Clinical results of the open ring PMMA guider assisted capsulorrhexis in cataract surgery.

PubMed

Lee, Jee Hye; Lee, Yong Eun; Joo, Choun-Ki

2018-05-10

To compare the results of continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis(CCC) after application of an open ring-shaped guider compared with a free-hand procedure in eyes with cataracts. This study comprised patients undergoing cataract surgery in Seoul St.Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea. Eyes were grouped depending on the capsulotomy method; CCC was performed by free-hand procedure on 94 eyes (free-hand group), and it was performed under the guidance after introduction of an open ring-shaped guider on consecutive 89 eyes (guided group). Horizontal and vertical diameter, area and circularity of capsulotomy were measured postoperatively at one day, two months and six months. Differences in parameters and the percentage of ideal capsulorrhexis were analyzed between the two groups. On the first postoperative day, the vertical diameter in the guided group (5.24 ± 0.16 mm) was significantly longer than that of the free-hand group (5.01 ± 0.65 mm, P = 0.019). The area of capsulotomy was larger in the guided group (21.55 ± 0.87 mm 2 ) than that of the free-hand group (20.34 ± 2.96 mm 2 , P < 0.001). Circularity in the guided group (0.84 ± 0.03), was significantly greater than that of the free-hand group (0.69 ± 0.17, P = 0.036). Ideal capsulorrhexis was obtained in 60 eyes (67%) in the free-hand group and 81 eyes (86%) in the guided group. After introduction of an open ring-shaped guider, CCC became larger and more circular with less anterior capsular contracture. The rate of acquiring ideal capsulorrhexis was higher in the guided group than it was in the free-hand group for six months after surgery.

49 CFR 236.528 - Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...-operated switch; requirement. 236.528 Section 236.528 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... Instructions; Roadway § 236.528 Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement. When a facing point hand-operated switch is open one-fourth inch or more, a trailing point hand...

49 CFR 236.528 - Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...-operated switch; requirement. 236.528 Section 236.528 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... Instructions; Roadway § 236.528 Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement. When a facing point hand-operated switch is open one-fourth inch or more, a trailing point hand...

49 CFR 236.528 - Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...-operated switch; requirement. 236.528 Section 236.528 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... Instructions; Roadway § 236.528 Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement. When a facing point hand-operated switch is open one-fourth inch or more, a trailing point hand...

[Acoustic conditions in open plan offices - Pilot test results].

PubMed

Mikulski, Witold

The main source of noise in open plan office are conversations. Office work standards in such premises are attained by applying specific acoustic adaptation. This article presents the results of pilot tests and acoustic evaluation of open space rooms. Acoustic properties of 6 open plan office rooms were the subject of the tests. Evaluation parameters, measurement methods and criterial values were adopted according to the following standards: PN-EN ISO 3382- 3:2012, PN-EN ISO 3382-2:2010, PN-B-02151-4:2015-06 and PN-B-02151-3:2015-10. The reverberation time was 0.33- 0.55 s (maximum permissible value in offices - 0.6 s; the criterion was met), sound absorption coefficient in relation to 1 m2 of the room's plan was 0.77-1.58 m2 (minimum permissible value - 1.1 m2; 2 out of 6 rooms met the criterion), distraction distance was 8.5-14 m (maximum permissible value - 5 m; none of the rooms met the criterion), A-weighted sound pressure level of speech at a distance of 4 m was 43.8-54.7 dB (maximum permissible value - 48 dB; 2 out of 6 rooms met the criterion), spatial decay rate of the speech was 1.8-6.3 dB (minimum permissible value - 7 dB; none of the rooms met the criterion). Standard acoustic treatment, containing sound absorbing suspended ceiling, sound absorbing materials on the walls, carpet flooring and sound absorbing workplace barriers, is not sufficient. These rooms require specific advanced acoustic solutions. Med Pr 2016;67(5):653-662. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Proximal Opening Wedge Osteotomy Provides Satisfactory Midterm Results With a Low Complication Rate.

PubMed

Oravakangas, Rami; Leppilahti, Juhana; Laine, Vesa; Niinimäki, Tuukka

2016-01-01

Hallux valgus is one of the most common foot deformities. Proximal opening wedge osteotomy is used for the treatment of moderate and severe hallux valgus with metatarsus primus varus. However, hypermobility of the first tarsometatarsal joint can compromise the results of the operation, and a paucity of midterm results are available regarding proximal open wedge osteotomy surgery. The aim of the present study was to assess the midterm results of proximal open wedge osteotomy in a consecutive series of patients with severe hallux valgus. Thirty-one consecutive adult patients (35 feet) with severe hallux valgus underwent proximal open wedge osteotomy. Twenty patients (35.5%) and 23 feet (34.3%) were available for the final follow-up examination. The mean follow-up duration was 5.8 (range 4.6 to 7.0) years. The radiologic measurements and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society hallux-metatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal scores were recorded pre- and postoperatively, and subjective questionnaires were completed and foot scan analyses performed at the end of the follow-up period. The mean hallux valgus angle decreased from 38° to 23°, and the mean intermetatarsal angle correction decreased from 17° to 10°. The mean improvement in the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society hallux metatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal score increased from 52 to 84. Two feet (5.7%) required repeat surgery because of recurrent hallux valgus. No nonunions were identified. Proximal open wedge osteotomy provided satisfactory midterm results in the treatment of severe hallux valgus, with a low complication rate. The potential instability of the first tarsometatarsal joint does not seem to jeopardize the midterm results of the operation. Copyright © 2016 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

IROA: International Register of Open Abdomen, preliminary results.

PubMed

Coccolini, Federico; Montori, Giulia; Ceresoli, Marco; Catena, Fausto; Ivatury, Rao; Sugrue, Michael; Sartelli, Massimo; Fugazzola, Paola; Corbella, Davide; Salvetti, Francesco; Negoi, Ionut; Zese, Monica; Occhionorelli, Savino; Maccatrozzo, Stefano; Shlyapnikov, Sergei; Galatioto, Christian; Chiarugi, Massimo; Demetrashvili, Zaza; Dondossola, Daniele; Yovtchev, Yovcho; Ioannidis, Orestis; Novelli, Giuseppe; Nacoti, Mirco; Khor, Desmond; Inaba, Kenji; Demetriades, Demetrios; Kaussen, Torsten; Jusoh, Asri Che; Ghannam, Wagih; Sakakushev, Boris; Guetta, Ohad; Dogjani, Agron; Costa, Stefano; Singh, Sandeep; Damaskos, Dimitrios; Isik, Arda; Yuan, Kuo-Ching; Trotta, Francesco; Rausei, Stefano; Martinez-Perez, Aleix; Bellanova, Giovanni; Fonseca, Vinicius Cordeiro; Hernández, Fernando; Marinis, Athanasios; Fernandes, Wellington; Quiodettis, Martha; Bala, Miklosh; Vereczkei, Andras; Curado, Rafael L; Fraga, Gustavo Pereira; Pereira, Bruno M; Gachabayov, Mahir; Chagerben, Guillermo Perez; Arellano, Miguel Leon; Ozyazici, Sefa; Costa, Gianluca; Tezcaner, Tugan; Ansaloni, Luca

2017-01-01

No definitive data about open abdomen (OA) epidemiology and outcomes exist. The World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) and the Panamerican Trauma Society (PTS) promoted the International Register of Open Abdomen (IROA). A prospective observational cohort study including patients with an OA treatment. Data were recorded on a web platform (Clinical Registers®) through a dedicated website: www.clinicalregisters.org. Four hundred two patients enrolled. Adult patients: 369 patients; Mean age: 57.39±18.37; 56% male; Mean BMI: 36±5.6. OA indication: Peritonitis (48.7%), Trauma (20.5%), Vascular Emergencies/Hemorrhage (9.4%), Ischemia (9.1%), Pancreatitis (4.2%),Post-operative abdominal-compartment-syndrome (3.9%), Others (4.2%). The most adopted Temporary-abdominal-closure systems were the commercial negative pressure ones (44.2%). During OA 38% of patients had complications; among them 10.5% had fistula. Definitive closure: 82.8%; Mortality during treatment: 17.2%. Mean duration of OA: 5.39(±4.83) days; Mean number of dressing changes: 0.88(±0.88). After-closure complications: (49.5%) and Mortality: (9%). No significant associations among TACT, indications, mortality, complications and fistula. A linear correlationexists between days of OA and complications (Pearson linear correlation = 0.326 p <0.0001) and with the fistula development (Pearson = 0.146 p = 0.016). Pediatric patients: 33 patients. Mean age: 5.91±(3.68) years; 60% male. Mortality: 3.4%; Complications: 44.8%; Fistula: 3.4%. Mean duration of OA: 3.22(±3.09) days. Temporary abdominal closure is reliable and safe. The different techniques account for different results according to the different indications. In peritonitis commercial negative pressure temporary closure seems to improve results. In trauma skin-closure and Bogotà-bag seem to improve results. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02382770.

Open and Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Comparison of Intermediate Results and Complications

PubMed Central

Hee, Hwan Tak

2015-01-01

Study Design Prospective study. Purpose To compare clinical and radiological outcomes of open vs. minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF). Overview of Literature MI-TLIF promises smaller incisions and less soft tissue dissection resulting in lower morbidity and faster recovery; however, it is technically challenging. Methods Twenty-five patients with MI-TLIF were compared with 25 matched open TLIF controls. A minimum 2 year follow-up and a statistical analysis of perioperative and long-term outcomes were performed. Potential complications were recorded. Results The mean ages for the open and MI-TLIF cases were 44.4 years (range, 19-69 years) and 43.6 years (range, 20-69 years), respectively. The male:female ratio was 13:12 for both groups. Average follow-up was 26.9 months for the MI-TLIF group and 29.3 months for the open group. Operative duration was significantly longer in the MI-TLIF group than that in the open group (p<0.05). No differences in estimated blood loss, duration to ambulation, or length of stay were found. Significant improvements in the Oswestry disability index and EQ-5D functional scores were observed at 6-, 12-, and 24-months in both groups, but no significant difference was detected between the groups. Fusion rates were comparable. Cage sizes were significantly smaller in the MI-TLIF group at the L5/S1 level (p<0.05). One patient had residual spinal stenosis at the MI-TLIF level, and one patient who underwent two-level MI-TLIF developed a deep vein thrombosis resulting in a pulmonary embolism. Conclusions MI-TLIF and open TLIF had comparable long-term benefits. Due to technical constraints, patients should be advised on the longer operative time and potential undersizing of cages at the L5S1 level. PMID:25901228

43 CFR 2091.2 - Segregation and opening resulting from publication of a Notice of Realty Action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Segregation and opening resulting from publication of a Notice of Realty Action. 2091.2 Section 2091.2 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to... (2000) SPECIAL LAWS AND RULES Segregation and Opening of Lands § 2091.2 Segregation and opening...

Analysis of castellated steel beam with oval openings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tudjono, S.; Sunarto; Han, A. L.

2017-11-01

A castellated steel beam is per definition a wide flange (WF) or I shaped steel profile with openings, to reduce self-weight and improve the effectiveness in terms of material use. Recently, extensive study on these castellated steel beams has been conducted, involving different shapes in web openings. The main goal of these research works was to evaluate and analyze its optimum opening sizes and shapes configuration. More in-depth research work to the behavior and the influence of holes to WF beams need to be conducted. In this paper, an oval shaped web opening is chosen as alternate. The study involves a modification in the variation of oval web openings both in the horizontally and vertically direction. An experimental and numerical study based on the finite element method conducted with the Abaqus/CAE 6.12 software is used to analyze the buckling behavior of the web. The obtained results from the experimental test specimens are in good agreement with the obtained results from the finite element analysis. Furthermore, the numerical model can be expanded to be used as analyzing tool in evaluating and studying the effect and influencing factors of a variation in opening’s parameters.

Open-door laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy resulting from adjacent-segment disease in patients with previous anterior cervical decompression and fusion.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Morio; Nojiri, Kenya; Chiba, Kazuhiro; Toyama, Yoshiaki; Fukui, Yasuyuki; Kamata, Michihiro

2006-05-20

This is a retrospective study of patients with cervical myelopathy resulting from adjacent-segment disease who were treated by open-door expansive laminoplasty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy resulting from adjacent-segment disease. Adjacent-segment disease is one of the problems associated with anterior cervical decompression and fusion. However, the optimal surgical management strategy is still controversial. Thirty-one patients who underwent open-door expansive laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy resulting from adjacent-segment disease and age- and sex-matched 31 patients with myelopathy who underwent laminoplasty as the initial surgery were enrolled in the study. The pre- and postoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association scores (JOA scores) and the recovery rate were compared between the two groups. The average JOA scores in the patients with adjacent-segment disease and the controls were 9.2 +/- 2.6 and 9.4 +/- 2.3 before the expansive laminoplasty and 11.9 +/- 2.8 and 13.3 +/- 1.7 at the follow-up examination, respectively; the average recovery rates in the two groups were 37.1 +/- 22.4% and 50.0 +/- 21.3%, respectively (P = 0.04). The mean number of segments covered by the high-intensity lesions on the T2-weighted magnetic resonance images was 1.87 and 0.9, respectively (P = 0.001). Moderate neurologic recovery was obtained after open-door laminoplasty in patients with cervical myelopathy resulting from adjacent-segment disc disease, although the results were not as satisfactory as those in the control group. This may be attributed to the irreversible damage of the spinal cord caused by persistent compression at the adjacent segments.

Effective Results of an Open Concept School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobos, Irma; Lewallen, Joy

2009-01-01

Open concept schools were a popular architectural design in the 70s. They were built to provide large areas of flexible space for team teaching with small enclosed areas for restrooms, science labs, and special needs classrooms. Because there are no barriers and no closed doors, an attitude of inclusiveness is created merely by the building's…

Results of a Study of Hong Kong and Taiwan Open Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherritt, Caroline

Although the National Open University of Taiwan (NOU) and Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) both opened in the 1980s in environments of rapid economic growth and political stability, the NOU reflects traditional Chinese values whereas the OUHK merges Chinese and Western beliefs. Categorized as a "supplemental" school, the NOU occupies…

43 CFR 2091.4 - Segregation and opening resulting from the allowance of entries, leases, grants or contracts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Segregation and opening resulting from the allowance of entries, leases, grants or contracts. 2091.4 Section 2091.4 Public Lands: Interior Regulations... MANAGEMENT (2000) SPECIAL LAWS AND RULES Segregation and Opening of Lands § 2091.4 Segregation and opening...

Results of open pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: single centre series and pooled analysis of literature.

PubMed

van Lammeren, Guus W; Ünlü, Çağdaş; Verschoor, Sjoerd; van Dongen, Eric P; Wille, Jan; van de Pavoordt, Eric Dwm; de Vries-Werson, Debbie Ab; De Vries, Jean-Paul Pm

2017-06-01

Objectives Endovascular treatment of pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm has gained terrain over the past decade, despite the substantial need for reinterventions during follow-up. However, open repair is still a well-established treatment option. With the current study we report the results of a consecutive series of elective primary open pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in a tertiary vascular referral centre, combined with an overview of current literature and pooled data analysis of perioperative mortality of open and endovascular pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Methods A retrospective analysis of a prospective database of all elective open pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs in the St. Antonius Hospital between 2005 and 2014 was performed. Primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. Secondary endpoints were 30-day morbidity, new onset dialysis, reintervention free survival, and overall survival during follow-up. Results Between 2005 and 2014, 214 consecutive patients underwent elective open pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Mean age was 69.8 (±7.1) years, 82.7% (177/214) were men, and mean abdominal aortic aneurysm diameter was 62 (±11) mm. Thirty-day mortality was 3.4%. Thirty-day morbidity was 27.1%, which predominantly consisted of pneumonia (18.7% (40/214)), cardiac events (3.3% (7/214)), and new onset dialysis (2.8% (6/214)). Estimated five-year overall survival rate was 74.2%. 0.9% (2/214) of patients required abdominal aortic aneurysm-related reintervention, and an additional 2.3% (5/214) required surgical repair of an incisional hernia. Pooled analysis of literature revealed a 30-day mortality of 3.0% for open pararenal repair and 1.9% for fenestrated endovascular repair. Conclusion Open pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in the era of increasing endovascular options results in acceptable perioperative morbidity and mortality rates. Mid-term reintervention rate is low compared to fenestrated endovascular

More Ways to Obtain Publications | NREL

Science.gov Websites

More Ways to Obtain Publications More Ways to Obtain Publications Through the NREL Library or one information products. The NREL Library The library is open M-F, 8:00 a.m 5:00 p.m. Email or call 303-275-4215 Loan Service. Our OCLC symbol is SOE. Search the NREL Library The NREL Library has extensive resources

Improving open access to the results of USGS research (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bristol, S.

2013-12-01

Since its establishment under the Organic Act of March 3, 1879, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been committed to classifying and characterizing 'the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain.' Over time, the pursuit of this mission and understanding the products of the national domain has involved a broad scientific pursuit to understand complex Earth system processes and includes topographic, geologic, biogeographic, and other types of mapping; chemical, physical, hydrological, and biological research; and the application of computer and data science. As science and technology have evolved, classification and characterization of the Nation's natural resources has come to be embodied in digital data of various structure and form. Fundamentally, scientific publications and data produced through research and monitoring form the core of the USGS mission. They are an organizational and national treasure held and provided in trust for the American people and for the global scientific community. The recent memo from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) on 'Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research' is part of an overall initiative toward open digital government that dovetails well with the USGS mission. The objectives outlined in the memo correspond directly to goals and objectives of the 2007 USGS Science Strategy ('Facing Tomorrow's Challenges--U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007-2017') and the recently released Science Strategy Plans across all USGS Mission Areas. The USGS response to the OSTP memo involves reinforcing aspects of the USGS commitment to open and free access to scholarly publications and data along with improvements to some of the underlying technological systems that facilitate search and discovery. These actions also align with the USGS response to the Executive Order on May 9, 2013, entitled 'Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for

Mainstreaming Open Textbooks: Educator Perspectives on the Impact of OpenStax College Open Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitt, Rebecca

2015-01-01

This paper presents the results of collaborative research between open textbook provider OpenStax College (OSC) and the OER Research Hub (OERRH), a Hewlett funded mixed methods open research project examining the impact of open educational resources (OER) on learning and teaching. The paper focuses primarily on the results of two surveys that were…

Networks of open systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerman, Eugene

2018-08-01

Many systems of interest in science and engineering are made up of interacting subsystems. These subsystems, in turn, could be made up of collections of smaller interacting subsystems and so on. In a series of papers David Spivak with collaborators formalized these kinds of structures (systems of systems) as algebras over presentable colored operads (Spivak, 2013; Rupel and Spivak, 2013; Vagner et al., 2015). It is also very useful to consider maps between dynamical systems. This is the point of view taken by DeVille and Lerman in the study of dynamics on networks (DeVille and Lerman, 2015 [4,5]; DeVille and Lerman, 2010). The work of DeVille and Lerman was inspired by the coupled cell networks of Golubitsky, Stewart and their collaborators (Stewart et al., 2003; Golubitsky et al., 2005; Golubitsky and Stewart, 2006). The goal of this paper is to describe an algebraic structure that encompasses both approaches to systems of systems. More specifically we define a double category of open systems and construct a functor from this double category to the double category of vector spaces, linear maps and linear relations. This allows us, on one hand, to build new open systems out of collections of smaller open subsystems and on the other to keep track of maps between open systems. Consequently we obtain synchrony results for open systems which generalize the synchrony results of Golubitsky, Stewart and their collaborators for groupoid invariant vector fields on coupled cell networks.

Comparative study of open and arthroscopic coracoid transfer for shoulder anterior instability (Latarjet)-clinical results at short term follow-up.

PubMed

Kordasiewicz, Bartłomiej; Małachowski, Konrad; Kicinski, Maciej; Chaberek, Sławomir; Pomianowski, Stanisław

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to compare early clinical results after open and arthroscopic Latarjet stabilisation in anterior shoulder instability. Our hypothesis was the results of arthroscopic stabilisation were comparable with the results of open procedure. The clinical results of the patients after primary Latarjet procedure were analysed. Patients operated on between 2006 and 2011 using an open technique composed the OPEN group and patients operated on arthroscopically between 2011 and 2013 composed the ARTHRO group; 48 out of 55 shoulders (87%) in OPEN and 62 out of 64 shoulders (97%) in ARTHRO were available to follow-up. The average age at surgery was 28 years in OPEN and 26 years in ARTHRO. The mean follow-up was 54.2 months in OPEN and 23.4 months in ARTHRO. Intra-operative data were analysed regarding time of surgery, concomitant lesions and complications. Patient results were assessed with Walch-Duplay, Rowe, VAS scores and subjective self-evaluation of satisfaction and shoulder function. Computed tomography scan evaluation was used to assess the graft healing. Average time of surgery was significantly shorter in ARTHRO than OPEN: respectively 110 and 120 minutes. The number of intra-operative complications was six (12.5%) in OPEN and five (8.1%) in ARTHRO. The results were comparable in both groups, with no significant difference between OPEN and ARTHRO group: satisfaction rate - 96.8% and 91.9%, shoulder function - 92.2% and 90%, Walch-Duplay score - 83.9 and 76.7 respecively. A significant difference was reported in Rowe score: 87.8 in OPEN and 78.9 in ARTHRO. Another significant difference was found in the presence of "subjective apprehension"-a term referring to the subjective perception of instability with no signs of instability at clinical examination - 28.7% in OPEN and 50% in ARTHRO. Range of motion in both groups were comparable, however patients in OPEN had significantly lower loss of external rotation in adduction to the side comparing to the

Open nonradiative cavities as millimeter wave single-mode resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annino, G.; Cassettari, M.; Martinelli, M.

2005-06-01

Open single-mode metallic cavities operating in nonradiative configurations are proposed and demonstrated. Starting from well-known dielectric resonators, possible nonradiative cavities have been established; their behavior on the fundamental TE011 mode has been predicted on the basis of general considerations. As a result, very efficient confinement properties are expected for a wide variety of open structures having rotational invariance. Test cavities realized having in mind practical millimeter wave constraints have been characterized at microwave frequencies. The obtained results confirm the expected high performances on widely open configurations. A possible excitation of the proposed resonators exploiting their nonradiative character is discussed, and the resulting overall ease of realization enlightened in view of millimeter wave employments.

[Cholecystectomy in the elderly: early results of open versus laparoscopic approach].

PubMed

Régo, Ronaldo Elias Carnut; de Campos, Tércio; de Moricz, André; Silva, Rodrigo Altenfelder; Pacheco Júnior, Adhemar Monteiro

2003-01-01

The rise of elderly population is due to the improvement of life expectancy. The biliary lithiasis is the most common condition requiring intra-abdominal surgery. Half of these patients sustain associated diseases and frequently develops acute and complicated forms of cholelithiasis. Therefore, cholecystectomy is indicated for patients with chronic symptomatic disease. During a long period open cholecystectomy has been practiced, with low complications and mortality rates. Videolaparoscopy has been recently proposed as an option in these cases, however, few studies compared its advantages over open cholecystectomy for elderly patients. To access the early results of the surgical treatment for cholelithiasis in the elderly submitted to an open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy. retrospective study with 246 patients > 65 years old, who underwent elective cholecystectomy through a subcostal incision (group I) or laparoscopic approach (group II). We employed Student's t test and Spearman's correlation for statistical analysis, considering p < 0,05 as significant. A hundred and twenty patients were arranged in group I and 126 in group II. Associated diseases were present in 155 cases (63). There were no differences between the groups regarding both the distribution of comorbid conditions. Conversion was evaluated in 10 patients (8.3%). The mean operative time was 133 minutes in group I and 112 minutes in group II (p=0.001). The mean hospital stay in group I was 3,3 days and in group II was 3.2 days p=0.698. Thirteen patients in each group developed complications: group I (10.8%) and group II (10.3%) p=0,896. There was no statistis significance in complication rate related to gender, age, associated diseases and ASA when the both groups were compared. There were two deaths, both in group II, although the mortality rate was not statiscally significant between the groups (p=0.158). Both open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be practiced in the elderly with low and

Results of open heart surgery in Jehovah's Witness patients. Single centre experience.

PubMed

Juraszek, Andrzej; Kołsut, Piotr; Szymański, Jarosław; Kuriata, Jarosław; Kuśmierski, Krzysztof; Sitkowska-Rysiak, Ewa; Jasińska, Małgorzata; Kuśmierczyk, Mariusz

2017-09-01

Evaluation the results in patients from the religious community of Jehovah's Witness (JW) undergoing open heart surgery at our institution. Between September 2011 and March 2015, 21 patients with a religious background of the JW church underwent open heart surgery at our institution performed by the same surgical team. Mean age was 68.43 ±8.93 years. There were 13 (61.9%) female patients. Recombinant human erythropoietin was administered to every patient with a hemoglobin value < 12.0 g/dl. Nine patients undergoing isolated coronary artery revascularization were operated on without cardiopulmonary bypass. Seven patients underwent combined surgery and 5 patients underwent aortic valve replacement via ministernotomy. The mean follow-up time was 16.45 ±11.09 months (range: 1.67-44.3 months). Mean baseline hematocrit serum level was 40.15 ±3.34% (range: 34.5-46.1%). Perioperatively the hematocrit serum levels decreased to the mean level of 29.89 ±4.31% (range: 21.4-36.3%). The mean hematocrit value at discharge was 30.85 ±3.59% (range: 23.5-38.4%). One death was observed in the perioperative period. Five (24%) patients suffered from sternum wound infection requiring vacuum-assisted therapy. During the follow-up period 1 patient died due to a non-cardiac related cause. After careful preoperative preparation the results of open heart surgery in JW were very good, including combined procedures. The decrease of hematocrit serum levels significantly characterizing the postoperative period was highly acceptable in this series. Nevertheless, the number of sternum wound infections was a limiting factor for prompt postoperative recovery.

Obtaining patient test results from clinical laboratories: a survey of state law for pharmacists.

PubMed

Witry, Matthew J; Doucette, William R

2009-01-01

To identify states with laws that restrict to whom clinical laboratories may release copies of laboratory test results and to describe how these laws may affect pharmacists' ability to obtain patient laboratory test results. Researchers examined state statutes and administrative codes for all 50 states and the District of Columbia at the University of Iowa Law Library between June and July 2007. Researchers also consulted with lawyers, state Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments officers, and law librarians. Laws relating to the study objective were analyzed. 34 jurisdictions do not restrict the release of laboratory test results, while 17 states have laws that restrict to whom clinical laboratories can send copies of test results. In these states, pharmacists will have to use alternative sources, such as physician offices, to obtain test results. Pharmacists must consider state law before requesting copies of laboratory test results from clinical laboratories. This may be an issue that state pharmacy associations can address to increase pharmacist access to important patient information.

Open data mining for Taiwan's dengue epidemic.

PubMed

Wu, ChienHsing; Kao, Shu-Chen; Shih, Chia-Hung; Kan, Meng-Hsuan

2018-07-01

By using a quantitative approach, this study examines the applicability of data mining technique to discover knowledge from open data related to Taiwan's dengue epidemic. We compare results when Google trend data are included or excluded. Data sources are government open data, climate data, and Google trend data. Research findings from analysis of 70,914 cases are obtained. Location and time (month) in open data show the highest classification power followed by climate variables (temperature and humidity), whereas gender and age show the lowest values. Both prediction accuracy and simplicity decrease when Google trends are considered (respectively 0.94 and 0.37, compared to 0.96 and 0.46). The article demonstrates the value of open data mining in the context of public health care. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Results of open heart surgery in Jehovah’s Witness patients. Single centre experience

PubMed Central

Kołsut, Piotr; Szymański, Jarosław; Kuriata, Jarosław; Kuśmierski, Krzysztof; Sitkowska-Rysiak, Ewa; Jasińska, Małgorzata; Kuśmierczyk, Mariusz

2017-01-01

Aim Evaluation the results in patients from the religious community of Jehovah’s Witness (JW) undergoing open heart surgery at our institution. Material and methods Between September 2011 and March 2015, 21 patients with a religious background of the JW church underwent open heart surgery at our institution performed by the same surgical team. Mean age was 68.43 ±8.93 years. There were 13 (61.9%) female patients. Recombinant human erythropoietin was administered to every patient with a hemoglobin value < 12.0 g/dl. Nine patients undergoing isolated coronary artery revascularization were operated on without cardiopulmonary bypass. Seven patients underwent combined surgery and 5 patients underwent aortic valve replacement via ministernotomy. The mean follow-up time was 16.45 ±11.09 months (range: 1.67–44.3 months). Results Mean baseline hematocrit serum level was 40.15 ±3.34% (range: 34.5–46.1%). Perioperatively the hematocrit serum levels decreased to the mean level of 29.89 ±4.31% (range: 21.4–36.3%). The mean hematocrit value at discharge was 30.85 ±3.59% (range: 23.5–38.4%). One death was observed in the perioperative period. Five (24%) patients suffered from sternum wound infection requiring vacuum-assisted therapy. During the follow-up period 1 patient died due to a non-cardiac related cause. Conclusions After careful preoperative preparation the results of open heart surgery in JW were very good, including combined procedures. The decrease of hematocrit serum levels significantly characterizing the postoperative period was highly acceptable in this series. Nevertheless, the number of sternum wound infections was a limiting factor for prompt postoperative recovery. PMID:29181043

The clinical and radiological results of arthroscopic versus arthroscopy assisted mini-open repair of rotator cuff tears

PubMed Central

Özcan, Muhammed Sefa; Sezer, Hasan Basri; Eren, Osman Tuğrul; Armağan, Raffi; Kanar, Muharrem

2017-01-01

In this study we reported retrospectively the comperative clinical and radiological results of the two most common surgical procedures in rotator cuff tear repair of shoulder, the golden standart arthroscopic and alternative arthroscopically assisted mini-open surgery. We included 58 patients who admitted to our clinic for rotator cuff tear and treated surgically between january 2013 and august 2015. The two groups were composed of arthroscopically treated 29 patients and 29 patients who were treated with arthroscopically assisted mini open surgery. The arthroscopy group included 18 females and 11 males, the mini-open group included 10 females and 19 males. The mean age was 56,0 (39,0-73,0) years, in arthroscopic and 55,0 (40,0-70,0) years in mini-open surgery group. 6 patients in the arthroscopy group(20,7%) and 10 patients in the mini-open group(34,5%) were defining trauma before the beginning of their complaints. The postoperative follow up was 28,9 months in arthroscopy group and 22,6 months in the mini-open surgery group. Preoperative physical or medical treatments were documented. Any additional surgical procedures like biceps long head tenotomy, subacromial decompression and bursectomy were also noted. Patients were evaluated with ASES and Constant shoulder scales before and after the surgery. Patients were evaluated radiologically with MRI at the last follow up for healing and tendon quality. The type 2 acromion was the dominant in both groups constituting the 44,8% of the total number of patients. 24 (82,8%)patients in the arthroscopically treated patients and 18(62,1%) patients in the mini-open group were undergone at least one of the additional surgical treatments. The mean length of the surgical scar was 3,4(3-5) cm in mini open group. None of the patients complained of the surgical scar. 16 patients in the arthroscopy group and 17 patients in the mini-open group had supraspinatus tendon pathology(either tear or degeneration) in the MRI control at the

Open problems and results in the group theoretic approach to quantum gravity via the BMS group and its generalizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melas, Evangelos

2011-02-01

The Bondi-Metzner-Sachs group B is the common asymptotic group of all asymptotically flat (lorentzian) space-times, and is the best candidate for the universal symmetry group of General Relativity. However, in quantum gravity, complexified or euclidean versions of General Relativity are frequently considered. McCarthy has shown that there are forty-two generalizations of B for these versions of the theory and a variety of further ones, either real in any signature, or complex. A firm foundation for quantum gravity can be laid by following through the analogue of Wigner's programme for special relativity with B replacing the Poincare group P. Here the main results which have been obtained so far in this research programme are reported and the more important open problems are stated.

Obtaining of Analytical Relations for Hydraulic Parameters of Channels With Two Phase Flow Using Open CFD Toolbox

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varseev, E.

2017-11-01

The present work is dedicated to verification of numerical model in standard solver of open-source CFD code OpenFOAM for two-phase flow simulation and to determination of so-called “baseline” model parameters. Investigation of heterogeneous coolant flow parameters, which leads to abnormal friction increase of channel in two-phase adiabatic “water-gas” flows with low void fractions, presented.

NOAA Inter-Agency Networking for Open Data and Research Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de la Beaujardiere, J.

2015-12-01

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) generates tens of terabytes of data per day from hundreds of sensors on satellites, radars, aircraft, ships, and buoys, and from numerical models. With rare exceptions, all of these data should be made publicly accessible in a usable fashion. NOAA has long been both an advocate and a practitioner of open data, and has observations going back 150 years in its archives. The NOAA data management community therefore welcomed the White House mandates on Open Data and Open Research, and has striven to improve standardization internally and in collaboration with other organizations. This paper will summarize the state of inter-agency networking by NOAA, and will discuss future perspectives, in particular the need to achieve a state where the appropriate technology choices for particular classes of geospatial data are obvious and beyond discussion, and where data sharing and metadata creation are built into agency workflows for project planning, approval, and execution, so that instead of writing and enforcing mandates we can focus on actually using data from multiple sources to improve understanding and decision-making.

Enhancing Student Services at Lorain County Community College: Early Results from the Opening Doors Demonstration in Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scrivener, Susan; Au, Jenny

2007-01-01

In 2003, MDRC and a consortium of funders launched the Opening Doors demonstration to test reforms in six community colleges aimed at helping students stay in school and earn credentials. This report presents early results from the Opening Doors program at Lorain County Community College in Elyria, Ohio. The program provided intensive advising and…

Results obtained with a low cost software-based audiometer for hearing screening.

PubMed

Ferrari, Deborah Viviane; Lopez, Esteban Alejandro; Lopes, Andrea Cintra; Aiello, Camila Piccini; Jokura, Pricila Reis

2013-07-01

 The implementation of hearing screening programs can be facilitated by reducing operating costs, including the cost of equipment. The Telessaúde (TS) audiometer is a low-cost, software-based, and easy-to-use piece of equipment for conducting audiometric screening.  To evaluate the TS audiometer for conducting audiometric screening.  A prospective randomized study was performed. Sixty subjects, divided into those who did not have (group A, n = 30) and those who had otologic complaints (group B, n = 30), underwent audiometric screening with conventional and TS audiometers in a randomized order. Pure tones at 25 dB HL were presented at frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz. A "fail" result was considered when the individual failed to respond to at least one of the stimuli. Pure-tone audiometry was also performed on all participants. The concordance of the results of screening with both audiometers was evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of screening with the TS audiometer were calculated.  For group A, 100% of the ears tested passed the screening. For group B, "pass" results were obtained in 34.2% (TS) and 38.3% (conventional) of the ears tested. The agreement between procedures (TS vs. conventional) ranged from 93% to 98%. For group B, screening with the TS audiometer showed 95.5% sensitivity, 90.4% sensitivity, and positive and negative predictive values equal to 94.9% and 91.5%, respectively.  The results of the TS audiometer were similar to those obtained with the conventional audiometer, indicating that the TS audiometer can be used for audiometric screening.

Results and Interpretations of U.S. Geological Survey Data Collected In and Around the Tuba City Open Dump, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Raymond H.; Otton, James K.; Horton, Robert J.

2009-01-01

This Open-File Report was originally an Administrative Report presentation to the Bureau of Indian Affairs based on U.S. Geological Survey data that has been collected and presented in four previous reports (Open-File Reports 2009-1020, 2008-1380, and 2008-1374, and an Administrative Report on geophysical data). This presentation was given at a technical meeting requested by the BIA on March 3 and 4, 2009, in Phoenix, Arizona. The idea for this meeting was for all the technical people working on issues related to the Tuba City Open Dump site to come together and share their data collection procedures, results, interpretations, and working hypotheses. The meeting goal was to have a clear record of each party's interpretations and a summary of additional data that would be needed to solve differences of opinion. The intention of this presentation is not to provide an exhaustive summary of U.S. Geological Survey efforts at the Tuba City Open Dump site given in the four previously published Open-File Reports listed above, since these reports have already been made available. This presentation briefly summarizes the data collected for those reports and provides results, interpretations, and working hypotheses relating to the data available in these reports. The major questions about the Tuba City Open Dump addressed by the U.S. Geological Survey are (1) what are the sources for uranium and other constituents found in the ground water in and around the Tuba City Open Dump, (2) what is the current distribution of ground water contaminants away from the Tuba City Open Dump (can plume limits be delineated), and (3) what controls the mobility of uranium and other constituents in and around the Tuba City Open Dump? Data collection, results, and interpretations by the U.S. Geological Survey that address these questions are presented herein.

Results of the open surgery after endoscopic basket impaction during ERCP procedure

PubMed Central

Yilmaz, Sezgin; Ersen, Ogun; Ozkececi, Taner; Turel, Kadir S; Kokulu, Serdar; Kacar, Emre; Akici, Murat; Cilekar, Murat; Kavak, Ozgur; Arikan, Yuksel

2015-01-01

AIM: To report the results of open surgery for patients with basket impaction during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure. METHODS: Basket impaction of either classical Dormia basket or mechanical lithotripter basket with an entrapped stone occurred in six patients. These patients were immediately operated for removal of stone(s) and impacted basket. The postoperative course, length of hospital stay, diameter of the stone, complication and the surgical procedure of the patients were reported retrospectively. RESULTS: Six patients (M/F, 0/6) were operated due to impacted basket during ERCP procedure. The mean age of the patients was 64.33 ± 14.41 years. In all cases the surgery was performed immediately after the failed ERCP procedure by making a right subcostal incision. The baskets containing the stone were removed through longitudinal choledochotomy with the stone. The choledochotomy incisions were closed by primary closure in four patients and T tube placement in two patients. All patients were also performed cholecystectomy additionally since they had cholelithiasis. In patients with T-tube placement it was removed on the 13th day after a normal T-tube cholangiogram. The patients remained stable at postoperative period and discharged without any complication at median 7 d. CONCLUSION: Open surgical procedures can be applied in patients with basket impaction during ERCP procedure in selected cases. PMID:25722797

Opening-assisted coherent transport in the semiclassical regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yang; Celardo, G. Luca; Borgonovi, Fausto; Kaplan, Lev

2017-02-01

We study quantum enhancement of transport in open systems in the presence of disorder and dephasing. Quantum coherence effects may significantly enhance transport in open systems even in the semiclassical regime (where the decoherence rate is greater than the intersite hopping amplitude), as long as the disorder is sufficiently strong. When the strengths of disorder and dephasing are fixed, there is an optimal opening strength at which the coherent transport enhancement is optimized. Analytic results are obtained in two simple paradigmatic tight-binding models of large systems: the linear chain and the fully connected network. The physical behavior is also reflected in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) photosynthetic complex, which may be viewed as intermediate between these paradigmatic models.

Two different solicitation methods for obtaining information on adverse events associated with methylphenidate in adolescents: a 12-week multicenter, open-label study.

PubMed

Lee, Moon-Soo; Lee, Soyoung I; Hong, Sungdo D; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Choi, Jeewook; Joung, Yoo-Sook

2013-02-01

We explored two different methods of determining adverse events (AEs) among methylphenidate (MPH)-treated adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We performed a 12-week open label study of osmotic-release oral system (OROS) MPH in adolescents with ADHD who were recruited from four child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinics. The AEs were evaluated via a two-step procedure at weeks 1, 3, 6, and 12. The first step was to ask a general question to subjects and their parents regarding AEs. The second step included an AE evaluation process by the investigators, which was performed using a drug-specific checklist. One-way repeated measures ANOVA were used to compare the number of AEs reported by patients and their parents compared with the number reported by clinicians. This statistical technique was also used to compare the number of AEs reported by various sources (i.e., patients, parents, and clinicians) at weeks 1, 3, 6, and 12. Of the 55 participants (43 males, 12 females) between the ages of 12 and 18 enrolled in this study, 47 participants completed the trial. When the number of AEs reported by patients, parents and clinicians were compared, there were no statistically significant differences. When the numbers of AEs obtained from the three different information sources at each study visit were compared, we noted differences. At week 6, the number of AEs evaluated by clinical investigators was higher than those reported by patients and their parents (p=0.003). Although the results did not reach statistical significance, the number of AEs reported by clinical investigators appeared to be greater than those obtained from patients or parents at weeks 3 and 12. The number of AEs reported by patients and their parents were similar at every visit. There were some differences in the pattern of AEs reported between patients and their parents. Clinicians should supplement the subjective report on AEs from patients or their parents with a

Useful diagnostic biometabolic data obtained by PET/CT and MR fusion imaging using open source software.

PubMed

Antonica, Filippo; Asabella, Artor Niccoli; Ferrari, Cristina; Rubini, Domenico; Notaristefano, Antonio; Nicoletti, Adriano; Altini, Corinna; Merenda, Nunzio; Mossa, Emilio; Guarini, Attilio; Rubini, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

In the last decade numerous attempts were considered to co-register and integrate different imaging data. Like PET/CT the integration of PET to MR showed great interest. PET/MR scanners are recently tested on different distrectual or systemic pathologies. Unfortunately PET/MR scanners are expensive and diagnostic protocols are still under studies and investigations. Nuclear Medicine imaging highlights functional and biometabolic information but has poor anatomic details. The aim of this study is to integrate MR and PET data to produce distrectual or whole body fused images acquired from different scanners even in different days. We propose an offline method to fuse PET with MR data using an open-source software that has to be inexpensive, reproducible and capable to exchange data over the network. We also evaluate global quality, alignment quality, and diagnostic confidence of fused PET-MR images. We selected PET/CT studies performed in our Nuclear Medicine unit, MR studies provided by patients on DICOM CD media or network received. We used Osirix 5.7 open source version. We aligned CT slices with the first MR slice, pointed and marked for co-registration using MR-T1 sequence and CT as reference and fused with PET to produce a PET-MR image. A total of 100 PET/CT studies were fused with the following MR studies: 20 head, 15 thorax, 24 abdomen, 31 pelvis, 10 whole body. An interval of no more than 15 days between PET and MR was the inclusion criteria. PET/CT, MR and fused studies were evaluated by two experienced radiologist and two experienced nuclear medicine physicians. Each one filled a five point based evaluation scoring scheme based on image quality, image artifacts, segmentation errors, fusion misalignment and diagnostic confidence. Our fusion method showed best results for head, thorax and pelvic districts in terms of global quality, alignment quality and diagnostic confidence,while for the abdomen and pelvis alignement quality and global quality resulted

Improved infiltration series for studying stomatal opening as illustrated with coffee

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

Alvim, P.deT.; Havis, J.R.

1956-01-01

Very satisfactory results have been obtained in estimation of the degree of stomatal opening of several plant species by using infiltration series prepared with Nujol mineral oil diluted with xylol, kerosene, n-dodecane, n-tetradecane, or Bayol-D. All of these materials, except Nujol, infiltrate the leaves when the stomata are only slightly open. Nujol does not penetrate even wide open stomata, except for plants with particularly large stomata. The results with coffee plants show that leaves exposed to direct sunlight decreased their stomatal aperture during periods of strong illumination in the middle of the day (more than about 8000 fc). 9 references,more » 2 figures.« less

Long Term Results of Visual Field Progression Analysis in Open Angle Glaucoma Patients Under Treatment.

PubMed

Kocatürk, Tolga; Bekmez, Sinan; Katrancı, Merve; Çakmak, Harun; Dayanır, Volkan

2015-01-01

To evaluate visual field progression with trend and event analysis in open angle glaucoma patients under treatment. Fifteen year follow-up results of 408 eyes of 217 glaucoma patients who were followed at Adnan Menderes University, Department of Ophthalmology between 1998 and 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. Visual field data were collected for Mean Deviation (MD), Visual Field Index (VFI), and event occurrence. There were 146 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), 123 pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (XFG) and 139 normal tension glaucoma (NTG) eyes. MD showed significant change in all diagnostic groups (p<0.001). The difference of VFI between first and last examinations were significantly different in POAG (p<0.001), and XFG (p<0.003) but not in NTG. VFI progression rates were -0.3, -0.43, and -0.2 % loss/year in treated POAG, XFG, and NTG, respectively. The number of empty triangles were statistically different between POAG-NTG (p=0.001), and XFG-NTG (p=0.002) groups. The number of half-filled (p=0.002), and full-filled (p=0.010) triangles were significantly different between XFG-NTG groups. Functional long-term follow-up of glaucoma patients can be monitored with visual field indices. We herein report our fifteen year follow-up results in open angle glaucoma.

PHENIX results on open heavy flavor production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hachiya, Takashi

2018-02-01

PHENIX measures the open heavy flavor productions in p + p, Cu+Au, and Au+Au collisions at = 200 and 510 GeV using the silicon tracking detectors for mid- and forward rapidities. In Au+Au collisions, the nuclear modification of single electrons from bottom and charm hadron decays are measured for minimum bias and most central collisions. It is found that bottoms are less suppressed than charms in pT=3-5 GeV/c and charms in most central collisions are more suppressed than that in minimum bias collisions. In p + p and Cu+Au collisions, J/ψ from B meson decays are measured at forward and backward rapidities. The nuclear modification of B mesons in Cu+Au collisions is consistent with unity.

Open-source hardware for medical devices.

PubMed

Niezen, Gerrit; Eslambolchilar, Parisa; Thimbleby, Harold

2016-04-01

Open-source hardware is hardware whose design is made publicly available so anyone can study, modify, distribute, make and sell the design or the hardware based on that design. Some open-source hardware projects can potentially be used as active medical devices. The open-source approach offers a unique combination of advantages, including reducing costs and faster innovation. This article compares 10 of open-source healthcare projects in terms of how easy it is to obtain the required components and build the device.

Open-pNovo: De Novo Peptide Sequencing with Thousands of Protein Modifications.

PubMed

Yang, Hao; Chi, Hao; Zhou, Wen-Jing; Zeng, Wen-Feng; He, Kun; Liu, Chao; Sun, Rui-Xiang; He, Si-Min

2017-02-03

De novo peptide sequencing has improved remarkably, but sequencing full-length peptides with unexpected modifications is still a challenging problem. Here we present an open de novo sequencing tool, Open-pNovo, for de novo sequencing of peptides with arbitrary types of modifications. Although the search space increases by ∼300 times, Open-pNovo is close to or even ∼10-times faster than the other three proposed algorithms. Furthermore, considering top-1 candidates on three MS/MS data sets, Open-pNovo can recall over 90% of the results obtained by any one traditional algorithm and report 5-87% more peptides, including 14-250% more modified peptides. On a high-quality simulated data set, ∼85% peptides with arbitrary modifications can be recalled by Open-pNovo, while hardly any results can be recalled by others. In summary, Open-pNovo is an excellent tool for open de novo sequencing and has great potential for discovering unexpected modifications in the real biological applications.

Open-source hardware for medical devices

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Open-source hardware is hardware whose design is made publicly available so anyone can study, modify, distribute, make and sell the design or the hardware based on that design. Some open-source hardware projects can potentially be used as active medical devices. The open-source approach offers a unique combination of advantages, including reducing costs and faster innovation. This article compares 10 of open-source healthcare projects in terms of how easy it is to obtain the required components and build the device. PMID:27158528

Results of the 2013 UT modeling benchmark obtained with models implemented in CIVA

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

Toullelan, Gwénaël; Raillon, Raphaële; Chatillon, Sylvain

The 2013 Ultrasonic Testing (UT) modeling benchmark concerns direct echoes from side drilled holes (SDH), flat bottom holes (FBH) and corner echoes from backwall breaking artificial notches inspected with a matrix phased array probe. This communication presents the results obtained with the models implemented in the CIVA software: the pencilmodel is used to compute the field radiated by the probe, the Kirchhoff approximation is applied to predict the response of FBH and notches and the SOV (Separation Of Variables) model is used for the SDH responses. The comparison between simulated and experimental results are presented and discussed.

Open Smart Energy Gateway (OpenSEG)

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

The Open Smart Energy Gateway (OpenSEG) aims to provide near-real time smart meter data to consumers without the delays or latencies associated with it being transported to the utility data center and then back to the consumer's application. To do this, the gateway queries the local Smart Meter to which it is bound to get energy consumption information at pre-defined intervals (minimum interval is 4 seconds). OpenSEG then stores the resulting data internally for retrieval by an external application.

Comparison of results obtained with various sensors used to measure fluctuating quantities in jets.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parthasarathy, S. P.; Massier, P. F.; Cuffel, R. F.

1973-01-01

An experimental investigation has been conducted to compare the results obtained with six different instruments that sense fluctuating quantities in free jets. These sensors are typical of those that have recently been used by various investigators who are engaged in experimental studies of jet noise. Intensity distributions and two-point correlations with space separation and time delay were obtained. The static pressure, density, and velocity fluctuations are well correlated over the entire cross section of the jet and the cross-correlations persist for several jet diameters along the flow direction. The eddies appear to be flattened in the flow direction by a ratio of 0.4.

Open Data, Open Source and Open Standards in chemistry: The Blue Obelisk five years on

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Blue Obelisk movement was established in 2005 as a response to the lack of Open Data, Open Standards and Open Source (ODOSOS) in chemistry. It aims to make it easier to carry out chemistry research by promoting interoperability between chemistry software, encouraging cooperation between Open Source developers, and developing community resources and Open Standards. Results This contribution looks back on the work carried out by the Blue Obelisk in the past 5 years and surveys progress and remaining challenges in the areas of Open Data, Open Standards, and Open Source in chemistry. Conclusions We show that the Blue Obelisk has been very successful in bringing together researchers and developers with common interests in ODOSOS, leading to development of many useful resources freely available to the chemistry community. PMID:21999342

Identification of Social and Environmental Conflicts Resulting from Open-Cast Mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Górniak-Zimroz, Justyna; Pactwa, Katarzyna

2016-10-01

Open-cast mining is related to interference in the natural environment. It also affects human health and quality of life. This influence is, among others, dependent on the type of extracted materials, size of deposit, methods of mining and mineral processing, as well as, equally important, sensitivity of the environment within which mining is planned. The negative effects of mining include deformations of land surface or contamination of soils, air and water. What is more, in many cases, mining for minerals leads to clearing of housing and transport infrastructures located within the mining area, a decrease in values of the properties in the immediate vicinity of a deposit, and an increase in stress levels in local residents exposed to noise. The awareness of negative consequences of taking up open-cast mining activity leads to conflicts between a mining entrepreneur and self-government authorities, society or nongovernment organisations. The article attempts to identify potential social and environmental conflicts that may occur in relation to a planned mining activity. The results of the analyses were interpreted with respect to the deposits which were or have been mined. That enabled one to determine which facilities exclude mineral mining and which allow it. The research took the non-energy mineral resources into consideration which are included in the group of solid minerals located in one of the districts of Lower Silesian Province (SW Poland). The spatial analyses used the tools available in the geographical information systems

Verification of RRA and CMC in OpenSim

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ieshiro, Yuma; Itoh, Toshiaki

2013-10-01

OpenSim is the free software that can handle various analysis and simulation of skeletal muscle dynamics with PC. This study treated RRA and CMC tools in OpenSim. It is remarkable that we can simulate human motion with respect to nerve signal of muscles using these tools. However, these tools seem to still in developmental stages. In order to verify applicability of these tools, we analyze bending and stretching motion data which are obtained from motion capture device using these tools. In this study, we checked the consistency between real muscle behavior and numerical results from these tools.

Postaccess processes in the open vs. closed class distinction.

PubMed

Matthei, E H; Kean, M L

1989-02-01

We present the results of two auditory lexical decision experiments in which we attempted to replicate findings originally presented in Bradley (1978, Computational distinctions of vocabulary type, Ph.D. dissertation, MIT). The results obtained by Bradley were used as evidence for a processing distinction between the open and the closed class vocabularies; this distinction then used as part of an explanation for agrammatism in the comprehension and production of Broca's aphasics. In our first experiment we failed to replicate Bradley's result of frequency insensitivity in the closed class. Our second experiment, however, replicates Bradley's finding that closed class based nonwords (e.g., thanage) fail to induce interference effects in nonword decisions. We argue that our results, together with the various other reported failures to replicate Bradley's frequency insensitivity result, indicate that the open and closed classes may play distinct roles in postaccess phenomena involving the processing of morphological information but that such studies cannot address the question of whether the open vs. closed class distinction plays a role in syntactic processing.

Results of the open surgery after endoscopic basket impaction during ERCP procedure.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Sezgin; Ersen, Ogun; Ozkececi, Taner; Turel, Kadir S; Kokulu, Serdar; Kacar, Emre; Akici, Murat; Cilekar, Murat; Kavak, Ozgur; Arikan, Yuksel

2015-02-27

To report the results of open surgery for patients with basket impaction during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure. Basket impaction of either classical Dormia basket or mechanical lithotripter basket with an entrapped stone occurred in six patients. These patients were immediately operated for removal of stone(s) and impacted basket. The postoperative course, length of hospital stay, diameter of the stone, complication and the surgical procedure of the patients were reported retrospectively. Six patients (M/F, 0/6) were operated due to impacted basket during ERCP procedure. The mean age of the patients was 64.33 ± 14.41 years. In all cases the surgery was performed immediately after the failed ERCP procedure by making a right subcostal incision. The baskets containing the stone were removed through longitudinal choledochotomy with the stone. The choledochotomy incisions were closed by primary closure in four patients and T tube placement in two patients. All patients were also performed cholecystectomy additionally since they had cholelithiasis. In patients with T-tube placement it was removed on the 13(th) day after a normal T-tube cholangiogram. The patients remained stable at postoperative period and discharged without any complication at median 7 d. Open surgical procedures can be applied in patients with basket impaction during ERCP procedure in selected cases.

Near-Infrared Scintillation of Liquid Argon: Recent Results Obtained with the NIR Facility at Fermilab

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

Escobar, C. O.; Rubinov, P.; Tilly, E.

After a short review of previous attempts to observe and measure the near-infrared scintillation in liquid argon, we present new results obtained with NIR, a dedicated cryostat at the Fermilab Proton Assembly Building (PAB). The new results give confidence that the near-infrared light can be used as the much needed light signal in large liquid argon time projection chambers.11 pages,

Minimally Invasive Component Separation Results in Fewer Wound-Healing Complications than Open Component Separation for Large Ventral Hernia Repairs

PubMed Central

Ghali, Shadi; Turza, Kristin C; Baumann, Donald P; Butler, Charles E

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND Minimally invasive component separation (CS) with inlay bioprosthetic mesh (MICSIB) is a recently developed technique for abdominal wall reconstruction that preserves the rectus abdominis perforators and minimizes subcutaneous dead space using limited-access tunneled incisions. We hypothesized that MICSIB would result in better surgical outcomes than would conventional open CS. STUDY DESIGN All consecutive patients who underwent CS (open or minimally invasive) with inlay bioprosthetic mesh for ventral hernia repair from 2005 to 2010 were included in a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Surgical outcomes including wound-healing complications, hernia recurrences, and abdominal bulge/laxity rates were compared between patient groups based on the type of CS repair: MICSIB or open. RESULTS Fifty-seven patients who underwent MICSIB and 50 who underwent open CS were included. The mean follow-ups were 15.2±7.7 months and 20.7±14.3 months, respectively. The mean fascial defect size was significantly larger in the MICSIB group (405.4±193.6 cm2 vs. 273.8±186.8 cm2; p =0.002). The incidences of skin dehiscence (11% vs. 28%; p=0.011), all wound-healing complications (14% vs. 32%; p=0.026), abdominal wall laxity/bulge (4% vs. 14%; p=0.056), and hernia recurrence (4% vs. 8%; p=0.3) were lower in the MICSIB group than in the open CS group. CONCLUSIONS MICSIB resulted in fewer wound-healing complications than did open CS used for complex abdominal wall reconstructions. These findings are likely attributable to the preservation of paramedian skin vascularity and reduction in subcutaneous dead space with MICSIB. MICSIB should be considered for complex abdominal wall reconstructions, particularly in patients at increased risk of wound-healing complications. PMID:22521439

Prognosis of patients after open mitral commissurotomy. Actuarial analysis of late results in 100 patients.

PubMed

Housman, L B; Bonchek, L; Lambert, L; Grunkemeier, G; Starr, A

1977-05-01

The continuing controversy between proponents of open and closed commissurotomy might be clarified by analysis of late follow-up with modern actuarial techniques that provide a true perspective of patient risk. We have used open mitral commissurotomy exclusively for 15 years in 100 patients. There was one operative death from pancreatitis and one late death from cancer; the actuarially projected survival rate (+/- the standard error) at 10 years is 97 per cent (+/- 2). Thirteen patients had preoperative emboli, 6 of whom were in sinus rhythm and 7 in atrial fibrillation. Two patients had postoperative emboli, both in sinus rhythm. The actuarial chance of remaining free of embolism at 10 years is 97 per cent (+/- 2). Sixteen patients required reoperation on the mitral valve for functional deterioration. The remaining survivors were in Class I or II when last seen. The actuarial chance of not requiring a reoperation after 5 years is 91 per cent (+/- 4) and at 10 years, 38 per cent(+/- 16). Results in different centers are difficult to compare for many reasons, but imprecise statistical methods further obscure such comparisons. The use of actuarial techniques may help to define the role of open mitral commissurotomy.

Kinematics of the human pelvis following open book injury.

PubMed

Hefzy, M S; Ebraheim, N; Mekhail, A; Caruntu, D; Lin, H; Yeasting, R

2003-05-01

The objective of this study is to determine the three dimensional kinematics of the human pelvis including both sacroiliac joints following a simulated open book injury induced on cadavers by applying anterior-posterior compressive loads to the pelvis. An electromagnetic digitizing and motion tracking system was utilized to measure the morphology of the pelvis and the relative movements of its bones during this simulated open book fracture. The screw displacement axis method was used to describe the relative motion between the sacrum and each hipbone. Morphologically, it was found that the articular surfaces forming the sacroiliac joints could be approximated with planar surfaces directed from proximal and lateral to distal and medial and from posteromedial to anterolateral. The kinematic data obtained from this study indicate that there is a direct correlation between the opening of the symphysis pubis and the opening of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) during open book injury. This suggests that the extent of injury of the SIJ maybe estimated from the degree of opening of the symphysis pubis as demonstrated on anteroposterior (A-P) x-rays. The results obtained from this study also indicate that the motion of the hipbone with respect to the sacrum on the side of the sacroiliac joint opening is almost a pure rotation, which translates clinically on the A-P x-rays as pure opening of the SIJ without vertical displacement. The average axis of rotation was found to be almost parallel to the SIJ planar articular surface. Furthermore, the pubic bone on the side of SIJ opening was found to displace inferiorly and posteriorly. One can thus conclude that in open book pelvic injuries, the pubic bone on the side of injury displaces inferiorly on the outlet projection x-rays with no vertical displacement of the SIJ. This is important since the initial assessment of the open book injury in the emergency room includes outlet projection x-rays. From this study, the relative vertical

Results of Investigative Tests of Gas Turbine Engine Compressor Blades Obtained by Electrochemical Machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhina, T. D.; Kurochkin, A. V.

2016-04-01

The paper highlights results of the investigative tests of GTE compressor Ti-alloy blades obtained by the method of electrochemical machining with oscillating tool-electrodes, carried out in order to define the optimal parameters of the ECM process providing attainment of specified blade quality parameters given in the design documentation, while providing maximal performance. The new technological methods suggested based on the results of the tests; in particular application of vibrating tool-electrodes and employment of locating elements made of high-strength materials, significantly extend the capabilities of this method.

Open Standards, Open Source, and Open Innovation: Harnessing the Benefits of Openness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Committee for Economic Development, 2006

2006-01-01

Digitization of information and the Internet have profoundly expanded the capacity for openness. This report details the benefits of openness in three areas--open standards, open-source software, and open innovation--and examines the major issues in the debate over whether openness should be encouraged or not. The report explains each of these…

Legionella in water samples: how can you interpret the results obtained by quantitative PCR?

PubMed

Ditommaso, Savina; Ricciardi, Elisa; Giacomuzzi, Monica; Arauco Rivera, Susan R; Zotti, Carla M

2015-02-01

Evaluation of the potential risk associated with Legionella has traditionally been determined from culture-based methods. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is an alternative tool that offers rapid, sensitive and specific detection of Legionella in environmental water samples. In this study we compare the results obtained by conventional qPCR (iQ-Check™ Quanti Legionella spp.; Bio-Rad) and by culture method on artificial samples prepared in Page's saline by addiction of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 (ATCC 33152) and we analyse the selective quantification of viable Legionella cells by the qPCR-PMA method. The amount of Legionella DNA (GU) determined by qPCR was 28-fold higher than the load detected by culture (CFU). Applying the qPCR combined with PMA treatment we obtained a reduction of 98.5% of the qPCR signal from dead cells. We observed a dissimilarity in the ability of PMA to suppress the PCR signal in samples with different amounts of bacteria: the effective elimination of detection signals by PMA depended on the concentration of GU and increasing amounts of cells resulted in higher values of reduction. Using the results from this study we created an algorithm to facilitate the interpretation of viable cell level estimation with qPCR-PMA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Erectile Function and Oncologic Outcomes Following Open Retropubic and Robot-assisted Radical Prostatectomy: Results from the LAParoscopic Prostatectomy Robot Open Trial.

PubMed

Sooriakumaran, Prasanna; Pini, Giovannalberto; Nyberg, Tommy; Derogar, Maryam; Carlsson, Stefan; Stranne, Johan; Bjartell, Anders; Hugosson, Jonas; Steineck, Gunnar; Wiklund, Peter N

2018-04-01

Whether surgeons perform better utilising a robot-assisted laparoscopic technique compared with an open approach during prostate cancer surgery is debatable. To report erectile function and early oncologic outcomes for both surgical modalities, stratified by prostate cancer risk grouping. In a prospective nonrandomised trial, we recruited 2545 men with prostate cancer from seven open (n=753) and seven robot-assisted (n=1792) Swedish centres (2008-2011). Clinometrically-validated questionnaire-based patient-reported erectile function was collected before, 3 mo, 12 mo, and 24 mo after surgery. Surgeon-reported degree of neurovascular-bundle preservation, pathologist-reported positive surgical margin (PSM) rates, and 2-yr prostate-specific antigen-relapse rates were measured. Among 1702 preoperatively potent men, we found enhanced erectile function recovery for low/intermediate-risk patients in the robot-assisted group at 3 mo. For patients with high-risk tumours, point estimates for erectile function recovery at 24 mo favoured the open surgery group. The degree of neurovascular bundle preservation and erectile function recovery were greater correlated for robot-assisted surgery. In pT2 tumours, 10% versus 17% PSM rates were observed for open and robot-assisted surgery, respectively; corresponding rates for pT3 tumours were 48% and 33%. These differences were associated with biochemical recurrence in pT3 but not pT2 disease. The study is limited by its nonrandomised design and relatively short follow-up. Earlier recovery of erectile function in the robot-assisted surgery group in lower-risk patients is counterbalanced by lower PSM rates for open surgeons in organ-confined disease; thus, both open and robotic surgeons need to consider this trade-off when determining the plane of surgical dissection. Robot-assisted surgery also facilitates easier identification of nerve preservation planes during radical prostatectomy as well as wider dissection for pT3 cases. For

Effect of spinal needle characteristics on measurement of spinal canal opening pressure.

PubMed

Bellamkonda, Venkatesh R; Wright, Thomas C; Lohse, Christine M; Keaveny, Virginia R; Funk, Eric C; Olson, Michael D; Laack, Torrey A

2017-05-01

A wide variety of spinal needles are used in clinical practice. Little is currently known regarding the impact of needle length, gauge, and tip type on the needle's ability to measure spinal canal opening pressure. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between these factors and the opening-pressure measurement or time to obtain an opening pressure. Thirteen distinct spinal needles, chosen to isolate the effects of length, gauge, and needle-point type, were prospectively tested on a lumbar puncture simulator. The key outcomes were the opening-pressure measurement and the time required to obtain that measure. Pressures were recorded at 10-s intervals until 3 consecutive, identical readings were observed. Time to measure opening pressure increased with increasing spinal needle length, increasing gauge, and the Quincke-type (cutting) point (P<0.001 for all). The time to measurement ranged from 30s to 530s, yet all needle types were able to obtain a consistent opening pressure measure. Although opening pressure estimates are unlikely to vary markedly by needle type, the time required to obtain the measurement increased with increasing needle length and gauge and with Quincke-type needles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application Period Open for NCI Biospecimen Use | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

The application period for investigators interested in obtaining biospecimens and data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial re-opened June 1. A separate application for obtaining biospecimens and data with research funding is also open. |

Comparison of early period results of blood use in open heart surgery.

PubMed

Huseyin, Serhat; Yuksel, Volkan; Guclu, Orkut; Turan, Fatma Nesrin; Canbaz, Suat; Ege, Turan; Sunar, Hasan

2016-01-01

Various adverse effects of homologous blood transfusion detected particularly in open heart surgery, in which it is frequently used, lead researchers to study on autologous blood use and to evaluate the patient's blood better. Due to the complications of homologous blood transfusion, development of techniques that utilize less transfusion has become inevitable. We aimed to evaluate the effects of acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) in patients undergoing open heart surgery. In this study, 120 patients who underwent open heart surgery were included. Patients were grouped into three: Autologous transfusion group (Group 1), homologous transfusion group (Group 2), and those received autologous blood and homologous blood products (Group 3). Patient data regarding preoperative characteristics, biochemical parameters, drainage, extubation time, duration of stay at intensive care, atrial fibrillation (AF) development, and hospital stay were recorded. A statistically significant difference ( P < 0.005) was found in favor of autologous group (Group 1) with respect to gender, body surface area, European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation, smoking, hematocrit levels, platelet counts, urea, C-reactive protein levels, protamine use, postoperative drainage, frequency of AF development, intubation period, stay at intensive care and hospital stay, and amount of used blood products. The use of autologous blood rather than homologous transfusion is not only attenuates side effects and complications of transfusion but also positively affects postoperative recovery process. Therefore, ANH can be considered as an easy, effective, and cheap technique during open heart surgery.

The value of urban open space: meta-analyses of contingent valuation and hedonic pricing results.

PubMed

Brander, Luke M; Koetse, Mark J

2011-10-01

Urban open space provides a number of valuable services to urban populations, including recreational opportunities, aesthetic enjoyment, environmental functions, and may also be associated with existence values. In separate meta-analyses of the contingent valuation (CV) and hedonic pricing (HP) literature we examine which physical, socio-economic, and study characteristics determine the value of open space. The dependent variable in the CV meta-regression is defined as the value of open space per hectare per year in 2003 US$, and in the HP model as the percentage change in house price for a 10 m decrease in distance to open space. Using a multi-level modelling approach we find in both the CV and HP analyses that there is a positive and significant relationship between the value of urban open space and population density, indicating that scarcity and crowdedness matter, and that the value of open space does not vary significantly with income. Further, urban parks are more highly valued than other types of urban open space (forests, agricultural and undeveloped land) and methodological differences in study design have a large influence on estimated values from both CV and HP. We also find important regional differences in preferences for urban open space, which suggests that the potential for transferring estimated values between regions is likely to be limited. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blood-Brain Barrier Closure Time After Controlled Ultrasound-Induced Opening Is Independent of Opening Volume.

PubMed

O'Reilly, Meaghan A; Hough, Olivia; Hynynen, Kullervo

2017-03-01

Microbubble-mediated focused ultrasound (US) opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has shown promising results for the treatment of brain tumors and conditions such as Alzheimer disease. Practical clinical implementation of focused US treatments would aim to treat a substantial portion of the brain; thus, the safety of opening large volumes must be investigated. This study investigated whether the opened volume affects the time for the BBB to be restored after treatment. Sprague Dawley rats (n = 5) received bilateral focused US treatments. One hemisphere received a single sonication, and the contralateral hemisphere was targeted with 4 overlapping foci. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess the integrity of the BBB at 0, 6, and 24 hours after focused US. At time 0, there was no significant difference in the mean enhancement between the single- and multi-point sonications (mean ± SD, 29.7% ± 18.4% versus 29.7% ± 24.1%; P = .9975). The mean cross-sectional area of the BBB opening resulting from the multi-point sonication was approximately 3.5-fold larger than that of the single-point case (14.2 ± 4.7 versus 4.1 ± 3.3 mm 2 ; P < .0001). The opened volumes in 9 of 10 hemispheres were closed by 6 hours after focused US. The remaining treatment location had substantially reduced enhancement at 6 hours and was closed by 24 hours. Histologic analysis revealed small morphologic changes associated with this location. T2-weighted images at 6 and 24 hours showed no signs of edema. T2*-weighted images obtained at 6 hours also showed no signs hemorrhage in any animal. The time for the BBB to close after focused US was independent of the opening volume on the time scale investigated. No differences in treatment effects were observable by magnetic resonance imaging follow-up between larger- and smaller-volume sonications, suggesting that larger-volume BBB opening can be performed safely. © 2017 by the

An assessment of consistence of exhaust gas emission test results obtained under controlled NEDC conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balawender, K.; Jaworski, A.; Kuszewski, H.; Lejda, K.; Ustrzycki, A.

2016-09-01

Measurements concerning emissions of pollutants contained in automobile combustion engine exhaust gases is of primary importance in view of their harmful impact on the natural environment. This paper presents results of tests aimed at determining exhaust gas pollutant emissions from a passenger car engine obtained under repeatable conditions on a chassis dynamometer. The test set-up was installed in a controlled climate chamber allowing to maintain the temperature conditions within the range from -20°C to +30°C. The analysis covered emissions of such components as CO, CO2, NOx, CH4, THC, and NMHC. The purpose of the study was to assess repeatability of results obtained in a number of tests performed as per NEDC test plan. The study is an introductory stage of a wider research project concerning the effect of climate conditions and fuel type on emission of pollutants contained in exhaust gases generated by automotive vehicles.

Application of 3D Laser Scanning Technology in Inspection and Dynamic Reserves Detection of Open-Pit Mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Zhumin; Wei, Shiyu; Jiang, Jun

2017-10-01

The traditional open-pit mine mining rights verification and dynamic reserve detection means rely on the total station and RTK to collect the results of the turning point coordinates of mining surface contours. It resulted in obtaining the results of low precision and large error in the means that is limited by the traditional measurement equipment accuracy and measurement methods. The three-dimensional scanning technology can obtain the three-dimensional coordinate data of the surface of the measured object in a large area at high resolution. This paper expounds the commonly used application of 3D scanning technology in the inspection and dynamic reserve detection of open mine mining rights.

Glucose Meters: A Review of Technical Challenges to Obtaining Accurate Results

PubMed Central

Tonyushkina, Ksenia; Nichols, James H.

2009-01-01

, anemia, hypotension, and other disease states. This article reviews the challenges involved in obtaining accurate glucose meter results. PMID:20144348

Camera calibration method of binocular stereo vision based on OpenCV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Wanzhen; Dong, Xiaona

2015-10-01

Camera calibration, an important part of the binocular stereo vision research, is the essential foundation of 3D reconstruction of the spatial object. In this paper, the camera calibration method based on OpenCV (open source computer vision library) is submitted to make the process better as a result of obtaining higher precision and efficiency. First, the camera model in OpenCV and an algorithm of camera calibration are presented, especially considering the influence of camera lens radial distortion and decentering distortion. Then, camera calibration procedure is designed to compute those parameters of camera and calculate calibration errors. High-accurate profile extraction algorithm and a checkboard with 48 corners have also been used in this part. Finally, results of calibration program are presented, demonstrating the high efficiency and accuracy of the proposed approach. The results can reach the requirement of robot binocular stereo vision.

Mini-open anterior instrumentation with diaphragm sparing for thoracolumbar idiopathic scoliosis: its technique and clinical results

PubMed Central

Zhu, Feng; Wang, Bin; Zhu, Zezhang; Yu, Yang; Sun, Xu; Ma, Weiwei

2010-01-01

The traditional method of thoracoabdominal retroperitoneal approach requires dissection of diaphragm which bears potential complications such as postoperatively weakened abdominal breathing and dysfunction of diaphragm. Mini-open anterior instrumentation with diaphragm sparing is designed to minimize the damage to diaphragm and improve cosmesis. This study compared the traditional anterior instrumentation and mini-open anterior instrumentation under the hypothesis that both results in similar surgical outcomes in treating thoracolumbar scoliosis. In Group A, 38 patients with an average age of 16.5 years underwent mini-open anterior instrumentation with diaphragm sparing. The average standing coronal Cobb angle was 56.4° in Group A. Thirty-eight patients with average age of 16.7 years in Group B received traditional open approach. The preoperative average Cobb angle was 55.8° in Group B. The average correction rate of coronal curve was 78% in group A while 75% in group B. No statistical difference between the two groups in terms of coronal curve correction, sagittal profile restoration and estimated blood loss was observed. The operation time was significantly higher in Group A than that in Group B. All patients in the two groups had good healing of incisions without neurological and instrumental complications during minimal 2 year follow-up. In Groups A and B, two patients suffered from pleural effusion, respectively. The wedging of the vertebral discs distal to the lowest fused level occurred in three and four patients in Group A and B, respectively. One case in group B was found to be suspicious pseudoarthrosis without loss of correction. Mini-open anterior instrumentation with diaphragm sparing could minimize the surgical invasion as well as achieve similar clinical outcomes compared with classical anterior approach. PMID:21181213

Modeling the Ionosphere-Thermosphere Response to a Geomagnetic Storm Using Physics-based Magnetospheric Energy Input: OpenGGCM-CTIM Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connor, Hyunju K.; Zesta, Eftyhia; Fedrizzi, Mariangel; Shi, Yong; Raeder, Joachim; Codrescu, Mihail V.; Fuller-Rowell, Tim J.

2016-01-01

The magnetosphere is a major source of energy for the Earth's ionosphere and thermosphere (IT) system. Current IT models drive the upper atmosphere using empirically calculated magnetospheric energy input. Thus, they do not sufficiently capture the storm-time dynamics, particularly at high latitudes. To improve the prediction capability of IT models, a physics-based magnetospheric input is necessary. Here, we use the Open Global General Circulation Model (OpenGGCM) coupled with the Coupled Thermosphere Ionosphere Model (CTIM). OpenGGCM calculates a three-dimensional global magnetosphere and a two-dimensional high-latitude ionosphere by solving resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations with solar wind input. CTIM calculates a global thermosphere and a high-latitude ionosphere in three dimensions using realistic magnetospheric inputs from the OpenGGCM. We investigate whether the coupled model improves the storm-time IT responses by simulating a geomagnetic storm that is preceded by a strong solar wind pressure front on August 24, 2005. We compare the OpenGGCM-CTIM results with low-earth-orbit satellite observations and with the model results of Coupled Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Plasmasphere electrodynamics (CTIPe). CTIPe is an up-to-date version of CTIM that incorporates more IT dynamics such as a low-latitude ionosphere and a plasmasphere, but uses empirical magnetospheric input. OpenGGCMCTIM reproduces localized neutral density peaks at approx. 400 km altitude in the high-latitude dayside regions in agreement with in situ observations during the pressure shock and the early phase of the storm. Although CTIPe is in some sense a much superior model than CTIM, it misses these localized enhancements. Unlike the CTIPe empirical input models, OpenGGCM-CTIM more faithfully produces localized increases of both auroral precipitation and ionospheric electric fields near the high-latitude dayside region after the pressure shock and after the storm onset, which in turn

A comparative study between shielded and open coplanar waveguide discontinuities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dib, Nihad I.; Harokopus, W. P., Jr.; Ponchak, G. E.; Katehi, L. P. B.

1993-01-01

A comparative study between open and shielded coplanar waveguide (CPW) discontinuities is presented. The space domain integral equation method is used to characterize several discontinuities such as the open-end CPW and CPW series stubs. Two different geometries of CPW series stubs (straight and bent stubs) are compared with respect to resonant frequency and radiation loss. In addition, the encountered radiation loss due to different CPW shunt stubs is evaluated experimentally. The notion of forced radiation simulation is presented, and the results of such a simulation are compared to the actual radiation loss obtained rigorously. It is shown that such a simulation cannot give reliable results concerning radiation loss from printed circuits.

Results of the Round Robin on opening-load measurement conducted by ASTM Task Group E24.04.04 on Crack Closure Measurement and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Edward P.

1989-01-01

An experimental Round Robin on the measurement of the opening load in fatigue crack growth tests was conducted on Crack Closure Measurement and Analysis. The Round Robin evaluated the current level of consistency of opening load measurements among laboratories and to identify causes for observed inconsistency. Eleven laboratories participated in the testing of compact and middle-crack specimens. Opening-load measurements were made for crack growth at two stress-intensity factor levels, three crack lengths, and following an overload. All opening-load measurements were based on the analysis of specimen compliance data. When all of the results reported (from all participants, all measurement methods, and all data analysis methods) for a given test condition were pooled, the range of opening loads was very large--typically spanning the lower half of the fatigue loading cycle. Part of the large scatter in the reported opening-load results was ascribed to consistent differences in results produced by the various methods used to measure specimen compliance and to evaluate the opening load from the compliance data. Another significant portion of the scatter was ascribed to lab-to-lab differences in producing the compliance data when using nominally the same method of measurement.

Open Courses and MOOCs as Professional Development--Is the Openness a Hindrance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsson, Ulf

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse if open courses, including massive open online courses (MOOCs), can be used as professional development despite their openness since the openness not only brings together individuals from different organizations but also may make the results of collaboration public. Design/methodology/approach: The…

Drain placement can safely be omitted for open partial nephrectomy: Results from a prospective randomized trial.

PubMed

Kriegmair, Maximilian C; Mandel, Philipp; Krombach, Patrick; Dönmez, Hasan; John, Axel; Häcker, Axel; Michel, Maurice S

2016-05-01

To examine the benefit of drain placement during open partial nephrectomy. Overall, 106 patients treated with open partial nephrectomy were enrolled in a prospective randomized trial. Based on the randomization, a drain was placed or omitted. Complications were assessed according to the Clavien classification. Pain level and requirement for analgesics was evaluated according to a customized pattern. There was no significant difference in the two groups regarding age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, tumor size and nephrometry (preoperative aspects and dimensions used for an anatomical classification). In terms of overall and drain-related complications, no advantage of placing a drain could be proven (P = 0.249). Patients with a drain suffered from a significantly higher pain level (P = 0.01) and showed prolonged mobilization (P < 0.001). There was no difference in bowel movements and requirement of additional analgesics (P = 0.347 and 0.11). The results of the study suggest that drain placement during open partial nephrectomy can safely be omitted, even in cases with violation of the collecting system. © 2016 The Japanese Urological Association.

Recent developments from the OPEnS Lab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selker, J. S.; Good, S. P.; Higgins, C. W.; Sayde, C.; Buskirk, B.; Lopez, M.; Nelke, M.; Udell, C.

2016-12-01

The Openly Published Environmental Sensing (OPEnS) lab is a facility that is open to all from around the world to use (http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/open-sensing). With 3-D CAD, electronics benches, 3-D printers and laser cutters, and a complete precision metal shop, the lab can build just about anything. Electronic platforms such as the Arduino are combined with cutting edge sensors, and packaged in rugged housing to address critical environmental sensing needs. The results are published in GITHub and in the AGU journal Earth and Space Sciences under the special theme of "Environmental Sensing." In this poster we present advancements including: A ultra-precise isotopic sampler for rainfall; an isotopic sampler for soil gas; a data-logging wind vane that can be mounted on the tether of a balloon; a rain-gage calibrator with three rates of constant application; a <$20 dissolved O2 probe for water; a stream-bed permeameter that gives rapid quantification of permeability. You can use the OPEnS lab! Just sketch your idea on a white board and send it in. The conversation is started, and your prototype can be ready in a few weeks. We have a staff of three engineers ready to help, where you are working remotely, or decide to spend some time with the team in Corvallis.

Airglow during ionospheric modifications by the sura facility radiation. experimental results obtained in 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grach, S. M.; Klimenko, V. V.; Shindin, A. V.; Nasyrov, I. A.; Sergeev, E. N.; A. Yashnov, V.; A. Pogorelko, N.

2012-06-01

We present the results of studying the structure and dynamics of the HF-heated volume above the Sura facility obtained in 2010 by measurements of ionospheric airglow in the red (λ = 630 nm) and green (λ = 557.7 nm) lines of atomic oxygen. Vertical sounding of the ionosphere (followed by modeling of the pump-wave propagation) and measurements of stimulated electromagnetic emission were used for additional diagnostics of ionospheric parameters and the processes occurring in the heated volume.

Numerical simulation of pressure fluctuation in 1000MW Francis turbine under small opening condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, R. Z.; Wang, H. G.; Yao, Y.; Shu, L. F.; Huang, Y. J.

2012-11-01

In order to study the cause of abnormal vibration in large Francis turbine under small opening condition, CFD method was adopted to analyze the flow filed and pressure fluctuation. Numerical simulation was performed on the commercial CFD code Ansys FLUENT 12, using DES method. After an effective validation of the computation result, the flow behaviour of internal flow field under small opening condition is analyzed. Pressure fluctuation in different working mode is obtained by unsteady CFD simulation, and results is compared to study its change. Radial force fluctuation is also analyzed. The result shows that the unstable flow under small opening condition leads to an increase of turbine instability in reverse pump mode, and is one possible reason of the abnormal oscillation.

Open Rotor Aeroacoustic Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Envia, Edmane

2012-01-01

Owing to their inherent fuel efficiency, there is renewed interest in developing open rotor propulsion systems that are both efficient and quiet. The major contributor to the overall noise of an open rotor system is the propulsor noise, which is produced as a result of the interaction of the airstream with the counter-rotating blades. As such, robust aeroacoustic prediction methods are an essential ingredient in any approach to designing low-noise open rotor systems. To that end, an effort has been underway at NASA to assess current open rotor noise prediction tools and develop new capabilities. Under this effort, high-fidelity aerodynamic simulations of a benchmark open rotor blade set were carried out and used to make noise predictions via existing NASA open rotor noise prediction codes. The results have been compared with the aerodynamic and acoustic data that were acquired for this benchmark open rotor blade set. The emphasis of this paper is on providing a summary of recent results from a NASA Glenn effort to validate an in-house open noise prediction code called LINPROP which is based on a high-blade-count asymptotic approximation to the Ffowcs-Williams Hawkings Equation. The results suggest that while predicting the absolute levels may be difficult, the noise trends are reasonably well predicted by this approach.

Open Rotor Aeroacoustic Modelling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Envia, Edmane

2012-01-01

Owing to their inherent fuel efficiency, there is renewed interest in developing open rotor propulsion systems that are both efficient and quiet. The major contributor to the overall noise of an open rotor system is the propulsor noise, which is produced as a result of the interaction of the airstream with the counter-rotating blades. As such, robust aeroacoustic prediction methods are an essential ingredient in any approach to designing low-noise open rotor systems. To that end, an effort has been underway at NASA to assess current open rotor noise prediction tools and develop new capabilities. Under this effort, high-fidelity aerodynamic simulations of a benchmark open rotor blade set were carried out and used to make noise predictions via existing NASA open rotor noise prediction codes. The results have been compared with the aerodynamic and acoustic data that were acquired for this benchmark open rotor blade set. The emphasis of this paper is on providing a summary of recent results from a NASA Glenn effort to validate an in-house open noise prediction code called LINPROP which is based on a high-blade-count asymptotic approximation to the Ffowcs-Williams Hawkings Equation. The results suggest that while predicting the absolute levels may be difficult, the noise trends are reasonably well predicted by this approach.

37 CFR 1.11 - Files open to the public.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Files open to the public. 1... Patent and Trademark Office § 1.11 Files open to the public. (a) The specification, drawings, and all... are open to inspection by the public, and copies may be obtained upon the payment of the fee set forth...

37 CFR 1.11 - Files open to the public.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Files open to the public. 1... Patent and Trademark Office § 1.11 Files open to the public. (a) The specification, drawings, and all... are open to inspection by the public, and copies may be obtained upon the payment of the fee set forth...

37 CFR 1.11 - Files open to the public.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Files open to the public. 1... Patent and Trademark Office § 1.11 Files open to the public. (a) The specification, drawings, and all... are open to inspection by the public, and copies may be obtained upon the payment of the fee set forth...

37 CFR 1.11 - Files open to the public.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Files open to the public. 1... Patent and Trademark Office § 1.11 Files open to the public. (a) The specification, drawings, and all... are open to inspection by the public, and copies may be obtained upon the payment of the fee set forth...

37 CFR 1.11 - Files open to the public.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Files open to the public. 1... Patent and Trademark Office § 1.11 Files open to the public. (a) The specification, drawings, and all... are open to inspection by the public, and copies may be obtained upon the payment of the fee set forth...

Robotic assisted gastrectomy compared with open resection: a case-matched study.

PubMed

Caruso, Riccardo; Vicente, Emilio; Quijano, Yolanda; Ielpo, Benedetto; Duran, Hipolito; Diaz, Eduardo; Fabra, Isabel; Ferri, Valentina

2018-05-04

In recent years, increasingly sophisticated tools have allowed for more complex robotic surgery. Robotic gastrectomy, however, is adopted in only a few selected centers. The goals of this study were to examine the adoption of robotic gastrectomy and to compare outcomes between open and robotic gastric resections. This is a case-matched analysis of patients who underwent robotic and open gastric resection performed at Sanchinarro University Hospital, Madrid from November 2011 to February 2017. Patient data were obtained retrospectively. Clinicopathologic characteristics and perioperative and postoperative outcomes were recorded and analyzed. Two groups of demographically similar patients were analyzed: the robotic group (n = 20) and the open surgery group (n = 19). The patient characteristics of the two groups have been compared. Robotic resection resulted in less blood loss, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and a longer operating time. The two groups had similar complication rates. Pathological data were similar for both procedures. Robotic gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric carcinoma is safe, and long-term outcomes are comparable to those patients who underwent open resection. Robotic gastrectomy resulted in a shorter hospital stay, less blood loss and morbidity comparable with the outcomes of open gastrectomy.

Obtaining orthotropic elasticity tensor using entries zeroing method.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gierlach, Bartosz; Danek, Tomasz

2017-04-01

rotation. Computations were parallelized with OpenMP to decrease computational time what enables different tensors to be processed by different threads. As a result the distributions of rotated tensor entries values were obtained. For the entries which were to be zeroed we can observe almost normal distributions having mean equal to zero or sum of two normal distributions having inverse means. Non-zero entries represent different distributions with two or three maxima. Analysis of obtained results shows that described method produces consistent values of quaternions used to rotate tensors. Despite of less complex target function in a process of optimization in comparison to common approach, entries zeroing method provides results which can be applied to obtain an orthotropic tensor with good reliability. Modification of the method can produce also a tool for obtaining effective tensors belonging to another symmetry classes. This research was supported by the Polish National Science Center under contract No. DEC-2013/11/B/ST10/0472.

Open-Ended Electric Motor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gould, Mauri

1975-01-01

Presents complete instructions for assembling an electric motor which does not require large amounts of power to operate and which is inexpensive as well as reliable. Several open-ended experiments with the motor are included as well as information for obtaining a kit of parts and instructions. (BR)

Plasma density evolution in plasma opening switch obtained by a time-resolved sensitive He-Ne interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lin; Ren, Jing; Guo, Fan; Zhou, LiangJi; Li, Ye; He, An; Jiang, Wei

2014-03-01

To understand the formation process of vacuum gap in coaxial microsecond conduction time plasma opening switch (POS), we have made measurements of the line-integrated plasma density during switch operation using a time-resolved sensitive He-Ne interferometer. The conduction current and conduction time in experiments are about 120 kA and 1 μs, respectively. As a result, more than 85% of conduction current has been transferred to an inductive load with rise time of 130 ns. The radial dependence of the density is measured by changing the radial location of the line-of-sight for shots with the same nominal POS parameters. During the conduction phase, the line-integrated plasma density in POS increases at all radial locations over the gun-only case by further ionization of material injected from the guns. The current conduction is observed to cause a radial redistribution of the switch plasma. A vacuum gap forms rapidly in the plasma at 5.5 mm from the center conductor, which is consistent with the location where magnetic pressure is the largest, allowing current to be transferred from the POS to the load.

Open Heavy Flavor and Quarkonia Results at RHIC

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

Nouicer, Rachid

RHIC experiments carry out a comprehensive physics program which studies open heavy flavor and quarkonium production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The discovery at RHIC of large high-pT suppression and flow of electrons from heavy quarks flavors have altered our view of the hot and dense matter formed in central Au + Au collisions at √S NN = 200 GeV. These results suggest a large energy loss and flow of heavy quarks in the hot, dense matter. In recent years, the RHIC experiments upgraded the detectors; (1) PHENIX Collaboration installed silicon vertex tracker (VTX) at mid-rapidity region and forward silicon vertexmore » tracker (FVTX) at the forward rapidity region, and (2) STAR Collaboration installed the heavy flavor tracker (HFT) and the muon telescope detector (MTD) both at the mid-rapidity region. With these new upgrades, both experiments have collected large data samples. These new detectors enhance the capability of heavy flavor measurements via precision tracking. The PHENIX experiments established measurements of ψ(1S) and ψ(2S) production as a function of system size, p + p, p + Al, p + Au, and 3He + Au collisions at √S NN = 200 GeV. In p/ 3He + A collisions at forward rapidity, we observe no difference in the ψ(2S)/ψ(1S) ratio relative to p + p collisions. At backward rapidity, where the comoving particle density is higher, we find that the ψ(2S) is preferentially suppressed by a factor of two. STAR Collaboration presents the first J/ψ and Υ measurements in the di-muon decay channel in Au + Au collisions at GeV at mid-rapidity at RHIC. Here, we observe clear J/ψ RAA suppression and qualitatively well described by transport models simultaneously accounting for dissociation and regeneration processes.« less

Open Heavy Flavor and Quarkonia Results at RHIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nouicer, Rachid

2017-12-01

RHIC experiments carry out a comprehensive physics program which studies open heavy flavor and quarkonium production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The discovery at RHIC of large high-pT suppression and flow of electrons from heavy quarks flavors have altered our view of the hot and dense matter formed in central Au + Au collisions at GeV. These results suggest a large energy loss and flow of heavy quarks in the hot, dense matter. In recent years, the RHIC experiments upgraded the detectors; (1) PHENIX Collaboration installed silicon vertex tracker (VTX) at mid-rapidity region and forward silicon vertex tracker (FVTX) at the forward rapidity region, and (2) STAR Collaboration installed the heavy flavor tracker (HFT) and the muon telescope detector (MTD) both at the mid-rapidity region. With these new upgrades, both experiments have collected large data samples. These new detectors enhance the capability of heavy flavor measurements via precision tracking. The PHENIX experiments established measurements of ψ(1S) and ψ(2S) production as a function of system size, p + p, p + Al, p + Au, and 3He + Au collisions at GeV. In p/3He + A collisions at forward rapidity, we observe no difference in the ψ(2S)/ψ(1S) ratio relative to p + p collisions. At backward rapidity, where the comoving particle density is higher, we find that the ψ(2S) is preferentially suppressed by a factor of two. STAR Collaboration presents the first J/ψ and ϒ measurements in the di-muon decay channel in Au + Au collisions at GeV at mid-rapidity at RHIC. We observe clear J/ψ RAA suppression and qualitatively well described by transport models simultaneously accounting for dissociation and regeneration processes.

Open Heavy Flavor and Quarkonia Results at RHIC

DOE PAGES

Nouicer, Rachid

2017-12-05

RHIC experiments carry out a comprehensive physics program which studies open heavy flavor and quarkonium production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The discovery at RHIC of large high-pT suppression and flow of electrons from heavy quarks flavors have altered our view of the hot and dense matter formed in central Au + Au collisions at √S NN = 200 GeV. These results suggest a large energy loss and flow of heavy quarks in the hot, dense matter. In recent years, the RHIC experiments upgraded the detectors; (1) PHENIX Collaboration installed silicon vertex tracker (VTX) at mid-rapidity region and forward silicon vertexmore » tracker (FVTX) at the forward rapidity region, and (2) STAR Collaboration installed the heavy flavor tracker (HFT) and the muon telescope detector (MTD) both at the mid-rapidity region. With these new upgrades, both experiments have collected large data samples. These new detectors enhance the capability of heavy flavor measurements via precision tracking. The PHENIX experiments established measurements of ψ(1S) and ψ(2S) production as a function of system size, p + p, p + Al, p + Au, and 3He + Au collisions at √S NN = 200 GeV. In p/ 3He + A collisions at forward rapidity, we observe no difference in the ψ(2S)/ψ(1S) ratio relative to p + p collisions. At backward rapidity, where the comoving particle density is higher, we find that the ψ(2S) is preferentially suppressed by a factor of two. STAR Collaboration presents the first J/ψ and Υ measurements in the di-muon decay channel in Au + Au collisions at GeV at mid-rapidity at RHIC. Here, we observe clear J/ψ RAA suppression and qualitatively well described by transport models simultaneously accounting for dissociation and regeneration processes.« less

Influence of the Haizhou Open Pit Coal Mine on the atmospheric flow over Fuxin, China.

PubMed

Chen, He; Yang, Zhi-Feng; Wang, Xuan

2004-01-01

The influence of the Haizhou Open Pit Mine on the atmospheric flow in nearby Fuxin City in China was analyzed with the aid of the steady-state Navier-Stokes equations. The finite element method was used to obtain numerical solutions to these equations. The results showed that the Haizhou Open Pit Coal Mine contributes to the turbulent flow in the Fuxin City and its surroundings. However, when compared with the climatic effects, the open pit mine has a relatively small impact on the atmospheric flow over Fuxin.

OpenACC performance for simulating 2D radial dambreak using FVM HLLE flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunawan, P. H.; Pahlevi, M. R.

2018-03-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the performances of openACC platform for computing 2D radial dambreak. Here, the shallow water equation will be used to describe and simulate 2D radial dambreak with finite volume method (FVM) using HLLE flux. OpenACC is a parallel computing platform based on GPU cores. Indeed, from this research this platform is used to minimize computational time on the numerical scheme performance. The results show the using OpenACC, the computational time is reduced. For the dry and wet radial dambreak simulations using 2048 grids, the computational time of parallel is obtained 575.984 s and 584.830 s respectively for both simulations. These results show the successful of OpenACC when they are compared with the serial time of dry and wet radial dambreak simulations which are collected 28047.500 s and 29269.40 s respectively.

37 CFR 2.200 - Assignment records open to public inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Assignment records open to... the Patent and Trademark Office § 2.200 Assignment records open to public inspection. (a)(1) Separate...) are open to public inspection at the Office, and copies of those assignment records may be obtained...

46 CFR 308.517 - Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Open Policy War Risk Cargo Insurance § 308.517 Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300. The standard form of War Risk Open Cargo, Form MA-300, may be obtained from MARAD's underwriting agent or MARAD. ...

46 CFR 308.517 - Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Ii-Open Policy War Risk Cargo Insurance § 308.517 Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300. The standard form of War Risk Open Cargo, Form MA-300, may be obtained from the American War Risk...

46 CFR 308.517 - Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Ii-Open Policy War Risk Cargo Insurance § 308.517 Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300. The standard form of War Risk Open Cargo, Form MA-300, may be obtained from the American War Risk...

46 CFR 308.517 - Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Ii-Open Policy War Risk Cargo Insurance § 308.517 Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300. The standard form of War Risk Open Cargo, Form MA-300, may be obtained from the American War Risk...

46 CFR 308.517 - Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Ii-Open Policy War Risk Cargo Insurance § 308.517 Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-300. The standard form of War Risk Open Cargo, Form MA-300, may be obtained from the American War Risk...

An Open Source Simulation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slack, Thomas

2005-01-01

An investigation into the current state of the art of open source real time programming practices. This document includes what technologies are available, how easy is it to obtain, configure, and use them, and some performance measures done on the different systems. A matrix of vendors and their products is included as part of this investigation, but this is not an exhaustive list, and represents only a snapshot of time in a field that is changing rapidly. Specifically, there are three approaches investigated: 1. Completely open source on generic hardware, downloaded from the net. 2. Open source packaged by a vender and provided as free evaluation copy. 3. Proprietary hardware with pre-loaded proprietary source available software provided by the vender as for our evaluation.

Results of the second Round Robin on opening-load measurement conducted by ASTM Task Group E24.04.04 on crack closure measurement and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, E. P.

1993-01-01

A second experimental Round Robin on the measurement of the crack opening load in fatigue crack growth tests has been completed by the ASTM Task Group E24.04.04 on Crack Closure Measurement and Analysis. Fourteen laboratories participated in the testing of aluminum alloy compact tension specimens. Opening-load measurements were made at three crack lengths during constant Delta K, constant stress ratio tests by most of the participants. Four participants made opening-load measurements during threshold tests. All opening-load measurements were based on the analysis of specimens compliance behavior, where the displacement/strain was measured either at the crack mouth or the mid-height back face location. The Round Robin data were analyzed for opening load using two non-subjective analysis methods: the compliance offset and the correlation coefficient methods. The scatter in the opening load results was significantly reduced when some of the results were excluded from the analysis population based on an accept/reject criterion for raw data quality. The compliance offset and correlation coefficient opening load analysis methods produced similar results for data populations that had been screened to eliminate poor quality data.

Openly Published Environmental Sensing (OPEnS) | Advancing Open-Source Research, Instrumentation, and Dissemination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udell, C.; Selker, J. S.

2017-12-01

The increasing availability and functionality of Open-Source software and hardware along with 3D printing, low-cost electronics, and proliferation of open-access resources for learning rapid prototyping are contributing to fundamental transformations and new technologies in environmental sensing. These tools invite reevaluation of time-tested methodologies and devices toward more efficient, reusable, and inexpensive alternatives. Building upon Open-Source design facilitates community engagement and invites a Do-It-Together (DIT) collaborative framework for research where solutions to complex problems may be crowd-sourced. However, barriers persist that prevent researchers from taking advantage of the capabilities afforded by open-source software, hardware, and rapid prototyping. Some of these include: requisite technical skillsets, knowledge of equipment capabilities, identifying inexpensive sources for materials, money, space, and time. A university MAKER space staffed by engineering students to assist researchers is one proposed solution to overcome many of these obstacles. This presentation investigates the unique capabilities the USDA-funded Openly Published Environmental Sensing (OPEnS) Lab affords researchers, within Oregon State and internationally, and the unique functions these types of initiatives support at the intersection of MAKER spaces, Open-Source academic research, and open-access dissemination.

Combined pretreatment with hot compressed water and wet disk milling opened up oil palm biomass structure resulting in enhanced enzymatic digestibility.

PubMed

Zakaria, Mohd Rafein; Hirata, Satoshi; Fujimoto, Shinji; Hassan, Mohd Ali

2015-10-01

Combined pretreatment with hot compressed water and wet disk milling was performed with the aim to reduce the natural recalcitrance of oil palm biomass by opening its structure and provide maximal access to cellulase attack. Oil palm empty fruit bunch and oil palm frond fiber were first hydrothermally pretreated at 150-190° C and 10-240 min. Further treatment with wet disk milling resulted in nanofibrillation of fiber which caused the loosening of the tight biomass structure, thus increasing the subsequent enzymatic conversion of cellulose to glucose. The effectiveness of the combined pretreatments was evaluated by chemical composition changes, power consumption, morphological alterations by SEM and the enzymatic digestibility of treated samples. At optimal pretreatment process, approximately 88.5% and 100.0% of total sugar yields were obtained from oil palm empty fruit bunch and oil palm frond fiber samples, which only consumed about 15.1 and 23.5 MJ/kg of biomass, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of the Oxygen Electrode Open Ratio and Electrolyte Evaporation on the Performance of Li-O2 Batteries.

PubMed

Mohazabrad, Farhad; Wang, Fangzhou; Li, Xianglin

2017-05-10

This study experimentally investigates and numerically simulates the influence of the cathode electrode open ratio (ratio of oxygen-opening area to the total electrode surface area) on the performance of Li-O 2 batteries at various discharge current densities. At the current density of 0.1 mA/cm 2 , the maximum discharge capacity is achieved at 25% open ratio among the tested open ratios (0-100%). As the open ratio increases from 25% to 100%, the specific discharge capacity decreases from 995 to 397 mA h/g carbon . A similar trend is observed at 0.3 mA/cm 2 , while the maximum discharge capacity is obtained at 3% open ratio among the tested open ratios. The model that assumes the electrode is always fully saturated by the electrolyte does not obtain similar trends with experimental results, while the model that considers electrolyte loss by evaporation and the volume change of the solid obtains the same trend with experimental observations. The open ratio governs not only availability of oxygen but also the evaporation of the electrolyte and the contact resistance. The faster evaporation of the electrolyte at a higher open ratio can be the main reason for the decrease of the discharge capacity, especially when the open ratio is relatively high (above 25%). Meanwhile, the contact resistance of the battery, measured by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), increases from 3.97 to 7.02 Ω when the open ratio increased from 3% to 95%. The increase of the Ohmic overpotential, however, is negligible (on the order of millivolts) because of the low discharge and charge current rates (on the order of 0.1 mA).

47 CFR 76.1501 - Qualifications to be an open video system operator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Qualifications to be an open video system... RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Open Video Systems § 76.1501 Qualifications to be an open video system operator. Any person may obtain a certification to operate an open...

47 CFR 76.1501 - Qualifications to be an open video system operator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Qualifications to be an open video system... RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Open Video Systems § 76.1501 Qualifications to be an open video system operator. Any person may obtain a certification to operate an open...

47 CFR 76.1501 - Qualifications to be an open video system operator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Qualifications to be an open video system... RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Open Video Systems § 76.1501 Qualifications to be an open video system operator. Any person may obtain a certification to operate an open...

47 CFR 76.1501 - Qualifications to be an open video system operator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Qualifications to be an open video system... RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Open Video Systems § 76.1501 Qualifications to be an open video system operator. Any person may obtain a certification to operate an open...

47 CFR 76.1501 - Qualifications to be an open video system operator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Qualifications to be an open video system... RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Open Video Systems § 76.1501 Qualifications to be an open video system operator. Any person may obtain a certification to operate an open...

Understanding Hawking radiation in the framework of open quantum systems

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

Yu Hongwei; Zhang Jialin

2008-01-15

We study the Hawking radiation in the framework of open quantum systems by examining the time evolution of a detector (modeled by a two-level atom) interacting with vacuum massless scalar fields. The dynamics of the detector is governed by a master equation obtained by tracing over the field degrees of freedom from the complete system. The nonunitary effects are studied by analyzing the time behavior of a particular observable of the detector, i.e., its admissible state, in the Unruh, Hartle-Hawking, as well as Boulware vacua outside a Schwarzschild black hole. We find that the detector in both the Unruh andmore » Hartle-Hawking vacua would spontaneously excite with a nonvanishing probability the same as what one would obtain if there is thermal radiation at the Hawking temperature from the black hole, thus reproducing the basic results concerning the Hawking effect in the framework of open quantum systems.« less

Standardized emissions inventory methodology for open-pit mining areas.

PubMed

Huertas, Jose I; Camacho, Dumar A; Huertas, Maria E

2011-08-01

There is still interest in a unified methodology to quantify the mass of particulate material emitted into the atmosphere by activities inherent to open-pit mining. For the case of total suspended particles (TSP), the current practice is to estimate such emissions by developing inventories based on the emission factors recommended by the USEPA for this purpose. However, there are disputes over the specific emission factors that must be used for each activity and the applicability of such factors to cases quite different to the ones under which they were obtained. There is also a need for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM(10)) emission inventories and for metrics to evaluate the emission control programs implemented by open-pit mines. To address these needs, work was carried out to establish a standardized TSP and PM(10) emission inventory methodology for open-pit mining areas. The proposed methodology was applied to seven of the eight mining companies operating in the northern part of Colombia, home to the one of the world's largest open-pit coal mining operations (∼70 Mt/year). The results obtained show that transport on unpaved roads is the mining activity that generates most of the emissions and that the total emissions may be reduced up to 72% by spraying water on the unpaved roads. Performance metrics were defined for the emission control programs implemented by mining companies. It was found that coal open-pit mines are emitting 0.726 and 0.180 kg of TSP and PM(10), respectively, per ton of coal produced. It was also found that these mines are using on average 1.148 m(2) of land per ton of coal produced per year.

Open Babel: An open chemical toolbox

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background A frequent problem in computational modeling is the interconversion of chemical structures between different formats. While standard interchange formats exist (for example, Chemical Markup Language) and de facto standards have arisen (for example, SMILES format), the need to interconvert formats is a continuing problem due to the multitude of different application areas for chemistry data, differences in the data stored by different formats (0D versus 3D, for example), and competition between software along with a lack of vendor-neutral formats. Results We discuss, for the first time, Open Babel, an open-source chemical toolbox that speaks the many languages of chemical data. Open Babel version 2.3 interconverts over 110 formats. The need to represent such a wide variety of chemical and molecular data requires a library that implements a wide range of cheminformatics algorithms, from partial charge assignment and aromaticity detection, to bond order perception and canonicalization. We detail the implementation of Open Babel, describe key advances in the 2.3 release, and outline a variety of uses both in terms of software products and scientific research, including applications far beyond simple format interconversion. Conclusions Open Babel presents a solution to the proliferation of multiple chemical file formats. In addition, it provides a variety of useful utilities from conformer searching and 2D depiction, to filtering, batch conversion, and substructure and similarity searching. For developers, it can be used as a programming library to handle chemical data in areas such as organic chemistry, drug design, materials science, and computational chemistry. It is freely available under an open-source license from http://openbabel.org. PMID:21982300

Effect of mass housing settlement type on the comfortable open areas in terms of noise.

PubMed

Akdağ, Neşe Yüğrük; Gedik, Gülay Zorer; Kiraz, Fatih; Şener, Bekir

2017-09-12

The layout of the structures according to the noise source is an important parameter in terms of the level of noise reaching to both open usage areas and the structure surfaces. In this paper, it is aimed to reveal the effect of mass housing settlement type on the size of suitable open usage areas in terms of noise. Comfortable open usage areas in 25 mass housing alternatives are determined for the case of being affected by three different road noises. The reliability of the simulation results is validated by on-site noise level measurements. As a result, it is seen that better results are obtained in linear, L, C, and U type alternatives than point-type blocks. Especially in alternatives consisting of point-and linear-type blocks, if the noise level is above 75 Leq (dBA), the percentage of comfortable open usage areas is very low. It is determined that the percentage of comfortable open areas increases between 50 and 100% by means of appropriately designed noise barriers.

Opening Health Data: What Do Researchers Want? Early Experiences With New York's Open Health Data Platform.

PubMed

Martin, Erika G; Helbig, Natalie; Birkhead, Guthrie S

2015-01-01

Governments are rapidly developing open data platforms to improve transparency and make information more accessible. New York is a leader, with currently the only state platform devoted to health. Although these platforms could build public health departments' capabilities to serve more researchers, agencies have little guidance on releasing meaningful and usable data. Structured focus groups with researchers and practitioners collected stakeholder feedback on potential uses of open health data and New York's open data strategy. Researchers and practitioners attended a 1-day November 2013 workshop on New York State's open health data resources. After learning about the state's open data platform and vision for open health data, participants were organized into 7 focus groups to discuss the essential elements of open data sets, practical challenges to obtaining and using health data, and potential uses of open data. Participants included 33 quantitative health researchers from State University of New York campuses and private partners and 10 practitioners from the New York State Department of Health. There was low awareness of open data, with 67% of researchers reporting never using open data portals prior to the workshop. Participants were interested in data sets that were geocoded, longitudinal, or aggregated to small area granularity and capabilities to link multiple data sets. Multiple environmental conditions and barriers hinder their capacity to use health data for research. Although open data platforms cannot address all barriers, they provide multiple opportunities for public health research and practice, and participants were overall positive about the state's efforts to release open data. Open data are not ideal for some researchers because they do not contain individually identifiable data, indicating a need for tiered data release strategies. However, they do provide important new opportunities to facilitate research and foster collaborations among

OpenSHMEM-UCX : Evaluation of UCX for implementing OpenSHMEM Programming Model

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

Baker, Matthew B; Gorentla Venkata, Manjunath; Aderholdt, William Ferrol

2016-01-01

The OpenSHMEM reference implementation was developed towards the goal of developing an open source and high-performing Open- SHMEM implementation. To achieve portability and performance across various networks, the OpenSHMEM reference implementation uses GAS- Net and UCCS for network operations. Recently, new network layers have emerged with the promise of providing high-performance, scalabil- ity, and portability for HPC applications. In this paper, we implement the OpenSHMEM reference implementation to use the UCX framework for network operations. Then, we evaluate its performance and scalabil- ity on Cray XK systems to understand UCX s suitability for developing the OpenSHMEM programming model. Further, wemore » develop a bench- mark called SHOMS for evaluating the OpenSHMEM implementation. Our experimental results show that OpenSHMEM-UCX outperforms the vendor supplied OpenSHMEM implementation in most cases on the Cray XK system by up to 40% with respect to message rate and up to 70% for the execution of application kernels.« less

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) for Graves' disease: a comparison of surgical results with open thyroidectomy.

PubMed

Jitpratoom, Pornpeera; Ketwong, Khwannara; Sasanakietkul, Thanyawat; Anuwong, Angkoon

2016-12-01

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) provides excellent cosmetic results from its potential for scar-free operation. The procedure has been applied successfully for Graves' disease by the authors of this work and compared with the standard open cervical approach to evaluate its safety and outcomes. From January 2014 to November 2016, a total of 97 patients with Graves' disease were reviewed retrospectively. Open thyroidectomy (OT) and TOETVA were performed in 49 patients and 46 patients, respectively. For TOETVA, a three-port technique through the oral vestibule was utilized. The thyroidectomy was done endoscopically using conventional laparoscopic instruments and an ultrasonic device. Patient demographics and surgical variables, including operative time, blood loss, and complications, were investigated and compared. TOETVA was performed successfully in all 45 patients, although conversion to open surgery was deemed necessary in one patient. All patient characteristics for both groups were similar. Operative time was shorter for the OT group compared to the TOETVA group, which totaled 101.97±24.618 and 134.11±31.48 minutes, respectively (P<0.5). Blood loss was comparable for both groups. The visual analog scale (VAS) pain score for the TOETVA group was significantly lower than for the OT group on day 1 (2.08±1.53 vs . 4.57±1.35), day 2 (0.84±1.12 vs . 2.57±1.08) and day 3 (0.33±0.71 vs . 1.08±1.01) (P<0.05). Transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy was found in four and two cases of TOETVA and OT group, respectively. Transient hypocalcemia was found in ten and seven cases of TOETVA and OT group, respectively. No other complications were observed. TOETVA is a feasible and safe treatment for Graves' disease in comparison to the standard open cervical approach. It is considered a viable alternative for patients who have been indicated for surgery with excellent cosmetic results.

Open Source Drug Discovery in Practice: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Årdal, Christine; Røttingen, John-Arne

2012-01-01

Background Open source drug discovery offers potential for developing new and inexpensive drugs to combat diseases that disproportionally affect the poor. The concept borrows two principle aspects from open source computing (i.e., collaboration and open access) and applies them to pharmaceutical innovation. By opening a project to external contributors, its research capacity may increase significantly. To date there are only a handful of open source R&D projects focusing on neglected diseases. We wanted to learn from these first movers, their successes and failures, in order to generate a better understanding of how a much-discussed theoretical concept works in practice and may be implemented. Methodology/Principal Findings A descriptive case study was performed, evaluating two specific R&D projects focused on neglected diseases. CSIR Team India Consortium's Open Source Drug Discovery project (CSIR OSDD) and The Synaptic Leap's Schistosomiasis project (TSLS). Data were gathered from four sources: interviews of participating members (n = 14), a survey of potential members (n = 61), an analysis of the websites and a literature review. Both cases have made significant achievements; however, they have done so in very different ways. CSIR OSDD encourages international collaboration, but its process facilitates contributions from mostly Indian researchers and students. Its processes are formal with each task being reviewed by a mentor (almost always offline) before a result is made public. TSLS, on the other hand, has attracted contributors internationally, albeit significantly fewer than CSIR OSDD. Both have obtained funding used to pay for access to facilities, physical resources and, at times, labor costs. TSLS releases its results into the public domain, whereas CSIR OSDD asserts ownership over its results. Conclusions/Significance Technically TSLS is an open source project, whereas CSIR OSDD is a crowdsourced project. However, both have enabled high quality

Optimization of the parameters for obtaining zirconia-alumina coatings, made by flame spraying from results of numerical simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrer, M.; Vargas, F.; Peña, G.

2017-12-01

The K-Sommerfeld values (K) and the melting percentage (% F) obtained by numerical simulation using the Jets et Poudres software were used to find the projection parameters of zirconia-alumina coatings by thermal spraying flame, in order to obtain coatings with good morphological and structural properties to be used as thermal insulation. The experimental results show the relationship between the Sommerfeld parameter and the porosity of the zirconia-alumina coatings. It is found that the lowest porosity is obtained when the K-Sommerfeld value is close to 45 with an oxidant flame, on the contrary, when superoxidant flames are used K values are close 52, which improve wear resistance.

Realization of intermode oscillations in open resonator of diffraction radiation generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurin, V. G.; Skrynnik, V. G.; Shestopalov, V. P.

1993-11-01

The results of an experimental study of oscillation interaction in the open resonator of a diffraction radiation generator (DRG) are presented. Interaction is obtained in the region of oscillation splitting in the electrodynamic system of the DRG in the diffraction-radiation mode. The possibility of improving the generator's frequency stability in the vicinities of Morse critical points is shown.

Assessment of molecular markers demonstrates concordance between samples acquired via stereotactic biopsy and open craniotomy in both anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas.

PubMed

Gessler, Florian; Baumgarten, Peter; Bernstock, Joshua D; Harter, Patrick; Lescher, Stephanie; Senft, Christian; Seifert, Volker; Marquardt, Gerhard; Weise, Lutz

2017-06-01

The classification, treatment and prognosis of high-grade gliomas has been shown to correlate with the expression of molecular markers (e.g. MGMT promotor methylation and IDH1 mutations). Acquisition of tumor samples may be obtained via stereotactic biopsy or open craniotomy. Between the years 2009 and 2013, 22 patients initially diagnosed with HGGs via stereotactic biopsy, that ultimately underwent open craniotomy for resection of their tumor were prospectively included in an institutional glioma database. MGMT promotor analysis was performed using methylation-specific (MS)-PCR and IDH1R132H mutation analysis was performed using immunohistochemistry. Three patients (13.7%) exhibited IDH1R132H mutations in samples obtained via stereotactic biopsy. Tissue derived from stereotaxic biopsy was demonstrated to have MGMT promotor methylation in ten patients (45.5%), while a non-methylated MGMT promotor was demonstrated in ten patients (45.5%); inconclusive results were obtained for the remaining two patients (9%) within our cohort. The initial histologic grading, IDH1R132H mutation and MGMT promotor methylation results were confirmed using samples obtained during open craniotomy in all but one patient; here inconclusive MGMT promotor analysis was obtained in contrast to that which was obtained via stereotactic biopsy. Tumor samples acquired via stereotactic biopsy provide accurate information with regard to clinically relevant molecular markers that have been shown to impact patient care decisions. The profile of markers analyzed in our cohort was nearly concordant between those samples obtained via stereotactic biopsy or open craniotomy thereby suggesting that clinical decisions may be based on the molecular profile of the tumor samples obtained via stereotactic biopsy.

Initial Assessment of Open Rotor Propulsion Applied to an Advanced Single-Aisle Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guynn, Mark D.; Berton, Jeffrey J.; Hendricks, Eric S.; Tong, Michael T.; Haller, William J.; Thurman, Douglas R.

2011-01-01

Application of high speed, advanced turboprops, or propfans, to subsonic transport aircraft received significant attention and research in the 1970s and 1980s when fuel efficiency was the driving focus of aeronautical research. Recent volatility in fuel prices and concern for aviation s environmental impact have renewed interest in unducted, open rotor propulsion, and revived research by NASA and a number of engine manufacturers. Unfortunately, in the two decades that have passed since open rotor concepts were thoroughly investigated, NASA has lost experience and expertise in this technology area. This paper describes initial efforts to re-establish NASA s capability to assess aircraft designs with open rotor propulsion. Specifically, methodologies for aircraft-level sizing, performance analysis, and system-level noise analysis are described. Propulsion modeling techniques have been described in a previous paper. Initial results from application of these methods to an advanced single-aisle aircraft using open rotor engines based on historical blade designs are presented. These results indicate open rotor engines have the potential to provide large reductions in fuel consumption and emissions. Initial noise analysis indicates that current noise regulations can be met with old blade designs and modern, noiseoptimized blade designs are expected to result in even lower noise levels. Although an initial capability has been established and initial results obtained, additional development work is necessary to make NASA s open rotor system analysis capability on par with existing turbofan analysis capabilities.

Multicolor CCD Photometry of the Open Cluster IC361

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

journal Volume 19 Numbers 1/2 2010 Contents V. Straizys, A. Kazlauskas. Young stars in the Camelopardalis dust and molecular clouds. VI. YSOs...Vilnius + I system for 7250 stars down to 1= 19.6 mag has been obtained in the 20’ x 26’ field of the open cluster IC 361 in Camelopardalis . The catalog...1= 19.6 mag has been obtained in the 20’ x 26’ field of the open cluster IC 361 in Camelopardalis . The catalog of 1420 stars down to V ~ 18.5 mag

Open-set speaker identification with diverse-duration speech data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karadaghi, Rawande; Hertlein, Heinz; Ariyaeeinia, Aladdin

2015-05-01

The concern in this paper is an important category of applications of open-set speaker identification in criminal investigation, which involves operating with short and varied duration speech. The study presents investigations into the adverse effects of such an operating condition on the accuracy of open-set speaker identification, based on both GMMUBM and i-vector approaches. The experiments are conducted using a protocol developed for the identification task, based on the NIST speaker recognition evaluation corpus of 2008. In order to closely cover the real-world operating conditions in the considered application area, the study includes experiments with various combinations of training and testing data duration. The paper details the characteristics of the experimental investigations conducted and provides a thorough analysis of the results obtained.

New high-definition thickness data obtained at tropical glaciers: preliminary results from Antisana volcano (Ecuador) using GPR prospection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zapata, Camilo; Andrade, Daniel; Córdova, Jorge; Maisincho, Luis; Carvajal, Juan; Calispa, Marlon; Villacís, Marcos

2014-05-01

The study of tropical glaciers has been a significant contribution to the understanding of glacier dynamics and climate change. Much of the data and results have been obtained by analyzing plan-view images obtained by air- and space-borne sensors, as well as depth data obtained by diverse methodologies at selected points on the glacier surface. However, the measurement of glacier thicknesses has remained an elusive task in tropical glaciers, often located in rough terrains where the application of geophysical surveys (i.e. seismic surveys) requires logistics sometimes hardly justified by the amount of obtained data. In the case of Ecuador, however, where most glaciers have developed on active volcanoes and represent sources/reservoirs of fresh water, the precise knowledge of such information is fundamental for scientific research but also in order to better assess key aspects for the society. The relatively recent but fast development of the GPR technology has helped to obtain new highdefinition thickness data at Antisana volcano that will be used to: 1) better understand the dynamics and fate of tropical glaciers; 2) better estimate the amount of fresh water stored in the glaciers; 3) better assess the hazards associated with the sudden widespread melting of glaciers during volcanic eruptions. The measurements have been obtained at glaciers 12 and 15 of Antisana volcano, with the help of a commercial GPR equipped with a 25 MHz antenna. A total of 30 transects have been obtained, covering a distance of more than 3 km, from the glacier ablation zone, located at ~ 4600 masl, up to the level of 5200 masl. The preliminary results show a positive correlation between altitude and glacier thickness, with maximum and minimum calculated values reaching up to 80 m, and down to 15 m, respectively. The experience gained at Antisana volcano will be used to prepare a more widespread GPR survey in the glaciers of Cotopaxi volcano, whose implications in terms of volcanic hazards

Prospective study comparing laparoscopic and open adenomectomy: Surgical and functional results.

PubMed

Garcia-Segui, A; Angulo, J C

Open adenomectomy (OA) is the surgery of choice for large volume benign prostatic hyperplasia, and laparoscopic adenomectomy (LA) represents a minimally invasive alternative. We present a long-term, prospective study comparing both techniques. The study consecutively included 199 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate volumes>80g who were followed for more than 12 months. The patients underwent OA (n=97) or LA (n=102). We recorded and compared demographic and perioperative data, functional results and complications using a descriptive statistical analysis. The mean age was 69.2±7.7 years (range 42-87), and the mean prostate volume (measured by TRUS) was 112.1±32.7mL (range 78-260). There were no baseline differences among the groups in terms of age, ASA scale, prostate volume, PSA levels, Qmax, IPSS, QoL or treatments prior to the surgery. The surgical time (P<.0001) and catheter time (P<.0002) were longer in the LA group. Operative bleeding (P<.0001), transfusion rate (P=.0015) and mean stay (P<.0001) were significantly lower in the LA group. The LA group had a lower rate of complications (P=.04), but there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of major complications (Clavien score≥3) (P=.13) or in the rate of late complications (at one year) (P=.66). There were also no differences between the groups in the functional postoperative results: IPSS (P=.17), QoL (P=.3) and Qmax (P=.17). LA is a reasonable, safe and effective alternative that results in less bleeding, fewer transfusions, shorter hospital stays and lower morbidity than OA. LA has similar functional results to OA, at the expense of longer surgical times and longer catheter times. Copyright © 2016 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Update of membership and mean proper motion of open clusters from UCAC5 catalog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, W. S.; Monteiro, H.; Assafin, M.

2018-06-01

We present mean proper motions and membership probabilities of individual stars for optically visible open clusters, which have been determined using data from the UCAC5 catalog. This follows our previous studies with the UCAC2 and UCAC4 catalogs, but now using improved proper motions in the GAIA reference frame. In the present study results were obtained for a sample of 1108 open clusters. For five clusters, this is the first determination of mean proper motion, and for the whole sample, we present results with a much larger number of identified astrometric member stars than on previous studies. It is the last update of our Open cluster Catalog based on proper motion data only. Future updates will count on astrometric, photometric and spectroscopic GAIA data as input for analyses.

[Mid-Term Clinical Results after Open Rotator Cuff Reconstruction in Double-Row Technique with Titanium Anchor Screws].

PubMed

Geyer, S; Schoch, C; Nelitz, M; Geyer, M

2015-08-01

The double-row rotator cuff repair is discussed controversially. Despite improved biomechanical properties, reduced re-tear rates and higher costs, no significant difference compared to single-row fixation in the clinical results is found. Mid-term results of an open double-row fixation with titanium anchor screws are presented. 237 patients (m = 142, f = 95, median age: 56.3 years) were operated in 2007 with this technique by the senior author (M. G.). Preoperatively, 2 years and 4,5 years postoperatively a subjective shoulder score (SSG) with follow-up rates of 86, 87 and 83 %, was evaluated. 5.1 years postoperatively an objective evaluation of 131 patients using the Constant-Murley scores (CS), the simple shoulder tests (SST), Gerber's shoulder value and the evaluation with school grades followed. The integrity of the cuff was checked with ultrasound. The absolute (re-tears and partial re-tears) and the relative (re-tears, partial re-tears, thinning and thickening of the cuff) re-tear rates were evaluated. In SSG a highly significant improvement from 51 to 83 points was found (p < 0.001). In CS 80 points (min.: 18; max.: 100), and in SST 11 points (min.: 2; max.: 12) were achieved. The shoulder value of Gerber increased significantly from preoperative 28.1 to 84.5 % 5.1 years postoperative (p < 0.001).The absolute re-tear rate, evaluated in ultrasound was 7.6 %, the relative re-tear rate 17.6 %. For primary rotator cuff reconstructions a higher CS with 82 points and a lower relative re-tear rate with 10.5 % were found. The patient's age had no significant influence on the clinical outcome. The rupture size showed a significant impact on the re-tear rate and the scores (p < 0.05). Between the operated and healthy shoulder neither strength nor mobility were found to be significantly different. Men reached a highly significant better strength than women (p < 0.001) which also resulted in a significantly better outcome in the CS

Search for Pulsating Stars in the Open Cluster NGC 1502

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stęślicki, M.

2006-04-01

We present results of a variability search in the field of the young open cluster NGC 1502. We confirm that a beta Cephei suspect WEBDA 26 is indeed pulsating with a period of 0.09612 d and semi-amplitude of about 3 mmag in V. A new VI light curve of the bright eclipsing binary and cluster member SZ Cam was obtained. In addition, we found two new variable stars. One is an interesting eclipsing binary showing total eclipses, which can be used to derive the distance to the cluster once radial velocities of the components will be obtained.

The electromagnetic multipole moments of the charged open-flavor {Z}_{\\bar{c}q} states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizi, K.; Özdem, U.

2018-05-01

The electromagnetic multipole moments of the open-flavor {Z}\\bar{cq} states are investigated by assuming a diquark–antidiquark picture for their internal structure and quantum numbers {J}{PC}={1}+- for their spin-parity. In particular, their magnetic and quadrupole moments are extracted in the framework of light-cone QCD sum rule by the help of the photon distribution amplitudes. The electromagnetic multipole moments of the open-flavor {Z}\\bar{cq} states are important dynamical observables, which encode valuable information on their underlying structure. The results obtained for the magnetic moments of different structures are considerably large and can be measured in future experiments. We obtain very small values for the quadrupole moments of {Z}\\bar{cq} states indicating a nonspherical charge distribution.

Open Availability of Patient Medical Photographs in Google Images Search Results: Cross-Sectional Study of Transgender Research

PubMed Central

Brunger, Fern; Welch, Vivian; Asghari, Shabnam; Kaposy, Chris

2018-01-01

Background This paper focuses on the collision of three factors: a growing emphasis on sharing research through open access publication, an increasing awareness of big data and its potential uses, and an engaged public interested in the privacy and confidentiality of their personal health information. One conceptual space where this collision is brought into sharp relief is with the open availability of patient medical photographs from peer-reviewed journal articles in the search results of online image databases such as Google Images. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the availability of patient medical photographs from published journal articles in Google Images search results and the factors impacting this availability. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from an evidence map of research with transgender, gender non-binary, and other gender diverse (trans) participants. For the original evidence map, a comprehensive search of 15 academic databases was developed in collaboration with a health sciences librarian. Initial search results produced 25,230 references after duplicates were removed. Eligibility criteria were established to include empirical research of any design that included trans participants or their personal information and that was published in English in peer-reviewed journals. We identified all articles published between 2008 and 2015 with medical photographs of trans participants. For each reference, images were individually numbered in order to track the total number of medical photographs. We used odds ratios (OR) to assess the association between availability of the clinical photograph on Google Images and the following factors: whether the article was openly available online (open access, Researchgate.net, or Academia.edu), whether the article included genital images, if the photographs were published in color, and whether the photographs were located on the journal article landing page. Results We identified

An adventurous habit of bottle-cap opening resulting in an endodontic-periodontal lesion: a case report.

PubMed

Ponnaiyan, Deepa; Bhat, K Mahalinga; Bhat, G Subraya

2009-06-01

An unusual case of an endodontic-periodontal lesion in a 29-year-old man resulting from a habit of opening beer bottle (metal) caps using his mandibular left molar is reported. The patient had been a chronic alcoholic with several emotional problems and was unaware of the injurious nature of his habit. Thus, the importance of a detailed case history and assessment of psychosocial aspects for an accurate diagnosis of such conditions is highlighted.

Unusual open chain quinolinyl peroxol and its alcohol counterpart obtained through a modified Skraup-Doebner-Von Miller quinoline synthesis: theoretical studies and complete (1) H- and (13) C-NMR assignments.

PubMed

Fotie, Jean; Kemami Wangun, Hilaire V; Dreux, Katelyn; Sommerfeld, Thomas; Pittman, Jacob

2012-01-01

Because of their extreme instability, it is generally difficult to synthesize and fully characterize open chain peroxides, also known as peroxols. In our attempt to investigate the mechanism of the Skraup-Doebner-Von Miller quinoline synthesis, we were able to obtain an unusual open chain peroxy-quinoline, namely, 4-(8-ethoxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-cyclopenta[c]quinolin-4-yl)butane-1-peroxol (1), and its alcohol counterpart, namely 4-(8-ethoxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-cyclopenta[c]quinolin-4-yl)butan-1-ol (2) obtained as a side product during the same reaction. Although structurally similar, these two compounds appeared to display some very distinct physical and spectroscopic characteristics. This work reports detailed NMR studies and full (1) H and (13)  C NMR assignments for these two compounds. These assignments are based upon the analysis of the NMR spectra of these compounds including (1) H, (13)  C, COSY, gHSQC and gHMBC. The effect of the peroxide functional group on the chemical shift of neighboring carbons and protons was also investigated by comparing the NMR data of these two compounds. Furthermore, the effects of potential hydrogen bondings in 1, 2, and possible 1-1 dimer, 2-2 dimer and in prototypical model systems, as well as the stability of these compounds, were investigated computationally. The computed dissociation energies and NMR data support the interpretation of the experimental data. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Open Learning Object Model to Promote Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulantelli, Giovanni; Gentile, Manuel; Taibi, Davide; Allegra, Mario

2008-01-01

In this paper we present the results of research work, that forms part of the activities of the EU-funded project SLOOP: Sharing Learning Objects in an Open Perspective, aimed at encouraging the definition, development and management of Open Educational Resources based on the Learning Object paradigm (Wiley, 2000). We present a model of Open…

Experimental and simulation studies on the effect of suction opening orientation on solar vertical chimney

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, L. Madan Ananda; Sivaramakrishnan, V.; Premalatha, M.; Vivekanandan, M.

2017-07-01

The zero energy building considered is a single storey building in Tiruchirappalli city retrofitted with various green features. This study investigated the effect of a suction opening orientation on a vertical solar chimney (VSC), integrated into a one-storey building. It was designed, manufactured and tested through selection of different suction openings for the entry of air, including right, left, front, back, both right and left and both front and back sides. Genetic algorithm (GA) calculates maximum air flow rate for a building with VSC for better suction opening, in Tiruchirappalli's dry, environmental conditions. GA is a useful technique for finding an improved suction opening specifically in the presence of a host of independent parameters which are large. The obtained results are related to fluid flow temperature distribution along the chimney, mass flow rate and air change per hour. The findings between the GA and the experimental results show sound agreement.

12 CFR 619.9230 - Open-end mortgage loan plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Open-end mortgage loan plans. 619.9230 Section 619.9230 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9230 Open-end mortgage loan plans. A mortgage loan which permits the borrower to obtain additional sums during...

12 CFR 619.9230 - Open-end mortgage loan plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Open-end mortgage loan plans. 619.9230 Section 619.9230 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9230 Open-end mortgage loan plans. A mortgage loan which permits the borrower to obtain additional sums during...

12 CFR 619.9230 - Open-end mortgage loan plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Open-end mortgage loan plans. 619.9230 Section 619.9230 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9230 Open-end mortgage loan plans. A mortgage loan which permits the borrower to obtain additional sums during...

12 CFR 619.9230 - Open-end mortgage loan plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Open-end mortgage loan plans. 619.9230 Section 619.9230 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9230 Open-end mortgage loan plans. A mortgage loan which permits the borrower to obtain additional sums during...

12 CFR 619.9230 - Open-end mortgage loan plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Open-end mortgage loan plans. 619.9230 Section 619.9230 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9230 Open-end mortgage loan plans. A mortgage loan which permits the borrower to obtain additional sums during...

openBEB: open biological experiment browser for correlative measurements

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background New experimental methods must be developed to study interaction networks in systems biology. To reduce biological noise, individual subjects, such as single cells, should be analyzed using high throughput approaches. The measurement of several correlative physical properties would further improve data consistency. Accordingly, a considerable quantity of data must be acquired, correlated, catalogued and stored in a database for subsequent analysis. Results We have developed openBEB (open Biological Experiment Browser), a software framework for data acquisition, coordination, annotation and synchronization with database solutions such as openBIS. OpenBEB consists of two main parts: A core program and a plug-in manager. Whereas the data-type independent core of openBEB maintains a local container of raw-data and metadata and provides annotation and data management tools, all data-specific tasks are performed by plug-ins. The open architecture of openBEB enables the fast integration of plug-ins, e.g., for data acquisition or visualization. A macro-interpreter allows the automation and coordination of the different modules. An update and deployment mechanism keeps the core program, the plug-ins and the metadata definition files in sync with a central repository. Conclusions The versatility, the simple deployment and update mechanism, and the scalability in terms of module integration offered by openBEB make this software interesting for a large scientific community. OpenBEB targets three types of researcher, ideally working closely together: (i) Engineers and scientists developing new methods and instruments, e.g., for systems-biology, (ii) scientists performing biological experiments, (iii) theoreticians and mathematicians analyzing data. The design of openBEB enables the rapid development of plug-ins, which will inherently benefit from the “house keeping” abilities of the core program. We report the use of openBEB to combine live cell microscopy

Density functional theory for open-shell singlet biradicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gräfenstein, Jürgen; Kraka, Elfi; Cremer, Dieter

1998-05-01

The description of open-shell singlet (OSS) σ- π biradicals by density functional theory (DFT) requires at least a two-configurational (TC) or, in general, a MC-DFT approach, which bears many unsolved problems. These can be avoided by reformulating the TC description in the spirit of restricted open shell theory for singlets (ROSS) and developing an exchange-correlation functional for ROSS-DFT. ROSS-DFT turns out to lead to reliable descriptions of geometry and vibrational frequencies for OSS biradicals. The relative energies of the OSS states obtained at the ROSS-B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level are often better than the corresponding ROSS-MP2 results. However, in those cases where spin polarization in a conjugated π systems plays a role, DFT predicts the triplet state related to the OSS state 2-4 kcal/mol too stable.

Development of seven hardwood species in small forest openings: 22-year results

Treesearch

R.L. Johnson; R.M. Krinard

1983-01-01

Small forest openings planted with seven leading commercial tree species were completely dominated by yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) that ave raged 90 feet tall after 22 years. Of the other planted species, swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii) was most shade tolerant while shumard oaks (Q. shumardii),...

Open Education and the Open Science Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Michael A.

2009-01-01

Openness as a complex code word for a variety of digital trends and movements has emerged as an alternative mode of "social production" based on the growing and overlapping complexities of open source, open access, open archiving, open publishing, and open science. This paper argues that the openness movement with its reinforcing structure of…

MINE WASTE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM PREVENTION OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE GENERATION FROM OPEN-PIT HIGHWALLS

EPA Science Inventory

This document summarizes the results of Mine Waste Technology Program Activity III, Project 26, Prevention of Acid Mine Drainage Generation from Open-Pit Highwalls. The intent of this project was to obtain performance data on the ability of four technologies to prevent the gener...

MHD natural convection in open inclined square cavity with a heated circular cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosain, Sheikh Anwar; Alim, M. A.; Saha, Satrajit Kumar

2017-06-01

MHD natural convection in open cavity becomes very important in many scientific and engineering problems, because of it's application in the design of electronic devices, solar thermal receivers, uncovered flat plate solar collectors having rows of vertical strips, geothermal reservoirs, etc. Several experiments and numerical investigations have been presented for describing the phenomenon of natural convection in open cavity for two decades. MHD natural convection and fluid flow in a two-dimensional open inclined square cavity with a heated circular cylinder was considered. The opposite wall to the opening side of the cavity was first kept to constant heat flux q, at the same time the surrounding fluid interacting with the aperture was maintained to an ambient temperature T∞. The top and bottom wall was kept to low and high temperature respectively. The fluid with different Prandtl numbers. The properties of the fluid are assumed to be constant. As a result a buoyancy force is created inside the cavity due to temperature difference and natural convection is formed inside the cavity. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code are used to discretize the solution domain and represent the numerical result to graphical form.. Triangular meshes are used to obtain the solution of the problem. The streamlines and isotherms are produced, heat transfer parameter Nu are obtained. The results are presented in graphical as well as tabular form. The results show that heat flux decreases for increasing inclination of the cavity and the heat flux is a increasing function of Prandtl number Pr and decreasing function of Hartmann number Ha. It is observed that fluid moves counterclockwise around the cylinder in the cavity. Various recirculations are formed around the cylinder. The almost all isotherm lines are concentrated at the right lower corner of the cavity. The object of this work is to develop a Mathematical model regarding the effect of MHD natural convection flow around

Geodetic results from ISAGEX data. [for obtaining center of mass coordinates for geodetic camera sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marsh, J. G.; Douglas, B. C.; Walls, D. M.

1974-01-01

Laser and camera data taken during the International Satellite Geodesy Experiment (ISAGEX) were used in dynamical solutions to obtain center-of-mass coordinates for the Astro-Soviet camera sites at Helwan, Egypt, and Oulan Bator, Mongolia, as well as the East European camera sites at Potsdam, German Democratic Republic, and Ondrejov, Czechoslovakia. The results are accurate to about 20m in each coordinate. The orbit of PEOLE (i=15) was also determined from ISAGEX data. Mean Kepler elements suitable for geodynamic investigations are presented.

[Open repair of gluteus medius and minimus tendons tears with double-row technique : Clinical and radiological results].

PubMed

Schröder, J H; Geßlein, M; Schütz, M; Perka, C; Krüger, D

2018-03-01

Operative refixation is a new therapeutic option in cases of failed conservative treatment for trochanteric pain syndrome (TPS) and lesions of the hip abductors in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Evaluation of the clinical and radiological results after open gluteus medius and minimus tendon reconstruction with a double-row technique was carried out. Patients with failed conservative treatment for TPS and confirmed lesions of the hip abductors in MRI were treated by open hip abductor tendon reconstruction with a double-row technique. The patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively (minimum follow-up 12 months) using the modified Harris hip score (mHHS) and a subjective score (subjective hip value, SHV). Preoperative and postoperative MRI evaluation included measurement of hip abductor muscle diameter and cross-sectional area as well as fatty degeneration. In this study 12 consecutive cases of open reconstruction of the hip abductor tendons were included. There was a significant improvement in the mHHS. In one case the patient showed an atraumatic rupture in the proximal anchor row. The MRI showed a significant improvement in muscle diameter and cross-sectional area for the gluteus medius muscle of the affected and the contralateral side, while the degree of fatty degeneration did not improve. The fatty degeneration showed a significant correlation with the postoperative results in the mHHS and the SHV. Operative reconstruction of lesions in the hip abductor tendons is a therapy option with significant improvement of patient satisfaction and functional scores as well as muscle diameter and cross-sectional area for the gluteus medius. The degree of fatty degeneration and possible differential diagnoses need to be taken into consideration.

Open Rotor Aeroacoustic Installation Effects for Conventional and Unconventional Airframes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Czech, Michael J.; Thomas, Russell H.

2013-01-01

As extensive experimental campaign was performed to study the aeroacoustic installation effects of an open rotor with respect to both a conventional tube and wing type airframe and an unconventional hybrid wing body airframe. The open rotor rig had two counter rotating rows of blades each with eight blades of a design originally flight tested in the 1980s. The aeroacoustic installation effects measured in an aeroacoustic wind tunnel included those from flow effects due to inflow distortion or wake interaction and acoustic propagation effects such as shielding and reflection. The objective of the test campaign was to quantify the installation effects for a wide range of parameters and configurations derived from the two airframe types. For the conventional airframe, the open rotor was positioned in increments in front of and then over the main wing and then in positions representative of tail mounted aircraft with a conventional tail, a T-tail and a U-tail. The interaction of the wake of the open rotor as well as acoustic scattering results in an increase of about 10 dB when the rotor is positioned in front of the main wing. When positioned over the main wing a substantial amount of noise reduction is obtained and this is also observed for tail-mounted installations with a large U-tail. For the hybrid wing body airframe, the open rotor was positioned over the airframe along the centerline as well as off-center representing a twin engine location. A primary result was the documentation of the noise reduction from shielding as a function of the location of the open rotor upstream of the trailing edge of the hybrid wing body. The effects from vertical surfaces and elevon deflection were also measured. Acoustic lining was specially designed and inserted flush with the elevon and airframe surface, the result was an additional reduction in open rotor noise propagating to the far field microphones. Even with the older blade design used, the experiment provided

Evidence in Magnetic Clouds for Systematic Open Flux Transport on the Sun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crooker, N. U.; Kahler, S. W.; Gosling, J. T.; Lepping, R. P.

2008-01-01

Most magnetic clouds encountered by spacecraft at 1 AU display a mix of unidirectional suprathermal electrons signaling open field lines and counterstreaming electrons signaling loops connected to the Sun at both ends. Assuming the open fields were originally loops that underwent interchange reconnection with open fields at the Sun, we determine the sense of connectedness of the open fields found in 72 of 97 magnetic clouds identified by the Wind spacecraft in order to obtain information on the location and sense of the reconnection and resulting flux transport at the Sun. The true polarity of the open fields in each magnetic cloud was determined from the direction of the suprathermal electron flow relative to the magnetic field direction. Results indicate that the polarity of all open fields within a given magnetic cloud is the same 89% of the time, implying that interchange reconnection at the Sun most often occurs in only one leg of a flux rope loop, thus transporting open flux in a single direction, from a coronal hole near that leg to the foot point of the opposite leg. This pattern is consistent with the view that interchange reconnection in coronal mass ejections systematically transports an amount of open flux sufficient to reverse the polarity of the heliospheric field through the course of the solar cycle. Using the same electron data, we also find that the fields encountered in magnetic clouds are only a third as likely to be locally inverted as not. While one might expect inversions to be equally as common as not in flux rope coils, consideration of the geometry of spacecraft trajectories relative to the modeled magnetic cloud axes leads us to conclude that the result is reasonable.

OpenMC In Situ Source Convergence Detection

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

Aldrich, Garrett Allen; Dutta, Soumya; Woodring, Jonathan Lee

2016-05-07

We designed and implemented an in situ version of particle source convergence for the OpenMC particle transport simulator. OpenMC is a Monte Carlo based-particle simulator for neutron criticality calculations. For the transport simulation to be accurate, source particles must converge on a spatial distribution. Typically, convergence is obtained by iterating the simulation by a user-settable, fixed number of steps, and it is assumed that convergence is achieved. We instead implement a method to detect convergence, using the stochastic oscillator for identifying convergence of source particles based on their accumulated Shannon Entropy. Using our in situ convergence detection, we are ablemore » to detect and begin tallying results for the full simulation once the proper source distribution has been confirmed. Our method ensures that the simulation is not started too early, by a user setting too optimistic parameters, or too late, by setting too conservative a parameter.« less

Maintaining live discussion in two-stage open peer review.

PubMed

Sandewall, Erik

2012-01-01

Open peer review has been proposed for a number of reasons, in particular, for increasing the transparency of the article selection process for a journal, and for obtaining a broader basis for feedback to the authors and for the acceptance decision. The review discussion may also in itself have a value for the research community. These goals rely on the existence of a lively review discussion, but several experiments with open-process peer review in recent years have encountered the problem of faltering review discussions. The present article addresses the question of how lively review discussion may be fostered by relating the experience of the journal Electronic Transactions on Artificial Intelligence (ETAI) which was an early experiment with open peer review. Factors influencing the discussion activity are identified. It is observed that it is more difficult to obtain lively discussion when the number of contributed articles increases, which implies difficulties for scaling up the open peer review model. Suggestions are made for how this difficulty may be overcome.

Maintaining Live Discussion in Two-Stage Open Peer Review

PubMed Central

Sandewall, Erik

2011-01-01

Open peer review has been proposed for a number of reasons, in particular, for increasing the transparency of the article selection process for a journal, and for obtaining a broader basis for feedback to the authors and for the acceptance decision. The review discussion may also in itself have a value for the research community. These goals rely on the existence of a lively review discussion, but several experiments with open-process peer review in recent years have encountered the problem of faltering review discussions. The present article addresses the question of how lively review discussion may be fostered by relating the experience of the journal Electronic Transactions on Artificial Intelligence (ETAI) which was an early experiment with open peer review. Factors influencing the discussion activity are identified. It is observed that it is more difficult to obtain lively discussion when the number of contributed articles increases, which implies difficulties for scaling up the open peer review model. Suggestions are made for how this difficulty may be overcome. PMID:22363282

[effectiveness of open reduction and internal fixation without opening joint capsule on tibial plateau fracture].

PubMed

Chen, Qi; Xu, Xiaofeng; Huang, Yonghui; Cao, Xingbing; Meng, Chen; Cao, Xueshu; Wei, Changbao

2014-12-01

To introduce the surgery method to reset and fix tibial plateau fracture without opening joint capsule, and evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this method. Between July 2011 and July 2013, 51 patients with tibial plateau fracture accorded with the inclusion criteria were included. All of 51 patients, 17 cases underwent open reduction and internal fixation without opening joint capsule in trial group, and 34 cases underwent traditional surgery method in control group. There was no significant difference in gender, age, cause of injury, time from injury to admission, side of injury, and types of fracture between 2 groups (P > 0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, incision healing, and fracture healing were compared between 2 groups. The tibial-femoral angle and collapse of joint surface were measured on X-ray film. At last follow-up, joint function was evaluated with Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee function scale. The intraoperative blood loss in trial group was significantly less than that in control group (P < 0.05). The incision length in trial group was significantly shorter than that in control group (P < 0.05). Difference was not significant in operation time and the rate of incision healing between 2 groups (P > 0.05). The patients were followed up 12-30 months (mean, 20.4 months) in trial group and 12-31 months (mean, 18.2 months) in control group. X-ray films indicated that all cases in 2 groups obtained fracture healing; there was no significant difference in the fracture healing time between 2 groups (t=1.382, P=0.173). On X-ray films, difference was not significant in tibial-femoral angle and collapse of joint surface between 2 groups (P > 0.05). HSS score of the knee in trial group was significantly higher than that of control group (t=3.161, P=0.003). It can reduce the intraoperative blood loss and shorten the incision length to use open reduction and internal fixation without opening joint capsule for

A new open cluster binary system in the Milky Way

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piatti, A. E.; Clariá, J. J.; Ahumada, A. V.

2011-10-01

We have obtained CCD UBVI_{KC} photometry for the open clusters (OCs) Hogg 12 and NGC 3590. Based on photometric and morphological criteria, as well as on the stellar density in the region, our evidence is sufficient to consider them a new open cluster binary system candidate.

A high open-circuit voltage gallium nitride betavoltaic microbattery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Zaijun; Chen, Xuyuan; San, Haisheng; Feng, Zhihong; Liu, Bo

2012-07-01

A high open-circuit voltage betavoltaic microbattery based on a gallium nitride (GaN) p-i-n homojunction is demonstrated. As a beta-absorbing layer, the low electron concentration of the n-type GaN layer is achieved by the process of Fe compensation doping. Under the irradiation of a planar solid 63Ni source with activity of 0.5 mCi, the open-circuit voltage of the fabricated microbattery with 2 × 2 mm2 area reaches as much as 1.64 V, which is the record value reported for betavoltaic batteries with 63Ni source, the short-circuit current was measured as 568 pA and the conversion effective of 0.98% was obtained. The experimental results suggest that GaN is a high-potential candidate for developing the betavoltaic microbattery.

Quality Test of Flexible Flat Cable (FFC) With Short Open Test Using Law Ohm Approach through Embedded Fuzzy Logic Based On Open Source Arduino Data Logger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohmanu, Ajar; Everhard, Yan

2017-04-01

A technological development, especially in the field of electronics is very fast. One of the developments in the electronics hardware device is Flexible Flat Cable (FFC), which serves as a media liaison between the main boards with other hardware parts. The production of Flexible Flat Cable (FFC) will go through the process of testing and measuring of the quality Flexible Flat Cable (FFC). Currently, the testing and measurement is still done manually by observing the Light Emitting Diode (LED) by the operator, so there were many problems. This study will be made of test quality Flexible Flat Cable (FFC) computationally utilize Open Source Embedded System. The method used is the measurement with Short Open Test method using Ohm’s Law approach to 4-wire (Kelvin) and fuzzy logic as a decision maker measurement results based on Open Source Arduino Data Logger. This system uses a sensor current INA219 as a sensor to read the voltage value thus obtained resistance value Flexible Flat Cable (FFC). To get a good system we will do the Black-box testing as well as testing the accuracy and precision with the standard deviation method. In testing the system using three models samples were obtained the test results in the form of standard deviation for the first model of 1.921 second model of 4.567 and 6.300 for the third model. While the value of the Standard Error of Mean (SEM) for the first model of the model 0.304 second at 0.736 and 0.996 of the third model. In testing this system, we will also obtain the average value of the measurement tolerance resistance values for the first model of - 3.50% 4.45% second model and the third model of 5.18% with the standard measurement of prisoners and improve productivity becomes 118.33%. From the results of the testing system is expected to improve the quality and productivity in the process of testing Flexible Flat Cable (FFC).

Membership determination of open clusters based on a spectral clustering method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xin-Hua

2018-06-01

We present a spectral clustering (SC) method aimed at segregating reliable members of open clusters in multi-dimensional space. The SC method is a non-parametric clustering technique that performs cluster division using eigenvectors of the similarity matrix; no prior knowledge of the clusters is required. This method is more flexible in dealing with multi-dimensional data compared to other methods of membership determination. We use this method to segregate the cluster members of five open clusters (Hyades, Coma Ber, Pleiades, Praesepe, and NGC 188) in five-dimensional space; fairly clean cluster members are obtained. We find that the SC method can capture a small number of cluster members (weak signal) from a large number of field stars (heavy noise). Based on these cluster members, we compute the mean proper motions and distances for the Hyades, Coma Ber, Pleiades, and Praesepe clusters, and our results are in general quite consistent with the results derived by other authors. The test results indicate that the SC method is highly suitable for segregating cluster members of open clusters based on high-precision multi-dimensional astrometric data such as Gaia data.

Analysis of Spectral-type A/B Stars in Five Open Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilhelm, Ronald J.; Rafuil Islam, M.

2014-01-01

We have obtained low resolution (R = 1000) spectroscopy of N=68, spectral-type A/B stars in five nearby open star clusters using the McDonald Observatory, 2.1m telescope. The sample of blue stars in various clusters were selected to test our new technique for determining interstellar reddening and distances in areas where interstellar reddening is high. We use a Bayesian approach to find the posterior distribution for Teff, Logg and [Fe/H] from a combination of reddened, photometric colors and spectroscopic line strengths. We will present calibration results for this technique using open cluster star data with known reddening and distances. Preliminary results suggest our technique can produce both reddening and distance determinations to within 10% of cluster values. Our technique opens the possibility of determining distances for blue stars at low Galactic latitudes where extinction can be large and differential. We will also compare our stellar parameter determinations to previously reported MK spectral classifications and discuss the probability that some of our stars are not members of their reported clusters.

Development and validation of an open source quantification tool for DSC-MRI studies.

PubMed

Gordaliza, P M; Mateos-Pérez, J M; Montesinos, P; Guzmán-de-Villoria, J A; Desco, M; Vaquero, J J

2015-03-01

This work presents the development of an open source tool for the quantification of dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced (DSC) perfusion studies. The development of this tool is motivated by the lack of open source tools implemented on open platforms to allow external developers to implement their own quantification methods easily and without the need of paying for a development license. This quantification tool was developed as a plugin for the ImageJ image analysis platform using the Java programming language. A modular approach was used in the implementation of the components, in such a way that the addition of new methods can be done without breaking any of the existing functionalities. For the validation process, images from seven patients with brain tumors were acquired and quantified with the presented tool and with a widely used clinical software package. The resulting perfusion parameters were then compared. Perfusion parameters and the corresponding parametric images were obtained. When no gamma-fitting is used, an excellent agreement with the tool used as a gold-standard was obtained (R(2)>0.8 and values are within 95% CI limits in Bland-Altman plots). An open source tool that performs quantification of perfusion studies using magnetic resonance imaging has been developed and validated using a clinical software package. It works as an ImageJ plugin and the source code has been published with an open source license. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Main results and experience obtained on Mir space station and experiment program for Russian segment of ISS.

PubMed

Utkin, V F; Lukjashchenko, V I; Borisov, V V; Suvorov, V V; Tsymbalyuk, M M

2003-07-01

This article presents main scientific and practical results obtained in course of scientific and applied research and experiments on Mir space station. Based on Mir experience, processes of research program formation for the Russian Segment of the ISS are briefly described. The major trends of activities planned in the frames of these programs as well as preliminary results of increment research programs implementation in the ISS' first missions are also presented. c2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Obtaining sturgeon spawn in accordance with the German Pharmaceuticals Act].

PubMed

Bräuer, G; Emmerich, I U

2014-01-01

Obtaining sturgeon spawn in aquaculture is carried out with different objectives. Sturgeons are increasingly used for ornamental purposes or to serve as food. Previously, sturgeon roe was obtained primarily by surgical opening of the abdomen or during slaughter. Recently, in aquaculture roe has been increasingly produced by stripping off the eggs. In this new method it is necessary to synchronize spawn production by stimulating the fish through hormone usage. Therefore, the complete egg package can be taken from the fish, which avoids resorption disorders. This article discusses how this method can be evaluated from the perspective of drug law.

The Open Cluster Chemical Abundances and Mapping (OCCAM) Survey: Optical Extension for Neutron Capture Elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melendez, Matthew; O'Connell, Julia; Frinchaboy, Peter M.; Donor, John; Cunha, Katia M. L.; Shetrone, Matthew D.; Majewski, Steven R.; Zasowski, Gail; Pinsonneault, Marc H.; Roman-Lopes, Alexandre; Stassun, Keivan G.; APOGEE Team

2017-01-01

The Open Cluster Chemical Abundance & Mapping (OCCAM) survey is a systematic survey of Galactic open clusters using data primarily from the SDSS-III/APOGEE-1 survey. However, neutron capture elements are very limited in the IR region covered by APOGEE. In an effort to fully study detailed Galactic chemical evolution, we are conducting a high resolution (R~60,000) spectroscopic abundance analysis of neutron capture elements for OCCAM clusters in the optical regime to complement the APOGEE results. As part of this effort, we present Ba II, La II, Ce II and Eu II results for a few open clusters without previous abundance measurements using data obtained at McDonald Observatory with the 2.1m Otto Struve telescope and Sandiford Echelle Spectrograph.This work is supported by an NSF AAG grant AST-1311835.

Influence of the variable thermophysical properties on the turbulent buoyancy-driven airflow inside open square cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamora, Blas; Kaiser, Antonio S.

2012-01-01

The effects of the air variable properties (density, viscosity and thermal conductivity) on the buoyancy-driven flows established in open square cavities are investigated, as well as the influence of the stated boundary conditions at open edges and the employed differencing scheme. Two-dimensional, laminar, transitional and turbulent simulations are obtained, considering both uniform wall temperature and uniform heat flux heating conditions. In transitional and turbulent cases, the low-Reynolds k - ω turbulence model is employed. The average Nusselt number and the dimensionless mass-flow rate have been obtained for a wide and not yet covered range of the Rayleigh number varying from 103 to 1016. The results obtained taking into account variable properties effects are compared with those calculated assuming constant properties and the Boussinesq approximation. For uniform heat flux heating, a correlation for the critical heating parameter above which the burnout phenomenon can be obtained is presented, not reported in previous works. The effects of variable properties on the flow patterns are analyzed.

Open Availability of Patient Medical Photographs in Google Images Search Results: Cross-Sectional Study of Transgender Research.

PubMed

Marshall, Zack; Brunger, Fern; Welch, Vivian; Asghari, Shabnam; Kaposy, Chris

2018-02-26

This paper focuses on the collision of three factors: a growing emphasis on sharing research through open access publication, an increasing awareness of big data and its potential uses, and an engaged public interested in the privacy and confidentiality of their personal health information. One conceptual space where this collision is brought into sharp relief is with the open availability of patient medical photographs from peer-reviewed journal articles in the search results of online image databases such as Google Images. The aim of this study was to assess the availability of patient medical photographs from published journal articles in Google Images search results and the factors impacting this availability. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from an evidence map of research with transgender, gender non-binary, and other gender diverse (trans) participants. For the original evidence map, a comprehensive search of 15 academic databases was developed in collaboration with a health sciences librarian. Initial search results produced 25,230 references after duplicates were removed. Eligibility criteria were established to include empirical research of any design that included trans participants or their personal information and that was published in English in peer-reviewed journals. We identified all articles published between 2008 and 2015 with medical photographs of trans participants. For each reference, images were individually numbered in order to track the total number of medical photographs. We used odds ratios (OR) to assess the association between availability of the clinical photograph on Google Images and the following factors: whether the article was openly available online (open access, Researchgate.net, or Academia.edu), whether the article included genital images, if the photographs were published in color, and whether the photographs were located on the journal article landing page. We identified 94 articles with medical photographs

An optimal open/closed-loop control method with application to a pre-stressed thin duralumin plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadimpalli, Sruthi Raju

The excessive vibrations of a pre-stressed duralumin plate, suppressed by a combination of open-loop and closed-loop controls, also known as open/closed-loop control, is studied in this thesis. The two primary steps involved in this process are: Step (I) with an assumption that the closed-loop control law is proportional, obtain the optimal open-loop control by direct minimization of the performance measure consisting of energy at terminal time and a penalty on open-loop control force via calculus of variations. If the performance measure also involves a penalty on closed-loop control effort then a Fourier based method is utilized. Step (II) the energy at terminal time is minimized numerically to obtain optimal values of feedback gains. The optimal closed-loop control gains obtained are used to describe the displacement and the velocity of open-loop, closed-loop and open/closed-loop controlled duralumin plate.

Open-Filter Optical SSA Analysis Considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambert, J.

2016-09-01

Optical Space Situational Awareness (SSA) sensors used for space object detection and orbit refinement measurements are typically operated in an "open-filter" mode without any spectral filters to maximize sensitivity and signal-to-noise. These same optical brightness measurements are often also employed for size determination (e.g., for orbital debris), object correlation, and object status change. These functions, especially when performed using multiple sensors, are highly dependent on sensor calibration for measurement accuracy. Open-filter SSA sensors are traditionally calibrated against the cataloged visual magnitudes of solar-type stars which have similar spectral distributions as the illuminating source, the Sun. The stellar calibration is performed to a high level of accuracy, a few hundredths of a magnitude, by observing many stars over a range of elevation angles to determine sensor, telescope, and atmospheric effects. However, space objects have individual color properties which alter the reflected solar illumination producing spectral distributions which differ from those of the calibration stars. When the stellar calibrations are applied to the space object measurements, visual magnitude values are obtained which are systematically biased. These magnitudes combined with the unknown Bond albedos of the space objects result in systematically biased size determinations which will differ between sensors. Measurements of satellites of known sizes and surface materials have been analyzed to characterize these effects. The results have combined into standardized Bond albedos to correct the measured magnitudes into object sizes. However, the actual albedo values will vary between objects and represent a mean correction subject to some uncertainty. The objective of this discussion is to characterize the sensor spectral biases that are present in open-filter optical observations and examine the resulting brightness and albedo uncertainties that should accompany

Highly dynamically evolved intermediate-age open clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piatti, Andrés E.; Dias, Wilton S.; Sampedro, Laura M.

2017-04-01

We present a comprehensive UBVRI and Washington CT1T2 photometric analysis of seven catalogued open clusters, namely: Ruprecht 3, 9, 37, 74, 150, ESO 324-15 and 436-2. The multiband photometric data sets in combination with 2MASS photometry and Gaia astrometry for the brighter stars were used to estimate their structural parameters and fundamental astrophysical properties. We found that Ruprecht 3 and ESO 436-2 do not show self-consistent evidence of being physical systems. The remained studied objects are open clusters of intermediate age (9.0 ≤ log(t yr-1) ≤ 9.6), of relatively small size (rcls ˜ 0.4-1.3 pc) and placed between 0.6 and 2.9 kpc from the Sun. We analysed the relationships between core, half-mass, tidal and Jacoby radii as well as half-mass relaxation times to conclude that the studied clusters are in an evolved dynamical stage. The total cluster masses obtained by summing those of the observed cluster stars resulted to be ˜10-15 per cent of the masses of open clusters of similar age located closer than 2 kpc from the Sun. We found that cluster stars occupy volumes as large as those for tidally filled clusters.

25 CFR 162.539 - Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining a WSR lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Leases § 162.539 Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining... direct result of energy resource information gathered from a WEEL activity, obtaining a WEEL is not a...

25 CFR 162.539 - Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining a WSR lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Leases § 162.539 Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining... direct result of energy resource information gathered from a WEEL activity, obtaining a WEEL is not a...

The safest parameters for FUS-induced blood-brain barrier opening without effects on the opening volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tung, Yao-Sheng; Olumolade, Yemi; Wang, Shutao; Wu, Shih-Ying; Konofagou, Elisa E.

2012-11-01

Acoustic cavitation has been identified as the main physical mechanism for the focused ultrasound (FUS) induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening. In this paper, the mechanism of stable cavitation (SC) and inertial cavitation (IC) responsible for BBB opening was investigated. Thirty-three (n=33) mice were intravenously injected with bubbles of 4-5 μm in diameter. The right hippocampus was then sonicated using focused 1.5-MHz ultrasound and three different studies were carried out. First, pulse lengths (PLs) of 0.1, 0.5, 2, and 5 ms at 0.18- MPa peak rarefactional pressure with 5-Hz pulse repetition frequency (PRF) and 5-minute duration were used to identify the threshold of PL using SC. Second, the effects of the duty cycle and exposure time were investigated. Third, the BBB opening size was compared between the SC and the IC. In the case of IC-induced BBB opening, a burst sequence (3-cycles PL; 5-Hz burst repetition frequency (BRF); 30 s duration) at 0.45 MPa was applied. Passive cavitation detection was performed with each sonication to detect whether a broadband response was obtained, i.e., if IC occurred, during BBB opening. The properties of BBB opening were measured through MRI. The threshold of PL for BBB opening was identified between 0.1 and 0.5 ms using SC, but the BBB can be opened in few cycles using IC. The BBB opening volume and normalized intensity increased with the PL, but reached saturation when the PL was above 2 ms. Once the PL threshold was reached, the same exposure time induced a similar BBB opening volume, but longer sonication duration induced higher MR intensity. The duty cycle was found not to play an important role on the BBB opening. Comparable BBB opening volume (20-25 mm3) could be reached between long PL (7500 cycles, i.e., 5 ms) at 0.18 MPa and 3 cycles at 0.45 MPa. 3-kDa fluorescently tagged dextran may be able to diffuse to the parenchyma after IC-induced BBB opening at 0.45 MPa but not after SC-induced BBB opening at 0.18 MPa.

Stiffness Matrix of Thin-Walled Open Bar Subject to Bending, Bending Torsion and Shift of Cross Section Middle Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panasenko, N. N.; Sinelschikov, A. V.

2017-11-01

One of the main stages in the analysis of complex 3D structures and engineering constructions made of thin-walled open bars using FEM is a stiffness matrix developing. Taking into account middle surface shear deformation caused by the work of tangential stresses in the formula to calculate a potential energy of thin-walled open bars, the authors obtain an important correction at calculation of the bar deformation and fundamental frequencies. The results of the analysis of the free end buckling of a cantilever H-bar under plane bending differ from exact solution by 0.53%. In the course of comparison of the obtained results with the cantilever bar buckling regardless the middle surface shear deformation, an increase made 16.6%. The stiffness matrix of a thin-walled open bar developed in the present work can be integrated into any software suite using FEM for the analysis of complex 3-D structures and engineering constructions with n-freedoms.

On the evolution of jet energy and opening angle in strongly coupled plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesler, Paul M.; Rajagopal, Krishna

2016-05-01

We calculate how the energy and the opening angle of jets in {N} = 4 SYM theory evolve as they propagate through the strongly coupled plasma of that theory. We define the rate of energy loss dE jet /dx and the jet opening angle in a straightforward fashion directly in the gauge theory before calculating both holographically, in the dual gravitational description. In this way, we rederive the previously known result for dE jet /dx without the need to introduce a finite slab of plasma. We obtain a striking relationship between the initial opening angle of the jet, which is to say the opening angle that it would have had if it had found itself in vacuum instead of in plasma, and the thermalization distance of the jet. Via this relationship, we show that {N} = 4 SYM jets with any initial energy that have the same initial opening angle and the same trajectory through the plasma experience the same fractional energy loss. We also provide an expansion that describes how the opening angle of the {N} = 4 SYM jets increases slowly as they lose energy, over the fraction of their lifetime when their fractional energy loss is not yet large. We close by looking ahead toward potential qualitative lessons from our results for QCD jets produced in heavy collisions and propagating through quark-gluon plasma.

Dielectronic recombination of the 4p and 4d open sub-shell tungsten ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, M. J.; Fu, Y. B.; Zhang, G. D.; Zhang, Y. Z.; Dong, C. Z.; Koike, F.

2014-04-01

Dielectronic recombination rate coefficients are given theoretically for several highly charged tungsten ions. As 4p open sub-shell ions, Ga-, Ge-, As-, Br-, Kr-like ions are considered. Rb-like ion is further considered as a 4d open sub-shell ion. Theoretical calculations are carried out using a relativistic atomic code FAC. The effect of configuration interaction is taking into account. Inner-shell electron excitations play a significant role for the dielectronic recombination process. Simple analytical formulae are given for the total rate coefficients by fitting to the presently obtained numerical results.

Measured opening characteristics of an electromagnetically opened diaphragm for the Langley expansion tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, J. A.

1976-01-01

Results from an experimental study of the opening characteristics of an electromagnetically opened, 15.24 cm diameter diaphragm are presented. This diaphragm consists of a polyester film bonded to a preformed wire and is opened by passing a current pulse (capacitor discharge) through the wire. The diaphragm separates the acceleration section of the expansion tunnel from the nozzle so that the nozzle may be at a lower pressure than the acceleration section prior to a test. Opening times and cleanness of the opened area were examined for dependence on diaphragm thickness, on wire diameter, on technique of bonding the wire to the diaphragm, and on voltage and energy level of the energy source. Time histories of the pitot pressure measured at the expansion-tunnel nozzle entrance location are presented for (1) no diaphragm, (2) a flow-opened diaphragm, and (3) an electromagnetically opened diaphragm.

Jaw-opening force test to screen for Dysphagia: preliminary results.

PubMed

Hara, Koji; Tohara, Haruka; Wada, Satoko; Iida, Takatoshi; Ueda, Koichiro; Ansai, Toshihiro

2014-05-01

To assess the jaw-opening force test (JOFT) for dysphagia screening. Criterion standard. University dental hospital. Patients complaining of dysphagia (N=95) and with symptoms of dysphagia with chronic underlying causes (mean age ± SD, 79.3±9.61y; range, 50-94y; men: n=49; mean age ± SD, 77.03±9.81y; range, 50-94y; women: n=46; mean age ± SD, 75.42±9.73y; range, 51-93y) admitted for treatment between May 2011 and December 2012 were included. None. All patients were administered the JOFT and underwent fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). The mean jaw-opening strength was compared with aspiration (ASP) and pharyngeal residue observations of the FEES, which was used as the criterion standard. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed. Forces of ≤3.2kg for men and ≤4kg for women were appropriate cutoff values for predicting ASP with a sensitivity and specificity of .57 and .79 for men and .93 and .52 for women, respectively. Based on the ROC analyses for predicting pharyngeal residue, forces of ≤5.3kg in men and ≤3.9kg in women were appropriate cutoff values, with a sensitivity and specificity of .80 and .88 for men and .83 and .81 for women, respectively. The JOFT could be a useful screening tool for predicting pharyngeal residue and could provide useful information to aid in the referral of patients for further diagnostic imaging testing. However, given its low sensitivity to ASP the JOFT should be paired with other screening tests that predict ASP. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Open access, open education resources and open data in Uganda.

PubMed

Salvo, Ivana Di; Mwoka, Meggie; Kwaga, Teddy; Rukundo, Priscilla Aceng; Ernest, Dennis Ssesanga; Osaheni, Louis Aikoriogie; John, Kasibante; Shafik, Kasirye; de Sousa, Agostinho Moreira

2015-01-01

As a follow up to OpenCon 2014, International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA) students organized a 3 day workshop Open Access, Open Education Resources and Open Data in Kampala from 15-18 December 2014. One of the aims of the workshop was to engage the Open Access movement in Uganda which encompasses the scientific community, librarians, academia, researchers and students. The IFMSA students held the workshop with the support of: Consortium for Uganda University Libraries (CUUL), The Right to Research Coalition, Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), Makerere University, International Health Sciences University (IHSU), Pan African Medical Journal (PAMJ) and the Centre for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD). All these organizations are based or have offices in Kampala. The event culminated in a meeting with the Science and Technology Committee of Parliament of Uganda in order to receive the support of the Ugandan Members of Parliament and to make a concrete change for Open Access in the country.

Computational Modeling of Open-Irrigated Electrodes for Radiofrequency Cardiac Ablation Including Blood Motion-Saline Flow Interaction

PubMed Central

González-Suárez, Ana; Berjano, Enrique; Guerra, Jose M.; Gerardo-Giorda, Luca

2016-01-01

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a routine treatment for cardiac arrhythmias. During RFCA, the electrode-tissue interface temperature should be kept below 80°C to avoid thrombus formation. Open-irrigated electrodes facilitate power delivery while keeping low temperatures around the catheter. No computational model of an open-irrigated electrode in endocardial RFCA accounting for both the saline irrigation flow and the blood motion in the cardiac chamber has been proposed yet. We present the first computational model including both effects at once. The model has been validated against existing experimental results. Computational results showed that the surface lesion width and blood temperature are affected by both the electrode design and the irrigation flow rate. Smaller surface lesion widths and blood temperatures are obtained with higher irrigation flow rate, while the lesion depth is not affected by changing the irrigation flow rate. Larger lesions are obtained with increasing power and the electrode-tissue contact. Also, larger lesions are obtained when electrode is placed horizontally. Overall, the computational findings are in close agreement with previous experimental results providing an excellent tool for future catheter research. PMID:26938638

Open Space, Open Education, and Pupil Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukasevich, Ann; Gray, Roland F.

1978-01-01

Explores the relationship between instructional style (open and non-open programs), architectural style (open and non-open facilities) and selected cognitive and affective outcomes of third grade pupils. (CM)

Which Surgical Treatment for Open Tibial Shaft Fractures Results in the Fewest Reoperations? A Network Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Foote, Clary J; Guyatt, Gordon H; Vignesh, K Nithin; Mundi, Raman; Chaudhry, Harman; Heels-Ansdell, Diane; Thabane, Lehana; Tornetta, Paul; Bhandari, Mohit

2015-07-01

shaft fractures. Moderate confidence evidence showed that unreamed nailing may reduce the likelihood of reoperation compared with external fixation (network odds ratio [OR], 0.38; 95% CI, 0.23-0.62; p < 0.05), although not necessarily compared with reamed nailing (direct OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.45-1.24; p = 0.25). Only low- or very low-quality evidence informed the primary outcome for other treatment comparisons, such as those involving internal plate fixation, Ilizarov external fixation, and Ender nailing. Method ranking based on reoperation data showed that unreamed nailing had the highest probability of being the best treatment, followed by reamed nailing, external fixation, and plate fixation. CIs around pooled estimates of malunion and infection risk were very wide, and therefore no conclusive results could be made based on these data. Current evidence suggests that intramedullary nailing may be superior to other fixation strategies for open tibial shaft fractures. Use of unreamed nails over reamed nails also may be advantageous in the setting of open fractures, but this remains to be confirmed. Unfortunately, these conclusions are based on trials that have had high risk of bias and poor precision. Larger and higher-quality head-to-head randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these conclusions and better inform clinical decision-making. Level I, therapeutic study.

Open Content in Open Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kansa, Sarah Whitcher; Kansa, Eric C.

2007-01-01

This article presents the challenges and rewards of sharing research content through a discussion of Open Context, a new open access data publication system for field sciences and museum collections. Open Context is the first data repository of its kind, allowing self-publication of research data, community commentary through tagging, and clear…

Openness, Web 2.0 Technology, and Open Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Michael A.

2010-01-01

Open science is a term that is being used in the literature to designate a form of science based on open source models or that utilizes principles of open access, open archiving and open publishing to promote scientific communication. Open science increasingly also refers to open governance and more democratized engagement and control of science…

Computational Modeling of Aerosol Hazard Arising from the Opening of an Anthrax Letter in an Open-Office Complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lien, F. S.; Ji, H.; Yee, E.

Early experimental work, conducted at Defence R&D Canada — Suffield, measured and characterized the personal and environmental contamination associated with the simulated opening of anthrax-tainted letters under a number of different scenarios. A better understanding of the physical and biological processes is considerably significant for detecting, assessing, and formulating potential mitigation strategies for managing these risks. These preliminary experimental investigations have been extended to simulate the contamination from the opening of anthrax-tainted letters in an Open-Office environment using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Bacillus globigii (BG) was used as a biological simulant for anthrax, with 0.1 gram of the simulant released from opened letters in the experiments conducted. The accuracy of the model for prediction of the spatial distribution of BG spores in the office is first assessed quantitatively by comparison with measured SF6 concentrations (the baseline experiment), and then qualitatively by comparison with measured BG concentrations obtained under a number of scenarios, some involving people moving within various offices.

Sound Radiation from a Supersonic Jet Passing Through a Partially Open Exhaust Duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kandula, Max

2011-01-01

The radiation of sound from a perfectly expanded Mach 2.5 cold supersonic jet of 25.4 mm exit diameter flowing through a partially open rigid-walled duct with an upstream i-deflector has been studied experimentally. In the experiments, the nozzle is mounted vertically, with the nozzle exit plane at a height of 73 jet diameters above ground level. Relative to the nozzle exit plane (NEP), the location of the duct inlet is varied at 10, 5, and -1 jet diameters. Far-field sound pressure levels were obtained at 54 jet diameters above ground with the aid of acoustic sensors equally spaced around a circular arc of radius equal to 80 jet diameters from the jet axis. Data on the jet acoustic field for the partially open duct were obtained and compared with those with a free jet and with a closed duct. The results suggest that for the partially open duct the overall sound pressure level (OASPL) decreases as the distance between the NEP and the duct inlet plane decreases, while the opposite trend is observed for the closed duct. It is also concluded that the observed peak frequency in the partially open duct increases above the free jet value as the angle from the duct axis is increased, and as the duct inlet plane becomes closer to the NEP.

Facial perception of conspecifics: chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) preferentially attend to proper orientation and open eyes.

PubMed

Hirata, Satoshi; Fuwa, Koki; Sugama, Keiko; Kusunoki, Kiyo; Fujita, Shin

2010-09-01

This paper reports on the use of an eye-tracking technique to examine how chimpanzees look at facial photographs of conspecifics. Six chimpanzees viewed a sequence of pictures presented on a monitor while their eye movements were measured by an eye tracker. The pictures presented conspecific faces with open or closed eyes in an upright or inverted orientation in a frame. The results demonstrated that chimpanzees looked at the eyes, nose, and mouth more frequently than would be expected on the basis of random scanning of faces. More specifically, they looked at the eyes longer than they looked at the nose and mouth when photographs of upright faces with open eyes were presented, suggesting that particular attention to the eyes represents a spontaneous face-scanning strategy shared among monkeys, apes, and humans. In contrast to the results obtained for upright faces with open eyes, the viewing times for the eyes, nose, and mouth of inverted faces with open eyes did not differ from one another. The viewing times for the eyes, nose, and mouth of faces with closed eyes did not differ when faces with closed eyes were presented in either an upright or inverted orientation. These results suggest the possibility that open eyes play an important role in the configural processing of faces and that chimpanzees perceive and process open and closed eyes differently.

Reopening Openness to Experience: A Network Analysis of Four Openness to Experience Inventories.

PubMed

Christensen, Alexander P; Cotter, Katherine N; Silvia, Paul J

2018-05-10

Openness to Experience is a complex trait, the taxonomic structure of which has been widely debated. Previous research has provided greater clarity of its lower order structure by synthesizing facets across several scales related to Openness to Experience. In this study, we take a finer grained approach by investigating the item-level relations of four Openness to Experience inventories (Big Five Aspects Scale, HEXACO-100, NEO PI-3, and Woo et al.'s Openness to Experience Inventory), using a network science approach, which allowed items to form an emergent taxonomy of facets and aspects. Our results (N = 802) identified 10 distinct facets (variety-seeking, aesthetic appreciation, intellectual curiosity, diversity, openness to emotions, fantasy, imaginative, self-assessed intelligence, intellectual interests, and nontraditionalism) that largely replicate previous findings as well as three higher order aspects: two that are commonly found in the literature (intellect and experiencing; i.e., openness), and one novel aspect (open-mindedness). In addition, we demonstrate that each Openness to Experience inventory offers a unique conceptualization of the trait, and that some inventories provide broader coverage of the network space than others. Our findings establish a broader consensus of Openness to Experience at the aspect and facet level, which has important implications for researchers and the Openness to Experience inventories they use.

SOFIA Closed- and Open-Door Aerodynamic Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cumming, Stephen; Frederick, Mike; Smith, Mark

2012-01-01

Work to evaluate the aerodynamic characteristics and the cavity acoustic environment of the SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) airplane has been completed. The airplane has been evaluated in its closed-door configuration, as well as several open-door configurations. Work performed included: acoustic analysis tool development, cavity acoustic evaluation, stability and control parameter estimation, air data calibration, and external flow evaluation. Qualitative airflow data were obtained during the closed- and open-door flights using tufts on the aft portion of the fuselage. Video was taken from a chase plane. This video was analyzed for various flight conditions, and general flow descriptions of the aft fuselage of the 747SP were developed for the different closed and open door configurations.

Effect of windowing on lithosphere elastic thickness estimates obtained via the coherence method: Results from northern South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojeda, GermáN. Y.; Whitman, Dean

2002-11-01

The effective elastic thickness (Te) of the lithosphere is a parameter that describes the flexural strength of a plate. A method routinely used to quantify this parameter is to calculate the coherence between the two-dimensional gravity and topography spectra. Prior to spectra calculation, data grids must be "windowed" in order to avoid edge effects. We investigated the sensitivity of Te estimates obtained via the coherence method to mirroring, Hanning and multitaper windowing techniques on synthetic data as well as on data from northern South America. These analyses suggest that the choice of windowing technique plays an important role in Te estimates and may result in discrepancies of several kilometers depending on the selected windowing method. Te results from mirrored grids tend to be greater than those from Hanning smoothed or multitapered grids. Results obtained from mirrored grids are likely to be over-estimates. This effect may be due to artificial long wavelengths introduced into the data at the time of mirroring. Coherence estimates obtained from three subareas in northern South America indicate that the average effective elastic thickness is in the range of 29-30 km, according to Hanning and multitaper windowed data. Lateral variations across the study area could not be unequivocally determined from this study. We suggest that the resolution of the coherence method does not permit evaluation of small (i.e., ˜5 km), local Te variations. However, the efficiency and robustness of the coherence method in rendering continent-scale estimates of elastic thickness has been confirmed.

Development of a small prototype for a proof-of-concept of OpenPET imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaya, Taiga; Yoshida, Eiji; Inaniwa, Taku; Sato, Shinji; Nakajima, Yasunori; Wakizaka, Hidekatsu; Kokuryo, Daisuke; Tsuji, Atsushi; Mitsuhashi, Takayuki; Kawai, Hideyuki; Tashima, Hideaki; Nishikido, Fumihiko; Inadama, Naoko; Murayama, Hideo; Haneishi, Hideaki; Suga, Mikio; Kinouchi, Shoko

2011-02-01

The OpenPET geometry is our new idea to visualize a physically opened space between two detector rings. In this paper, we developed the first small prototype to show a proof-of-concept of OpenPET imaging. Two detector rings of 110 mm diameter and 42 mm axial length were placed with a gap of 42 mm. The basic imaging performance was confirmed through phantom studies; the open imaging was realized at the cost of slight loss of axial resolution and 24% loss of sensitivity. For a proof-of-concept of PET image-guided radiation therapy, we carried out the in-beam tests with 11C radioactive beam irradiation in the heavy ion medical accelerator in Chiba to visualize in situ distribution of primary particles stopped in a phantom. We showed that PET images corresponding to dose distribution were obtained. For an initial proof-of-concept of real-time multimodal imaging, we measured a tumor-inoculated mouse with 18F-FDG, and an optical image of the mouse body surface was taken during the PET measurement by inserting a digital camera in the ring gap. We confirmed that the tumor in the gap was clearly visualized. The result also showed the extension effect of an axial field-of-view (FOV); a large axial FOV of 126 mm was obtained with the detectors that originally covered only an 84 mm axial FOV. In conclusion, our initial imaging studies showed promising performance of the OpenPET.

Distribution of green open space in Malang City based on multispectral data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasyim, A. W.; Hernawan, F. P.

2017-06-01

Green open space is one of the land that its existence is quite important in urban areas where the minimum area is set to reach 30% of the total area of the city. Malang which has an area of 110,6 square kilometers, is one of the major cities in East Java Province that is prone to over-land conversion due to development needs. In support of the green space program, calculation of green space is needed precisely so that remote sensing which has high accuracy is now used for measurement of green space. This study aims to analyze the area of green open space in Malang by using Landsat 8 image in 2015. The method used was the vegetation index that is Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). From the study obtained the calculation of green open space was better to use the vegetation index method to avoid the occurrence of misclassification of other types of land use. The results of the calculation of green open space using NDVI found that the area of green open space in Malang City in 2015 reached 39% of the total area.

Open-path FTIR ozone measurements in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, William T.; Perry, Stephen H.; Han, Jin-Seok; Park, Chul-Jin

1999-02-01

In July 1997 the Republic of Korea became the 15th country to exceed 10-million registered motor vehicles. The number of cars has been increasing exponentially in Korea for the past 12 years opening an era of one car per household in this nation with a population of 44 million. The air quality effects of the growth of increasingly congested motor vehicle traffic in Seoul, home to more than one-fourth of the entire population, is of great concern to Korea's National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER). AIL's Open-Path FTIR air quality monitor, RAM 2000TM, has been used to quantify the ozone increase over the course of a warm summer day. The RAM 2000 instrument was setup on the roof of the 6-story NIER headquarters. The retroreflector was sited 180-m away across a major highway where it was tripod-mounted on top of the 6- story Korean National Institute of Health facility. During the Open-Path FTIR data taking, NIER Air Physics Division research team periodically tethered an airborne balloon containing pump and a potassium iodide solution to obtain absolute ozone concentration results which indicated that the ambient ozone level was 50 ppb when the Open-Path FTIR measurements began. Total ozone concentrations exceeded 120 ppb for five hours between 11:30 AM and 4:30 PM. The peak ozone concentration measured was 199 ppb at 12:56 PM. The averaged concentration for five and a half hours of data collection was 145 ppb. Ammonia concentrations were also measured.

From denial to awareness: a conceptual model for obtaining equity in healthcare.

PubMed

Höglund, Anna T; Carlsson, Marianne; Holmström, Inger K; Lännerström, Linda; Kaminsky, Elenor

2018-01-22

Although Swedish legislation prescribes equity in healthcare, studies have reported inequalities, both in face-to-face encounters and in telephone nursing. Research has suggested that telephone nursing has the capability to increase equity in healthcare, as it is open to all and not limited by long distances. However, this requires an increased awareness of equity in healthcare among telephone nurses. The aim of this study was to explore and describe perceptions of equity in healthcare among Swedish telephone nurses who had participated in an educational intervention on equity in health, including which of the power constructs gender, ethnicity and age they commented upon most frequently. Further, the aim was to develop a conceptual model for obtaining equity in healthcare, based on the results of the empirical investigation. A qualitative method was used. Free text comments from questionnaires filled out by 133 telephone nurses before and after an educational intervention on equity in health, as well as individual interviews with five participants, were analyzed qualitatively. The number of comments related to inequity based on gender, ethnicity or age in the free text comments was counted descriptively. Gender was the factor commented upon the least and ethnicity the most. Four concepts were found through the qualitative analysis: Denial, Defense, Openness, and Awareness. Some informants denied inequity in healthcare in general, and in telephone nursing in particular. Others acknowledged it, but argued that they had workplace routines that protected against it. There were also examples of an openness to the fact that inequity existed and a willingness to learn and prevent it, as well as an already high awareness of inequity in healthcare. A conceptual model was developed in which the four concepts were divided into two qualitatively different blocks, with Denial and Defense on one side of a continuum and Openness and Awareness on the other. In order to reach

An open-loop ground-water heat pump system: transient numerical modeling and site experimental results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lo Russo, S.; Taddia, G.; Gnavi, L.

2012-04-01

KEY WORDS: Open-loop ground water heat pump; Feflow; Low-enthalpy; Thermal Affected Zone; Turin; Italy The increasing diffusion of low-enthalpy geothermal open-loop Groundwater Heat Pumps (GWHP) providing buildings air conditioning requires a careful assessment of the overall effects on groundwater system, especially in the urban areas where several plants can be close together and interfere. One of the fundamental aspects in the realization of an open loop low-enthalpy geothermal system is therefore the capacity to forecast the effects of thermal alteration produced in the ground, induced by the geothermal system itself. The impact on the groundwater temperature in the surrounding area of the re-injection well (Thermal Affected Zone - TAZ) is directly linked to the aquifer properties. The transient dynamic of groundwater discharge and temperature variations should be also considered to assess the subsurface environmental effects of the plant. The experimental groundwater heat pump system used in this study is installed at the "Politecnico di Torino" (NW Italy, Piedmont Region). This plant provides summer cooling needs for the university buildings. This system is composed by a pumping well, a downgradient injection well and a control piezometer. The system is constantly monitored by multiparameter probes measuring the dynamic of groundwater temperature. A finite element subsurface flow and transport simulator (FEFLOW) was used to investigate the thermal aquifer alteration. Simulations were continuously performed during May-October 2010 (cooling period). The numerical simulation of the heat transport in the aquifer was solved with transient conditions. The simulation was performed by considering only the heat transfer within the saturated aquifer, without any heat dispersion above or below the saturated zone due to the lack of detailed information regarding the unsaturated zone. Model results were compared with experimental temperature data derived from groundwater

Open Energy Info (OpenEI) (Fact Sheet)

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

Not Available

2010-12-01

The Open Energy Information (OpenEI.org) initiative is a free, open-source, knowledge-sharing platform. OpenEI was created to provide access to data, models, tools, and information that accelerate the transition to clean energy systems through informed decisions.

Development open source microcontroller based temperature data logger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, M. H.; Che Ghani, S. A.; Zaulkafilai, Z.; Tajuddin, S. N.

2017-10-01

This article discusses the development stages in designing, prototyping, testing and deploying a portable open source microcontroller based temperature data logger for use in rough industrial environment. The 5V powered prototype of data logger is equipped with open source Arduino microcontroller for integrating multiple thermocouple sensors with their module, secure digital (SD) card storage, liquid crystal display (LCD), real time clock and electronic enclosure made of acrylic. The program for the function of the datalogger is programmed so that 8 readings from the thermocouples can be acquired within 3 s interval and displayed on the LCD simultaneously. The recorded temperature readings at four different points on both hydrodistillation show similar profile pattern and highest yield of extracted oil was achieved on hydrodistillation 2 at 0.004%. From the obtained results, this study achieved the objective of developing an inexpensive, portable and robust eight channels temperature measuring module with capabilities to monitor and store real time data.

Regularized quasinormal modes for plasmonic resonators and open cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamandar Dezfouli, Mohsen; Hughes, Stephen

2018-03-01

Optical mode theory and analysis of open cavities and plasmonic particles is an essential component of optical resonator physics, offering considerable insight and efficiency for connecting to classical and quantum optical properties such as the Purcell effect. However, obtaining the dissipative modes in normalized form for arbitrarily shaped open-cavity systems is notoriously difficult, often involving complex spatial integrations, even after performing the necessary full space solutions to Maxwell's equations. The formal solutions are termed quasinormal modes, which are known to diverge in space, and additional techniques are frequently required to obtain more accurate field representations in the far field. In this work, we introduce a finite-difference time-domain technique that can be used to obtain normalized quasinormal modes using a simple dipole-excitation source, and an inverse Green function technique, in real frequency space, without having to perform any spatial integrations. Moreover, we show how these modes are naturally regularized to ensure the correct field decay behavior in the far field, and thus can be used at any position within and outside the resonator. We term these modes "regularized quasinormal modes" and show the reliability and generality of the theory by studying the generalized Purcell factor of dipole emitters near metallic nanoresonators, hybrid devices with metal nanoparticles coupled to dielectric waveguides, as well as coupled cavity-waveguides in photonic crystals slabs. We also directly compare our results with full-dipole simulations of Maxwell's equations without any approximations, and show excellent agreement.

On the evolution of jet energy and opening angle in strongly coupled plasma

DOE PAGES

Chesler, Paul M.; Rajagopal, Krishna

2016-05-17

We calculate how the energy and the opening angle of jets in N = 4SYM theory evolve as they propagate through the strongly coupled plasma of that theory. We define the rate of energy loss dE jet/dx and the jet opening angle in a straightforward fashion directly in the gauge theory before calculating both holographically, in the dual gravitational description. In this way, we rederive the previously known result for dE jet/dx without the need to introduce a finite slab of plasma. We obtain a striking relationship between the initial opening angle of the jet, which is to say themore » opening angle that it would have had if it had found itself in vacuum instead of in plasma, and the thermalization distance of the jet. Via this relationship, we show that N = 4SYM jets with any initial energy that have the same initial opening angle and the same trajectory through the plasma experience the same fractional energy loss. We also provide an expansion that describes how the opening angle of the N = 4SYM jets increases slowly as they lose energy, over the fraction of their lifetime when their fractional energy loss is not yet large. In conclusion, we close by looking ahead toward potential qualitative lessons from our results for QCD jets produced in heavy collisions and propagating through quark-gluon plasma.« less

Research on OpenStack of open source cloud computing in colleges and universities’ computer room

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lei; Zhang, Dandan

2017-06-01

In recent years, the cloud computing technology has a rapid development, especially open source cloud computing. Open source cloud computing has attracted a large number of user groups by the advantages of open source and low cost, have now become a large-scale promotion and application. In this paper, firstly we briefly introduced the main functions and architecture of the open source cloud computing OpenStack tools, and then discussed deeply the core problems of computer labs in colleges and universities. Combining with this research, it is not that the specific application and deployment of university computer rooms with OpenStack tool. The experimental results show that the application of OpenStack tool can efficiently and conveniently deploy cloud of university computer room, and its performance is stable and the functional value is good.

Analyzing Hidden Semantics in Social Bookmarking of Open Educational Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minguillón, Julià

Web 2.0 services such as social bookmarking allow users to manage and share the links they find interesting, adding their own tags for describing them. This is especially interesting in the field of open educational resources, as delicious is a simple way to bridge the institutional point of view (i.e. learning object repositories) with the individual one (i.e. personal collections), thus promoting the discovering and sharing of such resources by other users. In this paper we propose a methodology for analyzing such tags in order to discover hidden semantics (i.e. taxonomies and vocabularies) that can be used to improve descriptions of learning objects and make learning object repositories more visible and discoverable. We propose the use of a simple statistical analysis tool such as principal component analysis to discover which tags create clusters that can be semantically interpreted. We will compare the obtained results with a collection of resources related to open educational resources, in order to better understand the real needs of people searching for open educational resources.

First CCD UBVI photometric analysis of six open cluster candidates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piatti, A. E.; Clariá, J. J.; Ahumada, A. V.

2011-04-01

We have obtained CCD UBVIKC photometry down to V ˜ 22 for the open cluster candidates Haffner 3, Haffner 5, NGC 2368, Haffner 25, Hogg 3 and Hogg 4 and their surrounding fields. None of these objects have been photometrically studied so far. Our analysis shows that these stellar groups are not genuine open clusters since no clear main sequences or other meaningful features can be seen in their colour-magnitude and colour-colour diagrams. We checked for possible differential reddening across the studied fields that could be hiding the characteristics of real open clusters. However, the dust in the directions to these objects appears to be uniformly distributed. Moreover, star counts carried out within and outside the open cluster candidate fields do not support the hypothesis that these objects are real open clusters or even open cluster remnants.

Faculty Perception of Openness and Attitude to Open Sharing at the Indian National Open University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panda, Santosh; Santosh, Sujata

2017-01-01

In the past decade, the educational scenario world over has significantly been impacted by open access and open education movements. The philosophy of openness and sharing forms the cornerstone of the open education movement. The distance education approaches, together with open educational resources (OER) and massive open online courses (MOOCs),…

Controlled Multivariate Evaluation of Open Education: Application of a Critical Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sewell, Alan F.; And Others

This paper continues previous reports of a controlled multivariate evaluation of a junior high school open-education program. A new method of estimating program objectives and implementation is presented, together with the nature and degree of obtained student outcomes. Open-program students were found to approve more highly of their learning…

Thermal Simulations, Open Boundary Conditions and Switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnier, Yannis; Florio, Adrien; Kaczmarek, Olaf; Mazur, Lukas

2018-03-01

SU(N) gauge theories on compact spaces have a non-trivial vacuum structure characterized by a countable set of topological sectors and their topological charge. In lattice simulations, every topological sector needs to be explored a number of times which reflects its weight in the path integral. Current lattice simulations are impeded by the so-called freezing of the topological charge problem. As the continuum is approached, energy barriers between topological sectors become well defined and the simulations get trapped in a given sector. A possible way out was introduced by Lüscher and Schaefer using open boundary condition in the time extent. However, this solution cannot be used for thermal simulations, where the time direction is required to be periodic. In this proceedings, we present results obtained using open boundary conditions in space, at non-zero temperature. With these conditions, the topological charge is not quantized and the topological barriers are lifted. A downside of this method are the strong finite-size effects introduced by the boundary conditions. We also present some exploratory results which show how these conditions could be used on an algorithmic level to reshuffle the system and generate periodic configurations with non-zero topological charge.

Formation of muconaldehyde, an open-ring metabolite of benzene, in mouse liver microsomes: an additional pathway for toxic metabolites.

PubMed Central

Latriano, L; Goldstein, B D; Witz, G

1986-01-01

It has been proposed that a ring-opened form may be responsible for the toxicity of benzene. The present studies demonstrate that incubation of [14C]benzene with liver microsomes (obtained from male CD-1 mice treated with benzene) in the presence of NADPH results in the formation of a ring-opened product. Evidence for the identity of this product was obtained by derivatizing with 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA), which resulted in the formation of an adduct with a 490-nm absorbance maximum. This maximum is identical to that observed after authentic trans,trans-muconaldehyde has reacted with TBA. Separation of muconaldehyde, both with and without trapping with TBA, from other benzene metabolites in the incubation mixture was accomplished by HPLC. The radioactivity profile of fractions collected during HPLC analysis contained peaks that eluted with muconaldehyde and the muconaldehyde-TBA adduct. The structure of the ring-opened product was confirmed by mass spectrometry, studies in which the HPLC peak from the microsomal incubation mixture that eluted at the retention time of authentic muconaldehyde was collected and derivatized with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. The high-resolution mass spectrum of this sample contained an ion with an m/z of 291.0729, corresponding to muconaldehyde mono-dinitrophenylhydrazone. These results indicate that benzene is metabolized in vitro to a ring-opened product identified as muconaldehyde. PMID:3464956

ERA's Open Rotor Studies Including Shielding for Noise Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Zante, Dale; Thomas, Russell

2012-01-01

The Open Rotor is a modern version of the UnDucted Fan (UDF) that was flight tested in the late 1980's through a partnership between NASA and General Electric (GE). Tests were conducted in the 9' x 15' Low Speed Wind Tunnel and the 8' x 6' Supersonic Wind Tunnel starting in late 2009 and completed in early 2012. Aerodynamic and acoustic data were obtained for takeoff, approach and cruise simulations. GE was the primary partner, but other organizations were involved such as Boeing and Airbus who provided additional hardware for fuselage simulations. This test campaign provided the acoustic and performance characteristics for modern open rotor blades designs." NASA and GE conducted joint systems analysis to evaluate how well new blade designs would perform on a B737 class aircraft, and compared the results to an advanced higher bypass ratio turbofan." Acoustic shielding experiments were performed at NASA GRC and Boeing LSAF facilities to provide data for noise estimates of unconventional aircraft configurations with Open Rotor propulsion systems." The work was sponsored by NASA's aeronautics programs, including the Subsonic Fixed Wing (SFW) and the Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) projects."

Using open source data for flood risk mapping and management in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitley, Alison; Malloy, James; Chirouze, Manuel

2013-04-01

Whitley, A., Malloy, J. and Chirouze, M. Worldwide the frequency and severity of major natural disasters, particularly flooding, has increased. Concurrently, countries such as Brazil are experiencing rapid socio-economic development with growing and increasingly concentrated populations, particularly in urban areas. Hence, it is unsurprising that Brazil has experienced a number of major floods in the past 30 years such as the January 2011 floods which killed 900 people and resulted in significant economic losses of approximately 1 billion US dollars. Understanding, mitigating against and even preventing flood risk is high priority. There is a demand for flood models in many developing economies worldwide for a range of uses including risk management, emergency planning and provision of insurance solutions. However, developing them can be expensive. With an increasing supply of freely-available, open source data, the costs can be significantly reduced, making the tools required for natural hazard risk assessment more accessible. By presenting a flood model developed for eight urban areas of Brazil as part of a collaboration between JBA Risk Management and Guy Carpenter, we explore the value of open source data and demonstrate its usability in a business context within the insurance industry. We begin by detailing the open source data available and compare its suitability to commercially-available equivalents for datasets including digital terrain models and river gauge records. We present flood simulation outputs in order to demonstrate the impact of the choice of dataset on the results obtained and its use in a business context. Via use of the 2D hydraulic model JFlow+, our examples also show how advanced modelling techniques can be used on relatively crude datasets to obtain robust and good quality results. In combination with accessible, standard specification GPU technology and open source data, use of JFlow+ has enabled us to produce large-scale hazard maps

Analytical Solution of Displacements Around Circular Openings in Generalized Hoek-Brown Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Houxu; Li, Jie; Wei, Jiuqi

2017-09-01

The rock in plastic region is divided into numbers of elements by the slip lines, resulted from shear localization. During the deformation process, the elements will slip along the slip lines and the displacement field is discontinuous. Slip lines around circular opening in isotropic rock, subjected to hydrostatic stress are described by the logarithmic spirals. Deformation of the plastic region is mainly attributed to the slippage. Relationship between the shear stresses and slippage on slip lines is presented, based on the study of Revuzhenko and Shemyakin. Relations between slippage and rock failure are described, based on the elastic-brittle-plastic model. An analytical solution is presented for the plane strain analysis of displacements around circular openings in the Generalized Hoek-Brown rock. With properly choosing of slippage parameters, results obtained by using the proposed solution agree well with those presented in published sources.

Comparison of Theoretical Stresses and Deflections of Multicell Wings with Experimental Results Obtained from Plastic Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zender, George W

1956-01-01

The experimental deflections and stresses of six plastic multicell-wing models of unswept, delta, and swept plan form are presented and compared with previously published theoretical results obtained by the electrical analog method. The comparisons indicate that the theory is reliable except for the evaluation of stresses in the vicinity of the leading edge of delta wings and the leading and trailing edges of swept wings. The stresses in these regions are questionable, apparently because of simplifications employed in idealizing the actual structure for theoretical purposes and because of local effects of concentrated loads.

Real-time implementation of logo detection on open source BeagleBoard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

George, M.; Kehtarnavaz, N.; Estevez, L.

2011-03-01

This paper presents the real-time implementation of our previously developed logo detection and tracking algorithm on the open source BeagleBoard mobile platform. This platform has an OMAP processor that incorporates an ARM Cortex processor. The algorithm combines Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) with k-means clustering, online color calibration and moment invariants to robustly detect and track logos in video. Various optimization steps that are carried out to allow the real-time execution of the algorithm on BeagleBoard are discussed. The results obtained are compared to the PC real-time implementation results.

OpenSeesPy: Python library for the OpenSees finite element framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Minjie; McKenna, Frank; Scott, Michael H.

2018-01-01

OpenSees, an open source finite element software framework, has been used broadly in the earthquake engineering community for simulating the seismic response of structural and geotechnical systems. The framework allows users to perform finite element analysis with a scripting language and for developers to create both serial and parallel finite element computer applications as interpreters. For the last 15 years, Tcl has been the primary scripting language to which the model building and analysis modules of OpenSees are linked. To provide users with different scripting language options, particularly Python, the OpenSees interpreter interface was refactored to provide multi-interpreter capabilities. This refactoring, resulting in the creation of OpenSeesPy as a Python module, is accomplished through an abstract interface for interpreter calls with concrete implementations for different scripting languages. Through this approach, users are able to develop applications that utilize the unique features of several scripting languages while taking advantage of advanced finite element analysis models and algorithms.

Aeroacoustic and Performance Simulations of a Test Scale Open Rotor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Claus, Russell W.

2013-01-01

This paper explores a comparison between experimental data and numerical simulations of the historical baseline F31/A31 open rotor geometry. The experimental data were obtained at the NASA Glenn Research Center s Aeroacoustic facility and include performance and noise information for a variety of flow speeds (matching take-off and cruise). The numerical simulations provide both performance and aeroacoustic results using the NUMECA s Fine-Turbo analysis code. A non-linear harmonic method is used to capture the rotor/rotor interaction.

Red giants and yellow stragglers in the young open cluster NGC 2447

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silveira, M. D.; Pereira, C. B.; Drake, N. A.

2018-06-01

In this work we analysed, using high-resolution spectroscopy, a sample of 12 single and 4 spectroscopic binary stars of the open cluster NGC 2447. For the single stars, we obtained atmospheric parameters and chemical abundances of Li, C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Ca, Si, Ti, Ni, Cr, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Eu. Rotational velocities were obtained for all the stars. The abundances of the light elements and Eu and the rotational velocities were derived using spectral synthesis technique. We obtained a mean metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.17 ± 0.05. We found that the abundances of all elements are similar to field giants and/or giants of open clusters, even for the s-process elements, which are enhanced as in other young open clusters. We show that the spectroscopic binaries NGC 2447-26, 38, and 42 are yellow-straggler stars, of which the primary is a giant star and the secondary a main-sequence A-type star.

Comparison of OpenFOAM and EllipSys3D actuator line methods with (NEW) MEXICO results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nathan, J.; Meyer Forsting, A. R.; Troldborg, N.; Masson, C.

2017-05-01

The Actuator Line Method exists for more than a decade and has become a well established choice for simulating wind rotors in computational fluid dynamics. Numerous implementations exist and are used in the wind energy research community. These codes were verified by experimental data such as the MEXICO experiment. Often the verification against other codes were made on a very broad scale. Therefore this study attempts first a validation by comparing two different implementations, namely an adapted version of SOWFA/OpenFOAM and EllipSys3D and also a verification by comparing against experimental results from the MEXICO and NEW MEXICO experiments.

OpenFresco | OpenFresco

Science.gov Websites

Skip to content HOME NEWS USERS OpenFrescoExpress OpenFresco Examples & Tools Feedback staff and research students learning about hybrid simulation and starting to use this experimental the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) and others. Search Search for: Search Menu

A continuous vibration theory for rotors with an open edge crack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahimi, Alireza; Heydari, Mahdi; Behzad, Mehdi

2014-07-01

In this paper a new continuous model for flexural vibration of rotors with an open edge crack has been developed. The cracked rotor is considered in the rotating coordinate system attached to it. Therefore, the rotor bending can be decomposed in two perpendicular directions. Two quasi-linear displacement fields are assumed for these two directions and the strain and stress fields are calculated in each direction. Then the final displacement and stress fields are obtained by composing the displacement and stress fields in the two directions. The governing equation of motion for the rotor has been obtained using the Hamilton principle and solved using a modified Galerkin method. The free vibration has been analyzed and the critical speeds have been calculated. Results are compared with the finite element results and an excellent agreement is observed.

Opening and closing of band gaps in magnonic waveguide by rotating the triangular antidots - A micromagnetic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vivek, T.; Bhoomeeswaran, H.; Sabareesan, P.

2018-05-01

Spin waves in ID periodic triangular array of antidots are encarved in a permalloy magnonic waveguide is investigated through micromagnetic simulation. The effect of the rotating array of antidots and in-plane rotation of the scattering centers on the band structure are investigated, to indicate new possibilities of fine tuning of spin-wave filter pass and stop bands. The results show that, the opening and closing of band gaps paves a way for band pass and stop filters on waveguide. From the results, the scattering center and strong spatial distribution field plays crucible role for controlling opening and closing bandgap width of ˜12 GHz for 0° rotation. We have obtained a single narrow bandgap of width 1GHz is obtained for 90° rotation of the antidot. Similarly, the tunability is achieved for desired microwave applications done by rotating triangular antidots with different orientation.

Re-Invigorating Openness at The Open University: The Role of Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gourley, Brenda; Lane, Andy

2009-01-01

This paper describes the internal motivations and external drivers that led The Open University UK to enter the field of Open Educational Resources through its institution-wide OpenLearn initiative (www.open.ac.uk/openlearn). It also describes some of the emerging evidence of the impacts inside and outside the university. Through the rapid…

Long-term Results After Open Mitral Commissurotomy for a One-Month-Old Infant With Mitral Stenosis.

PubMed

Kitaichi, Takashi; Sugano, Mikio; Arase, Hiroki; Kawatani, Yohei; Kameta, Kanako; Kurobe, Hirotsugu; Fujimoto, Eiki; Ono, Akemi; Hayabuchi, Yasunobu; Fujita, Hiroshi; Sogabe, Hitoshi; Kitagawa, Tetsuya

2017-01-01

The strategy for an infant with congenital mitral stenosis should be determined by three important factors: left ventricular volume, the degree of the systemic outflow tract obstruction, and the type of mitral valve dysfunction. A successful staged biventricular repair in early infancy for a patient who had congenital mitral stenosis with short chordae, hypoplastic left ventricle and coarctation of the aorta, and the long-term results are described. There were the following important hemodynamic factors that led to the successful biventricular repair in the patient. Total systemic output was barely supplied through the hypoplastic left ventricle after closure of the ductus arteriosus on admission. The neonate underwent repair of coarctation of the aorta alone as the initial stage at 9 days after birth. Also, spontaneous closure of the foramen ovale following repair of coarctation of the aorta accelerated the progressive left ventricular growth. Open mitral commissurotomy with an interatrial fenestration using the modified Brawley's approach was performed for a 40-day-old infant. Good left ventricular growth and good mitral valve function have been observed for 18 years after open mitral commissurotomy. Appropriate early augmentation of left ventricular inflow through the mitral valve might be effective for growth of a hypoplastic left ventricle. J. Med. Invest. 64: 187-191, February, 2017.

Open source software integrated into data services of Japanese planetary explorations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Y.; Ishihara, Y.; Otake, H.; Imai, K.; Masuda, K.

2015-12-01

Scientific data obtained by Japanese scientific satellites and lunar and planetary explorations are archived in DARTS (Data ARchives and Transmission System). DARTS provides the data with a simple method such as HTTP directory listing for long-term preservation while DARTS tries to provide rich web applications for ease of access with modern web technologies based on open source software. This presentation showcases availability of open source software through our services. KADIAS is a web-based application to search, analyze, and obtain scientific data measured by SELENE(Kaguya), a Japanese lunar orbiter. KADIAS uses OpenLayers to display maps distributed from Web Map Service (WMS). As a WMS server, open source software MapServer is adopted. KAGUYA 3D GIS (KAGUYA 3D Moon NAVI) provides a virtual globe for the SELENE's data. The main purpose of this application is public outreach. NASA World Wind Java SDK is used to develop. C3 (Cross-Cutting Comparisons) is a tool to compare data from various observations and simulations. It uses Highcharts to draw graphs on web browsers. Flow is a tool to simulate a Field-Of-View of an instrument onboard a spacecraft. This tool itself is open source software developed by JAXA/ISAS, and the license is BSD 3-Caluse License. SPICE Toolkit is essential to compile FLOW. SPICE Toolkit is also open source software developed by NASA/JPL, and the website distributes many spacecrafts' data. Nowadays, open source software is an indispensable tool to integrate DARTS services.

Eliciting willingness to pay: comparing closed-ended with open-ended and payment scale formats.

PubMed

Frew, Emma J; Whynes, David K; Wolstenholme, Jane L

2003-01-01

Willingness to pay (WTP) is increasingly being used as a measure of valuation in health technology assessment. A variety of formats for eliciting values are available, although the relative virtues of each remain the subject of methodological controversy. This article compares valuation results obtained using a WTP survey instrument in a closed-ended format with those obtained from instruments using open-ended and payment scale formats. Samples of subjects were drawn from a general population, and all were asked to value the same intervention--alternative methods of screening for colorectal cancer. It was discovered that, whereas the open-ended and payment scale formats produced broadly similar valuations, the closed-ended format produced significantly higher WTP valuations and different justifications for those valuations. It is hypothesized that anchoring and yea-saying effects explain these differences and that the closed-ended format triggers a different response mode in subjects.

[The use of open source software in graphic anatomic reconstructions and in biomechanic simulations].

PubMed

Ciobanu, O

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to obtain three-dimensional (3D) images and to perform biomechanical simulations starting from DICOM images obtained by computed tomography (CT). Open source software were used to prepare digitized 2D images of tissue sections and to create 3D reconstruction from the segmented structures. Finally, 3D images were used in open source software in order to perform biomechanic simulations. This study demonstrates the applicability and feasibility of open source software developed in our days for the 3D reconstruction and biomechanic simulation. The use of open source software may improve the efficiency of investments in imaging technologies and in CAD/CAM technologies for implants and prosthesis fabrication which need expensive specialized software.

Inability of Open-Field Autorefraction to Eliminate Accommodation in Preschoolers.

PubMed

Kara, Caner; Petriçli, İkbal Seza

2017-09-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Shin-Nippon NVision-K 5001 autorefractometer (Rexxam Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan) (also branded as the Grand Seiko WR-5100K; Grand Seiko Co. Ltd., Hiroshima, Japan) based on the open-field refractometry principle in refractive measurements of preschool children and to determine its ability to eliminate accommodation adequately. The refractive results of 114 preschool children who presented to the ophthalmology outpatient department for screening were evaluated. The measurements were obtained before and after cycloplegia with the Shin-Nippon NVision-K 5001 autorefractometer and after cycloplegia with retinoscopy, which is the gold standard. The results underwent vectorial transformation to produce the spherical equivalent (M) and two Jackson cross-cylinder (J0 and J45) values. All results were then subjected to statistical analysis. The difference between the measurements was evaluated with repeated measures analysis of variance. Included in the study were 106 preschool children (51 boys and 55 girls). The mean age was 5.3 ± 0.9 years (range: 3 to 6 years). Although statistically significantly more myopic results were obtained with non-cycloplegic measurements using the Shin-Nippon NVision-K 5001 autorefractometer (P < .001), no difference was observed in cylindrical values (P > .05). Cycloplegic J0 measurements were significantly lower (P < .001), but no difference was found between J45 values before and after cycloplegia (P > .05). The Shin-Nippon NVision-K 5001/Grand Seiko WR-5100K open-field autorefractometer seems to be inadequate in eliminating accommodation in childhood. Measurements under cycloplegia continue to be the best method to ensure accurate results. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2017;54(5):311-318.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Linear-algebraic bath transformation for simulating complex open quantum systems

DOE PAGES

Huh, Joonsuk; Mostame, Sarah; Fujita, Takatoshi; ...

2014-12-02

In studying open quantum systems, the environment is often approximated as a collection of non-interacting harmonic oscillators, a configuration also known as the star-bath model. It is also well known that the star-bath can be transformed into a nearest-neighbor interacting chain of oscillators. The chain-bath model has been widely used in renormalization group approaches. The transformation can be obtained by recursion relations or orthogonal polynomials. Based on a simple linear algebraic approach, we propose a bath partition strategy to reduce the system-bath coupling strength. As a result, the non-interacting star-bath is transformed into a set of weakly coupled multiple parallelmore » chains. Furthermore, the transformed bath model allows complex problems to be practically implemented on quantum simulators, and it can also be employed in various numerical simulations of open quantum dynamics.« less

Open Source, Openness, and Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, David

2006-01-01

In this article David Wiley provides an overview of how the general expansion of open source software has affected the world of education in particular. In doing so, Wiley not only addresses the development of open source software applications for teachers and administrators, he also discusses how the fundamental philosophy of the open source…

Evaluation of a statistics-based Ames mutagenicity QSAR model and interpretation of the results obtained.

PubMed

Barber, Chris; Cayley, Alex; Hanser, Thierry; Harding, Alex; Heghes, Crina; Vessey, Jonathan D; Werner, Stephane; Weiner, Sandy K; Wichard, Joerg; Giddings, Amanda; Glowienke, Susanne; Parenty, Alexis; Brigo, Alessandro; Spirkl, Hans-Peter; Amberg, Alexander; Kemper, Ray; Greene, Nigel

2016-04-01

The relative wealth of bacterial mutagenicity data available in the public literature means that in silico quantitative/qualitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) systems can readily be built for this endpoint. A good means of evaluating the performance of such systems is to use private unpublished data sets, which generally represent a more distinct chemical space than publicly available test sets and, as a result, provide a greater challenge to the model. However, raw performance metrics should not be the only factor considered when judging this type of software since expert interpretation of the results obtained may allow for further improvements in predictivity. Enough information should be provided by a QSAR to allow the user to make general, scientifically-based arguments in order to assess and overrule predictions when necessary. With all this in mind, we sought to validate the performance of the statistics-based in vitro bacterial mutagenicity prediction system Sarah Nexus (version 1.1) against private test data sets supplied by nine different pharmaceutical companies. The results of these evaluations were then analysed in order to identify findings presented by the model which would be useful for the user to take into consideration when interpreting the results and making their final decision about the mutagenic potential of a given compound. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Opening Reproducible Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nüst, Daniel; Konkol, Markus; Pebesma, Edzer; Kray, Christian; Klötgen, Stephanie; Schutzeichel, Marc; Lorenz, Jörg; Przibytzin, Holger; Kussmann, Dirk

2016-04-01

Open access is not only a form of publishing such that research papers become available to the large public free of charge, it also refers to a trend in science that the act of doing research becomes more open and transparent. When science transforms to open access we not only mean access to papers, research data being collected, or data being generated, but also access to the data used and the procedures carried out in the research paper. Increasingly, scientific results are generated by numerical manipulation of data that were already collected, and may involve simulation experiments that are completely carried out computationally. Reproducibility of research findings, the ability to repeat experimental procedures and confirm previously found results, is at the heart of the scientific method (Pebesma, Nüst and Bivand, 2012). As opposed to the collection of experimental data in labs or nature, computational experiments lend themselves very well for reproduction. Some of the reasons why scientists do not publish data and computational procedures that allow reproduction will be hard to change, e.g. privacy concerns in the data, fear for embarrassment or of losing a competitive advantage. Others reasons however involve technical aspects, and include the lack of standard procedures to publish such information and the lack of benefits after publishing them. We aim to resolve these two technical aspects. We propose a system that supports the evolution of scientific publications from static papers into dynamic, executable research documents. The DFG-funded experimental project Opening Reproducible Research (ORR) aims for the main aspects of open access, by improving the exchange of, by facilitating productive access to, and by simplifying reuse of research results that are published over the Internet. Central to the project is a new form for creating and providing research results, the executable research compendium (ERC), which not only enables third parties to

A revised moving cluster distance to the Pleiades open cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galli, P. A. B.; Moraux, E.; Bouy, H.; Bouvier, J.; Olivares, J.; Teixeira, R.

2017-02-01

Context. The distance to the Pleiades open cluster has been extensively debated in the literature over several decades. Although different methods point to a discrepancy in the trigonometric parallaxes produced by the Hipparcos mission, the number of individual stars with known distances is still small compared to the number of cluster members to help solve this problem. Aims: We provide a new distance estimate for the Pleiades based on the moving cluster method, which will be useful to further discuss the so-called Pleiades distance controversy and compare it with the very precise parallaxes from the Gaia space mission. Methods: We apply a refurbished implementation of the convergent point search method to an updated census of Pleiades stars to calculate the convergent point position of the cluster from stellar proper motions. Then, we derive individual parallaxes for 64 cluster members using radial velocities compiled from the literature, and approximate parallaxes for another 1146 stars based on the spatial velocity of the cluster. This represents the largest sample of Pleiades stars with individual distances to date. Results: The parallaxes derived in this work are in good agreement with previous results obtained in different studies (excluding Hipparcos) for individual stars in the cluster. We report a mean parallax of 7.44 ± 0.08 mas and distance of pc that is consistent with the weighted mean of 135.0 ± 0.6 pc obtained from the non-Hipparcos results in the literature. Conclusions: Our result for the distance to the Pleiades open cluster is not consistent with the Hipparcos catalog, but favors the recent and more precise distance determination of 136.2 ± 1.2 pc obtained from Very Long Baseline Interferometry observations. It is also in good agreement with the mean distance of 133 ± 5 pc obtained from the first trigonometric parallaxes delivered by the Gaia satellite for the brightest cluster members in common with our sample. Full Table B.2 is only

Comparison of Dimensional Accuracy between Open-Tray and Closed-Tray Implant Impression Technique in 15° Angled Implants

PubMed Central

Balouch, F; Jalalian, E; Nikkheslat, M; Ghavamian, R; Toopchi, Sh; Jallalian, F; Jalalian, S

2013-01-01

Statement of Problem: Various impression techniques have different effects on the accuracy of final cast dimensions. Meanwhile; there are some controversies about the best technique. Purpose: This study was performed to compare two kinds of implant impression methods (open tray and closed tray) on 15 degree angled implants. Materials and Method: In this experimental study, a steel model with 8 cm in diameter and 3 cm in height were produced with 3 holes devised inside to stabilize 3 implants. The central implant was straight and the other two implants were 15° angled. The two angled implants had 5 cm distance from each other and 3.5 cm from the central implant. Dental stone, high strength (type IV) was used for the main casts. Impression trays were filled with poly ether, and then the two impression techniques (open tray and closed tray) were compared. To evaluate positions of the implants, each cast was analyzed by CMM device in 3 dimensions (x,y,z). Differences in the measurements obtained from final casts and laboratory model were analyzed using t-Test. Results: The obtained results indicated that closed tray impression technique was significantly different in dimensional accuracy when compared with open tray method. Dimensional changes were 129 ± 37μ and 143.5 ± 43.67μ in closed tray and open tray, while coefficient of variation in closed- tray and open tray were reported to be 27.2% and 30.4%, respectively. Conclusion: Closed impression technique had less dimensional changes in comparison with open tray method, so this study suggests that closed tray impression technique is more accurate. PMID:24724130

Open innovation in health care: analysis of an open health platform.

PubMed

Bullinger, Angelika C; Rass, Matthias; Adamczyk, Sabrina; Moeslein, Kathrin M; Sohn, Stefan

2012-05-01

Today, integration of the public in research and development in health care is seen as essential for the advancement of innovation. This is a paradigmatic shift away from the traditional assumption that solely health care professionals are able to devise, develop, and disseminate novel concepts and solutions in health care. The present study builds on research in the field of open innovation to investigate the adoption of an open health platform by patients, care givers, physicians, family members, and the interested public. Results suggest that open innovation practices in health care lead to interesting innovation outcomes and are well accepted by participants. During the first three months, 803 participants of the open health platform submitted challenges and solutions and intensively communicated by exchanging 1454 personal messages and 366 comments. Analysis of communication content shows that empathic support and exchange of information are important elements of communication on the platform. The study presents first evidence for the suitability of open innovation practices to integrate the general public in health care research in order to foster both innovation outcomes and empathic support. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relative ease of obtaining a dermatologic appointment in Boston: how methods drive results.

PubMed

Weingold, David Howard; Lack, Michael Dweight; Yanowitz, Karen Leslie

2009-06-01

Recent reports have indicated long wait times for dermatologic appointments even for changing moles. Our objective was to determine the wait time for a person willing to make multiple calls and accept an appointment from any dermatologist at any satellite location for a changing mole from a dermatologist who advertised in a Boston, MA, telephone book. We telephoned each practice listed in a Boston, MA, telephone book. Patients making one call to each dermatologic practice on average obtained an appointment in 18 days. Patients calling two practices were offered an appointment on average in 7 days. Patients calling 3 practices were also offered an appointment in 1 week. We only telephoned practices listed in a Boston, MA, telephone book and we only surveyed one urban area. These results suggest that a reasonable concerned patient who was willing to make multiple calls to different providers in Boston, MA, can be seen in a timely fashion.

Anxiolytic effects of lavender oil inhalation on open-field behaviour in rats.

PubMed

Shaw, D; Annett, J M; Doherty, B; Leslie, J C

2007-09-01

To establish a valid animal model of the effects of olfactory stimuli on anxiety, a series of experiments was conducted using rats in an open-field test. Throughout, effects of lavender oil were compared with the effects of chlordiazepoxide (CDP), as a reference anxiolytic with well-known effects on open-field behaviour. Rats were exposed to lavender oil (0.1-1.0 ml) for 30 min (Experiment 1) or 1h (Experiment 2) prior to open-field test and in the open field or injected with CDP (10 mg/kg i.p.). CDP had predicted effects on behaviour, and the higher doses of lavender oil had some effects on behaviour similar to those of CDP. In Experiment 3, various combinations of pre-exposure times and amounts of lavender oil were used. With sufficient exposure time and quantity of lavender the same effects were obtained as in Experiment 2. Experiment 4 demonstrated that these behavioural effects of lavender could be obtained following pre-exposure, even if no oil was present in the open-field test. In Experiments 2-4, lavender oil increased immobility. Together, these experiments suggest that lavender oil does have anxiolytic effects in the open field, but that a sedative effect can also occur at the highest doses.

Reproducible Large-Scale Neuroimaging Studies with the OpenMOLE Workflow Management System.

PubMed

Passerat-Palmbach, Jonathan; Reuillon, Romain; Leclaire, Mathieu; Makropoulos, Antonios; Robinson, Emma C; Parisot, Sarah; Rueckert, Daniel

2017-01-01

OpenMOLE is a scientific workflow engine with a strong emphasis on workload distribution. Workflows are designed using a high level Domain Specific Language (DSL) built on top of Scala. It exposes natural parallelism constructs to easily delegate the workload resulting from a workflow to a wide range of distributed computing environments. OpenMOLE hides the complexity of designing complex experiments thanks to its DSL. Users can embed their own applications and scale their pipelines from a small prototype running on their desktop computer to a large-scale study harnessing distributed computing infrastructures, simply by changing a single line in the pipeline definition. The construction of the pipeline itself is decoupled from the execution context. The high-level DSL abstracts the underlying execution environment, contrary to classic shell-script based pipelines. These two aspects allow pipelines to be shared and studies to be replicated across different computing environments. Workflows can be run as traditional batch pipelines or coupled with OpenMOLE's advanced exploration methods in order to study the behavior of an application, or perform automatic parameter tuning. In this work, we briefly present the strong assets of OpenMOLE and detail recent improvements targeting re-executability of workflows across various Linux platforms. We have tightly coupled OpenMOLE with CARE, a standalone containerization solution that allows re-executing on a Linux host any application that has been packaged on another Linux host previously. The solution is evaluated against a Python-based pipeline involving packages such as scikit-learn as well as binary dependencies. All were packaged and re-executed successfully on various HPC environments, with identical numerical results (here prediction scores) obtained on each environment. Our results show that the pair formed by OpenMOLE and CARE is a reliable solution to generate reproducible results and re-executable pipelines. A

Reproducible Large-Scale Neuroimaging Studies with the OpenMOLE Workflow Management System

PubMed Central

Passerat-Palmbach, Jonathan; Reuillon, Romain; Leclaire, Mathieu; Makropoulos, Antonios; Robinson, Emma C.; Parisot, Sarah; Rueckert, Daniel

2017-01-01

OpenMOLE is a scientific workflow engine with a strong emphasis on workload distribution. Workflows are designed using a high level Domain Specific Language (DSL) built on top of Scala. It exposes natural parallelism constructs to easily delegate the workload resulting from a workflow to a wide range of distributed computing environments. OpenMOLE hides the complexity of designing complex experiments thanks to its DSL. Users can embed their own applications and scale their pipelines from a small prototype running on their desktop computer to a large-scale study harnessing distributed computing infrastructures, simply by changing a single line in the pipeline definition. The construction of the pipeline itself is decoupled from the execution context. The high-level DSL abstracts the underlying execution environment, contrary to classic shell-script based pipelines. These two aspects allow pipelines to be shared and studies to be replicated across different computing environments. Workflows can be run as traditional batch pipelines or coupled with OpenMOLE's advanced exploration methods in order to study the behavior of an application, or perform automatic parameter tuning. In this work, we briefly present the strong assets of OpenMOLE and detail recent improvements targeting re-executability of workflows across various Linux platforms. We have tightly coupled OpenMOLE with CARE, a standalone containerization solution that allows re-executing on a Linux host any application that has been packaged on another Linux host previously. The solution is evaluated against a Python-based pipeline involving packages such as scikit-learn as well as binary dependencies. All were packaged and re-executed successfully on various HPC environments, with identical numerical results (here prediction scores) obtained on each environment. Our results show that the pair formed by OpenMOLE and CARE is a reliable solution to generate reproducible results and re-executable pipelines. A

Validation of OpenFoam for heavy gas dispersion applications.

PubMed

Mack, A; Spruijt, M P N

2013-11-15

In the present paper heavy gas dispersion calculations were performed with OpenFoam. For a wind tunnel test case, numerical data was validated with experiments. For a full scale numerical experiment, a code to code comparison was performed with numerical results obtained from Fluent. The validation was performed in a gravity driven environment (slope), where the heavy gas induced the turbulence. For the code to code comparison, a hypothetical heavy gas release into a strongly turbulent atmospheric boundary layer including terrain effects was selected. The investigations were performed for SF6 and CO2 as heavy gases applying the standard k-ɛ turbulence model. A strong interaction of the heavy gas with the turbulence is present which results in a strong damping of the turbulence and therefore reduced heavy gas mixing. Especially this interaction, based on the buoyancy effects, was studied in order to ensure that the turbulence-buoyancy coupling is the main driver for the reduced mixing and not the global behaviour of the turbulence modelling. For both test cases, comparisons were performed between OpenFoam and Fluent solutions which were mainly in good agreement with each other. Beside steady state solutions, the time accuracy was investigated. In the low turbulence environment (wind tunnel test) which for both codes (laminar solutions) was in good agreement, also with the experimental data. The turbulent solutions of OpenFoam were in much better agreement with the experimental results than the Fluent solutions. Within the strong turbulence environment, both codes showed an excellent comparability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative assessment of the impact of biomedical image acquisition on the results obtained from image analysis and processing.

PubMed

Koprowski, Robert

2014-07-04

Dedicated, automatic algorithms for image analysis and processing are becoming more and more common in medical diagnosis. When creating dedicated algorithms, many factors must be taken into consideration. They are associated with selecting the appropriate algorithm parameters and taking into account the impact of data acquisition on the results obtained. An important feature of algorithms is the possibility of their use in other medical units by other operators. This problem, namely operator's (acquisition) impact on the results obtained from image analysis and processing, has been shown on a few examples. The analysed images were obtained from a variety of medical devices such as thermal imaging, tomography devices and those working in visible light. The objects of imaging were cellular elements, the anterior segment and fundus of the eye, postural defects and others. In total, almost 200'000 images coming from 8 different medical units were analysed. All image analysis algorithms were implemented in C and Matlab. For various algorithms and methods of medical imaging, the impact of image acquisition on the results obtained is different. There are different levels of algorithm sensitivity to changes in the parameters, for example: (1) for microscope settings and the brightness assessment of cellular elements there is a difference of 8%; (2) for the thyroid ultrasound images there is a difference in marking the thyroid lobe area which results in a brightness assessment difference of 2%. The method of image acquisition in image analysis and processing also affects: (3) the accuracy of determining the temperature in the characteristic areas on the patient's back for the thermal method - error of 31%; (4) the accuracy of finding characteristic points in photogrammetric images when evaluating postural defects - error of 11%; (5) the accuracy of performing ablative and non-ablative treatments in cosmetology - error of 18% for the nose, 10% for the cheeks, and 7% for the

Open surgical simulation--a review.

PubMed

Davies, Jennifer; Khatib, Manaf; Bello, Fernando

2013-01-01

Surgical simulation has benefited from a surge in interest over the last decade as a result of the increasing need for a change in the traditional apprentice model of teaching surgery. However, despite the recent interest in surgical simulation as an adjunct to surgical training, most of the literature focuses on laparoscopic, endovascular, and endoscopic surgical simulation with very few studies scrutinizing open surgical simulation and its benefit to surgical trainees. The aim of this review is to summarize the current standard of available open surgical simulators and to review the literature on the benefits of open surgical simulation. Open surgical simulators currently used include live animals, cadavers, bench models, virtual reality, and software-based computer simulators. In the current literature, there are 18 different studies (including 6 randomized controlled trials and 12 cohort studies) investigating the efficacy of open surgical simulation using live animal, bench, and cadaveric models in many surgical specialties including general, cardiac, trauma, vascular, urologic, and gynecologic surgery. The current open surgical simulation studies show, in general, a significant benefit of open surgical simulation in developing the surgical skills of surgical trainees. However, these studies have their limitations including a low number of participants, variable assessment standards, and a focus on short-term results often with no follow-up assessment. The skills needed for open surgical procedures are the essential basis that a surgical trainee needs to grasp before attempting more technical procedures such as laparoscopic procedures. In this current climate of medical practice with reduced hours of surgical exposure for trainees and where the patient's safety and outcome is key, open surgical simulation is a promising adjunct to modern surgical training, filling the void between surgeons being trained in a technique and a surgeon achieving fluency in that

Image defog algorithm based on open close filter and gradient domain recursive bilateral filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Daqian; Liu, Wanjun; Zhao, Qingguo; Fei, Bowen

2017-11-01

To solve the problems of fuzzy details, color distortion, low brightness of the image obtained by the dark channel prior defog algorithm, an image defog algorithm based on open close filter and gradient domain recursive bilateral filter, referred to as OCRBF, was put forward. The algorithm named OCRBF firstly makes use of weighted quad tree to obtain more accurate the global atmospheric value, then exploits multiple-structure element morphological open and close filter towards the minimum channel map to obtain a rough scattering map by dark channel prior, makes use of variogram to correct the transmittance map,and uses gradient domain recursive bilateral filter for the smooth operation, finally gets recovery images by image degradation model, and makes contrast adjustment to get bright, clear and no fog image. A large number of experimental results show that the proposed defog method in this paper can be good to remove the fog , recover color and definition of the fog image containing close range image, image perspective, the image including the bright areas very well, compared with other image defog algorithms,obtain more clear and natural fog free images with details of higher visibility, what's more, the relationship between the time complexity of SIDA algorithm and the number of image pixels is a linear correlation.

Derivation of hydrous pyrolysis kinetic parameters from open-system pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseng, Yu-Hsin; Huang, Wuu-Liang

2010-05-01

Kinetic information is essential to predict the temperature, timing or depth of hydrocarbon generation within a hydrocarbon system. The most common experiments for deriving kinetic parameters are mainly by open-system pyrolysis. However, it has been shown that the conditions of open-system pyrolysis are deviant from nature by its low near-ambient pressure and high temperatures. Also, the extrapolation of heating rates in open-system pyrolysis to geological conditions may be questionable. Recent study of Lewan and Ruble shows hydrous-pyrolysis conditions can simulate the natural conditions better and its applications are supported by two case studies with natural thermal-burial histories. Nevertheless, performing hydrous pyrolysis experiment is really tedious and requires large amount of sample, while open-system pyrolysis is rather convenient and efficient. Therefore, the present study aims at the derivation of convincing distributed hydrous pyrolysis Ea with only routine open-system Rock-Eval data. Our results unveil that there is a good correlation between open-system Rock-Eval parameter Tmax and the activation energy (Ea) derived from hydrous pyrolysis. The hydrous pyrolysis single Ea can be predicted from Tmax based on the correlation, while the frequency factor (A0) is estimated based on the linear relationship between single Ea and log A0. Because the Ea distribution is more rational than single Ea, we modify the predicted single hydrous pyrolysis Ea into distributed Ea by shifting the pattern of Ea distribution from open-system pyrolysis until the weight mean Ea distribution equals to the single hydrous pyrolysis Ea. Moreover, it has been shown that the shape of the Ea distribution is very much alike the shape of Tmax curve. Thus, in case of the absence of open-system Ea distribution, we may use the shape of Tmax curve to get the distributed hydrous pyrolysis Ea. The study offers a new approach as a simple method for obtaining distributed hydrous pyrolysis

Development of a prototype Open-close positron emission tomography system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Seiichi; Okumura, Satoshi; Watabe, Tadashi; Ikeda, Hayato; Kanai, Yasukazu; Toshito, Toshiyuki; Komori, Masataka; Ogata, Yoshimune; Kato, Katsuhiko; Hatazawa, Jun

2015-08-01

We developed a prototype positron emission tomography (PET) system based on a new concept called Open-close PET, which has two modes: open and close-modes. In the open-mode, the detector ring is separated into two halved rings and subject is imaged with the open space and projection image is formed. In the close-mode, the detector ring is closed to be a regular circular ring, and the subject can be imaged without an open space, and so reconstructed images can be made without artifacts. The block detector of the Open-close PET system consists of two scintillator blocks that use two types of gadolinium orthosilicate (GSO) scintillators with different decay times, angled optical fiber-based image guides, and a flat panel photomultiplier tube. The GSO pixel size was 1.6 × 2.4 × 7 mm and 8 mm for fast (35 ns) and slow (60 ns) GSOs, respectively. These GSOs were arranged into an 11 × 15 matrix and optically coupled in the depth direction to form a depth-of-interaction detector. The angled optical fiber-based image guides were used to arrange the two scintillator blocks at 22.5° so that they can be arranged in a hexadecagonal shape with eight block detectors to simplify the reconstruction algorithm. The detector ring was divided into two halves to realize the open-mode and set on a mechanical stand with which the distance between the two parts can be manually changed. The spatial resolution in the close-mode was 2.4-mm FWHM, and the sensitivity was 1.7% at the center of the field-of-view. In both the close- and open-modes, we made sagittal (y-z plane) projection images between the two halved detector rings. We obtained reconstructed and projection images of 18F-NaF rat studies and proton-irradiated phantom images. These results indicate that our developed Open-close PET is useful for some applications such as proton therapy as well as other applications such as molecular imaging.

Rotation Periods of Open Cluster Stars. IV.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prosser, Charles F.; Grankin, Konstantin N.

We present the results from a photometric monitoring program of primarily solar-type open cluster stars obtained during 1994 and 1995. Several members of the α Persei cluster have been monitored and the corresponding relation between coronal x-ray activity and rotation period derived. The relation among mid-G/K type members illustrates both the previously noticed downturn in L_X/L_bol at high rotation rates and the sharp decrease in coronal activity at long rotation periods as seen among Pleiades stars. Intensive observation of one slowly rotating G-type member of IC 4665 has enabled a period determination of 8-10 days to be made and illustrates the need for (and limitations of) high quality observations.

Mapping urban green open space in Bontang city using QGIS and cloud computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agus, F.; Ramadiani; Silalahi, W.; Armanda, A.; Kusnandar

2018-04-01

Digital mapping techniques are available freely and openly so that map-based application development is easier, faster and cheaper. A rapid development of Cloud Computing Geographic Information System makes this system can help the needs of the community for the provision of geospatial information online. The presence of urban Green Open Space (GOS) provide great benefits as an oxygen supplier, carbon-binding agent and can contribute to providing comfort and beauty of city life. This study aims to propose a platform application of GIS Cloud Computing (CC) of Bontang City GOS mapping. The GIS-CC platform uses the basic map available that’s free and open source. The research used survey method to collect GOS data obtained from Bontang City Government, while application developing works Quantum GIS-CC. The result section describes the existence of GOS Bontang City and the design of GOS mapping application.

Saturn gravity results obtained from Pioneer 11 tracking data and earth-based Saturn satellite data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Null, G. W.; Lau, E. L.; Biller, E. D.; Anderson, J. D.

1981-01-01

Improved gravity coefficients for Saturn, its satellites and rings are calculated on the basis of a combination of Pioneer 11 spacecraft Doppler tracking data and earth-based determinations of Saturn natural satellite apse and node rates. Solutions are first obtained separately from the coherent Doppler tracking data obtained for the interval from August 20 to September 4, surrounding the time of closest approach, with the effects of solar plasma on radio signal propagation taken into account, and from secular rates for Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea and Titan determined from astrometric data by Kozai (1957, 1976) and Garcia (1972). Combination of the data by the use of the Pioneer solution and corresponding unadjusted covariance matrix as a priori information for a secular rate analysis results in values for the total ring mass of essentially zero at a standard error level of 1.7 x 10 to the -6th Saturn masses, a ratio of solar mass to that of the Saturn system of 3498.09 + or - 0.22, masses of Rhea, Titan and Iapetus of 4.0 + or - 0.9, 238.8 + or - 3, and 3.4 + or - 1.3 x 10 to the -6th Saturn masses, respectively, and second and fourth zonal harmonics of 16,479 + or - 18 and -937 + or - 38, respectively. The harmonic coefficients are noted to be important as boundary conditions in the modeling of the Saturn interior.

Characterization of cavity flow fields using pressure data obtained in the Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tracy, M. B.; Plentovich, E. B.

1993-01-01

Static and fluctuating pressure distributions were obtained along the floor of a rectangular-box cavity in an experiment performed in the LaRC 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. The cavity studied was 11.25 in. long and 2.50 in. wide with a variable height to obtain length-to-height ratios of 4.4, 6.7, 12.67, and 20.0. The data presented herein were obtained for yaw angles of 0 deg and 15 deg over a Mach number range from 0.2 to 0.9 at a Reynolds number of 30 x 10(exp 6) per ft with a boundary-layer thickness of approximately 0.5 in. The results indicated that open and transitional-open cavity flow supports tone generation at subsonic and transonic speeds at Mach numbers of 0.6 and above. Further, pressure fluctuations associated with acoustic tone generation can be sustained when static pressure distributions indicate that transitional-closed and closed flow fields exist in the cavity. Cavities that support tone generation at 0 deg yaw also supported tone generation at 15 deg yaw when the flow became transitional-closed. For the latter cases, a reduction in tone amplitude was observed. Both static and fluctuating pressure data must be considered when defining cavity flow fields, and the flow models need to be refined to accommodate steady and unsteady flows.

Assessments: an open and closed case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazim Khan, R.

2015-10-01

Open book assessment is not a new idea, but it does not seem to have gained ground in higher education. In particular, not much literature is available on open book examinations in mathematics and statistics in higher education. The objective of this paper is to investigate the appropriateness of open book assessments in a first-year business statistics course. Data over two semesters of open book assessments provided some interesting results when compared with the closed book assessment regime in the following semester. The relevance of the results is discussed and compared with findings from the literature. The implications of insights gained for further practice in the assessment of mathematics and statistics is also discussed.

OpenBiodiv-O: ontology of the OpenBiodiv knowledge management system.

PubMed

Senderov, Viktor; Simov, Kiril; Franz, Nico; Stoev, Pavel; Catapano, Terry; Agosti, Donat; Sautter, Guido; Morris, Robert A; Penev, Lyubomir

2018-01-18

The biodiversity domain, and in particular biological taxonomy, is moving in the direction of semantization of its research outputs. The present work introduces OpenBiodiv-O, the ontology that serves as the basis of the OpenBiodiv Knowledge Management System. Our intent is to provide an ontology that fills the gaps between ontologies for biodiversity resources, such as DarwinCore-based ontologies, and semantic publishing ontologies, such as the SPAR Ontologies. We bridge this gap by providing an ontology focusing on biological taxonomy. OpenBiodiv-O introduces classes, properties, and axioms in the domains of scholarly biodiversity publishing and biological taxonomy and aligns them with several important domain ontologies (FaBiO, DoCO, DwC, Darwin-SW, NOMEN, ENVO). By doing so, it bridges the ontological gap across scholarly biodiversity publishing and biological taxonomy and allows for the creation of a Linked Open Dataset (LOD) of biodiversity information (a biodiversity knowledge graph) and enables the creation of the OpenBiodiv Knowledge Management System. A key feature of the ontology is that it is an ontology of the scientific process of biological taxonomy and not of any particular state of knowledge. This feature allows it to express a multiplicity of scientific opinions. The resulting OpenBiodiv knowledge system may gain a high level of trust in the scientific community as it does not force a scientific opinion on its users (e.g. practicing taxonomists, library researchers, etc.), but rather provides the tools for experts to encode different views as science progresses. OpenBiodiv-O provides a conceptual model of the structure of a biodiversity publication and the development of related taxonomic concepts. It also serves as the basis for the OpenBiodiv Knowledge Management System.

Open Ephys electroencephalography (Open Ephys  +  EEG): a modular, low-cost, open-source solution to human neural recording

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, Christopher; Voigts, Jakob; Agrawal, Uday; Ladow, Max; Santoyo, Juan; Moore, Christopher; Jones, Stephanie

2017-06-01

Objective. Electroencephalography (EEG) offers a unique opportunity to study human neural activity non-invasively with millisecond resolution using minimal equipment in or outside of a lab setting. EEG can be combined with a number of techniques for closed-loop experiments, where external devices are driven by specific neural signals. However, reliable, commercially available EEG systems are expensive, often making them impractical for individual use and research development. Moreover, by design, a majority of these systems cannot be easily altered to the specification needed by the end user. We focused on mitigating these issues by implementing open-source tools to develop a new EEG platform to drive down research costs and promote collaboration and innovation. Approach. Here, we present methods to expand the open-source electrophysiology system, Open Ephys (www.openephys.org), to include human EEG recordings. We describe the equipment and protocol necessary to interface various EEG caps with the Open Ephys acquisition board, and detail methods for processing data. We present applications of Open Ephys  +  EEG as a research tool and discuss how this innovative EEG technology lays a framework for improved closed-loop paradigms and novel brain-computer interface experiments. Main results. The Open Ephys  +  EEG system can record reliable human EEG data, as well as human EMG data. A side-by-side comparison of eyes closed 8-14 Hz activity between the Open Ephys  +  EEG system and the Brainvision ActiCHamp EEG system showed similar average power and signal to noise. Significance. Open Ephys  +  EEG enables users to acquire high-quality human EEG data comparable to that of commercially available systems, while maintaining the price point and extensibility inherent to open-source systems.

Developing open-source codes for electromagnetic geophysics using industry support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Key, K.

2017-12-01

Funding for open-source software development in academia often takes the form of grants and fellowships awarded by government bodies and foundations where there is no conflict-of-interest between the funding entity and the free dissemination of the open-source software products. Conversely, funding for open-source projects in the geophysics industry presents challenges to conventional business models where proprietary licensing offers value that is not present in open-source software. Such proprietary constraints make it easier to convince companies to fund academic software development under exclusive software distribution agreements. A major challenge for obtaining commercial funding for open-source projects is to offer a value proposition that overcomes the criticism that such funding is a give-away to the competition. This work draws upon a decade of experience developing open-source electromagnetic geophysics software for the oil, gas and minerals exploration industry, and examines various approaches that have been effective for sustaining industry sponsorship.

EPAct 2005: A Roadmap for Open Access

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

Morrison, Jay A.

After nine years of negotiation characterized by significant philosophical swings, Congress came together in the middle to support a moderate vision of open access intended primarily to enable load-serving entities to obtain the transmission service they need to meet the long-term needs of their consumers reliably and economically.

Measurement results obtained from air quality monitoring system

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

Turzanski, P.K.; Beres, R.

1995-12-31

An automatic system of air pollution monitoring operates in Cracow since 1991. The organization, assembling and start-up of the network is a result of joint efforts of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Cracow environmental protection service. At present the automatic monitoring network is operated by the Provincial Inspection of Environmental Protection. There are in total seven stationary stations situated in Cracow to measure air pollution. These stations are supported continuously by one semi-mobile (transportable) station. It allows to modify periodically the area under investigation and therefore the 3-dimensional picture of creation and distribution of air pollutants within Cracowmore » area could be more intelligible.« less

Estimating metallicities with isochrone fits to photometric data of open clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteiro, H.; Oliveira, A. F.; Dias, W. S.; Caetano, T. C.

2014-10-01

The metallicity is a critical parameter that affects the correct determination of stellar cluster's fundamental characteristics and has important implications in Galactic and Stellar evolution research. Fewer than 10% of the 2174 currently catalogued open clusters have their metallicity determined in the literature. In this work we present a method for estimating the metallicity of open clusters via non-subjective isochrone fitting using the cross-entropy global optimization algorithm applied to UBV photometric data. The free parameters distance, reddening, age, and metallicity are simultaneously determined by the fitting method. The fitting procedure uses weights for the observational data based on the estimation of membership likelihood for each star, which considers the observational magnitude limit, the density profile of stars as a function of radius from the center of the cluster, and the density of stars in multi-dimensional magnitude space. We present results of [Fe/H] for well-studied open clusters based on distinct UBV data sets. The [Fe/H] values obtained in the ten cases for which spectroscopic determinations were available in the literature agree, indicating that our method provides a good alternative to estimating [Fe/H] by using an objective isochrone fitting. Our results show that the typical precision is about 0.1 dex.

Combined open and laparoscopic approach to chronic pain following open inguinal hernia repair.

PubMed

Rosen, M J; Novitsky, Y W; Cobb, W S; Kercher, K W; Heniford, B Todd

2006-03-01

Chronic groin pain is the most common long-term complication after open inguinal hernia repair. Traditional surgical management of the associated neuralgia consists of injection therapy followed by groin exploration, mesh removal, and nerve transection. The resultant hernia defect may be difficult to repair from an anterior approach. We evaluate the outcomes of a combined laparoscopic and open approach for the treatment of chronic groin pain following open inguinal herniorrhaphy. All patients who underwent groin exploration for chronic neuralgia after a prior open inguinal hernia repair were prospectively analyzed. Patient demographics, type of prior hernia repair, and prior nonoperative therapies were recorded. The operation consisted of a standard three trocar laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair, followed by groin exploration, mesh removal, and nerve transection. Outcome measures included recurrent groin pain, numbness, hernia recurrence, and complications. Twelve patients (11 male and 1 female) with a mean age of 41 years (range 29-51) underwent combined laparoscopic and open treatment for chronic groin pain. Ten patients complained of unilateral neuralgia, one patient had bilateral complaints, and one patient complained of orchalgia. All patients failed at least two attempted percutaneous nerve blocks. Prior repairs included Lichtenstein (n=9), McVay (n=1), plug and patch (n=1), and Shouldice (n=1). There were no intraoperative complications or wound infections. With a minimum of 6 weeks follow up, all patients were significantly improved. One patient complained of intermittent minor discomfort that required no further therapy. Two patients had persistent numbness in the ilioinguinal nerve distribution but remained satisfied with the procedure. A combined laparoscopic and open approach for postherniorrhaphy groin pain results in good to excellent patient satisfaction with no perioperative morbidity. It may be the preferred technique for the

Open Path and Solar Sourced Atmospheric Spectra are Analyzed Yielding Concentration Profiles and Temporal Variation Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hager, John; Steill, Jeff; Compton, Robert

2004-11-01

A high-resolution FTIR Bomem DA8 spectrometer has been installed at the University of Tennessee and has been successfully coupled with a suntracker and open path optics. Solar absorption spectra were recorded on 75 days in the last 18 months over a large spectral range. The high-resolution spectra provide information on the vertical concentration profiles of trace gases in the atmosphere. The HITRAN data base was used along with SFIT2 in order to retrieve concentration profiles of different trace gases. Many atmospheric constituents are open to this analysis. Tropospheric Ozone in the Knoxville area is rated as the worst in the nation by the American Lung Association. Sunlight, pollutants and hot weather cause ground-level ozone to form in harmful concentrations in the air. Seasonal and daily trends of ozone show correlation with other sources such as the EPA, and recent efforts to correlate solar spectra with open-path spectra will be discussed.

Sharing Lessons-Learned on Effective Open Data, Open-Source Practices from OpenAQ, a Global Open Air Quality Community.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasenkopf, C. A.

2017-12-01

Increasingly, open data, open-source projects are unearthing rich datasets and tools, previously impossible for more traditional avenues to generate. These projects are possible, in part, because of the emergence of online collaborative and code-sharing tools, decreasing costs of cloud-based services to fetch, store, and serve data, and increasing interest of individuals to contribute their time and skills to 'open projects.' While such projects have generated palpable enthusiasm from many sectors, many of these projects face uncharted paths for sustainability, visibility, and acceptance. Our project, OpenAQ, is an example of an open-source, open data community that is currently forging its own uncharted path. OpenAQ is an open air quality data platform that aggregates and universally formats government and research-grade air quality data from 50 countries across the world. To date, we make available more than 76 million air quality (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, O3, CO and black carbon) data points through an open Application Programming Interface (API) and a user-customizable download interface at https://openaq.org. The goal of the platform is to enable an ecosystem of users to advance air pollution efforts from science to policy to the private sector. The platform is also an open-source project (https://github.com/openaq) and has only been made possible through the coding and data contributions of individuals around the world. In our first two years of existence, we have seen requests for data to our API skyrocket to more than 6 million datapoints per month, and use-cases as varied as ingesting data aggregated from our system into real-time models of wildfires to building open-source statistical packages (e.g. ropenaq and py-openaq) on top of the platform to creating public-friendly apps and chatbots. We will share a whirl-wind trip through our evolution and the many lessons learned so far related to platform structure, community engagement, organizational model type

Cortical encoding of pitch: Recent results and open questions

PubMed Central

Walker, Kerry M.M.; Bizley, Jennifer K.; King, Andrew J.; Schnupp, Jan W.H.

2011-01-01

It is widely appreciated that the key predictor of the pitch of a sound is its periodicity. Neural structures which support pitch perception must therefore be able to reflect the repetition rate of a sound, but this alone is not sufficient. Since pitch is a psychoacoustic property, a putative cortical code for pitch must also be able to account for the relationship between the amount to which a sound is periodic (i.e. its temporal regularity) and the perceived pitch salience, as well as limits in our ability to detect pitch changes or to discriminate rising from falling pitch. Pitch codes must also be robust in the presence of nuisance variables such as loudness or timbre. Here, we review a large body of work on the cortical basis of pitch perception, which illustrates that the distribution of cortical processes that give rise to pitch perception is likely to depend on both the acoustical features and functional relevance of a sound. While previous studies have greatly advanced our understanding, we highlight several open questions regarding the neural basis of pitch perception. These questions can begin to be addressed through a cooperation of investigative efforts across species and experimental techniques, and, critically, by examining the responses of single neurons in behaving animals. PMID:20457240

Portable open-path chemical sensor using a quantum cascade laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corrigan, Paul; Lwin, Maung; Huntley, Reuven; Chhabra, Amandeep; Moshary, Fred; Gross, Barry; Ahmed, Samir

2009-05-01

Remote sensing of enemy installations or their movements by trace gas detection is a critical but challenging military objective. Open path measurements over ranges of a few meters to many kilometers with sensitivity in the parts per million or billion regime are crucial in anticipating the presence of a threat. Previous approaches to detect ground level chemical plumes, explosive constituents, or combustion have relied on low-resolution, short range Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), or low-sensitivity near-infrared differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS). As mid-infrared quantum cascade laser (QCL) sources have improved in cost and performance, systems based on QCL's that can be tailored to monitor multiple chemical species in real time are becoming a viable alternative. We present the design of a portable, high-resolution, multi-kilometer open path trace gas sensor based on QCL technology. Using a tunable (1045-1047cm-1) QCL, a modeled atmosphere and link-budget analysis with commercial component specifications, we show that with this approach, accuracy in parts per billion ozone or ammonia can be obtained in seconds at path lengths up to 10 km. We have assembled an open-path QCL sensor based on this theoretical approach at City College of New York, and we present preliminary results demonstrating the potential of QCLs in open-path sensing applications.

Open Ephys: an open-source, plugin-based platform for multichannel electrophysiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegle, Joshua H.; Cuevas López, Aarón; Patel, Yogi A.; Abramov, Kirill; Ohayon, Shay; Voigts, Jakob

2017-08-01

Objective. Closed-loop experiments, in which causal interventions are conditioned on the state of the system under investigation, have become increasingly common in neuroscience. Such experiments can have a high degree of explanatory power, but they require a precise implementation that can be difficult to replicate across laboratories. We sought to overcome this limitation by building open-source software that makes it easier to develop and share algorithms for closed-loop control. Approach. We created the Open Ephys GUI, an open-source platform for multichannel electrophysiology experiments. In addition to the standard ‘open-loop’ visualization and recording functionality, the GUI also includes modules for delivering feedback in response to events detected in the incoming data stream. Importantly, these modules can be built and shared as plugins, which makes it possible for users to extend the functionality of the GUI through a simple API, without having to understand the inner workings of the entire application. Main results. In combination with low-cost, open-source hardware for amplifying and digitizing neural signals, the GUI has been used for closed-loop experiments that perturb the hippocampal theta rhythm in a phase-specific manner. Significance. The Open Ephys GUI is the first widely used application for multichannel electrophysiology that leverages a plugin-based workflow. We hope that it will lower the barrier to entry for electrophysiologists who wish to incorporate real-time feedback into their research.

CHARMM-GUI Input Generator for NAMD, GROMACS, AMBER, OpenMM, and CHARMM/OpenMM Simulations Using the CHARMM36 Additive Force Field

DOE PAGES

Lee, Jumin; Cheng, Xi; Swails, Jason M.; ...

2015-11-12

Here we report that proper treatment of nonbonded interactions is essential for the accuracy of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, especially in studies of lipid bilayers. The use of the CHARMM36 force field (C36 FF) in different MD simulation programs can result in disagreements with published simulations performed with CHARMM due to differences in the protocols used to treat the long-range and 1-4 nonbonded interactions. In this study, we systematically test the use of the C36 lipid FF in NAMD, GROMACS, AMBER, OpenMM, and CHARMM/OpenMM. A wide range of Lennard-Jones (LJ) cutoff schemes and integrator algorithms were tested to find themore » optimal simulation protocol to best match bilayer properties of six lipids with varying acyl chain saturation and head groups. MD simulations of a 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer were used to obtain the optimal protocol for each program. MD simulations with all programs were found to reasonably match the DPPC bilayer properties (surface area per lipid, chain order parameters, and area compressibility modulus) obtained using the standard protocol used in CHARMM as well as from experiments. The optimal simulation protocol was then applied to the other five lipid simulations and resulted in excellent agreement between results from most simulation programs as well as with experimental data. AMBER compared least favorably with the expected membrane properties, which appears to be due to its use of the hard-truncation in the LJ potential versus a force-based switching function used to smooth the LJ potential as it approaches the cutoff distance. The optimal simulation protocol for each program has been implemented in CHARMM-GUI. This protocol is expected to be applicable to the remainder of the additive C36 FF including the proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and small molecules.« less

CHARMM-GUI Input Generator for NAMD, GROMACS, AMBER, OpenMM, and CHARMM/OpenMM Simulations Using the CHARMM36 Additive Force Field.

PubMed

Lee, Jumin; Cheng, Xi; Swails, Jason M; Yeom, Min Sun; Eastman, Peter K; Lemkul, Justin A; Wei, Shuai; Buckner, Joshua; Jeong, Jong Cheol; Qi, Yifei; Jo, Sunhwan; Pande, Vijay S; Case, David A; Brooks, Charles L; MacKerell, Alexander D; Klauda, Jeffery B; Im, Wonpil

2016-01-12

Proper treatment of nonbonded interactions is essential for the accuracy of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, especially in studies of lipid bilayers. The use of the CHARMM36 force field (C36 FF) in different MD simulation programs can result in disagreements with published simulations performed with CHARMM due to differences in the protocols used to treat the long-range and 1-4 nonbonded interactions. In this study, we systematically test the use of the C36 lipid FF in NAMD, GROMACS, AMBER, OpenMM, and CHARMM/OpenMM. A wide range of Lennard-Jones (LJ) cutoff schemes and integrator algorithms were tested to find the optimal simulation protocol to best match bilayer properties of six lipids with varying acyl chain saturation and head groups. MD simulations of a 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer were used to obtain the optimal protocol for each program. MD simulations with all programs were found to reasonably match the DPPC bilayer properties (surface area per lipid, chain order parameters, and area compressibility modulus) obtained using the standard protocol used in CHARMM as well as from experiments. The optimal simulation protocol was then applied to the other five lipid simulations and resulted in excellent agreement between results from most simulation programs as well as with experimental data. AMBER compared least favorably with the expected membrane properties, which appears to be due to its use of the hard-truncation in the LJ potential versus a force-based switching function used to smooth the LJ potential as it approaches the cutoff distance. The optimal simulation protocol for each program has been implemented in CHARMM-GUI. This protocol is expected to be applicable to the remainder of the additive C36 FF including the proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and small molecules.

Are voluntary wheel running and open-field behavior correlated in mice? Different answers from comparative and artificial selection approaches.

PubMed

Careau, Vincent; Bininda-Emonds, Olaf R P; Ordonez, Genesis; Garland, Theodore

2012-09-01

Voluntary wheel running and open-field behavior are probably the two most widely used measures of locomotion in laboratory rodents. We tested whether these two behaviors are correlated in mice using two approaches: the phylogenetic comparative method using inbred strains of mice and an ongoing artificial selection experiment on voluntary wheel running. After taking into account the measurement error and phylogenetic relationships among inbred strains, we obtained a significant positive correlation between distance run on wheels and distance moved in the open-field for both sexes. Thigmotaxis was negatively correlated with distance run on wheels in females but not in males. By contrast, mice from four replicate lines bred for high wheel running did not differ in either distance covered or thigmotaxis in the open field as compared with mice from four non-selected control lines. Overall, results obtained in the selection experiment were generally opposite to those observed among inbred strains. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.

Greater Success of Primary Fascial Closure of the Open Abdomen: A Retrospective Study Analyzing Applied Surgical Techniques, Success of Fascial Closure, and Variables Affecting the Results.

PubMed

Kääriäinen, M; Kuuskeri, M; Helminen, M; Kuokkanen, H

2017-06-01

The open abdomen technique is a standard procedure in the treatment of intra-abdominal catastrophe. Achieving primary abdominal closure within the initial hospitalization is a main objective. This study aimed to analyze the success of closure rate and the effect of negative pressure wound therapy, mesh-mediated medial traction, and component separation on the results. We present the treatment algorithm used in our institution in open abdomen situations based on these findings. Open abdomen patients (n = 61) treated in Tampere University Hospital from May 2005 until October 2013 were included in the study. Patient characteristics, treatment prior to closure, closure technique, and results were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The first group included patients in whom direct or bridged fascial closure was achieved, and the second group included those in whom only the skin was closed or a free skin graft was used. Background variables and variables related to surgery were compared between groups. Most of the open abdomen patients (72.1%) underwent fascial defect repair during the primary hospitalization, and 70.5% of them underwent direct fascial closure. Negative pressure wound therapy was used as a temporary closure method for 86.9% of the patients. Negative pressure wound therapy combined with mesh-mediated medial traction resulted in the shortest open abdomen time (p = 0.039) and the highest fascial repair rate (p = 0.000) compared to negative pressure wound therapy only or no negative pressure wound therapy. The component separation technique was used for 11 patients; direct fascial closure was achieved in 5 and fascial repair by bridging the defect with mesh was achieved in 6. A total of 8 of 37 (21.6%) patients with mesh repair had a mesh infection. The negative pressure wound therapy combined with mesh-mediated medial traction promotes definitive fascial closure with a high closure rate and a shortened open abdomen time. The component

Extrusion Process by Finite Volume Method Using OpenFoam Software

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

Matos Martins, Marcelo; Tonini Button, Sergio; Divo Bressan, Jose

The computational codes are very important tools to solve engineering problems. In the analysis of metal forming process, such as extrusion, this is not different because the computational codes allow analyzing the process with reduced cost. Traditionally, the Finite Element Method is used to solve solid mechanic problems, however, the Finite Volume Method (FVM) have been gaining force in this field of applications. This paper presents the velocity field and friction coefficient variation results, obtained by numerical simulation using the OpenFoam Software and the FVM to solve an aluminum direct cold extrusion process.

Opening up openness: a theoretical sort following critical incidents methodology and a meta-analytic investigation of the trait family measures.

PubMed

Connelly, Brian S; Ones, Deniz S; Davies, Stacy E; Birkland, Adib

2014-01-01

Existing taxonomies of Openness's facet structure have produced widely divergent results, and there is limited comprehensive empirical evidence about how Openness-related scales on existing personality inventories align within the 5-factor framework. In Study 1, we used a critical incidents sorting methodology to identify 11 categories of Openness measures; in Study 2, we meta-analyzed the relationships of these categories with global markers of the Big Five traits (utilizing data from 106 samples with a total sample size of N = 35,886). Our results identified 4 true facets of Openness: aestheticism, openness to sensations, nontraditionalism, and introspection. Measures of these facets were unadulterated by variance from other Big Five traits. Many traits frequently conceptualized as facets of Openness (e.g., innovation/creativity, variety-seeking, and tolerance) emerged as trait compounds that, although related to Openness, are also dependent on other Big Five traits. We discuss how Openness should be conceptualized, measured, and studied in light of the empirically based, refined taxonomy emerging from this research.

Simulation of an active solar energy system integrated in a passive building in order to obtain system efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceacaru, Mihai C.

2012-11-01

In this work we present a simulation of an active solar energy system. This system belongs to the first passive office building (2086 square meters) in Romania and it is used for water heating consumption. This office building was opened in February 2009 and was built based on passive house design solutions. For this simulation, we use Solar Water Heating module, which belongs to the software RETSCREEN and this simulation is done for several cities in Romania. Results obtained will be compared graphically.

Abdominal wall integrity after open abdomen: long-term results of vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction (VAWCM).

PubMed

Willms, A; Schaaf, S; Schwab, R; Richardsen, I; Bieler, D; Wagner, B; Güsgen, C

2016-12-01

The open abdomen has become a standard technique in the management of critically ill patients undergoing surgery for severe intra-abdominal conditions. Negative pressure and mesh-mediated fascial traction are commonly used and achieve low fistula rates and high fascial closure rates. In this study, long-term results of a standardised treatment approach are presented. Fifty-five patients who underwent OA management for different indications at our institution from 2006 to 2013 were enrolled. All patients were treated under a standardised algorithm that uses a combination of vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction. Structured follow-up assessments were offered to patients and included a medical history, a clinical examination and abdominal ultrasonography. The data obtained were statistically analysed. The fascial closure rate was 74 % in an intention-to-treat analysis and 89 % in a per-protocol analysis. The fistula rate was 1.8 %. Thirty-four patients attended follow-up. The median follow-up was 46 months (range 12-88 months). Incisional hernias developed in 35 %. Patients with hernias needed more operative procedures (10.3 vs 3.4, p = 0.03) than patients without hernia formation. A Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) of 31.1 was calculated. Patients with symptomatic hernias (NAS of 2-10) had a significantly lower mean POSAS score (p = 0.04). Vacuum-assisted wound closure and mesh-mediated fascial traction (VAWCM) seem to result in low complication rates and high fascial closure rates. Abdominal wall reconstruction, which is a challenging and complex procedure and causes considerable patient discomfort, can thus be avoided in the majority of cases. Available results are based on studies involving only a small number of cases. Multi-centre studies and registry-based data are therefore needed to validate these findings.

Integrated spectral study of small angular diameter galactic open clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clariá, J. J.; Ahumada, A. V.; Bica, E.; Pavani, D. B.; Parisi, M. C.

2017-10-01

This paper presents flux-calibrated integrated spectra obtained at Complejo Astronómico El Leoncito (CASLEO, Argentina) for a sample of 9 Galactic open clusters of small angular diameter. The spectra cover the optical range (3800-6800 Å), with a resolution of ˜14 Å. With one exception (Ruprecht 158), the selected clusters are projected into the fourth Galactic quadrant (282o < l < 345o) near the Galactic plane (∣b∣ ≤ 9o). We performed simultaneous estimates of foreground interstellar reddening and age by comparing the continuum distribution and line strenghts of the cluster spectra with those of template cluster spectra with known parameters. We thus provide spectroscopic information independent from that derived through color-magnitude diagram studies. We found three clusters (Collinder 249, NGC 4463 and Ruprecht 122) younger than ˜40 Myr, four moderately young ones (BH 92, Harvard 5, Hogg 14 and Pismis 23) with ages within 200-400 Myr, and two intermediate-age ones (Ruprecht 158 and ESO 065-SC07) with ages within 1.0-2.2 Gyr. The derived foreground E(B - V) color excesses vary from around 0.0 in Ruprecht 158 to ˜1.1 in Pismis 23. In general terms, the results obtained show good agreement with previous photometric results. In Ruprecht 158 and BH 92, however, some differences are found between the parameters here obtained and previous values in the literature. Individual spectra of some comparatively bright stars located in the fields of 5 out of the 9 clusters here studied, allowed us to evaluate their membership status. The current cluster sample complements that of 46 open clusters previously studied by our group in an effort to gather a spectral library with several clusters per age bin. The cluster spectral library that we have been building is an important tool to tie studies of resolved and unresolved stellar content.

Experimental Results Obtained with Air Liquide Cold Compression System: CERN LHC and SNS Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delcayre, F.; Courty, J.-C.; Hamber, F.; Hilbert, B.; Monneret, E.; Toia, J.-L.

2006-04-01

Large scale collider facilities will make intensive use of superconducting magnets, operating below 2.0 K. This dictates high-capacity refrigeration systems operating below 2.0 K. These systems, making use of cryogenic centrifugal compressors in a series arrangement with room temperature screw compressors will be coupled to a refrigerator, providing a certain power at 4.5 K. A first Air Liquide Cold Compression System (CCS) unit was built and delivered to CERN in 2001. Installed at the beginning of 2002, it was commissioned and tested successfully during year 2002. A series of four sets of identical CCS were then tested in 2004. Another set of four cryogenic centrifugal compressors (CCC) has been delivered to Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLAB) for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) in 2002. These compressors were tested and commissioned from December 2004 to July 2005. The experimental results obtained with these systems will be presented and discussed: the characteristics of the CCC will be detailed. The principles of control for the CCC in series will be detailed.

Public demand for preserving local open space.

Treesearch

Jeffrey D. Kline

2006-01-01

Increased development results in the loss of forest, farm, range, and other open space lands that contribute to the quality of life of U.S. residents. I describe an economic rationale for growing public support for preserving local open space, based the growing scarcity of open space lands. I test the rationale empirically by correlating the prevalence of open space...

Open loop model for WDM links

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D, Meena; Francis, Fredy; T, Sarath K.; E, Dipin; Srinivas, T.; K, Jayasree V.

2014-10-01

Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) techniques overfibrelinks helps to exploit the high bandwidth capacity of single mode fibres. A typical WDM link consisting of laser source, multiplexer/demultiplexer, amplifier and detectoris considered for obtaining the open loop gain model of the link. The methodology used here is to obtain individual component models using mathematical and different curve fitting techniques. These individual models are then combined to obtain the WDM link model. The objective is to deduce a single variable model for the WDM link in terms of input current to system. Thus it provides a black box solution for a link. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) associated with each of the approximated models is given for comparison. This will help the designer to select the suitable WDM link model during a complex link design.

Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach-Results From a Massive Open Online Course.

PubMed

Fricton, James; Anderson, Kathleen; Clavel, Alfred; Fricton, Regina; Hathaway, Kate; Kang, Wenjun; Jaeger, Bernadette; Maixner, William; Pesut, Daniel; Russell, Jon; Weisberg, Mark B; Whitebird, Robin

2015-09-01

Chronic pain conditions are the top reason patients seek care, the most common reason for disability and addiction, and the biggest driver of healthcare costs; their treatment costs more than cancer, heart disease, dementia, and diabetes care. The personal impact in terms of suffering, disability, depression, suicide, and other problems is incalculable. There has been much effort to prevent many medical and dental conditions, but little effort has been directed toward preventing chronic pain. To address this deficit, a massive open online course (MOOC) was developed for students and healthcare professionals. "Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach" was offered by the University of Minnesota through the online platform Coursera. The first offering of this free open course was in the spring of 2014 and had 23 650 participants; 53% were patients or consumers interested in pain. This article describes the course concepts in preventing chronic pain, the analytic data from course participants, and postcourse evaluation forms.

Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach—Results From a Massive Open Online Course

PubMed Central

Anderson, Kathleen; Clavel, Alfred; Fricton, Regina; Hathaway, Kate; Kang, Wenjun; Jaeger, Bernadette; Maixner, William; Pesut, Daniel; Russell, Jon; Weisberg, Mark B.; Whitebird, Robin

2015-01-01

Chronic pain conditions are the top reason patients seek care, the most common reason for disability and addiction, and the biggest driver of healthcare costs; their treatment costs more than cancer, heart disease, dementia, and diabetes care. The personal impact in terms of suffering, disability, depression, suicide, and other problems is incalculable. There has been much effort to prevent many medical and dental conditions, but little effort has been directed toward preventing chronic pain. To address this deficit, a massive open online course (MOOC) was developed for students and healthcare professionals. “Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach” was offered by the University of Minnesota through the online platform Coursera. The first offering of this free open course was in the spring of 2014 and had 23 650 participants; 53% were patients or consumers interested in pain. This article describes the course concepts in preventing chronic pain, the analytic data from course participants, and postcourse evaluation forms. PMID:26421231

Open-cell glass crystalline porous material

DOEpatents

Anshits, Alexander G.; Sharonova, Olga M.; Vereshchagina, Tatiana A.; Zykova, Irina D.; Revenko, Yurii A.; Tretyakov, Alexander A.; Aloy, Albert S.; Lubtsev, Rem I.; Knecht, Dieter A.; Tranter, Troy J.; Macheret, Yevgeny

2002-01-01

An open-cell glass crystalline porous material made from hollow microspheres which are cenospheres obtained from fly ash, having an open-cell porosity of up to 90 vol. % is produced. The cenospheres are separated into fractions based on one or more of grain size, density, magnetic or non-magnetic, and perforated or non-perforated. Selected fractions are molded and agglomerated by sintering with a binder at a temperature below the softening temperature, or without a binder at a temperature about, or above, the softening temperature but below the temperature of liquidity. The porous material produced has an apparent density of 0.3-0.6 g/cm.sup.3, a compressive strength in the range of 1.2-3.5 MPa, and two types of openings: through-flow wall pores in the cenospheres of 0.1-30 micrometers, and interglobular voids between the cenospheres of 20-100 micrometers. The porous material of the invention has properties useful as porous matrices for immobilization of liquid radioactive waste, heat-resistant traps and filters, supports for catalysts, adsorbents and ion-exchangers.

Open-cell glass crystalline porous material

DOEpatents

Anshits, Alexander G.; Sharonova, Olga M.; Vereshchagina, Tatiana A.; Zykova, Irina D.; Revenko, Yurii A.; Tretyakov, Alexander A.; Aloy, Albert S.; Lubtsev, Rem I.; Knecht, Dieter A.; Tranter, Troy J.; Macheret, Yevgeny

2003-12-23

An open-cell glass crystalline porous material made from hollow microspheres which are cenospheres obtained from fly ash, having an open-cell porosity of up to 90 vol. % is produced. The cenospheres are separated into fractions based on one or more of grain size, density, magnetic or non-magnetic, and perforated or non-perforated. Selected fractions are molded and agglomerated by sintering with a binder at a temperature below the softening temperature, or without a binder at a temperature about, or above, the softening temperature but below the temperature of liquidity. The porous material produced has an apparent density of 0.3-0.6 g/cm.sup.3, a compressive strength in the range of 1.2-3.5 MPa, and two types of openings: through-flow wall pores in the cenospheres of 0.1-30 micrometers, and interglobular voids between the cenospheres of 20-100 micrometers. The porous material of the invention has properties useful as porous matrices for immobilization of liquid radioactive waste, heat-resistant traps and filters, supports for catalysts, adsorbents and ion-exchangers.

Computational alternatives to obtain time optimal jet engine control. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basso, R. J.; Leake, R. J.

1976-01-01

Two computational methods to determine an open loop time optimal control sequence for a simple single spool turbojet engine are described by a set of nonlinear differential equations. Both methods are modifications of widely accepted algorithms which can solve fixed time unconstrained optimal control problems with a free right end. Constrained problems to be considered have fixed right ends and free time. Dynamic programming is defined on a standard problem and it yields a successive approximation solution to the time optimal problem of interest. A feedback control law is obtained and it is then used to determine the corresponding open loop control sequence. The Fletcher-Reeves conjugate gradient method has been selected for adaptation to solve a nonlinear optimal control problem with state variable and control constraints.

Apparatus and method for producing fragment-free openings

DOEpatents

Cherry, Christopher R.

2001-01-01

An apparatus and method for explosively penetrating hardened containers such as steel drums without producing metal fragmentation is disclosed. The apparatus can be used singularly or in combination with water disrupters and other disablement tools. The apparatus is mounted in close proximity to the target and features a main sheet explosive that is initiated at least three equidistant points along the sheet's periphery. A buffer material is placed between the sheet explosive and the target. As a result, the metallic fragments generated from the detonation of the detonator are attenuated so that no fragments from the detonator are transferred to the target. As a result, an opening can be created in containers such as steel drums through which access to the IED is obtained to defuse it with projectiles or fluids.

Sound attenuation in the ear of domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) as a result of beak opening

PubMed Central

Claes, Raf; Dirckx, Joris J. J.

2017-01-01

Because the quadrate and the eardrum are connected, the hypothesis was tested that birds attenuate the transmission of sound through their ears by opening the bill, which potentially serves as an additional protective mechanism for self-generated vocalizations. In domestic chickens, it was examined if a difference exists between hens and roosters, given the difference in vocalization capacity between the sexes. To test the hypothesis, vibrations of the columellar footplate were measured ex vivo with laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) for closed and maximally opened beak conditions, with sounds introduced at the ear canal. The average attenuation was 3.5 dB in roosters and only 0.5 dB in hens. To demonstrate the importance of a putative protective mechanism, audio recordings were performed of a crowing rooster. Sound pressures levels of 133.5 dB were recorded near the ears. The frequency content of the vocalizations was in accordance with the range of highest hearing sensitivity in chickens. The results indicate a small but significant difference in sound attenuation between hens and roosters. However, the amount of attenuation as measured in the experiments on both hens and roosters is small and will provide little effective protection in addition to other mechanisms such as stapedius muscle activity. PMID:29291112

[Treatment of open tile type C pelvic fractures by open reduction and internal fixation through anterior and posterior approaches at early stage].

PubMed

Li, Baichuan

2014-05-01

To explore the effectiveness of open reduction and internal fixation through anterior and posterior approaches in treatment of open Tile type C pelvic fractures at early stage. Between January 2009 and April 2012, 12 patients with open Tile C pelvic fractures were treated. There were 7 males and 5 females, aged 6-53 years (median, 31 years). Of 12 cases, 4 were classified as Tile type C1, 6 as Tile type C2, and 2 as Tile type C3; 5 were rated as Gustilo type II and 7 as Gustilo type III. The injury severity score was 18-57 (mean, 37.2). The interval of injury and admission ranged from 15 minutes to 3 days (median, 50 minutes). The debridement and external fixation were performed at first stage; then open reduction and internal fixation were used through anterior approach (reconstruction plate) and posterior approach (cannulated lag screws). The vacuum sealing drainage was performed during treatment until the wounds healed. Delayed healing of incison was obtained in 12 cases because of wound infection. Anatomical reduction or approximate anatomical reduction was achieved in all 12 cases. The patients were followed up 3-39 months (median, 18 months). No loosening of internal fixation or fracture displacement was observed during follow-up. The fracture healing time was 7-13 weeks (mean, 9.7 weeks). At last follow-up, according to the Matta standard, the outcome was excellent in 10 cases and good in 2 cases; according to Majeed score, the results were excellent in 9 cases, good in 1, and poor in 2. Early internal fixation operation of open Tile type C pelvic fractures can effectively restore the pelvic anatomical structure and stability, reduce the complication, and achieve satisfactory effectiveness.

Open source and DIY hardware for DNA nanotechnology labs.

PubMed

Damase, Tulsi R; Stephens, Daniel; Spencer, Adam; Allen, Peter B

A set of instruments and specialized equipment is necessary to equip a laboratory to work with DNA. Reducing the barrier to entry for DNA manipulation should enable and encourage new labs to enter the field. We present three examples of open source/DIY technology with significantly reduced costs relative to commercial equipment. This includes a gel scanner, a horizontal PAGE gel mold, and a homogenizer for generating DNA-coated particles. The overall cost savings obtained by using open source/DIY equipment was between 50 and 90%.

The acoustic response of rooms with open windows to airborne sounds.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaidya, P. G.

1972-01-01

The objective of the work described in this and the companion paper was to establish a theory for predicting the sound field generated in a room by a sonic boom incident on an open window. In this paper, some basic theoretical results are presented. First, the case of a normally incident harmonic wave was considered. Expressions for the pressure field were obtained by viewing the room as a terminated duct and by using a Green function method. The concept of mode excitation distribution functions was formulated and used to match the boundary conditions. This concept has been extended for oblique incidence. A modified form of Laplace transform technique was used to obtain expressions in the time domain for transient signals.

Openness Versus Obstruction: The Importance of Protecting Open Data and Transparency, While Guarding Against Obstruction and Interference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenthal, S.; Kurtz, L.

2017-12-01

Open data plays an important role in facilitating scientific progress and developing sound public policies. However, sometimes important scientific initiatives can be subverted by those seeking to politicize science and attack scientists. There is a critical distinction between data openness, and forcing scientists to live in a fishbowl by demanding disclosure of traditionally confidential materials, such as peer review correspondence or preliminary drafts. The former is intended to promote scientific advances (which may well involve criticisms and disagreements), while the latter is an attempt to chill and disrupt research. Agenda-driven groups have sought to obtain scientists' private emails, preliminary drafts, and peer critiques - which may include technical jargon and "what if" debates that can easily be taken out of context - in an effort to intimidate researchers and disrupt their work. Fostering true transparency requires an understanding of what should be shared to advance scientific research, including disclosing information that might expose potential biases (such as funding information), while also protecting the candid debate, open collaboration, and academic freedom that is integral to the scientific process.

Combining Open-domain and Biomedical Knowledge for Topic Recognition in Consumer Health Questions.

PubMed

Mrabet, Yassine; Kilicoglu, Halil; Roberts, Kirk; Demner-Fushman, Dina

2016-01-01

Determining the main topics in consumer health questions is a crucial step in their processing as it allows narrowing the search space to a specific semantic context. In this paper we propose a topic recognition approach based on biomedical and open-domain knowledge bases. In the first step of our method, we recognize named entities in consumer health questions using an unsupervised method that relies on a biomedical knowledge base, UMLS, and an open-domain knowledge base, DBpedia. In the next step, we cast topic recognition as a binary classification problem of deciding whether a named entity is the question topic or not. We evaluated our approach on a dataset from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), introduced in this paper, and another from the Genetic and Rare Disease Information Center (GARD). The combination of knowledge bases outperformed the results obtained by individual knowledge bases by up to 16.5% F1 and achieved state-of-the-art performance. Our results demonstrate that combining open-domain knowledge bases with biomedical knowledge bases can lead to a substantial improvement in understanding user-generated health content.

A Survey of Open Clusters in the u'g'r'i'z' Filter System. 3. Results for the Cluster NGC 188

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

Fornal, Bartosz; Tucker, Douglas L.; Smith, J.Allyn

2006-11-01

The authors continue the series of papers describing the results of a photometric survey of open star clusters, primarily in the southern hemisphere, taken in the u'g'r'i'z' filter system. The entire observed sample covered more than 100 clusters, but here they present data only on NGC 188, which is one of the oldest open clusters known in the Milky Way. They fit the Padova theoretical isochrones to the data. Assuming a solar metallicity for NGC 188, they find a distance of 1700 {+-} 100 pc, an age of 7.5 {+-} 0.7 Gyr, and a reddening E(B-V) of 0.025 {+-} 0.005.more » This yields a distance modulus of 11.23 {+-} 0.14.« less

77 FR 30508 - Open Meeting To Obtain Input for 2013 DoD 10 Key State Issues Impacting Service Members and Their...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-23

... State Issues Impacting Service Members and Their Families AGENCY: Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The public is invited to attend an open session to consider issues impacting Service members and their families that can best be resolved by state governments. Additionally, the public is invited to...

Mechanism of opening a sliding clamp

PubMed Central

Douma, Lauren G.; Yu, Kevin K.; England, Jennifer K.

2017-01-01

Abstract Clamp loaders load ring-shaped sliding clamps onto DNA where the clamps serve as processivity factors for DNA polymerases. In the first stage of clamp loading, clamp loaders bind and stabilize clamps in an open conformation, and in the second stage, clamp loaders place the open clamps around DNA so that the clamps encircle DNA. Here, the mechanism of the initial clamp opening stage is investigated. Mutations were introduced into the Escherichia coli β-sliding clamp that destabilize the dimer interface to determine whether the formation of an open clamp loader–clamp complex is dependent on spontaneous clamp opening events. In other work, we showed that mutation of a positively charged Arg residue at the β-dimer interface and high NaCl concentrations destabilize the clamp, but neither facilitates the formation of an open clamp loader–clamp complex in experiments presented here. Clamp opening reactions could be fit to a minimal three-step ‘bind-open-lock’ model in which the clamp loader binds a closed clamp, the clamp opens, and subsequent conformational rearrangements ‘lock’ the clamp loader–clamp complex in a stable open conformation. Our results support a model in which the E. coli clamp loader actively opens the β-sliding clamp. PMID:28973453

Comparison of Clinical and Radiologic Results of Mini-Open Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion and Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion Indirect Decompression for Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis

PubMed Central

Gen, Hogaku; Sakuma, Yoshio; Koshika, Yasuhide

2018-01-01

Study Design Retrospective study. Purpose In this study, we compared the postoperative outcomes of extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) indirect decompression with that of mini-open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis. Overview of Literature There are very few reports examining postoperative results of XLIF and minimally invasive TLIF for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis, and no reports comparing XLIF and mini-open TLIF. Methods Forty patients who underwent 1-level spinal fusion, either by XLIF indirect decompression (X group, 20 patients) or by mini-open TLIF (T group, 20 patients), for treatment of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis were included in this study. Invasiveness of surgery was evaluated on the basis of surgery time, blood loss, hospitalization period, and perioperative complications. The Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ), disc angle (DA), disc height (DH), and slipping length (SL) were evaluated before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at 12 months after surgery. Cross-sectional spinal canal area (CSA) was also measured before surgery and at 1 month after surgery. Results There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of surgery time or hospitalization period; however, X group showed a significant decrease in blood loss (p<0.001). Serious complications were not observed in either group. In clinical assessment, no significant differences were observed between the groups with regard to the JOABPEQ results. The change in DH at 12 months after surgery increased significantly in the X group (p<0.05), and the changes in DA and SL were not significantly different between the two groups. The change in CSA was significantly greater in the T group (p<0.001). Conclusions Postoperative clinical results were equally favorable for both procedures; however, in comparison with mini-open TLIF, less blood loss and greater

Generating Accurate 3d Models of Architectural Heritage Structures Using Low-Cost Camera and Open Source Algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zacharek, M.; Delis, P.; Kedzierski, M.; Fryskowska, A.

2017-05-01

These studies have been conductedusing non-metric digital camera and dense image matching algorithms, as non-contact methods of creating monuments documentation.In order toprocess the imagery, few open-source software and algorithms of generating adense point cloud from images have been executed. In the research, the OSM Bundler, VisualSFM software, and web application ARC3D were used. Images obtained for each of the investigated objects were processed using those applications, and then dense point clouds and textured 3D models were created. As a result of post-processing, obtained models were filtered and scaled.The research showedthat even using the open-source software it is possible toobtain accurate 3D models of structures (with an accuracy of a few centimeters), but for the purpose of documentation and conservation of cultural and historical heritage, such accuracy can be insufficient.

Open sharing of genomic data: Who does it and why?

PubMed

Haeusermann, Tobias; Greshake, Bastian; Blasimme, Alessandro; Irdam, Darja; Richards, Martin; Vayena, Effy

2017-01-01

We explored the characteristics and motivations of people who, having obtained their genetic or genomic data from Direct-To-Consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) companies, voluntarily decide to share them on the publicly accessible web platform openSNP. The study is the first attempt to describe open data sharing activities undertaken by individuals without institutional oversight. In the paper we provide a detailed overview of the distribution of the demographic characteristics and motivations of people engaged in genetic or genomic open data sharing. The geographical distribution of the respondents showed the USA as dominant. There was no significant gender divide, the age distribution was broad, educational background varied and respondents with and without children were equally represented. Health, even though prominent, was not the respondents' primary or only motivation to be tested. As to their motivations to openly share their data, 86.05% indicated wanting to learn about themselves as relevant, followed by contributing to the advancement of medical research (80.30%), improving the predictability of genetic testing (76.02%) and considering it fun to explore genotype and phenotype data (75.51%). Whereas most respondents were well aware of the privacy risks of their involvement in open genetic data sharing and considered the possibility of direct, personal repercussions troubling, they estimated the risk of this happening to be negligible. Our findings highlight the diversity of DTC-GT consumers who decide to openly share their data. Instead of focusing exclusively on health-related aspects of genetic testing and data sharing, our study emphasizes the importance of taking into account benefits and risks that stretch beyond the health spectrum. Our results thus lend further support to the call for a broader and multi-faceted conceptualization of genomic utility.

Robotic thoracic surgery results in shorter hospital stay and lower postoperative pain compared to open thoracotomy: a matched pairs analysis.

PubMed

Darr, Christopher; Cheufou, Danjouma; Weinreich, Gerhard; Hachenberg, Thomas; Aigner, Clemens; Kampe, Sandra

2017-10-01

To evaluate postoperative pain intensity and length of hospital stay after open or robotic thoracic surgery in a standardized postoperative pain therapy setting. In the present retrospective (oberservation period: January 2015 until January 2016) study we matched data of 38 patients with robotic thoracic surgery ("robotic patients"; age: 62.2 years, male gender: 42.1%) with 38 patients with open thoracic surgery ("open patients"; age: 62.5 years, male gender: 42.1%). Power analysis indicated that 36 patients per group would be required. 68% of all patients received an epidural catheter, and 32% a systemic opioid based analgesia. Postoperative pain intensity in "robotic patients" was lower at rest on postoperative day 3-5 compared to "open patients" (NRS POD 3 robotic surgery 0.5±1.0 vs. open surgery 1.0±1.6, p = 0.04; NRS POD 4 robotic surgery 0,5 ± 1.0 vs. open surgery 1.1±1.3, p=0.04; NRS POD 5 robotic surgery 0.7 ± 1.0 vs. open surgery 1.5±1.5, p=0.003). Chest tube duration was shorter in "robotic patients" (2.9 ± 2.0 days vs. 4.9 ± 2.2 days; p < 0.001). Moreover, length of hospital stay was shorter in "robotic patients" than in "open patients" (6.9 days vs. 8.0 days; p = 0.02). There was no significant difference in postoperative opioid consumption between the groups. Nearly 95% of patients were discharged home with an oral opioid in both groups. Patients after robotic pulmonary resection experience lower postoperative pain and are discharged earlier from hospital than patients after open thoracic surgery. The study design is retrospectively.

A comparison of pure mode I and mixed mode I-III cracking of an adhesive containing an open knit cloth carrier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ripling, E. J.; Crosley, P. B.; Johnson, W. S.

1988-01-01

Static and fatigue tests were carried out on two commercial modified epoxy film adhesives with a wide open knit polyester carrier in order to compare crack resistance in mode I and mixed mode I-III loading. The carrier cloth is found to have a significant influence on the cracking behavior of the adhesives. The open air net carrier used in this study separates from the adhesive in mode I cracking but shreds during mixed-mode crack extension. This decreases the opening mode toughness but increases the mixed-mode toughness as compared with results obtained earlier using a heavier knit carrier. The results suggest that the type of carrier may have a far larger influence on crack resistance than is generally recognized.

Paternity tests in Mexico: Results obtained in 3005 cases.

PubMed

García-Aceves, M E; Romero Rentería, O; Díaz-Navarro, X X; Rangel-Villalobos, H

2018-04-01

National and international reports regarding the paternity testing activity scarcely include information from Mexico and other Latin American countries. Therefore, we report different results from the analysis of 3005 paternity cases analyzed during a period of five years in a Mexican paternity testing laboratory. Motherless tests were the most frequent (77.27%), followed by trio cases (20.70%); the remaining 2.04% included different cases of kinship reconstruction. The paternity exclusion rate was 29.58%, higher but into the range reported by the American Association of Blood Banks (average 24.12%). We detected 65 mutations, most of them involving one-step (93.8% and the remaining were two-step mutations (6.2%) thus, we were able to estimate the paternal mutation rate for 17 different STR loci: 0.0018 (95% CI 0.0005-0.0047). Five triallelic patterns and 12 suspected null alleles were detected during this period; however, re-amplification of these samples with a different Human Identification (HID) kit confirmed the homozygous genotypes, which suggests that most of these exclusions actually are one-step mutations. HID kits with ≥20 STRs detected more exclusions, diminishing the rate of inconclusive results with isolated exclusions (<3 loci), and leading to higher paternity indexes (PI). However, the Powerplex 21 kit (20 STRs) and Powerplex Fusion kit (22 STRs) offered similar PI (p = 0.379) and average number of exclusions (PE) (p = 0.339) when a daughter was involved in motherless tests. In brief, besides to report forensic parameters from paternity tests in Mexico, results describe improvements to solve motherless paternity tests using HID kits with ≥20 STRs instead of one including 15 STRs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Open Data and Open Science for better Research in the Geo and Space Domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritschel, B.; Seelus, C.; Neher, G.; Iyemori, T.; Koyama, Y.; Yatagai, A. I.; Murayama, Y.; King, T. A.; Hughes, S.; Fung, S. F.; Galkin, I. A.; Hapgood, M. A.; Belehaki, A.

2015-12-01

Main open data principles had been worked out in the run-up and finally adopted in the Open Data Charta at the G8 summit in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland in June 2013. Important principles are also valid for science data, such as Open Data by Default, Quality and Quantity, Useable by All, Releasing Data for Improved Governance, Releasing Data for Innovation. There is also an explicit relationship to such areas of high values as earth observation, education and geospatial data. The European union implementation plan of the Open Data Charta identifies among other things objectives such as making data available in an open format, enabling semantic interoperability, ensuring quality, documentation and where appropriate reconciliation across different data sources, implementing software solutionsallowing easy management, publication or visualization of datasets and simplifying clearance of intellectual property rights.Open Science is not just a list of already for a longer time known principles but stands for a lot of initiatives and projects around a better handling of scientific data and openly shared scientific knowledge. It is also about transparency in methodology and collection of data, availability and reuse of scientific data, public accessibility to scientific communication and using of social media to facility scientific collaboration. Some projects are concentrating on open sharing of free and open source software and even further hardware in kind of processing capabilities. In addition question about the mashup of data and publication and an open peer review process are addressed.Following the principles of open data and open science the newest results of the collaboration efforts in mashing up the data servers related to the Japanese IUGONET, the European Union ESPAS and the GFZ ISDC semantic Web projects will be presented here. The semantic Web based approach for the mashup is focusing on the design and implementation of a common but still distributed data

Gallbladder removal - open

MedlinePlus

Cholecystectomy - open; Gallbladder - open cholecystectomy; Cholecystitis - open cholecystectomy; Gallstones - open cholecystectomy ... a medical instrument called a laparoscope ( laparoscopic ... Open gallbladder surgery is used when laparoscopic surgery cannot ...

Manual versus Automated Rodent Behavioral Assessment: Comparing Efficacy and Ease of Bederson and Garcia Neurological Deficit Scores to an Open Field Video-Tracking System.

PubMed

Desland, Fiona A; Afzal, Aqeela; Warraich, Zuha; Mocco, J

2014-01-01

Animal models of stroke have been crucial in advancing our understanding of the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia. Currently, the standards for determining neurological deficit in rodents are the Bederson and Garcia scales, manual assessments scoring animals based on parameters ranked on a narrow scale of severity. Automated open field analysis of a live-video tracking system that analyzes animal behavior may provide a more sensitive test. Results obtained from the manual Bederson and Garcia scales did not show significant differences between pre- and post-stroke animals in a small cohort. When using the same cohort, however, post-stroke data obtained from automated open field analysis showed significant differences in several parameters. Furthermore, large cohort analysis also demonstrated increased sensitivity with automated open field analysis versus the Bederson and Garcia scales. These early data indicate use of automated open field analysis software may provide a more sensitive assessment when compared to traditional Bederson and Garcia scales.

Open source and DIY hardware for DNA nanotechnology labs

PubMed Central

Damase, Tulsi R.; Stephens, Daniel; Spencer, Adam; Allen, Peter B.

2015-01-01

A set of instruments and specialized equipment is necessary to equip a laboratory to work with DNA. Reducing the barrier to entry for DNA manipulation should enable and encourage new labs to enter the field. We present three examples of open source/DIY technology with significantly reduced costs relative to commercial equipment. This includes a gel scanner, a horizontal PAGE gel mold, and a homogenizer for generating DNA-coated particles. The overall cost savings obtained by using open source/DIY equipment was between 50 and 90%. PMID:26457320

Feasibility and accuracy of molecular testing in specimens obtained with small biopsy forceps: comparison with the results of surgical specimens.

PubMed

Oki, Masahide; Yatabe, Yasushi; Saka, Hideo; Kitagawa, Chiyoe; Kogure, Yoshihito; Ichihara, Shu; Moritani, Suzuko

2015-01-01

During bronchoscopy, small biopsy forceps are increasingly used for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions. However, it is unclear whether the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens sampled with the small biopsy forceps are suitable for the determination of genotypes which become indispensable for the management decision regarding patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of molecular testing in the specimens obtained with 1.5-mm small biopsy forceps. We examined specimens in 91 patients, who were enrolled in our previous 3 studies on the usefulness of thin bronchoscopes and given a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer by bronchoscopy with the 1.5-mm biopsy forceps, and then underwent surgical resection. An experienced pathologist examined paraffin-embedded specimens obtained by bronchoscopic biopsy or surgical resection in a blind fashion on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements and KRAS mutations. Twenty-five (27%), 2 (2%) and 5 (5%) patients had an EGFR mutation, ALK rearrangement and KRAS mutation, respectively, based on the results in surgical specimens. EGFR, ALK and KRAS testing with bronchoscopic specimens was feasible in 82 (90%), 86 (95%) and 83 (91%) patients, respectively. If molecular testing was feasible, the accuracy of EGFR, ALK and KRAS testing with bronchoscopic specimens for the results with surgical specimens was 98, 100 and 98%, respectively. The results of molecular testing in the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens obtained with the small forceps, in which the genotype could be evaluated, correlated well with those in surgically resected specimens.

Automatic Multilevel Parallelization Using OpenMP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Hao-Qiang; Jost, Gabriele; Yan, Jerry; Ayguade, Eduard; Gonzalez, Marc; Martorell, Xavier; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this paper we describe the extension of the CAPO (CAPtools (Computer Aided Parallelization Toolkit) OpenMP) parallelization support tool to support multilevel parallelism based on OpenMP directives. CAPO generates OpenMP directives with extensions supported by the NanosCompiler to allow for directive nesting and definition of thread groups. We report some results for several benchmark codes and one full application that have been parallelized using our system.

Open innovation for phenotypic drug discovery: The PD2 assay panel.

PubMed

Lee, Jonathan A; Chu, Shaoyou; Willard, Francis S; Cox, Karen L; Sells Galvin, Rachelle J; Peery, Robert B; Oliver, Sarah E; Oler, Jennifer; Meredith, Tamika D; Heidler, Steven A; Gough, Wendy H; Husain, Saba; Palkowitz, Alan D; Moxham, Christopher M

2011-07-01

Phenotypic lead generation strategies seek to identify compounds that modulate complex, physiologically relevant systems, an approach that is complementary to traditional, target-directed strategies. Unlike gene-specific assays, phenotypic assays interrogate multiple molecular targets and signaling pathways in a target "agnostic" fashion, which may reveal novel functions for well-studied proteins and discover new pathways of therapeutic value. Significantly, existing compound libraries may not have sufficient chemical diversity to fully leverage a phenotypic strategy. To address this issue, Eli Lilly and Company launched the Phenotypic Drug Discovery Initiative (PD(2)), a model of open innovation whereby external research groups can submit compounds for testing in a panel of Lilly phenotypic assays. This communication describes the statistical validation, operations, and initial screening results from the first PD(2) assay panel. Analysis of PD(2) submissions indicates that chemical diversity from open source collaborations complements internal sources. Screening results for the first 4691 compounds submitted to PD(2) have confirmed hit rates from 1.6% to 10%, with the majority of active compounds exhibiting acceptable potency and selectivity. Phenotypic lead generation strategies, in conjunction with novel chemical diversity obtained via open-source initiatives such as PD(2), may provide a means to identify compounds that modulate biology by novel mechanisms and expand the innovation potential of drug discovery.

"The Open Library at AU" (Athabasca University): Supporting Open Access and Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Colin; Fabbro, Elaine

2015-01-01

To address challenges that learners, course creators, librarians and academics involved with OER and MOOCs are facing when looking for scholarly materials, Athabasca University Library has initiated the development of "the Open Library at AU." This open library is a full library website that provides easy access to open and free…

OpenMx: An Open Source Extended Structural Equation Modeling Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boker, Steven; Neale, Michael; Maes, Hermine; Wilde, Michael; Spiegel, Michael; Brick, Timothy; Spies, Jeffrey; Estabrook, Ryne; Kenny, Sarah; Bates, Timothy; Mehta, Paras; Fox, John

2011-01-01

OpenMx is free, full-featured, open source, structural equation modeling (SEM) software. OpenMx runs within the "R" statistical programming environment on Windows, Mac OS-X, and Linux computers. The rationale for developing OpenMx is discussed along with the philosophy behind the user interface. The OpenMx data structures are…

First results obtained within the European 'LAMA' programme (Large Active Mirrors in Aluminium)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozelot, J.-P.

1993-11-01

To investigate the feasibility of large size aluminum mirrors, studies have been undertaken in cooperation with European Southern Observatory (ESO), in the framework of a European program. The first phase, which is just now ended, addressed the following items: (1) tests to select the best aluminum alloy, (2) aluminum welding, homogeneity and stability, (3) aluminum high-precision machining, (4) nickel coating, (5) polishing of the nickel layer, (6) active optics. Furthermore, tests have been conducted to demonstrate that the quality of the mirrors is not altered at various temperatures and after a large number of aluminizing and cleaning cycles (corresponding to about 50 years' life). The mirror shape (whose specifications are fully compliant with those of the Very Large Telescope (VLT), as the program is conducted in cooperation with ESO) was computed under several causes of deformations: evidencing gravity as the predominant effect, and very low distortions as the high thermal conductivity limits the thermal transverse gradient to 0.025 C. Results show that it is quite possible to obtain high optical quality mirrors, mainly due to recent progress both in metallurgical processes (high precision machining -7 microns rms-) and active optics, that permit to correct residual aberrations of the surface. Such an alternative to classical glass mirrors will presently stand as a safe, economical solution that saves manufacturing time, for monolithic or segmented mirrors for innovative telescopes (e.g., lunar interferometric network).

Nasalance and nasality at experimental velopharyngeal openings in palatal prosthesis: a case study

PubMed Central

LIMA-GREGIO, Aveliny Mantovan; MARINO, Viviane Cristina de Castro; PEGORARO-KROOK, Maria Inês; BARBOSA, Plinio Almeida; AFERRI, Homero Carneiro; DUTKA, Jeniffer de Cassia Rillo

2011-01-01

The use of prosthetic devices for correction of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is an alternative treatment for patients with conditions that preclude surgery and for those individuals with a hypofunctional velopharynx (HV) with a poor prognosis for the surgical repair of VPI. Understanding the role and measuring the outcome of prosthetic treatment of velopharyngeal dysfunction requires the use of tools that allow for documenting pre- and post-treatment outcomes. Experimental openings in speech bulbs have been used for simulating VPI in studies documenting changes in aerodynamic, acoustic and kinematics aspects of speech associated with the use of palatal prosthetic devices. The use of nasometry to document changes in speech associated with experimental openings in speech bulbs, however, has not been described in the literature. Objective This single-subject study investigated nasalance and nasality at the presence of experimental openings drilled through the speech bulb of a patient with HV. Material and Methods Nasometric recordings of the word "pato" were obtained under 4 velopharyngeal conditions: no-opening (control condition), no speech bulb, speech bulb with a 20 mm2 opening, and speech bulb with 30 mm2 opening. Five speech-language pathologists performed auditory-perceptual ratings while the subject read an oral passage under all conditions. Results Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant difference among conditions (p=0.0002), with Scheffé post hoc test indicating difference from the no-opening condition. Conclusion The changes in nasalance observed after drilling holes of known sizes in a speech bulb suggest that nasometry reflect changes in transfer of sound energy related to different sizes of velopharyngeal opening. PMID:22230996

The 2015 Bioinformatics Open Source Conference (BOSC 2015).

PubMed

Harris, Nomi L; Cock, Peter J A; Lapp, Hilmar; Chapman, Brad; Davey, Rob; Fields, Christopher; Hokamp, Karsten; Munoz-Torres, Monica

2016-02-01

The Bioinformatics Open Source Conference (BOSC) is organized by the Open Bioinformatics Foundation (OBF), a nonprofit group dedicated to promoting the practice and philosophy of open source software development and open science within the biological research community. Since its inception in 2000, BOSC has provided bioinformatics developers with a forum for communicating the results of their latest efforts to the wider research community. BOSC offers a focused environment for developers and users to interact and share ideas about standards; software development practices; practical techniques for solving bioinformatics problems; and approaches that promote open science and sharing of data, results, and software. BOSC is run as a two-day special interest group (SIG) before the annual Intelligent Systems in Molecular Biology (ISMB) conference. BOSC 2015 took place in Dublin, Ireland, and was attended by over 125 people, about half of whom were first-time attendees. Session topics included "Data Science;" "Standards and Interoperability;" "Open Science and Reproducibility;" "Translational Bioinformatics;" "Visualization;" and "Bioinformatics Open Source Project Updates". In addition to two keynote talks and dozens of shorter talks chosen from submitted abstracts, BOSC 2015 included a panel, titled "Open Source, Open Door: Increasing Diversity in the Bioinformatics Open Source Community," that provided an opportunity for open discussion about ways to increase the diversity of participants in BOSC in particular, and in open source bioinformatics in general. The complete program of BOSC 2015 is available online at http://www.open-bio.org/wiki/BOSC_2015_Schedule.

[Clinical evaluation of open and close treatment in pediatric condylar fractures].

PubMed

Han, Jing; Li, Zhi; Zhou, Haihua; Yang, Rongtao; Xiong, Guizhong; Li, Zubing

2014-08-01

To evaluate the long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of open and close treatment of condylar fractures of mandible in children. A total of 78 cases (105 mandibular condylar fractures) were included in this study. All patients (younger than 12 years at the time of injury were followed up for at least 3 years. According to the classification of the condylar fractures, open or close treatment was chosen. Clinical outcomes were classified as favorable or unfavorable depending on the mouth opening, pattern of mouth opening, occlusion, facial symmetry. Condylar remodeling was defined as complete, moderate, or poor based on the radiographic findings. Depending on the classification, 14 sides of type I, 48 sides of type II and 43 sides of type III were included in this study. Open treatment was chosen in 51 sides and close treatment was chosen in 54 sides. Most of the patients acquired satisfactory clinical outcomes. Better radiologic remodeling of the condylar process was found in the patients treated by open treatment. Favorable long-term clinical outcomes were obtained in both open and close treatment of mandibular condylar fractures. A better morphological remodeling of condylar process was found in patients with open treatment.

Preliminary Results from the STARDUST Encounter with Wild 2 Comet obtained by the Dust Flux Monitor Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Economou, T. E.; Tuzzolino, A. J.; Green, S. F.

On January 2nd, 2004, the Stardust spacecraft successfully encountered the Wild 2 comet. The Dust Flux Monitor Instrument (DFMI) provided quantitative measurements of dust particle fluxes and particle mass distribution throughout the entire flythrough. The DFMI consists of two different dust detector systems --- a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) dust sensor unit (SU), which measures particles in the 10-11 to 10-4 mass, and a dual acoustic sensor system (DASS), which utilizes two piezoelectric accelerometers mounted on the first two layers of the spacecraft Whipple dust shield to measure the flux ofparticles with mass larger than 10-4 g. The DFMI on the stardust mission was designed, built and tested at the University of Chicago. The Open University provided the calibration and will perform the analysis of the data from the acoustic sensors. The DFMI instrument was turned on 15 minutes before the estimated closest approach. It started to detect the first dust particles just a few minutes before the closest approach with both types of the sensors in the instrument. As the S/C was departing the comet several more dust particle streams were encountered some 2-12 minutes after the closest approach. The time distribution of dust particles detected by DFMI is not uniform and they seem to come in closely spaced swarms of particles separated by many seconds with no events. The source of these particles is believed to be several of the jet streams that were observed in many of the images obtained by the navigation camera on the STARDUST spacecraft. Data flux rates and dust particle mass distribution are currently being evaluated and will be presented at the meeting. The instrument detected thousands of small particles and a few of them were large enough to even penetrate the first layer of the Whipple bumper shield. From the DFMI data it has been estimated that more than several thousands particles larger than 20 μ in diameter have been collected in the aerogel collector

Skills in minimally invasive and open surgery show limited transferability to robotic surgery: results from a prospective study.

PubMed

Kowalewski, Karl-Friedrich; Schmidt, Mona W; Proctor, Tanja; Pohl, Moritz; Wennberg, Erica; Karadza, Emir; Romero, Philipp; Kenngott, Hannes G; Müller-Stich, Beat P; Nickel, Felix

2018-04-01

There is limited evidence on the transferability of conventional laparoscopic and open surgical skills to robotic-assisted surgery. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the transferability of expertise in conventional laparoscopy and open surgery to robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci Skills Simulator (dVSS). Secondary aims included evaluating the influence of individual participants' characteristics. Participants performed four tasks on the dVSS: Peg Board 1 (PB), Pick and Place (PP), Thread the Rings (TR), and Suture Sponge 1 (SS). Participants were classified into three groups (Novice, Intermediate, Experts) according to experience in laparoscopic and open surgery. All tasks were performed twice except for SS. Performance was assessed using the built-in scoring system. 37 medical students and 25 surgeons participated. Experts did not perform significantly better than less experienced participants on the dVSS. Specifically, with regard to laparoscopic experience, total simulator scores were: Novices 68.2 ± 28.8; Intermediates 65.1 ± 31.2; Experts 65.1 ± 30.0; p = 0.611. Regarding open surgical experience, scores were: Novices 68.6 ± 28.7; Intermediates 68.2 ± 30.8; Experts 63.2 ± 30.3; p = 0.305. Although there were some significant differences among groups for single parameters in specific tasks, there was no constant superiority of one group. Laparoscopic and open surgical Novices improved significantly in overall score and time for all three tasks (p < 0.05). Laparoscopic intermediates improved only in PP time (4.64 ± 3.42; p = 0.006), open Intermediates in PB score (11.98 ± 13.01; p = 0.025), and open Experts in PP score (6.69 ± 11.48; p = 0.048). Laparoscopic experts showed no improvement. Participants with gaming experience had better overall scores than non-gamers when comparing all second attempts (Gamer 83.62 ± 7.57; Non-Gamer 76.31 ± 12.78; p = 0.008) as

Dissipation and entropy production in open quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majima, H.; Suzuki, A.

2010-11-01

A microscopic description of an open system is generally expressed by the Hamiltonian of the form: Htot = Hsys + Henviron + Hsys-environ. We developed a microscopic theory of entropy and derived a general formula, so-called "entropy-Hamiltonian relation" (EHR), that connects the entropy of the system to the interaction Hamiltonian represented by Hsys-environ for a nonequilibrium open quantum system. To derive the EHR formula, we mapped the open quantum system to the representation space of the Liouville-space formulation or thermo field dynamics (TFD), and thus worked on the representation space Script L := Script H otimes , where Script H denotes the ordinary Hilbert space while the tilde Hilbert space conjugates to Script H. We show that the natural transformation (mapping) of nonequilibrium open quantum systems is accomplished within the theoretical structure of TFD. By using the obtained EHR formula, we also derived the equation of motion for the distribution function of the system. We demonstrated that by knowing the microscopic description of the interaction, namely, the specific form of Hsys-environ on the representation space Script L, the EHR formulas enable us to evaluate the entropy of the system and to gain some information about entropy for nonequilibrium open quantum systems.

OpenSHS: Open Smart Home Simulator.

PubMed

Alshammari, Nasser; Alshammari, Talal; Sedky, Mohamed; Champion, Justin; Bauer, Carolin

2017-05-02

This paper develops a new hybrid, open-source, cross-platform 3D smart home simulator, OpenSHS, for dataset generation. OpenSHS offers an opportunity for researchers in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning to test and evaluate their models. Following a hybrid approach, OpenSHS combines advantages from both interactive and model-based approaches. This approach reduces the time and efforts required to generate simulated smart home datasets. We have designed a replication algorithm for extending and expanding a dataset. A small sample dataset produced, by OpenSHS, can be extended without affecting the logical order of the events. The replication provides a solution for generating large representative smart home datasets. We have built an extensible library of smart devices that facilitates the simulation of current and future smart home environments. Our tool divides the dataset generation process into three distinct phases: first design: the researcher designs the initial virtual environment by building the home, importing smart devices and creating contexts; second, simulation: the participant simulates his/her context-specific events; and third, aggregation: the researcher applies the replication algorithm to generate the final dataset. We conducted a study to assess the ease of use of our tool on the System Usability Scale (SUS).

OpenSHS: Open Smart Home Simulator

PubMed Central

Alshammari, Nasser; Alshammari, Talal; Sedky, Mohamed; Champion, Justin; Bauer, Carolin

2017-01-01

This paper develops a new hybrid, open-source, cross-platform 3D smart home simulator, OpenSHS, for dataset generation. OpenSHS offers an opportunity for researchers in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning to test and evaluate their models. Following a hybrid approach, OpenSHS combines advantages from both interactive and model-based approaches. This approach reduces the time and efforts required to generate simulated smart home datasets. We have designed a replication algorithm for extending and expanding a dataset. A small sample dataset produced, by OpenSHS, can be extended without affecting the logical order of the events. The replication provides a solution for generating large representative smart home datasets. We have built an extensible library of smart devices that facilitates the simulation of current and future smart home environments. Our tool divides the dataset generation process into three distinct phases: first design: the researcher designs the initial virtual environment by building the home, importing smart devices and creating contexts; second, simulation: the participant simulates his/her context-specific events; and third, aggregation: the researcher applies the replication algorithm to generate the final dataset. We conducted a study to assess the ease of use of our tool on the System Usability Scale (SUS). PMID:28468330

Aerostat-Lofted Instrument Platform and Sampling Method for Determination of Emissions from Open Area Sources

EPA Science Inventory

Sampling emissions from open area sources, particularly sources of open burning, is difficult due to fast dilution of emissions and safety concerns for personnel. Representative emission samples can be difficult to obtain with flaming and explosive sources since personnel safety ...

Competing Gap Opening Mechanisms of Monolayer Graphene and Graphene Nanoribbons on Strong Topological Insulators.

PubMed

Lin, Zhuonan; Qin, Wei; Zeng, Jiang; Chen, Wei; Cui, Ping; Cho, Jun-Hyung; Qiao, Zhenhua; Zhang, Zhenyu

2017-07-12

Graphene is a promising material for designing next-generation electronic and valleytronic devices, which often demand the opening of a bandgap in the otherwise gapless pristine graphene. To date, several conceptually different mechanisms have been extensively exploited to induce bandgaps in graphene, including spin-orbit coupling and inversion symmetry breaking for monolayer graphene, and quantum confinement for graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). Here, we present a multiscale study of the competing gap opening mechanisms in a graphene overlayer and GNRs proximity-coupled to topological insulators (TIs). We obtain sizable graphene bandgaps even without inversion symmetry breaking and identify the Kekulé lattice distortions caused by the TI substrates to be the dominant gap opening mechanism. Furthermore, Kekulé distorted armchair GNRs display intriguing nonmonotonous gap dependence on the nanoribbon width, resulting from the coexistence of quantum confinement, edge passivation, and Kekulé distortions. The present study offers viable new approaches for tunable bandgap engineering in graphene and GNRs.

Opening up Education: The Collective Advancement of Education through Open Technology, Open Content, and Open Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iiyoshi, Toru, Ed.; Kumar, M. S. Vijay, Ed.

2008-01-01

Given the abundance of open education initiatives that aim to make educational assets freely available online, the time seems ripe to explore the potential of open education to transform the economics and ecology of education. Despite the diversity of tools and resources already available--from well-packaged course materials to simple games, for…

Treatment of open fractures of the hand in the emergency department.

PubMed

Basat, Nofar Ben; Allon, Raviv; Nagmi, Ahmad; Wollstein, Ronit

2017-04-01

Current guidelines suggest early surgical treatment of open fractures. This rule in open hand fractures is not well supported and may be unpractical. Furthermore, desirable debridement and washout can be obtained in the emergency department (ED). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the level of contamination, quality of washout in the emergency room, and the development of infection. Sixty-one patients with open fractures of the hand were retrospectively reviewed for demographic and fracture characteristics, and other complications. The infection rate was 14.8%. Contamination was present in 43 patients (70.5%). One thousand milliliters or more were used to obtain a grossly clean wound in 43 patients (70.5%). No significant relationship was found between fracture type, finger involved, hand dominance, comorbidities, and development of infection. The amount of fluid used for washout was significantly related to infection (P = 0.047), whereas wound contamination was not (P = 0.259). Type of oral antibiotic was significantly related to infection (P = 0.039). The level of contamination was not a significant factor in predicting infection, whereas the amount of fluid used for washout and the oral antibiotic type were significant factors in preventing infection. Since administration of intravenous antibiotics and thorough wound cleansing can be performed on open hand fractures in the ED under adequate anesthesia, most open fractures in the hand do not need to be treated early in the operating theater.

Exploring Strategies of Assessment and Results in the Spanish Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia and the United Kingdom Open University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Arthur

The strategies of student evaluation and the patterns of results are compared for The Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia (UNED) in Spain and The Open University of The United Kingdom. Both universities operate a system of undergraduate subject credits leading to a degree, but the length of the courses of the two systems differ. UNED…

Looking south at the open hearth steelmaking plant; open hearth ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Looking south at the open hearth steelmaking plant; open hearth stockhouse in foreground and open hearth furnace building in background - U.S. Steel Edgar Thomson Works, Open Hearth Steelmaking Plant, Along Monongahela River, Braddock, Allegheny County, PA

Open scapulothoracic dissociation.

PubMed

Fischer, P J; Kent, R B

2001-04-01

Scapulothoracic dissociation refers to the traumatic separation of the shoulder from the chest wall. This most commonly occurs as a closed injury. We present a case of open scapulothoracic dissociation and emphasize clinical features unique to this injury. In both closed and open scapulothoracic dissociation, the force necessary to shear the scapula from its thoracic attachments results in vascular disruption and neurologic injury to the upper extremity. As a consequence, patients have a pulseless, flail upper extremity with a significant chest wall hematoma (closed) or active bleeding (open). The first priority is to resuscitate and address life-threatening injuries. If the patient has active bleeding, immediate vascular control to prevent exsanguination is essential. Patients with ischemia and an incomplete injury or unreliable neurologic examination need revascularization. Outcome is based on the extent of brachial plexus or cervical nerve root avulsion. Patients with loss of neurologic function ultimately benefit from amputation at the appropriate level.

Genetic polymorphism in postoperative sepsis after open heart surgery in infants.

PubMed

Fakhri, Dicky; Djauzi, Samsuridjal; Murni, Tri Wahyu; Rachmat, Jusuf; Harahap, Alida Roswita; Rahayuningsih, Sri Endah; Mansyur, Muchtaruddin; Santoso, Anwar

2016-05-01

Sepsis is one of the complications following open heart surgery. Toll-like receptor 2 and toll-interacting protein polymorphism influence the immune response after open heart surgery. This study aimed to assess the genetic distribution of toll-like receptor 2 N199N and toll-interacting protein rs5743867 polymorphism in the development of postoperative sepsis. A prospective cohort study was conducted in 108 children <1-year old who underwent open heart surgery with a Basic Aristotle score ≥6. Patients with an accompanying congenital anomaly, human immunodeficiency virus infection, or history of previous open heart surgery were excluded. The patients' nutritional status and genetic polymorphism were assessed prior to surgery. The results of genetic polymorphism were obtained through genotyping. Patients' ages on the day of surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass times were recorded. The diagnosis of sepsis was established according to Surviving Sepsis Campaign criteria. Postoperative sepsis was observed in 21% of patients. There were 92.6% patients with toll-like receptor 2 N199N polymorphism and 52.8% with toll-interacting protein rs5743867 polymorphism. Toll-like receptor 2 N199N polymorphism tends to increase the risk of sepsis (odds ratio = 1.974; 95% confidence interval: 0.23-16.92; p = 0.504), while toll-interacting protein rs5743867 polymorphism tends to decrease the risk of sepsis (odds ratio = 0.496; 95% confidence interval: 0.19-1.27; p = 0.139) in infants <1-year old undergoing complex open heart surgery. © The Author(s) 2016.

Biomass of open-grown Virginia pine

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

Madgwick, H.A.I.; Olah, F.D.; Burkhart, H.E.

1977-03-01

Five open-grown Pinus virginiana trees ranging from 1.05 to 15.78 m tall were destructively sampled and the data used to obtain relationships between tree size and biomass to estimate dry matter production. The ratio of foliage to above-ground woody biomass decreased with tree age from 0.4 for a 7-year-old tree to 0.05 for a 39-year-old tree. Needle longevity increased with tree age. 5 references.

46 CFR 308.524 - Application for cancellation of Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-304.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... MA-304. 308.524 Section 308.524 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Ii-Open Policy War Risk Cargo Insurance... application for cancellation of an Open Cargo Policy Form MA-304 may be obtained from the American War Risk...

46 CFR 308.524 - Application for cancellation of Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-304.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... MA-304. 308.524 Section 308.524 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Ii-Open Policy War Risk Cargo Insurance... application for cancellation of an Open Cargo Policy Form MA-304 may be obtained from the American War Risk...

46 CFR 308.524 - Application for cancellation of Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-304.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... MA-304. 308.524 Section 308.524 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Ii-Open Policy War Risk Cargo Insurance... application for cancellation of an Open Cargo Policy Form MA-304 may be obtained from the American War Risk...

46 CFR 308.524 - Application for cancellation of Open Cargo Policy, Form MA-304.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... MA-304. 308.524 Section 308.524 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance Ii-Open Policy War Risk Cargo Insurance... application for cancellation of an Open Cargo Policy Form MA-304 may be obtained from the American War Risk...

Standardization of a fluconazole bioassay and correlation of results with those obtained by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

PubMed Central

Rex, J H; Hanson, L H; Amantea, M A; Stevens, D A; Bennett, J E

1991-01-01

An improved bioassay for fluconazole was developed. This assay is sensitive in the clinically relevant range (2 to 40 micrograms/ml) and analyzes plasma, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid specimens; bioassay results correlate with results obtained by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Bioassay and HPLC analyses of spiked plasma, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid samples (run as unknowns) gave good agreement with expected values. Analysis of specimens from patients gave equivalent results by both HPLC and bioassay. HPLC had a lower within-run coefficient of variation (less than 2.5% for HPLC versus less than 11% for bioassay) and a lower between-run coefficient of variation (less than 5% versus less than 12% for bioassay) and was more sensitive (lower limit of detection, 0.1 micrograms/ml [versus 2 micrograms/ml for bioassay]). The bioassay is, however, sufficiently accurate and sensitive for clinical specimens, and its relative simplicity, low sample volume requirement, and low equipment cost should make it the technique of choice for analysis of routine clinical specimens. PMID:1854166

Opening-mode cracking in asphalt pavements : crack initiation and saturation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-01

This paper investigates the crack initiation and saturation for opening-mode cracking. Using elastic governing equations : and a weak form stress boundary condition, we derive an explicit solution of elastic fields in the surface course and : obtain ...

Microwave corrosion detection using open ended rectangular waveguide sensors

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

Qaddoumi, N.; Handjojo, L.; Bigelow, T.

The use of microwave and millimeter wave nondestructive testing methods utilizing open ended rectangular waveguide sensors has shown great potential for detecting minute thickness variations in laminate structures, in particular those backed by a conducting plate. Slight variations in the dielectric properties of materials may also be detected using a set of optimal parameters which include the standoff distance and the frequency of operation. In a recent investigation, on detecting rust under paint, the dielectric properties of rust were assumed to be similar to those of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} powder. These values were used in an electromagnetic model that simulatesmore » the interaction of fields radiated by a rectangular waveguide aperture with layered structures to obtain optimal parameters. The dielectric properties of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} were measured to be very similar to the properties of paint. Nevertheless, the presence of a simulated Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer under a paint layer was detected. In this paper the dielectric properties of several different rust samples from different environments are measured. The measurements indicate that the nature of real rust is quite diverse and is different from Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and paint, indicating that the presence of rust under paint can be easily detected. The same electromagnetic model is also used (with the newly measured dielectric properties of real rust) to obtain an optimal standoff distance at a frequency of 24 GHz. The results indicate that variations in the magnitude as well as the phase of the reflection coefficient can be used to obtain information about the presence of rust. An experimental investigation on detecting the presence of very thin rust layers (2.5--5 x 10{sup {minus}2} mm [09--2.0 x 10{sup {minus}3} in.]) using an open ended rectangular waveguide probe is also conducted. Microwave images of rusted specimens, obtained at 24 GHz, are also presented.« less

The 2015 Bioinformatics Open Source Conference (BOSC 2015)

PubMed Central

Harris, Nomi L.; Cock, Peter J. A.; Lapp, Hilmar

2016-01-01

The Bioinformatics Open Source Conference (BOSC) is organized by the Open Bioinformatics Foundation (OBF), a nonprofit group dedicated to promoting the practice and philosophy of open source software development and open science within the biological research community. Since its inception in 2000, BOSC has provided bioinformatics developers with a forum for communicating the results of their latest efforts to the wider research community. BOSC offers a focused environment for developers and users to interact and share ideas about standards; software development practices; practical techniques for solving bioinformatics problems; and approaches that promote open science and sharing of data, results, and software. BOSC is run as a two-day special interest group (SIG) before the annual Intelligent Systems in Molecular Biology (ISMB) conference. BOSC 2015 took place in Dublin, Ireland, and was attended by over 125 people, about half of whom were first-time attendees. Session topics included “Data Science;” “Standards and Interoperability;” “Open Science and Reproducibility;” “Translational Bioinformatics;” “Visualization;” and “Bioinformatics Open Source Project Updates”. In addition to two keynote talks and dozens of shorter talks chosen from submitted abstracts, BOSC 2015 included a panel, titled “Open Source, Open Door: Increasing Diversity in the Bioinformatics Open Source Community,” that provided an opportunity for open discussion about ways to increase the diversity of participants in BOSC in particular, and in open source bioinformatics in general. The complete program of BOSC 2015 is available online at http://www.open-bio.org/wiki/BOSC_2015_Schedule. PMID:26914653

The Open Spectral Database: an open platform for sharing and searching spectral data.

PubMed

Chalk, Stuart J

2016-01-01

A number of websites make available spectral data for download (typically as JCAMP-DX text files) and one (ChemSpider) that also allows users to contribute spectral files. As a result, searching and retrieving such spectral data can be time consuming, and difficult to reuse if the data is compressed in the JCAMP-DX file. What is needed is a single resource that allows submission of JCAMP-DX files, export of the raw data in multiple formats, searching based on multiple chemical identifiers, and is open in terms of license and access. To address these issues a new online resource called the Open Spectral Database (OSDB) http://osdb.info/ has been developed and is now available. Built using open source tools, using open code (hosted on GitHub), providing open data, and open to community input about design and functionality, the OSDB is available for anyone to submit spectral data, making it searchable and available to the scientific community. This paper details the concept and coding, internal architecture, export formats, Representational State Transfer (REST) Application Programming Interface and options for submission of data. The OSDB website went live in November 2015. Concurrently, the GitHub repository was made available at https://github.com/stuchalk/OSDB/, and is open for collaborators to join the project, submit issues, and contribute code. The combination of a scripting environment (PHPStorm), a PHP Framework (CakePHP), a relational database (MySQL) and a code repository (GitHub) provides all the capabilities to easily develop REST based websites for ingestion, curation and exposure of open chemical data to the community at all levels. It is hoped this software stack (or equivalent ones in other scripting languages) will be leveraged to make more chemical data available for both humans and computers.

Resonator reset in circuit QED by optimal control for large open quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boutin, Samuel; Andersen, Christian Kraglund; Venkatraman, Jayameenakshi; Ferris, Andrew J.; Blais, Alexandre

2017-10-01

We study an implementation of the open GRAPE (gradient ascent pulse engineering) algorithm well suited for large open quantum systems. While typical implementations of optimal control algorithms for open quantum systems rely on explicit matrix exponential calculations, our implementation avoids these operations, leading to a polynomial speedup of the open GRAPE algorithm in cases of interest. This speedup, as well as the reduced memory requirements of our implementation, are illustrated by comparison to a standard implementation of open GRAPE. As a practical example, we apply this open-system optimization method to active reset of a readout resonator in circuit QED. In this problem, the shape of a microwave pulse is optimized such as to empty the cavity from measurement photons as fast as possible. Using our open GRAPE implementation, we obtain pulse shapes, leading to a reset time over 4 times faster than passive reset.

Comparison of Clinical and Radiologic Results of Mini-Open Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion and Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion Indirect Decompression for Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis.

PubMed

Kono, Yutaka; Gen, Hogaku; Sakuma, Yoshio; Koshika, Yasuhide

2018-04-01

Retrospective study. In this study, we compared the postoperative outcomes of extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) indirect decompression with that of mini-open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis. There are very few reports examining postoperative results of XLIF and minimally invasive TLIF for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis, and no reports comparing XLIF and mini-open TLIF. Forty patients who underwent 1-level spinal fusion, either by XLIF indirect decompression (X group, 20 patients) or by mini-open TLIF (T group, 20 patients), for treatment of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis were included in this study. Invasiveness of surgery was evaluated on the basis of surgery time, blood loss, hospitalization period, and perioperative complications. The Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ), disc angle (DA), disc height (DH), and slipping length (SL) were evaluated before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at 12 months after surgery. Cross-sectional spinal canal area (CSA) was also measured before surgery and at 1 month after surgery. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of surgery time or hospitalization period; however, X group showed a significant decrease in blood loss ( p <0.001). Serious complications were not observed in either group. In clinical assessment, no significant differences were observed between the groups with regard to the JOABPEQ results. The change in DH at 12 months after surgery increased significantly in the X group ( p <0.05), and the changes in DA and SL were not significantly different between the two groups. The change in CSA was significantly greater in the T group ( p <0.001). Postoperative clinical results were equally favorable for both procedures; however, in comparison with mini-open TLIF, less blood loss and greater correction of DH were observed in XLIF.

Effects of a single inhalative exposure to formaldehyde on the open field behavior of mice.

PubMed

Malek, Fathi A; Möritz, Klaus-Uwe; Fanghänel, Jochen

2004-02-01

The effects of formaldehyde on the explorative behavior and locomotor activity of mice after a single inhalative exposure were examined in an open field. Adult male mice were exposed to approximately 1.1 ppm, 2.3 ppm, or 5.2 ppm formaldehyde vapour for 2 hours and the open field test was carried out two hours after the end of exposure (trial 1) and repeated 24 hours thereafter (trial 2). The following behavioral parameters were quantitatively examined: numbers of crossed floor squares (inner, peripheral, total), sniffing, grooming, rearing, climbing, and incidence of fecal boli. The results of the first trial revealed that the motion activity was significantly reduced in all exposed groups. In the 1.1 ppm group, the frequency of rearing was reduced and that of floor sniffing increased. The exposure to the two higher formaldehyde concentrations caused a significant decrease in total numbers of floor squares crossed by the subjects, air sniffing, and rearing. The open field test on the next day (trial 2) showed that the frequencies of floor sniffing, grooming, and rearing in all formaldehyde groups were significantly altered. In the 2.5 ppm group, an increased incidence of fecal boli was observed. From the results obtained, we conclude that the exposure of male mice to formaldehyde vapour affects their locomotor and explorative activity in the open field, and that some open field parameters are still altered in the exposed animals even after 24 hours.

OpenTox predictive toxicology framework: toxicological ontology and semantic media wiki-based OpenToxipedia

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The OpenTox Framework, developed by the partners in the OpenTox project (http://www.opentox.org), aims at providing a unified access to toxicity data, predictive models and validation procedures. Interoperability of resources is achieved using a common information model, based on the OpenTox ontologies, describing predictive algorithms, models and toxicity data. As toxicological data may come from different, heterogeneous sources, a deployed ontology, unifying the terminology and the resources, is critical for the rational and reliable organization of the data, and its automatic processing. Results The following related ontologies have been developed for OpenTox: a) Toxicological ontology – listing the toxicological endpoints; b) Organs system and Effects ontology – addressing organs, targets/examinations and effects observed in in vivo studies; c) ToxML ontology – representing semi-automatic conversion of the ToxML schema; d) OpenTox ontology– representation of OpenTox framework components: chemical compounds, datasets, types of algorithms, models and validation web services; e) ToxLink–ToxCast assays ontology and f) OpenToxipedia community knowledge resource on toxicology terminology. OpenTox components are made available through standardized REST web services, where every compound, data set, and predictive method has a unique resolvable address (URI), used to retrieve its Resource Description Framework (RDF) representation, or to initiate the associated calculations and generate new RDF-based resources. The services support the integration of toxicity and chemical data from various sources, the generation and validation of computer models for toxic effects, seamless integration of new algorithms and scientifically sound validation routines and provide a flexible framework, which allows building arbitrary number of applications, tailored to solving different problems by end users (e.g. toxicologists). Availability The OpenTox toxicological

Open Group Transformations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batalin, Igor; Marnelius, Robert

Open groups whose generators are in arbitrary involutions may be quantized within a ghost extended framework in terms of a nilpotent BFV-BRST charge operator. Previously we have shown that generalized quantum Maurer-Cartan equations for arbitrary open groups may be extracted from the quantum connection operators and that they also follow from a simple quantum master equation involving an extended nilpotent BFV-BRST charge and a master charge. Here we give further details of these results. In addition we establish the general structure of the solutions of the quantum master equation. We also construct an extended formulation whose properties are determined by the extended BRST charge in the master equation.

A facile and efficient approach for pore-opening detection of anodic aluminum oxide membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Jiewu; Wu, Yucheng; Wang, Yan; Zheng, Hongmei; Xu, Guangqing; Zhang, Xinyi

2012-05-01

The well aligned porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane is fabricated by a two-step anodization method. The oxide barrier layer of AAO membrane must be removed to get through-hole membrane for synthesizing nanowires and nanotubes of metals, semiconductors and conducting polymers. Removal of the barrier layer of oxide and pore-extending is of significant importance for the preparation of AAO membrane with through-hole pore morphology and desired pore diameter. The conventional method for pore opening is that AAO membrane after removing of aluminum substrate is immersed in chemical etching solution, which is completely empirical and results in catastrophic damage for AAO membrane frequently. A very simple and efficient approach based on capillary action for detecting pore opening of AAO membrane is introduced in this paper, this method can achieve the detection for pore opening visually and control the pore diameter precisely to get desired morphology and the pore diameter of AAO membrane. Two kinds of AAO membranes with different pore shape were obtained by different pore opening methods. In addition, one-dimensional gradient gold nanowires are also fabricated by electrodeposition based on AAO membranes.

DOD Open Government

Science.gov Websites

Skip to main content (Press Enter). DOD Open Government Logo DOD Open Government U.S. Department of Defense Search DOD Open Government: Home Open Government @ DoD Transparency Congressional Inquiries Cooperation Regulatory Program Initiatives FRD Declassification DARPA Open Catalog Contact Us 2016

Endoscopic versus open bursectomy of lateral malleolar bursitis.

PubMed

Choi, Jae Hyuck; Lee, Kyung Tai; Lee, Young Koo; Kim, Dong Hyun; Kim, Jeong Ryoul; Chung, Woo Chull; Cha, Seung Do

2012-06-01

Compare the result of endoscopic versus open bursectomy in lateral malleolar bursitis. Prospective evaluation of 21 patients (22 ankles) undergoing either open or endoscopic excision of lateral malleolar bursitis. The median age was 64 (38-79) years old. The median postoperative follow-up was 15 (12-18) months. Those patients undergoing endoscopic excision showed a higher satisfaction rate (excellent 9, good 2) than open excision (excellent 4, good 3, fair 1). The wounds also healed earlier in the endoscopic group although the operation time was slightly longer. One patient in the endoscopic group had recurrence of symptoms but complications in the open group included one patient with skin necrosis, one patient with wound dehiscence, and two patients of with superficial peroneal nerve injury. Endoscopic resection of the lateral malleolar bursitis is a promising technique and shows favorable results compared to the open resection. Therapeutic studies-Investigating the result of treatment, Level II.

International normalized ratio (INR) testing in Europe: between-laboratory comparability of test results obtained by Quick and Owren reagents.

PubMed

Meijer, Piet; Kynde, Karin; van den Besselaar, Antonius M H P; Van Blerk, Marjan; Woods, Timothy A L

2018-04-12

This study was designed to obtain an overview of the analytical quality of the prothrombin time, reported as international normalized ratio (INR) and to assess the variation of INR results between European laboratories, the difference between Quick-type and Owren-type methods and the effect of using local INR calibration or not. In addition, we assessed the variation in INR results obtained for a single donation in comparison with a pool of several plasmas. A set of four different lyophilized plasma samples were distributed via national EQA organizations to participating laboratories for INR measurement. Between-laboratory variation was lower in the Owren group than in the Quick group (on average: 6.7% vs. 8.1%, respectively). Differences in the mean INR value between the Owren and Quick group were relatively small (<0.20 INR). Between-laboratory variation was lower after local INR calibration (CV: 6.7% vs. 8.6%). For laboratories performing local calibration, the between-laboratory variation was quite similar for the Owren and Quick group (on average: 6.5% and 6.7%, respectively). Clinically significant differences in INR results (difference in INR>0.5) were observed between different reagents. No systematic significant differences in the between-laboratory variation for a single-plasma sample and a pooled plasma sample were observed. The comparability for laboratories using local calibration of their thromboplastin reagent is better than for laboratories not performing local calibration. Implementing local calibration is strongly recommended for the measurement of INR.

How OpenLearn Supports a Business Model for OER

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, Patrina; Perryman, Leigh-Anne

2017-01-01

In 2013, the Open University (OU) in the UK launched a large-scale survey of users of its OpenLearn platform for open educational resources. The survey results revealed that OpenLearn is functioning as a showcase and a taster for the OU, thereby offering informal learners a bridge to formal education. In 2014 and 2015, the OpenLearn survey was…

The Open Microscopy Environment: open image informatics for the biological sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blackburn, Colin; Allan, Chris; Besson, Sébastien; Burel, Jean-Marie; Carroll, Mark; Ferguson, Richard K.; Flynn, Helen; Gault, David; Gillen, Kenneth; Leigh, Roger; Leo, Simone; Li, Simon; Lindner, Dominik; Linkert, Melissa; Moore, Josh; Moore, William J.; Ramalingam, Balaji; Rozbicki, Emil; Rustici, Gabriella; Tarkowska, Aleksandra; Walczysko, Petr; Williams, Eleanor; Swedlow, Jason R.

2016-07-01

Despite significant advances in biological imaging and analysis, major informatics challenges remain unsolved: file formats are proprietary, storage and analysis facilities are lacking, as are standards for sharing image data and results. While the open FITS file format is ubiquitous in astronomy, astronomical imaging shares many challenges with biological imaging, including the need to share large image sets using secure, cross-platform APIs, and the need for scalable applications for processing and visualization. The Open Microscopy Environment (OME) is an open-source software framework developed to address these challenges. OME tools include: an open data model for multidimensional imaging (OME Data Model); an open file format (OME-TIFF) and library (Bio-Formats) enabling free access to images (5D+) written in more than 145 formats from many imaging domains, including FITS; and a data management server (OMERO). The Java-based OMERO client-server platform comprises an image metadata store, an image repository, visualization and analysis by remote access, allowing sharing and publishing of image data. OMERO provides a means to manage the data through a multi-platform API. OMERO's model-based architecture has enabled its extension into a range of imaging domains, including light and electron microscopy, high content screening, digital pathology and recently into applications using non-image data from clinical and genomic studies. This is made possible using the Bio-Formats library. The current release includes a single mechanism for accessing image data of all types, regardless of original file format, via Java, C/C++ and Python and a variety of applications and environments (e.g. ImageJ, Matlab and R).

On the assessment of the nature of open star clusters and the determination of their basic parameters with limited data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carraro, Giovanni; Baume, Gustavo; Seleznev, Anton F.; Costa, Edgardo

2017-07-01

Our knowledge of stellar evolution and of the structure and chemical evolution of the Galactic disk largely builds on the study of open star clusters. Because of their crucial role in these relevant topics, large homogeneous catalogues of open cluster parameters are highly desirable. Although efforts have been made to develop automatic tools to analyse large numbers of clusters, the results obtained so far vary from study to study, and sometimes are very contradictory when compared to dedicated studies of individual clusters. In this work we highlight the common causes of these discrepancies for some open clusters, and show that at present dedicated studies yield a much better assessment of the nature of star clusters, even in the absence of ideal data-sets. We make use of deep, wide-field, multi-colour photometry to discuss the nature of six strategically selected open star clusters: Trumpler 22, Lynga 6, Hogg 19, Hogg 21, Pismis 10 and Pismis 14. We have precisely derived their basic parameters by means of a combination of star counts and photometric diagrams. Trumpler 22 and Lynga 6 are included in our study because they are widely known, and thus provided a check of our data and methodology. The remaining four clusters are very poorly known, and their available parameters have been obtained using automatic tools only. Our results are in some cases in severe disagreement with those from automatic surveys.

Easy to open? Exploring the 'openability' of hospital food and beverage packaging by older adults.

PubMed

Bell, Alison F; Walton, Karen L; Tapsell, Linda C

2016-03-01

Food is increasingly a packaged commodity, both in the community and in institutionalised settings such as hospitals, where many older people are malnourished. Previous research with patients aged over 65 years in NSW public hospitals identified difficulties opening milk, water, juices, cereal and tetra packs. The aim of this paper was to assess the ability of well older people living in the community to open food and beverage items routinely used in NSW hospitals in order to gain further insights into the older person/pack interaction and the role of hand and finger strength in pack opening. A sample of 40 older people in good health aged over 65 years from 3 community settings participated in the study. The attempts at pack opening were observed, the time taken to open the pack was measured and the correlation between grip and pinch strengths with opening times was determined. Tetra packs, water bottles, cereal, fruit cups, desserts, biscuits and cheese portions appeared to be the most difficult food products to open. Ten percent of the sample could not open the water bottles and 39% could not open cheese portions. The results were consistent with the previous research involving hospitalised older adults, adding emphasis to the conclusion that food and beverage packaging can be a potential barrier to adequate nutrition when particular types of packaged products are used in hospitals or the community. The ageing population is rapidly becoming a larger and more important group to consider in the provision of goods and services. Designers, manufacturers and providers of food and beverage products need to consider the needs and abilities of these older consumers to ensure good 'openability' and promote adequate nutritional intakes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterizing open and non-uniform vertical heat sources: towards the identification of real vertical cracks in vibrothermography experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castelo, A.; Mendioroz, A.; Celorrio, R.; Salazar, A.; López de Uralde, P.; Gorosmendi, I.; Gorostegui-Colinas, E.

2017-05-01

Lock-in vibrothermography is used to characterize vertical kissing and open cracks in metals. In this technique the crack heats up during ultrasound excitation due mainly to friction between the defect's faces. We have solved the inverse problem, consisting in determining the heat source distribution produced at cracks under amplitude modulated ultrasound excitation, which is an ill-posed inverse problem. As a consequence the minimization of the residual is unstable. We have stabilized the algorithm introducing a penalty term based on Total Variation functional. In the inversion, we combine amplitude and phase surface temperature data obtained at several modulation frequencies. Inversions of synthetic data with added noise indicate that compact heat sources are characterized accurately and that the particular upper contours can be retrieved for shallow heat sources. The overall shape of open and homogeneous semicircular strip-shaped heat sources representing open half-penny cracks can also be retrieved but the reconstruction of the deeper end of the heat source loses contrast. Angle-, radius- and depth-dependent inhomogeneous heat flux distributions within these semicircular strips can also be qualitatively characterized. Reconstructions of experimental data taken on samples containing calibrated heat sources confirm the predictions from reconstructions of synthetic data. We also present inversions of experimental data obtained from a real welded Inconel 718 specimen. The results are in good qualitative agreement with the results of liquids penetrants testing.

Type 0 open string amplitudes and the tensionless limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojas, Francisco

2014-12-01

The sum over planar multiloop diagrams in the NS + sector of type 0 open strings in flat spacetime has been proposed by Thorn as a candidate to resolve nonperturbative issues of gauge theories in the large N limit. With S U (N ) Chan-Paton factors, the sum over planar open string multiloop diagrams describes the 't Hooft limit N →∞ with N gs2 held fixed. By including only planar diagrams in the sum the usual mechanism for the cancellation of loop divergences (which occurs, for example, among the planar and Möbius strip diagrams by choosing a specific gauge group) is not available and a renormalization procedure is needed. In this article the renormalization is achieved by suspending total momentum conservation by an amount p ≡∑ i n ki≠0 at the level of the integrands in the integrals over the moduli and analytically continuing them to p =0 at the very end. This procedure has been successfully tested for the 2 and 3 gluon planar loop amplitudes by Thorn. Gauge invariance is respected and the correct running of the coupling in the limiting gauge field theory was also correctly obtained. In this article we extend those results in two directions. First, we generalize the renormalization method to an arbitrary n -gluon planar loop amplitude giving full details for the 4-point case. One of our main results is to provide a fully renormalized amplitude which is free of both UV and the usual spurious divergences leaving only the physical singularities in it. Second, using the complete renormalized amplitude, we extract the high-energy scattering regime at fixed angle (tensionless limit). Apart from obtaining the usual exponential falloff at high energies, we compute the full dependence on the scattering angle which shows the existence of a smooth connection between the Regge and hard scattering regimes.

Open Access: What You Need to Know Now

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Walt

2011-01-01

Academic libraries routinely struggle to afford access to expensive journals, and patrons may not be able to obtain every scholarly paper they need. Is Open Access (OA) the answer? In this ALA Editions Special Report, Crawford helps readers understand what OA is (and isn't), as he concisely: (1) Analyzes the factors that have brought libraries to…

Increasing the object recognition distance of compact open air on board vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirillov, Sergey; Kostkin, Ivan; Strotov, Valery; Dmitriev, Vladimir; Berdnikov, Vadim; Akopov, Eduard; Elyutin, Aleksey

2016-10-01

The aim of this work was developing an algorithm eliminating the atmospheric distortion and improves image quality. The proposed algorithm is entirely software without using additional hardware photographic equipment. . This algorithm does not required preliminary calibration. It can work equally effectively with the images obtained at a distances from 1 to 500 meters. An algorithm for the open air images improve designed for Raspberry Pi model B on-board vision systems is proposed. The results of experimental examination are given.

The NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project/General Electric Open Rotor Test Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Zante, Dale

2013-01-01

The Open Rotor is a modern version of the UnDucted Fan (UDF) that was flight tested in the late 1980's through a partnership between NASA and General Electric (GE). Tests were conducted in the 9'x15' Low Speed Wind Tunnel and the 8'x6' Supersonic Wind Tunnel starting in late 2009 and completed in early 2012. Aerodynamic and acoustic data were obtained for takeoff, approach and cruise simulations. GE was the primary partner, but other organizations were involved such as Boeing and Airbus who provided additional hardware for fuselage simulations. This test campaign provided the acoustic and performance characteristics for modern open rotor blades designs." NASA and GE conducted joint systems analysis to evaluate how well new blade designs would perform on a B737 class aircraft, and compared the results to an advanced higher bypass ratio turbofan." Acoustic shielding experiments were performed at NASA GRC and Boeing LSAF facilities to provide data for noise estimates of unconventional aircraft configurations with Open Rotor propulsion systems." The work was sponsored by NASA's aeronautics programs, including the Subsonic Fixed Wing (SFW) and the Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) projects."

Who Are the Open Learners? A Comparative Study Profiling Non-Formal Users of Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrow, Robert; de los Arcos, Beatriz; Pitt, Rebecca; Weller, Martin

2015-01-01

Open educational resources (OER) have been identified as having the potential to extend opportunities for learning to non-formal learners. However, little research has been conducted into the impact of OER on non-formal learners. This paper presents the results of a systematic survey of more than 3,000 users of open educational resources (OER).…

Determining the Ages and Distances of 4 Open Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawczynec, Erica A.; James D. Armstrong, Joe M. Ritter, Jeff Kuhn

2018-01-01

The study of nearby young open clusters can give insight into star formation and potentially the local rate of metal enrichment. Presented is a BVRI photometric analysis of 4 open clusters; NGC 2509, NGC 2483, NGC 2482, and NGC 6705, in order to reevaluate previously published ages and distances using modern CCD photometry, and newer stellar models. Observations were obtained from the Cerro Tololo node of the Las Cumbres Observatory 1.0 meter network. Color magnitude diagrams were compared to modeled isochrones and the updated ages and distances determined. An interesting stellar association was found in the color magnitude diagram of NGC 6705. The structure is suggestive of two epochs of stellar formation. Members of this structure were evaluated using the Gaia Archive in order to explore the possibility of a heterogeneous population. The status of NGC 2483 as an open cluster has been debated; however, it has been noted that there is a high concentration of Be stars found in the region. It is concluded that NGC 2483 is an open cluster.

Aircraft and ground vehicle friction correlation test results obtained under winter runway conditions during joint FAA/NASA Runway Friction Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yager, Thomas J.; Vogler, William A.; Baldasare, Paul

1988-01-01

Aircraft and ground vehicle friction data collected during the Joint FAA/NASA Runway Friction Program under winter runway conditions are discussed and test results are summarized. The relationship between the different ground vehicle friction measurements obtained on compacted snow- and ice-covered conditions is defined together with the correlation to aircraft tire friction performance under similar runway conditions.

Alpha Channeling in Open-System Magnetic Devices

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

Fisch, Nathaniel

The Grant DE-SC0000736, Alpha Channeling in Open-System Magnetic Devices, is a continuation of the Grant DE-FG02-06ER54851, Alpha Channeling in Mirror Machines. In publications funded by DE-SC0000736, the grant DE-FG02-06ER54851 was actually credited. The key results obtained under Grant DE-SC0000736, Alpha Channeling in Open-System Magnetic Devices, appear in a series of publications. The earlier effort under DE-FG02- 06ER54851 was the subject of a previous Final Report. The theme of this later effort has been unusual confinement effects, or de-confinement effects, in open-field magnetic confinement devices. First, the possibilities in losing axisymmetry were explored. Then a number of issues in rotating plasmamore » were addressed. Most importantly, a spinoff application to plasma separations was recognized, which also resulted in a provisional patent application. (That provisional patent application, however, was not pursued further.) Alpha channeling entails injecting waves into magnetically confined plasma to release energy from one particular ion while ejecting that ion. The ejection of the ion is actually a concomitant effect in releasing energy from the ion to the wave. In rotating plasma, there is the opportunity to store the energy in a radial electric field rather than in waves. In other words, the ejected alpha particle loses its energy to the radial potential, which in turn produces plasma rotation. This is a very useful effect, since producing radial electric fields by other means are technologically more difficult. In fact, one can heat ions, and then eject them, to produce the desired radial field. In each case, there is a separation effect of different ions, which generalizes the original alpha-channeling concept of separating alpha ash from hydrogen. In a further generalization of the separation concept, a double-well filter represents a new way to produce high-throughput separations of ions, potentially useful for nuclear waste remediation.« less

LOPES — Recent Results and Open Questions on the Radio Detection of Air Showers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schröder, F. G.; Apel, W. D.; Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C.; Bähren, L.; Bekk, K.; Bertaina, M.; Biermann, P. L.; Blümer, J.; Bozdog, H.; Brancus, I. M.; Cantoni, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Daumiller, K.; de Souza, V.; Di Pierro, F.; Doll, P.; Engel, R.; Falcke, H.; Fuchs, B.; Gemmeke, H.; Grupen, C.; Haungs, A.; Heck, D.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horneffer, A.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Isar, P. G.; Kampert, K.-H.; Kang, D.; Krömer, O.; Kuijpers, J.; Link, K.; Łuczak, P.; Ludwig, M.; Mathes, H. J.; Melissas, M.; Morello, C.; Oehlschläger, J.; Palmieri, N.; Pierog, T.; Rautenberg, J.; Rebel, H.; Roth, M.; Rühle, C.; Saftoiu, A.; Schieler, H.; Schmidt, A.; Schoo, S.; Sima, O.; Toma, G.; Trinchero, G. C.; Weindl, A.; Wochele, J.; Zabierowski, J.; Zensus, J. A.

2015-08-01

LOPES was a digital antenna array operating for approximately 10 years until spring 2013 at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Triggered by the co-located KASCADE-Grande air-shower experiment, it measured the radio signal of around 1000 cosmic-ray air showers with energies E ≳ 1017 eV in an effective band of 43 - 74 MHz. Using the interferometric technique of cross-correlation beamforming, LOPES could reconstruct the shower direction with an accuracy < 0.7°, the shower energy with a precision < 20%, and the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum, Xmax, with a precision < 95g/cm2. In particular the reconstruction of the shower maximum suffers from significant measurement uncertainties due to the radio-loud environment of the site. This article summarizes our latest results on the reconstruction of the shower maximum, using two independent methods: the steepness of the hyperbolic radio wavefront and the slope of the lateral distribution of the radio amplitude. Moreover, we show vectorial measurements of the electric field with the tripole antennas of the latest LOPES setup. Finally, we discuss open questions as well as the potential impact of the lessons learned at LOPES for future antenna arrays.

Aqueous Dispersions of Silica Stabilized with Oleic Acid Obtained by Green Chemistry.

PubMed

Nistor, Cristina Lavinia; Ianchis, Raluca; Ghiurea, Marius; Nicolae, Cristian-Andi; Spataru, Catalin-Ilie; Culita, Daniela Cristina; Pandele Cusu, Jeanina; Fruth, Victor; Oancea, Florin; Donescu, Dan

2016-01-05

The present study describes for the first time the synthesis of silica nanoparticles starting from sodium silicate and oleic acid (OLA). The interactions between OLA and sodium silicate require an optimal OLA/OLANa molar ratio able to generate vesicles that can stabilize silica particles obtained by the sol-gel process of sodium silicate. The optimal molar ratio of OLA/OLANa can be ensured by a proper selection of OLA and respectively of sodium silicate concentration. The titration of sodium silicate with OLA revealed a stabilization phenomenon of silica/OLA vesicles and the dependence between their average size and reagent's molar ratio. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements emphasized the successful synthesis of silica nanoparticles starting from renewable materials, in mild condition of green chemistry. By grafting octadecyltrimethoxysilane on the initial silica particles, an increased interaction between silica particles and the OLA/OLANa complex was achieved. This interaction between the oleyl and octadecyl chains resulted in the formation of stable gel-like aqueous systems. Subsequently, olive oil and an oleophylic red dye were solubilized in these stable aqueous systems. This great dispersing capacity of oleosoluble compounds opens new perspectives for future green chemistry applications. After the removal of water and of the organic chains by thermal treatment, mesoporous silica was obtained.

Comparison of laparoscopic and open aortobifemoral bypass in the treatment of aortoiliac disease. Results of a contemporary series (2003-2009).

PubMed

Bruls, S; Quaniers, J; Tromme, P; Lavigne, J-P; Van Damme, H; Defraigne, J O

2012-01-01

The study objective was to describe and evaluate our single center (University Hospital Liège) experience with totally laparoscopic bypass surgery compared with conventional open surgery to treat aortoiliac occlusive disease. A retrospective database review of all patients undergoing aortobifemoral bypass for aortoiliac occlusive disease in our center, between 2003 and 2009, was performed. During this period, a total of 251 consecutive patients were identified. Among these patients, 95 underwent totally laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass (group I) and 156 conventional open surgery (group II). Demographic data, operative data, postoperative recovery data, complications, two-year follow-up, morbidity and mortality were analysed according to the laparoscopic and conventional open group. Patients included 160 men and 91 women. The mean age was 61 years (range, 40 to 88 years) in both groups. Indications for surgery were invalidating claudication in 87%, rest pain in 7%, trophic disorders in 5%, impotence in 1.6% and digestive claudication in 1.2%. Prior to bypass surgery, 11 (11.6%) for the group I and 41 (26.3%) for the group II had undergone one or more abdominal surgical procedures. A transperitoneal and retrocolic approach was preferred in all laparoscopic procedures. Laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass (LABF) required an operative time of 242 minutes (range, 129 to 465) and open aortobifemoral bypass (OABF), 200 minutes (range, 105 to 430). The mean aortic cross clamping time was 62 minutes in group I and 33 minutes in group II. Mean blood loss was more important in group II (1010 ml) than in group I (682 ml). The average length of hospital stay was 8.1 days for LABF compared with an average of 12 days for OABF. In 21 cases (20%) conversion to open surgery was necessary in the laparoscopic group. Systemic morbidity was significantly higher in the OABF group. Thirty-day postoperative mortality was 2% for group II. There was no hospital mortality in the laparoscopic

Open clusters as laboratories: The angular momentum evolution of young stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stauffer, John R.

1994-01-01

This is the annual status report for the third year of our LTSA grant 'Open Clusters as Laboratories.' Because we have now had a few years to work on the project, we have started to produce and publish a large number of papers. We have been extremely successful in obtaining ROSAT observations of open clusters. With the demise of the PSPC on ROSAT, our main data source has come to an end and we will be able to concentrate on analyzing those data.

Convergence of high order perturbative expansions in open system quantum dynamics.

PubMed

Xu, Meng; Song, Linze; Song, Kai; Shi, Qiang

2017-02-14

We propose a new method to directly calculate high order perturbative expansion terms in open system quantum dynamics. They are first written explicitly in path integral expressions. A set of differential equations are then derived by extending the hierarchical equation of motion (HEOM) approach. As two typical examples for the bosonic and fermionic baths, specific forms of the extended HEOM are obtained for the spin-boson model and the Anderson impurity model. Numerical results are then presented for these two models. General trends of the high order perturbation terms as well as the necessary orders for the perturbative expansions to converge are analyzed.

Google Classroom and Open Clusters: An Authentic Science Research Project for High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Chelen H.; Linahan, Marcella; Cuba, Allison Frances; Dickmann, Samantha Rose; Hogan, Eleanor B.; Karos, Demetra N.; Kozikowski, Kendall G.; Kozikowski, Lauren Paige; Nelson, Samantha Brooks; O'Hara, Kevin Thomas; Ropinski, Brandi Lucia; Scarpa, Gabriella; Garmany, Catharine D.

2016-01-01

STEM education is about offering unique opportunities to our students. For the past three years, students from two high schools (Breck School in Minneapolis, MN, and Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, IL) have collaborated on authentic astronomy research projects. This past year they surveyed archival data of open clusters to determine if a clear turnoff point could be unequivocally determined. Age and distance to each open cluster were calculated. Additionally, students requested time on several telescopes to obtain original data to compare to the archival data. Students from each school worked in collaborative teams, sharing and verifying results through regular online hangouts and chats. Work papers were stored in a shared drive and on a student-designed Google site to facilitate dissemination of documents between the two schools.

Open Probe fast GC-MS - combining ambient sampling ultra-fast separation and in-vacuum ionization for real-time analysis.

PubMed

Keshet, U; Alon, T; Fialkov, A B; Amirav, A

2017-07-01

An Open Probe inlet was combined with a low thermal mass ultra-fast gas chromatograph (GC), in-vacuum electron ionization ion source and a mass spectrometer (MS) of GC-MS for obtaining real-time analysis with separation. The Open Probe enables ambient sampling via sample vaporization in an oven that is open to room air, and the ultra-fast GC provides ~30-s separation, while if no separation is required, it can act as a transfer line with 2 to 3-s sample transfer time. Sample analysis is as simple as touching the sample, pushing the sample holder into the Open Probe oven and obtaining the results in 30 s. The Open Probe fast GC was mounted on a standard Agilent 7890 GC that was coupled with an Agilent 5977A MS. Open Probe fast GC-MS provides real-time analysis combined with GC separation and library identification, and it uses the low-cost MS of GC-MS. The operation of Open Probe fast GC-MS is demonstrated in the 30-s separation and 50-s full analysis cycle time of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol in Cannabis flower, sub 1-min analysis of trace trinitrotoluene transferred from a finger onto a glass surface, vitamin E in canola oil, sterols in olive oil, polybrominated flame retardants in plastics, alprazolam in Xanax drug pill and free fatty acids and cholesterol in human blood. The extrapolated limit of detection for pyrene is <1 fg, but the concentration is too high and the software noise calculation is untrustworthy. The broad range of compounds amenable for analysis is demonstrated in the analysis of reserpine. The possible use with alternate standard GC-MS and Open Probe fast GC-MS is demonstrated in the analysis of heroin in its street drug powder. The use of Open Probe with the fast GC acting as a transfer line is demonstrated in <10-s analysis without separation of ibuprofen and estradiol. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The LANDSAT system operated in Brazil by CNPq/INPE - results obtained in the area of mapping and future perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dejesusparada, N. (Principal Investigator); Barbosa, M. N.

1981-01-01

The LANDSAT system, operated in the country by CNPg/INPE since 1973, systematically acquires, produces, and distributes both multispectral and panchromatic images obtained through remote sensing satellites to thousands of researchers and technicians involved in the natural resources survey. To cooperate in the solution of national problems, CNPq/INPE is developing efforts in the area of manipulation of those images with the objective of making them useful as planimetric bases for the simple revision of already published maps or for its utilization as basic material in regions not yet reliability mapped. The results obtained from performed tests are presented and the existing limitations are discussed. The new system purchased to handle data from the next series of LANDSAT as well as from MAPSAT and SPOT which will be in operation within the 80's decade, and are designed not only for natural resources survey but also for the solution of cartographic problems.

Heterogeneous compute in computer vision: OpenCL in OpenCV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasparakis, Harris

2014-02-01

We explore the relevance of Heterogeneous System Architecture (HSA) in Computer Vision, both as a long term vision, and as a near term emerging reality via the recently ratified OpenCL 2.0 Khronos standard. After a brief review of OpenCL 1.2 and 2.0, including HSA features such as Shared Virtual Memory (SVM) and platform atomics, we identify what genres of Computer Vision workloads stand to benefit by leveraging those features, and we suggest a new mental framework that replaces GPU compute with hybrid HSA APU compute. As a case in point, we discuss, in some detail, popular object recognition algorithms (part-based models), emphasizing the interplay and concurrent collaboration between the GPU and CPU. We conclude by describing how OpenCL has been incorporated in OpenCV, a popular open source computer vision library, emphasizing recent work on the Transparent API, to appear in OpenCV 3.0, which unifies the native CPU and OpenCL execution paths under a single API, allowing the same code to execute either on CPU or on a OpenCL enabled device, without even recompiling.

Sense Staging. The Result of 8 Years of Directing and Designing for the Open Stage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Richard D.

Theatrical revolution symbolized by the open stage is discussed. The mere absence of the proscenium arch can insure no more than an architectural modification. Any genuine and lasting artistic liberation must come with the attitudes guiding the use of the stage. The only valid principles are those which can point gently toward contemporary…

Open Access Publishing - Strengths and Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, Martin

2010-05-01

The journal crisis and the demand for free accessibility to the results of publicly funded research were the main drivers of the Open Access movement since the late 1990's. Besides many academic institutions that support the different ways of Open Access publishing, there is a growing number of publishing houses that are specialized on this new access and business model of scholarly literature. The lecture provides an overview of the different kinds of Open Access publishing, discusses the variety of underlying business models, names the advantages and potentials for researches and the public, and overcomes some objections against Open Access. Besides the increased visibility and information supply, the topic of copyrights and exploitation rights will be discussed. Furthermore, it is a central aim of the presentation to show that Open Access does not only support full peer-review, but also provides the potential for even enhanced quality assurance. The financing of business models based on open accessible literature is another important part to be outlined in the lecture.

[Three dimensional finite element model of a modified posterior cervical single open-door laminoplasty].

PubMed

Wang, Q; Yang, Y; Fei, Q; Li, D; Li, J J; Meng, H; Su, N; Fan, Z H; Wang, B Q

2017-06-06

Objective: To build a three-dimensional finite element models of a modified posterior cervical single open-door laminoplasty with short-segmental lateral mass screws fusion. Methods: The C(2)-C(7) segmental data were obtained from computed tomography (CT) scans of a male patient with cervical spondylotic myelopathy and spinal stenosis.Three-dimensional finite element models of a modified cervical single open-door laminoplasty (before and after surgery) were constructed by the combination of software package MIMICS, Geomagic and ABAQUS.The models were composed of bony vertebrae, articulating facets, intervertebral disc and associated ligaments.The loads of moments 1.5Nm at different directions (flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation)were applied at preoperative model to calculate intersegmental ranges of motion.The results were compared with the previous studies to verify the validation of the models. Results: Three-dimensional finite element models of the modified cervical single open- door laminoplasty had 102258 elements (preoperative model) and 161 892 elements (postoperative model) respectively, including C(2-7) six bony vertebraes, C(2-3)-C(6-7) five intervertebral disc, main ligaments and lateral mass screws.The intersegmental responses at the preoperative model under the loads of moments 1.5 Nm at different directions were similar to the previous published data. Conclusion: Three-dimensional finite element models of the modified cervical single open- door laminoplasty were successfully established and had a good biological fidelity, which can be used for further study.

Open Governance in Higher Education: Extending the Past to the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masson, Patrick

2011-01-01

Open educational resources, open content, open access, open research, open courseware--all of these open initiatives share, and benefit from, a vision of access and a collaborative framework that often result in improved outcomes. Many of these open initiatives have gained adoption within higher education and are now serving in mission-critical…

Map-based trigonometric parallaxes of open clusters: Coma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gatewood, George

1995-01-01

This is the fourth study in a series to determine the direct trigonometric parallaxes of four of the nearest open star clusters, the Hyades, the Pleiades, the Praesepe, and the nearby cluster in Coma (Gatewood et al. 1990; Gatewood et al. 1992); Gatewood & Kiewiet de Jonge 1994). The results for the open star cluster in Coma are compared with those of the other three clusters, and the members are found to be significantly subluminous. The trigonometric parallax of the cluster is estimated from that of three members studied with the Multichannel Astrometric Photometer (MAP) at the Thaw Refractor of the University of Pittsburgh's Allegheny Observatory. The weighted mean parallax of the cluster is +13.53 +/- 0.54 mass (0.00054 min), corresponding to a distance modulus of 4.34 +/- 0.09 mag. The U-B excess of the Coma cluster members may be used to adjust the observed absolute magnitudes and the B-V measurements as suggested by Sandage & Eggen (1959). The agreement obtained in this manner suggests that, like subdwarf stars, the stars of the Coma cluster appear subluminous because of line blanketing. One of the three members observed in this study was recognized as a member by its parallax and is the faintest known member of the cluster.

Map-based trigonometric parallaxes of open clusters: Coma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatewood, George

1995-06-01

This is the fourth study in a series to determine the direct trigonometric parallaxes of four of the nearest open star clusters, the Hyades, the Pleiades, the Praesepe, and the nearby cluster in Coma (Gatewood et al. 1990; Gatewood et al. 1992); Gatewood & Kiewiet de Jonge 1994). The results for the open star cluster in Coma are compared with those of the other three clusters, and the members are found to be significantly subluminous. The trigonometric parallax of the cluster is estimated from that of three members studied with the Multichannel Astrometric Photometer (MAP) at the Thaw Refractor of the University of Pittsburgh's Allegheny Observatory. The weighted mean parallax of the cluster is +13.53 +/- 0.54 mass (0.00054 min), corresponding to a distance modulus of 4.34 +/- 0.09 mag. The U-B excess of the Coma cluster members may be used to adjust the observed absolute magnitudes and the B-V measurements as suggested by Sandage & Eggen (1959). The agreement obtained in this manner suggests that, like subdwarf stars, the stars of the Coma cluster appear subluminous because of line blanketing. One of the three members observed in this study was recognized as a member by its parallax and is the faintest known member of the cluster.

Results of in vivo measurements of strontium-90 body-burden in Urals residents: analyses of data obtained 2006-2012

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

Tolstykh, E. I.; Bougrov, N. G.; Krivoshchapov, Victor A.

2012-06-01

A part of the Urals territory was contaminated with 90Sr and 137Cs in the 1950s as a result of accidents at the "Mayak" Production Association. The paper describes the analysis of in vivo 90Sr measurements in Urals residents. The measurements were performed with the use of whole-body-counter SICH-9.1M in 2006-2012. Totally 5840 measurements for 4876 persons were performed from 2006 to 2012; maximal measured value was 24 kBq. Earlier, similar measurements were performed with SICH-9.1 (1974-1997). Comparison of the results obtained with SICH-9.1 and SICH-9.1M has shown a good agreement of the two data sets.

Agricultural and Management Practices and Bacterial Contamination in Greenhouse versus Open Field Lettuce Production

PubMed Central

Holvoet, Kevin; Sampers, Imca; Seynnaeve, Marleen; Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Uyttendaele, Mieke

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to gain insight into potential differences in risk factors for microbial contamination in greenhouse versus open field lettuce production. Information was collected on sources, testing, and monitoring and if applicable, treatment of irrigation and harvest rinsing water. These data were combined with results of analysis on the levels of Escherichia coli as a fecal indicator organism and the presence of enteric bacterial pathogens on both lettuce crops and environmental samples. Enterohemorragic Escherichia coli (EHEC) PCR signals (vt1 or vt2 positive and eae positive), Campylobacter spp., and Salmonella spp. isolates were more often obtained from irrigation water sampled from open field farms (21/45, 46.7%) versus from greenhouse production (9/75, 12.0%). The open field production was shown to be more prone to fecal contamination as the number of lettuce samples and irrigation water with elevated E. coli was significantly higher. Farmers comply with generic guidelines on good agricultural practices available at the national level, but monitoring of microbial quality, and if applicable appropriateness of water treatment, or water used for irrigation or at harvest is restricted. These results indicate the need for further elaboration of specific guidelines and control measures for leafy greens with regard to microbial hazards. PMID:25546272

Agricultural and management practices and bacterial contamination in greenhouse versus open field lettuce production.

PubMed

Holvoet, Kevin; Sampers, Imca; Seynnaeve, Marleen; Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Uyttendaele, Mieke

2014-12-23

The aim of this study was to gain insight into potential differences in risk factors for microbial contamination in greenhouse versus open field lettuce production. Information was collected on sources, testing, and monitoring and if applicable, treatment of irrigation and harvest rinsing water. These data were combined with results of analysis on the levels of Escherichia coli as a fecal indicator organism and the presence of enteric bacterial pathogens on both lettuce crops and environmental samples. Enterohemorragic Escherichia coli (EHEC) PCR signals (vt1 or vt2 positive and eae positive), Campylobacter spp., and Salmonella spp. isolates were more often obtained from irrigation water sampled from open field farms (21/45, 46.7%) versus from greenhouse production (9/75, 12.0%). The open field production was shown to be more prone to fecal contamination as the number of lettuce samples and irrigation water with elevated E. coli was significantly higher. Farmers comply with generic guidelines on good agricultural practices available at the national level, but monitoring of microbial quality, and if applicable appropriateness of water treatment, or water used for irrigation or at harvest is restricted. These results indicate the need for further elaboration of specific guidelines and control measures for leafy greens with regard to microbial hazards.

Open Access: "à consommer avec modération"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahoney, Terence J.

There is increasing pressure on academics and researchers to publish the results of their investigations in open access journals. Indeed, some funding agencies make open access publishing a basic requirement for funding projects, and the EU is considering taking firm steps in this direction. I argue that astronomy is already one of the most open of disciplines, and that access - both to the general public (in terms of a significantly growing outreach effort) and to developing countries (through efforts to provide computing facilities and Internet access, as well as schemes to provide research centres of limited resources with journals) - is becoming more and more open in a genuine and lasting way. I further argue that sudden switches to more formal kinds of open access schemes could cause irreparable harm to astronomical publishing. Several of the most prestigious astronomical research journals (e.g. MN, ApJ, AJ) have for more than a century met the publishing needs of the research community and continue to adapt successfully to changing demands on the part of that community. The after-effects of abrupt changes in publishing practices - implemented through primarily political concerns - are hard to predict and could be severely damaging. I conclude that open access, in its current acceptation, should be studied with great care and with sufficient time before any consideration is given to its implementation. If forced on the publishing and research communities, open access could well result in much more limited access to properly vetted research results.

Effective protection of open space: does planning matter?

PubMed

Steelman, Toddi A; Hess, George R

2009-07-01

High quality plans are considered a crucial part of good land use planning and often used as a proxy measure for success in plan implementation and goal attainment. We explored the relationship of open space plan quality to the implementation of open space plans and attainment of open space protection goals in Research Triangle, North Carolina, USA. To measure plan quality, we used a standard plan evaluation matrix that we modified to focus on open space plans. We evaluated all open space plans in the region that contained a natural resource protection element. To measure plan implementation and open space protection, we developed an online survey and administered it to open space planners charged with implementing the plans. The survey elicited each planner's perspective on aspects of open space protection in his or her organization. The empirical results (1) indicate that success in implementation and attaining goals are not related to plan quality, (2) highlight the importance of when and how stakeholders are involved in planning and implementation processes, and (3) raise questions about the relationship of planning to implementation. These results suggest that a technically excellent plan does not guarantee the long-term relationships among local land owners, political and appointed officials, and other organizations that are crucial to meeting land protection goals. A greater balance of attention to the entire decision process and building relationships might lead to more success in protecting open space.

The Open Cluster Chemical Abundances and Mapping (OCCAM) Survey: Current Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frinchaboy, Peter; O'Connell, Julia; Donor, John; Cunha, Katia; Thompson, Benjamin; Melendez, Matthew; Shetrone, Matthew; Zasowski, Gail; Majewski, Steven R.; APOGEE TEAM

2018-01-01

The Open Cluster Chemical Analysis and Mapping (OCCAM) survey aims to produce a comprehensive, uniform, infrared-based data set forhundreds of open clusters, and constrain key Galactic dynamical and chemical parameters using the SDSS/APOGEE survey and follow-up from the McDonald Observatory Otto Struve 2.1-m telescope and Sandiford Cass Echelle Spectrograph (R ~ 60,000). We report on multi-element radial abundance gradients obtained from a sample of over 30 disk open clusters. The APOGEE chemical abundances were derived automatically by the ASPCAP pipeline and these are part of the SDSS IV Data Release 14, optical follow-up were analyzed using equivalent width analysis and spectral synthesis. We present the current open cluster sample that spans a significant range in age allowing exploration of the evolution of the Galactic abundance gradients. This work is supported by an NSF AAG grants AST-1311835 & AST-1715662.

Open Vessel Data Management (OpenVDM), Open-source Software to Assist Vessel Operators with the Task of Ship-wide Data Management.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinner, J. W., IV

2016-02-01

Data from shipboard oceanographic sensors are collected in various ASCii, binary, open and proprietary formats. Acquiring all of these formats using single, monolithic data acquisition system (DAS) can be cumbersome, complex and difficult to adapt for the ever changing suite of emerging oceanographic sensors. Another approach to the at-sea data acquisition challenge is to utilize multiple DAS software packages and corral the resulting data files with a ship-wide data management system. The Open Vessel Data Management project (OpenVDM) implements this second approach to ship-wide data management and over the last three years has successfully demonstrated it's ability to deliver a consistent cruise data package to scientists while reducing the workload placed on marine technicians. In addition to meeting the at-sea and post-cruise needs of scientists OpenVDM is helping vessel operators better adhere to the recommendations and best practices set forth by 3rd party data management and data quality groups such as R2R and SAMOS. OpenVDM also includes tools for supporting telepresence-enabled ocean research/exploration such as bandwidth-efficient ship-to-shore data transfers, shore-side data access, data visualization and near-real-time data quality tests and data statistics. OpenVDM is currently operating aboard three vessels. The R/V Endeavor, operated by the University of Rhode Island, is a regional-class UNOLS research vessel operating under the traditional NFS, P.I. driven model. The E/V Nautilus, operated by the Ocean Exploration Trust specializes in ROV-based, telepresence-enabled oceanographic research. The R/V Falkor operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute is an ocean research platform focusing on cutting-edge technology development. These three vessels all have different missions, sensor suites and operating models yet all are able to leverage OpenVDM for managing their unique datasets and delivering a more consistent cruise data package to scientists and data

Open for Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voyles, Bennett

2007-01-01

People know about the Sakai Project (open source course management system); they may even know about Kuali (open source financials). So, what is the next wave in open source software? This article discusses business intelligence (BI) systems. Though open source BI may still be only a rumor in most campus IT departments, some brave early adopters…

Extending the Territory: From Open Educational Resources to Open Educational Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehlers, Ulf-Daniel

2011-01-01

This article examines the findings of the recent OPAL report "Beyond OER: Shifting Focus from Resources to Practices". In doing so, it defines current understanding of open educational resources and open educational practices, and highlights the shift from open content to open practice. The article includes a framework for supporting…

QuTiP: An open-source Python framework for the dynamics of open quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johansson, J. R.; Nation, P. D.; Nori, Franco

2012-08-01

We present an object-oriented open-source framework for solving the dynamics of open quantum systems written in Python. Arbitrary Hamiltonians, including time-dependent systems, may be built up from operators and states defined by a quantum object class, and then passed on to a choice of master equation or Monte Carlo solvers. We give an overview of the basic structure for the framework before detailing the numerical simulation of open system dynamics. Several examples are given to illustrate the build up to a complete calculation. Finally, we measure the performance of our library against that of current implementations. The framework described here is particularly well suited to the fields of quantum optics, superconducting circuit devices, nanomechanics, and trapped ions, while also being ideal for use in classroom instruction. Catalogue identifier: AEMB_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEMB_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License, version 3 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 16 482 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 213 438 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Python Computer: i386, x86-64 Operating system: Linux, Mac OSX, Windows RAM: 2+ Gigabytes Classification: 7 External routines: NumPy (http://numpy.scipy.org/), SciPy (http://www.scipy.org/), Matplotlib (http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/) Nature of problem: Dynamics of open quantum systems. Solution method: Numerical solutions to Lindblad master equation or Monte Carlo wave function method. Restrictions: Problems must meet the criteria for using the master equation in Lindblad form. Running time: A few seconds up to several tens of minutes, depending on size of underlying Hilbert space.

Healthcare in the age of open innovation - A literature review.

PubMed

Wass, Sofie; Vimarlund, Vivian

2016-12-01

In spite of an increased interest in open innovation and strategies that call for an increased collaboration between different healthcare actors, there is a lack of open innovation research in public contexts. This article presents the results of a review regarding the healthcare sector's engagement in open innovation as well as constraining factors and positive outcomes of open innovation in healthcare. The literature search focused on papers published in English between 2003 and 2014. Based on specified inclusion criteria, 18 articles were included. Results reveal that most studies focus on inbound open innovation where external knowledge is integrated with the internal knowledge base at an initial phase of the innovation process. Innovation primarily results in products and services through innovation networks. We also identified constraining factors for open innovation in healthcare, including the complex organizations of healthcare, the need to establish routines for capturing knowledge from patients and clinicians, regulations and healthcare data laws as well as the positive outcome patient empowerment. The healthcare sector's engagement in open innovation is limited, and it is necessary to perform further research with a focus on how open innovation can be managed in healthcare. © The Author(s) 2016.

Evaluation of open versus closed urine collection systems and development of nosocomial bacteriuria in dogs.

PubMed

Sullivan, Lauren A; Campbell, Vicki L; Onuma, Serene C

2010-07-15

To determine whether use of a closed urine collection system would decrease the incidence of nosocomial bacteriuria in hospitalized dogs, compared with use of an open urine collection system (used, sterile IV bags). Randomized controlled trial. 51 hospitalized dogs requiring indwelling urinary catheterization for >or= 24 hours. Dogs were randomly assigned to an open or closed urine collection system group. A standardized protocol for catheter placement and maintenance was followed for all dogs. A baseline urine sample was collected via cystocentesis for aerobic bacterial culture, with additional urine samples obtained daily from the urine collection reservoir. 27 dogs were assigned to the open urine collection system group, and 24 were assigned to the closed urine collection system group. The incidence of nosocomial bacteriuria in dogs with open urine collection systems (3/27 [11.1%]) was not significantly different from incidence in dogs with closed urine collection systems (2/24 [8.3%]). Median duration of catheterization was 2 days for dogs in both groups; the range was 1 to 7 days for dogs in the open group and 1 to 5 days for dogs in the closed group. Results suggested that for dogs requiring short-term indwelling urinary catheterization, the type of urine collection system (open vs closed) was not associated with likelihood of developing nosocomial bacteriuria. Use of a strict protocol for urinary catheter placement and maintenance was likely key in the low incidence of nosocomial bacteriuria in the present study.

Which causes more ergonomic stress: Laparoscopic or open surgery?

PubMed

Wang, Robert; Liang, Zhe; Zihni, Ahmed M; Ray, Shuddhadeb; Awad, Michael M

2017-08-01

There is increasing awareness of potential ergonomic challenges experienced by the laparoscopic surgeon. The purpose of this study is to quantify and compare the ergonomic stress experienced by a surgeon while performing open versus laparoscopic portions of a procedure. We hypothesize that a surgeon will experience greater ergonomic stress when performing laparoscopic surgery. We designed a study to measure upper-body muscle activation during the laparoscopic and open portions of sigmoid colectomies in a single surgeon. A sample of five cases was recorded over a two-month time span. Each case contained significant portions of laparoscopic and open surgery. We obtained whole-case electromyography (EMG) tracings from bilateral biceps, triceps, deltoid, and trapezius muscles. After normalization to a maximum voltage of contraction (%MVC), these EMG tracings were used to calculate average muscle activation during the open and laparoscopic segments of each procedure. Paired Student's t test was used to compare the average muscle activation between the two groups (*p < 0.05 considered statistically significant). Significant reductions in mean muscle activation in laparoscopic compared to open procedures were noted for the left triceps (4.07 ± 0.44% open vs. 2.65 ± 0.54% lap, 35% reduction), left deltoid (2.43 ± 0.45% open vs. 1.32 ± 0.16% lap, 46% reduction), left trapezius (9.93 ± 0.1.95% open vs. 4.61 ± 0.67% lap, 54% reduction), right triceps (2.94 ± 0.62% open vs. 1.85 ± 0.28% lap, 37% reduction), and right trapezius (10.20 ± 2.12% open vs. 4.69 ± 1.18% lap, 54% reduction). Contrary to our hypothesis, the laparoscopic approach provided ergonomic benefit in several upper-body muscle groups compared to the open approach. This may be due to the greater reach of laparoscopic instruments and camera in the lower abdomen/pelvis. Patient body habitus may also have less of an effect in the laparoscopic compared to open approach. Future studies

OpenTopography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baru, C.; Arrowsmith, R.; Crosby, C.; Nandigam, V.; Phan, M.; Cowart, C.

2012-04-01

OpenTopography is a cyberinfrastructure-based facility for online access to high-resolution topography and tools. The project is an outcome of the Geosciences Network (GEON) project, which was a research project funded several years ago in the US to investigate the use of cyberinfrastructure to support research and education in the geosciences. OpenTopography provides online access to large LiDAR point cloud datasets along with services for processing these data. Users are able to generate custom DEMs by invoking DEM services provided by OpenTopography with custom parameter values. Users can track the progress of their jobs, and a private myOpenTopo area retains job information and job outputs. Data available at OpenTopography are provided by a variety of data acquisition groups under joint agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU). These include national facilities such as the National Center for Airborne Lidar Mapping, as well as local, state, and federal agencies. OpenTopography is also being designed as a hub for high-resolution topography resources. Datasets and services available at other locations can also be registered here, providing a "one-stop shop" for such information. We will describe the OpenTopography system architecture and its current set of features, including the service-oriented architecture, a job-tracking database, and social networking features. We will also describe several design and development activities underway to archive and publish datasets using digital object identifiers (DOIs); create a more flexible and scalable high-performance environment for processing of large datasets; extend support for satellite-based and terrestrial lidar as well as synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data; and create a "pluggable" infrastructure for third-party services. OpenTopography has successfully created a facility for sharing lidar data. In the next phase, we are developing a facility that will also enable equally easy and successful sharing of

Successful Students in an Open and Distance Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puspitasari, Kristanti Ambar; Oetoyo, Boedhi

2018-01-01

Learning in a higher education institution that applies an open and distance learning system requires the students to study as independent learners. This research is a survey research with the purpose of exploring the characteristics, habits and learning motivation of high-achiever students or those who obtained a high level of Grade Point Average…

OpenMebius: an open source software for isotopically nonstationary 13C-based metabolic flux analysis.

PubMed

Kajihata, Shuichi; Furusawa, Chikara; Matsuda, Fumio; Shimizu, Hiroshi

2014-01-01

The in vivo measurement of metabolic flux by (13)C-based metabolic flux analysis ((13)C-MFA) provides valuable information regarding cell physiology. Bioinformatics tools have been developed to estimate metabolic flux distributions from the results of tracer isotopic labeling experiments using a (13)C-labeled carbon source. Metabolic flux is determined by nonlinear fitting of a metabolic model to the isotopic labeling enrichment of intracellular metabolites measured by mass spectrometry. Whereas (13)C-MFA is conventionally performed under isotopically constant conditions, isotopically nonstationary (13)C metabolic flux analysis (INST-(13)C-MFA) has recently been developed for flux analysis of cells with photosynthetic activity and cells at a quasi-steady metabolic state (e.g., primary cells or microorganisms under stationary phase). Here, the development of a novel open source software for INST-(13)C-MFA on the Windows platform is reported. OpenMebius (Open source software for Metabolic flux analysis) provides the function of autogenerating metabolic models for simulating isotopic labeling enrichment from a user-defined configuration worksheet. Analysis using simulated data demonstrated the applicability of OpenMebius for INST-(13)C-MFA. Confidence intervals determined by INST-(13)C-MFA were less than those determined by conventional methods, indicating the potential of INST-(13)C-MFA for precise metabolic flux analysis. OpenMebius is the open source software for the general application of INST-(13)C-MFA.

Using Internet Search Engines to Obtain Medical Information: A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Wang, Liupu; Wang, Juexin; Wang, Michael; Li, Yong; Liang, Yanchun

2012-01-01

Background The Internet has become one of the most important means to obtain health and medical information. It is often the first step in checking for basic information about a disease and its treatment. The search results are often useful to general users. Various search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com can play an important role in obtaining medical information for both medical professionals and lay people. However, the usability and effectiveness of various search engines for medical information have not been comprehensively compared and evaluated. Objective To compare major Internet search engines in their usability of obtaining medical and health information. Methods We applied usability testing as a software engineering technique and a standard industry practice to compare the four major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com) in obtaining health and medical information. For this purpose, we searched the keyword breast cancer in Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com and saved the results of the top 200 links from each search engine. We combined nonredundant links from the four search engines and gave them to volunteer users in an alphabetical order. The volunteer users evaluated the websites and scored each website from 0 to 10 (lowest to highest) based on the usefulness of the content relevant to breast cancer. A medical expert identified six well-known websites related to breast cancer in advance as standards. We also used five keywords associated with breast cancer defined in the latest release of Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) and analyzed their occurrence in the websites. Results Each search engine provided rich information related to breast cancer in the search results. All six standard websites were among the top 30 in search results of all four search engines. Google had the best search validity (in terms of whether a website could be opened), followed by Bing, Ask.com, and Yahoo!. The search

Fluid-Structure Analysis of Opening Phenomena in a Collapsible Airway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghadiali, Samir N.; Banks, Julie; Swarts, J. Douglas

2003-11-01

Several physiological functions require the opening of collapsed respiratory airways. For example, the Eustachian tube (ET), which connects the nasopharynx with the middle ear (ME), must be periodically opened to maintain ambient ME pressures. These openings normally occur during swallowing when muscle contraction deforms the surrounding soft tissue. The inability to open the ET results in the most common and costly ear disease in children, Otitis Media. Although tissue-based treatments have been purposed, the influence of the various tissue mechanical properties on flow phenomena has not been investigated. A computational model of ET opening was developed using in-vivo structural data to investigate these fluid-structure interactions. This model accounts for both tissue deformation and the resulting airflow in a non-circular conduit. Results indicate that ET opening is more sensitive to the applied muscle forces than elastic tissue properties. These models have therefore identified how different tissue elements alter ET opening phenomena, which elements should be targeted for treatment and the optimal mechanical properties of these tissue constructs. Research supported by NIH grant DC005345.

Completeness and overlap in open access systems: Search engines, aggregate institutional repositories and physics-related open sources.

PubMed

Tsay, Ming-Yueh; Wu, Tai-Luan; Tseng, Ling-Li

2017-01-01

This study examines the completeness and overlap of coverage in physics of six open access scholarly communication systems, including two search engines (Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic), two aggregate institutional repositories (OAIster and OpenDOAR), and two physics-related open sources (arXiv.org and Astrophysics Data System). The 2001-2013 Nobel Laureates in Physics served as the sample. Bibliographic records of their publications were retrieved and downloaded from each system, and a computer program was developed to perform the analytical tasks of sorting, comparison, elimination, aggregation and statistical calculations. Quantitative analyses and cross-referencing were performed to determine the completeness and overlap of the system coverage of the six open access systems. The results may enable scholars to select an appropriate open access system as an efficient scholarly communication channel, and academic institutions may build institutional repositories or independently create citation index systems in the future. Suggestions on indicators and tools for academic assessment are presented based on the comprehensiveness assessment of each system.

Family Open House

Science.gov Websites

Search Family Open House Join us for an afternoon of science fun. The Fermilab Family Open House is a party for children of all ages to learn about the world of physics. The Open House is supported by Open House? Check out our YouTube video to learn more! Explore physics concepts with hands-on

Open-field exposure facilitates consummatory extinction.

PubMed

Justel, Nadia; Psyrdellis, Mariana; Pautassi, Ricardo M

2016-12-07

During extinction, the organism learns that a conditioned stimulus or a conditioned response is no longer associated with an unconditioned stimulus, and as a consequence, a decrement in the response is presented. The exposure to novel situations (e.g. exploration of a novel open field) has been used widely to modulate (i.e. either enhance or deteriorate) learning and memory. The aim of the present study was to test whether open-field exposure could modulate consummatory extinction. The results indicated that open-field exposure accelerated the extinction response (i.e. experimental animals provided novelty exposure had lower consummatory behavior than control animals) when applied before - but not after - the first extinction trial, or when applied before the second extinction trial. The results suggest that environmental treatments such as novelty exposure provide a valuable, nonpharmacological alternative to potentially modulate extinction processes.

Automatic Multilevel Parallelization Using OpenMP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Hao-Qiang; Jost, Gabriele; Yan, Jerry; Ayguade, Eduard; Gonzalez, Marc; Martorell, Xavier; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this paper we describe the extension of the CAPO parallelization support tool to support multilevel parallelism based on OpenMP directives. CAPO generates OpenMP directives with extensions supported by the NanosCompiler to allow for directive nesting and definition of thread groups. We report first results for several benchmark codes and one full application that have been parallelized using our system.

Disruption of ROOT PHOTOTROPISM2 gene does not affect phototropin-mediated stomatal opening.

PubMed

Tsutsumi, Toshifumi; Takemiya, Atsushi; Harada, Akiko; Shimazaki, Ken-ichiro

2013-03-01

Phototropins (phot1 and phot2), blue light-receptor protein kinases in plants, mediate stomatal opening by activating the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase in guard cells, but the signaling from phototropins to the H(+)-ATPase remains unknown. A recent study concluded that ROOT PHOTOTROPISM2 (RPT2) is involved in the primary step of this process. However, this conclusion is based solely on the determination of stomatal apertures in the epidermis. We investigated the role of RPT2 in blue light-dependent stomatal opening in more detail. We generated double mutants of rpt2 and phototropins (phot1 or phot2) in the Col ecotype background and obtained the typical phenotypes of rpt2 mutants, including the impairment in phototropism. In contrast, neither blue light-dependent H(+) pumping nor blue light-dependent H(+)-ATPase activation in guard cells was affected in the rpt2 mutants of rpt2, phot1 rpt2, and phot2 rpt2. Stomata in these rpt2 mutants opened widely by blue light in both epidermal peels and intact leaves, and no difference in the responses was found between the wild type and the mutants. From these results, we concluded that RPT2 gene disruption does not affect blue light-dependent stomatal opening. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Short-term Outcomes After Open and Laparoscopic Colostomy Creation.

PubMed

Ivatury, Srinivas Joga; Bostock Rosenzweig, Ian C; Holubar, Stefan D

2016-06-01

Colostomy creation is a common procedure performed in colon and rectal surgery. Outcomes by technique have not been well studied. This study evaluated outcomes related to open versus laparoscopic colostomy creation. This was a retrospective review of patients undergoing colostomy creation using univariate and multivariate propensity score analyses. Hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database were included. Data on patients were obtained from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2005-2011 Participant Use Data Files. We measured 30-day mortality, 30-day complications, and predictors of 30-day mortality. A total of 2179 subjects were in the open group and 1132 in the laparoscopic group. The open group had increased age (open, 64 years vs laparoscopic, 60 years), admission from facility (17.0% vs 14.9%), and disseminated cancer (26.1% vs 21.4%). All were statistically significant. The open group had a significantly higher percentage of emergency operations (24.9% vs 7.9%). Operative time was statistically different (81 vs 86 minutes). Thirty-day mortality was significantly higher in the open group (8.7% vs 3.5%), as was any 30-day complication (25.4% vs 17.0%). Propensity-matching analysis on elective patients only revealed that postoperative length of stay and rate of any wound complication were statistically higher in the open group. Multivariate analysis for mortality was performed on the full, elective, and propensity-matched cohorts; age >65 years and dependent functional status were associated with an increased risk of mortality in all of the models. This study has the potential for selection bias and limited generalizability. Colostomy creation at American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program hospitals is more commonly performed open rather than laparoscopically. Patient age >65 years and dependent functional status are

Trade Openness and Domestic Water Use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dang, Qian; Konar, Megan

2018-01-01

We contribute to the debate over globalization and the environment by asking, what is the impact of trade on national water use? To address this question, we employ econometric methods to quantify the causal relationship between trade openness and water use. Specifically, we use the instrumental variables methodology to evaluate the impact of trade openness on domestic water withdrawals in agriculture and industry. We find that trade openness does not have a significant impact on total or industrial water withdrawals. However, we show that one percentage point increase in trade openness leads to a 5.21% decrease in agricultural water withdrawals. We find that trade openness reduces water use in agriculture primarily through the intensive margin effect, by leading farmers to produce more with less water, such as through the adoption of technology. We do not find evidence for extensive margin or crop mix impacts on agricultural water withdrawals. Significantly, these results demonstrate that trade openness leads to less water use in agriculture. This finding has broad scientific and policy relevance as we endeavor to untangle causal relationships in the complex global food system and develop policies to achieve water and food security.

IPeak: An open source tool to combine results from multiple MS/MS search engines.

PubMed

Wen, Bo; Du, Chaoqin; Li, Guilin; Ghali, Fawaz; Jones, Andrew R; Käll, Lukas; Xu, Shaohang; Zhou, Ruo; Ren, Zhe; Feng, Qiang; Xu, Xun; Wang, Jun

2015-09-01

Liquid chromatography coupled tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is an important technique for detecting peptides in proteomics studies. Here, we present an open source software tool, termed IPeak, a peptide identification pipeline that is designed to combine the Percolator post-processing algorithm and multi-search strategy to enhance the sensitivity of peptide identifications without compromising accuracy. IPeak provides a graphical user interface (GUI) as well as a command-line interface, which is implemented in JAVA and can work on all three major operating system platforms: Windows, Linux/Unix and OS X. IPeak has been designed to work with the mzIdentML standard from the Proteomics Standards Initiative (PSI) as an input and output, and also been fully integrated into the associated mzidLibrary project, providing access to the overall pipeline, as well as modules for calling Percolator on individual search engine result files. The integration thus enables IPeak (and Percolator) to be used in conjunction with any software packages implementing the mzIdentML data standard. IPeak is freely available and can be downloaded under an Apache 2.0 license at https://code.google.com/p/mzidentml-lib/. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The temporal outcomes of open versus arthroscopic knotted and knotless rotator cuff repair over 5 years

PubMed Central

Lucena, Thomas R; Lam, Patrick H; Millar, Neal L

2015-01-01

Background The present study aimed to determine how repair technique influenced structural and clinical outcomes at 5 years post-surgery. Methods Three cohorts of patients had repair of a symptomatic rotator cuff tear using (i) an open double-row mattress repair technique (n = 25); (ii) arthroscopic single-row simple suture knotted technique (n = 25); or (iii) arthroscopic single-row inverted mattress knotless technique (n = 36) by one surgeon. Standardized patient- and examiner-determined outcomes were obtained pre-operatively and postoperatively with a validated protocol, ultrasound were also performed at the same time. Results Retear occurred more often after open repair (48%) at 5 years than after arthroscopic knotted (33%) and arthroscopic knotless (26%) repair. Retear was associated with increasing age, pre-operative tear size and weaker pre-operative and 5 years postoperative cuff strength. Between 2 years and 5 years, the open repair group experienced an increase in the frequency of pain during activity, as well as in the difficulty experienced and the severity of pain during overhead activities (p < 0.05) and, at 5 years, also experienced more difficulty with overhead activities, compared to the arthroscopic knotless repair group. Conclusions At 5-year follow-up, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair techniques resulted in fewer retears and better outcomes compared to an open double-row technique. PMID:27582985

Open Scenario Study: IDA Open Scenario Repository User’s Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

Thomason, Study Co-Lead Zachary S. Rabold, Sub-Task Lead Ylli Bajraktari Rachel D. Dubin Mary Catherine Flythe Open Scenario Study: IDA Open Scenario... Bajraktari Rachel D. Dubin Mary Catherine Flythe Open Scenario Study: IDA Open Scenario Repository User’s Manual iii Preface This document reports the...vii Appendices A. Identifying Scenario Components...........................................................A-1 B . Acronyms

Singlet-paired coupled cluster theory for open shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez, John A.; Henderson, Thomas M.; Scuseria, Gustavo E.

2016-06-01

Restricted single-reference coupled cluster theory truncated to single and double excitations accurately describes weakly correlated systems, but often breaks down in the presence of static or strong correlation. Good coupled cluster energies in the presence of degeneracies can be obtained by using a symmetry-broken reference, such as unrestricted Hartree-Fock, but at the cost of good quantum numbers. A large body of work has shown that modifying the coupled cluster ansatz allows for the treatment of strong correlation within a single-reference, symmetry-adapted framework. The recently introduced singlet-paired coupled cluster doubles (CCD0) method is one such model, which recovers correct behavior for strong correlation without requiring symmetry breaking in the reference. Here, we extend singlet-paired coupled cluster for application to open shells via restricted open-shell singlet-paired coupled cluster singles and doubles (ROCCSD0). The ROCCSD0 approach retains the benefits of standard coupled cluster theory and recovers correct behavior for strongly correlated, open-shell systems using a spin-preserving ROHF reference.

Membership and Dynamical Parameters of the Open Cluster NGC 1039

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiaxin; Ma, Jun; Wu, Zhenyu; Zhou, Xu

2017-11-01

In this paper, we analyze the open cluster NGC 1039. This young open cluster is observed as a part of Beijing-Arizona-Taiwan-Connecticut Multicolor Sky Survey. Combining our observations with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey photometric data, we employ the Padova stellar model and the zero-age main-sequence curve to the data to derive a reddening, E(B-V)=0.10+/- 0.02, and a distance modulus, {(m-M)}0=8.4+/- 0.2, for NGC 1039. The photometric membership probabilities of stars in the region of NGC 1039 are derived using the spectral energy distribution-fitting method. According to the membership probabilities ({P}{SED}) obtained here, 582 stars are cluster members with {P}{SED} larger than 60%. In addition, we determine the structural parameters of NGC 1039 by fitting its radial density profile with the King model. These parameters are a core radius, {R}{{c}}=4.44+/- 1.31 {pc}; a tidal radius, {R}{{t}}=13.57+/- 4.85 {pc}; and a concentration parameter of {C}0={log}({R}{{t}}/{R}{{c}})=0.49+/- 0.20. We also fit the observed mass function of NGC 1039 with masses from 0.3 {M}⊙ to 1.65 {M}⊙ with a power-law function {{Φ }}(m)\\propto {m}α to derive its slopes of mass functions of different spatial regions. The results obtained here show that the slope of the mass function of NGC 1039 is flatter in the central regions (α = 0.117), becomes steeper at larger radii (α = -2.878), and breaks at {m}{break}≈ 0.80 {M}⊙ . In particular, for the first time, our results show that the mass segregation appears in NGC 1039.

Suspicious Behavior Detection System for an Open Space Parking Based on Recognition of Human Elemental Actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inomata, Teppei; Kimura, Kouji; Hagiwara, Masafumi

Studies for video surveillance applications for preventing various crimes such as stealing and violence have become a hot topic. This paper proposes a new video surveillance system that can detect suspicious behaviors such as a car break-in and vandalization in an open space parking, and that is based on image processing. The proposed system has the following features: it 1)deals time series data flow, 2)recognizes “human elemental actions” using statistic features, and 3)detects suspicious behavior using Subspace method and AdaBoost. We conducted the experiments to test the performance of the proposed system using open space parking scenes. As a result, we obtained about 10.0% for false positive rate, and about 4.6% for false negative rate.

Open Geoscience Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashev, A.

2012-04-01

Currently there is an enormous amount of various geoscience databases. Unfortunately the only users of the majority of the databases are their elaborators. There are several reasons for that: incompaitability, specificity of tasks and objects and so on. However the main obstacles for wide usage of geoscience databases are complexity for elaborators and complication for users. The complexity of architecture leads to high costs that block the public access. The complication prevents users from understanding when and how to use the database. Only databases, associated with GoogleMaps don't have these drawbacks, but they could be hardly named "geoscience" Nevertheless, open and simple geoscience database is necessary at least for educational purposes (see our abstract for ESSI20/EOS12). We developed a database and web interface to work with them and now it is accessible at maps.sch192.ru. In this database a result is a value of a parameter (no matter which) in a station with a certain position, associated with metadata: the date when the result was obtained; the type of a station (lake, soil etc); the contributor that sent the result. Each contributor has its own profile, that allows to estimate the reliability of the data. The results can be represented on GoogleMaps space image as a point in a certain position, coloured according to the value of the parameter. There are default colour scales and each registered user can create the own scale. The results can be also extracted in *.csv file. For both types of representation one could select the data by date, object type, parameter type, area and contributor. The data are uploaded in *.csv format: Name of the station; Lattitude(dd.dddddd); Longitude(ddd.dddddd); Station type; Parameter type; Parameter value; Date(yyyy-mm-dd). The contributor is recognised while entering. This is the minimal set of features that is required to connect a value of a parameter with a position and see the results. All the complicated data

Air pollutant emissions from rice straw open field burning in India, Thailand and the Philippines.

PubMed

Gadde, Butchaiah; Bonnet, Sébastien; Menke, Christoph; Garivait, Savitri

2009-05-01

Rice is a widely grown crop in Asia. China (30%) and India (21%) contribute to about half of the world's total rice production. In this study, three major rice-producing countries in Asia are considered, India, Thailand and the Philippines (the later two contributing 4% and 2% of the world's rice production). Rice straw is one of the main field based residues produced along with this commodity and its applications vary widely in the region. Although rice production practises vary from one country to another, open burning of straw is a common practice in these countries. In this study, an approach was followed aiming at (a) determining the quantity of rice straw being subject to open field burning in those countries, (b) congregating pollutant specific emissions factors for rice straw burning, and (c) quantifying the resulting air pollutant emissions. Uncertainties in the results obtained as compared to a global approach are also discussed.

Temporary crate opening procedure affects immediate post-opening piglet mortality and sow behaviour.

PubMed

King, R L; Baxter, E M; Matheson, S M; Edwards, S A

2018-05-07

Producers are interested in utilising farrowing systems with reduced confinement to improve sow welfare. However, concerns of increased mortality may limit commercial uptake. Temporary confinement systems utilise a standard crate which is opened 3 to 7 days postpartum, providing protection for neonatal piglets at their most vulnerable age and later increased freedom of movement for sows. However, there is anecdotal evidence that piglet mortality increases immediately after the temporary crate is opened. The current study aims were to determine if piglet mortality increases post-opening, to trial different opening techniques to reduce post-opening piglet mortality and to identify how the different opening techniques influence sow behaviour. Three opening treatments were implemented across 416 sows: two involved opening crates individually within each farrowing house when each litter reached 7 days of age, in either the morning or afternoon (AM or PM), with a control of the standard method used on the farm to open all crates in each farrowing house simultaneously once the average litter age reached 7 days (ALL). Behavioural observations were performed on five sows from each treatment during the 6 h after crate opening, and during the same 6 h period on the previous and subsequent days. Across all treatments, piglet mortality was significantly higher in the post-opening than pre-opening period (P<0.0005). Between opening treatments, there were significant differences in piglet mortality during the 2 days after crate opening (P<0.05), whilst piglet mortality also tended to differ from crate opening until weaning (P=0.052), being highest in ALL and lowest in PM. Only sows in the PM treatment showed no increase in standing behaviour but did show an increased number of potentially dangerous posture changes after crate opening (P=0.01), which may be partly attributed to the temporal difference in observation periods. Sow behaviour only differed between AM and ALL on the

OpenARC: Extensible OpenACC Compiler Framework for Directive-Based Accelerator Programming Study

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

Lee, Seyong; Vetter, Jeffrey S

2014-01-01

Directive-based, accelerator programming models such as OpenACC have arisen as an alternative solution to program emerging Scalable Heterogeneous Computing (SHC) platforms. However, the increased complexity in the SHC systems incurs several challenges in terms of portability and productivity. This paper presents an open-sourced OpenACC compiler, called OpenARC, which serves as an extensible research framework to address those issues in the directive-based accelerator programming. This paper explains important design strategies and key compiler transformation techniques needed to implement the reference OpenACC compiler. Moreover, this paper demonstrates the efficacy of OpenARC as a research framework for directive-based programming study, by proposing andmore » implementing OpenACC extensions in the OpenARC framework to 1) support hybrid programming of the unified memory and separate memory and 2) exploit architecture-specific features in an abstract manner. Porting thirteen standard OpenACC programs and three extended OpenACC programs to CUDA GPUs shows that OpenARC performs similarly to a commercial OpenACC compiler, while it serves as a high-level research framework.« less

Using in-process measurements of open-gate structures to evaluate threshold voltage of normally-off GaN-based high electron mobility transistors

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

Hou, Bin; Ma, Xiao-Hua, E-mail: xhma@xidian.edu.cn, E-mail: yhao@xidian.edu.cn; Chen, Wei-Wei

The parameters of open-gate structures treated with different etching time were monitored during the gate recess process, and their impacts on the threshold voltage (V{sub th}) of final fabricated AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) based on open-gate structures were discussed in this paper. It is found that V{sub th} can exceed 0 V when channel resistance in the recessed region (R{sub on-open}) increases over ∼275 Ω mm, maximum current (I{sub Dmax}) decreases below ∼29 mA/mm, or recessed barrier thickness (t{sub RB}) is below ∼7.5 nm. In addition, t{sub RB} obtained by atomic force microscopy measurements and C-V measurements are also compared. Finally,more » theoretical common criteria based on the experimental results of this work for t{sub RB} and R{sub on-open} were established to evaluate the V{sub th} of a regular normally-off AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. The results indicate that these parameters of open-gate structure can be utilized to achieve normally-off HEMTs with controllable V{sub th}.« less

ms_lims, a simple yet powerful open source laboratory information management system for MS-driven proteomics.

PubMed

Helsens, Kenny; Colaert, Niklaas; Barsnes, Harald; Muth, Thilo; Flikka, Kristian; Staes, An; Timmerman, Evy; Wortelkamp, Steffi; Sickmann, Albert; Vandekerckhove, Joël; Gevaert, Kris; Martens, Lennart

2010-03-01

MS-based proteomics produces large amounts of mass spectra that require processing, identification and possibly quantification before interpretation can be undertaken. High-throughput studies require automation of these various steps, and management of the data in association with the results obtained. We here present ms_lims (http://genesis.UGent.be/ms_lims), a freely available, open-source system based on a central database to automate data management and processing in MS-driven proteomics analyses.

Esophagectomy - open

MedlinePlus

... Lewis esophagectomy, Blunt esophagectomy; Esophageal cancer - esophagectomy - open; Cancer of the esophagus - esophagectomy - open ... lining of the esophagus that can lead to cancer ( Barrett esophagus ) Severe trauma Destroyed esophagus Severely damaged stomach

National trends in minimally invasive and open operative experience of graduating general surgery residents: implications for surgical skills curricula development?

PubMed

Carson, Jeffrey S; Smith, Lynette; Are, Madhuri; Edney, James; Azarow, Kenneth; Mercer, David W; Thompson, Jon S; Are, Chandrakanth

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to analyze national trends in minimally invasive and open cases of all graduating residents in general surgery. A retrospective analysis was performed on data obtained from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education logs (1999-2008) of graduating residents from all US general surgery residency programs. Data were analyzed using Mantel-Haenszel χ(2) tests and the Bonferroni adjustment to detect trends in the number of minimally invasive and open cases. Minimally invasive procedures accounted for an increasing proportion of cases performed (3.7% to 11.1%, P < .0001), with a proportional decrease in open cases. An increase in minimally invasive procedures with a proportional decrease in open procedures was noted in subcategories such as alimentary tract, abdominal, vascular, thoracic, and pediatric surgery (P < .0001). The results of this study demonstrate that general surgery residents in the United States are performing a greater number of minimally invasive and fewer open procedures for common surgical conditions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Opening Pandora's Box: The impact of open system modeling on interpretations of anoxia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hotinski, Roberta M.; Kump, Lee R.; Najjar, Raymond G.

2000-06-01

The geologic record preserves evidence that vast regions of ancient oceans were once anoxic, with oxygen levels too low to sustain animal life. Because anoxic conditions have been postulated to foster deposition of petroleum source rocks and have been implicated as a kill mechanism in extinction events, the genesis of such anoxia has been an area of intense study. Most previous models of ocean oxygen cycling proposed, however, have either been qualitative or used closed-system approaches. We reexamine the question of anoxia in open-system box models in order to test the applicability of closed-system results over long timescales and find that open and closed-system modeling results may differ significantly on both short and long timescales. We also compare a scenario with basinwide diffuse upwelling (a three-box model) to a model with upwelling concentrated in the Southern Ocean (a four-box model). While a three-box modeling approach shows that only changes in high-latitude convective mixing rate and character of deepwater sources are likely to cause anoxia, four-box model experiments indicate that slowing of thermohaline circulation, a reduction in wind-driven upwelling, and changes in high-latitude export production may also cause dysoxia or anoxia in part of the deep ocean on long timescales. These results suggest that box models must capture the open-system and vertically stratified nature of the ocean to allow meaningful interpretations of long-lived episodes of anoxia.

Lipid and fatty acid composition microalgae Chlorella vulgaris using photobioreactor and open pond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jay, M. I.; Kawaroe, M.; Effendi, H.

2018-03-01

Microalgae contain lipids and fatty acids that can be the raw materials of biofuel. Previous studies have been known of using cultivation systems to obtain biomass of C. vulgaris which can be extracted to obtain lipid and fatty acid content. The observational step was observed ten days in photobioreactor and open pond for harvesting biomass using NaOH, lipid extraction using hexane and methanol, and fatty acid analysis using Gas Chromatography. Lipid content of microalgae biomass in photobioreactor and open pond was 2.26 ± 0.51% and 3.18 ± 0.80%, respectively. Fatty acid content ranged between 0.7-22.8% and 0.9-22.6% and the dominant fatty acids in both cultivating system was palmitic acid.

Relation between serum creatinine and postoperative results of open-heart surgery.

PubMed

Ezeldin, Tamer H

2013-10-01

To determine the impact of preoperative serum creatinine level in non-dialyzable patients on postoperative morbidity and mortality. This is a prospective study, where serum creatinine was used to give primary assessment on renal function status preoperatively. This study includes 1,033 patients, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting, or valve(s) operations. The study took place at Al-Hada Military Hospital, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi between May 2008 and January 2012. Data were statistically analyzed using Chi square (x2) test and multivariable logistic regression, to evaluate the postoperative morbidity and mortality risks associated with low serum creatinine levels. Postoperative mortality increased with high serum creatinine level >1.8 mg/dL (popen heart surgery. High serum creatinine in non-dialyzable patients can predict the increased morbidity and mortality after cardiac operations.

Bargaining for Open Skies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wojahn, Oliver W.

2001-01-01

In this paper we analyze the bargaining problem between countries when negotiating bilateral air service agreements. To do so, we use the methods of bargaining and game theory. We give special attention to the case where a liberal minded country is trying to convince a less liberal country to agree to bilateral open skies, and the liberal country might also unilaterally open up its market. The following analysis is positive in the sense that the results help explain and predict the outcome of negotiations under different payoffs and structures of the bargaining process. They are normative in the sense that adequate manipulation of the bargaining conditions can ensure a desired outcome.

Open lung biopsy

MedlinePlus

Biopsy - open lung ... An open lung biopsy is done in the hospital using general anesthesia . This means you will be asleep and ... The open lung biopsy is done to evaluate lung problems seen on x-ray or CT scan .

The Open Flux Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linker, J. A.; Caplan, R. M.; Downs, C.; Riley, P.; Mikic, Z.; Lionello, R.; Henney, C. J.; Arge, C. N.; Liu, Y.; Derosa, M. L.; Yeates, A.; Owens, M. J.

2017-10-01

The heliospheric magnetic field is of pivotal importance in solar and space physics. The field is rooted in the Sun’s photosphere, where it has been observed for many years. Global maps of the solar magnetic field based on full-disk magnetograms are commonly used as boundary conditions for coronal and solar wind models. Two primary observational constraints on the models are (1) the open field regions in the model should approximately correspond to coronal holes (CHs) observed in emission and (2) the magnitude of the open magnetic flux in the model should match that inferred from in situ spacecraft measurements. In this study, we calculate both magnetohydrodynamic and potential field source surface solutions using 14 different magnetic maps produced from five different types of observatory magnetograms, for the time period surrounding 2010 July. We have found that for all of the model/map combinations, models that have CH areas close to observations underestimate the interplanetary magnetic flux, or, conversely, for models to match the interplanetary flux, the modeled open field regions are larger than CHs observed in EUV emission. In an alternative approach, we estimate the open magnetic flux entirely from solar observations by combining automatically detected CHs for Carrington rotation 2098 with observatory synoptic magnetic maps. This approach also underestimates the interplanetary magnetic flux. Our results imply that either typical observatory maps underestimate the Sun’s magnetic flux, or a significant portion of the open magnetic flux is not rooted in regions that are obviously dark in EUV and X-ray emission.

The Open Flux Problem

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

Linker, J. A.; Caplan, R. M.; Downs, C.

The heliospheric magnetic field is of pivotal importance in solar and space physics. The field is rooted in the Sun’s photosphere, where it has been observed for many years. Global maps of the solar magnetic field based on full-disk magnetograms are commonly used as boundary conditions for coronal and solar wind models. Two primary observational constraints on the models are (1) the open field regions in the model should approximately correspond to coronal holes (CHs) observed in emission and (2) the magnitude of the open magnetic flux in the model should match that inferred from in situ spacecraft measurements. Inmore » this study, we calculate both magnetohydrodynamic and potential field source surface solutions using 14 different magnetic maps produced from five different types of observatory magnetograms, for the time period surrounding 2010 July. We have found that for all of the model/map combinations, models that have CH areas close to observations underestimate the interplanetary magnetic flux, or, conversely, for models to match the interplanetary flux, the modeled open field regions are larger than CHs observed in EUV emission. In an alternative approach, we estimate the open magnetic flux entirely from solar observations by combining automatically detected CHs for Carrington rotation 2098 with observatory synoptic magnetic maps. This approach also underestimates the interplanetary magnetic flux. Our results imply that either typical observatory maps underestimate the Sun’s magnetic flux, or a significant portion of the open magnetic flux is not rooted in regions that are obviously dark in EUV and X-ray emission.« less

How is palliative care understood in the context of dementia? Results from a massive open online course

PubMed Central

McInerney, Fran; Doherty, Kathleen; Bindoff, Aidan; Robinson, Andrew; Vickers, James

2017-01-01

Background: A palliative approach to the care of people with dementia has been advocated, albeit from an emergent evidence base. The person-centred philosophy of palliative care resonates with the often lengthy trajectory and heavy symptom burden of this terminal condition. Aim: To explore participants’ understanding of the concept of palliative care in the context of dementia. The participant population took an online course in dementia. Design: The participant population took a massive open online course on ‘Understanding Dementia’ and posted answers to the question: ‘palliative care means …’ We extracted these postings and analysed them via the dual methods of topic modelling analysis and thematic analysis. Setting/participants: A total of 1330 participants from three recent iterations of the Understanding Dementia Massive Open Online Course consented to their posts being used. Participants included those caring formally or informally for someone living with dementia as well as those with a general interest in dementia Results: Participants were found to have a general awareness of palliative care, but saw it primarily as terminal care, focused around the event of death and specialist in nature. Comfort was equated with pain management only. Respondents rarely overtly linked palliative care to dementia. Conclusions: A general lack of palliative care literacy, particularly with respect to dementia, was demonstrated by participants. Implications for dementia care consumers seeking palliative care and support include recognition of the likely lack of awareness of the relevance of palliative care to dementia. Future research could access online participants more directly about their understandings/experiences of the relationship between palliative care and dementia. PMID:29235386

Evaluation of the OpenCL AES Kernel using the Intel FPGA SDK for OpenCL

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

Jin, Zheming; Yoshii, Kazutomo; Finkel, Hal

The OpenCL standard is an open programming model for accelerating algorithms on heterogeneous computing system. OpenCL extends the C-based programming language for developing portable codes on different platforms such as CPU, Graphics processing units (GPUs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). The Intel FPGA SDK for OpenCL is a suite of tools that allows developers to abstract away the complex FPGA-based development flow for a high-level software development flow. Users can focus on the design of hardware-accelerated kernel functions in OpenCL and then direct the tools to generate the low-level FPGA implementations. The approach makes themore » FPGA-based development more accessible to software users as the needs for hybrid computing using CPUs and FPGAs are increasing. It can also significantly reduce the hardware development time as users can evaluate different ideas with high-level language without deep FPGA domain knowledge. In this report, we evaluate the performance of the kernel using the Intel FPGA SDK for OpenCL and Nallatech 385A FPGA board. Compared to the M506 module, the board provides more hardware resources for a larger design exploration space. The kernel performance is measured with the compute kernel throughput, an upper bound to the FPGA throughput. The report presents the experimental results in details. The Appendix lists the kernel source code.« less

The Open Abdomen Route by EuraHS: introduction of the data set and initial results of procedures and procedure-related complications.

PubMed

Willms, A; Muysoms, F; Güsgen, C; Schwab, R; Lock, J; Schaaf, S; Germer, C; Richardsen, I; Dietz, U

2017-04-01

Open abdomen management has become a well-established strategy in the treatment of serious intra-abdominal pathologies. Key objectives are fistula prevention and high fascial closure rates. The current level of evidence on laparostoma is insufficient. This is due to the rareness of laparostomas, the heterogeneity of study cohorts, and broad diversity of techniques. Collecting data in a standardised, multicentre registry is necessary to draw up evidence-based guidelines. In order to improve the level of evidence on laparostomy, CAMIN (surgical working group for military and emergency surgery) of DGAV (German Society for General and Visceral Surgery), initiated the implementation of a laparostomy registry. This registry was established as the Open Abdomen Route by EuraHS (European Registry of Abdominal Wall Hernias). Key objectives include collection of data, quality assurance, standardisation of therapeutic concepts and the development of guidelines. Since 1 May 2015, the registry is available as an online database called Open Abdomen Route of EuraHS (European Registry of Abdominal Wall Hernias). It includes 11 categories for data collection, including three scheduled follow-up examinations. As part of this pilot study, all entries of the first 120 days were analysed, resulting in a review of 82 patients. At 44%, secondary peritonitis was the predominant indication. The mortality rate was 22%. A comparison of methods with and without fascial traction reveals fascial closure rates of 67% and 25%, respectively (intention-to-treat analysis, p < 0.03). Inert visceral protection was used in 67% of patients and achieved a small bowel fistula incidence of only 5.5%. Optimising laparostomy management techniques in order to achieve low incidence of fistulation and high fascial closure rates is possible. The method that ensures the best possible outcome-based on current evidence-would involve fascial traction, visceral protection and negative pressure. The laparostomy

Deriving Animal Behaviour from High-Frequency GPS: Tracking Cows in Open and Forested Habitat

PubMed Central

de Weerd, Nelleke; van Langevelde, Frank; van Oeveren, Herman; Nolet, Bart A.; Kölzsch, Andrea; Prins, Herbert H. T.; de Boer, W. Fred

2015-01-01

The increasing spatiotemporal accuracy of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) tracking systems opens the possibility to infer animal behaviour from tracking data. We studied the relationship between high-frequency GNSS data and behaviour, aimed at developing an easily interpretable classification method to infer behaviour from location data. Behavioural observations were carried out during tracking of cows (Bos Taurus) fitted with high-frequency GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers. Data were obtained in an open field and forested area, and movement metrics were calculated for 1 min, 12 s and 2 s intervals. We observed four behaviour types (Foraging, Lying, Standing and Walking). We subsequently used Classification and Regression Trees to classify the simultaneously obtained GPS data as these behaviour types, based on distances and turning angles between fixes. GPS data with a 1 min interval from the open field was classified correctly for more than 70% of the samples. Data from the 12 s and 2 s interval could not be classified successfully, emphasizing that the interval should be long enough for the behaviour to be defined by its characteristic movement metrics. Data obtained in the forested area were classified with a lower accuracy (57%) than the data from the open field, due to a larger positional error of GPS locations and differences in behavioural performance influenced by the habitat type. This demonstrates the importance of understanding the relationship between behaviour and movement metrics, derived from GNSS fixes at different frequencies and in different habitats, in order to successfully infer behaviour. When spatially accurate location data can be obtained, behaviour can be inferred from high-frequency GNSS fixes by calculating simple movement metrics and using easily interpretable decision trees. This allows for the combined study of animal behaviour and habitat use based on location data, and might make it possible to detect deviations

Deriving Animal Behaviour from High-Frequency GPS: Tracking Cows in Open and Forested Habitat.

PubMed

de Weerd, Nelleke; van Langevelde, Frank; van Oeveren, Herman; Nolet, Bart A; Kölzsch, Andrea; Prins, Herbert H T; de Boer, W Fred

2015-01-01

The increasing spatiotemporal accuracy of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) tracking systems opens the possibility to infer animal behaviour from tracking data. We studied the relationship between high-frequency GNSS data and behaviour, aimed at developing an easily interpretable classification method to infer behaviour from location data. Behavioural observations were carried out during tracking of cows (Bos Taurus) fitted with high-frequency GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers. Data were obtained in an open field and forested area, and movement metrics were calculated for 1 min, 12 s and 2 s intervals. We observed four behaviour types (Foraging, Lying, Standing and Walking). We subsequently used Classification and Regression Trees to classify the simultaneously obtained GPS data as these behaviour types, based on distances and turning angles between fixes. GPS data with a 1 min interval from the open field was classified correctly for more than 70% of the samples. Data from the 12 s and 2 s interval could not be classified successfully, emphasizing that the interval should be long enough for the behaviour to be defined by its characteristic movement metrics. Data obtained in the forested area were classified with a lower accuracy (57%) than the data from the open field, due to a larger positional error of GPS locations and differences in behavioural performance influenced by the habitat type. This demonstrates the importance of understanding the relationship between behaviour and movement metrics, derived from GNSS fixes at different frequencies and in different habitats, in order to successfully infer behaviour. When spatially accurate location data can be obtained, behaviour can be inferred from high-frequency GNSS fixes by calculating simple movement metrics and using easily interpretable decision trees. This allows for the combined study of animal behaviour and habitat use based on location data, and might make it possible to detect deviations

Using Internet search engines to obtain medical information: a comparative study.

PubMed

Wang, Liupu; Wang, Juexin; Wang, Michael; Li, Yong; Liang, Yanchun; Xu, Dong

2012-05-16

The Internet has become one of the most important means to obtain health and medical information. It is often the first step in checking for basic information about a disease and its treatment. The search results are often useful to general users. Various search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com can play an important role in obtaining medical information for both medical professionals and lay people. However, the usability and effectiveness of various search engines for medical information have not been comprehensively compared and evaluated. To compare major Internet search engines in their usability of obtaining medical and health information. We applied usability testing as a software engineering technique and a standard industry practice to compare the four major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com) in obtaining health and medical information. For this purpose, we searched the keyword breast cancer in Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com and saved the results of the top 200 links from each search engine. We combined nonredundant links from the four search engines and gave them to volunteer users in an alphabetical order. The volunteer users evaluated the websites and scored each website from 0 to 10 (lowest to highest) based on the usefulness of the content relevant to breast cancer. A medical expert identified six well-known websites related to breast cancer in advance as standards. We also used five keywords associated with breast cancer defined in the latest release of Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) and analyzed their occurrence in the websites. Each search engine provided rich information related to breast cancer in the search results. All six standard websites were among the top 30 in search results of all four search engines. Google had the best search validity (in terms of whether a website could be opened), followed by Bing, Ask.com, and Yahoo!. The search results highly overlapped between the

Clinical, functional and radiological results of Achilles tenorraphy surgically treated with mini-open technique.

PubMed

Vadalà, A; De Carli, A; Vulpiani, M C; Iorio, R; Vetrano, M; Scapellato, S; Suarez, T; Di Salvo, F; Ferretti, A

2012-12-01

The aim of this paper was to report clinical, functional and radiological results of 80 patients surgically treated with a combined mini-open and percutaneous surgical repair as proposed by Kakiuchi. All patients were evaluated with a physical examination, evaluation scales, a functional test (Ergo-jump Bosco System), and an ultrasonographic exam along with Power Doppler Ultrasonography (PDU) (S/S). At a mean follow-up of 58 months no cases of rerupture were detected. VISA-A evaluation scale showed an excellent score in 63 patients (78.75%), a good score in 14 patients (17.5%), a fair score in two patients (2.5%), and a poor score in one patient (1.25%). Hannover scale showed an excellent score in 63 patients (78.75%), and a good score in 17 patients (21.25%). Ergo-Jump evaluation showed a 2.07% mean deficit of the affected limb at the Squatting Jump test, a 3.26% mean deficit at the Counter Movement Jump test, and a 0.0062% mean improvement at the Repetitive Jump test. Ultrasonographic exam showed in all cases a satisfactory recovery of the integrity of the operated tendon. The mean AP and LL widths showed a significant increase of 7.13±2.97 mm (+56.1%) and of 4.01±2.36 mm (+43.81%) respectively. According to the modified Öhberg score scale, PDU exam showed a grade +1 in 16 patients (20%) and a grade +2 in seven cases (8.7%). The absence of rerupture cases, the satisfactory functional and ultrasonographic results of the patients included in this study cause us to consider this technique as reliable and effective even in young high-demand patients.

OpenLMD, multimodal monitoring and control of LMD processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Araújo, Jorge; García-Díaz, Antón

2017-02-01

This paper presents OpenLMD, a novel open-source solution for on-line multimodal monitoring of Laser Metal Deposition (LMD). The solution is also applicable to a wider range of laser-based applications that require on-line control (e.g. laser welding). OpenLMD is a middleware that enables the orchestration and virtualization of a LMD robot cell, using several open-source frameworks (e.g. ROS, OpenCV, PCL). The solution also allows reconfiguration by easy integration of multiple sensors and processing equipment. As a result, OpenLMD delivers significant advantages over existing monitoring and control approaches, such as improved scalability, and multimodal monitoring and data sharing capabilities.

Comparison of Temporary Open Arterial Revascularization Using Stent Grafts vs. Standard Vascular Shunts in a Porcine (Sus scrofa) Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-24

Objectives: Open surgical reconstruction using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene stent grafts to create a sutureless anastomosis is an alternative to...French Argyle shunt was inserted into one randomly assigned artery, with a self-expanding ePTFE stent deployed in the other. Arterial flow measurements...for histopathology were obtained during the terminal procedure. Results: Angiography revealed no difference in patency at 72 hours. The stent grafts

Opening our science: Open science and cyanobacterial research at the US EPA

EPA Science Inventory

In this blog post we introduce the idea of Open Science and discuss multiple ways we are implementing these concepts in our cyanobacteria research. We give examples of our open access publications, open source code that support our research, and provide open access to our resear...

Some Characteristics of Fuel Sprays from Open Nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothrock, A M; Lee, D W

1930-01-01

The penetration and cone-angle of fuel sprays from open nozzles were recorded with the NACA Spray Photography Equipment. The results show that for injection systems in which the rate of pressure rise at the discharge orifice is high, open nozzles give spray-tip velocities and penetrations which compare favorably with those of closed nozzles. The spray cone-angle was the same for all tests, although open nozzles having different orifice diameters were used, and one nozzle was used both as an open and as a closed nozzle. In designing a fuel system using open nozzles, particular care must be taken to avoid air pockets. The check valve should be placed close to the discharge orifice.

[Cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic versus open cholecystectomy].

PubMed