates two effects: 1) Correlated intensities between neighboring features in the chip and 2) sequence-dependent affinities for non-specific hybridization fitted by an extended nearest-neighbor model. The algorithm has been tested on 360 GeneChips from publicly available data of recent expression experiments. The algorithm is fast and accurate. Strong correlations between the fitted values for different experiments as well as between the free-energy parameters and their counterparts in aqueous solution indicate that the model captures a significant part of the underlying physical chemistry.

Peculiarities of the statistics of spectrally selected fluorescence radiation in laser-pumped dye-doped random media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuvchenko, S. A.; Ushakova, E. V.; Pavlova, M. V.; Alonova, M. V.; Zimnyakov, D. A.

2018-04-01

We consider the practical realization of a new optical probe method of the random media which is defined as the reference-free path length interferometry with the intensity moments analysis. A peculiarity in the statistics of the spectrally selected fluorescence radiation in laser-pumped dye-doped random medium is discussed. Previously established correlations between the second- and the third-order moments of the intensity fluctuations in the random interference patterns, the coherence function of the probe radiation, and the path difference probability density for the interfering partial waves in the medium are confirmed. The correlations were verified using the statistical analysis of the spectrally selected fluorescence radiation emitted by a laser-pumped dye-doped random medium. Water solution of Rhodamine 6G was applied as the doping fluorescent agent for the ensembles of the densely packed silica grains, which were pumped by the 532 nm radiation of a solid state laser. The spectrum of the mean path length for a random medium was reconstructed.

Neural representation of anxiety and personality during exposure to anxiety-provoking and neutral scenes from scary movies.

PubMed

Straube, Thomas; Preissler, Sandra; Lipka, Judith; Hewig, Johannes; Mentzel, Hans-Joachim; Miltner, Wolfgang H R

2010-01-01

Some people search for intense sensations such as being scared by frightening movies while others do not. The brain mechanisms underlying such inter-individual differences are not clear. Testing theoretical models, we investigated neural correlates of anxiety and the personality trait sensation seeking in 40 subjects who watched threatening and neutral scenes from scary movies during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Threat versus neutral scenes induced increased activation in anterior cingulate cortex, insula, thalamus, and visual areas. Movie-induced anxiety correlated positively with activation in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, indicating a role for this area in the subjective experience of being scared. Sensation seeking-scores correlated positively with brain activation to threat versus neutral scenes in visual areas and in thalamus and anterior insula, i.e. regions involved in the induction and representation of arousal states. For the insula and thalamus, these outcomes were partly due to an inverse relation between sensation seeking scores and brain activation during neutral film clips. These results support models predicting cerebral hypoactivation in high sensation seekers during neutral stimulation, which may be compensated by more intense sensations such as watching scary movies. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A study of association between fingernail elements and osteoporosis by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahreini, Maryam; Hosseinimakarem, Zahra; Hassan Tavassoli, Seyed

2012-09-01

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is used to investigate the possible effect of osteoporosis on the elemental composition of fingernails. Also, the ability to classify healthy, osteopenic, and osteoporotic subjects based on their fingernail spectra has been examined. 46 atomic and ionic emission lines belonging to 13 elements, which are dominated by calcium and magnesium, have been identified. Measurements are carried out on fingernail clippings of 99 subjects including 27 healthy, 47 osteopenic, and 25 osteoporotic subjects. The Pearson correlations between spectral intensities of different elements of fingernail and age and bone mineral densities (BMDs) in nail samples are calculated. Correlations between line intensities of some elements such as sodium and potassium, calcium and iron, magnesium and silicon and also between some fingernail elements, BMD, and age are observed. Although some of these correlations are weak, some information about mineral metabolism can be deduced from them. Discrimination between nail samples of healthy, osteopenic, and osteoporotic subjects is shown to be somehow possible by a discriminant function analysis using 46 atomic emission lines of the LIBS spectra as input variables. The results of this study provide some evidences for association between osteoporosis and elemental composition of fingernails measured by LIBS.

Dynamic light scattering: A fast and reliable method to analyze bacterial growth during the lag phase.

PubMed

Vargas, Susana; Millán-Chiu, Blanca E; Arvizu-Medrano, Sofía M; Loske, Achim M; Rodríguez, Rogelio

2017-06-01

A comparison between plate counting (PC) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) is reported. PC is the standard technique to determine bacterial population as a function of time; however, this method has drawbacks, such as the cumbersome preparation and handling of samples, as well as the long time required to obtain results. Alternative methods based on optical density are faster, but do not distinguish viable from non-viable cells. These inconveniences are overcome by using DLS. Two different bacteria strains were considered: Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. DLS was performed at two different illuminating conditions: continuous and intermittent. By the increment of particle size as a function of time, it was possible to observe cell division and the formation of aggregates containing very few bacteria. The scattered intensity profiles showed the lag phase and the transition to the exponential phase of growth, providing a quantity proportional to viable bacteria concentration. The results revealed a clear and linear correlation in both lag and exponential phase, between the Log 10 (colony-forming units/mL) from PC and the Log 10 of the scattered intensity I s from DLS. These correlations provide a good support to use DLS as an alternative technique to determine bacterial population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Orbitofrontal cortex mediates pain inhibition by monetary reward.

PubMed

Becker, Susanne; Gandhi, Wiebke; Pomares, Florence; Wager, Tor D; Schweinhardt, Petra

2017-04-01

Pleasurable stimuli, including reward, inhibit pain, but the level of the neuraxis at which they do so and the cerebral processes involved are unknown. Here, we characterized a brain circuitry mediating pain inhibition by reward. Twenty-four healthy participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while playing a wheel of fortune game with simultaneous thermal pain stimuli and monetary wins or losses. As expected, winning decreased pain perception compared to losing. Inter-individual differences in pain modulation by monetary wins relative to losses correlated with activation in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC). When pain and reward occured simultaneously, mOFCs functional connectivity changed: the signal time course in the mOFC condition-dependent correlated negatively with the signal time courses in the rostral anterior insula, anterior-dorsal cingulate cortex and primary somatosensory cortex, which might signify moment-to-moment down-regulation of these regions by the mOFC. Monetary wins and losses did not change the magnitude of pain-related activation, including in regions that code perceived pain intensity when nociceptive input varies and/or receive direct nociceptive input. Pain inhibition by reward appears to involve brain regions not typically involved in nociceptive intensity coding but likely mediate changes in the significance and/or value of pain. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

Low signal intensity in motor cortex on susceptibility-weighted MR imaging is correlated with clinical signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a pilot study.

PubMed

Endo, Hironobu; Sekiguchi, Kenji; Shimada, Hitoshi; Ueda, Takehiro; Kowa, Hisatomo; Kanda, Fumio; Toda, Tatsushi

2018-03-01

There is no reliable objective indicator for upper motor neuron dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To determine the clinical significance and potential utility of magnetic resonance (MR) signals, we investigated the relationship between clinical symptoms and susceptibility changes in the motor cortex measured using susceptibility-weighted MR imaging taken by readily available 3-T MRI in clinical practice. Twenty-four ALS patients and 14 control subjects underwent 3-T MR T1-weighted imaging and susceptibility-weighted MR imaging with the principles of echo-shifting with a train of observations (PRESTO) sequence. We analysed relationships between relative susceptibility changes in the motor cortex assessed using voxel-based analysis (VBA) and clinical scores, including upper motor neuron score, ALS functional rating scale revised score, and Medical Research Council sum score on physical examination. Patients with ALS exhibited significantly lower signal intensity in the precentral gyrus on susceptibility-weighted MR imaging compared with controls. Clinical scores were significantly correlated with susceptibility changes. Importantly, the extent of the susceptibility changes in the bilateral precentral gyri was significantly correlated with upper motor neuron scores. The results of our pilot study using VBA indicated that low signal intensity in motor cortex on susceptibility-weighted MR imaging may correspond to clinical symptoms, particularly upper motor neuron dysfunction. Susceptibility-weighted MR imaging may be a useful diagnostic tool as an objective indicator of upper motor neuron dysfunction.

Correlation between odour concentration and odour intensity from exposure to environmental odour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusoff, Syafinah; Qamaruz Zaman, Nastaein

2017-08-01

The encroachment of industries, agricultural activities and husbandries to the community area had been a major concern of late, especially in regards to the escalating reports of odour nuisances. A study was performed with the objective of establishing correlation between odour concentration and odour intensity, as an improved method to determine odour nuisances in the community. Universiti Sains Malaysia Engineering Campus was chosen as the study location, due to its vicinity to several odour sources including paper mill, palm oil mill and poultry farm. The odour survey was based on VDI 3940, to determine the level of odour intensity with the corresponding odour concentration measured using an infield olfactometer. The correlation between both methods shows a significant correlation by using Pearson Correlation with a level of confidence of 99.9 percent. The graph plotted between intensity and concentration shows the R2 value of 0.40 which indicated a good correlation between both methods, despite having a high variance and low in consistency. Therefore, this study concludes that the determination of odour concentration should be complemented with odour intensity in order to recognize the true impact of odour nuisance in a community.

Cross-correlation enhanced stability in a tumor cell growth model with immune surveillance driven by cross-correlated noises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Chunhua; Zhou, Xiaofeng; Tao, Shufen

2009-12-01

The transient properties of a tumor cell growth model with immune surveillance driven by cross-correlated multiplicative and additive noises are investigated. The explicit expression of extinction rate from the state of a stable tumor to the state of extinction is obtained. Based on the numerical computations, we find the following: (i) the intensity of multiplicative noise D and the intensity of additive noise α enhance the extinction rate for the case of λ <= 0 (i.e. λ denotes cross-correlation intensity between two noises), but for the case of λ > 0, a critical noise intensity D or α exists at which the extinction rate is the smallest; D and α at first weaken the extinction rate and then enhance it. (ii) The immune rate β and the cross-correlation intensity λ play opposite roles on the extinction rate, i.e. β enhances the extinction rate of the tumor cell, while λ weakens the extinction rate of the tumor cell. Namely, the immune rate can enhance the extinction of the tumor cell and the cross-correlation between two noises can enhance stability of the cancer state.

Pine Forest Harvest Leads to Decade-Scale Alterations in Soil Fungal Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boutton, T. W.; Mushinski, R. M.; Gentry, T. J.

2016-12-01

Forestlands provide a multitude of ecosystem services, and sustainable management is crucial to maintaining the benefits of these ecosystems. Intensive organic matter removal (OMR) of logging residues and forest litter during forest harvest may result in long-term alterations to soil properties and processes. Because fungal activity regulates essential biogeochemical processes in forestlands, changes in soil fungal community structure following OMR may translate into altered soil function. Using a replicated field experiment in southern pine forest in eastern Texas, USA, we sampled soil to a depth of 1 m to assess the impact of intensive OMR on soil fungal communities. Soils were collected from replicated (n = 3 ) loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands subjected to 3 different harvest intensities (i.e., unharvested old growth stands, bole-only harvest stands, and whole-tree harvest + forest floor removal stands) in 1997. Nearly two decades after trees were harvested and replanted, next generation sequencing of the fungal internal transcribed spacer showed the diversity and community structure of the entire fungal community was altered relative to the unharvested stands. The relative abundance of Ascomycetes increased as OMR intensity increased and was positively correlated to concurrent changes in soil pH. The community composition of fungal functional groups (e.g., ecto- and arbuscular mycorrhizal, saprophytic fungi) was also altered by OMR. The most abundant taxa, Russula exhibited significant reductions in response to increasing intensity of OMR. Results of this study illustrate a linkage between anthropogenically-induced aboveground perturbation, edaphic factors, and belowground soil fungal communities of southern pine forests. Also, these results indicate that tree harvesting effects on soil fungal communities can persist for decades post-harvest, with potential implications for soil functional characteristics.

Density-Functional Theory with Optimized Effective Potential and Self-Interaction Correction for the Double Ionization of He and Be Atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heslar, John; Telnov, Dmitry; Chu, Shih-I.

2012-06-01

We present a self-interaction-free (SIC) time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) for the treatment of double ionization processes of many-electron systems. The method is based on the Krieger-Li-Iafrate (KLI) treatment of the optimized effective potential (OEP) theory and the incorporation of an explicit self-interaction correction (SIC) term. In the framework of the time-dependent density functional theory, we have performed 3D calculations of double ionization of He and Be atoms by strong near-infrared laser fields. We make use of the exchange-correlation potential with the integer discontinuity which improves the description of the double ionization process. We found that proper description of the double ionization requires the TDDFT exchange-correlation potential with the discontinuity with respect to the variation of the spin particle numbers (SPN) only. The results for the intensity-dependent probabilities of single and double ionization are presented and reproduce the famous ``knee'' structure.

Liver steatosis correlates with iron overload but not with HFE gene mutations in chronic hepatitis C.

PubMed

Sikorska, Katarzyna; Stalke, Piotr; Romanowski, Tomasz; Rzepko, Robert; Bielawski, Krzysztof Piotr

2013-08-01

Liver steatosis and iron overload, which are frequently observed in chronic hepatitis C (CHC), may contribute to the progression of liver injury. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between liver steatosis and iron overload in Polish patients with CHC compared to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and HFE-hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) patients. A total of 191 CHC patients were compared with 67 NAFLD and 21 HH patients. Liver function tests, serum markers of iron metabolism, cholesterol and triglycerides were assayed. The inflammatory activity, fibrosis, iron deposits and steatosis stages were assessed in liver specimens. HFE gene polymorphisms were investigated by PCR-RFLP. Liver steatosis was associated with obesity and diabetes mellitus. This disease was confirmed in 76/174 (44%) CHC patients, most of whom were infected with genotype 1. The average grade of steatosis was higher in NAFLD patients. CHC patients had significantly higher iron concentrations and transferrin saturations than NAFLD patients. Compared with CHC patients, HH patients had higher values of serum iron parameters and more intensive hepatocyte iron deposits without differences in the prevalence and intensity of liver steatosis. In the CHC group, lipids accumulation in hepatocytes was significantly associated with the presence of serum markers of iron overload. No correlation between the HFE gene polymorphism and liver steatosis in CHC patients was found. Liver steatosis was diagnosed in nearly half of CHC patients, most of whom were infected with genotype 1. The intensity of steatosis was lower in CHC patients than that in NAFLD patients because of a less frequent diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Only in CHC patients were biochemical markers of iron accumulation positively correlated with liver steatosis; these findings were independent of HFE gene mutations.

Spatial correlation in matter-wave interference as a measure of decoherence, dephasing, and entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zilin; Beierle, Peter; Batelaan, Herman

2018-04-01

The loss of contrast in double-slit electron diffraction due to dephasing and decoherence processes is studied. It is shown that the spatial intensity correlation function of diffraction patterns can be used to distinguish between dephasing and decoherence. This establishes a measure of time reversibility that does not require the determination of coherence terms of the density matrix, while von Neumann entropy, another measure of time reversibility, does require coherence terms. This technique is exciting in view of the need to understand and control the detrimental experimental effect of contrast loss and for fundamental studies on the transition from the classical to the quantum regime.

Improvement of photon correlation spectroscopy method for measuring nanoparticle size by using attenuated total reflectance.

PubMed

Krishtop, Victor; Doronin, Ivan; Okishev, Konstantin

2012-11-05

Photon correlation spectroscopy is an effective method for measuring nanoparticle sizes and has several advantages over alternative methods. However, this method suffers from a disadvantage in that its measuring accuracy reduces in the presence of convective flows of fluid containing nanoparticles. In this paper, we propose a scheme based on attenuated total reflectance in order to reduce the influence of convection currents. The autocorrelation function for the light-scattering intensity was found for this case, and it was shown that this method afforded a significant decrease in the time required to measure the particle sizes and an increase in the measuring accuracy.

Relationship between ICU nurses' moral distress with burnout and anticipated turnover.

PubMed

Shoorideh, Foroozan Atashzadeh; Ashktorab, Tahereh; Yaghmaei, Farideh; Alavi Majd, Hamid

2015-02-01

Moral distress is one of intensive care unit nurses' major problems, which may happen due to various reasons, and has several consequences. Due to various moral distress outcomes in intensive care unit nurses, and their impact on nurses' personal and professional practice, recognizing moral distress is very important. The aim of this study was to determine correlation between moral distress with burnout and anticipated turnover in intensive care unit nurses. This study is a descriptive-correlation research. A total of 159 intensive care unit nurses were selected from medical sciences universities in Iran. Data collection instruments included "demographic questionnaire," "ICU Nurses' Moral Distress Scale," "Copenhagen Burnout Inventory" and "Hinshaw and Atwood Turnover Scale." Data analysis was done by using SPSS19. Informed consent from samples and research approval was obtained from Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciences University Research Ethics Board in Tehran. The findings showed intensive care unit nurses' moral distress and anticipated turnover was high, but burnout was moderate. The results revealed that there was a positive statistical correlation between intensive care unit nurses' age, their work experience and the fraction of nurses' number to number of intensive care unit beds with their moral distress and burnout. However, there were no correlation between gender, marriage status, educational degree and work shift and moral distress. Some of the findings of this research are consistent with other studies and some of them are inconsistent. Similarly, moral distress with burnout and anticipated turnover did not have statistical correlation. However, a positive correlation was found between burnout and anticipated turnover. The results showed that increase in the recruitment of young nurses, and nursing personnel, and diminishing intensive care unit nurses' moral distress, burnout and their turnover intention are essential. © The Author(s) 2014.

Anomalous Quantum Correlations of Squeezed Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kühn, B.; Vogel, W.; Mraz, M.; Köhnke, S.; Hage, B.

2017-04-01

Three different noise moments of field strength, intensity, and their correlations are simultaneously measured. For this purpose a homodyne cross-correlation measurement [1] is implemented by superimposing the signal field and a weak local oscillator on an unbalanced beam splitter. The relevant information is obtained via the intensity noise correlation of the output modes. Detection details like quantum efficiencies or uncorrelated dark noise are meaningless for our technique. Yet unknown insight in the quantumness of a squeezed signal field is retrieved from the anomalous moment, correlating field strength with intensity noise. A classical inequality including this moment is violated for almost all signal phases. Precognition on quantum theory is superfluous, as our analysis is solely based on classical physics.

[Nitrogen status diagnosis of rice by using a digital camera].

PubMed

Jia, Liang-Liang; Fan, Ming-Sheng; Zhang, Fu-Suo; Chen, Xin-Ping; Lü, Shi-Hua; Sun, Yan-Ming

2009-08-01

In the present research, a field experiment with different N application rate was conducted to study the possibility of using visible band color analysis methods to monitor the N status of rice canopy. The Correlations of visible spectrum band color intensity between rice canopy image acquired from a digital camera and conventional nitrogen status diagnosis parameters of leaf SPAD chlorophyll meter readings, total N content, upland biomass and N uptake were studied. The results showed that the red color intensity (R), green color intensity (G) and normalized redness intensity (NRI) have significant inverse linear correlations with the conventional N diagnosis parameters of SPAD readings, total N content, upland biomass and total N uptake. The correlation coefficient values (r) were from -0.561 to -0.714 for red band (R), from -0.452 to -0.505 for green band (G), and from -0.541 to 0.817 for normalized redness intensity (NRI). But the normalized greenness intensity (NGI) showed a significant positive correlation with conventional N parameters and the correlation coefficient values (r) were from 0.505 to 0.559. Compared with SPAD readings, the normalized redness intensity (NRI), with a high r value of 0.541-0.780 with conventional N parameters, could better express the N status of rice. The digital image color analysis method showed the potential of being used in rice N status diagnosis in the future.

Prediction of Iron K-Edge Absorption Spectra Using Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory

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

George, S.DeBeer; Petrenko, T.; Neese, F.

2009-05-14

Iron K-edge X-ray absorption pre-edge features have been calculated using a time-dependent density functional approach. The influence of functional, solvation, and relativistic effects on the calculated energies and intensities has been examined by correlation of the calculated parameters to experimental data on a series of 10 iron model complexes, which span a range of high-spin and low-spin ferrous and ferric complexes in O{sub h} to T{sub d} geometries. Both quadrupole and dipole contributions to the spectra have been calculated. We find that good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained by using the BP86 functional with the CP(PPP) basis setmore » on the Fe and TZVP one of the remaining atoms. Inclusion of solvation yields a small improvement in the calculated energies. However, the inclusion of scalar relativistic effects did not yield any improved correlation with experiment. The use of these methods to uniquely assign individual spectral transitions and to examine experimental contributions to backbonding is discussed.« less

Optical depth in particle-laden turbulent flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frankel, A.; Iaccarino, G.; Mani, A.

2017-11-01

Turbulent clustering of particles causes an increase in the radiation transmission through gas-particle mixtures. Attempts to capture the ensemble-averaged transmission lead to a closure problem called the turbulence-radiation interaction. A simple closure model based on the particle radial distribution function is proposed to capture the effect of turbulent fluctuations in the concentration on radiation intensity. The model is validated against a set of particle-resolved ray tracing experiments through particle fields from direct numerical simulations of particle-laden turbulence. The form of the closure model is generalizable to arbitrary stochastic media with known two-point correlation functions.

Brain Morphometry using MRI in Schizophrenia Patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abanshina, I.; Pirogov, Yu.; Kupriyanov, D.; Orlova, V.

2010-01-01

Schizophrenia has been the focus of intense neuroimaging research. Although its fundamental pathobiology remains elusive, neuroimaging studies provide evidence of abnormalities of cerebral structure and function in patients with schizophrenia. We used morphometry as a quantitative method for estimation of volume of brain structures. Seventy eight right-handed subjects aged 18-45 years were exposed to MRI-examination. Patients were divided into 3 groups: patients with schizophrenia, their relatives and healthy controls. The volumes of interested structures (caudate nucleus, putamen, ventricles, frontal and temporal lobe) were measured using T2-weighted MR-images. Correlations between structural differences and functional deficit were evaluated.

On the measurement of intensity correlations from laboratory and astronomical sources with SPADs and SNSPDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroeder, Edward; Mauskopf, Philip; Pilyavsky, Genady; Sinclair, Adrian; Smith, Nathan; Bryan, Sean; Mani, Hamdi; Morozov, Dmitry; Berggren, Karl; Zhu, Di; Smirnov, Konstantin; Vakhtomin, Yuriy

2016-08-01

We describe the performance of detector modules containing silicon single photon avalanche photodiodes (SPADs) and superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) to be used for intensity interferometry. The SPADs are mounted in fiber-coupled and free-space coupled packages. The SNSPDs are mounted in a small liquid helium cryostat coupled to single mode fiber optic cables which pass through a hermetic feed-through. The detectors are read out with microwave amplifiers and FPGA-based coincidence electronics. We present progress on measurements of intensity correlations from incoherent sources including gas-discharge lamps and stars with these detectors. From the measured laboratory performance of the correlation system, we estimate the sensitivity to intensity correlations from stars using commercial telescopes and larger existing research telescopes.

Functional high-intensity training improves pancreatic β-cell function in adults with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Nieuwoudt, Stephan; Fealy, Ciarán E; Foucher, Julie A; Scelsi, Amanda R; Malin, Steven K; Pagadala, Mangesh; Rocco, Michael; Burguera, Bartolome; Kirwan, John P

2017-09-01

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by reductions in β-cell function and insulin secretion on the background of elevated insulin resistance. Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve β-cell function, despite a subset of T2D patients displaying "exercise resistance." Further investigations into the effectiveness of alternate forms of exercise on β-cell function in the T2D patient population are needed. We examined the effect of a novel, 6-wk CrossFit functional high-intensity training (F-HIT) intervention on β-cell function in 12 sedentary adults with clinically diagnosed T2D (54 ± 2 yr, 166 ± 16 mg/dl fasting glucose). Supervised training was completed 3 days/wk, comprising functional movements performed at a high intensity in a variety of 10- to 20-min sessions. All subjects completed an oral glucose tolerance test and anthropometric measures at baseline and following the intervention. The mean disposition index, a validated measure of β-cell function, was significantly increased (PRE: 8.4 ± 3.1, POST: 11.5 ± 3.5, P = 0.02) after the intervention. Insulin processing inefficiency in the β-cell, expressed as the fasting proinsulin-to-insulin ratio, was also reduced (PRE: 2.40 ± 0.37, POST: 1.78 ± 0.30, P = 0.04). Increased β-cell function during the early-phase response to glucose correlated significantly with reductions in abdominal body fat ( R 2 = 0.56, P = 0.005) and fasting plasma alkaline phosphatase ( R 2 = 0.55, P = 0.006). Mean total body-fat percentage decreased significantly (Δ: -1.17 0.30%, P = 0.003), whereas lean body mass was preserved (Δ: +0.05 ± 0.68 kg, P = 0.94). We conclude that F-HIT is an effective exercise strategy for improving β-cell function in adults with T2D. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Neural Correlates of Irritability in Disruptive Mood Dysregulation and Bipolar Disorders.

PubMed

Wiggins, Jillian Lee; Brotman, Melissa A; Adleman, Nancy E; Kim, Pilyoung; Oakes, Allison H; Reynolds, Richard C; Chen, Gang; Pine, Daniel S; Leibenluft, Ellen

2016-07-01

Bipolar disorder and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) are clinically and pathophysiologically distinct, yet irritability can be a clinical feature of both illnesses. The authors examine whether the neural mechanisms mediating irritability differ between bipolar disorder and DMDD, using a face emotion labeling paradigm because such labeling is deficient in both patient groups. The authors hypothesized that during face emotion labeling, irritability would be associated with dysfunctional activation in the amygdala and other temporal and prefrontal regions in both disorders, but that the nature of these associations would differ between DMDD and bipolar disorder. During functional MRI acquisition, 71 youths (25 with DMDD, 24 with bipolar disorder, and 22 healthy youths) performed a labeling task with happy, fearful, and angry faces of varying emotional intensity. Participants with DMDD and bipolar disorder showed similar levels of irritability and did not differ from each other or from healthy youths in face emotion labeling accuracy. Irritability correlated with amygdala activity across all intensities for all emotions in the DMDD group; such correlation was present in the bipolar disorder group only for fearful faces. In the ventral visual stream, associations between neural activity and irritability were found more consistently in the DMDD group than in the bipolar disorder group, especially in response to ambiguous angry faces. These results suggest diagnostic specificity in the neural correlates of irritability, a symptom of both DMDD and bipolar disorder. Such evidence of distinct neural correlates suggests the need to evaluate different approaches to treating irritability in the two disorders.

The association of calcaneal spur length and clinical and functional parameters in plantar fasciitis.

PubMed

Kuyucu, Ersin; Koçyiğit, Figen; Erdil, Mehmet

2015-09-01

Plantar fasciitis (PF)is the most common cause of plantar heel pain. Despite many treatment alternatives for heel spur, the association of calcaneal spur size with clinical and functional parameters is inconclusive. The objective of this study to investigate the correlation of calcaneal spur length with clinical findings and functional status documented with Foot Function Index in patients with plantar fasciitis. We performed power analysis for the sample size estimation. 87 patients with PF were scrutinized to reach the estimated patient number 75. Computer-aided linear measurements were done for spur length from tip to base in milimeters. Perceived pain intensity was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS). Patients were asked to rate the pain experienced on a 10-cm VAS. Foot function index was applied to the patients to evaluate pain, disability and activity limitation of the patients. Of the 75 participants, 24 were males (32%) and 51 were females (68%). The mean age was 47 ± 10 years (range 30-65 years). The mean calcaneal spur length was 3.86 ± 3.36 mm (range between 0 and 12.2). Calcaneal spur length was significantly correlated with age (p = 0.003), BMI (p = 0.029), symptom duration, (p = 0.001) VAS (p = 0.003), and FFI total score (p < 0.001). Our study demonstrated that length of the calcaneal spur is significantly correlated with age, BMI, symptom duration, perceived pain, FFI pain and disability subscores, and FFI total scores. The size of the calcaneal spur is an important parameter correlated with pain and functional scores in PF. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gaussian temporal modulation for the behavior of multi-sinc Schell-model pulses in dispersive media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiayin; Zhao, Daomu; Tian, Kehan; Pan, Weiqing; Zhang, Kouwen

2018-06-01

A new class of pulse source with correlation being modeled by the convolution operation of two legitimate temporal correlation function is proposed. Particularly, analytical formulas for the Gaussian temporally modulated multi-sinc Schell-model (MSSM) pulses generated by such pulse source propagating in dispersive media are derived. It is demonstrated that the average intensity of MSSM pulses on propagation are reshaped from flat profile or a train to a distribution with a Gaussian temporal envelope by adjusting the initial correlation width of the Gaussian pulse. The effects of the Gaussian temporal modulation on the temporal degree of coherence of the MSSM pulse are also analyzed. The results presented here show the potential of coherence modulation for pulse shaping and pulsed laser material processing.

Chronic pain has a negative impact on sexuality in testis cancer survivors.

PubMed

Pühse, Gerald; Wachsmuth, Julia Urte; Kemper, Sebastian; Husstedt, Ingo W; Evers, Stefan; Kliesch, Sabine

2012-01-01

Testis cancer is a disease that directly affects a man's sense of masculinity and involves treatments compromising sexual function. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and the influence of chronic pain on sexuality in long-term testis cancer survivors. Thus, we examined 539 patients after they had one testis removed because of a testicular germ cell tumor. Having completed oncologic therapy, all patients received a detailed questionnaire asking about the occurrence and clinical presentation of testis pain before and after orchiectomy. In addition, items from the abridged International Index of Erectile Function and Brief Sexual Function Inventory were used to gain precise information on individual sexual function. Overall, 34.5% of our testicular cancer survivors complained of reduced sexual desire, and sexual activity was reduced in 41.6%. Erectile dysfunction was present in up to 31.5% of patients. In 24.4%, the ability to maintain an erection during intercourse was impaired. Ejaculatory disorders (premature, delayed, retrograde, or anejaculation) occurred in 84.9% of our testis cancer survivors. A total of 32.4% of our participants experienced a reduced intensity of orgasm, and 95.4% experienced reduced overall sexual satisfaction. There was a significant correlation between the occurrence of chronic pain symptoms and the relative frequency and intensity of erectile dysfunction, inability to maintain an erection, ejaculation disorders, and reduced intensity of orgasm. In conclusion, chronic pain has a negative impact on sexuality in testis cancer survivors.

The Tianlai 21cm intensity mapping experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xuelei

2015-08-01

The Tianlai 21cm intensity mapping experiment is aimed at surveying the northern sky 21cm intensity at mid-redshifts, thus map out the neutral hydrogen distribution. The experiment is named "Tianlai" which means "heavenly sound" in classic Chinese, because its ultimate goal is to use the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) feature in the correlation function or power spectrum of large scale structure to constrain the cosmic expansion rate, and determine the nature of dark energy.The pathfinder experiment consists three cylinder reflectors of 15m wide x 40m long, and 16 dishes of 6 meter aperture, for testing the basic principle and key technologies. A radio-quiet site in Hongliuxia, Xinjiang of north-west China is selected, currently the facilities are under construction, and the prototype is expected to start commissioning later this year. The experiment is run by NAOC, with members from France, USA and Canada.

Utilization of the supports intensity scale with psychiatric populations: psychometric properties and utility for service delivery planning.

PubMed

Jenaro, Cristina; Cruz, Maribel; Perez, María Del Carmen; Flores, Noelia E; Vega, Vanessa

2011-10-01

In agreement with the new paradigm of supports, this study examines the adequacy and psychometric properties of the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) in a sample of 182 participants with severe mental illness (mean Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF] score = 60.2). The measure focuses on identifying the profile and intensities of support needs and on the planning and service delivery rather than on weaknesses and limitations. Internal consistency indexes ranged from .83 to .97; interrater reliability indexes ranged from .67 to .98. Intercorrelations among SIS subscales supported its construct validity. SIS scores correlated to GAF scores and length of disease. Discriminant analysis correctly classified 60.9% of participants. Therefore, the SIS demonstrated adequate reliability and validity, and it can be used by nursing professionals to plan for required supports in this population. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing blood coagulation status with laser speckle rheology

PubMed Central

Tripathi, Markandey M.; Hajjarian, Zeinab; Van Cott, Elizabeth M.; Nadkarni, Seemantini K.

2014-01-01

We have developed and investigated a novel optical approach, Laser Speckle Rheology (LSR), to evaluate a patient’s coagulation status by measuring the viscoelastic properties of blood during coagulation. In LSR, a blood sample is illuminated with laser light and temporal speckle intensity fluctuations are measured using a high-speed CMOS camera. During blood coagulation, changes in the viscoelastic properties of the clot restrict Brownian displacements of light scattering centers within the sample, altering the rate of speckle intensity fluctuations. As a result, blood coagulation status can be measured by relating the time scale of speckle intensity fluctuations with clinically relevant coagulation metrics including clotting time and fibrinogen content. Our results report a close correlation between coagulation metrics measured using LSR and conventional coagulation results of activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and functional fibrinogen levels, creating the unique opportunity to evaluate a patient’s coagulation status in real-time at the point of care. PMID:24688816

Antioxidant Potential of Fruit Juice with Added Chokeberry Powder (Aronia melanocarpa).

PubMed

Šic Žlabur, Jana; Dobričević, Nadica; Pliestić, Stjepan; Galić, Ante; Bilić, Daniela Patricia; Voća, Sandra

2017-12-05

The purpose of this study was to determine the possibility of using chokeberry powder as a supplement in apple juice to increase the nutritional value of the final product with the aim of developing a new functional food product. Also, to determine the influence of ultrasound assisted extraction on the bioactive compounds content, nutritional composition and antioxidant potential of apple juice with added chokeberry powder. The juice samples with added chokeberry powder had higher antioxidant capacity, irrespective of the extraction technique used. Apple juice samples with added chokeberry powder treated with high intensity ultrasound had significantly higher content of all analyzed bioactive compounds. The application of high intensity ultrasound significantly reduced the extraction time of the plant material. A positive correlation between vitamin C content, total phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins content and antioxidant capacity was determined in juice samples with added chokeberry powder treated with high intensity ultrasound.

High-Impact, Self-Motivated Training Within an Enriched Environment With Single Animal Tracking Dose-Dependently Promotes Motor Skill Acquisition and Functional Recovery.

PubMed

Starkey, Michelle L; Bleul, Christiane; Kasper, Hansjörg; Mosberger, Alice C; Zörner, Björn; Giger, Stefan; Gullo, Miriam; Buschmann, Frank; Schwab, Martin E

2014-07-01

Functional recovery following central nervous system injuries is strongly influenced by rehabilitative training. In the clinical setting, the intensity of training and the level of motivation for a particular task are known to play important roles. With increasing neuroscience studies investigating the effects of training and rehabilitation, it is important to understand how the amount and type of training of individuals influences outcome. However, little is known about the influence of spontaneous "self-training" during daily life as it is often uncontrolled, not recorded, and mostly disregarded. Here, we investigated the effects of the intensity of self-training on motor skill acquisition in normal, intact rats and on the recovery of functional motor behavior following spinal cord injury in adult rats. We used a custom-designed small animal tracking system, "RatTrack," to continuously record the activity of multiple rats, simultaneously in a complex Natural Habitat-enriched environment. Naïve, adult rats performed high-intensity, self-motivated motor training, which resulted in them out-performing rats that were conventionally housed and trained on skilled movement tasks, for example, skilled prehension (grasping) and ladder walking. Following spinal cord injury the amount of self-training was correlated with improved functional recovery. These data suggest that high-impact, self-motivated training leads to superior skill acquisition and functional recovery than conventional training paradigms. These findings have important implications for the design of animal studies investigating rehabilitation and for the planning of human rehabilitation programs. © The Author(s) 2014.

Clustered mixed nonhomogeneous Poisson process spline models for the analysis of recurrent event panel data.

PubMed

Nielsen, J D; Dean, C B

2008-09-01

A flexible semiparametric model for analyzing longitudinal panel count data arising from mixtures is presented. Panel count data refers here to count data on recurrent events collected as the number of events that have occurred within specific follow-up periods. The model assumes that the counts for each subject are generated by mixtures of nonhomogeneous Poisson processes with smooth intensity functions modeled with penalized splines. Time-dependent covariate effects are also incorporated into the process intensity using splines. Discrete mixtures of these nonhomogeneous Poisson process spline models extract functional information from underlying clusters representing hidden subpopulations. The motivating application is an experiment to test the effectiveness of pheromones in disrupting the mating pattern of the cherry bark tortrix moth. Mature moths arise from hidden, but distinct, subpopulations and monitoring the subpopulation responses was of interest. Within-cluster random effects are used to account for correlation structures and heterogeneity common to this type of data. An estimating equation approach to inference requiring only low moment assumptions is developed and the finite sample properties of the proposed estimating functions are investigated empirically by simulation.

Slice-to-Volume Nonrigid Registration of Histological Sections to MR Images of the Human Brain

PubMed Central

Osechinskiy, Sergey; Kruggel, Frithjof

2011-01-01

Registration of histological images to three-dimensional imaging modalities is an important step in quantitative analysis of brain structure, in architectonic mapping of the brain, and in investigation of the pathology of a brain disease. Reconstruction of histology volume from serial sections is a well-established procedure, but it does not address registration of individual slices from sparse sections, which is the aim of the slice-to-volume approach. This study presents a flexible framework for intensity-based slice-to-volume nonrigid registration algorithms with a geometric transformation deformation field parametrized by various classes of spline functions: thin-plate splines (TPS), Gaussian elastic body splines (GEBS), or cubic B-splines. Algorithms are applied to cross-modality registration of histological and magnetic resonance images of the human brain. Registration performance is evaluated across a range of optimization algorithms and intensity-based cost functions. For a particular case of histological data, best results are obtained with a TPS three-dimensional (3D) warp, a new unconstrained optimization algorithm (NEWUOA), and a correlation-coefficient-based cost function. PMID:22567290

Serotonergic Psychedelics Temporarily Modify Information Transfer in Humans

PubMed Central

Alonso, Joan Francesc; Romero, Sergio; Mañanas, Miquel Àngel

2015-01-01

Background: Psychedelics induce intense modifications in the sensorium, the sense of “self,” and the experience of reality. Despite advances in our understanding of the molecular and cellular level mechanisms of these drugs, knowledge of their actions on global brain dynamics is still incomplete. Recent imaging studies have found changes in functional coupling between frontal and parietal brain structures, suggesting a modification in information flow between brain regions during acute effects. Methods: Here we assessed the psychedelic-induced changes in directionality of information flow during the acute effects of a psychedelic in humans. We measured modifications in connectivity of brain oscillations using transfer entropy, a nonlinear measure of directed functional connectivity based on information theory. Ten healthy male volunteers with prior experience with psychedelics participated in 2 experimental sessions. They received a placebo or a dose of ayahuasca, a psychedelic preparation containing the serotonergic 5-HT2A agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine. Results: The analysis showed significant changes in the coupling of brain oscillations between anterior and posterior recording sites. Transfer entropy analysis showed that frontal sources decreased their influence over central, parietal, and occipital sites. Conversely, sources in posterior locations increased their influence over signals measured at anterior locations. Exploratory correlations found that anterior-to-posterior transfer entropy decreases were correlated with the intensity of subjective effects, while the imbalance between anterior-to-posterior and posterior-to-anterior transfer entropy correlated with the degree of incapacitation experienced. Conclusions: These results suggest that psychedelics induce a temporary disruption of neural hierarchies by reducing top-down control and increasing bottom-up information transfer in the human brain. PMID:25820842

Intensive care unit-acquired weakness.

PubMed

Griffiths, Richard D; Hall, Jesse B

2010-03-01

Severe weakness is being recognized as a complication that impacts significantly on the pace and degree of recovery and return to former functional status of patients who survive the organ failures that mandate life-support therapies such as mechanical ventilation. Despite the apparent importance of this problem, much remains to be understood about its incidence, causes, prevention, and treatment. Review from literature and an expert round-table. The Brussels Round Table Conference in 2009 convened more than 20 experts in the fields of intensive care, neurology, and muscle physiology to review current understandings of intensive care unit-acquired weakness and to improve clinical outcome. Formal electrophysiological evaluation of patients with intensive care unit-acquired weakness can identify peripheral neuropathies, myopathies, and combinations of these disorders, although the correlation of these findings to weakness measurable at the bedside is not always precise. For routine clinical purposes, bedside assessment of neuromuscular function can be performed but is often confounded by complicating factors such as sedative and analgesic administration. Risk factors for development of intensive care unit-acquired weakness include bed rest itself, sepsis, and corticosteroid exposure. A strong association exists between weakness and long-term ventilator dependence; weakness is a major determinant of patient outcomes after surviving acute respiratory failure and may be present for months, or indefinitely, in the convalescence phase of critical illness. Although much has been learned about the physiology and cell and molecular biology of skeletal and diaphragm dysfunction under conditions of aging, exercise, disuse, and sepsis, the application of these understandings to the bedside requires more study in both bench models and patients. Although a trend toward greater immobilization and sedation of patients has characterized the past several decades of intensive care unit care, recent studies have demonstrated that early physical and occupational therapy, including during the period of intubation and ventilator support, can be safely performed and will likely improve patient outcomes with regard to functional status.

Variation in critical care services across North America and Western Europe.

PubMed

Wunsch, Hannah; Angus, Derek C; Harrison, David A; Collange, Olivier; Fowler, Robert; Hoste, Eric A J; de Keizer, Nicolette F; Kersten, Alexander; Linde-Zwirble, Walter T; Sandiumenge, Alberto; Rowan, Kathryn M

2008-10-01

Critical care represents a large percentage of healthcare spending in developed countries. Yet, little is known regarding international variation in critical care services. We sought to understand differences in critical care delivery by comparing data on the distribution of services in eight countries. Retrospective review of existing national administrative data. We identified sources of data in each country to provide information on acute care hospitals and beds, intensive care units and beds, intensive care admissions, and definitions of intensive care beds. Data were all referenced and from as close to 2005 as possible. United States, France, United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, and Spain. Not available. None. No standard definition existed for acute care hospital or intensive care unit beds across countries. Hospital beds varied three-fold from 221/100,000 population in the United States to 593/100,000 in Germany. Adult intensive care unit beds also ranged seven-fold from 3.3/100,000 population in the United Kingdom to 24.0/100,000 in Germany. Volume of intensive care unit admissions per year varied ten-fold from 216/100,000 population in the United Kingdom to 2353/100,000 in Germany. The ratio of intensive care unit beds to hospital beds was highly correlated across all countries except the United States (r = .90). There was minimal correlation between the number of intensive care unit beds per capita and health care spending per capita (r = .45), but high inverse correlation between intensive care unit beds and hospital mortality for intensive care unit patients across countries (r = -.82). Absolute critical care services vary dramatically between countries with wide differences in both numbers of beds and volume of admissions. The number of intensive care unit beds per capita is not strongly correlated with overall health expenditure, but does correlate strongly with mortality. These findings demonstrate the need for critical care data from all countries, as they are essential for interpretation of studies, and policy decisions regarding critical care services.

Biochemical changes in response to intensive resistance exercise training in the elderly.

PubMed

Bautmans, Ivan; Njemini, Rose; Vasseur, Sabine; Chabert, Hans; Moens, Lisa; Demanet, Christian; Mets, Tony

2005-01-01

It is assumed that low-grade inflammation, characterized by increased circulating IL-6 and TNF-alpha, is related to the development of sarcopenia. Physical exercise, especially high intensity resistance training, has been shown to be effective in restoring the strength deficit in the elderly. Intensive exercise is accompanied by significant release of IL-6 and TNF-alpha into the blood circulation, but does not result in muscle wasting. Exercise-induced changes in heat-shock protein (Hsp), responsible for cellular protection during stressful situations, might interfere with the acute phase reaction and muscle adaptation. To investigate if intensive strength training in elderly persons induces changes in Hsp70 expression, and if these changes are related to changes in the acute phase reaction or muscle adaptation. 31 elderly persons (aged 68.4+/-5.4 years) performed 6 weeks' intensive strength training. At baseline and after 6 weeks, muscle strength, functional performance (physical activity profile, 6-min walk, 30- second chair stand, grip strength, chair sit & reach and back scratch), linear isokinetic leg extension, circulating IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-10 and TGF-beta, and Hsp70 in monocytes (M) and lymphocytes (L) immediately after sampling (IAS), after incubation at 37 and 42 degrees C were determined. In 12 participants, cytokines were determined in untrained and trained conditions before and after a single training session. After 6 weeks' training, muscle strength and functional performance improved significantly, together with decreased Hsp70 IAS and Hsp70 37 degrees C and increased Hsp70 42 degrees C (all p<0.05). Strength gains correlated positively with baseline Hsp70 37 degrees C and training-induced changes of Hsp70 42 degrees C in M and L. In an untrained condition, training induced an increase of IL-6 (p<0.05) and a tendency of IL-10 to decrease (p=0.06). In a trained condition the decrease of IL-10 disappeared. Baseline physical activity and 6-min walk distance correlated negatively with circulating IL-6 (p<0.05); except for a negative correlation between TGF-beta and Hsp70 37 degrees C L (p<0.05), no significant relationships were found between cytokines and Hsp70. After the training program, Hsp70 37 degrees C was negatively related to circulating TNF-alpha, IL-10 and TGF-beta. Strength training in the elderly induces changes in Hsp70 expression, associated to strength gains and circulating cytokines. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Optical visualisation of thermogenesis in stimulated single-cell brown adipocytes.

PubMed

Kriszt, Rókus; Arai, Satoshi; Itoh, Hideki; Lee, Michelle H; Goralczyk, Anna G; Ang, Xiu Min; Cypess, Aaron M; White, Andrew P; Shamsi, Farnaz; Xue, Ruidan; Lee, Jung Yeol; Lee, Sung-Chan; Hou, Yanyan; Kitaguchi, Tetsuya; Sudhaharan, Thankiah; Ishiwata, Shin'ichi; Lane, E Birgitte; Chang, Young-Tae; Tseng, Yu-Hua; Suzuki, Madoka; Raghunath, Michael

2017-05-03

The identification of brown adipose deposits in adults has led to significant interest in targeting this metabolically active tissue for treatment of obesity and diabetes. Improved methods for the direct measurement of heat production as the signature function of brown adipocytes (BAs), particularly at the single cell level, would be of substantial benefit to these ongoing efforts. Here, we report the first application of a small molecule-type thermosensitive fluorescent dye, ERthermAC, to monitor thermogenesis in BAs derived from murine brown fat precursors and in human brown fat cells differentiated from human neck brown preadipocytes. ERthermAC accumulated in the endoplasmic reticulum of BAs and displayed a marked change in fluorescence intensity in response to adrenergic stimulation of cells, which corresponded to temperature change. ERthermAC fluorescence intensity profiles were congruent with mitochondrial depolarisation events visualised by the JC-1 probe. Moreover, the averaged fluorescence intensity changes across a population of cells correlated well with dynamic changes such as thermal power, oxygen consumption, and extracellular acidification rates. These findings suggest ERthermAC as a promising new tool for studying thermogenic function in brown adipocytes of both murine and human origins.

Short-term parasite-infection alters already the biomass, activity and functional diversity of soil microbial communities

PubMed Central

Li, Jun-Min; Jin, Ze-Xin; Hagedorn, Frank; Li, Mai-He

2014-01-01

Native parasitic plants may be used to infect and control invasive plants. We established microcosms with invasive Mikania micrantha and native Coix lacryma-jobi growing in mixture on native soils, with M. micrantha being infected by parasitic Cuscuta campestris at four intensity levels for seven weeks to estimate the top-down effects of plant parasitism on the biomass and functional diversity of soil microbial communities. Parasitism significantly decreased root biomass and altered soil microbial communities. Soil microbial biomass decreased, but soil respiration increased at the two higher infection levels, indicating a strong stimulation of soil microbial metabolic activity (+180%). Moreover, a Biolog assay showed that the infection resulted in a significant change in the functional diversity indices of soil microbial communities. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that microbial biomass declined significantly with decreasing root biomass, particularly of the invasive M. micrantha. Also, the functional diversity indices of soil microbial communities were positively correlated with soil microbial biomass. Therefore, the negative effects on the biomass, activity and functional diversity of soil microbial community by the seven week long plant parasitism was very likely caused by decreased root biomass and root exudation of the invasive M. micrantha. PMID:25367357

Short-term parasite-infection alters already the biomass, activity and functional diversity of soil microbial communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jun-Min; Jin, Ze-Xin; Hagedorn, Frank; Li, Mai-He

2014-11-01

Native parasitic plants may be used to infect and control invasive plants. We established microcosms with invasive Mikania micrantha and native Coix lacryma-jobi growing in mixture on native soils, with M. micrantha being infected by parasitic Cuscuta campestris at four intensity levels for seven weeks to estimate the top-down effects of plant parasitism on the biomass and functional diversity of soil microbial communities. Parasitism significantly decreased root biomass and altered soil microbial communities. Soil microbial biomass decreased, but soil respiration increased at the two higher infection levels, indicating a strong stimulation of soil microbial metabolic activity (+180%). Moreover, a Biolog assay showed that the infection resulted in a significant change in the functional diversity indices of soil microbial communities. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that microbial biomass declined significantly with decreasing root biomass, particularly of the invasive M. micrantha. Also, the functional diversity indices of soil microbial communities were positively correlated with soil microbial biomass. Therefore, the negative effects on the biomass, activity and functional diversity of soil microbial community by the seven week long plant parasitism was very likely caused by decreased root biomass and root exudation of the invasive M. micrantha.

Atomic Dynamics in Simple Liquid: de Gennes Narrowing Revisited

DOE PAGES

Wu, Bin; Iwashita, Takuya; Egami, Takeshi

2018-03-27

The de Gennes narrowing phenomenon is frequently observed by neutron or x-ray scattering measurements of the dynamics of complex systems, such as liquids, proteins, colloids, and polymers. The characteristic slowing down of dynamics in the vicinity of the maximum of the total scattering intensity is commonly attributed to enhanced cooperativity. In this Letter, we present an alternative view on its origin through the examination of the time-dependent pair correlation function, the van Hove correlation function, for a model liquid in two, three, and four dimensions. We find that the relaxation time increases monotonically with distance and the dependence on distancemore » varies with dimension. We propose a heuristic explanation of this dependence based on a simple geometrical model. Furthermore, this finding sheds new light on the interpretation of the de Gennes narrowing phenomenon and the α-relaxation time.« less

Atomic Dynamics in Simple Liquid: de Gennes Narrowing Revisited

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

Wu, Bin; Iwashita, Takuya; Egami, Takeshi

The de Gennes narrowing phenomenon is frequently observed by neutron or x-ray scattering measurements of the dynamics of complex systems, such as liquids, proteins, colloids, and polymers. The characteristic slowing down of dynamics in the vicinity of the maximum of the total scattering intensity is commonly attributed to enhanced cooperativity. In this Letter, we present an alternative view on its origin through the examination of the time-dependent pair correlation function, the van Hove correlation function, for a model liquid in two, three, and four dimensions. We find that the relaxation time increases monotonically with distance and the dependence on distancemore » varies with dimension. We propose a heuristic explanation of this dependence based on a simple geometrical model. Furthermore, this finding sheds new light on the interpretation of the de Gennes narrowing phenomenon and the α-relaxation time.« less

A Spherical Harmonic Analysis of the Ooty Wide Field Array (OWFA) Visibility Signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, Suman; Bharadwaj, Somnath

2018-04-01

Considering redshifted 21-cm intensity mapping with the upcoming OWFA whose field of view subtends ˜57° in the N-S direction, we present a formalism which relates the measured visibilities to the spherical harmonic coefficients of the sky signal. We use this to calculate window functions which relate the two-visibility correlations i.e. the correlation between the visibilities measured at two baselines and two frequencies, to different multipoles of the multi-frequency angular power spectrum Cℓ(ν1, ν2). The formalism here is validated using simulations. We also present approximate closed form analytical expressions which can be used to calculate the window functions. Comparing the widely adopted flat sky approximation, we find that its predictions match those of our spherical harmonic formalism to within 16% across the entire OWFA baseline range. The match improves at large baselines where we have <5% deviations.

Correlation of compliance to statin therapy with lipid profile and serum HMGCoA reductase levels in dyslipidemic patients.

PubMed

Grover, Abhinav; Rehan, Harmeet Singh; Gupta, Lalit Kumar; Yadav, Madhur

The efficacy of statin therapy may be lost or vary with reduction in compliance and intensity of statin therapy. To study and correlate the quantitative effect of compliance on lipid profile and 3-hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCoA-R) levels in dyslipidemic patients. Compliance to different intensity of statin therapy assessed by pill count was correlated with serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and HMGCoA-R. Out of 200 patients, 160 received moderate intensity statin therapy whereas 40 were on high intensity statin therapy. The overall mean compliance of patients was 56.7%. The compliance of patients on moderate intensity statin therapy was higher (56.8%) than those on high intensity (56.4%) (p=0.92). There was significant inverse correlation (p<0.05) between compliance and TC, TG, LDL-C and HMGCoA-R levels and positive correlation (p<0.05) with HDL-C levels. The mean serum HMGCoA-R levels did not fall below 9-10ng/mL when compliance to either moderate or high intensity statin therapy was increased above 60%. It is appropriate to improve the compliance to existing statin therapy than switching over to higher intensity statin therapy. Estimation of HMGCoA-R levels may be explored as a surrogate marker to monitor and assess the compliance of patients to statin therapy. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[The impact of different doses of atorvastatin on plasma endothelin and platelet function in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after emergency percutaneous coronary intervention].

PubMed

Xu, X R; Li, K B; Wang, P; Xu, L; Liu, Y; Yang, Z S; Yang, X C

2016-12-01

Objective: To investigate the effects of different doses of atorvastatin on plasma endothelin and platelet function in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients after emergency percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI). Methods: A total of 120 patients with acute STEMI treated with emergency PCI were enrolled and randomly divided into 20 mg of atorvastatin treatment group (standard group, n =60), and 40 mg of atorvastatin treatment group (intensive group, n =60). The blood C reactive protein (CRP), blood lipid profiles, plasma endothelin (ET) were measured before atorvastatin treatment and after 7 days of treatment, respectively. The platelet fibrin clot strength induced by ADP (MAADP) was determined by thrombelastography(TEG). Results: Seven days after of atorvastatin treatment, the level of plasma ET in intensive group was significantly lower than that in standard group [(0.49±0.21)pmol/L vs (0.63±0.58)pmol/L, P <0.05]. Moreover, the MAADP in intensive group was significantly decreased compared with the standard group [(38.4±17.4) mm vs (45.7±14.5) mm, P <0.05]. There was a positive correlation between the ET level and MAADP in intensive group after treatment ( r =0.378, P <0.05). However, no significantly differences could be viewed in the CRP and LDL-C levels between the two groups ( P >0.05). Conclusion: In patients with acute STEMI, early administration of 40 mg atorvastatin after emergency PCI could significantly reduce the vascular endothelial injury, improve endothelial function, and reduce the residual platelet activity.

Laser speckle micro-rheology for biomechanical evaluation of breast tumors (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajjarian Kashany, Zeinab; Nadkarni, Seemantini K.

2016-03-01

The stiffness of the extra cellular matrix (ECM) is recognized as a key regulator of cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Therefore technologies that quantify ECM stiffness with micro-scale scale resolution will likely provide important insights into neoplastic progression. Laser Speckle Micro-Rheology (LSM) is a novel optical tool for measuring tissue viscoelastic properties with micro-scale resolution. In LSM, speckle images are collected through an objective lens by a high-speed camera. Spatio-temporal correlation analysis of speckle frames yields the intensity autocorrelation function, g2(t), for each pixel, and subsequently a 2D map of viscoelastic modulus, G*(ω) is reconstructed. Here, we investigate the utility of LSM for micro-mechanical evaluation of the ECM in human breast lesions. Specimens collected 18 women undergoing lumpectomy or mastectomy were evaluated with LSM. Because collagen is the key protein associated with ECM stiffness, G*(ω) maps obtained from LSM were compared with collagen content measured by second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. Regions of low G*(ω), identified by LSM, corresponded to low-intensity SHG signal and adipose tissue. Likewise, regions with high G*(ω) in LSM images matched high intensity SHG signal caused by desmoplastic collagen accumulation. Quantitative regression analysis demonstrated a strong, statistically significant correlation between G*(ω) and SHG signal intensity (R=0.66 p< 0.01). These findings highlight the capability of LSM for quantifying the ECM micro-mechanics, potentially providing important insights into the biomechanical regulators of breast cancer progression.

Correlation between reflectance and photoluminescent properties of al-rich ZnO nano-structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Firoz; Baek, Seong-Ho; Ahmad, Nafis; Lee, Gun Hee; Seo, Tae Hoon; Suh, Eun-kyung; Kim, Jae Hyun

2015-05-01

Al rich zinc oxide nano-structured films were synthesized using spin coating sol-gel technique. The films were annealed in oxygen ambient in the temperature range of 200-700 °C. The structural, optical, and photoluminescence (PL) properties of the films were studied at various annealing temperatures using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence emission spectra measurement, and Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The optical band gap was found to decrease with the increase of the annealing temperature following the Gauss Amp function due to the confinement of the exciton. The PL peak intensity in the near band region (INBE) was found to increase with the increase of the annealing temperature up to 600 °C, then to decrease fast to a lower value for the annealing temperature of 700 °C due to crystalline quality. The Raman peak of E2 (low) was red shifted from 118 cm-1 to 126 cm-1 with the increase of the annealing temperature. The intensity of the second order phonon (TA+LO) at 674 cm-1 was found to decrease with the increase of the annealing temperature. The normalized values of the reflectance and the PL intensity in the NBE region were highest for the annealing temperature of 600 °C. A special correlation was found between the reflectance at λ = 1000 nm and the normalized PL intensity in the green region due to scattering due to presence of grains.

Vascular Factors and Cognitive Dysfunction in Alzheimer Disease.

PubMed

Pąchalska, Maria; Bidzan, Leszek; Bidzan, Mariola; Góral-Półrola, Jolanta

2015-11-12

The purpose of the present study was to assess the influence of vascular factors on the degree of intensity and rate of progression of cognitive disorders in the course of Alzheimer Disease (AD). The research group consisted of 39 persons, all of whom were diagnosed with AD according to the NINCDS/ADRDA criteria. We divided these patients into 2 subgroups, based on the vascular factors measured by the modified Hachinski Ischemic Scale (Ha-mod): group A, without the vascular component (HA-mod score of 0-1 point), and group B, with the vascular component (a score over 1 point). Cognitive functions were evaluated at baseline and again 2 years later, using the Cognitive Part of the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog). We found that the patients from subgroup B, with the stronger vascular component, demonstrated the highest intensity of cognitive disorders at baseline, both in terms of the overall ADAS-cog score, and in the subscores for ideational praxis, orientation, spoken language ability, comprehension of spoken language, and word-finding difficulty in spontaneous speech. Another variable which was connected with the intensity of dementia was age. After 2 years, however, the rate of progression of cognitive disorders was not significantly different between the 2 groups. The severity of vascular factors correlates directly with the intensity of cognitive disturbances. At the 2-year follow-up examination, however, no correlation was observed in the research group between greater vascular involvement and more rapid progression of cognitive disorders, as measured by the ADAS-cog scale.

Temporal variation of meandering intensity and domain-wide lateral oscillations of the Gulf Stream

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Tong; Cornillon, Peter

1995-01-01

The path of the Gulf Stream exhibits two modes of variability: wavelike spatial meanders associated with instability processes and large-sale lateral shifts of the path presumably due to atmospheric forcing. The objectives of this study are to examine the temporal variation of the intensity of spatial meandering in the stream, to characterize large-scale lateral oscillations in the stream's path, and to study the correlation betwen these two dynamically distinct modes of variability. The data used for this analysis are path displacemets ofthe Gulf Stream between 75 deg and 60 deg W obtained from AVHRR-derived (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) infrared images for the period April 1982 through December 1989. Meandering intensity, measured by the spatial root-mean-sqaure displacement of the stream path, displays a 9-month dominant periodicity which is persistent through the study period. The 9-month fluctuation in meandering intensity may be related to the interaction of Rosseby waves with the stream. Interannual variation of meandering intensity is also found to be significant, with meandering being mich more intense during 1985 than it was in 1987. Annual variation, however,is weak and not well-defined.The spatially averaged position of the stream, which reflects nonmeandering large-scale lateral oscillations of the stream path, is dominated by an annual cycle. On average, the mean position is farthest north in November and farthest south in April. The first empirical orthogonal function mode of the space-time path displacements represents lateral oscillatins that are in-phase over the space-time domain. Interannual oscillations are also observed and are found to be weaker than the annual oscillation. The eigenvalue of the first mode indicates that about 21.5% of the total space-time variability of the stream path can be attibuted to domain-wide lateral oscillation. The correlation between meandering intensity and domain-wide lateral oscillations is very weak.

Variability in echolocation call intensity in a community of horseshoe bats: a role for resource partitioning or communication?

PubMed

Schuchmann, Maike; Siemers, Björn M

2010-09-17

Only recently data on bat echolocation call intensities is starting to accumulate. Yet, intensity is an ecologically crucial parameter, as it determines the extent of the bats' perceptual space and, specifically, prey detection distance. Interspecifically, we thus asked whether sympatric, congeneric bat species differ in call intensities and whether differences play a role for niche differentiation. Specifically, we investigated whether R. mehelyi that calls at a frequency clearly above what is predicted by allometry, compensates for frequency-dependent loss in detection distance by using elevated call intensity. Maximum echolocation call intensities might depend on body size or condition and thus be used as an honest signal of quality for intraspecific communication. We for the first time investigated whether a size-intensity relation is present in echolocating bats. We measured maximum call intensities and frequencies for all five European horseshoe bat species. Maximum intensity differed among species largely due to R. euryale. Furthermore, we found no compensation for frequency-dependent loss in detection distance in R. mehelyi. Intraspecifically, there is a negative correlation between forearm lengths and intensity in R. euryale and a trend for a negative correlation between body condition index and intensity in R. ferrumequinum. In R. hipposideros, females had 8 dB higher intensities than males. There were no correlations with body size or sex differences and intensity for the other species. Based on call intensity and frequency measurements, we estimated echolocation ranges for our study community. These suggest that intensity differences result in different prey detection distances and thus likely play some role for resource access. It is interesting and at first glance counter-intuitive that, where a correlation was found, smaller bats called louder than large individuals. Such negative relationship between size or condition and vocal amplitude may indicate an as yet unknown physiological or sexual selection pressure.

Variability in Echolocation Call Intensity in a Community of Horseshoe Bats: A Role for Resource Partitioning or Communication?

PubMed Central

Schuchmann, Maike; Siemers, Björn M.

2010-01-01

Background Only recently data on bat echolocation call intensities is starting to accumulate. Yet, intensity is an ecologically crucial parameter, as it determines the extent of the bats' perceptual space and, specifically, prey detection distance. Interspecifically, we thus asked whether sympatric, congeneric bat species differ in call intensities and whether differences play a role for niche differentiation. Specifically, we investigated whether R. mehelyi that calls at a frequency clearly above what is predicted by allometry, compensates for frequency-dependent loss in detection distance by using elevated call intensity. Maximum echolocation call intensities might depend on body size or condition and thus be used as an honest signal of quality for intraspecific communication. We for the first time investigated whether a size-intensity relation is present in echolocating bats. Methodology/Principal Findings We measured maximum call intensities and frequencies for all five European horseshoe bat species. Maximum intensity differed among species largely due to R. euryale. Furthermore, we found no compensation for frequency-dependent loss in detection distance in R. mehelyi. Intraspecifically, there is a negative correlation between forearm lengths and intensity in R. euryale and a trend for a negative correlation between body condition index and intensity in R. ferrumequinum. In R. hipposideros, females had 8 dB higher intensities than males. There were no correlations with body size or sex differences and intensity for the other species. Conclusions/Significance Based on call intensity and frequency measurements, we estimated echolocation ranges for our study community. These suggest that intensity differences result in different prey detection distances and thus likely play some role for resource access. It is interesting and at first glance counter-intuitive that, where a correlation was found, smaller bats called louder than large individuals. Such negative relationship between size or condition and vocal amplitude may indicate an as yet unknown physiological or sexual selection pressure. PMID:20862252

Parental risk factors for the development of pediatric acute and chronic postsurgical pain: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Pagé, M Gabrielle; Campbell, Fiona; Isaac, Lisa; Stinson, Jennifer; Katz, Joel

2013-01-01

The goal of this longitudinal study was to examine the associations among psychological factors and pain reports of children and their parents over the 12 month period after pediatric surgery. Included in the study were 83 children aged 8-18 years undergoing major surgery. In each case, the child and one of their parents completed measures of pain intensity and unpleasantness, psychological function, and functional disability at 48-72 hours, 2 weeks (child only), 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. The strength of the correlation coefficients between the psychological measures of the parent and their child increased significantly over time. There was a fair level of agreement between parent ratings of child acute and chronic pain (6 months after surgery) and the child's actual ratings. Parent and child pain anxiety scores 48-72 hours after surgery interacted significantly to predict pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and functional disability levels 2 weeks after discharge from hospital. Parent pain catastrophizing scores 48-72 hours after surgery predicted child pain intensity reports 12 months later. These results raise the possibility that as time from surgery increases, parents exert greater and greater influence over the pain response of their children, so that by 12 months postsurgery mark, parent pain catastrophizing (measured in the days after surgery) is the main risk factor for the development of postsurgical pain chronicity.

On the evolution of antiferromagnetic nanodomains in NiO thin films: A LEEM study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Jayanta; Menon, Krishnakumar S. R.

2018-03-01

Fractional order (1/2, 0) spots appear in the electron diffraction from NiO/Ag(0 0 1) films due to exchange scattering of low energy electrons by the antiferromagnetically ordered surface Ni moments. Utilizing these beams, imaging of the nanosized surface magnetic domains were carried out employing the high spatial resolution (∼ 10 nm) of the Low Energy Electron Microscopy (LEEM) in the dark-field (DF) mode. While selected through a contrast aperture, the four magnetic reflections produced by the p (2 × 2) antiferromagnetic sub-lattice lead to the visualization of the different magnetic twin domains. The intensity variations of different twin domains were measured as a function of electron beam energies via domain resolved LEEM I-V plots. The surface Néel temperatures (TN) of the films were measured using the temperature dependence of these half-order spot intensities. Detailed morphological studies of the size and shape of these nanodomains and their evolution as a function of the film thickness have been carried out with the help of pair-correlation function and fractal analysis. The size, shape and distribution of these magnetic domains are modified significantly by the strain relaxation mechanism beyond the critical film thickness. A method to estimate the relative domain sizes from a quantitative measure of the half-order spot intensities is manifested well below TN .

Solute–solute correlations responsible for the prepeak in structure factors of undercooled Al-rich liquids: A molecular dynamics study

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Feng; Sun, Yang; Ye, Zhuo; ...

2015-05-06

In this study, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations on a typical Al-based alloy Al 90Sm 10. The short-range and medium-range correlations of the system are reliably produced by ab initio calculations, whereas the long-range correlations are obtained with the assistance of a semi-empirical potential well-fitted to ab initio data. Our calculations show that a prepeak in the structure factor of this system emerges well above the melting temperature, and the intensity of the prepeak increases with increasing undercooling of the liquid. These results are in agreement with x-ray diffraction experiments. The interplay between the short-range order of the systemmore » originating from the large affinity between Al and Sm atoms, and the intrinsic repulsion between Sm atoms gives rise to a stronger correlation in the second peak than the first peak in the Sm–Sm partial pair correlation function (PPCF), which in turn produces the prepeak in the structure factor.« less

Right ventricular stroke work index as a negative predictor of mortality and initial hospital stay after lung transplantation.

PubMed

Armstrong, Hilary F; Schulze, P Christian; Kato, Tomoko S; Bacchetta, Matthew; Thirapatarapong, Wilawan; Bartels, Matthew N

2013-06-01

Studies have shown that patients with poor pre-lung transplant (LTx) right ventricular (RV) function have prolonged post-operative ventilation time and intensive care stay as well as a higher risk of in-hospital death. RV stroke work index (RVSWI) calculates RV workload and contractility. We hypothesized that patients with higher RV workload capacity, indicated by higher RVSWI, would have better outcomes after LTx. A retrospective record review was performed on all LTx patients between 2005 and 2011 who had right heart catheterizations (RHC) 1-year before LTx. In addition, results for echocardiograms and cardiopulmonary exercise testing within 1-year of RHCs were gathered. Mean RVSWI was 9.36 ± 3.59 for 115 patients. There was a significant relation between mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), RVSWI, RV end-diastolic diameter (RVEDd), left atrial dimension (LAD), peak and resting pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide, minute ventilation /volume of carbon dioxide production, and 1-year mortality after LTx. Contrary to our hypothesis, those who survived had lower RVSWI than those who died within 1 year (8.99 ± 3.38 vs 11.6 ± 4.1, p = 0.026). Hospital length of stay significantly correlated with mPAP, RVSWI, left ventricular ejection fraction, percentage of fractional shortening, RVEDd, RV fractional area change, LAD, and RV wall thickness in diastole. Intensive care length of stay also significantly correlated with these variables and with body mass index. RVSWI was significantly different between groups of different RV function, indicating that increased RVSWI is associated with impairment of RV structure and function in patients undergoing LTx evaluation. This study demonstrates an association between 1-year mortality, initial hospital and intensive care length of stay, and pre-LTx RVSWI. Increased mPAP is a known risk for outcomes in LTx patients. Our findings support this fact and also show increased mortality with elevation of RVSWI, demonstrating the value of RV function in the assessment of risk for pre-LTx patients. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional limitations in Romanian children with haemophilia: further testing of psychometric properties of the Paediatric Haemophilia Activities List.

PubMed

Groen, W; van der Net, J; Lacatusu, A M; Serban, M; Helders, P J M; Fischer, K

2013-05-01

Children with haemophilia often experience limitations in activities of daily life. Recently the Paediatric Haemophilia Activities List (PedHAL) has been developed and tested in Dutch children with intensive replacement therapy. The psychometric properties of the PedHAL in children not receiving intensive replacement therapy are not known. The objective was to gain further insight into the psychometric properties of the PedHAL and to study the functional health status of Romanian children and adolescents with haemophilia. Children attending to the rehabilitation centre of Buzias in Romania were sampled consecutively. Construct validity of the PedHAL was evaluated by concurrent testing with objective and subjective measures of physical function and functional ability. Reproducibility was tested by a 3-day test-retest by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and limits of agreement (LOA). Responsiveness to rehabilitation was assessed by Haemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS) and PedHAL. Twenty-nine children with severe (n = 25) or moderate (n = 4) haemophilia participated. Mean age was 13.2 years (SD 4.0). Median score of the PedHAL was 83.5 (IQR 47.9-90.5). The PedHAL correlated moderately with HJHS (rho = -0.59), Functional Independence Score in& Haemophilia (rho = 0.65) and Child Health Questionnaire-physical function (rho = 0.40) and not with Child Health Questionnaire-mental health, Child Health Questionnaire-behaviour and 6MWT. Test-retest reliability was good (ICC = 0.95). LOA was 17.4 points for the sum score. HJHS scores improved slightly after rehabilitation, whereas PedHAL scores did not change. In general, construct validity and test-retest reliability were good, test-retest agreement showed some variability. Therefore, currently the PedHAL may be more appropriate for research purposes than for individual patient monitoring in clinical practice. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Children and young adults in a prolonged unconscious state after severe brain injury: long-term functional outcome as measured by the DRS and the GOSE after early intensive neurorehabilitation.

PubMed

Eilander, H J; Timmerman, R B W; Scheirs, J G M; Van Heugten, C M; De Kort, P L M; Prevo, A J H

2007-01-01

To investigate the long-term (2-15 years) functional outcome of children and young adults who received an early intensive neurorehabilitation programme (EINP) after a prolonged period of unconsciousness due to severe brain injury; to differentiate between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and non-traumatic brain injury (nTBI); and to compare the results on two different outcome scales: the Disability Rating Scale (DRS) and the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE). One hundred and forty-five patients, who were admitted to EINP between December 1987 and January 2001. The Post-Acute Level of Consciousness scale (PALOC-s), the DRS, including categorized scores (DRScat), and the GOSE. The long-term functional level of 90 patients could be determined, of whom 25 were deceased. The mean DRS-score of the surviving patients was 6.8 (SD = 6.6); the mean score on the GOSE was 4.5 (SD = 1.7). There was a significant difference in the outcome amongst traumatic and non-traumatic patients (t88 = 4.21; p < 0.01). The correlation between the DRS and the GOSE was high (Spearman rho = 0.85; p < 0.01), as well as the correlation between the categorized scores of the DRS and the GOSE (Spearman rho = 0.81; p < 0.01). The distribution of outcome scores on the DRScat is more diverse than on the GOSE. Especially item 7 of the DRS, measuring functional independence, showed considerable variance in discriminating between different outcome levels. More patients with TBI than expected reached a (semi-) independent level of functioning, indicating a possible effect of EINP. Patients suffering from nTBI did not demonstrate these outcome levels. Only a few patients stayed in a vegetative state for more than a couple of years. In this cohort of severe brain-injured young people, the DRS offered the best investigative possibilities for long-term level of functioning.

Brain MR image segmentation based on an improved active contour model

PubMed Central

Meng, Xiangrui; Gu, Wenya; Zhang, Jianwei

2017-01-01

It is often a difficult task to accurately segment brain magnetic resonance (MR) images with intensity in-homogeneity and noise. This paper introduces a novel level set method for simultaneous brain MR image segmentation and intensity inhomogeneity correction. To reduce the effect of noise, novel anisotropic spatial information, which can preserve more details of edges and corners, is proposed by incorporating the inner relationships among the neighbor pixels. Then the proposed energy function uses the multivariate Student's t-distribution to fit the distribution of the intensities of each tissue. Furthermore, the proposed model utilizes Hidden Markov random fields to model the spatial correlation between neigh-boring pixels/voxels. The means of the multivariate Student's t-distribution can be adaptively estimated by multiplying a bias field to reduce the effect of intensity inhomogeneity. In the end, we reconstructed the energy function to be convex and calculated it by using the Split Bregman method, which allows our framework for random initialization, thereby allowing fully automated applications. Our method can obtain the final result in less than 1 second for 2D image with size 256 × 256 and less than 300 seconds for 3D image with size 256 × 256 × 171. The proposed method was compared to other state-of-the-art segmentation methods using both synthetic and clinical brain MR images and increased the accuracies of the results more than 3%. PMID:28854235

Effect of Flunarizine on Serum Glutamate Levels and its Correlation with Headache Intensity in Chronic Tension-Type Headache Patients.

PubMed

Surbakti, Khairul Putra; Sjahrir, Hasan; Juwita-Sembiring, Rosita; Mutiara, Erna

2017-10-15

Some of the excitatory neurotransmitters including glutamate have been suggested to be involved in headache pathophysiology. To our knowledge, there is a lack of publication about flunarizine efficacy in chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) treatments and the roles of glutamate in CTTH pathophysiology. This study aimed to investigate the flunarizine effect on serum levels of glutamate and its correlation with headache intensity based on the Numeric Rating Scale for pain (NRS) scores in CTTH patients. In a prospective randomised, double-blind study with pre and post-test design, seventy-three CTTH patients were randomly allocated with flunarizine 5 mg, flunarizine 10 mg and amitriptyline 12.5 mg groups. The serum levels of glutamate and NRS scores were measured before and after 15-day treatment. Flunarizine 5 mg was more effective than flunarizine 10 mg and amitriptyline 12.5 mg in reducing serum glutamate levels, whereas amitriptyline 12.5 mg was the most effective in reducing headache intensity. There was found nonsignificant, but very weak negative correlation between headache intensity and serum glutamate levels after flunarizine 5 mg administration (r = -0.062; P = 0.385), nonsignificant very weak negative correlation after flunarizine 10 mg administration (r = -0.007; P = 0.488) and there was found a significant moderate positive correlation (r = 0.508; P = 0.007) between headache intensity and serum glutamate levels after amitriptyline 12.5 mg administration. Since there was no significant correlation found between serum glutamate and headache intensity after treatment with flunarizine, it is suggested that decreasing of headache intensity after flunarizine treatment occurred not through glutamate pathways in CTTH patients.

Angular correlations of photons from solution diffraction at a free-electron laser encode molecular structure

DOE PAGES

Mendez, Derek; Watkins, Herschel; Qiao, Shenglan; ...

2016-09-26

During X-ray exposure of a molecular solution, photons scattered from the same molecule are correlated. If molecular motion is insignificant during exposure, then differences in momentum transfer between correlated photons are direct measurements of the molecular structure. In conventional small- and wide-angle solution scattering, photon correlations are ignored. This report presents advances in a new biomolecular structural analysis technique, correlated X-ray scattering (CXS), which uses angular intensity correlations to recover hidden structural details from molecules in solution. Due to its intense rapid pulses, an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) is an excellent tool for CXS experiments. A protocol is outlinedmore » for analysis of a CXS data set comprising a total of half a million X-ray exposures of solutions of small gold nanoparticles recorded at the Spring-8 Ångström Compact XFEL facility (SACLA). From the scattered intensities and their correlations, two populations of nanoparticle domains within the solution are distinguished: small twinned, and large probably non-twinned domains. Finally, it is shown analytically how, in a solution measurement, twinning information is only accessible via intensity correlations, demonstrating how CXS reveals atomic-level information from a disordered solution of like molecules.« less

Cognitive function in early HIV infection.

PubMed

Prakash, Aanchal; Hou, Jue; Liu, Lei; Gao, Yi; Kettering, Casey; Ragin, Ann B

2017-04-01

This study aimed to examine cognitive function in acute/early HIV infection over the subsequent 2 years. Fifty-six HIV+ subjects and 21 seronegative participants of the Chicago Early HIV Infection Study were evaluated using a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment at study enrollment and at 2-year follow-up. Cognitive performance measures were compared in the groups using t tests and mixed-effect models. Patterns of relationship with clinical measures were determined between cognitive function and clinical status markers using Spearman's correlations. At the initial timepoint, the HIV group demonstrated significantly weaker performance on measures of verbal memory, visual memory, psychomotor speed, motor speed, and executive function. A similar pattern was found when cognitive function was examined at follow-up and across both timepoints. The HIV subjects had generally weaker performance on psychomotor speed, executive function, motor speed, visual memory, and verbal memory. The rate of decline in cognitive function across the 2-year follow-up period did not differ between groups. Correlations between clinical status markers and cognitive function at both timepoints showed weaker performance associated with increased disease burden. Neurocognitive difficulty in chronic HIV infection may have very early onset and reflect consequences of initial brain viral invasion and neuroinflammation during the intense, uncontrolled viremia of acute HIV infection. Further characterization of the changes occurring in initial stages of infection and the risk and protective factors for cognitive function could inform new strategies for neuroprotection.

Validation of the Persian Version of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-P) in Chronic Pain Patients.

PubMed

Majedi, Hossein; Dehghani, S Sharareh; Soleyman-Jahi, Saeed; Emami Meibodi, S Ali; Mireskandari, S Mohammad; Hajiaghababaei, Marzieh; Tafakhori, Abbas; Mendoza, Tito R; Cleeland, Charles S

2017-07-01

Chronic pain needs to be evaluated with a standard instrument. The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) is a pain assessment tool that has been validated in many languages. The aim of the present study was to develop the Persian version of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-P) and also to evaluate the psychometric properties of the BPI-P in the Iranian population. The BPI-P was translated from the original version of BPI using standard procedure. The Persian version of the BPI and 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) were completed by 201 patients with chronic pain who were referred to a tertiary pain care clinic from 2013 to 2015. The performance status of the patients was evaluated by physicians using Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance test. Factor analysis of the BPI-P identified two scales: pain intensity and pain interference with life. These two factors explained 68.4% of the variance. Coefficient alpha values for BPI-P items ranging from 0.87 to 0.91 showed good internal consistency of the factors. The high intraclass correlation coefficients for the items of the questionnaire confirmed the test-retest reliability for the BPI-P. Patients with higher scores in Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance test reported higher levels of pain intensity and pain interference with life. Pain intensity in BPI-P correlated with physical functioning, bodily pain, mental health, and vitality of the SF-12 questionnaire, whereas pain interference was associated with general health, bodily pain, mental health, vitality, and social functioning. The present study demonstrated that the Persian version of the BPI could be a valid and reliable instrument for pain assessment in Persian-speaking patients. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantitative Analysis of Heavy Metals in Water Based on LIBS with an Automatic Device for Sample Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Li; Zhao, Nanjing; Liu, Wenqing; Meng, Deshuo; Fang, Li; Wang, Yin; Yu, Yang; Ma, Mingjun

2015-08-01

Heavy metals in water can be deposited on graphite flakes, which can be used as an enrichment method for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and is studied in this paper. The graphite samples were prepared with an automatic device, which was composed of a loading and unloading module, a quantitatively adding solution module, a rapid heating and drying module and a precise rotating module. The experimental results showed that the sample preparation methods had no significant effect on sample distribution and the LIBS signal accumulated in 20 pulses was stable and repeatable. With an increasing amount of the sample solution on the graphite flake, the peak intensity at Cu I 324.75 nm accorded with the exponential function with a correlation coefficient of 0.9963 and the background intensity remained unchanged. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated through linear fitting of the peak intensity versus the concentration. The LOD decreased rapidly with an increasing amount of sample solution until the amount exceeded 20 mL and the correlation coefficient of exponential function fitting was 0.991. The LOD of Pb, Ni, Cd, Cr and Zn after evaporating different amounts of sample solution on the graphite flakes was measured and the variation tendency of their LOD with sample solution amounts was similar to the tendency for Cu. The experimental data and conclusions could provide a reference for automatic sample preparation and heavy metal in situ detection. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 60908018), National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (No. 2013AA065502) and Anhui Province Outstanding Youth Science Fund of China (No. 1108085J19)

Effective testing of personal protective equipment in blast loading conditions in shock tube: Comparison of three different testing locations

PubMed Central

Alay, Eren; Zheng, James Q.; Chandra, Namas

2018-01-01

We exposed a headform instrumented with 10 pressure sensors mounted flush with the surface to a shock wave with three nominal intensities: 70, 140 and 210 kPa. The headform was mounted on a Hybrid III neck, in a rigid configuration to eliminate motion and associated pressure variations. We evaluated the effect of the test location by placing the headform inside, at the end and outside of the shock tube. The shock wave intensity gradually decreases the further it travels in the shock tube and the end effect degrades shock wave characteristics, which makes comparison of the results obtained at three locations a difficult task. To resolve these issues, we developed a simple strategy of data reduction: the respective pressure parameters recorded by headform sensors were divided by their equivalents associated with the incident shock wave. As a result, we obtained a comprehensive set of non-dimensional parameters. These non-dimensional parameters (or amplification factors) allow for direct comparison of pressure waveform characteristic parameters generated by a range of incident shock waves differing in intensity and for the headform located in different locations. Using this approach, we found a correlation function which allows prediction of the peak pressure on the headform that depends only on the peak pressure of the incident shock wave (for specific sensor location on the headform), and itis independent on the headform location. We also found a similar relationship for the rise time. However, for the duration and impulse, comparable correlation functions do not exist. These findings using a headform with simplified geometry are baseline values and address a need for the development of standardized parameters for the evaluation of personal protective equipment (PPE) under shock wave loading. PMID:29894521

Motion sickness and gastric myoelectric activity as a function of speed of rotation of a circular vection drum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Senqi; Stern, Robert M.; Vasey, Michael W.; Koch, Kenneth L.

1989-01-01

Motion sickness symptoms and electrogastrograms (EGGs) were obtained from 60 healthy subjects while they viewed an optokinetic drum rotated at one of four speeds: 15, 30, 60 or 90 deg/s. All subjects experienced vection, illusory self-motion. Motion sickness symptoms increased as drums speed increased up to 60 deg/s. Power, spectral intensity, of the EGG at the tachygastria frequencies (4-9 cpm) was calculated at each drum rotation speed. The correlation between the motion sickness symptoms and the power at 4-9 cpm was significant. Thus, drum rotation speed influenced the spectral power of the EGG at 4-9 cpm, tachygastria, and the intensity of motion sickness symptoms.

Objective straylight assessment of the human eye with a novel device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schramm, Stefan; Schikowski, Patrick; Lerm, Elena; Kaeding, André; Klemm, Matthias; Haueisen, Jens; Baumgarten, Daniel

2016-03-01

Forward scattered light from the anterior segment of the human eye can be measured by Shack-Hartmann (SH) wavefront aberrometers with limited visual angle. We propose a novel Point Spread Function (PSF) reconstruction algorithm based on SH measurements with a novel measurement devise to overcome these limitations. In our optical setup, we use a Digital Mirror Device as variable field stop, which is conventionally a pinhole suppressing scatter and reflections. Images with 21 different stop diameters were captured and from each image the average subaperture image intensity and the average intensity of the pupil were computed. The 21 intensities represent integral values of the PSF which is consequently reconstructed by derivation with respect to the visual angle. A generalized form of the Stiles-Holladay-approximation is fitted to the PSF resulting in a stray light parameter Log(IS). Additionaly the transmission loss of eye is computed. For the proof of principle, a study on 13 healthy young volunteers was carried out. Scatter filters were positioned in front of the volunteer's eye during C-Quant and scatter measurements to generate straylight emulating scatter in the lens. The straylight parameter is compared to the C-Quant measurement parameter Log(ISC) and scatter density of the filters SDF with a partial correlation. Log(IS) shows significant correlation with the SDF and Log(ISC). The correlation is more prominent between Log(IS) combined with the transmission loss and the SDF and Log(ISC). Our novel measurement and reconstruction technique allow for objective stray light analysis of visual angles up to 4 degrees.

γEpithelial Na(+) Channel (γENaC) and the Acid-Sensing Ion Channel 1 (ASIC1) expression in the urothelium of patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity.

PubMed

Traini, Chiara; Del Popolo, Giulio; Lazzeri, Massimo; Mazzaferro, Katia; Nelli, Federico; Calosi, Laura; Vannucchi, Maria Giuliana

2015-11-01

To investigate the expression of two types of cation channels, γEpithelial Na(+) Channel (γENaC) and the Acid-Sensing Ion Channel 1 (ASIC1), in the urothelium of controls and in patients affected by neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO). In parallel, urodynamic parameters were collected and correlated to the immunohistochemical results. Four controls and 12 patients with a clinical diagnosis of NDO and suprasacral spinal cord lesion underwent urodynamic measurements and cystoscopy. Cold-cup biopsies were frozen and processed for immunohistochemistry and Western Blot. Spearman's correlation coefficient between morphological and urodynamic data was applied. One-way anova followed by Newman-Keuls multiple comparison post hoc test was applied for Western Blot results. In the controls, γENaC and ASIC1 were expressed in the urothelium with differences in their cell distribution and intensity. In patients with NDO, both markers showed consistent changes either in cell distribution and labelling intensity compared with the controls. A significant correlation between a higher intensity of γENaC expression in the urothelium of patients with NDO and lower values of bladder compliance was detected. The present findings show important changes in the expression of γENaC and ASIC1 in NDO human urothelium. Notably, while the changes in γENaC might impair the mechanosensory function of the urothelium, the increase of ASIC1 might represent an attempt to compensate for the excess in local sensitivity. © 2014 The Authors BJU International © 2014 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Correlation of embryonic skeletal muscle myotube physical characteristics with contractile force generation on an atomic force microscope-based bio-microelectromechanical systems device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirozzi, K. L.; Long, C. J.; McAleer, C. W.; Smith, A. S. T.; Hickman, J. J.

2013-08-01

Rigorous analysis of muscle function in in vitro systems is needed for both acute and chronic biomedical applications. Forces generated by skeletal myotubes on bio-microelectromechanical cantilevers were calculated using a modified version of Stoney's thin-film equation and finite element analysis (FEA), then analyzed for regression to physical parameters. The Stoney's equation results closely matched the more intensive FEA and the force correlated to cross-sectional area (CSA). Normalizing force to measured CSA significantly improved the statistical sensitivity and now allows for close comparison of in vitro data to in vivo measurements for applications in exercise physiology, robotics, and modeling neuromuscular diseases.

Boron difluoride dibenzoylmethane derivatives: Electronic structure and luminescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhonov, Sergey A.; Vovna, Vitaliy I.; Osmushko, Ivan S.; Fedorenko, Elena V.; Mirochnik, Anatoliy G.

2018-01-01

Electronic structure and optical properties of boron difluoride dibenzoylmethanate and four of its derivatives have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, absorption and luminescence spectroscopy and quantum chemistry (DFT, TDDFT). The relative quantum luminescence yields have been revealed to correlate with charge transfers of HOMO-LUMO transitions, energy barriers of aromatic substituents rotation and the lifetime of excited states in the investigated complexes. The bathochromic shift of intensive bands in the optical spectra has been observed to occur when the functional groups are introduced into p-positions of phenyl cycles due to destabilizing HOMO levels. Calculated energy intervals between electronic levels correlate well with XPS spectra structure of valence and core electrons.

Alterations in Aerobic Exercise Performance and Gait Economy Following High-Intensity Dynamic Stepping Training in Persons With Subacute Stroke.

PubMed

Leddy, Abigail L; Connolly, Mark; Holleran, Carey L; Hennessy, Patrick W; Woodward, Jane; Arena, Ross A; Roth, Elliot J; Hornby, T George

2016-10-01

Impairments in metabolic capacity and economy (O2cost) are hallmark characteristics of locomotor dysfunction following stroke. High-intensity (aerobic) training has been shown to improve peak oxygen consumption in this population, with fewer reports of changes in O2cost. However, particularly in persons with subacute stroke, inconsistent gains in walking function are observed with minimal associations with gains in metabolic parameters. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in aerobic exercise performance in participants with subacute stroke following high-intensity variable stepping training as compared with conventional therapy. A secondary analysis was performed on data from a randomized controlled trial comparing high-intensity training with conventional interventions, and from the pilot study that formed the basis for the randomized controlled trial. Participants 1 to 6 months poststroke received 40 or fewer sessions of high-intensity variable stepping training (n = 21) or conventional interventions (n = 12). Assessments were performed at baseline (BSL), posttraining, and 2- to 3-month follow-up and included changes in submaximal (Equation is included in full-text article.)O2 ((Equation is included in full-text article.)O2submax) and O2cost at fastest possible treadmill speeds and peak speeds at BSL testing. Significant improvements were observed in (Equation is included in full-text article.)O2submax with less consistent improvements in O2cost, although individual responses varied substantially. Combined changes in both (Equation is included in full-text article.)O2submax and (Equation is included in full-text article.)O2 at matched peak BSL speeds revealed stronger correlations to improvements in walking function as compared with either measure alone. High-intensity stepping training may elicit significant improvements in (Equation is included in full-text article.)O2submax, whereas changes in both peak capacity and economy better reflect gains in walking function. Providing high-intensity training to improve locomotor and aerobic exercise performance may increase the efficiency of rehabilitation sessions.Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Supplemental Digital Content, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A142).

The Dependence of Characteristic Times of Gradual SEP Events on Their Associated CME Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Z. H.; Wang, C. B.; Xue, X. H.; Wang, Y. M.

It is generally believed that coronal mass ejections CMEs are the drivers of shocks that accelerate gradual solar energetic particles SEPs One might expect that the characteristics of the SEP intensity time profiles observed at 1 AU are determined by properties of the associated CMEs such as the radial speed and the angular width Recently Kahler statistically investigated the characteristic times of gradual SEP events observed from 1998-2002 and their associated coronal mass ejection properties Astrophys J 628 1014--1022 2005 Three characteristic times of gradual SEP events are determined as functions of solar source longitude 1 T 0 the time from associated CME launch to SEP onset at 1 AU 2 T R the rise time from SEP onset to the time when the SEP intensity is a factor of 2 below peak intensity and 3 T D the duration over which the SEP intensity is within a factor of 2 of the peak intensity However in his study the CME speeds and angular widths are directly taken from the LASCO CME catalog In this study we analyze the radial speeds and the angular widths of CMEs by an ice-cream cone model and re-investigate their correlationships with the characteristic times of the corresponding SEP events We find T R and T D are significantly correlated with radial speed for SEP events in the best-connected longitude range and there is no correlation between T 0 and CME radial speed and angular width which is consistent with Kahler s results On the other hand it s found that T R and T D are also have

What's your motivation to be pregnant? Relations between motives for parenthood and women's prenatal functioning.

PubMed

Brenning, Katrijn; Soenens, Bart; Vansteenkiste, Maarten

2015-10-01

Prenatal psychological adjustment is a critical predictor of postnatal maternal adjustment, which, in turn, relates to a child's psychological development. As such, it is important to examine possible correlates of women's psychological functioning during pregnancy. Grounded in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), the present research investigated the link between women's motives for having a child and prenatal maternal psychological adjustment. Specifically, in a sample of 208 pregnant women, we examined the relation between women's intensity (i.e., quantity) and quality of motivation for having a child and both women's social adjustment (i.e., relationship satisfaction) and personal well-being (i.e., vitality and depressive symptoms). Further, we examined psychological need satisfaction as an explanatory mechanism underlying these associations. Results showed that both intensity and quality of motivation related, either directly or indirectly via psychological need satisfaction, to women's personal well-being and relationship satisfaction during pregnancy. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Low- and high-intensity treadmill exercise attenuates chronic morphine-induced anxiogenesis and memory impairment but not reductions in hippocampal BDNF in female rats.

PubMed

Ghodrati-Jaldbakhan, Shahrbanoo; Ahmadalipour, Ali; Rashidy-Pour, Ali; Vafaei, Abbas Ali; Miladi-Gorji, Hossein; Alizadeh, Maryam

2017-05-15

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that treadmill exercise alleviates the deficits in cognitive functions and anxiety behaviors induced by chronic exposure to morphine in male rats. In this study, we investigated the effects of low and high intensities of treadmill exercise on spatial memory, anxiety-like behaviors, and biochemical changes in the hippocampus and serum of morphine-treated female rats. The adult virgin female rats were injected with bi-daily doses (10mg/kg, at 12h intervals) of morphine over a period of 10days. Following these injections, the rats were exercised under low or high intensities for 30min per session on five days a week for four weeks. After exercise training, object location memory, anxiety profile, hippocampal BDNF, and serum corticosterone and BDNF were examined. Morphine-treated animals exhibited increased anxiety levels, impaired object location memory, and reduced hippocampal BDNF. Exercise alleviated these impairing effects on anxiety profile and memory but not hippocampal BDNF. The high-intensity exercise even further reduced the hippocampal BDNF. Additionally, both exercise regimens in the morphine group and the high exercise in the saline group reduced serum BDNF. Finally, the high-intensity exercise enhanced corticosterone serum. These findings indicate that the negative cognitive and behavioral effects of chronic exposure to morphine could be relieved by forced exercise in female rats. However, the exercise intensity is an important factor to be considered during exercise training. Finally, the correlation between changes of brain and serum BDNF and cognitive functions following morphine exposure needs further research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chapman Solar Zenith Angle variations at Titan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royer, Emilie M.; Ajello, Joseph; Holsclaw, Gregory; West, Robert; Esposito, Larry W.; Bradley, Eric Todd

2016-10-01

Solar XUV photons and magnetospheric particles are the two main sources contributing to the airglow in the Titan's upper atmosphere. We are focusing here on the solar XUV photons and how they influence the airglow intensity. The Cassini-UVIS observations analyzed in this study consist each in a partial scan of Titan, while the center of the detector stays approximately at the same location on Titan's disk. We used observations from 2008 to 2012, which allow for a wide range of Solar Zenith Angle (SZA). Spectra from 800 km to 1200 km of altitude have been corrected from the solar spectrum using TIMED/SEE data. We observe that the airglow intensity varies as a function of the SZA and follows a Chapman curve. Three SZA regions are identified: the sunlit region ranging from 0 to 50 degrees. In this region, the intensity of the airglow increases, while the SZA decreases. Between SZA 50 and 100 degrees, the airglow intensity decreases from it maximum to its minimum. In this transition region the upper atmosphere of Titan changes from being totally sunlit to being in the shadow of the moon. For SZA 100 to 180 degrees, we observe a constant airglow intensity close to zero. The behavior of the airglow is also similar to the behavior of the electron density as a function of the SZA as observed by Ågren at al (2009). Both variables exhibit a decrease intensity with increasing SZA. The goal of this study is to understand such correlation. We demonstrate the importance of the solar XUV photons contribution to the Titan airglow and prove that the strongest contribution to the Titan dayglow occurs by solar fluorescence rather than the particle impact that predominates at night.

Integrated autocorrelator based on superconducting nanowires.

PubMed

Sahin, Döndü; Gaggero, Alessandro; Hoang, Thang Ba; Frucci, Giulia; Mattioli, Francesco; Leoni, Roberto; Beetz, Johannes; Lermer, Matthias; Kamp, Martin; Höfling, Sven; Fiore, Andrea

2013-05-06

We demonstrate an integrated autocorrelator based on two superconducting single-photon detectors patterned on top of a GaAs ridge waveguide. This device enables the on-chip measurement of the second-order intensity correlation function g(2)(τ). A polarization-independent device quantum efficiency in the 1% range is reported, with a timing jitter of 88 ps at 1300 nm. g(2)(τ) measurements of continuous-wave and pulsed laser excitations are demonstrated with no measurable crosstalk within our measurement accuracy.

An accurate registration technique for distorted images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delapena, Michele; Shaw, Richard A.; Linde, Peter; Dravins, Dainis

1990-01-01

Accurate registration of International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) images is crucial because the variability of the geometrical distortions that are introduced by the SEC-Vidicon cameras ensures that raw science images are never perfectly aligned with the Intensity Transfer Functions (ITFs) (i.e., graded floodlamp exposures that are used to linearize and normalize the camera response). A technique for precisely registering IUE images which uses a cross correlation of the fixed pattern that exists in all raw IUE images is described.

High-Intensity Locomotor Exercise Increases Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Individuals with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

Leech, Kristan A; Hornby, T George

2017-03-15

High-intensity locomotor exercise is suggested to contribute to improved recovery of locomotor function after neurological injury. This may be secondary to exercise-intensity-dependent increases in neurotrophin expression demonstrated previously in control subjects. However, rigorous examination of intensity-dependent changes in neurotrophin levels is lacking in individuals with motor incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of locomotor exercise intensity on peripheral levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in individuals with incomplete SCI. We also explored the impact of the Val66Met single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on the BDNF gene on intensity-dependent changes. Serum concentrations of BDNF and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), as well as measures of cardiorespiratory dynamics, were evaluated across different levels of exercise intensity achieved during a graded-intensity, locomotor exercise paradigm in 11 individuals with incomplete SCI. Our results demonstrate a significant increase in serum BDNF at high, as compared to moderate, exercise intensities (p = 0.01) and 15 and 30 min post-exercise (p < 0.01 for both), with comparison to changes at low intensity approaching significance (p = 0.05). Serum IGF-1 demonstrated no intensity-dependent changes. Significant correlations were observed between changes in BDNF and specific indicators of exercise intensity (e.g., rating of perceived exertion; R = 0.43; p = 0.02). Additionally, the data suggest that Val66Met SNP carriers may not exhibit intensity-dependent changes in serum BDNF concentration. Given the known role of BDNF in experience-dependent neuroplasticity, these preliminary results suggest that exercise intensity modulates serum BDNF concentrations and may be an important parameter of physical rehabilitation interventions after neurological injury.

The effect of musical practice on gesture/sound pairing.

PubMed

Proverbio, Alice M; Attardo, Lapo; Cozzi, Matteo; Zani, Alberto

2015-01-01

Learning to play a musical instrument is a demanding process requiring years of intense practice. Dramatic changes in brain connectivity, volume, and functionality have been shown in skilled musicians. It is thought that music learning involves the formation of novel audio visuomotor associations, but not much is known about the gradual acquisition of this ability. In the present study, we investigated whether formal music training enhances audiovisual multisensory processing. To this end, pupils at different stages of education were examined based on the hypothesis that the strength of audio/visuomotor associations would be augmented as a function of the number of years of conservatory study (expertise). The study participants were violin and clarinet students of pre-academic and academic levels and of different chronological ages, ages of acquisition, and academic levels. A violinist and a clarinetist each played the same score, and each participant viewed the video corresponding to his or her instrument. Pitch, intensity, rhythm, and sound duration were matched across instruments. In half of the trials, the soundtrack did not match (in pitch) the corresponding musical gestures. Data analysis indicated a correlation between the number of years of formal training (expertise) and the ability to detect an audiomotor incongruence in music performance (relative to the musical instrument practiced), thus suggesting a direct correlation between knowing how to play and perceptual sensitivity.

Component Neural Systems for the Creation of Emotional Memories during Free Viewing of a Complex, Real-World Event

PubMed Central

Botzung, Anne; LaBar, Kevin S.; Kragel, Philip; Miles, Amanda; Rubin, David C.

2010-01-01

To investigate the neural systems that contribute to the formation of complex, self-relevant emotional memories, dedicated fans of rival college basketball teams watched a competitive game while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). During a subsequent recognition memory task, participants were shown video clips depicting plays of the game, stemming either from previously-viewed game segments (targets) or from non-viewed portions of the same game (foils). After an old–new judgment, participants provided emotional valence and intensity ratings of the clips. A data driven approach was first used to decompose the fMRI signal acquired during free viewing of the game into spatially independent components. Correlations were then calculated between the identified components and post-scanning emotion ratings for successfully encoded targets. Two components were correlated with intensity ratings, including temporal lobe regions implicated in memory and emotional functions, such as the hippocampus and amygdala, as well as a midline fronto-cingulo-parietal network implicated in social cognition and self-relevant processing. These data were supported by a general linear model analysis, which revealed additional valence effects in fronto-striatal-insular regions when plays were divided into positive and negative events according to the fan's perspective. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of how emotional factors impact distributed neural systems to successfully encode dynamic, personally-relevant event sequences. PMID:20508750

Multispacecraft Observations of Solar Flare Particles in the Inner Heliosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wibberenz, G.; Cane, H. V.

2007-01-01

For a number of impulsive solar particle events we examine variations of maximum intensities and times to maximum intensity as a function of longitude, using observations from the two Helios spacecraft and near the Earth. We find that electrons in the MeV range can be detected more than 80 deg. from the flare longitude, corresponding to a considerably wider "well connected" region than that (approx. 20 deg. half width) reported for He-3-rich impulsive solar events. This wide range and the decrease of peak intensities with increasing connection angle revive the concept of some propagation process in the low corona that has a diffusive nature. Delays to the intensity maximum are not systematically correlated with connection angles. We argue that interplanetary scattering parallel to the average interplanetary magnetic field, that varies with position in space, plays an important role in flare particle events. In a specific case variations of the time profiles with radial distance and with particle rigidity are used to quantitatively confirm spatial diffusion. For a few cases near the edges of the well connected region the very long times to maximum intensity might result from interplanetary lateral transport.

Cigarette craving is associated with blunted reward processing in nicotine-dependent smokers.

PubMed

Peechatka, Alyssa L; Whitton, Alexis E; Farmer, Stacey L; Pizzagalli, Diego A; Janes, Amy C

2015-10-01

Dysfunctional reward processing leading to the undervaluation of non-drug rewards is hypothesized to play a crucial role in nicotine dependence. However, it is unclear if blunted reward responsivity and the desire to use nicotine are directly linked after a brief period of abstinence. Such an association would suggest that individuals with reduced reward responsivity may be at increased risk to experience nicotine craving. Reward function was evaluated with a probabilistic reward task (PRT), which measures reward responsivity to monetary incentives. To identify whether smoking status influenced reward function, PRT performance was compared between non-depressed, nicotine-dependent smokers and non-smokers. Within smokers, correlations were conducted to determine if blunted reward responsivity on the PRT was associated with increased nicotine craving. Time since last nicotine exposure was standardized to 4h for all smokers. Smokers and non-smokers did not differ in reward responsivity on the PRT. However, within smokers, a significant negative correlation was found between reward responsivity and intensity of nicotine craving. The current findings show that, among smokers, the intensity of nicotine craving is linked to lower sensitivity to non-drug rewards. This finding is in line with prior theories that suggest reward dysfunction in some clinical populations (e.g., depressive disorders, schizophrenia) may facilitate nicotine use. The current study expands on such theories by indicating that sub-clinical variations in reward function are related to motivation for nicotine use. Identifying smokers who show blunted sensitivity to non-drug rewards may help guide treatments aimed at mitigating the motivation to smoke. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Acutely Administered 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine on Spontaneous Brain Function in Healthy Volunteers Measured with Arterial Spin Labeling and Blood Oxygen Level–Dependent Resting State Functional Connectivity

PubMed Central

Carhart-Harris, Robin L.; Murphy, Kevin; Leech, Robert; Erritzoe, David; Wall, Matthew B.; Ferguson, Bart; Williams, Luke T.J.; Roseman, Leor; Brugger, Stefan; De Meer, Ineke; Tanner, Mark; Tyacke, Robin; Wolff, Kim; Sethi, Ajun; Bloomfield, Michael A.P.; Williams, Tim M.; Bolstridge, Mark; Stewart, Lorna; Morgan, Celia; Newbould, Rexford D.; Feilding, Amanda; Curran, H. Val; Nutt, David J.

2015-01-01

Background The compound 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a potent monoamine releaser that produces an acute euphoria in most individuals. Methods In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced-order study, MDMA was orally administered to 25 physically and mentally healthy individuals. Arterial spin labeling and seed-based resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) were used to produce spatial maps displaying changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and RSFC after MDMA administration. Participants underwent two arterial spin labeling and two blood oxygen level–dependent scans in a 90-minute scan session; MDMA and placebo study days were separated by 1 week. Results Marked increases in positive mood were produced by MDMA. Decreased CBF only was observed after MDMA, and this was localized to the right medial temporal lobe (MTL), thalamus, inferior visual cortex, and the somatosensory cortex. Decreased CBF in the right amygdala and hippocampus correlated with ratings of the intensity of global subjective effects of MDMA. The RSFC results complemented the CBF results, with decreases in RSFC between midline cortical regions, the medial prefrontal cortex, and MTL regions, and increases between the amygdala and hippocampus. There were trend-level correlations between these effects and ratings of intense and positive subjective effects. Conclusions The MTLs appear to be specifically implicated in the mechanism of action of MDMA, but further work is required to elucidate how the drug’s characteristic subjective effects arise from its modulation of spontaneous brain activity. PMID:24495461

Ocean Chlorophyll Studies from a U-2 Aircraft Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, H. H.; Mcclain, C. R.; Blaine, L. R.; Hart, W. D.; Atkinson, L. P.; Yoder, J. A.

1979-01-01

Chlorophyll gradient maps of large ocean areas were generated from U-2 ocean color scanner data obtained over test sites in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The delineation of oceanic features using the upward radiant intensity relies on an analysis method which presupposes that radiation backscattered from the atmosphere and ocean surface can be properly modeled using a measurement made at 778 nm. An estimation of the chlorophyll concentration was performed by properly ratioing radiances measured at 472 nm and 548 nm after removing the atmospheric effects. The correlation between the remotely sensed data and in-situ surface chlorophyll measurements was validated in two sets of data. The results show that the correlation between the in-situ measured chlorophyll and the derived quantity is a negative exponential function and the correlation coefficient was calculated to be -0.965.

Validation of a Scalable Solar Sailcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, D. M.

2006-01-01

The NASA In-Space Propulsion (ISP) program sponsored intensive solar sail technology and systems design, development, and hardware demonstration activities over the past 3 years. Efforts to validate a scalable solar sail system by functional demonstration in relevant environments, together with test-analysis correlation activities on a scalable solar sail system have recently been successfully completed. A review of the program, with descriptions of the design, results of testing, and analytical model validations of component and assembly functional, strength, stiffness, shape, and dynamic behavior are discussed. The scaled performance of the validated system is projected to demonstrate the applicability to flight demonstration and important NASA road-map missions.

Strong-field ionization of Li and Be: a time-dependent density functional theory with self-interaction correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telnov, Dmitry A.; Heslar, John T.; Chu, Shih-I.

2011-11-01

In the framework of the time-dependent density functional theory, we have performed 3D calculations of multiphoton ionization of Li and Be atoms by strong near-infrared laser fields. The results for the intensity-dependent probabilities of single and double ionization are presented. We make use of the time-dependent Krieger-Li-Iafrate exchange-correlation potential with self-interaction correction (TD-KLI-SIC). Such a potential possesses an integer discontinuity which improves description of the ionization process. However, we have found that the discontinuity of the TD-KLI-SIC potential is not sufficient to reproduce characteristic feature of double ionization.

Simultaneous evaluation of renal morphology and function in live kidney donors using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Artunc, F; Yildiz, S; Rossi, C; Boss, A; Dittmann, H; Schlemmer, H P; Risler, T; Heyne, N

2010-06-01

Evaluation of potential kidney donors requires the assessment of both kidney anatomy and function. In this prospective study, we sought to expand the diagnostic yield of magnetic resonance (MR) by adding functional measurements of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and split renal function. Between 2007 and 2009, all potential kidney donors presenting to our facility underwent a comprehensive single-stop MR study that included an assessment of anatomy, angiography and functional measurements. GFR was measured after a bolus injection of gadobutrol (4 ml, approximately 0.05 mmol/kg) and calculated from the washout of the signal intensity obtained over the liver. Split renal function was calculated from the increase of signal intensity over the renal cortex. Values were compared to renal scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-DTPA from the same day. The MR investigation was successfully performed in 21 participants. The GFR derived from MR (MR-GFR) correlated well (r = 0.84) with the GFR derived from scintigraphy (DTPA-GFR). The mean value of the paired differences was 4 +/- 13 [SD] ml/min/1.73 m(2) and was not significantly different from zero. The ratio between right and left kidney function was similar with both techniques (1.01 +/- 0.17 with MR and 1.06 +/- 0.12 with scintigraphy, P = 0.20). We demonstrate an MR-based approach to comprehensively evaluate both kidney anatomy and function in a single investigation, thereby facilitating the evaluation of potential kidney donors.

Ventral and dorsal streams processing visual motion perception (FDG-PET study)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Earlier functional imaging studies on visually induced self-motion perception (vection) disclosed a bilateral network of activations within primary and secondary visual cortex areas which was combined with signal decreases, i.e., deactivations, in multisensory vestibular cortex areas. This finding led to the concept of a reciprocal inhibitory interaction between the visual and vestibular systems. In order to define areas involved in special aspects of self-motion perception such as intensity and duration of the perceived circular vection (CV) or the amount of head tilt, correlation analyses of the regional cerebral glucose metabolism, rCGM (measured by fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography, FDG-PET) and these perceptual covariates were performed in 14 healthy volunteers. For analyses of the visual-vestibular interaction, the CV data were compared to a random dot motion stimulation condition (not inducing vection) and a control group at rest (no stimulation at all). Results Group subtraction analyses showed that the visual-vestibular interaction was modified during CV, i.e., the activations within the cerebellar vermis and parieto-occipital areas were enhanced. The correlation analysis between the rCGM and the intensity of visually induced vection, experienced as body tilt, showed a relationship for areas of the multisensory vestibular cortical network (inferior parietal lobule bilaterally, anterior cingulate gyrus), the medial parieto-occipital cortex, the frontal eye fields and the cerebellar vermis. The “earlier” multisensory vestibular areas like the parieto-insular vestibular cortex and the superior temporal gyrus did not appear in the latter analysis. The duration of perceived vection after stimulus stop was positively correlated with rCGM in medial temporal lobe areas bilaterally, which included the (para-)hippocampus, known to be involved in various aspects of memory processing. The amount of head tilt was found to be positively correlated with the rCGM of bilateral basal ganglia regions responsible for the control of motor function of the head. Conclusions Our data gave further insights into subfunctions within the complex cortical network involved in the processing of visual-vestibular interaction during CV. Specific areas of this cortical network could be attributed to the ventral stream (“what” pathway) responsible for the duration after stimulus stop and to the dorsal stream (“where/how” pathway) responsible for intensity aspects. PMID:22800430

Validating Self-Report Measures of Pain and Function in Patients Undergoing Hip or Knee Arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Dogra, Moneet; Woodhouse, Linda; Kennedy, Deborah M.; Spadoni, Greg F.

2009-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the factorial and construct validity of a four-item pain intensity scale, the P4, in patients awaiting primary total hip or knee arthroplasty secondary to osteoarthritis. Method: A construct validation design was applied to a sample of convenience of 117 patients (mean age 65.6 [SD = 11.2] years) at their preoperative visit. All patients completed the P4 and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the factorial structure of the P4 and WOMAC. To evaluate construct validity, we examined the correlation between the P4 and WOMAC pain sub-scales and the ability of the P4 to differentiate between patients awaiting hip and knee replacement. Results: Two distinct factors consistent with the themes of pain and function were identified with P4 and WOMAC physical function items, but not with the WOMAC pain and physical function items. The P4 correlates more with the WOMAC pain scores (r = 0.67) than with the WOMAC physical function scores (r = 0.60). Conclusion: The P4's validity was supported in this patient group. The use of the P4 with the WOMAC physical function sub-scale provides a more distinct assessment of pain and function than the WOMAC pain and physical function scales. PMID:20808479

Transfer cell wall ingrowths and vein loading characteristics in pea leaf discs. [Pisum sativum

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

Wimmers, L.E.; Turgeon, R.

1987-04-01

Transfer cell wall ingrowths are thought to increase transport capacity by increasing plasmalemma surface area. Leaf minor vein phloem transfer cells presumably enhance phloem loading. In Pisum sativum cv. Little marvel grown under different light regimes (150 to 1000 ..mu..mol photons m/sup -2/ sec/sup -1/) there is a positive correlation between light intensity and wall ingrowth area in phloem transfer cells. The extent of ingrowth and correlation to light intensity is greatest in minor veins, decreasing as vein size increases. Vein loading was assayed by floating abraded leaf discs on /sup 14/C-sucrose (10 mM). There is a positive correlation betweenmore » uptake and transfer cell wall area, although the latter increased more than the former. The difference in uptake is stable throughout the photoperiod, and is also stable in mature leaves for at least four days after plants are transfered to a different light intensity. Sucrose uptake is biphasic. The saturable component of uptake is sensitive to light intensity, the Km for sucrose is negatively correlated to light intensity, while V/sub max/remains unchanged.« less

Opioids Increase Sexual Dysfunction in Patients With Non-Cancer Pain.

PubMed

Ajo, Raquel; Segura, Ana; Inda, María M; Planelles, Beatriz; Martínez, Luz; Ferrández, Guillermina; Sánchez, Angel; César Margarit; Peiró, Ana-María

2016-09-01

Long-term opioid therapy has been found to have a strong impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis that can be manifested clinically by sexual dysfunction (SD). This event is rarely reported and thus unnoticed and undertreated. To analyze the presence of SD in a large group of patients receiving long-term opioids. A descriptive, cross-sectional pilot study of sexual health was conducted for 2 years in 750 consecutive ambulatory patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNP) receiving opioids for at least 12 months. Cases that reported SD and matched controls were included. Standardized questionnaires and medical record reviews were used to assess rates of pain at diagnosis, daily morphine equivalent doses, and opioid adverse effects. Sexual function was determined by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI; scores = 2-36) and the International Index of Erectile Function erectile function domain (IIEF-EF; scores = 1-30). Thirty-three percent of 33% of 750 patients with CNP recorded SD based on their spontaneous notification at the pain unit. Men reported SD significantly more frequently than women (33% vs 25%, respectively, P < .05), although they reported having a regular partner (84% vs 70%, P = .03) and a sexually active life (69% vs 34%, respectively, P = .00) significantly more often. FSFI scores were significantly influenced by sexual activity in lubrication and arousal. IIEF scores were significantly determined by age in satisfaction with sexual intercourse and overall satisfaction. The morphine equivalent dose was significant higher in men than in women (38%; median = 70 mg/d, interquartile range = 43.1-170, 115.5 ± 110.3 mg/d vs median = 60 mg/d, interquartile range = 30-100.6, 76.67 ± 63.79 mg/d, P = .016) at the same mean intensity of pain (P = .54), which correlated to FSFI scores (r = -0.313, P = .01). SD is prevalent in patients with CNP and higher in men who received a significantly higher mean opioid dose at the same intensity pain level than women. The morphine equivalent dose was correlated to SD intensity. Evidence-based interventions to support sexual activity and function in CNP are needed. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Deliberate self-injury functions and their clinical correlates among adolescent psychiatric inpatients.

PubMed

Radziwiłłowicz, Wioletta; Lewandowska, Magdalena

2017-04-30

The aim of the study was to analyze the relationships between clinical variables (the severity of depression symptoms, feelings towards the body, dissociation, number and type of traumatic events) and deliberate self-injury functions. Moreover, we investigated whether the of group self-mutilating adolescents is internally diverse in terms of how important individual functions of self-mutilation are, and whether the subgroups singled out by these functions differ between each other in terms of clinical variables. The Inventory of Statements about Self-Injury was used. Characterizations of examined individuals and other research tools are included in our previous article (year, issue, pages). Associated with negative feelings towards the body are the functions of self-injuries (anti-dissociation, self-punishment) that can be described as interpersonal. High levels of depression symptoms (self-depreciation included) are mainly associated with the self-injury functions: self-punishment, anti-dissociation, establishing interpersonal boundaries. Affect regulation becomes more important as a function of self-inflicted injuries in cases of biological dysregulation and intense dissociative symptoms. The adolescents psychiatric inpatients are internally diverse in terms of dominant functions of self-injuries, which can be categorized into intra- and interpersonal. Intrapersonal functions dominate when an individual experiences severe depression, dissociative symptoms, and negative feelings towards the body. In cases of moderate intensity of depression, dissociative symptoms and negative feelings towards the body, both intrapersonal and interpersonal functions of self-mutilation are similarly important. Further research is required to explain the lowest severity of depression symptoms, dissociative symptoms and negative feelings towards the body co-occurs with no awareness of self-injuries functions.

The innermost corona observed at the 1973 June 30 eclipse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanaoka, Yoichiro; Kanno, Mitsuo; Kurokawa, Hiroki; Tsubaki, Tokio

1986-07-01

Slitless flash spectrograms in heights below 8000 km above the solar limb were obtained by the University of Kyoto expedition at Atar, Mauritania. The integrated intensities of Fe XIV, Fe X, Fe XI, and the continuum are measured as a function of height above the solar limb at 11 points around the third contact point. It is found that a significant amount of the emission in Fe X originates in chromospheric levels well below 8000 km. This implies that the interspicular region of the chromosphere is occupied by coronal material. The average values of the electron temperature (0.9-1.1 million K) and the electron density in the interspicular region are derived from the Fe X and the Fe XI intensities (0.9-1 billion/cu cm) on the assumption of spherical symmetry. The intensity variations of the coronal lines and the continuum with position angle are also studied. Strong correlations between Fe XIV and the continuum and between Fe X and Fe XI are found. The Fe X intensities indicate a density fluctuation in the innermost corona by at least a factor of two.

Laser cooling of nuclear spin 0 alkali 78Rb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behr, J. A.; Gorelov, A.; Anholm, M.

2015-05-01

The textbook example for sub-Doppler cooling is a J = 1/2 I = 0 alkali atom in lin ⊥ lin molasses. In the σ+ σ- configuration of a standard MOT, the main sub-Doppler cooling mechanism relies on changing alignment (MF2 population) with the summed linear polarization orientation, but there is no such variation in AC Stark shift for F = 1/2. We have nevertheless looked for signs of sub-Doppler cooling by trapping I = 0 78Rb in a standard MOT and measuring the cloud size as a function of laser detuning and intensity. The 78Rb cloud size does not change significantly with lowered intensity, and expands slightly with detuning, consistent with minimal to no sub-Doppler cooling. Our geometry does show the well-known substantially smaller cloud size with detuning and intensity for I = 3/2 87Rb. Maintaining an I = 0 alkali cloud size with lowered intensity will help our planned β- ν correlation experiments in 38mK decay by suppressing possible production of photoassisted dimers. Supported by NSERC and NRC Canada through TRIUMF.

Effect of pressure on the α relaxation in glycerol and xylitol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paluch, M.; Casalini, R.; Hensel-Bielowka, S.; Roland, C. M.

2002-06-01

The effect of pressure on the dielectric relaxation of two polyhydroxy alcohols is examined by analysis of existing data on glycerol, together with new measurements on xylitol. The fragility, or Tg-normalized temperature dependence, changes with pressure for low pressures, but becomes invariant above 1 GPa. When compared at temperatures for which the α-relaxation times are equal, there is no effect of pressure (<1 GPa) on the shape of the α dispersion at higher temperatures. However, nearer Tg, pressure broadens the α peak, consistent with the expected correlation of fragility with the breadth of the relaxation function. We also observe that the α-relaxation peaks for both glycerol and xylitol show an excess intensity at higher frequencies. For xylitol, unlike for glycerol, at lower temperatures this wing disjoins to form a separate peak. For both glass formers, elevated pressure causes the excess wing to become more separated from the peak maximum; that is, the properties of the primary and excess intensities are not correlated. This implies that the excess wing in glycerol is also a distinct secondary process, although it cannot be resolved from the primary peak.

Nonarticular tenderness and functional status in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

PubMed

Mader, Reuven; Novofastovski, Irina; Rosner, Ehud; Adawi, Muhammad; Herer, Paula; Buskila, Dan

2010-09-01

To investigate the degree of nonarticular tenderness and functional status in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). We assessed these variables' correlation with their clinical, radiographic, and constitutional measurements and with metabolic syndrome (MS). Eighty-seven patients with DISH were compared with 65 controls without DISH. Examination of nonarticular tenderness was performed by thumb palpation. Tenderness was scored for the 18 fibromyalgia tender points (TP), and 4 control points. Nonarticular tenderness was expressed by the number of TP and by the total tenderness score (TTS). The Short Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ II) was administered to all participants. Clinical and laboratory data were collected from all patients. Patients were classified as having MS by both the National Cholesterol Education Program and World Health Organization definitions. There was a statistically significant difference in TTS between controls and patients with DISH. The mean tenderness of many individual TP was significantly higher in the DISH group compared with the control group. TP counts, TTS, and body mass index (BMI) positively correlated with the HAQ II. There was a linear trend in intensity of T-spine bony bridges (BB) and the total number of TP as well as many individual TP. Patients with DISH were more likely to be affected by MS. No correlation was found between TP count, TTS, and MS. Patients with DISH have a lower pain threshold than patients who do not have DISH. TP count and TTS correlate with the functional status, BMI, waist circumference, and high-grade BB. No correlation was observed between pain threshold and MS.

Does Snoring Intensity Correlate with the Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

PubMed Central

Maimon, Nimrod; Hanly, Patrick J.

2010-01-01

Study Objectives: It is commonly believed that louder snoring is associated with more severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We evaluated the association between snoring intensity and the severity of OSA to better understand this clinical correlation. We also investigated the relationships between body mass index (BMI), neck size, sleep stage, and body position with the intensity of snoring. Methods: Overnight polysomnography, including objective measurement of snoring intensity, in 1643 habitual snorers referred for evaluation of sleep apnea. Results: Sixty-five percent of patients were male; the cohort had a mean age of 48.7 ± 13.7 y and BMI of 30.9 ± 8.8 kg/m2. The mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 28.2 ± 26. The severity of OSA was graded as no OSA (AHI < 5), mild (AHI 5 to 15), moderate (AHI 15 to 30), severe (AHI 30 to 50), and very severe OSA (AHI > 50). Snoring intensity increased progressively across all 5 categories of AHI frequency and ranged from 46.3 ± 3.6 db in patients with AHI < 5 to 60.5 ± 6.4 db in those with AHI > 50. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the intensity of snoring and the AHI (r = 0.66, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The intensity of snoring increases as OSA becomes more severe. Citation: Maimon N; Hanly PJ. Does snoring intensity correlate with the severity of obstructive sleep apnea? J Clin Sleep Med 2010;6(5):475-478. PMID:20957849

Potency backprojection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuwaki, R.; Kasahara, A.; Yagi, Y.

2017-12-01

The backprojection (BP) method has been one of the powerful tools of tracking seismic-wave sources of the large/mega earthquakes. The BP method projects waveforms onto a possible source point by stacking them with the theoretical-travel-time shifts between the source point and the stations. Following the BP method, the hybrid backprojection (HBP) method was developed to enhance depth-resolution of projected images and mitigate the dummy imaging of the depth phases, which are shortcomings of the BP method, by stacking cross-correlation functions of the observed waveforms and theoretically calculated Green's functions (GFs). The signal-intensity of the BP/HBP image at a source point is related to how much of observed waveforms was radiated from that point. Since the amplitude of the GF associated with the slip-rate increases with depth as the rigidity increases with depth, the intensity of the BP/HBP image inherently has depth dependence. To make a direct comparison of the BP/HBP image with the corresponding slip distribution inferred from a waveform inversion, and discuss the rupture properties along the fault drawn from the waveforms in high- and low-frequencies with the BP/HBP methods and the waveform inversion, respectively, it is desirable to have the variants of BP/HBP methods that directly image the potency-rate-density distribution. Here we propose new formulations of the BP/HBP methods, which image the distribution of the potency-rate density by introducing alternative normalizing factors in the conventional formulations. For the BP method, the observed waveform is normalized with the maximum amplitude of P-phase of the corresponding GF. For the HBP method, we normalize the cross-correlation function with the squared-sum of the GF. The normalized waveforms or the cross-correlation functions are then stacked for all the stations to enhance the signal to noise ratio. We will present performance-tests of the new formulations by using synthetic waveforms and the real data of the Mw 8.3 2015 Illapel Chile earthquake, and further discuss the limitations of the new BP/HBP methods proposed in this study when they are used for exploring the rupture properties of the earthquakes.

High-Intensity Locomotor Exercise Increases Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Individuals with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Leech, Kristan A.

2017-01-01

Abstract High-intensity locomotor exercise is suggested to contribute to improved recovery of locomotor function after neurological injury. This may be secondary to exercise-intensity–dependent increases in neurotrophin expression demonstrated previously in control subjects. However, rigorous examination of intensity-dependent changes in neurotrophin levels is lacking in individuals with motor incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of locomotor exercise intensity on peripheral levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in individuals with incomplete SCI. We also explored the impact of the Val66Met single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on the BDNF gene on intensity-dependent changes. Serum concentrations of BDNF and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), as well as measures of cardiorespiratory dynamics, were evaluated across different levels of exercise intensity achieved during a graded-intensity, locomotor exercise paradigm in 11 individuals with incomplete SCI. Our results demonstrate a significant increase in serum BDNF at high, as compared to moderate, exercise intensities (p = 0.01) and 15 and 30 min post-exercise (p < 0.01 for both), with comparison to changes at low intensity approaching significance (p = 0.05). Serum IGF-1 demonstrated no intensity-dependent changes. Significant correlations were observed between changes in BDNF and specific indicators of exercise intensity (e.g., rating of perceived exertion; R = 0.43; p = 0.02). Additionally, the data suggest that Val66Met SNP carriers may not exhibit intensity-dependent changes in serum BDNF concentration. Given the known role of BDNF in experience-dependent neuroplasticity, these preliminary results suggest that exercise intensity modulates serum BDNF concentrations and may be an important parameter of physical rehabilitation interventions after neurological injury. PMID:27526567

Effect of intensive insulin treatment on plasma levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 and secretory phospholipase A2 in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Lin, Xiu-Hong; Xu, Ming-Tong; Tang, Jv-Ying; Mai, Li-Fang; Wang, Xiao-Yi; Ren, Meng; Yan, Li

2016-11-23

China has the highest absolute disease burden of diabetes worldwide. For diabetic patients, diabetes-related vascular complications are major causes of morbidity and mortality. The roles of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A 2 (Lp-PLA 2 ) and secretory phospholipase A 2 (sPLA 2 ) as inflammatory markers have been recently evaluated in the pathogenesis of both diabetes and atherosclerosis. We aimed to determine the mechanism through which patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes gain long-term vascular benefit from intensive insulin therapy by evaluating the change in Lp-PLA 2 and sPLA 2 levels after early intensive insulin treatment and its relevance with insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell function. In total, 90 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled. All patients received continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) for approximately 2 weeks. Intravenous glucose-tolerance test (IVGTT) and oral glucose-tolerance test (OGTT) were performed, and plasma concentrations of Lp-PLA 2 and sPLA 2 were measured before and after CSII. Levels of Lp-PLA 2 and sPLA 2 were significantly higher in diabetic patients with macroangiopathy than in those without (P < 0.05). After CSII, the sPLA 2 level decreased significantly in all diabetic patients (P < 0.05), while the Lp-PLA2 level changed only in those with macroangiopathy (P < 0.05). The area under the curve of insulin in IVGTT and OGTT, the acute insulin response (AIR 3-5 ), early phase of insulin secretion (ΔIns30/ΔG30), modified β-cell function index, and homeostatic model assessment for β-cell function (HOMA-β) increased after treatment even when adjusted for the influence of insulin resistance (IR; P < 0.001). The HOMA-IR was lower after treatment, and the three other indicators adopted to estimate insulin sensitivity (ISI ced , IAI, and QUICKI) were higher after treatment (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the decrease in the Lp-PLA 2 and sPLA 2 levels was positively correlated with a reduction in HOMA-IR after CSII (P < 0.05). Additionally, multiple linear regression analysis showed that Lp-PLA 2 and sPLA 2 independently correlated with HOMA-IR (P < 0.05). Lp-PLA 2 and sPLA 2 are closely related to insulin resistance and macroangiopathy in diabetic patients. Intensive insulin therapy might help improve IR and protect against diabetic macroangiopathy by influencing the Lp-PLA 2 and sPLA 2 levels. ChiCTR-TRC-10001618 2010 September 16.

Chronicity and remission of fatigue in patients with established HIV infection.

PubMed

Pence, Brian Wells; Barroso, Julie; Harmon, James L; Leserman, Jane; Salahuddin, Naima; Hammill, Bradley G

2009-04-01

Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating complaints of HIV-positive individuals, potentially leading to important functional limitations. We recruited 128 HIV-positive individuals (fatigued and nonfatigued) between March 2005 and May 2006; 66% were male, 66% were African American, 45% had greater than a high school education, 67% were unemployed, and ages ranged from 26-66 (median, 44). Every 3 months for 15 months, participants completed a 56-item self-report fatigue scale developed and validated by the authors. Participants were classified as fatigued or not fatigued at each assessment and received scores for fatigue intensity and impact of fatigue on functioning. We used linear mixed-effects models to assess longitudinal variation in fatigue scores and generalized estimating equations for binary outcomes to model predictors of fatigue remission among those fatigued at baseline. At baseline, 88% of the sample was fatigued. Fatigue measures were highly correlated across time points (rho 0.63-0.85 [intensity], 0.63-0.80 [functioning]) and showed no evidence of overall improvement, deterioration, or convergence over time. Predictors of lower fatigue scores included higher income, employment, longer time since HIV diagnosis, and antiretroviral therapy use. Those employed at baseline were likely to show improvements in fatigue while those unemployed were not. Of those fatigued at baseline, 11% experienced remission during follow-up; remission was associated with Caucasian race and employment. In summary, fatigue intensity and related functional limitations were persistent, stable, and unlikely to remit over 15 months of follow-up in this sample of patients with established HIV infection.

Abnormal structure and functional connectivity of the anterior insula at pain-free periovulation is associated with perceived pain during menstruation.

PubMed

Dun, Wang-Huan; Yang, Jing; Yang, Ling; Ding, Dun; Ma, Xue-Ying; Liang, Feng-Li; von Deneen, Karen M; Ma, Shao-Hui; Xu, Xiao-Ling; Liu, Jixin; Zhang, Ming

2017-12-01

Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the critical role of the insula in pain pathways and its close relation with the perceived intensity of nociceptive stimuli. We aimed to identify the structural and functional characteristics of the insula during periovulatory phase in women with primary dysmenorrhea (PDM), and further investigate its association with the intensity of perceived pain during menstruation. Optimized voxel-based morphometry and functional connectivity (FC) analyses were applied by using 3-dimensional T1-weighted and resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 36 patients at the peri-ovulation phase and 29 age-, education-, and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to examine the intensity of the abdominal pain at periovulation and menstruation. In our results, PDM patients had significant higher VAS-rating during menstruaion than periovulation. Compared with the HC, PDM patients had lower gray matter density in the left anterior insula (aINS). Taken the left aINS as a seed region, we further found hypoconnectivity between aINS and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which showed negative relation with the VAS during menstruation. As the aINS is a key site of the salience network (SN) and the mPFC is a critical region in the default mode network (DMN), it's implicated a trait-related central-alteration that communications between pain attention and perception networks were disrupted without the ongoing menstrual pain. Moreover, result of correlation analysis, at least in part, suggested a possible role of altered FC (pain-free period) in predicting pain perception (menstruation).

Bathyphotometer bioluminescence potential measurements: A framework for characterizing flow agitators and predicting flow-stimulated bioluminescence intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latz, Michael I.; Rohr, Jim

2013-07-01

Bathyphotometer measurements of bioluminescence are used as a proxy for the abundance of luminescent organisms for studying population dynamics; the interaction of luminescent organisms with physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic processes; and spatial complexity especially in coastal areas. However, the usefulness of bioluminescence measurements has been limited by the inability to compare results from different bathyphotometer designs, or even the same bathyphotometer operating at different volume flow rates. The primary objective of this study was to compare measurements of stimulated bioluminescence of four species of cultured dinoflagellates, the most common source of bioluminescence in coastal waters, using two different bathyphotometer flow agitators as a function of bathyphotometer volume flow rate and dinoflagellate concentration. For both the NOSC and BIOLITE flow agitators and each species of dinoflagellate tested, there was a critical volume flow rate, above which average bioluminescence intensity, designated as bathyphotometer bioluminescence potential (BBP), remained relatively constant and scaled directly with dinoflagellate cell concentration. At supra-critical volume flow rates, the ratio of BIOLITE to NOSC BBP was nearly constant for the same species studied, but varied between species. The spatial pattern and residence time of flash trajectories within the NOSC flow agitator indicated the presence of dominant secondary recirculating flows, where most of the bioluminescence was detected. A secondary objective (appearing in the Appendix) was to study the feasibility of using NOSC BBP to scale flow-stimulated bioluminescence intensity across similar flow fields, where the contributing composition of luminescent species remained the same. Fully developed turbulent pipe flow was chosen because it is hydrodynamically well characterized. Average bioluminescence intensity in a 2.54-cm i.d. pipe was highly correlated with wall shear stress and BBP. This correlation, when further scaled by pipe diameter, effectively predicted bioluminescence intensity in fully developed turbulent flow in a 0.83-cm i.d. pipe. Determining similar correlations between other bathyphotometer flow agitators and flow fields will allow bioluminescence potential measurements to become a more powerful tool for the oceanographic community.

An update on the correlation between the cosmic radiation intensity and the geomagnetic AA index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shea, M. A.; Smart, D. F.

1985-01-01

A statistical study between the cosmic ray intensity, as observed by a neutron monitor, and of the geomagnetic aa index, as representative of perturbations in the plasma and interplanetary magnetic field in the heliosphere, has been updated to specifically exclude time periods around the reversal of the solar magnetic field. The results of this study show a strong negative correlation for the period 1960 through 1968 with a correlation coefficient of approximately -0.86. However, there is essentially no correlation between the cosmic ray intensity and the aa index for the period 1972-1979 (i.e. correlation coefficient less than 0.16). These results would appear to support the theory of preferential particle propagation into the heliosphere vis the ecliptic during the period 1960-1968 and via the solar polar regions during 1972-1979.

Statistical properties of swarms of self-propelled particles with repulsions across the order-disorder transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romenskyy, Maksym; Lobaskin, Vladimir

2013-03-01

We study dynamic self-organisation and order-disorder transitions in a two-dimensional system of self-propelled particles. Our model is a variation of the Vicsek model, where particles align the motion to their neighbours but repel each other at short distances. We use computer simulations to measure the orientational order parameter for particle velocities as a function of intensity of internal noise or particle density. We show that in addition to the transition to an ordered state on increasing the particle density, as reported previously, there exists a transition into a disordered phase at the higher densities, which can be attributed to the destructive action of the repulsions. We demonstrate that the transition into the ordered phase is accompanied by the onset of algebraic behaviour of the two-point velocity correlation function and by a non-monotonous variation of the velocity relaxation time. The critical exponent for the decay of the velocity correlation function in the ordered phase depends on particle concentration at low densities but assumes a universal value in more dense systems.

Accurate B-spline-based 3-D interpolation scheme for digital volume correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Maodong; Liang, Jin; Wei, Bin

2016-12-01

An accurate and efficient 3-D interpolation scheme, based on sampling theorem and Fourier transform technique, is proposed to reduce the sub-voxel matching error caused by intensity interpolation bias in digital volume correlation. First, the influence factors of the interpolation bias are investigated theoretically using the transfer function of an interpolation filter (henceforth filter) in the Fourier domain. A law that the positional error of a filter can be expressed as a function of fractional position and wave number is found. Then, considering the above factors, an optimized B-spline-based recursive filter, combining B-spline transforms and least squares optimization method, is designed to virtually eliminate the interpolation bias in the process of sub-voxel matching. Besides, given each volumetric image containing different wave number ranges, a Gaussian weighting function is constructed to emphasize or suppress certain of wave number ranges based on the Fourier spectrum analysis. Finally, a novel software is developed and series of validation experiments were carried out to verify the proposed scheme. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme can reduce the interpolation bias to an acceptable level.

Collision-induced light scattering in a thin xenon layer between graphite slabs - MD study.

PubMed

Dawid, A; Górny, K; Wojcieszyk, D; Dendzik, Z; Gburski, Z

2014-08-14

The collision-induced light scattering many-body correlation functions and their spectra in thin xenon layer located between two parallel graphite slabs have been investigated by molecular dynamics computer simulations. The results have been obtained at three different distances (densities) between graphite slabs. Our simulations show the increased intensity of the interaction-induced light scattering spectra at low frequencies for xenon atoms in confined space, in comparison to the bulk xenon sample. Moreover, we show substantial dependence of the interaction-induced light scattering correlation functions of xenon on the distances between graphite slabs. The dynamics of xenon atoms in a confined space was also investigated by calculating the mean square displacement functions and related diffusion coefficients. The structural property of confined xenon layer was studied by calculating the density profile, perpendicular to the graphite slabs. Building of a fluid phase of xenon in the innermost part of the slot was observed. The nonlinear dependence of xenon diffusion coefficient on the separation distance between graphite slabs has been found. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Hypnosis and pain perception: An Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies.

PubMed

Del Casale, Antonio; Ferracuti, Stefano; Rapinesi, Chiara; De Rossi, Pietro; Angeletti, Gloria; Sani, Gabriele; Kotzalidis, Georgios D; Girardi, Paolo

2015-12-01

Several studies reported that hypnosis can modulate pain perception and tolerance by affecting cortical and subcortical activity in brain regions involved in these processes. We conducted an Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis on functional neuroimaging studies of pain perception under hypnosis to identify brain activation-deactivation patterns occurring during hypnotic suggestions aiming at pain reduction, including hypnotic analgesic, pleasant, or depersonalization suggestions (HASs). We searched the PubMed, Embase and PsycInfo databases; we included papers published in peer-reviewed journals dealing with functional neuroimaging and hypnosis-modulated pain perception. The ALE meta-analysis encompassed data from 75 healthy volunteers reported in 8 functional neuroimaging studies. HASs during experimentally-induced pain compared to control conditions correlated with significant activations of the right anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann's Area [BA] 32), left superior frontal gyrus (BA 6), and right insula, and deactivation of right midline nuclei of the thalamus. HASs during experimental pain impact both cortical and subcortical brain activity. The anterior cingulate, left superior frontal, and right insular cortices activation increases could induce a thalamic deactivation (top-down inhibition), which may correlate with reductions in pain intensity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pain in methadone patients: Time to address undertreatment and suicide risk (ANRS-Methaville trial)

PubMed Central

Nordmann, Sandra; Vilotitch, Antoine; Lions, Caroline; Michel, Laurent; Mora, Marion; Spire, Bruno; Maradan, Gwenaelle; Bendiane, Marc-Karim; Morel, Alain; Roux, Perrine; Carrieri, Patrizia

2017-01-01

Background Pain in opioid-dependent patients is common but data measuring the course of pain (and its correlates) using validated scales in patients initiating methadone treatment are sparse. We aimed to assess pain and its interference in daily life, associated correlates, and undertreatment before and during methadone treatment. Methods This is a secondary analysis using longitudinal data of a randomized trial comparing two methadone initiation models. We assessed the effect of methadone initiation and other correlates on pain intensity and interference (using the Brief Pain Inventory) at months 0, 6 and 12 using a mixed multinomial logistic regression model. Results The study group comprised 168 patients who had data for either pain intensity or interference for at least one visit. Moderate to severe pain was reported in 12.9% of patients at M0, 5.4% at M6 and 7.3% at M12. Substantial interference with daily functioning was reported in 36.0% at M0, 14.5% at M6 and 17.1% at M12. Of the 98 visits where patients reported moderate to severe pain or substantial interference, 55.1% reported no treatment for pain relief, non-opioid analgesics were reported by 34.7%, opioid analgesics by 3.1% and both opioid and non-opioid analgesics by 7.1%. Methadone was associated with decreased pain intensity at 6 months (OR = 0.29, p = 0.04) and 12 months (OR = 0.30, p = 0.05) of follow-up and tended to be associated with substantial pain interference. Suicide risk was associated with both pain intensity and pain interference. Conclusions Methadone in opioid-dependent patients can reduce pain. However, undertreatment of pain in methadone patients remains a major clinical concern. Patients with pain are at higher risk of suicide. Adequate screening and management of pain in this population is a priority and needs to be integrated into routine comprehensive care. PMID:28520735

Serotonergic psychedelics temporarily modify information transfer in humans.

PubMed

Alonso, Joan Francesc; Romero, Sergio; Mañanas, Miquel Àngel; Riba, Jordi

2015-03-28

Psychedelics induce intense modifications in the sensorium, the sense of "self," and the experience of reality. Despite advances in our understanding of the molecular and cellular level mechanisms of these drugs, knowledge of their actions on global brain dynamics is still incomplete. Recent imaging studies have found changes in functional coupling between frontal and parietal brain structures, suggesting a modification in information flow between brain regions during acute effects. Here we assessed the psychedelic-induced changes in directionality of information flow during the acute effects of a psychedelic in humans. We measured modifications in connectivity of brain oscillations using transfer entropy, a nonlinear measure of directed functional connectivity based on information theory. Ten healthy male volunteers with prior experience with psychedelics participated in 2 experimental sessions. They received a placebo or a dose of ayahuasca, a psychedelic preparation containing the serotonergic 5-HT2A agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine. The analysis showed significant changes in the coupling of brain oscillations between anterior and posterior recording sites. Transfer entropy analysis showed that frontal sources decreased their influence over central, parietal, and occipital sites. Conversely, sources in posterior locations increased their influence over signals measured at anterior locations. Exploratory correlations found that anterior-to-posterior transfer entropy decreases were correlated with the intensity of subjective effects, while the imbalance between anterior-to-posterior and posterior-to-anterior transfer entropy correlated with the degree of incapacitation experienced. These results suggest that psychedelics induce a temporary disruption of neural hierarchies by reducing top-down control and increasing bottom-up information transfer in the human brain. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

An adipose segmentation and quantification scheme for the intra abdominal region on minipigs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engholm, Rasmus; Dubinskiy, Aleksandr; Larsen, Rasmus; Hanson, Lars G.; Christoffersen, Berit Østergaard

2006-03-01

This article describes a method for automatic segmentation of the abdomen into three anatomical regions: subcutaneous, retroperitoneal and visceral. For the last two regions the amount of adipose tissue (fat) is quantified. According to recent medical research, the distinction between retroperitoneal and visceral fat is important for studying metabolic syndrome, which is closely related to diabetes. However previous work has neglected to address this point, treating the two types of fat together. We use T1-weighted three-dimensional magnetic resonance data of the abdomen of obese minipigs. The pigs were manually dissected right after the scan, to produce the "ground truth" segmentation. We perform automatic segmentation on a representative slice, which on humans has been shown to correlate with the amount of adipose tissue in the abdomen. The process of automatic fat estimation consists of three steps. First, the subcutaneous fat is removed with a modified active contour approach. The energy formulation of the active contour exploits the homogeneous nature of the subcutaneous fat and the smoothness of the boundary. Subsequently the retroperitoneal fat located around the abdominal cavity is separated from the visceral fat. For this, we formulate a cost function on a contour, based on intensities, edges, distance to center and smoothness, so as to exploit the properties of the retroperitoneal fat. We then globally optimize this function using dynamic programming. Finally, the fat content of the retroperitoneal and visceral regions is quantified based on a fuzzy c-means clustering of the intensities within the segmented regions. The segmentation proved satisfactory by visual inspection, and closely correlated with the manual dissection data. The correlation was 0.89 for the retroperitoneal fat, and 0.74 for the visceral fat.

Does hemiplegic shoulder pain share clinical and sensory characteristics with central neuropathic pain? A comparative study.

PubMed

Zeilig, Gabi; Rivel, Michal; Doron, Dana; Defrin, Ruth

2016-10-01

Hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) is a common poststroke complication and is considered to be a chronic pain syndrome. It is negatively correlated with the functional recovery of the affected arm and the quality of life of the individual. It also leads to a longer length of stay in rehabilitation. Today, there is no consensus as to the underlying mechanism causing HSP, making the syndrome difficult to treat. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and sensory profile of individuals with HSP to that of individuals with established central neuropathic pain (CNP) in order to identify common features and the presence of neuropathic components in HSP. Cross sectional controlled study. Outpatient rehabilitation clinics. Sixteen chronic HSP patients and 18 chronic CNP patients with spinal cord injury (SCI-CNP). The chronic pain characteristics, thresholds of thermal and tactile sensations and presence of pathological sensations were compared between groups, and between painful and pain free body regions within groups. Correlations were calculated between HSP intensity and sensory and musculoskeletal characteristics. Patients with HSP and patients with SCI-CNP had similar decrease of thermal sensibility in the painful compared to intact body regions and both groups presented similar rates of pathological sensations in painful regions. HSP and SCI-CNP differed however, in the quality of pain and aggravating factors. Significant correlations were found between HSP intensity and heat-pain threshold, presence of subluxation and spasticity. The similarities between HSP and SCI-CNP and the altered spinothalamic function and sensitization suggest that HSP has neuropathic components in its mechanism. Nevertheless, the unique features of HSP point towards additional possible mechanisms. The use of specific therapy options for neuropathic pain should be considered when treating patients with HSP.

Data mining graphene: Correlative analysis of structure and electronic degrees of freedom in graphenic monolayers with defects

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

Ziatdinov, Maxim A.; Fujii, Shintaro; Kiguchi, Manabu

The link between changes in the material crystal structure and its mechanical, electronic, magnetic, and optical functionalities known as the structure-property relationship is the cornerstone of the contemporary materials science research. The recent advances in scanning transmission electron and scanning probe microscopies (STEM and SPM) have opened an unprecedented path towards examining the materials structure property relationships on the single-impurity and atomic-configuration levels. Lacking, however, are the statistics-based approaches for cross-correlation of structure and property variables obtained in different information channels of the STEM and SPM experiments. Here we have designed an approach based on a combination of sliding windowmore » Fast Fourier Transform, Pearson correlation matrix, linear and kernel canonical correlation, to study a relationship between lattice distortions and electron scattering from the SPM data on graphene with defects. Our analysis revealed that the strength of coupling to strain is altered between different scattering channels which can explain coexistence of several quasiparticle interference patterns in the nanoscale regions of interest. In addition, the application of the kernel functions allowed us extracting a non-linear component of the relationship between the lattice strain and scattering intensity in graphene. Lastly, the outlined approach can be further utilized to analyzing correlations in various multi-modal imaging techniques where the information of interest is spatially distributed and has usually a complex multidimensional nature.« less

Data mining graphene: Correlative analysis of structure and electronic degrees of freedom in graphenic monolayers with defects

DOE PAGES

Ziatdinov, Maxim A.; Fujii, Shintaro; Kiguchi, Manabu; ...

2016-11-09

The link between changes in the material crystal structure and its mechanical, electronic, magnetic, and optical functionalities known as the structure-property relationship is the cornerstone of the contemporary materials science research. The recent advances in scanning transmission electron and scanning probe microscopies (STEM and SPM) have opened an unprecedented path towards examining the materials structure property relationships on the single-impurity and atomic-configuration levels. Lacking, however, are the statistics-based approaches for cross-correlation of structure and property variables obtained in different information channels of the STEM and SPM experiments. Here we have designed an approach based on a combination of sliding windowmore » Fast Fourier Transform, Pearson correlation matrix, linear and kernel canonical correlation, to study a relationship between lattice distortions and electron scattering from the SPM data on graphene with defects. Our analysis revealed that the strength of coupling to strain is altered between different scattering channels which can explain coexistence of several quasiparticle interference patterns in the nanoscale regions of interest. In addition, the application of the kernel functions allowed us extracting a non-linear component of the relationship between the lattice strain and scattering intensity in graphene. Lastly, the outlined approach can be further utilized to analyzing correlations in various multi-modal imaging techniques where the information of interest is spatially distributed and has usually a complex multidimensional nature.« less

Super-resolution study of polymer mobility fluctuations near c*.

PubMed

King, John T; Yu, Changqian; Wilson, William L; Granick, Steve

2014-09-23

Nanoscale dynamic heterogeneities in synthetic polymer solutions are detected using super-resolution optical microscopy. To this end, we map concentration fluctuations in polystyrene-toluene solutions with spatial resolution below the diffraction limit, focusing on critical fluctuations near the polymer overlap concentration, c*. Two-photon super-resolution microscopy was adapted to be applicable in an organic solvent, and a home-built STED-FCS system with stimulated emission depletion (STED) was used to perform fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). The polystyrene serving as the tracer probe (670 kg mol(-1), radius of gyration RG ≈ 35 nm, end-labeled with a bodipy derivative chromophore) was dissolved in toluene at room temperature (good solvent) and mixed with matrix polystyrene (3,840 kg mol(-1), RG ≈ 97 nm, Mw/Mn = 1.04) whose concentration was varied from dilute to more than 10c*. Whereas for dilute solutions the intensity-intensity correlation function follows a single diffusion process, it splits starting at c* to imply an additional relaxation process provided that the experimental focal area does not greatly exceed the polymer blob size. We identify the slower mode as self-diffusion and the increasingly rapid mode as correlated segment fluctuations that reflect the cooperative diffusion coefficient, Dcoop. These real-space measurements find quantitative agreement between correlation lengths inferred from dynamic measurements and those from determining the limit below which diffusion coefficients are independent of spot size. This study is considered to illustrate the potential of importing into polymer science the techniques of super-resolution imaging.

Common Prairie feeds with different soluble and insoluble fractions used for CPM diet formulation in dairy cattle: impact of carbohydrate-protein matrix structure on protein and other primary nutrient digestion.

PubMed

Peng, Quanhui; Wang, Zhisheng; Zhang, Xuewei; Yu, Peiqiang

2014-01-01

An experiment was conducted to investigate the relationship of carbohydrates molecular spectral characteristics to rumen degradability of primary nutrients in Prairie feeds in dairy cattle. In total, 12 different types of feeds were selected, each type of feed was from three different source with total 37 samples. Six types of them were energy-sourced feeds and the others were protein-sourced feeds. The carbohydrates molecular spectral intensity of various functional groups were collected using Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflectance (ATR-FT/IR) spectroscopy. In the in situ study, the results showed that the rumen digestibility and digestible fractions of primary nutrients (DM, OM, NCP, and CP) were significantly different (P<0.05) among the feeds. The spectral bands features were significantly different (P<0.05) among the feeds. Spectral intensities of A_Cell, H_1415 and H_1370 were weakly positively correlated with in situ rumen digestibility and digestible fractions of DM, OM and NCP. Spectral intensities of H_1150, H_1015, A_1, and A_3 were weakly negatively associated with in situ rumen degradation of CP. Spectral intensities of A_1240 and H_1240, mainly associated with cellulosic compounds, were correlated with rumen CP degradation. The multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the spectral intensities of A_3 and H_1415 played the most important role and could be used as a potential tool to predict rumen protein degradation of feeds in dairy cattle. In conclusion, this study showed that the carbohydrates as a whole have an effect on protein rumen degradation, rather than cellulose alone, indicating carbohydrate-protein matrix structure impact protein utilization in dairy cattle. The non-invasive molecular spectral technique (ATR-FT/IR) could be used as a rapid potential tool to predict rumen protein degradation of feedstuffs by using molecular spectral bands intensities in carbohydrate fingerprint region. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Common Prairie feeds with different soluble and insoluble fractions used for CPM diet formulation in dairy cattle: Impact of carbohydrate-protein matrix structure on protein and other primary nutrient digestion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Quanhui; Wang, Zhisheng; Zhang, Xuewei; Yu, Peiqiang

2014-03-01

An experiment was conducted to investigate the relationship of carbohydrates molecular spectral characteristics to rumen degradability of primary nutrients in Prairie feeds in dairy cattle. In total, 12 different types of feeds were selected, each type of feed was from three different source with total 37 samples. Six types of them were energy-sourced feeds and the others were protein-sourced feeds. The carbohydrates molecular spectral intensity of various functional groups were collected using Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflectance (ATR-FT/IR) spectroscopy. In the in situ study, the results showed that the rumen digestibility and digestible fractions of primary nutrients (DM, OM, NCP, and CP) were significantly different (P < 0.05) among the feeds. The spectral bands features were significantly different (P < 0.05) among the feeds. Spectral intensities of A_Cell, H_1415 and H_1370 were weakly positively correlated with in situ rumen digestibility and digestible fractions of DM, OM and NCP. Spectral intensities of H_1150, H_1015, A_1, and A_3 were weakly negatively associated with in situ rumen degradation of CP. Spectral intensities of A_1240 and H_1240, mainly associated with cellulosic compounds, were correlated with rumen CP degradation. The multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the spectral intensities of A_3 and H_1415 played the most important role and could be used as a potential tool to predict rumen protein degradation of feeds in dairy cattle. In conclusion, this study showed that the carbohydrates as a whole have an effect on protein rumen degradation, rather than cellulose alone, indicating carbohydrate-protein matrix structure impact protein utilization in dairy cattle. The non-invasive molecular spectral technique (ATR-FT/IR) could be used as a rapid potential tool to predict rumen protein degradation of feedstuffs by using molecular spectral bands intensities in carbohydrate fingerprint region.

A theoretical description of the polarization dependence of the sum frequency generation spectroscopy of the water/vapor interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, Angela; Neipert, Christine; Kasprzyk, Christina Ridley; Green, Tony; Space, Brian; Moore, Preston B.

2005-10-01

An improved time correlation function (TCF) description of sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy was developed and applied to theoretically describing the spectroscopy of the ambient water/vapor interface. A more general TCF expression than was published previously is presented—it is valid over the entire vibrational spectrum for both the real and imaginary parts of the signal. Computationally, earlier time correlation function approaches were limited to short correlation times that made signal processing challenging. Here, this limitation is overcome, and well-averaged spectra are presented for the three independent polarization conditions that are possible for electronically nonresonant SFG. The theoretical spectra compare quite favorably in shape and relative magnitude to extant experimental results in the O H stretching region of water for all polarization geometries. The methodological improvements also allow the calculation of intermolecular SFG spectra. While the intermolecular spectrum of bulk water shows relatively little structure, the interfacial spectra (for polarizations that are sensitive to dipole derivatives normal to the interface—SSP and PPP) show a well-defined intermolecular mode at 875cm-1 that is comparable in intensity to the rest of the intermolecular structure, and has an intensity that is approximately one-sixth of the magnitude of the intense free OH stretching peak. Using instantaneous normal mode methods, the resonance is shown to be due to a wagging mode localized on a single water molecule, almost parallel to the interface, with two hydrogens displaced normal to the interface, and the oxygen anchored in the interface. We have also uncovered the origin of another intermolecular mode at 95cm-1 for the SSP and PPP spectra, and at 220cm-1 for the SPS spectra. These resonances are due to hindered translations perpendicular to the interface for the SSP and PPP spectra, and translations parallel to the interface for the SPS spectra. Further, by examining the real and imaginary parts of the SFG signal, several resonances are shown to be due to a single spectroscopic species while the "donor" OH region is shown to consist of three distinct species—consistent with an earlier experimental analysis.

Communication: Effect of accidental mode degeneracy on Raman intensity in 2D materials: Hybrid functional study of bilayer phosphorene

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

Sun, Yi-Yang; Zhang, Shengbai

2016-07-14

Bulk black phosphorus has two optical phonon modes labeled as A{sub g}{sup 2} and B{sub 2u}, respectively, that are nearly degenerate in frequency. However, density functional theory calculations using local or semi-local functionals cannot reproduce this degeneracy. Here, we propose a hybrid functional approach aided by van der Waals (vdW) force fields, which can accurately describe the lattice dynamic and electronic properties of both bulk and few-layer black phosphorus (phosphorene). Using this approach we show that in bilayer phosphorene, the two Raman modes derived from the B{sub 2u} and A{sub g}{sup 2} modes could exhibit strong resonance as a resultmore » of the accidental degeneracy so that both modes could be observed in Raman experiment. Without the mode degeneracy, however, the Raman intensity of the B{sub 2u}-derived mode would be too weak to be observed. We further show that the accidental degeneracy is correlated to the applied strain, which enables Raman spectroscopy to be a powerful tool for characterizing built-in strains in 2D materials, e.g., due to the interaction with substrates, which has emerged as an important issue in vdW epitaxy.« less

Responsiveness of pain and disability measures for chronic whiplash.

PubMed

Stewart, Mark; Maher, Christopher G; Refshauge, Kathryn M; Bogduk, Nikolai; Nicholas, Michael

2007-03-01

Cohort study. To evaluate the responsiveness of common pain and disability measures in a cohort of patients with chronic whiplash. Pain and disability are routinely measured in clinical practice and clinical research. However, to date, a head-to-head comparison of competing measures for whiplash patients has not been performed. Pain (pain intensity, bothersomeness, and SF-36 bodily pain score) and disability (Patient Specific Functional Scale, Neck Disability Index, Functional Rating Index, Copenhagen Scale, and SF-36 physical summary) measures were completed by 132 patients with chronic whiplash at baseline and then again after 6 weeks together with an 11-point global perceived effect scale. Internal responsiveness was evaluated by calculating effect sizes and standardized response means, and external responsiveness by correlating change scores with global perceived effect scores and by ROC curves. The ranking of responsiveness was consistent across the different analyses. Pain bothersomeness was more responsive than pain intensity, which was more responsive than the SF-36 pain measure. The Patient Specific Functional Scale was the most responsive disability measure, followed by the spine-specific measures, with the SF-36 physical summary measure the least responsive. Pain bothersomeness and the Patient Specific Functional Scale provide the most responsive measures of pain and disability, respectively, in patients with chronic whiplash.

Effect of deafferentation from spinal anesthesia on pain sensitivity and resting-state functional brain connectivity in healthy male volunteers.

PubMed

Niesters, Marieke; Sitsen, Elske; Oudejans, Linda; Vuyk, Jaap; Aarts, Leon P H J; Rombouts, Serge A R B; de Rover, Mischa; Khalili-Mahani, Najmeh; Dahan, Albert

2014-08-01

Patients may perceive paradoxical heat sensation during spinal anesthesia. This could be due to deafferentation-related functional changes at cortical, subcortical, or spinal levels. In the current study, the effect of spinal deafferentation on sensory (pain) sensitivity was studied and linked to whole-brain functional connectivity as assessed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) imaging. Deafferentation was induced by sham or spinal anesthesia (15 mg bupivacaine injected at L3-4) in 12 male volunteers. RS-fMRI brain connectivity was determined in relation to eight predefined and seven thalamic resting-state networks (RSNs) and measured before, and 1 and 2 h after spinal/sham injection. To measure the effect of deafferentation on pain sensitivity, responses to heat pain were measured at 15-min intervals on nondeafferented skin and correlated to RS-fMRI connectivity data. Spinal anesthesia altered functional brain connectivity within brain regions involved in the sensory discriminative (i.e., pain intensity related) and affective dimensions of pain perception in relation to somatosensory and thalamic RSNs. A significant enhancement of pain sensitivity on nondeafferented skin was observed after spinal anesthesia compared to sham (area-under-the-curve [mean (SEM)]: 190.4 [33.8] versus 13.7 [7.2]; p<0.001), which significantly correlated to functional connectivity changes observed within the thalamus in relation to the thalamo-prefrontal network, and in the anterior cingulate cortex and insula in relation to the thalamo-parietal network. Enhanced pain sensitivity from spinal deafferentation correlated with functional connectivity changes within brain regions involved in affective and sensory pain processing and areas involved in descending control of pain.

Cross-wind profiling based on the scattered wave scintillation in a telescope focus.

PubMed

Banakh, V A; Marakasov, D A; Vorontsov, M A

2007-11-20

The problem of wind profile reconstruction from scintillation of an optical wave scattered off a rough surface in a telescope focus plane is considered. Both the expression for the spatiotemporal correlation function and the algorithm of cross-wind velocity and direction profiles reconstruction based on the spatiotemporal spectrum of intensity of an optical wave scattered by a diffuse target in a turbulent atmosphere are presented. Computer simulations performed under conditions of weak optical turbulence show wind profiles reconstruction by the developed algorithm.

A set of optical methods for studying marine phytoplankton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konyukhov, I. V.; Glukhovets, D. I.

2017-05-01

The results of integrated optical measurements of Black Sea water samples using a spectrophotometer, laser spectrometer, and fluorometer with pulse-modulated excitation light are discussed. A linear correlation between the intensities of chlorophyll absorption at 673 nm and chlorophyll fluorescence (680-750 nm) is observed. Phycoerythrin-containing organisms are recorded in phytoplankton in layers below 20 m. The data of 1-week monitoring of phytoplankton abundance and functional activity in Golubaya Bay with a Mega-25 flow fluorometer are described.

Asymptotic neutron scattering laws for anomalously diffusing quantum particles

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

Kneller, Gerald R.; Université d’Orléans, Chateau de la Source-Ave. du Parc Floral, 45067 Orléans; Synchrotron-SOLEIL, L’Orme de Merisiers, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette

2016-07-28

The paper deals with a model-free approach to the analysis of quasielastic neutron scattering intensities from anomalously diffusing quantum particles. All quantities are inferred from the asymptotic form of their time-dependent mean square displacements which grow ∝t{sup α}, with 0 ≤ α < 2. Confined diffusion (α = 0) is here explicitly included. We discuss in particular the intermediate scattering function for long times and the Fourier spectrum of the velocity autocorrelation function for small frequencies. Quantum effects enter in both cases through the general symmetry properties of quantum time correlation functions. It is shown that the fractional diffusion constantmore » can be expressed by a Green-Kubo type relation involving the real part of the velocity autocorrelation function. The theory is exact in the diffusive regime and at moderate momentum transfers.« less

Determination of physical parameters associated with self-efficacy in patients with chronic mechanic low back pain.

PubMed

Duray, M; Yagci, N; Ok, N

2018-03-23

Self-efficacy that is associated with various pain-related disabilities such as chronic low back pain (LBP), should be questioned besides physical assessments. To investigate the physical factors associated with self-efficacy in patients with chronic mechanic LBP. One hundred nine patients diagnosed as chronic mechanic LBP (65 females, 44 males) between 20-50 years old were included to this study. The intensity of LBP was assessed by using a 10-cm Visual Analogue Scale. For musculoskeletal fitness measurement; muscle strength, muscle endurance, and flexibility tests were applied. Functional Reach Test for balance evaluation, Self-Efficacy Scale for self-efficacy measurement, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire for disability level evaluation were used. We found a moderate negative correlation between self-efficacy and pain intensity (r=-0.506); a negative and strong correlation between self-efficacy and disability level (r=-0.654) (p< 0.05). Self efficacy had a significant association with right (r= 0.265) and left (r= 0.290) lateral side bending flexibility (p< 0.05). According to multiple regression analysis results, it was found that disability level had a significant effect on self-efficacy (β=-2.014; p< 0.01). Poor musculoskeletal fitness and pain intensity may cause decreasing self-efficacy but the major determinant of decreased self-efficacy was low-back related disability scores.

Raman spectroscopy as a tool to understand Kerogen production potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatibi, S.; Ostadhassan, M.; Mohammed, R. A.; Alexeyev, A.

2017-12-01

A lot attention has given to unconventional reservoirs specifically oil shale in North America during the last decades. Understanding Kerogen properties in terms of maturity and production potential are crucial for unconventional reservoir. Since, the amount of hydrocarbon generation is a function of kerogen type and content in the formation, and the magnitude and duration in which heat and pressure were applied. This study presents a non-destructive and fast method to determine Kerogen properties in terms of Rock-Eval parameters by means of Raman Spectroscopy. Samples were gathered from upper and lower Bakken formation, with different maturities at different depth. Raman spectroscopy as a powerful nondestructive analytical tool for molecular reconstruction was employed to find Raman spectra of different samples. In the next step, Rock-Eval was performed for each sample and different measurements were made. Then in an original approach, correlation between Rock-Eval parameters with Raman Spectroscopy results was established to fully understand how kerogen productivity potentials can be reflected on the Raman response. Results showed, maturity related parameters (RO, Tmax), S1 (already generated oil in the rock), S2 (potential hydrocarbon) and OSI (oil saturation index as indication of potential oil flow zones) can be correlated to band separation, D band intensity, G band intensity and G/D intensity, respectively. Proposed method provide a fast nondestructive method to evaluate Kerogen quality even at field without any special sample preparation.

The temporal change in the cortical activations due to salty and sweet tastes in humans: fMRI and time-intensity sensory evaluation.

PubMed

Nakamura, Yuko; Goto, Tazuko K; Tokumori, Kenji; Yoshiura, Takashi; Kobayashi, Koji; Nakamura, Yasuhiko; Honda, Hiroshi; Ninomiya, Yuzo; Yoshiura, Kazunori

2012-04-18

It remains unclear how the cerebral cortex of humans perceives taste temporally, and whether or not such objective data about the brain show a correlation with the current widely used conventional methods of taste-intensity sensory evaluation. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in the time-intensity profile between salty and sweet tastes in the human brain. The time-intensity profiles of functional MRI (fMRI) data of the human taste cortex were analyzed using finite impulse response analysis for a direct interpretation in terms of the peristimulus time signal. Also, time-intensity sensory evaluations for tastes were performed under the same condition as fMRI to confirm the reliability of the temporal profile in the fMRI data. The time-intensity profile for the brain activations due to a salty taste changed more rapidly than those due to a sweet taste in the human brain cortex and was also similar to the time-intensity sensory evaluation, confirming the reliability of the temporal profile of the fMRI data. In conclusion, the time-intensity profile using finite impulse response analysis for fMRI data showed that there was a temporal difference in the neural responses between salty and sweet tastes over a given period of time. This indicates that there might be taste-specific temporal profiles of activations in the human brain.

Pain Intensity Moderates the Relationship Between Age and Pain Interference in Chronic Orofacial Pain Patients.

PubMed

Boggero, Ian A; Geiger, Paul J; Segerstrom, Suzanne C; Carlson, Charles R

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: Chronic pain is associated with increased interference in daily functioning that becomes more pronounced as pain intensity increases. Based on previous research showing that older adults maintain well-being in the face of pain as well as or better than their younger counterparts, the current study examined the interaction of age and pain intensity on interference in a sample of chronic orofacial pain patients. Data were obtained from the records of 508 chronic orofacial pain patients being seen for an initial evaluation from 2008 to 2012. Collected data included age (range: 18-78) and self-reported measures of pain intensity and pain interference. Bivariate correlations and regression models were used to assess for statistical interactions. Regression analyses revealed that pain intensity positively predicted pain interference (R(2) = .35, B = 10.40, SE = 0.62, t(507) = 16.70, p < .001). A significant interaction supported the primary hypothesis that aging was associated with reduced interference at high levels of pain intensity (ΔR(2) = .01, B = -1.31, SE = 0.63, t(505) = -2.90, p = .04). At high levels of pain intensity, interference decreased with age, although the age by pain intensity interaction effect was small. This evidence converges with aging theories, including socioemotional selectivity theory, which posits that as people age, they become more motivated to maximize positive emotions and minimize negative ones. The results highlight the importance of studying the mechanisms older adults use to successfully cope with pain.

Resolving environmental microheterogeneity and dielectric relaxation in fluorescence kinetics of protein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolinski, Olaf J.; McLaughlin, Damien; Birch, David J. S.; Vyshemirsky, Vladislav

2016-09-01

The fluorescence intensity decay of protein is easily measurable and reports on the intrinsic fluorophore-local environment interactions on the sub-nm spatial and sub-ns temporal scales, which are consistent with protein activity in numerous biomedical and industrial processes. This makes time-resolved fluorescence a perfect tool for understanding, monitoring and controlling these processes at the molecular level, but the complexity of the decay, which has been traditionally fitted to multi-exponential functions, has hampered the development of this technique over the last few decades. Using the example of tryptophan in HSA we present the alternative to the conventional approach to modelling intrinsic florescence intensity decay in protein where the key factors determining fluorescence decay, i.e. the excited-state depopulation and the dielectric relaxation (Toptygin and Brand 2000 Chem. Phys. Lett. 322 496-502), are represented by the individual relaxation functions. This allows quantification of both effects separately by determining their parameters from the global analysis of a series of fluorescence intensity decays measured at different detection wavelengths. Moreover, certain pairs of the recovered parameters of tryptophan were found to be correlated, indicating the influence of the dielectric relaxation on the transient rate of the electronic transitions. In this context the potential for the dual excited state depopulation /dielectric relaxation fluorescence lifetime sensing is discussed.

Detection and rate discrimination of amplitude modulation in electrical hearing.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Monita; Oberzut, Cherish

2011-09-01

Three experiments were designed to examine temporal envelope processing by cochlear implant (CI) listeners. In experiment 1, the hypothesis that listeners' modulation sensitivity would in part determine their ability to discriminate between temporal modulation rates was examined. Temporal modulation transfer functions (TMTFs) obtained in an amplitude modulation detection (AMD) task were compared to threshold functions obtained in an amplitude modulation rate discrimination (AMRD) task. Statistically significant nonlinear correlations were observed between the two measures. In experiment 2, results of loudness-balancing showed small increases in the loudness of modulated over unmodulated stimuli beyond a modulation depth of 16%. Results of experiment 3 indicated small but statistically significant effects of level-roving on the overall gain of the TMTF, but no impact of level-roving on the average shape of the TMTF across subjects. This suggested that level-roving simply increased the task difficulty for most listeners, but did not indicate increased use of intensity cues under more challenging conditions. Data obtained with one subject, however, suggested that the most sensitive listeners may derive some benefit from intensity cues in these tasks. Overall, results indicated that intensity cues did not play an important role in temporal envelope processing by the average CI listener. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

Investigation of humidity using the muon component of cosmic rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oskomov, V.; Sedov, A.; Saduyev, N.; Kalikulov, O.; Kenzhina, I.; Naurzbayeva, A.; Alimgazinova, N.; Zhumabaev, A.; Shinbulatov, S.; Erezhep, N.

2017-12-01

Determination of humidity is one of the most important types of hydrometeorological and glaciological observations performed in agriculture, hydropower and water supply. The work is devoted to the development of physical basis of moisture determination method, based on attenuation of the flux of cosmic-ray muons. The relationship between the intensity of muons registered in the underground room of the Tien Shan mountain research station (Almaty) and relative humidity was studied. The results of studies show that the values of the normalized mutual correlation function between the rows of muon intensity and relative humidity vary from 0.3 to 0.7, depending on the coincidence scheme. The data obtained from the muon telescope located at the the Tien Shan mountain research station was used in the work.

[The physiological classification of human thermal states under high environmental temperatures].

PubMed

Bobrov, A F; Kuznets, E I

1995-01-01

The paper deals with the physiological classification of human thermal states in a hot environment. A review of the basic systems of classifications of thermal states is given, their main drawbacks are discussed. On the basis of human functional state research in a broad range of environmental temperatures the system of evaluation and classification of human thermal states is proposed. New integral one-dimensional multi-parametric criteria for evaluation are used. For the development of these criteria methods of factor, cluster and canonical correlation analyses are applied. Stochastic nomograms capable of identification of human thermal state for different intensity of influence are given. In this case evaluation of intensity is estimated according to one-dimensional criteria taking into account environmental temperature, physical load and time of man's staying in overheating conditions.

An Empirical Decomposition of Near-IR Emission into Galactic and Extragalactic Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwek, Eli; Arendt, Richard G.

2002-01-01

We decompose the COBE/DIRBE observations of the near-IR sky brightness (minus zodiacal light) into Galactic stellar and interstellar medium (ISM) components and an extragalactic background. This empirical procedure allows us to estimate the 4.9 micron cosmic infrared background (CIB) as a function of the CIB intensity at shorter wavelengths. A weak indication of a rising CIB intensity at wavelengths greater than 3.5$ microns hints at interesting astrophysics in the CIB spectrum, or warns that the foreground zodiacal emission may be incompletely subtracted. Subtraction of only the stellar component from the zodiacal-light-subtracted all--sky map reveals the clearest 3.5 micron ISM emission map, which is found to be tightly correlated with the ISM emission at far-IR wavelengths.

Parental risk factors for the development of pediatric acute and chronic postsurgical pain: a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Pagé, M Gabrielle; Campbell, Fiona; Isaac, Lisa; Stinson, Jennifer; Katz, Joel

2013-01-01

Background The goal of this longitudinal study was to examine the associations among psychological factors and pain reports of children and their parents over the 12 month period after pediatric surgery. Materials and methods Included in the study were 83 children aged 8–18 years undergoing major surgery. In each case, the child and one of their parents completed measures of pain intensity and unpleasantness, psychological function, and functional disability at 48–72 hours, 2 weeks (child only), 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. Results The strength of the correlation coefficients between the psychological measures of the parent and their child increased significantly over time. There was a fair level of agreement between parent ratings of child acute and chronic pain (6 months after surgery) and the child’s actual ratings. Parent and child pain anxiety scores 48–72 hours after surgery interacted significantly to predict pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and functional disability levels 2 weeks after discharge from hospital. Parent pain catastrophizing scores 48–72 hours after surgery predicted child pain intensity reports 12 months later. Conclusion These results raise the possibility that as time from surgery increases, parents exert greater and greater influence over the pain response of their children, so that by 12 months postsurgery mark, parent pain catastrophizing (measured in the days after surgery) is the main risk factor for the development of postsurgical pain chronicity. PMID:24109194

The Responsive Amygdala: Treatment-induced Alterations in Functional Connectivity in Pediatric Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

PubMed Central

Simons, LE; Pielech, M; Erpelding, N; Linnman, C; Moulton, E; Sava, S; Lebel, A; Serrano, P; Sethna, N; Berde, C; Becerra, L; Borsook, D

2014-01-01

The amygdala is a key brain region with efferent and afferent neural connections that involve complex behaviors such as pain, reward, fear and anxiety. This study evaluated resting state functional connectivity of the amygdala with cortical and subcortical regions in a group of chronic pain patients (pediatric complex regional pain syndrome) with age-gender matched controls before and after intensive physical-biobehavioral pain treatment. Our main findings include (1) enhanced functional connectivity from the amygdala to multiple cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions in patients compared to controls, with differences predominantly in the left amygdala in the pre-treated condition (disease state); (2) dampened hyperconnectivity from the left amygdala to the motor cortex, parietal lobe, and cingulate cortex after intensive pain rehabilitation treatment within patients with nominal differences observed among healthy controls from Time 1 to Time 2 (treatment effects); (3) functional connectivity to several regions key to fear circuitry (prefrontal cortex, bilateral middle temporal lobe, bilateral cingulate, hippocampus) correlated with higher pain-related fear scores and (4) decreases in pain-related fear associated with decreased connectivity between the amygdala and the motor and somatosensory cortex, cingulate, and frontal areas. Our data suggest that there are rapid changes in amygdala connectivity following an aggressive treatment program in children with chronic pain and intrinsic amygdala functional connectivity activity serving as a potential indicator of treatment response. PMID:24861582

Smartphone based scalable reverse engineering by digital image correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidvans, Amey; Basu, Saurabh

2018-03-01

There is a need for scalable open source 3D reconstruction systems for reverse engineering. This is because most commercially available reconstruction systems are capital and resource intensive. To address this, a novel reconstruction technique is proposed. The technique involves digital image correlation based characterization of surface speeds followed by normalization with respect to angular speed during rigid body rotational motion of the specimen. Proof of concept of the same is demonstrated and validated using simulation and empirical characterization. Towards this, smart-phone imaging and inexpensive off the shelf components along with those fabricated additively using poly-lactic acid polymer with a standard 3D printer are used. Some sources of error in this reconstruction methodology are discussed. It is seen that high curvatures on the surface suppress accuracy of reconstruction. Reasons behind this are delineated in the nature of the correlation function. Theoretically achievable resolution during smart-phone based 3D reconstruction by digital image correlation is derived.

Fast blood flow monitoring in deep tissues with real-time software correlators

PubMed Central

Wang, Detian; Parthasarathy, Ashwin B.; Baker, Wesley B.; Gannon, Kimberly; Kavuri, Venki; Ko, Tiffany; Schenkel, Steven; Li, Zhe; Li, Zeren; Mullen, Michael T.; Detre, John A.; Yodh, Arjun G.

2016-01-01

We introduce, validate and demonstrate a new software correlator for high-speed measurement of blood flow in deep tissues based on diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS). The software correlator scheme employs standard PC-based data acquisition boards to measure temporal intensity autocorrelation functions continuously at 50 – 100 Hz, the fastest blood flow measurements reported with DCS to date. The data streams, obtained in vivo for typical source-detector separations of 2.5 cm, easily resolve pulsatile heart-beat fluctuations in blood flow which were previously considered to be noise. We employ the device to separate tissue blood flow from tissue absorption/scattering dynamics and thereby show that the origin of the pulsatile DCS signal is primarily flow, and we monitor cerebral autoregulation dynamics in healthy volunteers more accurately than with traditional instrumentation as a result of increased data acquisition rates. Finally, we characterize measurement signal-to-noise ratio and identify count rate and averaging parameters needed for optimal performance. PMID:27231588

Intensity correlation measurement system by picosecond single shot soft x-ray laser.

PubMed

Kishimoto, Maki; Namikawa, Kazumichi; Sukegawa, Kouta; Yamatani, Hiroshi; Hasegawa, Noboru; Tanaka, Momoko

2010-01-01

We developed a new soft x-ray speckle intensity correlation spectroscopy system by use of a single shot high brilliant plasma soft x-ray laser. The plasma soft x-ray laser is characterized by several picoseconds in pulse width, more than 90% special coherence, and 10(11) soft x-ray photons within a single pulse. We developed a Michelson type delay pulse generator using a soft x-ray beam splitter to measure the intensity correlation of x-ray speckles from materials and succeeded in generating double coherent x-ray pulses with picosecond delay times. Moreover, we employed a high-speed soft x-ray streak camera for the picosecond time-resolved measurement of x-ray speckles caused by double coherent x-ray pulse illumination. We performed the x-ray speckle intensity correlation measurements for probing the relaxation phenomena of polarizations in polarization clusters in the paraelectric phase of the ferroelectric material BaTiO(3) near its Curie temperature and verified its performance.

Pain intensity influences the relationship between anger management style and depression.

PubMed

Estlander, Ann-Mari; Knaster, Peter; Karlsson, Hasse; Kaprio, Jaakko; Kalso, Eija

2008-11-30

There is an abundance of studies concerning depression and pain, while the mechanisms and the relationships of anger expression and pain are less well known. The validity of commonly used depression questionnaires as measures of depression in pain patients has been questioned, as they include items which can be related to the pain problem as well as to signs of depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between pain severity, various signs of depression, and anger management style. Subjects were 100 consecutive patients referred to the Helsinki University Pain Clinic. Demographic data and pain intensity (VAS) were collected by a questionnaire. Two subscales (negative view and physical function) from the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Anger Expression Scales (Anger-in and Anger-out) from the Spielberg State Trait Anger Expression Inventory 2 were used to assess depression and anger expression, respectively. The results showed that pain severity modulates the relationship between anger expression and physical signs of depression. In patients with more severe pain, the relationships between anger management style, specifically, inhibition of anger and depression were strong, while no such relationships were found in the group of patients with less severe pain. No correlations were found between pain intensity and depression as measured by the sum score of the BDI. However, analysing separately the two subscales of the BDI, negative view and physical function, significant positive relationships between pain intensity and both subscales appeared.

The Use of Functional Data Analysis to Evaluate Activity in a Spontaneous Model of Degenerative Joint Disease Associated Pain in Cats

PubMed Central

Gruen, Margaret E.; Alfaro-Córdoba, Marcela; Thomson, Andrea E.; Worth, Alicia C.; Staicu, Ana-Maria; Lascelles, B. Duncan X.

2017-01-01

Introduction and objectives Accelerometry is used as an objective measure of physical activity in humans and veterinary species. In cats, one important use of accelerometry is in the study of therapeutics designed to treat degenerative joint disease (DJD) associated pain, where it serves as the most widely applied objective outcome measure. These analyses have commonly used summary measures, calculating the mean activity per-minute over days and comparing between treatment periods. While this technique has been effective, information about the pattern of activity in cats is lost. In this study, functional data analysis was applied to activity data from client-owned cats with (n = 83) and without (n = 15) DJD. Functional data analysis retains information about the pattern of activity over the 24-hour day, providing insight into activity over time. We hypothesized that 1) cats without DJD would have higher activity counts and intensity of activity than cats with DJD; 2) that activity counts and intensity of activity in cats with DJD would be inversely correlated with total radiographic DJD burden and total orthopedic pain score; and 3) that activity counts and intensity would have a different pattern on weekends versus weekdays. Results and conclusions Results showed marked inter-cat variability in activity. Cats exhibited a bimodal pattern of activity with a sharp peak in the morning and broader peak in the evening. Results further showed that this pattern was different on weekends than weekdays, with the morning peak being shifted to the right (later). Cats with DJD showed different patterns of activity from cats without DJD, though activity and intensity were not always lower; instead both the peaks and troughs of activity were less extreme than those of the cats without DJD. Functional data analysis provides insight into the pattern of activity in cats, and an alternative method for analyzing accelerometry data that incorporates fluctuations in activity across the day. PMID:28099449

Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption After Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Diagnosis and Correlation to Cognition.

PubMed

Abrahamov, Dan; Levran, Oren; Naparstek, Sharon; Refaeli, Yael; Kaptson, Shani; Abu Salah, Mahmud; Ishai, Yaron; Sahar, Gideon

2017-07-01

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) elicits a systemic inflammatory response that may impair blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity. BBB disruption can currently be detected by dynamic contrast enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), reflected by an increase in the permeability constant (K trans ). We aimed to determine (1) whether CPB induces BBB disruption, (2) duration until BBB disruption resolution, and (3) the obtainable correlation between BBB injury (location and intensity) and neurocognitive dysfunction. Seven patients undergoing CPB with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were assigned to serial cerebral designated MRI evaluations, preoperatively and on postoperative day (POD) 1 and 5. Examinations were analyzed for BBB disruption and microemboli using dynamic contrast enhancement MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging methods, respectively. Neuropsychologic tests were performed 1 day preoperatively and on POD 5. A significant local K trans increase (0.03 min -1 vs 0.07 min -1 , p = 0.033) compatible with BBB disruption was evident in 5 patients (71%) on POD 1. Resolution was observed by POD 5 (mean, 0.012 min -1 ). The location of the disruption was most prominent in the frontal lobes (400% vs 150% K trans levels upsurge, p = 0.05). MRI evidence of microembolization was demonstrated in only 1 patient (14%). The postoperative global cognitive score was reduced in all patients (98.2 ± 12 vs 95.1 ± 11, p = 0.032), predominantly in executive and attention (frontal lobe-related) functions (91.8 ± 13 vs 86.9 ± 12, p = 0.042). The intensity of the dynamic contrast enhancement MRI BBB impairment correlated with the magnitude of cognition reduction (r = 0.69, p = 0.04). BBB disruption was evident in most patients, primarily in the frontal lobes. The location and intensity of the BBB disruption, rather than the microembolic load, correlated with postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aerial radiometric and magnetic survey: Aztec National Topographic Map, New Mexico

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

Not Available

1979-01-01

The results of analyses of the airborne gamma radiation and total magnetic field survey flown for the region identified as the Aztec National Topographic Map NJ13-10 are presented. The airborne data gathered are reduced by ground computer facilities to yield profile plots of the basic uranium, thorium and potassium equivalent gamma radiation intensities, ratios of these intensities, aircraft altitude above the earth's surface, total gamma ray and earth's magnetic field intensity, correlated as a function of geologic units. The distribution of data within each geologic unit, for all surveyed map lines and tie lines, has been calculated and is included.more » Two sets of profiled data for each line are included, with one set displaying the above-cited data. The second set includes only flight line magnetic field, temperature, pressure, altitude data plus magnetic field data as measured at a base station. A general description of the area, including descriptions of the various geologic units and the corresponding airborne data, is included also.« less

Analysis of surface cracks in finite plates under tension or bending loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, J. C., Jr.; Raju, I. S.

1979-01-01

Stress-intensity factors calculated with a three-dimensional, finite-element analysis for shallow and deep semielliptical surface cracks in finite elastic isotropic plates subjected to tension or bending loads are presented. A wide range of configuration parameters was investigated. The ratio of crack depth to plate thickness ranged from 0.2 to 0.8 and the ratio of crack depth to crack length ranged from 0.2 to 2.0. The effects of plate width on stress-intensity variations along the crack front was also investigated. A wide-range equation for stress-intensity factors along the crack front as a function of crack depth, crack length, plate thickness, and plate width was developed for tension and bending loads. The equation was used to predict patterns of surface-crack growth under tension or bending fatigue loads. A modified form of the equation was also used to correlate surface-crack fracture data for a brittle epoxy material within + or - 10 percent for a wide range of crack shapes and crack sizes.

Aerial radiometric and magnetic survey: Lander National Topographic Map, Wyoming

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

Not Available

1979-01-01

The results of analyses of the airborne gamma radiation and total magnetic field survey flown for the region identified as the Lander National Topographic Map NK12-6 are presented. The airborne data gathered are reduced by ground computer facilities to yield profile plots of the basic uranium, thorium and potassium equivalent gamma radiation intensities, ratios of these intensities, aircraft altitude above the earth's surface, total gamma ray and earth's magnetic field intensity, correlated as a function of geologic units. The distribution of data within each geologic unit, for all surveyed map lines and tie lines, has been calculated and is included.more » Two sets of profiled data for each line are included, with one set displaying the above-cited data. The second set includes only flight line magnetic field, temperature, pressure, altitude data plus magnetic field data as measured at a base station. A general description of the area, including descriptions of the various geologic units and the corresponding airborne data, is included also.« less

An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the thermal nitridation of SiO2/Si

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vasquez, R. P.; Madhukar, A.; Grunthaner, F. J.; Naiman, M. L.

1986-01-01

The dependence of the nitrogen distribution in thermally nitrided SiO2 films on the nitridation time and temperature has been studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photoelectron peak intensities were measured by fitting Voigt profiles to the XPS spectra and were used to calculate the film composition as a function of film depth, applying an analytical method described in detail. The times of appearance of the maxima in interfacial nitrogen concentration are shown for 800, 1000, and 1150 C, and the data are related to a kinetic model of Vasquez and Madhukar (1985), which considers the effect of interfacial strain on the nitridation kinetics. In addition, the intensity of a fluorine marker (from the HF used in the etching step) was found to correlate with the nitrogen concentration. It is postulated that the F bonds preferentially to defects. This hypothesis and the measured F intensities are consistent with the proposed strain-dependent energy of defect formation.

CH stretching overtone spectra of trimethyl amine and dimethyl sulfide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Billinghurst, Brant E.; Gough, Kathleen M.; Low, Geoffrey R.; Kjaergaard, Henrik G.

2004-01-01

Trimethyl amine (TMA) exhibits the largest known difference in CH bond lengths within a methyl group, due to what is known as the lone pair trans effect. Dimethyl sulfide also exhibits this effect, but to a far lesser extent, making it ideal for comparison to TMA. In this paper, the first through fourth overtone spectra of N(CH3)3, N(CD3)3, N(CD2H)(CD3)2, N(CH3)(CD3)2, N(CD3)(CH3)2 and S(CH3)2 are reported and all major bands are assigned. The intensities of the observed bands are compared to intensities predicted by the harmonically coupled anharmonic oscillator local mode model. Good correlation is found between the experimental intensities and those predicted with the local mode model and HF/6-311++G(2d,2p) calculated dipole moment functions. An increase in the ability to resolve peaks as methyl groups are deuterated suggests that the lone pair mediates increased coupling between methyl groups.

All‐optical functional synaptic connectivity mapping in acute brain slices using the calcium integrator CaMPARI

PubMed Central

Sha, Fern; Johenning, Friedrich W.; Schreiter, Eric R.; Looger, Loren L.; Larkum, Matthew E.

2016-01-01

Key points The genetically encoded fluorescent calcium integrator calcium‐modulated photoactivatable ratiobetric integrator (CaMPARI) reports calcium influx induced by synaptic and neural activity. Its fluorescence is converted from green to red in the presence of violet light and calcium.The rate of conversion – the sensitivity to activity – is tunable and depends on the intensity of violet light.Synaptic activity and action potentials can independently initiate significant CaMPARI conversion.The level of conversion by subthreshold synaptic inputs is correlated to the strength of input, enabling optical readout of relative synaptic strength.When combined with optogenetic activation of defined presynaptic neurons, CaMPARI provides an all‐optical method to map synaptic connectivity. Abstract The calcium‐modulated photoactivatable ratiometric integrator (CaMPARI) is a genetically encoded calcium integrator that facilitates the study of neural circuits by permanently marking cells active during user‐specified temporal windows. Permanent marking enables measurement of signals from large swathes of tissue and easy correlation of activity with other structural or functional labels. One potential application of CaMPARI is labelling neurons postsynaptic to specific populations targeted for optogenetic stimulation, giving rise to all‐optical functional connectivity mapping. Here, we characterized the response of CaMPARI to several common types of neuronal calcium signals in mouse acute cortical brain slices. Our experiments show that CaMPARI is effectively converted by both action potentials and subthreshold synaptic inputs, and that conversion level is correlated to synaptic strength. Importantly, we found that conversion rate can be tuned: it is linearly related to light intensity. At low photoconversion light levels CaMPARI offers a wide dynamic range due to slower conversion rate; at high light levels conversion is more rapid and more sensitive to activity. Finally, we employed CaMPARI and optogenetics for functional circuit mapping in ex vivo acute brain slices, which preserve in vivo‐like connectivity of axon terminals. With a single light source, we stimulated channelrhodopsin‐2‐expressing long‐range posteromedial (POm) thalamic axon terminals in cortex and induced CaMPARI conversion in recipient cortical neurons. We found that POm stimulation triggers robust photoconversion of layer 5 cortical neurons and weaker conversion of layer 2/3 neurons. Thus, CaMPARI enables network‐wide, tunable, all‐optical functional circuit mapping that captures supra‐ and subthreshold depolarization. PMID:27861906

SU-E-J-267: Change in Mean CT Intensity of Lung Tumors During Radiation Treatment

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

Mahon, R; Tennyson, N; Weiss, E

2015-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate CT intensity change of lung tumors during radiation therapy. Methods: Repeated 4D CT images were acquired on a CT simulator during the course of therapy for 27 lung cancer patients on IRB approved protocols. All subjects received definitive radiation treatment ± chemotherapy. CT scans were completed prior to treatment, and 2–7 times during the treatment course. Primary tumor was delineated by an experienced Radiation Oncologist. Contours were thresholded between −100 HU and 200 HU to remove airways and bone. Correlations between the change in the mean tumor intensity and initial tumor intensity, SUVmax, and tumor volume changemore » rate were investigated. Reproducibility was assessed by evaluating the variation in mean intensity over all phases in 4DCT, for a subgroup of 19 subjects. Results: Reproducibility of tumor intensity between phases as characterized by the root mean square of standard deviation across 19 subjects was 1.8 HU. Subjects had a mean initial tumor intensity of 16.5 ± 11.6 HU and an overall reduction in HU by 10.3 ± 8.5 HU. Evaluation of the changes in tumor intensity during treatment showed a decrease of 0.3 ± 0.3 HU/day for all subjects, except three. No significant correlation was found between change in HU/day and initial HU intensity (p=0.53), initial PET SUVmax (p=0.69), or initial tumor volume (p=0.70). The rate of tumor volume change was weakly correlated (R{sup 2}=0.05) with HU change (p=0.01). Conclusion: Most lung cancer subjects showed a marked trend of decreasing mean tumor CT intensity throughout radiotherapy, including early in the treatment course. Change in HU/day is not correlated with other potential early predictors for response, such as SUV and tumor volume change. This Result supports future studies to evaluate change in tumor intensity on CT as an early predictor of response.« less

No significant correlation between the intensity of static stretching and subject's perception of pain.

PubMed

Lim, Wootaek; Park, Hyunju

2017-10-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine whether the intensity of static stretching measured quantitatively is related to subjects' perception of pain. [Subjects and Methods] Sixty-eight participants were recruited. Static stretching was performed once for 30 seconds while maintaining the knee at 0° flexion and was continued to the point where pain was recognized. The intensity of stretching exerted by the practitioner was quantitatively measured by using a handheld dynamometer (HHD). A subject's pain scaled on one's perception was measured by using the visual analog scale (VAS). [Results] No significant correlation was found between the intensity of stretching and the VAS score representing the subject's pain scaled on one's perception. In this study, the most frequent VAS score was 7, and the mean VAS score was 5.57 ± 1.77. The stretching intensity measured by using a HHD ranged from 28.4 to 133.0 N (mean, 72.04 ± 22.37 N). [Conclusion] This study showed that the intensity of stretching quantitatively measured by using HHD did not correlate with the degree of pain reported by the subjects. Therefore, subjective responses cannot guarantee a consistent application of intensity.

EIT Intensity Noise Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crescimanno, Michael; Xiao, Yanhong; Baryakhtar, Maria; Hohensee, Michael; Phillips, David; Walsworth, Ron

2008-10-01

Intensity noise correlations in coherently-prepared media can reveal underlying spectroscopic detail, such as power broadening-free resonances. We analyze recent experimental results using very simple theory: The intensity noise correlation spectra can be quantitatively understood entirely in terms of static ensemble averages of the medium's steady state response. This is significantly simpler than stochastic integration of the Bloch equations, and leads to physical insights we apply to non-linear Faraday rotation and noise spectra in optically thick media.

CORRELATIONS IN LIGHT FROM A LASER AT THRESHOLD,

DTIC Science & Technology

Temporal correlations in the electromagnetic field radiated by a laser in the threshold region of oscillation (from one tenth of threshold intensity...to ten times threshold ) were measured by photoelectron counting techniques. The experimental results were compared with theoretical predictions based...shows that the intensity fluctuations at about one tenth threshold are nearly those of a Gaussian field and continuously approach those of a constant amplitude field as the intensity is increased. (Author)

A Potential Role for mu-Opioids in Mediating the Positive Effects of Gratitude

PubMed Central

Henning, Max; Fox, Glenn R.; Kaplan, Jonas; Damasio, Hanna; Damasio, Antonio

2017-01-01

Gratitude is a complex emotional feeling associated with universally desirable positive effects in personal, social, and physiological domains. Why or how gratitude achieves these functional outcomes is not clear. Toward the goal of identifying its' underlying physiological processes, we recently investigated the neural correlates of gratitude. In our study, participants were exposed to gratitude-inducing stimuli, and rated each according to how much gratitude it provoked. As expected, self-reported gratitude intensity correlated with brain activity in distinct regions of the medial pre-frontal cortex associated with social reward and moral cognition. Here we draw from our data and existing literature to offer a theoretical foundation for the physiological correlates of gratitude. We propose that mu-opioid signaling (1) accompanies the mental experience of gratitude, and (2) may account for the positive effects of gratitude on social relationships, subjective wellbeing, and physiological health. PMID:28680408

A Potential Role for mu-Opioids in Mediating the Positive Effects of Gratitude.

PubMed

Henning, Max; Fox, Glenn R; Kaplan, Jonas; Damasio, Hanna; Damasio, Antonio

2017-01-01

Gratitude is a complex emotional feeling associated with universally desirable positive effects in personal, social, and physiological domains. Why or how gratitude achieves these functional outcomes is not clear. Toward the goal of identifying its' underlying physiological processes, we recently investigated the neural correlates of gratitude. In our study, participants were exposed to gratitude-inducing stimuli, and rated each according to how much gratitude it provoked. As expected, self-reported gratitude intensity correlated with brain activity in distinct regions of the medial pre-frontal cortex associated with social reward and moral cognition. Here we draw from our data and existing literature to offer a theoretical foundation for the physiological correlates of gratitude. We propose that mu-opioid signaling (1) accompanies the mental experience of gratitude, and (2) may account for the positive effects of gratitude on social relationships, subjective wellbeing, and physiological health.

Theoretical study of the NO gamma system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langhoff, Stephen R.; Bauschlicher, Charles W., Jr.; Partridge, Harry

1988-01-01

A systematic study of the NO gamma system with level of correlation treatment was carried out using large Gaussian basis sets to determine the potential curves for the X2Pi and A2Sigma(+) states of NO. It is shown that the A2Sigma-X2Pi electronic transition moment (gamma system) increases monotonically with decreasing internuclear distance and that the increase in the moment as r decreases is correlated with the increasing degree of diffuse character in the X2Pi state. The results of a study of the X2Pi and A2Sigma(+) dipole moment functions showed that the X2Pi vibrationally averaged dipole moments and the (1-0) and (2-0) vibration-rotation band intensities agree well with experimental data.

[Spatial point patterns of Antarctic krill fishery in the northern Antarctic Peninsula].

PubMed

Yang, Xiao Ming; Li, Yi Xin; Zhu, Guo Ping

2016-12-01

As a key species in the Antarctic ecosystem, the spatial distribution of Antarctic krill (thereafter krill) often tends to present aggregation characteristics, which therefore reflects the spatial patterns of krill fishing operation. Based on the fishing data collected from Chinese krill fishing vessels, of which vessel A was professional krill fishing vessel and Vessel B was a fishing vessel which shifted between Chilean jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) fishing ground and krill fishing ground. In order to explore the characteristics of spatial distribution pattern and their ecological effects of two obvious different fishing fleets under a high and low nominal catch per unit effort (CPUE), from the viewpoint of spatial point pattern, the present study analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of krill fishery in the northern Antarctic Peninsula from three aspects: (1) the two vessels' point pattern characteristics of higher CPUEs and lower CPUEs at different scales; (2) correlation of the bivariate point patterns between these points of higher CPUE and lower CPUE; and (3) correlation patterns of CPUE. Under the analysis derived from the Ripley's L function and mark correlation function, the results showed that the point patterns of the higher/lo-wer catch available were similar, both showing an aggregation distribution in this study windows at all scale levels. The aggregation intensity of krill fishing was nearly maximum at 15 km spatial scale, and kept stably higher values at the scale of 15-50 km. The aggregation intensity of krill fishery point patterns could be described in order as higher CPUE of vessel A > lower CPUE of vessel B >higher CPUE of vessel B > higher CPUE of vessel B. The relationship of the higher and lo-wer CPUEs of vessel A showed positive correlation at the spatial scale of 0-75 km, and presented stochastic relationship after 75 km scale, whereas vessel B showed positive correlation at all spatial scales. The point events of higher and lower CPUEs were synchronized, showing significant correlations at most of spatial scales because of the dynamics nature and complex of krill aggregation patterns. The distribution of vessel A's CPUEs was positively correlated at scales of 0-44 km, but negatively correlated at the scales of 44-80 km. The distribution of vessel B's CPUEs was negatively correlated at the scales of 50-70 km, but no significant correlations were found at other scales. The CPUE mark point patterns showed a negative correlation, which indicated that intraspecific competition for space and prey was significant. There were significant differences in spatial point pattern distribution between vessel A with higher fishing capacity and vessel B with lower fishing capacity. The results showed that the professional krill fishing vessel is suitable to conduct the analysis of spatial point pattern and scientific fishery survey.

Correlation and squeezing for optical transistor and intensity for router applications in Pr3+:YSO.

PubMed

Khan, Ghulam Abbas; Li, Changbiao; Raza, Faizan; Ahmed, Noor; Mahesar, Abdul Rasheed; Ahmed, Irfan; Zhang, Yanpeng

2017-06-14

We realized an optical transistor and router utilizing multi-order fluorescence and spontaneous parametric four-wave mixing. Specifically, the optical routing action was derived from the results of splitting in the intensity signal due to a dressing effect, whereas the transistor as a switch and amplifier was realized by a switching correlation and squeezing via a nonlinear phase. A substantial enhancement of the optical contrast was observed for switching applications using correlation and squeezing contrary to the intensity signal. Moreover, the controlling parameters were also configured to devise a control mechanism for the optical transistor and router.

Using grey intensity adjustment strategy to enhance the measurement accuracy of digital image correlation considering the effect of intensity saturation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bang-Jian; Wang, Quan-Bao; Duan, Deng-Ping; Chen, Ji-An

2018-05-01

Intensity saturation can cause decorrelation phenomenon and decrease the measurement accuracy in digital image correlation (DIC). In the paper, the grey intensity adjustment strategy is proposed to improve the measurement accuracy of DIC considering the effect of intensity saturation. First, the grey intensity adjustment strategy is described in detail, which can recover the truncated grey intensities of the saturated pixels and reduce the decorrelation phenomenon. The simulated speckle patterns are then employed to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed strategy, which indicates that the displacement accuracy can be improved by about 40% by the proposed strategy. Finally, the true experimental image is used to show the feasibility of the proposed strategy, which indicates that the displacement accuracy can be increased by about 10% by the proposed strategy.

Fired Cartridge Case Identification Using Optical Images and the Congruent Matching Cells (CMC) Method

PubMed Central

Tong, Mingsi; Song, John; Chu, Wei; Thompson, Robert M

2014-01-01

The Congruent Matching Cells (CMC) method for ballistics identification was invented at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The CMC method is based on the correlation of pairs of small correlation cells instead of the correlation of entire images. Four identification parameters – TCCF, Tθ, Tx and Ty are proposed for identifying correlated cell pairs originating from the same firearm. The correlation conclusion (matching or non-matching) is determined by whether the number of CMC is ≥ 6. This method has been previously validated using a set of 780 pair-wise 3D topography images. However, most ballistic images stored in current local and national databases are in an optical intensity (grayscale) format. As a result, the reliability of applying the CMC method on optical intensity images is an important issue. In this paper, optical intensity images of breech face impressions captured on the same set of 40 cartridge cases are correlated and analyzed for the validation test of CMC method using optical images. This includes correlations of 63 pairs of matching images and 717 pairs of non-matching images under top ring lighting. Tests of the method do not produce any false identification (false positive) or false exclusion (false negative) results, which support the CMC method and the proposed identification criterion, C = 6, for firearm breech face identifications using optical intensity images. PMID:26601045

Fired Cartridge Case Identification Using Optical Images and the Congruent Matching Cells (CMC) Method.

PubMed

Tong, Mingsi; Song, John; Chu, Wei; Thompson, Robert M

2014-01-01

The Congruent Matching Cells (CMC) method for ballistics identification was invented at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The CMC method is based on the correlation of pairs of small correlation cells instead of the correlation of entire images. Four identification parameters - T CCF, T θ, T x and T y are proposed for identifying correlated cell pairs originating from the same firearm. The correlation conclusion (matching or non-matching) is determined by whether the number of CMC is ≥ 6. This method has been previously validated using a set of 780 pair-wise 3D topography images. However, most ballistic images stored in current local and national databases are in an optical intensity (grayscale) format. As a result, the reliability of applying the CMC method on optical intensity images is an important issue. In this paper, optical intensity images of breech face impressions captured on the same set of 40 cartridge cases are correlated and analyzed for the validation test of CMC method using optical images. This includes correlations of 63 pairs of matching images and 717 pairs of non-matching images under top ring lighting. Tests of the method do not produce any false identification (false positive) or false exclusion (false negative) results, which support the CMC method and the proposed identification criterion, C = 6, for firearm breech face identifications using optical intensity images.

Measurements of the Influence of Integral Length Scale on Stagnation Region Heat Transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanfossen, G. James; Ching, Chang Y.

1994-01-01

The purpose was twofold: first, to determine if a length scale existed that would cause the greatest augmentation in stagnation region heat transfer for a given turbulence intensity and second, to develop a prediction tool for stagnation heat transfer in the presence of free stream turbulence. Toward this end, a model with a circular leading edge was fabricated with heat transfer gages in the stagnation region. The model was qualified in a low turbulence wind tunnel by comparing measurements with Frossling's solution for stagnation region heat transfer in a laminar free stream. Five turbulence generating grids were fabricated; four were square mesh, biplane grids made from square bars. Each had identical mesh to bar width ratio but different bar widths. The fifth grid was an array of fine parallel wires that were perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical leading edge. Turbulence intensity and integral length scale were measured as a function of distance from the grids. Stagnation region heat transfer was measured at various distances downstream of each grid. Data were taken at cylinder Reynolds numbers ranging from 42,000 to 193,000. Turbulence intensities were in the range 1.1 to 15.9 percent while the ratio of integral length scale to cylinder diameter ranged from 0.05 to 0.30. Stagnation region heat transfer augmentation increased with decreasing length scale. An optimum scale was not found. A correlation was developed that fit heat transfer data for the square bar grids to within +4 percent. The data from the array of wires were not predicted by the correlation; augmentation was higher for this case indicating that the degree of isotropy in the turbulent flow field has a large effect on stagnation heat transfer. The data of other researchers are also compared with the correlation.

Imaging Predictors of Improvement From a Motor Learning-Based Intervention for Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Schertz, Mitchell; Shiran, Shelly I; Myers, Vicki; Weinstein, Maya; Fattal-Valevski, Aviva; Artzi, Moran; Ben Bashat, Dafna; Gordon, Andrew M; Green, Dido

2016-08-01

Background Motor-learning interventions may improve hand function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) but with inconsistent outcomes across participants. Objective To examine if pre-intervention brain imaging predicts benefit from bimanual intervention. Method Twenty children with UCP with Manual Ability Classification System levels I to III, aged 7-16 years, participated in an intensive bimanual intervention. Assessments included the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA), Jebsen Taylor Test of Hand Function (JTTHF) and Children's Hand Experience Questionnaire (CHEQ) at baseline (T1), completion (T2) and 8-10 weeks post-intervention (T3). Imaging at baseline included conventional structural (radiological score), functional (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Results Improvements were seen across assessments; AHA (P = 0.04), JTTHF (P < .001) and CHEQ (P < 0.001). Radiological score significantly correlated with improvement at T2; AHA (r = .475) and CHEQ (r = .632), but negatively with improvement on unimanual measures at T3 (JTTFH r = -.514). fMRI showed negative correlations between contralesional brain activation when moving the affected hand and AHA improvements (T2: r = -.562, T3: r = -0.479). Fractional Anisotropy in the affected posterior limb of the internal capsule correlated negatively with increased bimanual use on CHEQ at T2 (r = -547) and AHA at T3 (r = -.656). Conclusions Children with greater structural, functional and connective brain damage showed enhanced responses to bimanual intervention. Baseline imaging may identify parameters predicting response to intervention in children with UCP. © The Author(s) 2015.

Disaggregating pain and its effect on physical functional limitations.

PubMed

Lichtenstein, M J; Dhanda, R; Cornell, J E; Escalante, A; Hazuda, H P

1998-09-01

Pain is a common impairment that limits the abilities of older persons. The purposes of this article are to: (i) describe the distribution of pain location using the McGill Pain Map (MPM) in a community-based cohort of aged subjects; (ii) investigate whether individual areas of pain could be sensibly grouped into regions of pain; (iii) determine whether intensity, frequency, and location constitute independent dimensions of pain; and (iv) determine whether these three pain dimensions make differential contributions to the presence of self-reported physical functional limitations. A total of 833 Mexican American and European American subjects, aged 65-79 years, were enrolled in the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging and were interviewed in their homes between 1992 and 1996. A total of 373 (46%) of the subjects reported having pain in the past week. Physical functional limitations were ascertained using the nine items from the Nagi scale. Three composite scales were created: upper extremity, lower extremity, and total. Pain intensity and frequency were ascertained using the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Pain location was ascertained by using the MPM. Pain was reported in every area of the MPM. Using multiple groups confirmatory factor analysis, the 36 areas were grouped into 7 regions of pain: head, arms, hands and wrists, trunk, back, upper leg, and lower leg. Among persons with pain, pain frequency, intensity, and location were weakly associated with each other. Pain regions were primarily independent of each other, yet weak associations existed between 6 of the 21 pair-wise correlations between regions. Pain regions were differentially associated with individual physical functional limitations. Pain in the upper leg was associated with 8 of the 9 physical tasks. In multivariate analyses, age, gender, and ethnic group accounted for only 2-3% of the variance in physical tasks. In multivariate analyses, age, gender, and ethnic group accounted for only 2-3% of the variance in physical functional limitations. Pain intensity accounted for 5-6% of the variance in the composite scores of functional limitation. Pain frequency accounted for 4-5% of the variance in upper extremity limitations but did not contribute to the modeling of lower extremity limitations. In contrast, pain location accounted for 9-14% of the variance in physical functional limitations. We tested a method for ascertaining pain location and clearly demonstrated that pain location is an important determinant of self-reported physical functional limitations. The MPM methodology may be used in population-based studies or in clinical samples that focus on specific impairments and seek to control for pain frequency and intensity. Future studies can link specific diseases with the common impairment of pain and tease out the pathways that lead to other impairments (e.g., weakness), functional limitations, and disability.

The Impact of Dissociator Cooling on the Beam Intensity and Velocity in the SpinLab ABS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stancari, M.; Barion, L.; Bonomo, C.; Capiluppi, M.; Contalbrigo, M.; Ciullo, G.; Dalpiaz, P. F.; Giordano, F.; Lenisa, P.; Pappalardo, L.; Statera, M.; Wang, M.

2007-06-01

At the SpinLab laboratory (University of Ferrara, Italy), a three stage cooling system was installed along the dissociator tube of an atomic beam source (ABS). With this tool, it is possible to observe correlations between the measured temperatures and the atomic beam intensity. The existence of such correlations is suggested by the larger intensity of the RHIC ABS, the only other source with additional cooling stages. An increased intensity at lower cooling temperatures was observed in SpinLab, while no change in the beam's velocity distribution was observed.

Optical diffusion property of chicken tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Patricia S.; Flamholz, Alex; Wong, Peter K.; Lieberman, David H.; Cheung, Tak D.; Itoka, Harriet; Minott, Troy; Quizhpi, Janie; Rodriguez, Jacquelin

2004-11-01

Chicken tissue acts as a turbid medium in optical wavelength. Optical characterization data of fresh chicken dark and white meat were studied using the theory of light diffusion. The gaussian-like transmission profile was used to determine the transport mean free path and absorption. The refractive index, a fundamental parameter, was extracted via transmission correlation function analysis without using index-matching fluid. The variation in refractive index also produced various small shifts in the oscillatory feature of the intensity spatial correlation function at distance shorter than the transport mean free path. The optical system was calibrated with porous silicate slabs containing different water contents and also with a solid alumina slab. The result suggested that the selective scattering/absorption of myoglobin and mitochondria in the dark tissues is consistent with the transmission data. The refractive index was similar for dark and white tissues at the He-Ne wavelength and suggested that the index could serve as a marker for quality control. Application to chicken lunchmeat samples revealed that higher protein and lower carbohydrate would shift the correlation toward smaller distance. The pure fat refractive index was different from that of the meat tissue. Application of refractive index as a fat marker is also discussed

A practical teaching course in directed protein evolution using the green fluorescent protein as a model.

PubMed

Ruller, Roberto; Silva-Rocha, Rafael; Silva, Artur; Cruz Schneider, Maria Paula; Ward, Richard John

2011-01-01

Protein engineering is a powerful tool, which correlates protein structure with specific functions, both in applied biotechnology and in basic research. Here, we present a practical teaching course for engineering the green fluorescent protein (GFP) from Aequorea victoria by a random mutagenesis strategy using error-prone polymerase chain reaction. Screening of bacterial colonies transformed with random mutant libraries identified GFP variants with increased fluorescence yields. Mapping the three-dimensional structure of these mutants demonstrated how alterations in structural features such as the environment around the fluorophore and properties of the protein surface can influence functional properties such as the intensity of fluorescence and protein solubility. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Differential Predictability of Four Dimensions of Affect Intensity

PubMed Central

Rubin, David C.; Hoyle, Rick H.; Leary, Mark R.

2013-01-01

Individual differences in affect intensity are typically assessed with the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM). Previous factor analyses suggest that the AIM is comprised of four weakly correlated factors: Positive Affectivity, Negative Reactivity, Negative Intensity and Positive Intensity or Serenity. However, little data exist to show whether its four factors relate to other measures differently enough to preclude use of the total scale score. The present study replicated the four-factor solution and found that subscales derived from the four factors correlated differently with criterion variables that assess personality domains, affective dispositions, and cognitive patterns that are associated with emotional reactions. The results show that use of the total AIM score can obscure relationships between specific features of affect intensity and other variables and suggest that researchers should examine the individual AIM subscales. PMID:21707262

Problematic p-benzyne: Orbital instabilities, biradical character, and broken symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, T. Daniel; Kraka, Elfi; Stanton, John F.; Cremer, Dieter

2001-06-01

The equilibrium geometry, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and infrared transition intensities of p-benzyne were calculated at the MBPT(2), SDQ-MBPT(4), CCSD, and CCSD(T) levels of theory using different reference wave functions obtained from restricted and unrestricted Hartree-Fock (RHF and UHF), restricted Brueckner (RB) orbital, and Generalized Valence Bond (GVB) theory. RHF erroneously describes p-benzyne as a closed-shell singlet rather than a singlet biradical, which leads to orbital near-instabilities in connection with the mixing of orbital pairs b1u-ag (HOMO-LUMO), b2g-ag (HOMO-1-LUMO), and b1g-ag (HOMO-2-LUMO). Vibrational modes of the corresponding symmetries cause method-dependent anomalous increases (unreasonable force constants and infrared intensities) or decreases in the energy (breaking of the D2h symmetry of the molecular framework of p-benzyne). This basic failure of the RHF starting function is reduced by adding dynamic electron correlation. However RHF-MBPT(2), RHF-SDQ-MBPT(4), RHF-CCSD, RB-CCD, and RHF-CCSD(T) descriptions of p-benzyne are still unreliable as best documented by the properties of the b1u-, b2g-, and b1g-symmetrical vibrational modes. The first reliable spin-restricted description is provided when using Brueckner orbitals at the RB-CCD(T) level. GVB leads to exaggerated biradical character that is reduced at the GVB-MP2 level of theory. The best results are obtained with a UHF reference wave function, provided a sufficient account of dynamic electron correlation is included. At the UHF-CCSD level, the triplet contaminant is completely annihilated. UHF-CCSD(T) gives a reliable account of the infrared spectrum apart from a CCH bending vibrational mode, which is still in disagreement with experiment.

The 27-28 October 1986 FIRE IFO Cirrus Case Study: Cloud Optical Properties Determined by High Spectral Resolution Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grund, C. J.; Eloranta, E. W.

1996-01-01

During the First ISCCP Region Experiment (FIRE) cirrus intensive field observation (IFO) the High Spectral Resolution Lidar was operated from a roof top site on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Because the HSRL technique separately measures the molecular and cloud particle backscatter components of the lidar return, the optical thickness is determined independent of particle backscatter. This is accomplished by comparing the known molecular density distribution to the observed decrease in molecular backscatter signal with altitude. The particle to molecular backscatter ratio yields calibrated measurements of backscatter cross sections that can be plotted ro reveal cloud morphology without distortion due to attenuation. Changes in cloud particle size, shape, and phase affect the backscatter to extinction ratio (backscatter-phase function). The HSRL independently measures cloud particle backscatter phase function. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the HSRL cirrus cloud data acquired over an approximate 33 hour period of continuous near zenith observations. Correlations between small scale wind structure and cirrus cloud morphology have been observed. These correlations can bias the range averaging inherent in wind profiling lidars of modest vertical resolution, leading to increased measurement errors at cirrus altitudes. Extended periods of low intensity backscatter were noted between more strongly organized cirrus cloud activity. Optical thicknesses ranging from 0.01-1.4, backscatter phase functions between 0.02-0.065 sr (exp -1) and backscatter cross sections spanning 4 orders of magnitude were observed. the altitude relationship between cloud top and bottom boundaries and the cloud optical center altitude was dependent on the type of formation observed Cirrus features were observed with characteristic wind drift estimated horizontal sizes of 5-400 km. The clouds frequently exhibited cellular structure with vertical to horizontal dimension ratios of 1:5-1:1.

Hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging in patients with liver disease: correlation of liver enhancement with biochemical liver function tests.

PubMed

Kukuk, Guido M; Schaefer, Stephanie G; Fimmers, Rolf; Hadizadeh, Dariusch R; Ezziddin, Samer; Spengler, Ulrich; Schild, Hans H; Willinek, Winfried A

2014-10-01

To evaluate hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using Gd-EOB-DTPA in relation to various liver function tests in patients with liver disorders. Fifty-one patients with liver disease underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MRI. Based on region-of-interest (ROI) analysis, liver signal intensity was calculated using the spleen as reference tissue. Liver-spleen contrast ratio (LSCR) and relative liver enhancement (RLE) were calculated. Serum levels of total bilirubin, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum albumin level (AL), prothrombin time (PT), creatinine (CR) as well as international normalised ratio (INR) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score were tested for correlation with LSCR and RLE. Pre-contrast LSCR values correlated with total bilirubin (r = -0.39; p = 0.005), GGT (r = -0.37; p = 0.009), AST (r = -0.38; p = 0.013), ALT (r = -0.29; p = 0.046), PT (r = 0.52; p < 0.001), GLDH (r = -0.55; p = 0.044), INR (r = -0.42; p = 0.003), and MELD Score (r = -0.53; p < 0.001). After administration of Gd-EOB-DTPA bilirubin (r = -0.45; p = 0.001), GGT (r = -0.40; p = 0.004), PT (r = 0.54; p < 0.001), AST (r = -0.46; p = 0.002), ALT (r = -0.31; p = 0.030), INR (r = -0.45; p = 0.001) and MELD Score (r = -0.56; p < 0.001) significantly correlated with LSCR. RLE correlated with bilirubin (r = -0.40; p = 0.004), AST (r = -0.38; p = 0.013), PT (r = 0.42; p = 0.003), GGT (r = -0.33; p = 0.020), INR (r = -0.36; p = 0.011) and MELD Score (r = -0.43; p = 0.003). Liver-spleen contrast ratio and relative liver enhancement using Gd-EOB-DTPA correlate with a number of routinely used biochemical liver function tests, suggesting that hepatobiliary MRI may serve as a valuable biomarker for liver function. The strongest correlation with liver enhancement was found for the MELD Score. • Relative enhancement (RLE) of Gd-EOB-DTPA is related to biochemical liver function tests. • Correlation of RLE with bilirubin, ALT, AST, GGT, INR and MELD Score is reverse. • The correlation of relative liver enhancement with prothrombin time is positive. • AST, ALT, GLDH, prothrombin time, INR and MELD Score correlate with pre-contrast liver-spleen contrast ratio. • Such biomarkers may help to evaluate liver function.

Do Correlates of Pain-Related Stoicism and Cautiousness Differ in Younger and Older People With Advanced Cancer?

PubMed

Mah, Kenneth; Tran, Kim T; Gauthier, Lynn R; Rodin, Gary; Zimmermann, Camilla; Warr, David; Librach, S Lawrence; Moore, Malcolm; Shepherd, Frances A; Gagliese, Lucia

2018-03-01

Age differences are not evident in pain-related stoicism and cautiousness in people with cancer pain. Little is known about the factors associated with these pain-related attitudes or age-related patterns in these associations. The present cross-sectional study investigated the biopsychosocial correlates of the attitudes in younger and older patients with advanced cancer. Pain-related stoicism (fortitude, concealment, superiority) and cautiousness (self-doubt, reluctance) were assessed using the Pain Attitudes Questionnaire-Revised (PAQ-R). Participants, 155 younger (younger than 60 years old) and 114 older (60 years old or older) patients with advanced cancer completed the PAQ-R and measures of sociodemographic and medical characteristics, pain intensity, cognitive-affective pain-related responses, physical functioning, psychological distress and well-being, and psychosocial functioning. Backwards regression analyses identified correlates for each PAQ-R factor separately for younger and older patients. Activity engagement was a frequent correlate, but its relationship with concealment was the only association common to both age groups. Younger and older patients exhibited different avoidance-related constructs suggesting relational challenges in the former group (avoidant attachment) and intrapersonal fear in the latter (cognitive avoidance). Medical correlates also showed age differences: younger patients showed symptom-focused correlates, whereas older patients showed aging-related correlates. Findings support a biopsychosocial framework of cancer-pain adaptation incorporating a lifespan-developmental perspective. To our knowledge, this article is the first to identify biopsychosocial correlates of stoic and cautious attitudes toward cancer pain in younger and older patients with advanced cancer. Findings highlight possible age-related motivations for greater pain-related stoicism or cautiousness and can potentially inform interventions addressing challenges in cancer-pain adaptation in advanced cancer. Copyright © 2017 The American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study on Hydrological Functions of Litter Layers in North China

PubMed Central

Li, Xiang; Niu, Jianzhi; Xie, Baoyuan

2013-01-01

Canopy interception, throughfall, stemflow, and runoff have received considerable attention during the study of water balance and hydrological processes in forested ecosystems. Past research has either neglected or underestimated the role of hydrological functions of litter layers, although some studies have considered the impact of various characteristics of rainfall and litter on litter interception. Based on both simulated rainfall and litter conditions in North China, the effect of litter mass, rainfall intensity and litter type on the maximum water storage capacity of litter (S) and litter interception storage capacity (C) were investigated under five simulated rainfall intensities and four litter masses for two litter types. The results indicated: 1) the S values increased linearly with litter mass, and the S values of broadleaf litter were on average 2.65 times larger than the S values of needle leaf litter; 2) rainfall intensity rather than litter mass determined the maximum interception storage capacity (Cmax); Cmax increased linearly with increasing rainfall intensity; by contrast, the minimum interception storage capacity (Cmin) showed a linear relationship with litter mass, but a poor correlation with rainfall intensity; 3) litter type impacted Cmax and Cmin; the values of Cmax and Cmin for broadleaf litter were larger than those of needle leaf litter, which indicated that broadleaf litter could intercepte and store more water than needle leaf litter; 4) a gap existed between Cmax and Cmin, indicating that litter played a significant role by allowing rainwater to infiltrate or to produce runoff rather than intercepting it and allowing it to evaporate after the rainfall event; 5) Cmin was always less than S at the same litter mass, which should be considered in future interception predictions. Vegetation and precipitation characteristics played important roles in hydrological characteristics. PMID:23936188

Neural correlates of altered pain response in women with posttraumatic stress disorder from intimate partner violence.

PubMed

Strigo, Irina A; Simmons, Alan N; Matthews, Scott C; Grimes, Erin M; Allard, Carolyn B; Reinhardt, Lindsay E; Paulus, Martin P; Stein, Murray B

2010-09-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most common causes of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women. Women with IPV-related PTSD often experience comorbid chronic pain and pain-related disability. Despite the high comorbidity between PTSD and chronic pain, recent evidence suggests that male veterans with combat-related PTSD report decreased sensitivity to experimental pain. The aim of this study was to examine the neurobehavioral correlates of experimental pain in women with IPV-related PTSD. Functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging data were collected during an event-related experimental pain paradigm that was administered twice to 23 women with IPV-related PTSD and 15 age-, race- and education-comparable nontraumatized control women. Brief thermal heat stimuli were repeatedly applied to the left volar forearm, and subjects rated the perceived temperature intensity with a button-box. Women with IPV-related PTSD relative to nontraumatized control women showed: 1) increased activation of right middle insula and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during initial painful stimulation, and 2) subsequent decrease in subjective intensity ratings with repeated exposure to pain, which was accompanied by attenuation of activation within right anterior insula that was associated with avoidance symptoms of PTSD. These results suggest that women with IPV-related PTSD show dysregulated functional brain activity during pain processing, which might drive maladaptive coping mechanisms, such as avoidance and numbing. Copyright 2010 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intensive reasoning training alters patterns of brain connectivity at rest

PubMed Central

Mackey, Allyson P.; Miller Singley, Alison T.; Bunge, Silvia A.

2013-01-01

Patterns of correlated activity among brain regions reflect functionally relevant networks that are widely assumed to be stable over time. We hypothesized that if these correlations reflect the prior history of co-activation of brain regions, then a marked shift in cognition could alter the strength of coupling between these regions. We sought to test whether intensive reasoning training in humans would result in tighter coupling among regions in the lateral fronto-parietal network, as measured with resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI). Rather than designing an artificial training program, we studied individuals who were preparing for a standardized test that places heavy demands on relational reasoning, the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). LSAT questions require test-takers to group or sequence items according to a set of complex rules. We recruited young adults who were enrolled in an LSAT course that offers 70 hours of reasoning instruction (n=25), and age- and IQ-matched controls intending to take the LSAT in the future (n=24). Rs-fMRI data were collected for all subjects during two scanning sessions separated by 90 days. An analysis of pairwise correlations between brain regions implicated in reasoning showed that fronto-parietal connections were strengthened, along with parietal-striatal connections. These findings provide strong evidence for neural plasticity at the level of large-scale networks supporting high-level cognition. PMID:23486950

Magnetic order at a single-crystal surface in the diffuse-scattering theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zasada, I.

2003-06-01

A theoretical description of incoherent spin-dependent multiple scattering of electrons at a magnetically disordered single-crystal surface is reported. A formalism in which the spin operators specify the magnetic state of a surface atom is used for the description of magnetic order at the surface. The theory is based upon the concepts used in multiple scattering spin-dependent diffuse LEED theory (DSPLEED) theory. In the present considerations, this theory is extended to the case of magnetic materials by using the time-independent Dirac equation with an effective magnetic field. Thus, an expression for incoherent spin-dependent intensity for magnetic material is obtained. It depends on the Fourier transform on the surface lattice of the spin-pair correlation function and, as a consequence, on the magnetic properties of the surface. The equations for the description of magnetization and various correlation functions in the frame of effective field theory are derived and the results of the numerical calculations are presented for the particular case of Ni(1 0 0) surface. The spin-orbit induced and exchange asymmetries are calculated. It is found that the magnetic DSPLEED is sensitive to the properties of the surface characterized by the spin-pair correlation functions. Thus, it is demonstrated that the magnetic DSPLEED can be an effective method in the investigation of critical behaviour of magnetic surfaces.

Passion for leisure activity contributes to pain experiences during rehabilitation.

PubMed

Courbalay, Anne; Deroche, Thomas; Brewer, Britton

2017-03-01

The primary aim of this study was to determine whether the levels of obsessive passion (OP) and harmonious passion for a suspended leisure activity contribute to pain catastrophizing and pain intensity in patients undergoing the rehabilitation process. The secondary aim was to examine whether the levels of passion associated with a maintained leisure activity offset the contribution of having a leisure activity suspended to pain intensity and catastrophizing. Ninety-one outpatients from functional rehabilitation units (Mage=37, SD=13.44 years) completed measures of pain catastrophizing, pain intensity, and passion about valued leisure activities (one they were prevented from practicing and one they remained able to practice). Correlation analysis showed that the level of OP for a suspended valued leisure activity was positively associated with pain catastrophizing and pain intensity. Results showed that pain catastrophizing mediated the relationship between this level of passion and pain intensity. The levels of harmonious passion and OP for a maintained valued leisure activity did not offset the contribution of OP for a suspended leisure activity to pain-related outcomes. When prevented from practicing a valued leisure activity, only OP contributes to the prediction of pain catastrophizing and pain intensity. The contribution of pain catastrophizing provides a potential explanation for why the level of OP for a suspended leisure activity is related to pain intensity ratings. The benefits of maintaining a valued leisure activity during rehabilitation do not seem sufficient to counterbalance the maladaptive effects of being prevented from the practice of a previous/another valued leisure activity.

Dependence of mycelial morphology on impeller type and agitation intensity.

PubMed

Jüsten, P; Paul, G C; Nienow, A W; Thomas, C R

1996-12-20

The influence of the agitation conditions on the morphology of Penicillium chrysogenum (freely dispersed and aggregated forms) was examined using radial (Rushton turbines and paddles), axial (pitched blades, propeller, and Prochem Maxflow T), and counterflow impellers (Intermig). Culture broth was taken from a continuous fermentation at steady state and was agitated for 30 min in an ungassed vessel of 1.4-L working volume. The power inputs per unit volume of liquid in the tank, P/V(L), ranged from 0.6 to 6 kW/m(3). Image analysis was used to measure mycelial morphology. To characterize the intensity of the damage caused by different impellers, the mean total hyphal length (freely dispersed form) and the mean projected area (all dispersed types, i.e., also including aggregates) were used. [In this study, breakage of aggregates was taken into account quantitatively for the first time.]At 1.4-L scale and a given P/V(L), changes in the morphology depended significantly on the impeller geometry. However, the morphological data (obtained with different geometries and various P/V(L)) could be correlated on the basis of equal tip speed and two other, less simple, mixing parameters. One is based on the specific energy dissipation rate in the impeller region, which is simply related to P/V(L) and particular impeller geometrical parameters. The other which is developed in this study is based on a combination of the specific energy dissipation rate in the impeller swept volume and the frequency of mycelial circulation through that volume. For convenience, the function arising from this concept is called the "energy dissipation/circulation" function.To test the broader validity of these correlations, scale-up experiments were carried out in mixing tanks of 1.4, 20, and 180 L using a Rushton turbine and broth from a fed-batch fermentation. The energy dissipation/circulation function was a reasonable correlating parameter for hyphal damage over this range of scales, whereas tip speed, P/V(L), and specific energy dissipation rate in the impeller region were poor. Two forms of the energy dissipation/circulation function were considered, one of which additionally allowed for the numbers of vortices behind the blades of each impeller type. Although both forms were successful at correlating the data for the standard impeller designs considered here, there was preliminary evidence that allowing for the vortices would be valuable. (c) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comparison of optimization strategy and similarity metric in atlas-to-subject registration using statistical deformation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otake, Y.; Murphy, R. J.; Grupp, R. B.; Sato, Y.; Taylor, R. H.; Armand, M.

2015-03-01

A robust atlas-to-subject registration using a statistical deformation model (SDM) is presented. The SDM uses statistics of voxel-wise displacement learned from pre-computed deformation vectors of a training dataset. This allows an atlas instance to be directly translated into an intensity volume and compared with a patient's intensity volume. Rigid and nonrigid transformation parameters were simultaneously optimized via the Covariance Matrix Adaptation - Evolutionary Strategy (CMA-ES), with image similarity used as the objective function. The algorithm was tested on CT volumes of the pelvis from 55 female subjects. A performance comparison of the CMA-ES and Nelder-Mead downhill simplex optimization algorithms with the mutual information and normalized cross correlation similarity metrics was conducted. Simulation studies using synthetic subjects were performed, as well as leave-one-out cross validation studies. Both studies suggested that mutual information and CMA-ES achieved the best performance. The leave-one-out test demonstrated 4.13 mm error with respect to the true displacement field, and 26,102 function evaluations in 180 seconds, on average.

Arterial wave intensity and ventricular-arterial coupling by vascular ultrasound: rationale and methods for the automated analysis of forwards and backwards running waves.

PubMed

Rakebrandt, F; Palombo, C; Swampillai, J; Schön, F; Donald, A; Kozàkovà, M; Kato, K; Fraser, A G

2009-02-01

Wave intensity (WI) in the circulation is estimated noninvasively as the product of instantaneous changes in pressure and velocity. We recorded diameter as a surrogate for pressure, and velocity in the right common carotid artery using an Aloka SSD-5500 ultrasound scanner. We developed automated software, applying the water hammer equation to obtain local wave speed from the slope of a pressure/velocity loop during early systole to separate net WI into individual forwards and backwards-running waves. A quality index was developed to test for noisy data. The timing, duration, peak amplitude and net energy of separated WI components were measured in healthy subjects with a wide age range. Age and arterial stiffness were independent predictors of local wave speed, whereas backwards-travelling waves correlated more strongly with ventricular systolic function than with age-related changes in arterial stiffness. Separated WI offers detailed insight into ventricular-arterial interactions that may be useful for assessing the relative contributions of ventricular and vascular function to wave travel.

Photoluminescence in Spray Pyrolysis Deposited β-In2S3 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayakrishnan, R.

2018-04-01

Spray pyrolysis deposited In2S3 thin films exhibit two prominent photoluminescent emissions. One of the emissions is green in color and centered at around ˜ 540 nm and the other is centered at around ˜ 690 nm and is red in color. The intensity of the green emission decreases when the films are subjected to annealing in air or vacuum. The intensity of red emission increases when films are air annealed and decreases when vacuum annealed. Vacuum annealing leads to an increase in work function whereas air annealing leads to a decrease in work function for this thin film system relative to the as deposited films indicating changes in space charge regions. Surface photovoltage analysis using a Kelvin probe leads to the conclusion that inversion of band bending occurs as a result of annealing. Correlating surface contact potential measurements using a Kelvin probe, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence, we conclude that the surface passivation plays a critical role in controlling the photoluminescence from the spray pyrolysis deposited for In2S3 thin films.

The relationship between executive functioning, central coherence, and repetitive behaviors in the high-functioning autism spectrum.

PubMed

South, Mikle; Ozonoff, Sally; McMahon, William M

2007-09-01

This study examined the relationship between everyday repetitive behavior (primary symptoms of autism) and performance on neuropsychological tests of executive function and central coherence (secondary symptoms). It was hypothesized that the frequency and intensity of repetitive behavior would be positively correlated with laboratory measures of cognitive rigidity and weak central coherence. Participants included 19 individuals (ages 10-19) with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD group) and 18 age- and IQ-matched typically developing controls (TD group). There was partial support in the ASD group for the link between repetitive behavior and executive performance (the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task). There was no support for a link between repetitive behavior and measures of central coherence (a Gestalt Closure test and the Embedded Figures Test). Further research on repetitive behaviors in autism may benefit from a focus on narrow behavioral and cognitive constructs rather than general categories.

[Examination of skin autofluorescence for the determination of glycation end-products in patients on chronic hemodialysis].

PubMed

Golubev, R V; Papayan, G V; Glazunova, A A; Korosteleva, N Yu; Petrishchev, N N; Smirnov, A V

2016-01-01

To assess the results of determination of glycation end-products (GEPs) by skin autofluorescence (AF) in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD). A device made in Russia was used to estimate skin AF intensity in 40 apparently healthy individuals and in 76 patients treated with chronic HD. While analyzing the findings, comparisons were made in both groups; a relationship between skin AF intensity and clinical and laboratory parameters was also investigated in patients on HD. The intensity of AF in the patients treated with chronic HD proved to be significantly higher than that in the control group. There was a direct correlation of the intensity of AF with age in both groups and that with the duration of dialysis treatment in patients on HD. In patients with coronary heart disease, the intensity of AF was significantly higher than in those without this condition. The intensity of AF directly correlated with the Charlson comorbidity index in the patients on HD. There were no correlations of skin AF intensity with main generally detected laboratory blood indicators, body mass index, and the nature of drug therapy in the patients on HD. Tissue GEP levels may serve as a cumulative index of metabolic stress in HD patients. The determination of GEP by measuring the intensity of skin AF may be used to assess prognosis in patients treated with chronic HD.

Light intensity-voltage correlations and leakage-current excess noise in a single-mode semiconductor laser

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

Maurin, I.; Bramati, A.; Giacobino, E.

2005-09-15

Semiconductor lasers are particularly well suited for the implementation of pump-noise suppression, yielding a reduction of the intensity noise in the laser. In this simple picture, the maximal amount of squeezing is equal to the quantum efficiency. However, experimental results on intensity noise reduction by pump-noise suppression are usually above this limit. This discrepancy suggests that additional noise sources must be involved. Here we successful y interpret the full noise behavior of a single-mode laser diode far above threshold by considering two excess noise sources: the leakage current fluctuations across the laser and the Petermann excess noise. We have estimatedmore » the contribution of each noise source using the results of the correlations between the laser output intensity noise and the voltage fluctuations across the laser diode (light-voltage correlations) and obtained good agreement between our theory and experimental results.« less

Pain intensity, disability and depression in individuals with chronic back pain1

PubMed Central

Garbi, Márcia de Oliveira Sakamoto Silva; Hortense, Priscilla; Gomez, Rodrigo Ramon Falconi; da Silva, Talita de Cássia Raminelli; Castanho, Ana Carolina Ferreira; Sousa, Fátima Aparecida Emm Faleiros

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: to measure the pain intensity, identify the disability and depression levels in people with chronic back pain and to correlate these variables. A cross-sectional, descriptive and exploratory study was undertaken at the Pain Treatment Clinic of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto Hospital das Clínicas, between February and June 2012, after receiving approval from the Ethics Committee at the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing. METHOD: sixty subjects with chronic back pain participated. The instruments used were: the 11-point Numerical Category Scale, the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory. To analyze the data, the arithmetic means, standard deviations and Spearman's correlation coefficient were calculated. RESULTS: the findings show that the participants presented high pain, disability and depression levels. The correlation between pain intensity and disability and between pain intensity and depression was positive and weak and, between disability and depression, positive and moderate. CONCLUSION: the study variables showed moderate and weak indices and the mutual correlations were positive. PMID:25296139

Efficient 3D porous microstructure reconstruction via Gaussian random field and hybrid optimization.

PubMed

Jiang, Z; Chen, W; Burkhart, C

2013-11-01

Obtaining an accurate three-dimensional (3D) structure of a porous microstructure is important for assessing the material properties based on finite element analysis. Whereas directly obtaining 3D images of the microstructure is impractical under many circumstances, two sets of methods have been developed in literature to generate (reconstruct) 3D microstructure from its 2D images: one characterizes the microstructure based on certain statistical descriptors, typically two-point correlation function and cluster correlation function, and then performs an optimization process to build a 3D structure that matches those statistical descriptors; the other method models the microstructure using stochastic models like a Gaussian random field and generates a 3D structure directly from the function. The former obtains a relatively accurate 3D microstructure, but computationally the optimization process can be very intensive, especially for problems with large image size; the latter generates a 3D microstructure quickly but sacrifices the accuracy due to issues in numerical implementations. A hybrid optimization approach of modelling the 3D porous microstructure of random isotropic two-phase materials is proposed in this paper, which combines the two sets of methods and hence maintains the accuracy of the correlation-based method with improved efficiency. The proposed technique is verified for 3D reconstructions based on silica polymer composite images with different volume fractions. A comparison of the reconstructed microstructures and the optimization histories for both the original correlation-based method and our hybrid approach demonstrates the improved efficiency of the approach. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2013 Royal Microscopical Society.

Depressive symptoms, anxiety, and quality of life in women with pelvic endometriosis.

PubMed

Sepulcri, Rodrigo de P; do Amaral, Vivian F

2009-01-01

To assess depressive symptoms, anxiety and quality of life in women with pelvic endometriosis. A prospective study of 104 women diagnosed with pelvic endometriosis. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) were used to evaluate depressive symptoms; the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) to evaluate anxiety symptoms; and the short (26-item) version of the World Health Organization Quality Of Life instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) to evaluate quality of life. Of the patients evaluated, 86.5% presented depressive symptoms (mild in 22.1%, moderate in 31.7%, and severe in 32.7%) and 87.5% presented anxiety (minor in 24% and major in 63.5%). Quality of life was found to be substandard. Age correlated positively with depressive symptoms, as determined using the BDI (P=0.013) and HAM-D (P=0.037). There was a positive correlation between current pain intensity and anxiety symptoms, as assessed using the STAI (state, P=0.009; trait, P=0.048) and HAM-A (P=0.0001). The complaints related to physical limitations increased in parallel with the intensity of pain (P=0.017). There was an inverse correlation between duration of treatment and quality of life (P=0.017). There was no correlation between psychiatric symptoms and endometriosis stage. A rational approach to endometriosis should include an evaluation of the emotional profile and quality of life. That approach would certainly reduce the functional damage caused by the endometriosis.

It's in the eye of the beholder: selective attention to drink properties during tasting influences brain activation in gustatory and reward regions.

PubMed

van Rijn, Inge; de Graaf, Cees; Smeets, Paul A M

2018-04-01

Statements regarding pleasantness, taste intensity or caloric content on a food label may influence the attention consumers pay to such characteristics during consumption. There is little research on the effects of selective attention on taste perception and associated brain activation in regular drinks. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of selective attention on hedonics, intensity and caloric content on brain responses during tasting drinks. Using functional MRI brain responses of 27 women were measured while they paid attention to the intensity, pleasantness or caloric content of fruit juice, tomato juice and water. Brain activation during tasting largely overlapped between the three selective attention conditions and was found in the rolandic operculum, insula and overlying frontal operculum, striatum, amygdala, thalamus, anterior cingulate cortex and middle orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Brain activation was higher during selective attention to taste intensity compared to calories in the right middle OFC and during selective attention to pleasantness compared to intensity in the right putamen, right ACC and bilateral middle insula. Intensity ratings correlated with brain activation during selective attention to taste intensity in the anterior insula and lateral OFC. Our data suggest that not only the anterior insula but also the middle and lateral OFC are involved in evaluating taste intensity. Furthermore, selective attention to pleasantness engaged regions associated with food reward. Overall, our results indicate that selective attention to food properties can alter the activation of gustatory and reward regions. This may underlie effects of food labels on the consumption experience of consumers.

PAIN INTENSITY MODERATES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AND PAIN INTERFERENCE IN CHRONIC OROFACIAL PAIN PATIENTS

PubMed Central

Boggero, Ian A.; Geiger, Paul J.; Segerstrom, Suzanne C.; Carlson, Charles R.

2015-01-01

Background/Study Context Chronic pain is associated with increased interference in daily functioning that becomes more pronounced as pain intensity increases. Based on previous research showing that older adults maintain well-being in the face of pain as well as or better than their younger counterparts, the current study examined the interaction of age and pain intensity on interference in a sample of chronic orofacial pain patients. Methods Data were obtained from the records of 508 chronic orofacial pain patients being seen for an initial evaluation from 2008 to 2012. Collected data included age (range: 18–78) and self-reported measures of pain intensity and pain interference. Bivariate correlations and regression models were used to assess for statistical interactions. Results Regression analyses revealed that pain intensity positively predicted pain interference (R2 = .35, B = 10.40, SE = 0.62, t(507) = 16.70, p < .001). A significant interaction supported the primary hypothesis that aging was associated with reduced interference at high levels of pain intensity (ΔR2 = .01, B = −1.31, SE = 0.63, t(505) = −2.90, p = .04). Conclusion At high levels of pain intensity, interference decreased with age, although the age by pain intensity interaction effect was small. This evidence converges with aging theories, including socioemotional selectivity theory, which posits that as people age, they become more motivated to maximize positive emotions and minimize negative ones. The results highlight the importance of studying the mechanisms older adults use to successfully cope with pain. PMID:26214102

Intensity Mapping of Hα, Hβ, [OII], and [OIII] Lines at z < 5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Yan; Cooray, Asantha; Silva, Marta B.; Zemcov, Michael; Feng, Chang; Santos, Mario G.; Dore, Olivier; Chen, Xuelei

2017-02-01

Intensity mapping is becoming a useful tool to study the large-scale structure of the universe through spatial variations in the integrated emission from galaxies and the intergalactic medium. We study intensity mapping of the {{H}}α 6563 \\mathringA , [O III] 5007 Å, [O II] 3727 Å, and {{H}}β 4861 \\mathringA lines at 0.8≤slant z≤slant 5.2. The mean intensities of these four emission lines are estimated using the observed luminosity functions (LFs), cosmological simulations, and the star formation rate density (SFRD) derived from observations at z≲ 5. We calculate the intensity power spectra and consider the foreground contamination of other lines at lower redshifts. We use the proposed NASA small explorer SPHEREx (the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) as a case study for the detectability of the intensity power spectra of the four emission lines. We also investigate the cross-correlation with the 21 cm line probed by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), Tianlai experiment and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) at 0.8≤slant z≤slant 2.4. We find both the auto and cross power spectra can be well measured for the Hα, [O III] and [O II] lines at z≲ 3, while it is more challenging for the Hβ line. Finally, we estimate the constraint on the SFRD from intensity mapping, and find we can reach an accuracy higher than 7% at z≲ 4, which is better than with the usual method of measurements using the LFs of galaxies.

Investigations of the functional states of dendritic cells under different conditioned microenvironments by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Dong, Rong; Long, Jinhua; Xu, Xiaoli; Zhang, Chunlin; Wen, Zongyao; Li, Long; Yao, Weijuan; Zeng, Zhu

2014-01-10

Dendritic cells are potent and specialized antigen presenting cells, which play a crucial role in initiating and amplifying both the innate and adaptive immune responses. The dendritic cell-based vaccination against cancer has been clinically achieved promising successes. But there are still many challenges in its clinical application, especially for how to identify the functional states. The CD14+ monocytes were isolated from human peripheral blood after plastic adherence and purified to approximately 98% with cocktail immunomagnetic beads. The immature dendritic cells and mature dendritic cells were induced by traditional protocols. The resulting dendritic cells were cocultured with normal cells and cancer cells. The functional state of dendritic cells including immature dendritic cells (imDCs) and mature dendritic cells (mDCs) under different conditioned microenvironments were investigated by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and molecular biological methods. The results of Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy showed that the gene transcription activity and energy states of dendritic cells were specifically suppressed by tumor cells (P < 0.05 or 0.01). The expression levels of NF-kappa B (NF-κB) in dendritic cells were also specifically inhibited by tumor-derived factors (P < 0.05 or 0.01). Moreover, the ratios of absorption intensities of Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy at given wave numbers were closely correlated with the expression levels of NF-κB (R2:0.69 and R2:0.81, respectively). Our results confirmed that the ratios of absorption intensities of Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy at given wave numbers were positively correlated with the expression levels of NF-κB, suggesting that Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy technology could be clinically applied to identify the functional states of dendritic cell when performing dendritic cell-based vaccination. It's significant for the simplification and standardization of dendritic cell-based vaccination clinical preparation protocols.

Rapid Chemometric Filtering of Spectral Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beaman, Gregory; Pelletier, Michael; Seshadri, Suresh

2004-01-01

A method of rapid, programmable filtering of spectral transmittance, reflectance, or fluorescence data to measure the concentrations of chemical species has been proposed. By programmable is meant that a variety of spectral analyses can readily be performed and modified in software, firmware, and/or electronic hardware, without need to change optical filters or other optical hardware of the associated spectrometers. The method is intended to enable real-time identification of single or multiple target chemical species in applications that involve high-throughput screening of multiple samples. Examples of such applications include (but are not limited to) combinatorial chemistry, flow cytometry, bead assays, testing drugs, remote sensing, and identification of targets. The basic concept of the proposed method is to perform real-time crosscorrelations of a measured spectrum with one or more analytical function(s) of wavelength that could be, for example, the known spectra of target species. Assuming that measured spectral intensities are proportional to concentrations of target species plus background spectral intensities, then after subtraction of background levels, it should be possible to determine target species concentrations from cross-correlation values. Of course, the problem of determining the concentrations is more complex when spectra of different species overlap, but the problem can be solved by use of multiple analytical functions in combination with computational techniques that have been developed previously for analyses of this type. The method is applicable to the design and operation of a spectrometer in which spectrally dispersed light is measured by means of an active-pixel sensor (APS) array. The row or column dimension of such an array is generally chosen to be aligned along the spectral-dispersion dimension, so that each pixel intercepts light in a narrow spectral band centered on a wavelength that is a known function of the pixel position. The proposed method admits of two hardware implementations for computing cross-correlations in real time.

Attenuation of the neural response to sad faces in major depression by antidepressant treatment: a prospective, event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Fu, Cynthia H Y; Williams, Steven C R; Cleare, Anthony J; Brammer, Michael J; Walsh, Nicholas D; Kim, Jieun; Andrew, Chris M; Pich, Emilio Merlo; Williams, Pauline M; Reed, Laurence J; Mitterschiffthaler, Martina T; Suckling, John; Bullmore, Edward T

2004-09-01

Depression is associated with interpersonal difficulties related to abnormalities in affective facial processing. To map brain systems activated by sad facial affect processing in patients with depression and to identify brain functional correlates of antidepressant treatment and symptomatic response. Two groups underwent scanning twice using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during an 8-week period. The event-related fMRI paradigm entailed incidental affect recognition of facial stimuli morphed to express discriminable intensities of sadness. Participants were recruited by advertisement from the local population; depressed subjects were treated as outpatients. We matched 19 medication-free, acutely symptomatic patients satisfying DSM-IV criteria for unipolar major depressive disorder by age, sex, and IQ with 19 healthy volunteers. Intervention After the baseline assessment, patients received fluoxetine hydrochloride, 20 mg/d, for 8 weeks. Average activation (capacity) and differential response to variable affective intensity (dynamic range) were estimated in each fMRI time series. We used analysis of variance to identify brain regions that demonstrated a main effect of group (depressed vs healthy subjects) and a group x time interaction (attributable to antidepressant treatment). Change in brain activation associated with reduction of depressive symptoms in the patient group was identified by means of regression analysis. Permutation tests were used for inference. Over time, depressed subjects showed reduced capacity for activation in the left amygdala, ventral striatum, and frontoparietal cortex and a negatively correlated increase of dynamic range in the prefrontal cortex. Symptomatic improvement was associated with reduction of dynamic range in the pregenual cingulate cortex, ventral striatum, and cerebellum. Antidepressant treatment reduces left limbic, subcortical, and neocortical capacity for activation in depressed subjects and increases the dynamic range of the left prefrontal cortex. Changes in anterior cingulate function associated with symptomatic improvement indicate that fMRI may be a useful surrogate marker of antidepressant treatment response.

Muscle MRI STIR signal intensity and atrophy are correlated to focal lower limb neuropathy severity.

PubMed

Deroide, N; Bousson, V; Mambre, L; Vicaut, E; Laredo, J D; Kubis, Nathalie

2015-03-01

The objective is to determine if muscle MRI is useful for assessing neuropathy severity. Clinical, MRI and electromyography (EMG) examinations were performed in 17 patients with focal lower limb neuropathies. MRI Short Tau Inversion Recovery (STIR) signal intensity, amyotrophy, and muscle fatty infiltration measured after T1-weighted image acquisition, EMG spontaneous activity (SA), and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) were graded using semiquantitative scores and quantitative scores for STIR signal intensity and were correlated to the Medical Research Council (MRC) score for testing muscle strength. Within this population, subgroups were selected according to severity (mild versus severe), duration (subacute versus chronic), and topography (distal versus proximal) of the neuropathy. EMG SA and MVC MRI amyotrophy and quantitative scoring of muscle STIR intensity were correlated with the MRC score. Moreover, MRI amyotrophy was significantly increased in severe, chronic, and proximal neuropathies along with fatty infiltration in chronic lesions. Muscle MRI atrophy and quantitative evaluation of signal intensity were correlated to MRC score in our study. Semiquantitative evaluation of muscle STIR signal was sensitive enough for detection of topography of the nerve lesion but was not suitable to assess severity. Muscle MRI could support EMG in chronic and proximal neuropathy, which showed poor sensitivity in these patients.

Diffuse Scattering Investigations of Orientational Pair Potentials in C_60

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wochner, Peter

1996-03-01

Premonitory orientational fluctuations above the first order phase transition of C_60 at 260K have been studied by diffuse X-ray scattering experiments. These experiments probe the orientational pair correlations between C_60 molecules as a function of their separation and therefore the orientational pair potential. In addition to the diffuse scattering due to the orientational disorder of single molecules, we have observed zone boundary diffuse scattering at the X-points related to the Pabar 3 low temperature structure up to 300K. An additional set of diffuse peaks, which are even at room temperature comparable in intensity to the former ones, have been found at (0.5,0.5,0.5) positions (L-point). Similar results have recently been reported by P. Launois et al. (P. Launois, S. Ravy, R. Moret, PRB 52), 5414 (1995) and L. Pintschovius et al. (L. Pintschovius, S.L. Chaplot, G. Roth, G. Heger, PRL 75), 2843 (1995) The temperature dependence of the integrated intensity of both sets of diffuse peaks shows only a weak increase in approaching T_c, indicative of a strongly first order transition. Additional intensity with a very weak temperature dependence but similar correlation length has also been found at (0.5,0.5,0) and (0.5,0,0) positions. The diffuse intensity at the L, Σ and Δ points has probably its origin in competing phases which are not stabilized at low temperatures. Recent DSC measurements show close lying transitions at 260K with a separation of ~= 0.2-0.3K which might be related to these competing phases footnote J. Fischer, private communication. The data will be compared with model calculations using orientational pair potentials which have been used in literature to describe the orientational phase transition in C_60.

Runoff Response at Three Spatial Scale from a Burned Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moody, J. A.; Kinner, D. A.

2007-12-01

The hypothesis that the magnitude and timing of runoff from burned watersheds are functions of the properties of flow paths at multiple scales was investigated at three nested spatial scales within an area burned by the 2005 Harvard Fire near Burbank, California. Water depths were measured using pressure sensors: at the outlet of a subwatershed (10000 m2); in 3-inch Parshall flumes near the outlets of three mini-watersheds (820-1780 m2) within the subwatershed; and by 12 overland-flow detectors in 6 micro-watersheds (~11-15 m2) within one of the mini-watersheds. Rainfall intensities were measured using recording raingages deployed around the perimeter of the mini-watersheds and at the subwatershed outlet. Time-to-concentration, TC, and lag time, TL, were computed for the 15 largest of 30 rainstorms (maximum 30- minute intensities were 3.3-13.0 mm/h) between December 2005 and April 2006. TC , elapsed time from the beginning of the rain until the first increase in water depth, averaged 1.0 hours at the micro-scale, 1.7 hours at the mini-scale, and 1.5 hours at the subwatershed scale. TL is the lag time that produced the maximum cross- correlation coefficient between the time series of rainfall intensities and the series of water depths. TL averaged 0.15 hours at the micro-scale, 0.35 hours at the mini-scale, and 0.39 hours at the subwatershed scale. The coefficient was >0.50 for 43% (N=168) of the measurements at the micro-scale, for 61% (N=54) at the mini- scale, and for 67% (N=6) at the subwatershed scale indicating the runoff response lagged but was often well correlated with the time-varying rainfall intensity.

The Relation Between Light-Induced Lacrimation and the Melanopsin-Driven Postillumination Pupil Response.

PubMed

Lei, Shaobo; Goltz, Herbert C; Chen, Xingqiao; Zivcevska, Marija; Wong, Agnes M F

2017-03-01

To investigate the chromatic characteristics and intensity-response function of light-induced reflex lacrimation and its correlation with the melanopsin-driven postillumination pupil response (PIPR). Eleven visually normal participants completed the experiment. Lacrimation was measured in one eye by placing a calibrated filter paper strip in the conjunctival sac over a 1 minute-interval (Schirmer's test) during which participants received either no light stimulation (baseline trial) or one flash of blue or red light stimuli presented binocularly with a Ganzfeld stimulator, while the pupil response was recorded simultaneously from the fellow eye by using an eye tracker. Light stimulation trials were presented in alternating fashion at seven incremental intensity steps (0.1, 1, 3.16, 10, 31.6, 100, and 400 cd/m2). Postillumination pupil response was defined as the mean pupil constriction from 10 to 30 seconds post illumination. The amount of lacrimation in response to 10 to 400 cd/m2 blue light was significantly greater than baseline and increased monotonically with increasing light intensity. Red light did not induce significant reflex lacrimation until the brightest stimulation at 400 cd/m2. There was a positive linear correlation between PIPR and lacrimation in response to blue light (r = 0.74, P < 0.001) but not to red light (r = 0.13, P = 0.25). The chromatic characteristics and intensity-response of light-induced lacrimation are highly consistent with the features of melanopsin phototransduction. This finding is the first in vivo evidence in humans, supporting the hypothesis that light-induced reflex lacrimation is mediated primarily by melanopsin photoactivity, and provides new insight into the putative mechanisms of photophobia.

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

Belu, Radian; Koracin, Darko

The main objective of the study was to investigate spatial and temporal characteristics of the wind speed and direction in complex terrain that are relevant to wind energy assessment and development, as well as to wind energy system operation, management, and grid integration. Wind data from five tall meteorological towers located in Western Nevada, USA, operated from August 2003 to March 2008, used in the analysis. The multiannual average wind speeds did not show significant increased trend with increasing elevation, while the turbulence intensity slowly decreased with an increase were the average wind speed. The wind speed and direction weremore » modeled using the Weibull and the von Mises distribution functions. The correlations show a strong coherence between the wind speed and direction with slowly decreasing amplitude of the multiday periodicity with increasing lag periods. The spectral analysis shows significant annual periodicity with similar characteristics at all locations. The relatively high correlations between the towers and small range of the computed turbulence intensity indicate that wind variability is dominated by the regional synoptic processes. Knowledge and information about daily, seasonal, and annual wind periodicities are very important for wind energy resource assessment, wind power plant operation, management, and grid integration.« less

Prevalence and correlates of anger in the community: results from a national survey.

PubMed

Okuda, Mayumi; Picazo, Julia; Olfson, Mark; Hasin, Deborah S; Liu, Shang-Min; Bernardi, Silvia; Blanco, Carlos

2015-04-01

Little is known about the prevalence and correlates of anger in the community. We used data derived from a large national sample of the U.S. population, which included more than 34,000 adults ages 18 years and older. We defined inappropriate, intense, or poorly controlled anger by means of self-report of the following: (1) anger that was triggered by small things or that was difficult to control, (2) frequent temper outbursts or anger that lead to loss of control, or (3) hitting people or throwing objects in anger. The overall prevalence of inappropriate, intense, or poorly controlled anger in the U.S. population was 7.8%. Anger was especially common among men and younger adults, and was associated with decreased psychosocial functioning. Significant and positive associations were evident between anger and parental factors, childhood, and adulthood adverse events. There were strong associations between anger and bipolar disorder, drug dependence, psychotic disorder, borderline, and schizotypal personality disorders. There was a dose-response relationship between anger and a broad range of psychopathology. A rationale exists for developing screening tools and early intervention strategies, especially for young adults, to identify and help reduce anger.

Prevalence and Correlates of Anger in the Community: Results from a National Survey

PubMed Central

Okuda, Mayumi; Picazo, Julia; Olfson, Mark; Hasin, Deborah S.; Liu, Shang-Min; Bernardi, Silvia; Blanco, Carlos

2014-01-01

Introduction Little is known about the prevalence and correlates of anger in the community. Methods We used data derived from a large national sample of the United States population which included more than 34,000 adults ages 18 years and older. We defined inappropriate, intense, or poorly controlled anger by means of self-report of: 1) anger that was triggered by small things or that was difficult to control; 2) frequent temper outbursts or anger that lead to loss of control; or 3) hitting people or throwing objects in anger. Results The overall prevalence of inappropriate, intense, or poorly controlled anger in the U.S. population was 7.8%. Anger was especially common among men and younger adults, and was associated with decreased psychosocial functioning. Significant and positive associations were evident between anger and parental factors, childhood, and adulthood adverse events. There were strong associations between anger and bipolar disorder, drug dependence, psychotic disorder, borderline, and schizotypal personality disorders. There was a dose-response relationship between anger and a broad range of psychopathology. Conclusions A rationale exists for developing screening tools and early intervention strategies, especially for young adults, to identify and help reduce anger. PMID:25831968

Temporomandibular Disorders and Headache: A Retrospective Analysis of 1198 Patients

PubMed Central

Di Paolo, Carlo; D'Urso, Anna; Di Sabato, Francesco; Pompa, Giorgio

2017-01-01

Aim. Headache is one of the most common diseases associated with Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs). The aim of this study was to evaluate, retrospectively, if headache influences TMD's symptoms. Material and Methods. A total sample of 1198 consecutive TMD patients was selected. After a neurological examination, a diagnosis of headache, according to the latest edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, was performed in 625 subjects. Patients were divided into two groups based on presence/absence of headache: Group with Headache (GwH) and Group without Headache (GwoH). Descriptive statistics and Chi-square index were performed. Results. Sociodemographic (gender, marital status, and occupation) and functional factors, occlusion (occlusal and skeletal classes, dental formula, and occlusal abnormalities), and familiar pain did not show a statistically significant correlation in either group. Intensity and frequency of neck pain, arthralgia of TMJ, and myalgia showed higher correlation values in GwH. Conclusion. This study is consistent with previous literature in showing a close relationship between headache and TMD. All data underlines that headache makes pain parameters more intense and frequent. Therefore, an early and multidisciplinary treatment of TMDs should be performed in order to avoid the overlay of painful events that could result in pain chronicity. PMID:28420942

Effect on work ability after team evaluation of functioning regarding pain, self-rated disability, and work ability assessment.

PubMed

Norrefalk, Jan-Rickard; Littwold-Pöljö, Agneta; Ryhle, Leif; Jansen, Gunilla Brodda

2010-08-26

To evaluate the effect of a 1-2 week multiprofessional team assessment, without a real rehabilitation effort, 60 patients suffering from long-standing pain and on long-lasting time on sick leave were studied. A questionnaire concerning their daily activities, quality of life, pain intensity, sick-leave level, and their work state was filled out by all patients before starting the assessment and at a 1-year follow-up. The results from the assessment period and the multiprofessional team decision of the patient's working ability were compared with the actual working rate after 1 year. The follow-up showed a significant reduction of sick leave and a higher level of activity (P < 0.001). One year after the initial evaluation, 40% showed a reduction in sickness benefit level and 12% resumed full-time work. However, the team evaluation of the patient's work ability did not correlate to predict the actual outcome. The patient's pain intensity, life satisfaction, gender, age, ethnic background, and time absent from work before the start of the evaluation showed no correlation to reduction on time on sickness benefit level. These parameters could not be used as predictors in this study.

Pitfalls of diffusion-weighted imaging of the female pelvis

PubMed Central

Duarte, Ana Luisa; Dias, João Lopes; Cunha, Teresa Margarida

2018-01-01

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is widely used in protocols for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the female pelvis. It provides functional and structural information about biological tissues, without the use of ionizing radiation or intravenous administration of contrast medium. High signal intensity on DWI with simultaneous low signal intensity on apparent diffusion coefficient maps is usually associated with malignancy. However, that pattern can also be seen in many benign lesions, a fact that should be recognized by radiologists. Correlating DWI findings with those of conventional (T1- and T2-weighted) MRI sequences and those of contrast-enhanced MRI sequences is mandatory in order to avoid potential pitfalls. The aim of this review article is the description of the most relevant physiological and benign pathological conditions of the female pelvis that can show restricted diffusion on DWI. PMID:29559764

Characterization of X-ray emission from laser generated plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cannavò, Antonino; Torrisi, Lorenzo; Ceccio, Giovanni; Cutroneo, Mariapompea; Calcagno, Lucia; Sciuto, Antonella; Mazzillo, Massimo

2018-01-01

X-ray emission from laser generated plasma was studied at low (1010 W/cm2) and high (1018 W/cm2) intensity using ns and fs laser, respectively. Plasma characteristics were controlled trough the laser parameters, the irradiation conditions and the target properties. The X-ray spectra were acquired using fast detection technique based on SiC diodes with different active regions. The X-ray yield increases with the atomic number of the target, both at low and high intensity, and a similar empirical law has been obtained. The X-ray emission mechanisms from plasma are correlated to the plasma temperature and density and to the Coulomb charge particle acceleration, due to the charge separation effects produced in the non-equilibrium plasma. Functional dependences, theoretical approaches and interpretation of possible mechanism will be presented and discussed.

Physical activity and selected cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged male personnel of self-defense forces.

PubMed

Sakuta, Hidenari; Suzuki, Takashi

2006-01-01

We cross-sectionally analyzed the association between duration of physical activity and the presence of selected cardiovascular risk factors in the middle-aged male personnel of the Self-Defense Forces who underwent retirement check-up (n = 974). In a univariate regression analysis, duration of high intensity physical activity but not that of moderate or low intensity physical activity inversely correlated with body mass index (BMI), triglyceride, fasting plasma glucose, white blood cell (WBC) count and systolic blood pressure. No intensity categories of physical activity correlated with total cholesterol. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for lifestyle factors and the rank, the odds ratio per 1 h/wk increase in high intensity physical activity was .88 (95% confidence interval (CI) .80-.97; P=.007) for the presence of obesity (BMI 25.0 kg/m2), .88 (95% CI .81-.95; P = .002) for hypertrigly ceridemia, .87 (95% CI .76-.99; P=.034) for type 2 diabetes, and .90 (95% CI .82-.99; P=.037) for hypertension. Neither hypercholesterolemia nor high WBC count (> or = 6,900/microl) was associated with high intensity physical activity. High intensity physical activity inversely correlated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors in the middle-aged men.

ACADEMIC OUTCOMES IN CHILDHOOD-ONSET SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

PubMed Central

Zelko, Frank; Beebe, Dean; Baker, Aimee; Nelson, Shannen M; Ali, Aisha; Cedeno, Adlin; Dina, Blair; Klein-Gitelman, Marisa S; Ying, Jun; Brunner, Hermine I

2012-01-01

Objective To explore academic outcomes in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) and their relationship to variables such as demographic and socioeconomic status, neurocognitive functioning, behavioral/emotional adjustment, and cSLE disease status. Methods Forty pairs of children diagnosed with cSLE and healthy best-friend controls were rated by parents on a standardized scale of school competence. Information about participants’ demographic and socioeconomic status was obtained, along with measures of cSLE disease activity and damage. All participants received formal neurocognitive testing and were also rated on standardized scales of behavioral/emotional adjustment and executive functioning. Results Compared to healthy controls, school competence was rated as lower in the cSLE group, although the groups did not differ significantly on indices of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, or executive functioning. School competence ratings were correlated with reading and mathematics achievement test scores in both groups, and with ratings of mental self-regulation in the cSLE group. School competence ratings were correlated with measures of cSLE disease activity and treatment intensity. Conclusion cSLE is associated with inferior parent-rated academic outcomes compared to those noted in demographically-matched peers, despite similar neurocognitive function. The adverse academic outcomes which distinguish children with cSLE from their demographically-matched peers appear to be mediated by SLE disease activity and treatment. PMID:22807373

A DAQ-Device-Based Continuous Wave Near-Infrared Spectroscopy System for Measuring Human Functional Brain Activity

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaoli; Liu, Xiaomin

2014-01-01

In the last two decades, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is getting more and more popular as a neuroimaging technique. The fNIRS instrument can be used to measure local hemodynamic response, which indirectly reflects the functional neural activities in human brain. In this study, an easily implemented way to establish DAQ-device-based fNIRS system was proposed. Basic instrumentation components (light sources driving, signal conditioning, sensors, and optical fiber) of the fNIRS system were described. The digital in-phase and quadrature demodulation method was applied in LabVIEW software to distinguish light sources from different emitters. The effectiveness of the custom-made system was verified by simultaneous measurement with a commercial instrument ETG-4000 during Valsalva maneuver experiment. The light intensity data acquired from two systems were highly correlated for lower wavelength (Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.92, P < 0.01) and higher wavelength (r = 0.84, P < 0.01). Further, another mental arithmetic experiment was implemented to detect neural activation in the prefrontal cortex. For 9 participants, significant cerebral activation was detected in 6 subjects (P < 0.05) for oxyhemoglobin and in 8 subjects (P < 0.01) for deoxyhemoglobin. PMID:25180044

Autonomic function responses to training: Correlation with body composition changes.

PubMed

Tian, Ye; Huang, Chuanye; He, Zihong; Hong, Ping; Zhao, Jiexiu

2015-11-01

The causal relation between autonomic function and adiposity is an unresolved issue. Thus, we studied whether resting heart rate variability (HRV) changes could be used to predict changes in body composition after 16 weeks of individualized exercise training. A total of 117 sedentary overweight/obese adults volunteered to join an intervention group (IN, n=82) or a control group (CON, n=35). The intervention group trained for 30-40 min three times a week with an intensity of 85-100% of individual ventilatory threshold (Thvent). At baseline and after a 16-week training period, resting HRV variables, body composition and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) were assessed. Compared with CON, exercise training significantly improved HRV and body composition and increased VO2peak (P<0.05). Significant correlations were observed between changes of HRV variables and body composition indices and VO2peak (P<0.05). Greater individual changes in HRV in response to exercise training were observed for those with greater total and central fat loss. Individual aerobic-based exercise training was for improving autonomic function and resting HRV responses to aerobic training is a potential indicator for adaptations to exercise training. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Intensive training of motor function and functional skills among young children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Tinderholt Myrhaug, Hilde; Østensjø, Sigrid; Larun, Lillebeth; Odgaard-Jensen, Jan; Jahnsen, Reidun

2014-12-05

Young children with cerebral palsy (CP) receive a variety of interventions to prevent and/or reduce activity limitations and participation restrictions. Some of these interventions are intensive, and it is a challenge to identify the optimal intensity. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review was to describe and categorise intensive motor function and functional skills training among young children with CP, to summarise the effects of these interventions, and to examine characteristics that may contribute to explain the variations in these effects. Ten databases were searched for controlled studies that included young children (mean age less than seven years old) with CP and assessments of the effects of intensive motor function and functional skills training. The studies were critically assessed by the Risk of bias tool (RoB) and categorised for intensity and contexts of interventions. Standardised mean difference were computed for outcomes, and summarised descriptively or in meta-analyses. Thirty-eight studies were included. Studies that targeted gross motor function were fewer, older and with lower frequency of training sessions over longer training periods than studies that targeted hand function. Home training was most common in studies on hand function and functional skills, and often increased the amount of training. The effects of constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) on hand function and functional skills were summarised in six meta-analyses, which supported the existing evidence of CIMT. In a majority of the included studies, equal improvements were identified between intensive intervention and conventional therapy or between two different intensive interventions. Different types of training, different intensities and different contexts between studies that targeted gross and fine motor function might explain some of the observed effect variations. Home training may increase the amount of training, but are less controllable. These factors may have contributed to the observed variations in the effectiveness of CIMT. Rigorous research on intensive gross motor training is needed. CRD42013004023.

Experimental investigation of transient temperature characteristic in high power fiber laser cutting of a thick steel plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phi Long, Nguyen; Matsunaga, Yukihiro; Hanari, Toshihide; Yamada, Tomonori; Muramatsu, Toshiharu

2016-10-01

Experiment of temperature measurement was performed to investigate the transient temperature characteristics of molten metal during laser cutting. The aim of this study was to establish a method for measuring the surface temperature variation near the molten pool correlated with changes in cutting parameters. The relationship between temperature inside the kerf cut and characteristic of the cut surface was investigated by using thermography and thermocouples. Results show strong correlations between the transient temperatures and the thermal image for different cutting conditions. In addition, two-color thermometer has been used to obtain radiation intensity emitted from the irradiating zone as a function of operating conditions. Experiments have shown that one can detect the cutting quality by characterization of the surface temperature during laser cutting process.

Spatially resolved speckle-correlometry of sol-gel transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaeva, A. A.; Isaeva, E. A.; Pantyukov, A. V.; Zimnyakov, D. A.

2018-04-01

Sol-gel transition was studied using the speckle correlometry method with a localized light source and spatial filtering of backscattered radiation. Water solutions of technical or food gelatin with added TiO2 nanoparticles were used as studied objects. Structural transformation of "sol-gel" system was studied at various temperatures from 25°C to 50°C using analysis of the correlation and structure functions of speckle intensity fluctuations. The characteristic temperatures of "sol - gel" transition were evaluated for studied systems. Obtained results can be used for various applications in biomedicine and food industry.

Modified Beer-Lambert law for blood flow.

PubMed

Baker, Wesley B; Parthasarathy, Ashwin B; Busch, David R; Mesquita, Rickson C; Greenberg, Joel H; Yodh, A G

2014-11-01

We develop and validate a Modified Beer-Lambert law for blood flow based on diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) measurements. The new formulation enables blood flow monitoring from temporal intensity autocorrelation function data taken at single or multiple delay-times. Consequentially, the speed of the optical blood flow measurement can be substantially increased. The scheme facilitates blood flow monitoring of highly scattering tissues in geometries wherein light propagation is diffusive or non-diffusive, and it is particularly well-suited for utilization with pressure measurement paradigms that employ differential flow signals to reduce contributions of superficial tissues.

Young and intense: FoxP2 immunoreactivity in Area X varies with age, song stereotypy, and singing in male zebra finches

PubMed Central

Thompson, Christopher K.; Schwabe, Fabian; Schoof, Alexander; Mendoza, Ezequiel; Gampe, Jutta; Rochefort, Christelle; Scharff, Constance

2013-01-01

FOXP2 is a transcription factor functionally relevant for learned vocalizations in humans and songbirds. In songbirds, FoxP2 mRNA expression in the medium spiny neurons of the basal ganglia song nucleus Area X is developmentally regulated and varies with singing conditions in different social contexts. How individual neurons in Area X change FoxP2 expression across development and in social contexts is not known, however. Here we address this critical gap in our understanding of FoxP2 as a link between neuronal networks and behavior. We used a statistically unbiased analysis of FoxP2-immunoreactivity (FoxP2-IR) on a neuron-by-neuron basis and found a bimodal distribution of FoxP2-IR neurons in Area X: weakly-stained and intensely-stained. The density of intensely-stained FoxP2-IR neurons was 10 times higher in juveniles than in adults, exponentially decreased with age, and was negatively correlated with adult song stability. Three-week old neurons labeled with BrdU were more than five times as likely to be intensely-stained than weakly-stained. The density of FoxP2-IR putative migratory neurons with fusiform-shaped nuclei substantially decreased as birds aged. The density of intensely-stained FoxP2-IR neurons was not affected by singing whereas the density of weakly-stained FoxP2-IR neurons was. Together, these data indicate that young Area X medium spiny neurons express FoxP2 at high levels and decrease expression as they become integrated into existing neural circuits. Once integrated, levels of FoxP2 expression correlate with singing behavior. Together, these findings raise the possibility that FoxP2 levels may orchestrate song learning and song stereotypy in adults by a common mechanism. PMID:23450800

Young and intense: FoxP2 immunoreactivity in Area X varies with age, song stereotypy, and singing in male zebra finches.

PubMed

Thompson, Christopher K; Schwabe, Fabian; Schoof, Alexander; Mendoza, Ezequiel; Gampe, Jutta; Rochefort, Christelle; Scharff, Constance

2013-01-01

FOXP2 is a transcription factor functionally relevant for learned vocalizations in humans and songbirds. In songbirds, FoxP2 mRNA expression in the medium spiny neurons of the basal ganglia song nucleus Area X is developmentally regulated and varies with singing conditions in different social contexts. How individual neurons in Area X change FoxP2 expression across development and in social contexts is not known, however. Here we address this critical gap in our understanding of FoxP2 as a link between neuronal networks and behavior. We used a statistically unbiased analysis of FoxP2-immunoreactivity (FoxP2-IR) on a neuron-by-neuron basis and found a bimodal distribution of FoxP2-IR neurons in Area X: weakly-stained and intensely-stained. The density of intensely-stained FoxP2-IR neurons was 10 times higher in juveniles than in adults, exponentially decreased with age, and was negatively correlated with adult song stability. Three-week old neurons labeled with BrdU were more than five times as likely to be intensely-stained than weakly-stained. The density of FoxP2-IR putative migratory neurons with fusiform-shaped nuclei substantially decreased as birds aged. The density of intensely-stained FoxP2-IR neurons was not affected by singing whereas the density of weakly-stained FoxP2-IR neurons was. Together, these data indicate that young Area X medium spiny neurons express FoxP2 at high levels and decrease expression as they become integrated into existing neural circuits. Once integrated, levels of FoxP2 expression correlate with singing behavior. Together, these findings raise the possibility that FoxP2 levels may orchestrate song learning and song stereotypy in adults by a common mechanism.

The perception of sentence stress in cochlear implant recipients.

PubMed

Meister, Hartmut; Landwehr, Markus; Pyschny, Verena; Wagner, Petra; Walger, Martin

2011-01-01

Sentence stress is a vital attribute of speech since it indicates the importance of specific words within an utterance. Basic acoustic correlates of stress are syllable duration, intensity, and fundamental frequency (F0). Objectives of the study were to determine cochlear implant (CI) users' perception of the acoustic correlates and to uncover which cues are used for stress identification. Several experiments addressed the discrimination of changes in syllable duration, intensity, and F0 as well as stress identification based on these cues. Moreover, the discrimination of combined cues and identification of stress in conversational speech was examined. Both natural utterances and artificial manipulations of the acoustic cues were used as stimuli. Discrimination of syllable duration did not differ significantly between CI recipients and a control group of normal-hearing listeners. In contrast, CI users performed significantly worse on tasks of discrimination and stress identification based on F0 as well as on intensity. Results from these measurements were significantly correlated with the ability to identify stress in conversational speech. Discrimination performance for covarying F0 and intensity changes was more strongly correlated to identification performance than was found for discrimination of either F0 or intensity alone. Syllable duration was not related to stress identification in natural utterances. The outcome emphasizes the importance of both F0 and intensity for CI users' identification of sentence-based stress. Both cues were used separately for stress perception, but combining the cues provided extra benefit for most of the subjects.

Solar energetic particle events in different types of solar wind

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

Kahler, S. W.; Vourlidas, A., E-mail: stephen.kahler@kirtland.af.mil

2014-08-10

We examine statistically some properties of 96 20 MeV gradual solar energetic proton (SEP) events as a function of three different types of solar wind (SW) as classified by Richardson and Cane. Gradual SEP (E > 10 MeV) events are produced in shocks driven by fast (V ≳ 900 km s{sup –1}) and wide (W > 60°) coronal mass ejections (CMEs). We find no differences among the transient, fast, and slow SW streams for SEP 20 MeV proton event timescales. It has recently been found that the peak intensities Ip of these SEP events scale with the ∼2 MeV protonmore » background intensities, which may be a proxy for the near-Sun shock seed particles. Both the intensities Ip and their 2 MeV backgrounds are significantly enhanced in transient SW compared to those of fast and slow SW streams, and the values of Ip normalized to the 2 MeV backgrounds only weakly correlate with CME V for all SW types. This result implies that forecasts of SEP events could be improved by monitoring both the Sun and the local SW stream properties and that the well known power-law size distributions of Ip may differ between transient and long-lived SW streams. We interpret an observed correlation between CME V and the 2 MeV background for SEP events in transient SW as a manifestation of enhanced solar activity.« less

Predicting Electron Population Characteristics in 2-D Using Multispectral Ground-Based Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grubbs, Guy; Michell, Robert; Samara, Marilia; Hampton, Donald; Jahn, Jorg-Micha

2018-01-01

Ground-based imaging and in situ sounding rocket data are compared to electron transport modeling for an active inverted-V type auroral event. The Ground-to-Rocket Electrodynamics-Electrons Correlative Experiment (GREECE) mission successfully launched from Poker Flat, Alaska, on 3 March 2014 at 11:09:50 UT and reached an apogee of approximately 335 km over the aurora. Multiple ground-based electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) imagers were positioned at Venetie, Alaska, and aimed toward magnetic zenith. The imagers observed the intensity of different auroral emission lines (427.8, 557.7, and 844.6 nm) at the magnetic foot point of the rocket payload. Emission line intensity data are correlated with electron characteristics measured by the GREECE onboard electron spectrometer. A modified version of the GLobal airglOW (GLOW) model is used to estimate precipitating electron characteristics based on optical emissions. GLOW predicted the electron population characteristics with 20% error given the observed spectral intensities within 10° of magnetic zenith. Predictions are within 30% of the actual values within 20° of magnetic zenith for inverted-V-type aurora. Therefore, it is argued that this technique can be used, at least in certain types of aurora, such as the inverted-V type presented here, to derive 2-D maps of electron characteristics. These can then be used to further derive 2-D maps of ionospheric parameters as a function of time, based solely on multispectral optical imaging data.

Continuous rainfall simulation for regional flood risk assessment - application in the Austrian Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salinas, Jose Luis; Nester, Thomas; Komma, Jürgen; Blöschl, Günter

2017-04-01

Generation of realistic synthetic spatial rainfall is of pivotal importance for assessing regional hydroclimatic hazard as the input for long term rainfall-runoff simulations. The correct reproduction of the observed rainfall characteristics, such as regional intensity-duration-frequency curves, is necessary to adequately model the magnitude and frequency of the flood peaks. Furthermore, the replication of the observed rainfall spatial and temporal correlations allows to model important other hydrological features like antecedent soil moisture conditions before extreme rainfall events. In this work, we present an application in the Tirol region (Austrian alps) of a modification of the model presented by Bardossy and Platte (1992), where precipitation is modeled on a station basis as a mutivariate autoregressive model (mAr) in a Normal space, and then transformed to a Gamma-distributed space. For the sake of simplicity, the parameters of the Gamma distributions are assumed to vary monthly according to a sinusoidal function, and are calibrated trying to simultaneously reproduce i) mean annual rainfall, ii) mean daily rainfall amounts, iii) standard deviations of daily rainfall amounts, and iv) 24-hours intensity duration frequency curve. The calibration of the spatial and temporal correlation parameters is performed in a way that the intensity-duration-frequency curves aggregated at different spatial and temporal scales reproduce the measured ones. Bardossy, A., and E. J. Plate (1992), Space-time model for daily rainfall using atmospheric circulation patterns, Water Resour. Res., 28(5), 1247-1259, doi:10.1029/91WR02589.

Light response characteristics of a morphologically diverse group of southern hemisphere conifers as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence.

PubMed

Brodribb, T; Hill, Robert S

1997-03-01

Unlike northern hemisphere conifer families, the southern family, Podocarpaceae, produces a great variety of foliage forms ranging from functionally broad-, to needle-leaved. The production of broad photosynthetic surfaces in podocarps has been linked qualitatively to low-light-environments, and we undertook to assess the validity of this assumption by measuring the light response of a morphologically diverse group of podocarps. The light response, as apparent photochemical electron transport rate (ETR), was measured by modulated fluorescence in ten species of this family and six associated species (including five Cupressaceae and one functionally needle-leaved angiosperm) all grown under identical glasshouse conditions. In all species, ETR was found to increase as light intensity increased, reaching a peak value (ETR max ) at saturating quantum flux (PPFD sat ), and decreasing thereafter. ETR max ranged from 217 μmol electrons · m -2  · s -1 at a PPFD sat of 1725 μmol photons · m -2  · s -1 in Actinostrobus acuminatus to an ETR of 60 μmol electrons · m -2  · s -1 at a PPFD sat of 745 μmol electrons · m -2  · s -1 in Podocarpus dispermis. Good correlations were observed between ETR max and both PPFD sat and maximum assimilation rate measured by gas-exchange analysis. The effective quantum yield at light saturation remained constant in all species with an average value of 0.278 ± 0.0035 determined for all 16 species. Differences in the shapes of light response curves were related to differences in the response of non-photochemical quenching (q n ), with q n saturating faster in species with low PPFD sat . Amongst the species of Podocarpaceae, the log of average shoot width was well correlated with PPFD sat , wider leaves saturating at lower light intensities. This suggests that broadly flattened shoots in the Podocarpaceae are an adaptation to low light intensity.

Drug abusers have impaired cerebral oxygenation and cognition during exercise

PubMed Central

Soares Rachetti, Vanessa; Quirino Alves da Silva, Weslley; Aranha Rego Cabral, Daniel; Gomes da Silva Machado, Daniel; Caldas Costa, Eduardo; Forti, Rodrigo Menezes; Mesquita, Rickson Coelho; Elsangedy, Hassan Mohamed; Hideki Okano, Alexandre; Bodnariuc Fontes, Eduardo

2017-01-01

Background Individuals with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) have lower baseline metabolic activity of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) associated with impairment of cognitive functions in decision-making and inhibitory control. Aerobic exercise has shown to improve PFC function and cognitive performance, however, its effects on SUD individuals remain unclear. Purpose To verify the cognitive performance and oxygenation of the PFC during an incremental exercise in SUD individuals. Methods Fourteen individuals under SUD treatment performed a maximum graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer with continuous measurements of oxygen consumption, PFC oxygenation, and inhibitory control (Stroop test) every two minutes of exercise at different intensities. Fifteen non-SUD individuals performed the same protocol and were used as control group. Results Exercise increased oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb) and total hemoglobin (tHb) by 9% and 7%, respectively. However, when compared to a non-SUD group, this increase was lower at high intensities (p<0.001), and the inhibitory cognitive control was lower at rest and during exercise (p<0.007). In addition, PFC hemodynamics during exercise was inversely correlated with inhibitory cognitive performance (reaction time) (r = -0.62, p = 0.001), and a lower craving perception for the specific abused substance (p = 0.0189) was reported immediately after exercise. Conclusion Despite SUD individuals having their PFC cerebral oxygenation increased during exercise, they presented lower cognition and oxygenation when compared to controls, especially at elevated intensities. These results may reinforce the role of exercise as an adjuvant treatment to improve PFC function and cognitive control in individuals with SUD. PMID:29125875

Preserved re-experience of discrete emotions: Amnesia and executive function.

PubMed

Stanciu, Marian Andrei; Rafal, Robert D; Turnbull, Oliver H

2018-02-07

Amnesic patients can re-experience emotions elicited by forgotten events, suggesting that brain systems for episodic and emotional memory are independent. However, the range of such emotional memories remains under-investigated (most studies employing just positive-negative emotion dyads), and executive function may also play a role in the re-experience of emotions. This is the first investigation of the intensity of the emotional re-experience of a range of discrete emotions (anger, fear, sadness, and happiness) for a group of amnesic patients. Twenty Korsakoff syndrome (KS) patients and 20 neurologically normal controls listened to four novel emotional vignettes selectively eliciting the four basic emotions. Emotional experience was measured using pen-and-paper Visual Analogue Mood Scales and episodic memory using verbal recollections. After 30 min, the recollection of stories was severely impaired for the patient group, but the emotional re-experience was no different from that of controls. Notably, there was no relationship between episodic recall and the intensity of the four emotions, such that even profoundly amnesic patients reported moderate levels of the target emotion. Exploratory analyses revealed negative correlations between the intensity of basic emotions and executive functions (e.g., cognitive flexibility and response inhibition) for controls but not patients. The results suggest that discrete emotions can be re-experienced independently of episodic memory, and that the re-experience of certain discrete emotions appears to be dampened by executive control. KS patients with absent or mild cognitive symptoms should benefit from emotion-regulation interventions aimed at reducing the recognized affective burden associated with their episodic memory deficit. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Comparing light sensitivity, linearity and step response of electronic cameras for ophthalmology.

PubMed

Kopp, O; Markert, S; Tornow, R P

2002-01-01

To develop and test a procedure to measure and compare light sensitivity, linearity and step response of electronic cameras. The pixel value (PV) of digitized images as a function of light intensity (I) was measured. The sensitivity was calculated from the slope of the P(I) function, the linearity was estimated from the correlation coefficient of this function. To measure the step response, a short sequence of images was acquired. During acquisition, a light source was switched on and off using a fast shutter. The resulting PV was calculated for each video field of the sequence. A CCD camera optimized for the near-infrared (IR) spectrum showed the highest sensitivity for both, visible and IR light. There are little differences in linearity. The step response depends on the procedure of integration and read out.

Exploring Neural Correlates of Different Dimensions in Drug Craving Self-Reports among Heroin Dependents.

PubMed

Hassani-Abharian, Peyman; Ganjgahi, Habib; Tabatabaei-Jafari, Hosein; Oghabian, Mohammad Ali; Mokri, Azarakhsh; Ekhtiari, Hamed

2015-10-01

Drug craving could be described as a motivational state which drives drug dependents towards drug seeking and use. Different types of self-reports such as craving feeling, desire and intention, wanting and need, imagery of use, and negative affect have been attributed to this motivational state. By using subjective self-reports for different correlates of drug craving along with functional neuroimaging with cue exposure paradigm, we investigated the brain regions that could correspond to different dimensions of subjective reports for heroin craving. A total of 25 crystalline-heroin smokers underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), while viewing heroin-related and neutral cues presented in a block-design task. During trial intervals, subjects verbally reported their subjective feeling of cue induced craving (CIC). After fMRI procedure, participants reported the intensity of their "need for drug use" and "drug use imagination" on a 0-100 visual analog scale (VAS). Afterwards, they completed positive and negative affect scale (PANAS) and desire for drug questionnaire (DDQ) with 3 components of "desire and intention to drug use," "negative reinforcement," and "loss of control." The study showed significant correlation between "subjective feeling of craving" and activation of the left and right anterior cingulate cortex, as well as right medial frontal gyrus. Furthermore, the "desire and intention to drug use" was correlated with activation of the left precentral gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, and left middle frontal gyrus. Subjects also exhibited significant correlation between the "need for drug use" and activation of the right inferior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, and right parahippocampal gyrus. Correlation between subjective report of "heroin use imagination" and activation of the cerebellar vermis was also observed. Another significant correlation was between the "negative affect" and activation of the left precuneus, right putamen, and right middle temporal gyrus. This preliminary study proposes different neural correlates for various dimensions of subjective craving self-reports. It could reflect multidimensionality of cognitive functions corresponding with drug craving. These cognitive functions could represent their motivational and affective outcomes in a single item "subjective craving feeling" or in self-reports with multiple dissociable items, such as intention, need, imagination, or negative feeling. The new psychological models of drug craving for covering various dimensions of subjective craving self-reports based on their neurocognitive correspondence could potentially modify craving assessments in addiction medicine.

Nonlinear electronic excitations in crystalline solids using meta-generalized gradient approximation and hybrid functional in time-dependent density functional theory

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

Sato, Shunsuke A.; Taniguchi, Yasutaka; Department of Medical and General Sciences, Nihon Institute of Medical Science, 1276 Shimogawara, Moroyama-Machi, Iruma-Gun, Saitama 350-0435

2015-12-14

We develop methods to calculate electron dynamics in crystalline solids in real-time time-dependent density functional theory employing exchange-correlation potentials which reproduce band gap energies of dielectrics; a meta-generalized gradient approximation was proposed by Tran and Blaha [Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 226401 (2009)] (TBm-BJ) and a hybrid functional was proposed by Heyd, Scuseria, and Ernzerhof [J. Chem. Phys. 118, 8207 (2003)] (HSE). In time evolution calculations employing the TB-mBJ potential, we have found it necessary to adopt the predictor-corrector step for a stable time evolution. We have developed a method to evaluate electronic excitation energy without referring to the energy functionalmore » which is unknown for the TB-mBJ potential. For the HSE functional, we have developed a method for the operation of the Fock-like term in Fourier space to facilitate efficient use of massive parallel computers equipped with graphic processing units. We compare electronic excitations in silicon and germanium induced by femtosecond laser pulses using the TB-mBJ, HSE, and a simple local density approximation (LDA). At low laser intensities, electronic excitations are found to be sensitive to the band gap energy: they are close to each other using TB-mBJ and HSE and are much smaller in LDA. At high laser intensities close to the damage threshold, electronic excitation energies do not differ much among the three cases.« less

Attachment, Sexual Assertiveness, and Sexual Outcomes in Women with Provoked Vestibulodynia and Their Partners: A Mediation Model.

PubMed

Leclerc, Bianca; Bergeron, Sophie; Brassard, Audrey; Bélanger, Claude; Steben, Marc; Lambert, Bernard

2015-08-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a prevalent women's sexual pain disorder, which is associated with sexual function difficulties. Attachment theory has been used to understand adult sexual outcomes, providing a useful framework for examining sexual adaptation in couples confronted with PVD. Research to date indicates that anxious and avoidant attachment dimensions correlate with worse sexual outcomes in community and clinical samples. The present study examined the association between attachment, pain, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction in a sample of 101 couples in which the women presented with PVD. The actor-partner interdependence model was used in order to investigate both actor and partner effects. This study also examined the role of sexual assertiveness as a mediator of these associations via structural equation modeling. Women completed measures of pain intensity and both members of the couple completed measures of romantic attachment, sexual assertiveness, sexual function, and satisfaction. Results indicated that attachment dimensions did not predict pain intensity. Both anxious and avoidant attachment were associated with lower sexual satisfaction. Only attachment avoidance predicted lower sexual function in women. Partner effects indicated that higher sexual assertiveness in women predicted higher sexual satisfaction in men. Finally, women's sexual assertiveness was found to be a significant mediator of the relationship between their attachment dimensions, sexual function, and satisfaction. Findings highlight the importance of examining how anxious and avoidant attachment may lead to difficulties in sexual assertiveness and to less satisfying sexual interactions in couples where women suffer from PVD.

Symptom Frequencies and Intensities in Hospitalized Patients With Advanced Cancer Having Depressive Disorder.

PubMed

Liu, Yong; Liu, Fei; Yu, Yang; Li, Qing; Jin, Xin; Li, Jin

2017-06-01

To explore the frequencies and intensities of depressive symptoms associated with hospitalized patients with advanced cancer. A total of 196 hospitalized patients with advanced cancer were surveyed with the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). The χ 2 test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used to compare the frequency and intensity of symptoms between patients with and without depressive disorders. Spearman rank correlation was used to test the correlation between depression and symptoms. Of the 196 enrolled patients, 115 (59%) were males. The median age of the patients was 58 (19-80) years. Seventy-six (39%) patients were diagnosed with depression (SDS ≥ 53). Patients with depressive disorders exhibited pain, drowsiness, and nausea along with a higher frequency and intensity of poor self-perception, appetite loss, anxiety, dyspnea, and fatigue. Depressive symptoms were positively correlated with the symptoms. Depressive disorders are very common and severe in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer. Identifying the frequencies and intensities of the symptoms enables early intervention to improve patients' quality of life.

Dependence of the correlated-momentum patterns in double ionization on the carrier-envelope phase and intensity of a few-cycle laser pulse

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

Xin, G. G.; Ye, D. F.; Graduate School, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing 100088

2010-12-15

In the present paper, we investigate the correlated electron emission of atoms irradiated by a few-cycle laser pulse, with emphasis on the correlated longitudinal momentum spectra. We find that the spectra show clear v-shaped structures, in analogy to what was observed recently in long-pulse experiments. Moreover, the patterns of the spectra depend sensitively on the carrier-envelope phase as well as the laser intensity. The v-shaped structure is more pronounced at lower and higher intensities and becomes obscure at medium intensity. At a lower intensity, upon change of the phase from 0 to {pi}/2, the v-shaped structure shifts from the firstmore » quadrant to the third quadrant and the ratios between the double ionization yields in the first and third quadrants are found to increase by a few orders of magnitude. The semiclassical rescattering model is exploited in the preceding calculations and the underlying mechanisms are uncovered by analyzing the subcycle dynamics of classical trajectories.« less

Disorder in Protein Crystals.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarage, James Braun, II

1990-01-01

Methods have been developed for analyzing the diffuse x-ray scattering in the halos about a crystal's Bragg reflections as a means of determining correlations in atomic displacements in protein crystals. The diffuse intensity distribution for rhombohedral insulin, tetragonal lysozyme, and triclinic lysozyme crystals was best simulated in terms of exponential displacement correlation functions. About 90% of the disorder can be accounted for by internal movements correlated with a decay distance of about 6A; the remaining 10% corresponds to intermolecular movements that decay in a distance the order of size of the protein molecule. The results demonstrate that protein crystals fit into neither the Einstein nor the Debye paradigms for thermally fluctuating crystalline solids. Unlike the Einstein model, there are correlations in the atomic displacements, but these correlations decay more steeply with distance than predicted by the Debye-Waller model for an elastic solid. The observed displacement correlations are liquid -like in the sense that they decay exponentially with the distance between atoms, just as positional correlations in a liquid. This liquid-like disorder is similar to the disorder observed in 2-D crystals of polystyrene latex spheres, and similar systems where repulsive interactions dominate; hence, these colloidal crystals appear to provide a better analogy for the dynamics of protein crystals than perfectly elastic lattices.

Quantifying colocalization by correlation: the Pearson correlation coefficient is superior to the Mander's overlap coefficient.

PubMed

Adler, Jeremy; Parmryd, Ingela

2010-08-01

The Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) and the Mander's overlap coefficient (MOC) are used to quantify the degree of colocalization between fluorophores. The MOC was introduced to overcome perceived problems with the PCC. The two coefficients are mathematically similar, differing in the use of either the absolute intensities (MOC) or of the deviation from the mean (PCC). A range of correlated datasets, which extend to the limits of the PCC, only evoked a limited response from the MOC. The PCC is unaffected by changes to the offset while the MOC increases when the offset is positive. Both coefficients are independent of gain. The MOC is a confusing hybrid measurement, that combines correlation with a heavily weighted form of co-occurrence, favors high intensity combinations, downplays combinations in which either or both intensities are low and ignores blank pixels. The PCC only measures correlation. A surprising finding was that the addition of a second uncorrelated population can substantially increase the measured correlation, demonstrating the importance of excluding background pixels. Overall, since the MOC is unresponsive to substantial changes in the data and is hard to interpret, it is neither an alternative to nor a useful substitute for the PCC. The MOC is not suitable for making measurements of colocalization either by correlation or co-occurrence.

Spectral dependence of fluorescence near plasmon resonant metal nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yeechi

The optical properties of fluorophores are significantly modified when placed within the near field (0--100 nm) of plasmon resonant metal nanostructures, due to the competition between increased decay rates and "hotspots" of concentrated electric fields. The decay rates and effective electric field intensities are highly dependent on the relative position of dye and metal and the overlap between plasmon resonance and dye absorption and emission. Understanding these dependencies can greatly improve the performance of biosensing and nanophotonic devices. In this dissertation, the fluorescence intensity of organic dyes and CdSe quantum dots near single metal nanoparticles is studied as a function of the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the nanoparticle. Single metal nanoparticles have narrow, well-defined, intense local surface plasmon resonances that are tunable across the visible spectrum by changes in size and shape. First, we show that organic dyes can be self-assembled on single silver nanoprisms into known configurations by the hybridization of thiolated DNA oligomers. We correlate the fluorescence intensity of the dyes to the LSPR of the individual nanoprism to which they are attached. For each of three different organic dyes, we observe a strong correlation between the fluorescence intensity of the dye and the degree of spectral overlap with the plasmon resonance of the nanoparticle. On average, we observe the brightest fluorescence from dyes attached to metal nanoparticles that have a LSPR scattering peak 40--120 meV higher in energy than the emission peak of the fluorophore. Second, the plasmon-enhanced fluorescence from CdSe/CdS/CdZnS/ZnS core/shell quantum dots is studied near a variety of silver and gold nanoparticles. With single-particle scattering spectroscopy, the localized surface plasmon resonance spectra of single metal nanoparticles is correlated with the photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra of the nearby quantum dots. The PLE spectra closely track the scattering spectra of the metal nanoparticles. By taking advantage of the ability to excite quantum dots across a wide range of wavelengths while detecting a single emission wavelength, we measure an excitation enhancement factor for single metal nanoparticles. The data also provide a calculation of a lower-bound of experimentally attainable enhancement factors solely due to increased near-field excitation. This factor was found to range from ˜3 to 10 for Au spheres, Ag cubes and Ag nanoprisms.