A temperature-compensated optical fiber force sensor for minimally invasive surgeries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Z.; Xu, W.; Broderick, N.; Chen, H.

2015-12-01

Force sensing in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a chronic problem since it has an intensive magnetic resonance (MR) operation environment, which causes a high influence to traditional electronic force sensors. Optical sensor is a promising choice in this area because it is immune to MR influence. However, the changing temperature introduces a lot of noise signals to them, which is the main obstacle for optical sensing applications in MIS. This paper proposes a miniature temperature-compensated optical force sensor by using Fabry-Perot interference (FPI) principle. It can be integrated into medical tools' tips and the temperature noise is decreased by using a reference FPI temperature sensor. An injection needle with embedded temperature-compensated FPI force sensor has been fabricated and tested. And the comparison between temperature-force simulation results and the temperature-force experiment results has been carried out.

The role of casein-specific IgA and TGF-β in children with Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome to milk

PubMed Central

Konstantinou, George N.; Bencharitiwong, Ramon; Grishin, Alexander; Caubet, Jean-Christoph; Bardina, Luda; Sicherer, Scott H.; Sampson, Hugh A.; Nowak-Węgrzyn, Anna

2014-01-01

Background Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a gastrointestinal hypersensitivity disorder with a poorly understood pathophysiology and no biomarkers to aid in diagnosis. Objective To investigate humoral and cellular responses to casein in children with milk-FPIES, including the role of casein-specific (cs) IgA and T-cell mediated TGF-β responses. Patients and methods Thirty-one children previously diagnosed with milk-FPIES were challenged with milk. Twelve age-matched children with FPIES to other foods and 6 milk-tolerant children without a history of FPIES were used as controls. Casein-specific IgE, IgG, IgG4 and IgA were measured in serum and TGF-β levels in supernatants of casein-stimulated PBMCs. Result Twenty-six children with milk-FPIES reacted (active milk-FPIES) and five tolerated milk (milk-FPIES-resolved) during food challenge. All of them had significantly lower levels of csIgG, csIgG4 and csIgA than control children (p-value<0.001). There were no TGF-β responses in supernatants of active milk-FPIES children. Conclusion Children with milk-FPIES have low levels of csIgG, csIgG4 and csIgA. In particular, children with active FPIES to cow’s milk have deficient T-cell mediated TGF-β responses to casein, rendering TGF-β a promising biomarker in identifying children who are likely to experience FPIES reactions to this allergen. Prospective studies are needed to validate these findings, elucidate their role in FPIES pathophysiology and establish the diagnostic utility of TGF-β in milk-induced FPIES. PMID:25283440

Characteristics of children with food protein-induced enterocolitis and allergic proctocolitis.

PubMed

Arik Yilmaz, Ebru; Soyer, Ozge; Cavkaytar, Ozlem; Karaatmaca, Betul; Buyuktiryaki, Betul; Sahiner, Umit M; Sekerel, Bulent E; Sackesen, Cansin

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the clinical and laboratory features of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) and food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP), and to provide information about the short-term prognoses. Children diagnosed with FPIES or FPIAP between 2010 and 2015 were enrolled in this study. Overall, 64 infants (37 FPIAP, 27 FPIES) were evaluated, with the average age at the onset of symptoms being significantly lower in the patients with FPIAP than in the patients with FPIES (2 months [1-3 months] versus 4 months [1.5-6 months]; p = 0.043). Fifteen of the patients with FPIAP (40.5%) and six of the patients with FPIES (22.2%) were exclusively breast-fed at the time of the onset of symptoms. Cow's milk was the most frequent trigger (100% FPIAP, 74% FPIES); solid foods caused FPIES more frequently. Forty-eight of the 64 patients were followed up until at least 2 years of age, with the resolution rates being 91.3% for FPIAP and 60% for FPIES. The solid food-induced cases of FPIES (27.3%) had a significantly lower rate of resolution than the liquid food-induced FPIES (83.3%) (p = 0.003). Cow's milk is the most common trigger of both FPIAP and FPIES. The symptom onset age seemed to be earlier in FPIAP. The resolution age was similar, however, the recovery in FPIES may be later if the trigger food is solid. To our knowledge, this was the first clinical study to compare the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with FPIAP and FPIES.

[Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) in 14 children].

PubMed

Delahaye, C; Chauveau, A; Kiefer, S; Dumond, P

2017-04-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a particular non-IgE-mediated food allergy, manifested by profuse and repetitive vomiting with hypotonia and lethargy in its acute form. A retrospective descriptive single-center study was conducted. Subjects included in this study were children with acute FPIES who consulted the allergy outpatient clinic of the Nancy Regional University Hospital between November 2013 and June 2016. Among the 14 patients (eight boys and six girls), nine had a history of atopy: a family history for six (42.8%) and a personal history for five (35.7%). Three had chronic FPIES turning into acute FPIES. Cow milk was the most common triggering food (50%), followed by fish (21.4%), mussels (14.3%), wheat (7.1%), egg (7.1%), and poultry (7.1%). The average time from ingestion to symptom onset was 90minutes. The symptoms were typical and diarrhea was not systematic (42.8%). Six children were hospitalized, some of them several times, including once in intensive care for one patient. The treatments established were, in order of frequency: oral or intravenous rehydration, corticosteroids, antihistamines, and antiemetics. Diagnosis time was 7.6 months on average; it was significantly shorter for milk than for solid foods (1.4 vs. 12 months, P-value=0.02), on average after two episodes. Another diagnosis than FPIES was raised at first for five patients (acute gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux, and bowel obstruction caused by bowel volvulus). Allergy tests were initially negative. Two chronic FPIES cases (one milk FPIES and one milk and wheat FPIES) developed an acute FPIES to another food (fish and mussels); one patient changed from an acute fish FPIES to an IgE-mediated phenotype over time. FPIES resolved for four patients: three milk FPIES, on average 15.7 months after the first reaction, and one wheat FPIES, 2.5 years after the first reaction. A child with a white fish FPIES was able to introduce salmon and tuna. FPIES is a pathology that has suffered from a lack of knowledge, delaying diagnosis for many months. The progression of chronic forms to acute forms and acute forms to an IgE-mediated allergy is not rare. Doctors need more detailed knowledge: profuse and repetitive vomiting accompanied by hypotonia and/or lethargy should suggest the diagnosis of acute FPIES. To improve the management of acute FPIES, a treatment protocol is proposed here. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Isoelectric solubilization/precipitation as a means to recover protein isolate from striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and its physicochemical properties in a nutraceutical seafood product.

PubMed

Tahergorabi, Reza; Beamer, Sarah K; Matak, Kristen E; Jaczynski, Jacek

2012-06-13

Excessive dietary intake of Na (i.e., NaCl) contributes to hypertension, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Normally, NaOH and HCl are used to dissolve and precipitate, respectively, fish muscle proteins in isoelectric solubilization/precipitation (ISP), therefore contributing to increased Na content in the recovered fish protein isolates (FPI). Substitution of NaOH with KOH may decrease the Na content in FPI and, thus, allow development of reduced-Na seafood products. In this study, FPI was recovered with ISP using NaOH or KOH. In order to develop a nutraceutical seafood product, the FPI was extracted with NaCl or KCl-based salt substitute and subjected to cold- or heat-gelation. In addition, standard nutraceutical additives (ω-3 fatty acids-rich oil and dietary fiber) along with titanium dioxide (TiO2) were added to FPI. Color, texture, dynamic rheology, Na and K content, and lipid oxidation of the FPI gels were compared to commercial Alaska pollock surimi gels. FPI gels had greater (p < 0.05) whiteness, good color properties (L*a*b*), and generally better textural properties when compared to surimi gels. Although the ISP-recovered FPI and surimi developed similar final gel elasticity, the proteins in FPI and surimi had different gelation pattern. A reduction (p < 0.05) of Na content and simultaneous increase (p < 0.05) in K content of FPI gels was achieved by the substitution of NaOH with KOH during ISP and NaCl with the KCl-based salt substitute during formulation of the FPI paste. Although cooking and addition of NaCl during formulation of the FPI paste increased (p < 0.05) lipid oxidation in FPI gels, TBARS values were much below rancidity levels. These results indicate that KOH can replace NaOH to recover FPI from whole gutted fish for subsequent development of nutraceutical seafood products tailored for reduction of diet-driven cardiovascular disease.

A Fabry-Pérot interferometer with wire-grid polarizers as beamsplitters at terahertz frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, H.; Lancaster, A. J.; Konoplev, I. V.; Doucas, G.; Aryshev, A.; Shevelev, M.; Terunuma, N.; Urakawa, J.; Huggard, P. G.

2018-03-01

The design of a compact Fabry-Pérot interferometer (FPi) and results of the experimental studies carried out using the device are presented. Our FPi uses freestanding wire-grid polarizers (WGPs) as beamsplitters and is suitable for use at terahertz (THz) frequencies. The FPi was studied at the LUCX facility, KEK, Japan, and an 8 MeV linear electron accelerator was used to generate coherent Smith-Purcell radiation. The FPi was designed to be easy to align and reposition for experiments at linear accelerator facilities. All of the components used were required to have a flat or well understood frequency response in the THz range. The performance of the FPi with WGPs was compared to that of a Michelson interferometer and the FPi is seen to perform well. The effectiveness of the beamsplitters used in the FPi is also investigated. Measurements made with the FPi using WGPs, the preferred beamsplitters, are compared to measurements made with the FPi using silicon wafers as alternative beamsplitters. The FPi performs well with both types of beamsplitter in the frequency range used (0.3-0.5 THz). The successful measurements taken with the FPi demonstrate a compact and adaptable interferometer that is capable of analyzing THz radiation over a broad frequency range. The scheme is particularly well suited for polarization studies of THz radiation produced in an accelerator environment.

Probabilistic Structural Analysis Methods (PSAM) for select space propulsion system components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The fourth year of technical developments on the Numerical Evaluation of Stochastic Structures Under Stress (NESSUS) system for Probabilistic Structural Analysis Methods is summarized. The effort focused on the continued expansion of the Probabilistic Finite Element Method (PFEM) code, the implementation of the Probabilistic Boundary Element Method (PBEM), and the implementation of the Probabilistic Approximate Methods (PAppM) code. The principal focus for the PFEM code is the addition of a multilevel structural dynamics capability. The strategy includes probabilistic loads, treatment of material, geometry uncertainty, and full probabilistic variables. Enhancements are included for the Fast Probability Integration (FPI) algorithms and the addition of Monte Carlo simulation as an alternate. Work on the expert system and boundary element developments continues. The enhanced capability in the computer codes is validated by applications to a turbine blade and to an oxidizer duct.

Astrocyte oxidative metabolism and metabolite trafficking after fluid percussion brain injury in adult rats.

PubMed

Bartnik-Olson, Brenda L; Oyoyo, Udochukwu; Hovda, David A; Sutton, Richard L

2010-12-01

Despite various lines of evidence pointing to the compartmentation of metabolism within the brain, few studies have reported the effect of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) on neuronal and astrocyte compartments and/or metabolic trafficking between these cells. In this study we used ex vivo ¹³C NMR spectroscopy following an infusion of [1-¹³C] glucose and [1,2-¹³C₂] acetate to study oxidative metabolism in neurons and astrocytes of sham-operated and fluid percussion brain injured (FPI) rats at 1, 5, and 14 days post-surgery. FPI resulted in a decrease in the ¹³C glucose enrichment of glutamate in neurons in the injured hemisphere at day 1. In contrast, enrichment of glutamine in astrocytes from acetate was not significantly decreased at day 1. At day 5 the ¹³C enrichment of glutamate and glutamine from glucose in the injured hemisphere of FPI rats did not differ from sham levels, but glutamine derived from acetate metabolism in astrocytes was significantly increased. The ¹³C glucose enrichment of the C3 position of glutamate (C3) in neurons was significantly decreased ipsilateral to FPI at day 14, whereas the enrichment of glutamine in astrocytes had returned to sham levels at this time point. These findings indicate that the oxidative metabolism of glucose is reduced to a greater extent in neurons compared to astrocytes following a FPI. The increased utilization of acetate to synthesize glutamine, and the acetate enrichment of glutamate via the glutamate-glutamine cycle, suggests an integral protective role for astrocytes in maintaining metabolic function following TBI-induced impairments in glucose metabolism.

Astrocyte Oxidative Metabolism and Metabolite Trafficking after Fluid Percussion Brain Injury in Adult Rats

PubMed Central

Oyoyo, Udochukwu; Hovda, David A.; Sutton, Richard L.

2010-01-01

Abstract Despite various lines of evidence pointing to the compartmentation of metabolism within the brain, few studies have reported the effect of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) on neuronal and astrocyte compartments and/or metabolic trafficking between these cells. In this study we used ex vivo 13C NMR spectroscopy following an infusion of [1-13C] glucose and [1,2-13C2] acetate to study oxidative metabolism in neurons and astrocytes of sham-operated and fluid percussion brain injured (FPI) rats at 1, 5, and 14 days post-surgery. FPI resulted in a decrease in the 13C glucose enrichment of glutamate in neurons in the injured hemisphere at day 1. In contrast, enrichment of glutamine in astrocytes from acetate was not significantly decreased at day 1. At day 5 the 13C enrichment of glutamate and glutamine from glucose in the injured hemisphere of FPI rats did not differ from sham levels, but glutamine derived from acetate metabolism in astrocytes was significantly increased. The 13C glucose enrichment of the C3 position of glutamate (C3) in neurons was significantly decreased ipsilateral to FPI at day 14, whereas the enrichment of glutamine in astrocytes had returned to sham levels at this time point. These findings indicate that the oxidative metabolism of glucose is reduced to a greater extent in neurons compared to astrocytes following a FPI. The increased utilization of acetate to synthesize glutamine, and the acetate enrichment of glutamate via the glutamate-glutamine cycle, suggests an integral protective role for astrocytes in maintaining metabolic function following TBI-induced impairments in glucose metabolism. PMID:20939699

Development of the FPI+ as facility science instrument for SOFIA cycle four observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfüller, Enrico; Wiedemann, Manuel; Wolf, Jürgen; Krabbe, Alfred

2016-08-01

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a heavily modified Boeing 747SP aircraft, accommodating a 2.5m infrared telescope. This airborne observation platform takes astronomers to flight altitudes of up to 13.7 km (45,000ft) and therefore allows an unobstructed view of the infrared universe at wavelengths between 0.3 m and 1600 m. SOFIA is currently completing its fourth cycle of observations and utilizes eight different imaging and spectroscopic science instruments. New instruments for SOFIAs cycle 4 observations are the High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera-plus (HAWC+) and the Focal Plane Imager (FPI+). The latter is an integral part of the telescope assembly and is used on every SOFIA flight to ensure precise tracking on the desired targets. The FPI+ is used as a visual-light photometer in its role as facility science instrument. Since the upgrade of the FPI camera and electronics in 2013, it uses a thermo-electrically cooled science grade EM-CCD sensor inside a commercial-off-the-shelf Andor camera. The back-illuminated sensor has a peak quantum efficiency of 95% and the dark current is as low as 0.01 e-/pix/sec. With this new hardware the telescope has successfully tracked on 16th magnitude stars and thus the sky coverage, e.g. the area of sky that has suitable tracking stars, has increased to 99%. Before its use as an integrated tracking imager, the same type of camera has been used as a standalone diagnostic tool to analyze the telescope pointing stability at frequencies up to 200 Hz (imaging with 400 fps). These measurements help to improve the telescope pointing control algorithms and therefore reduce the image jitter in the focal plane. Science instruments benefit from this improvement with smaller image sizes for longer exposure times. The FPI has also been used to support astronomical observations like stellar occultations by the dwarf planet Pluto and a number of exoplanet transits. Especially the observation of the occultation events benefits from the high camera sensitivity, fast readout capability and the low read noise and it was possible to achieve high time resolution on the photometric light curves. This paper will give an overview of the development from the standalone diagnostic camera to the upgraded guiding/tracking camera, fully integrated into the telescope, while still offering the diagnostic capabilities and finally to the use as a facility science instrument on SOFIA.

An approximate methods approach to probabilistic structural analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcclung, R. C.; Millwater, H. R.; Wu, Y.-T.; Thacker, B. H.; Burnside, O. H.

1989-01-01

A major research and technology program in Probabilistic Structural Analysis Methods (PSAM) is currently being sponsored by the NASA Lewis Research Center with Southwest Research Institute as the prime contractor. This program is motivated by the need to accurately predict structural response in an environment where the loadings, the material properties, and even the structure may be considered random. The heart of PSAM is a software package which combines advanced structural analysis codes with a fast probability integration (FPI) algorithm for the efficient calculation of stochastic structural response. The basic idea of PAAM is simple: make an approximate calculation of system response, including calculation of the associated probabilities, with minimal computation time and cost, based on a simplified representation of the geometry, loads, and material. The deterministic solution resulting should give a reasonable and realistic description of performance-limiting system responses, although some error will be inevitable. If the simple model has correctly captured the basic mechanics of the system, however, including the proper functional dependence of stress, frequency, etc. on design parameters, then the response sensitivities calculated may be of significantly higher accuracy.

48 CFR 8.606 - Evaluating FPI performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

.... 8.606 Evaluating FPI performance. Agencies shall evaluate FPI contract performance in accordance with subpart 42.15. Performance evaluations do not negate the requirements of 8.602 and 8.604, but they... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Evaluating FPI performance...

48 CFR 18.106 - Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). 18.106 Section 18.106 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Flexibilities 18.106 Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). Purchase from FPI is not mandatory...

48 CFR 18.106 - Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). 18.106 Section 18.106 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Flexibilities 18.106 Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). Purchase from FPI is not mandatory...

48 CFR 18.106 - Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). 18.106 Section 18.106 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Flexibilities 18.106 Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). Purchase from FPI is not mandatory...

48 CFR 18.106 - Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). 18.106 Section 18.106 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Flexibilities 18.106 Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). Purchase from FPI is not mandatory...

48 CFR 18.106 - Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). 18.106 Section 18.106 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Flexibilities 18.106 Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). Purchase from FPI is not mandatory...

Non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergies.

PubMed

Biermé, Priscille; Nowak-Wegrzyn, Anna; Caubet, Jean-Christoph

2017-12-01

We focus on recent advances regarding the epidemiology, physiopathology, diagnosis and managements of non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergies (non-IgE-GI-FAs), particularly food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES). The first international FPIES diagnostic and management guidelines have been recently published. Although FPIES largely remains a diagnosis of exclusion, it may be more prevalent than previously thought. Ondansetron has emerged as a major tool for the treatment of FPIES acute reactions. Recent data also suggest an important role for innate immune cells in FPIES pathogenesis. Despite major advances in the diagnosis and management of non-IgE-GI-FAs, particularly FPIES, the lack of specific diagnostic tests and biomarkers to guide clinical management remains challenging.

Awareness of allergic enterocolitis among primary-care paediatricians: A web-based pilot survey.

PubMed

Comberiati, P; Landi, M; Martelli, A; Piacentini, G L; Capristo, C; Paiola, G; Peroni, D G

2016-01-01

Allergic enterocolitis, also known as food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), is an increasingly reported and potentially severe non-IgE mediated food allergy of the first years of life, which is often misdiagnosed due to its non-specific presenting symptoms and lack of diagnostic guidelines. We sought to determine the knowledge of clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of FPIES among Italian primary-care paediatricians. A 16-question anonymous web-based survey was sent via email to randomly selected primary care paediatricians working in the north of Italy. There were 194 completed surveys (48.5% response rate). Among respondents, 12.4% declared full understanding of FPIES, 49% limited knowledge, 31.4% had simply heard about FPIES and 7.2% had never heard about it. When presented with clinical anecdotes, 54.1% recognised acute FPIES and 12.9% recognised all chronic FPIES, whereas 10.3% misdiagnosed FPIES as allergic proctocolitis or infantile colic. To diagnose FPIES 55.7% declared to need negative skin prick test or specific-IgE to the trigger food, whereas 56.7% considered necessary a confirmatory oral challenge. Epinephrine was considered the mainstay in treating acute FPIES by 25.8% of respondents. Only 59.8% referred out to an allergist for the long-term reintroduction of the culprit food. Overall, 20.1% reported to care children with FPIES in their practice, with cow's milk formula and fish being the most common triggers; the diagnosis was self-made by the participant in 38.5% of these cases and by an allergist in 48.7%. There is a need for promoting awareness of FPIES to minimise delay in diagnosis and unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2016 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Humoral and cellular responses to casein in patients with food protein-induced enterocolitis to cow's milk.

PubMed

Caubet, Jean Christoph; Bencharitiwong, Ramon; Ross, Andrew; Sampson, Hugh A; Berin, M Cecilia; Nowak-Węgrzyn, Anna

2017-02-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated food allergy manifesting within 1 to 4 hours of food ingestion with repetitive emesis and lethargy. We sought to characterize immune responses to casein in children with FPIES caused by cow's milk (CM). Total IgE and IgM, CM-specific IgG, and casein-specific IgE, IgG, IgG 4 , and IgM levels, as well as immunoglobulin free light chains, were measured in both patients with active and those with resolved CM-FPIES. Proliferating casein/T-effector cell counts were measured in children with CM-FPIES, children with IgE-mediated CM allergy, and those tolerating CM. Cytokine concentrations in the supernatants were quantified. Serum cytokine and tryptase levels were measured before and after a positive oral food challenge (OFC) result and compared with levels in those with a negative OFC result. We found low levels of CM and casein-specific IgG and casein-specific IgG 4 in patients with CM-FPIES versus those tolerating CM (P < .05). Although we found both a high CD4 + T cell-proliferative response and T H 2 cytokines production after casein stimulation in children with CM-FPIES, results were similar to those in control subjects. Significantly lower secretion of IL-10 and higher secretion of IL-9 by casein-stimulated T cells were found in patients with CM-FPIES versus those with IgE-mediated CM allergy. Lower baseline serum levels of IL-10 and higher tryptase levels were found in active CM-FPIES versus resolved CM-FPIES. We found a significant increase in serum IL-10 and IL-8 levels after a positive OFC result. We confirm the paucity of humoral response in patients with CM-FPIES. IL-10 might play a key role in acquisition of tolerance in patients with CM-FPIES. Increased serum IL-8 levels in patients with active FPIES suggest neutrophil involvement. Elevated baseline serum tryptase levels in patients with active FPIES suggest low-grade intestinal mast cell activation or increased mast cell load. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

High-resolution, large dynamic range fiber-optic thermometer with cascaded Fabry-Perot cavities.

PubMed

Liu, Guigen; Sheng, Qiwen; Hou, Weilin; Han, Ming

2016-11-01

The paradox between a large dynamic range and a high resolution commonly exists in nearly all kinds of sensors. Here, we propose a fiber-optic thermometer based on dual Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) made from the same material (silicon), but with different cavity lengths, which enables unambiguous recognition of the dense fringes associated with the thick FPI over the free-spectral range determined by the thin FPI. Therefore, the sensor combines the large dynamic range of the thin FPI and the high resolution of the thick FPI. To verify this new concept, a sensor with one 200 μm thick silicon FPI cascaded by another 10 μm thick silicon FPI was fabricated. A temperature range of -50°C to 130°C and a resolution of 6.8×10^-3°C were demonstrated using a simple average wavelength tracking demodulation. Compared to a sensor with only the thick silicon FPI, the dynamic range of the hybrid sensor was more than 10 times larger. Compared to a sensor with only the thin silicon FPI, the resolution of the hybrid sensor was more than 18 times higher.

Effectiveness of neuromuscular taping on pronated foot posture and walking plantar pressures in amateur runners.

PubMed

Aguilar, María Bravo; Abián-Vicén, Javier; Halstead, Jill; Gijon-Nogueron, Gabriel

2016-04-01

To determine the effect kinesiotaping (KT) versus sham kinesiotaping (sham KT) in the repositioning of pronated feet after a short running. Prospective, randomised, double-blinded, using a repeated-measures design with no cross-over. 116 amateur runners were screened by assessing the post-run (45min duration) foot posture to identify pronated foot types (defined by Foot Posture Index [FPI] score of ≥6). Seventy-three runners met the inclusion criteria and were allocated into two treatment groups, KT (n=49) and sham KT (n=24). After applying either the KT or sham KT and completing 45min of running (mean speed of 12km/h), outcome measures were collected (FPI and walking Pedobarography). FPI was reduced in both groups, more so in the KT group (mean FPI between group difference=0.9, CI 0.1-1.9), with a score closer to neutral. There were statistically significant differences between KT and sham KT (p<.05 and p<.01) in pressure time integral, suggesting that sham KT had a greater effect. KT may be of some assistant to clinicians in correction of pronated foot posture in a short-term. There was no effect of KT, however on pressure variables at heel strike or toe-off following a short duration of running, the sham KT technique had a greater effect. Therapy, level 1b. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping flood and flooding potential indices: a methodological approach to identifying areas susceptible to flood and flooding risk. Case study: the Prahova catchment (Romania)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaharia, Liliana; Costache, Romulus; Prăvălie, Remus; Ioana-Toroimac, Gabriela

2017-04-01

Given that floods continue to cause yearly significant worldwide human and material damages, flood risk mitigation is a key issue and a permanent challenge in developing policies and strategies at various spatial scales. Therefore, a basic phase is elaborating hazard and flood risk maps, documents which are an essential support for flood risk management. The aim of this paper is to develop an approach that allows for the identification of flash-flood and flood-prone susceptible areas based on computing and mapping of two indices: FFPI (Flash-Flood Potential Index) and FPI (Flooding Potential Index). These indices are obtained by integrating in a GIS environment several geographical variables which control runoff (in the case of the FFPI) and favour flooding (in the case of the FPI). The methodology was applied in the upper (mountainous) and middle (hilly) catchment of the Prahova River, a densely populated and socioeconomically well-developed area which has been affected repeatedly by water-related hazards over the past decades. The resulting maps showing the spatialization of the FFPI and FPI allow for the identification of areas with high susceptibility to flashfloods and flooding. This approach can provide useful mapped information, especially for areas (generally large) where there are no flood/hazard risk maps. Moreover, the FFPI and FPI maps can constitute a preliminary step for flood risk and vulnerability assessment.

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome caused by fish and/or shellfish in Italy.

PubMed

Miceli Sopo, Stefano; Monaco, Serena; Badina, Laura; Barni, Simona; Longo, Giorgio; Novembre, Elio; Viola, Serena; Monti, Giovanna

2015-12-01

The study describes the demographic features, culprit foods, clinical features and outcomes for children presenting with acute fish and/or shellfish food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) in four Italian paediatric allergy centres. A retrospective/prospective study was undertaken. All children diagnosed with fish or shellfish FPIES were enrolled. The diagnosis of FPIES was based on Sicherer's or Miceli Sopo clinical criteria. Skin prick tests (SPT) were performed in all patients, at the time of diagnosis and prior to OFC. Seventy children were enrolled. Mean age at first episode was 14 months (range 6-46 months); mean age at diagnosis was 34 months (range 6-164 months). Sole and cod were the fish most commonly implicated. Fifty-seven of 70 (81%) children had FPIES exclusively to fish, 37 of 57 (65%) children had single-fish FPIES, 20 of 57 (35%) multiple-fish FPIES, nine of 70 (13%) presented adverse reactions exclusively to shellfish, and four of 70 (6%) presented adverse reactions to both fish and shellfish. Only four (5.7%) children presented episodes of acute FPIES with different foods (2 to cow's milk, 1 to egg, 1 to beef); in all cases, onset was prior to that of fish or shellfish FPIES. Fifteen of 70 (21%) children tolerated fish other than the offending fish. Twenty-four of 70 (34%) children achieved tolerance (age range 24-102 months). The chief peculiarities of acute fish and shellfish FPIES, compared to more frequent cow's milk or soy FPIES, are (i) later age of onset, (ii) longer persistence and (iii) possibility of tolerating fish other than the offending fish. Adverse reactions with shellfish are possible. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Breast Mass Detection in Digital Mammogram Based on Gestalt Psychology

PubMed Central

Bu, Qirong; Liu, Feihong; Zhang, Min; Ren, Yu; Lv, Yi

2018-01-01

Inspired by gestalt psychology, we combine human cognitive characteristics with knowledge of radiologists in medical image analysis. In this paper, a novel framework is proposed to detect breast masses in digitized mammograms. It can be divided into three modules: sensation integration, semantic integration, and verification. After analyzing the progress of radiologist's mammography screening, a series of visual rules based on the morphological characteristics of breast masses are presented and quantified by mathematical methods. The framework can be seen as an effective trade-off between bottom-up sensation and top-down recognition methods. This is a new exploratory method for the automatic detection of lesions. The experiments are performed on Mammographic Image Analysis Society (MIAS) and Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM) data sets. The sensitivity reached to 92% at 1.94 false positive per image (FPI) on MIAS and 93.84% at 2.21 FPI on DDSM. Our framework has achieved a better performance compared with other algorithms. PMID:29854359

28 CFR 345.82 - Apprenticeship training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Apprenticeship training. 345.82 Section... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS FPI Inmate Training and Scholarship Programs § 345.82 Apprenticeship training. FPI provides inmate workers with an opportunity to participate in apprenticeship training...

28 CFR 345.82 - Apprenticeship training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Apprenticeship training. 345.82 Section... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS FPI Inmate Training and Scholarship Programs § 345.82 Apprenticeship training. FPI provides inmate workers with an opportunity to participate in apprenticeship training...

Evaluation of fasting plasma insulin concentration as an estimate of insulin action in nondiabetic individuals: comparison with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).

PubMed

Abbasi, Fahim; Okeke, QueenDenise; Reaven, Gerald M

2014-04-01

Insulin-mediated glucose disposal varies severalfold in apparently healthy individuals, and approximately one-third of the most insulin resistant of these individuals is at increased risk to develop various adverse clinical syndromes. Since direct measurements of insulin sensitivity are not practical in a clinical setting, several surrogate estimates of insulin action have been proposed, including fasting plasma insulin (FPI) concentration and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) calculated by a formula employing fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and FPI concentrations. The objective of this study was to compare FPI as an estimate of insulin-mediated glucose disposal with values generated by HOMA-IR in 758 apparently healthy nondiabetic individuals. Measurements were made of FPG, FPI, triglyceride (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations, and insulin-mediated glucose uptake was quantified by determining steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) concentration during the insulin suppression test. FPI and HOMA-IR were highly correlated (r = 0.98, P < 0.001). The SSPG concentration also correlated to a similar degree (P < 0.001) with FPI (r = 0.60) and HOMA-IR (r = 0.64). Furthermore, the relationship between FPI and TG (r = 0.35) and HDL-C (r = -0.40) was comparable to that between HOMA-IR and TG (r = 0.39) and HDL-C (r = -0.41). In conclusion, FPI and HOMA-IR are highly correlated in nondiabetic individuals, with each estimate accounting for ~40% of the variability (variance) in a direct measure of insulin-mediated glucose disposal. Calculation of HOMA-IR does not provide a better surrogate estimate of insulin action, or of its associated dyslipidemia, than measurement of FPI.

Psychometric properties and factor structure of the Fertility Problem Inventory in a sample of infertile women undergoing fertility treatment.

PubMed

Gourounti, K; Anagnostopoulos, F; Vaslamatzis, G

2011-10-01

to examine the psychometric properties of the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) originally developed by Newton et al. (1999); as there are no data concerning the factorial structure of the FPI, a special focus is placed on construct validity through factor analysis. public hospital in Athens, Greece. a cross-sectional study. 108 women undergoing fertility treatment with in-vitro fertilisation. the FPI was 'forward-backward' translated from English to Greek. The translated instrument was then administered to a set of infertile women for pilot testing. Principal axis factoring with promax rotation was used to test the factor structure of the FPI. Measures of anxiety State Trait Anxiety Inventory, depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies--Depression Scale) and mood states Profile of Mood States were used to assess the convergent validity of the FPI. Cronbach's α was used to measure internal consistency of the FPI scales. exploratory factor analysis suggested four factors. The majority of relationship and sexual concern items grouped into one solid factor, named 'spousal concern'. The original scales of social concern, need for parenthood and rejection of childfree lifestyle were reproduced after rearranging nine cross-loading items. Construct validity was confirmed by computing correlations between the derived FPI scales and conceptually similar constructions of anxiety, depression and mood states. Internal consistency reliability was satisfactory. the FPI was found to have a relatively stable factor structure and satisfactory reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. The FPI may enable researchers and clinicians to apply a reliable measure that focuses on various/many dimensions of infertility-related stress. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

48 CFR 8.602 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.602 Policy. (a... market research to determine whether the FPI item is comparable to supplies available from the private... comparing the FPI item to supplies available from the private sector; (3) If the FPI item is comparable...

Probabilistic Micromechanics and Macromechanics for Ceramic Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murthy, Pappu L. N.; Mital, Subodh K.; Shah, Ashwin R.

1997-01-01

The properties of ceramic matrix composites (CMC's) are known to display a considerable amount of scatter due to variations in fiber/matrix properties, interphase properties, interphase bonding, amount of matrix voids, and many geometry- or fabrication-related parameters, such as ply thickness and ply orientation. This paper summarizes preliminary studies in which formal probabilistic descriptions of the material-behavior- and fabrication-related parameters were incorporated into micromechanics and macromechanics for CMC'S. In this process two existing methodologies, namely CMC micromechanics and macromechanics analysis and a fast probability integration (FPI) technique are synergistically coupled to obtain the probabilistic composite behavior or response. Preliminary results in the form of cumulative probability distributions and information on the probability sensitivities of the response to primitive variables for a unidirectional silicon carbide/reaction-bonded silicon nitride (SiC/RBSN) CMC are presented. The cumulative distribution functions are computed for composite moduli, thermal expansion coefficients, thermal conductivities, and longitudinal tensile strength at room temperature. The variations in the constituent properties that directly affect these composite properties are accounted for via assumed probabilistic distributions. Collectively, the results show that the present technique provides valuable information about the composite properties and sensitivity factors, which is useful to design or test engineers. Furthermore, the present methodology is computationally more efficient than a standard Monte-Carlo simulation technique; and the agreement between the two solutions is excellent, as shown via select examples.

28 CFR 345.83 - Job safety training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Job safety training. 345.83 Section 345... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS FPI Inmate Training and Scholarship Programs § 345.83 Job safety training. FPI provides inmates with regular job safety training which is developed and scheduled in...

28 CFR 345.83 - Job safety training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Job safety training. 345.83 Section 345... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS FPI Inmate Training and Scholarship Programs § 345.83 Job safety training. FPI provides inmates with regular job safety training which is developed and scheduled in...

28 CFR 345.83 - Job safety training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Job safety training. 345.83 Section 345... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS FPI Inmate Training and Scholarship Programs § 345.83 Job safety training. FPI provides inmates with regular job safety training which is developed and scheduled in...

28 CFR 345.83 - Job safety training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Job safety training. 345.83 Section 345... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS FPI Inmate Training and Scholarship Programs § 345.83 Job safety training. FPI provides inmates with regular job safety training which is developed and scheduled in...

28 CFR 345.83 - Job safety training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Job safety training. 345.83 Section 345... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS FPI Inmate Training and Scholarship Programs § 345.83 Job safety training. FPI provides inmates with regular job safety training which is developed and scheduled in...

Shelf-life extension of refrigerated sea bass slices wrapped with fish protein isolate/fish skin gelatin-ZnO nanocomposite film incorporated with basil leaf essential oil.

PubMed

Arfat, Yasir Ali; Benjakul, Soottawat; Vongkamjan, Kitiya; Sumpavapol, Punnanee; Yarnpakdee, Suthasinee

2015-10-01

Microbiological, chemical and sensory changes of sea bass slices wrapped with fish protein isolate (FPI)/fish skin gelatin (FSG) films incorporated with 3 % ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONP) (w/w, based on protein content) and 100 % basil leaf essential oil (BEO) (w/w, based on protein content) during storage of 12 days at 4 °C were investigated. Sea bass slices wrapped with FPI/FSG-ZnONP-BEO film had the lowest growth of psychrophilic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria and spoilage microorganisms including Pseudomonas , H2S-producing bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae throughout storage of 12 days in comparison with those wrapped with FPI/FSG-BEO, FPI/FSG-ZnONP, FPI/FSG film, polypropylene film (PP film) and the control (without wrapping), respectively (P < 0.05). Lowered increases in pH, total volatile base, peroxide value and TBARS value were found in FPI/FSG-ZnO-BEO film wrapped samples, compared with others (P < 0.05). Sensory evaluation revealed that shelf-life of sea bass slices was longest for samples wrapped with FPI/FSG-ZnONP-BEO film (12 days), as compared to the control (6 days) (P < 0.05).

Serum C-reactive protein in food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome versus food protein-induced proctocolitis in Japan.

PubMed

Kimura, Mitsuaki; Shimomura, Masaki; Morishita, Hideaki; Meguro, Takaaki; Seto, Shiro

2016-09-01

Some infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) have increased serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and fever in Japan. The aim of this study was therefore to clarify and compare the incidence of this in patients with FPIES versus patients with food protein-induced proctocolitis (FPIP). One hundred and sixteen infants with non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergies were enrolled in this study and classified into three phenotypes: FPIES presenting with vomiting and/or diarrhea (n = 47); FPIP with bloody stool alone (n =19); and the mixed phenotype (MP), bloody stool with vomiting and/or diarrhea (n = 50). Serum CRP was increased in 55.3% of the FPIES group, similar to that in the MP group (54.0%), and significantly higher than in the FPIP group (15.8%; P < 0.01). Fever was observed in 29.8% of the FPIES group, significantly higher than in the MP group (8.0%; P < 0.01) and in the FPIP group (0%; P < 0.05). Patients with fever had significantly higher serum CRP than patients without fever (median, 12.8 vs <0.2 mg/dL, P < 0.00001). Serum CRP was significantly higher in the FPIES group than in the FPIP group. This suggests that serum CRP is a useful marker for differentiating the pathogenesis of FPIES from FPIP. From the perspective of serum CRP, the pathology of the intestinal inflammation in MP subjects is suggested to be similar to that of FPIES. © 2016 The Authors. Pediatrics International published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Pediatric Society.

28 CFR 345.60 - Training pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Training pay. 345.60 Section 345.60... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.60 Training pay. Inmates directed by the SOI to take a particular type of training in connection with a FPI job are to receive FPI pay if the...

28 CFR 345.33 - Waiting list hiring exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... position classification files. (b) Prior FPI work assignment. An inmate with prior FPI work experience during the inmate's current commitment and with no break in custody will ordinarily be placed within the... waiting lists, so there is no break in active duty with FPI. Such actions are also in order where the work...

28 CFR 345.33 - Waiting list hiring exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... position classification files. (b) Prior FPI work assignment. An inmate with prior FPI work experience during the inmate's current commitment and with no break in custody will ordinarily be placed within the... waiting lists, so there is no break in active duty with FPI. Such actions are also in order where the work...

28 CFR 345.33 - Waiting list hiring exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... position classification files. (b) Prior FPI work assignment. An inmate with prior FPI work experience during the inmate's current commitment and with no break in custody will ordinarily be placed within the... waiting lists, so there is no break in active duty with FPI. Such actions are also in order where the work...

28 CFR 345.60 - Training pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Training pay. 345.60 Section 345.60... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.60 Training pay. Inmates directed by the SOI to take a particular type of training in connection with a FPI job are to receive FPI pay if the...

Loss of Acid Sensing Ion Channel-1a and Bicarbonate Administration Attenuate the Severity of Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Yin, Terry; Lindley, Timothy E.; Albert, Gregory W.; Ahmed, Raheel; Schmeiser, Peter B.; Grady, M. Sean; Howard, Matthew A.; Welsh, Michael J.

2013-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in people of all ages. Following the acute mechanical insult, TBI evolves over the ensuing minutes and days. Understanding the secondary factors that contribute to TBI might suggest therapeutic strategies to reduce the long-term consequences of brain trauma. To assess secondary factors that contribute to TBI, we studied a lateral fluid percussion injury (FPI) model in mice. Following FPI, the brain cortex became acidic, consistent with data from humans following brain trauma. Administering HCO3 − after FPI prevented the acidosis and reduced the extent of neurodegeneration. Because acidosis can activate acid sensing ion channels (ASICs), we also studied ASIC1a−/− mice and found reduced neurodegeneration after FPI. Both HCO3 − administration and loss of ASIC1a also reduced functional deficits caused by FPI. These results suggest that FPI induces cerebral acidosis that activates ASIC channels and contributes to secondary injury in TBI. They also suggest a therapeutic strategy to attenuate the adverse consequences of TBI. PMID:23991103

First performance results of a new field-widened spatial heterodyne spectrometer for geocoronal Hα research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, D. D.; Mierkiewicz, E. J.; Roesler, F. L.; Harlander, J. M.; Jaehnig, K. P.; Nossal, S. M.; Haffner, L. M.

2017-01-01

A new, high-resolution field-widened spatial heterodyne spectrometer (FW-SHS) designed to observe geocoronal Balmer α (Hα, 6563 Å) emission was installed at Pine Bluff Observatory (PBO) near Madison, Wisconsin. FW-SHS observations were compared with an already well-characterized dual-etalon Fabry-Perot Interferometer (PBO FPI) optimized for Hα, also at PBO. The FW-SHS is a robust Fourier transform instrument that combines a large throughput advantage with high spectral resolution and a relatively long spectral baseline ( 10 times that of the PBO FPI) in a compact, versatile instrument with no moving parts. Coincident Hα observations by FW-SHS and PBO FPI were obtained over similar integration times, resolving powers ( 67,000 and 80,000 at Hα) and fields of view (1.8° and 1.4°, respectively). First light FW-SHS observations of Hα intensity and temperature (Doppler width) versus viewing geometry (shadow altitude) show excellent relative agreement with the geocoronal observations previously obtained at PBO by FPI. The FW-SHS has a 640 km/s (14 Å) spectral band pass and is capable of determining geocoronal Hα Doppler shifts on the order of 100 m/s with a temporal resolution on the order of minutes. These characteristics make the FW-SHS well suited for spectroscopic studies of relatively faint ( 12-2 R), diffuse-source geocoronal Hα emission from Earth's upper thermosphere and exosphere and the interstellar medium in our Galaxy. Current and future FW-SHS observations extend long-term geocoronal hydrogen observation data sets already spanning three solar minima. This paper describes the FW-SHS first light performance and Hα observational results collected from observing nights across 2013 and 2014.

First Performance Results of a New Geocoronal Balmer-alpha Field-Widened Spatial Heterodyne Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, D.; Mierkiewicz, E. J.; Roesler, F. L.; Harlander, J.; Jaehnig, K.; Nossal, S. M.; Haffner, L. M.

2015-12-01

During 2013, a new, high resolution field-widened spatial heterodyne spectrometer (FW-SHS) uniquely designed to observe geocoronal Balmer-alpha emission ([Ha], 6563A) was installed at Pine Bluff Observatory (PBO) near Madison Wisconsin. FW-SHS observations were compared with an already well-characterized dual-etalon Fabry Perot Interferometer (FPI) optimized for [Ha], also at PBO. The FW-SHS is a robust new Fourier-transform instrument that combines a large throughput advantage with high spectral resolution and a relatively long spectral baseline (~10x that of the FPI) in a compact, versatile instrument with no moving parts. Coincident [Ha] observations by FW-SHS and FPI were obtained over similar integration times, resolving power (~80,000 at [Ha]) and field-of-view (1.8 and 1.4 degrees, respectively). This paper describes the FW-SHS first light performance and [Ha] observational results collected from observing nights across 2013 and 2014. Initial FW-SHS observations of Balmer-alpha intensity and temperature (doppler width) vs. viewing geometry (shadow altitude) show excellent relative agreement with the geocoronal observations previously obtained at PBO by FPI. The FW-SHS is capable of determining geocoronal Balmer-alpha doppler shifts on the order of 100 m/s across a 640km/s [Ha] spectral bandpass, with a temporal resolution on the order of minutes. These characteristics make the FW-SHS well suited for spectroscopic studies of relatively faint, diffuse-source geocoronal Balmer-alpha emission from Earth's upper atmosphere (~2-14R) and the interstellar medium in our Galaxy. Current and future observations expand long-term geocoronal hydrogen observation data sets already spanning two solar maximums.

Probabilistic Assessment of Fracture Progression in Composite Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, Christos C.; Minnetyan, Levon; Mauget, Bertrand; Huang, Dade; Addi, Frank

1999-01-01

This report describes methods and corresponding computer codes that are used to evaluate progressive damage and fracture and to perform probabilistic assessment in built-up composite structures. Structural response is assessed probabilistically, during progressive fracture. The effects of design variable uncertainties on structural fracture progression are quantified. The fast probability integrator (FPI) is used to assess the response scatter in the composite structure at damage initiation. The sensitivity of the damage response to design variables is computed. The methods are general purpose and are applicable to stitched and unstitched composites in all types of structures and fracture processes starting from damage initiation to unstable propagation and to global structure collapse. The methods are demonstrated for a polymer matrix composite stiffened panel subjected to pressure. The results indicated that composite constituent properties, fabrication parameters, and respective uncertainties have a significant effect on structural durability and reliability. Design implications with regard to damage progression, damage tolerance, and reliability of composite structures are examined.

Clinical features and resolution of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome: 10-year experience.

PubMed

Caubet, Jean Christoph; Ford, Lara Simone; Sickles, Laura; Järvinen, Kirsi M; Sicherer, Scott H; Sampson, Hugh A; Nowak-Węgrzyn, Anna

2014-08-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated food allergy. FPIES diagnosis is frequently delayed because of the absence of classic allergic symptoms and lack of biomarkers. We sought to characterize the clinical features and resolution of FPIES in patients evaluated in our practice. Subjects 6 months to 45 years of age with FPIES were prospectively recruited for oral food challenges (OFCs). Medical records were searched to identify the subjects who did not participate in OFCs. Among 160 subjects, 54% were male; median age at diagnosis was 15 months. We performed 180 OFCs to 15 foods in 82 subjects; 30% of the study population had FPIES confirmed based on OFC results. The most common foods were cow's milk (44%), soy (41%), rice (22.5%), and oat (16%). The majority (65%) reacted to 1 food, 26% reacted to 2 foods, and 9% reacted to 3 or more foods. The majority were atopic, and 39% had IgE sensitization to another food. Thirty-nine (24%) subjects had positive specific IgE levels to the food inducing FPIES. Among children with specific IgE to cow's milk, 41% changed from a milk FPIES to an IgE-mediated phenotype over time. The median age when tolerance was established was 4.7 years for rice, 4 years for oat, and 6.7 years for soy. Median age when milk tolerance was established for subjects with undetectable milk-specific IgE levels was 5.1 years, whereas none of the subjects with detectable milk-specific IgE became tolerant to milk during the study (P = .003). FPIES typically resolves by age 5 years. Milk FPIES, especially with detectable food-specific IgE, can have a protracted course and eventually transition to acute reactions. Copyright © 2014. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Course-Level Implementation of First Principles, Goal Orientations, and Cognitive Engagement: A Multilevel Mediation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Sunghye; Koszalka, Tiffany A.

2016-01-01

The First Principles of Instruction (FPI) represent ideologies found in most instructional design theories and models. Few attempts, however, have been made to empirically test the relationship of these FPI to instructional outcomes. This study addresses whether the degree to which FPI are implemented in courses makes a difference to student…

Dietary curcumin supplementation counteracts reduction in levels of molecules involved in energy homeostasis after brain trauma.

PubMed

Sharma, S; Zhuang, Y; Ying, Z; Wu, A; Gomez-Pinilla, F

2009-07-21

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is followed by an energy crisis that compromises the capacity of the brain to cope with challenges, and often reduces cognitive ability. New research indicates that events that regulate energy homeostasis crucially impact synaptic function and this can compromise the capacity of the brain to respond to challenges during the acute and chronic phases of TBI. The goal of the present study is to determine the influence of the phenolic yellow curry pigment curcumin on molecular systems involved with the monitoring, balance, and transduction of cellular energy, in the hippocampus of animals exposed to mild fluid percussion injury (FPI). Young adult rats were exposed to a regular diet (RD) without or with 500 ppm curcumin (Cur) for four weeks, before an FPI was performed. The rats were assigned to four groups: RD/Sham, Cur/Sham, RD/FPI, and Cur/FPI. We found that FPI decreased the levels of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase (uMtCK) and cytochrome c oxidase II (COX-II) in RD/FPI rats as compared to the RD/sham rats. The curcumin diet counteracted the effects of FPI and elevated the levels of AMPK, uMtCK, COX-II in Cur/FPI rats as compared to RD/sham rats. In addition, in the Cur/sham rats, AMPK and uMtCK increased compared to the RD/sham. Results show the potential of curcumin to regulate molecules involved in energy homeostasis following TBI. These studies may foster a new line of therapeutic treatments for TBI patients by endogenous upregulation of molecules important for functional recovery.

The fate of glucose during the period of decreased metabolism after fluid percussion injury: a 13C NMR study.

PubMed

Bartnik, Brenda L; Lee, Stefan M; Hovda, David A; Sutton, Richard L

2007-07-01

The present study determined the metabolic fate of [1, 2 13C2] glucose in male control rats and in rats with moderate lateral fluid percussion injured (FPI) at 3.5 h and 24 h post-surgery. After a 3-h infusion, the amount of 13C-labeled glucose increased bilaterally (26% in left/injured cerebral cortex and 45% in right cerebral cortex) at 3.5 h after FPI and in injured cortex (45%) at 24 h after injury, indicating an accumulation of unmetabolised glucose not seen in controls. No evidence of an increase in anaerobic glycolysis above control levels was found after FPI, as 13C-labeled lactate tended to decrease at both time points and was significantly reduced (33%) in the injured cortex at 24 h post-FPI. A bilateral decrease in the 13C-labeling of both glutamate and glutamine was observed in the FPI rats at 3.5 h and the glutamine pool remained significantly decreased in the injured cortex at 24 h, suggesting reduced oxidative metabolism in both neuronal and astrocyte compartments after injury. The percentage of glucose metabolism through the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) increased in the injured (13%) and contralateral (11%) cortex at 3.5 h post-FPI and in the injured cortex (9%) at 24 h post-injury. Based upon the changes in metabolite pools, our results show an injury-induced decrease in glucose utilization and oxidation within the first 24 h after FPI. Increased metabolism through the PPP would result in increased NADPH synthesis, suggesting a need for reducing equivalents after FPI to help restore the intracellular redox state and/or in response to free radical stress.

Teleoperation System with Hybrid Pneumatic-Piezoelectric Actuation for MRI-Guided Needle Insertion with Haptic Feedback

PubMed Central

Shang, Weijian; Su, Hao; Li, Gang; Fischer, Gregory S.

2014-01-01

This paper presents a surgical master-slave tele-operation system for percutaneous interventional procedures under continuous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. This system consists of a piezoelectrically actuated slave robot for needle placement with integrated fiber optic force sensor utilizing Fabry-Perot interferometry (FPI) sensing principle. The sensor flexure is optimized and embedded to the slave robot for measuring needle insertion force. A novel, compact opto-mechanical FPI sensor interface is integrated into an MRI robot control system. By leveraging the complementary features of pneumatic and piezoelectric actuation, a pneumatically actuated haptic master robot is also developed to render force associated with needle placement interventions to the clinician. An aluminum load cell is implemented and calibrated to close the impedance control loop of the master robot. A force-position control algorithm is developed to control the hybrid actuated system. Teleoperated needle insertion is demonstrated under live MR imaging, where the slave robot resides in the scanner bore and the user manipulates the master beside the patient outside the bore. Force and position tracking results of the master-slave robot are demonstrated to validate the tracking performance of the integrated system. It has a position tracking error of 0.318mm and sine wave force tracking error of 2.227N. PMID:25126446

Teleoperation System with Hybrid Pneumatic-Piezoelectric Actuation for MRI-Guided Needle Insertion with Haptic Feedback.

PubMed

Shang, Weijian; Su, Hao; Li, Gang; Fischer, Gregory S

2013-01-01

This paper presents a surgical master-slave tele-operation system for percutaneous interventional procedures under continuous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. This system consists of a piezoelectrically actuated slave robot for needle placement with integrated fiber optic force sensor utilizing Fabry-Perot interferometry (FPI) sensing principle. The sensor flexure is optimized and embedded to the slave robot for measuring needle insertion force. A novel, compact opto-mechanical FPI sensor interface is integrated into an MRI robot control system. By leveraging the complementary features of pneumatic and piezoelectric actuation, a pneumatically actuated haptic master robot is also developed to render force associated with needle placement interventions to the clinician. An aluminum load cell is implemented and calibrated to close the impedance control loop of the master robot. A force-position control algorithm is developed to control the hybrid actuated system. Teleoperated needle insertion is demonstrated under live MR imaging, where the slave robot resides in the scanner bore and the user manipulates the master beside the patient outside the bore. Force and position tracking results of the master-slave robot are demonstrated to validate the tracking performance of the integrated system. It has a position tracking error of 0.318mm and sine wave force tracking error of 2.227N.

Risk-Based Probabilistic Approach to Aeropropulsion System Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tong, Michael T.

2002-01-01

In an era of shrinking development budgets and resources, where there is also an emphasis on reducing the product development cycle, the role of system assessment, performed in the early stages of an engine development program, becomes very critical to the successful development of new aeropropulsion systems. A reliable system assessment not only helps to identify the best propulsion system concept among several candidates, it can also identify which technologies are worth pursuing. This is particularly important for advanced aeropropulsion technology development programs, which require an enormous amount of resources. In the current practice of deterministic, or point-design, approaches, the uncertainties of design variables are either unaccounted for or accounted for by safety factors. This could often result in an assessment with unknown and unquantifiable reliability. Consequently, it would fail to provide additional insight into the risks associated with the new technologies, which are often needed by decision makers to determine the feasibility and return-on-investment of a new aircraft engine. In this work, an alternative approach based on the probabilistic method was described for a comprehensive assessment of an aeropropulsion system. The statistical approach quantifies the design uncertainties inherent in a new aeropropulsion system and their influences on engine performance. Because of this, it enhances the reliability of a system assessment. A technical assessment of a wave-rotor-enhanced gas turbine engine was performed to demonstrate the methodology. The assessment used probability distributions to account for the uncertainties that occur in component efficiencies and flows and in mechanical design variables. The approach taken in this effort was to integrate the thermodynamic cycle analysis embedded in the computer code NEPP (NASA Engine Performance Program) and the engine weight analysis embedded in the computer code WATE (Weight Analysis of Turbine Engines) with the fast probability integration technique (FPI). FPI was developed by Southwest Research Institute under contract with the NASA Glenn Research Center. The results were plotted in the form of cumulative distribution functions and sensitivity analyses and were compared with results from the traditional deterministic approach. The comparison showed that the probabilistic approach provides a more realistic and systematic way to assess an aeropropulsion system. The current work addressed the application of the probabilistic approach to assess specific fuel consumption, engine thrust, and weight. Similarly, the approach can be used to assess other aspects of aeropropulsion system performance, such as cost, acoustic noise, and emissions. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

Natural history of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

PubMed

Katz, Yitzhak; Goldberg, Michael R

2014-06-01

Because of the paucity of reports and variability in the diagnostic criteria utilized, little is known regarding the natural outcome of patients with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES). Data extracted from referenced manuscripts, as well as allergists' unpublished observations from across the globe, were used to form a cohesive opinion regarding its natural outcome. All authors concur that there is a generally high rate of recovery for FPIES. The most common foods causing FPIES are milk and soy. Depending upon which study is analyzed, by the age of 3-5 years, approximately 90% of patients recover from their disease. Recovery from FPIES to solid foods, occurs at a later age, but may reflect a later stage of introduction of the food into the diet. An important clinical outcome, although not common, is a shift from FPIES food hypersensitivity to an IgE-mediated food allergy. This necessitates a change in the oral food challenge protocol, if IgE-mediated sensitization is detected. Over the past several years, there has been an increasing awareness of FPIES. This knowledge should lead to a more timely diagnosis and should reassure parents and practitioners alike regarding its favorable course.

Image Restoration for Fluorescence Planar Imaging with Diffusion Model

PubMed Central

Gong, Yuzhu; Li, Yang

2017-01-01

Fluorescence planar imaging (FPI) is failure to capture high resolution images of deep fluorochromes due to photon diffusion. This paper presents an image restoration method to deal with this kind of blurring. The scheme of this method is conceived based on a reconstruction method in fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) with diffusion model. A new unknown parameter is defined through introducing the first mean value theorem for definite integrals. System matrix converting this unknown parameter to the blurry image is constructed with the elements of depth conversion matrices related to a chosen plane named focal plane. Results of phantom and mouse experiments show that the proposed method is capable of reducing the blurring of FPI image caused by photon diffusion when the depth of focal plane is chosen within a proper interval around the true depth of fluorochrome. This method will be helpful to the estimation of the size of deep fluorochrome. PMID:29279843

International consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome: Executive summary-Workgroup Report of the Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

PubMed

Nowak-Węgrzyn, Anna; Chehade, Mirna; Groetch, Marion E; Spergel, Jonathan M; Wood, Robert A; Allen, Katrina; Atkins, Dan; Bahna, Sami; Barad, Ashis V; Berin, Cecilia; Brown Whitehorn, Terri; Burks, A Wesley; Caubet, Jean-Christoph; Cianferoni, Antonella; Conte, Marisa; Davis, Carla; Fiocchi, Alessandro; Grimshaw, Kate; Gupta, Ruchi; Hofmeister, Brittany; Hwang, J B; Katz, Yitzhak; Konstantinou, George N; Leonard, Stephanie A; Lightdale, Jennifer; McGhee, Sean; Mehr, Sami; Sopo, Stefano Miceli; Monti, Giovanno; Muraro, Antonella; Noel, Stacey Katherine; Nomura, Ichiro; Noone, Sally; Sampson, Hugh A; Schultz, Fallon; Sicherer, Scott H; Thompson, Cecilia C; Turner, Paul J; Venter, Carina; Westcott-Chavez, A Amity; Greenhawt, Matthew

2017-04-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis (FPIES) is a non-IgE cell- mediated food allergy that can be severe and lead to shock. Despite the potential seriousness of reactions, awareness of FPIES is low; high-quality studies providing insight into the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management are lacking; and clinical outcomes are poorly established. This consensus document is the result of work done by an international workgroup convened through the Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the International FPIES Association advocacy group. These are the first international evidence-based guidelines to improve the diagnosis and management of patients with FPIES. Research on prevalence, pathophysiology, diagnostic markers, and future treatments is necessary to improve the care of patients with FPIES. These guidelines will be updated periodically as more evidence becomes available. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of kinesiotaping on foot posture in participants with pronated foot: a quasi-randomised, double-blind study.

PubMed

Luque-Suarez, Alejandro; Gijon-Nogueron, Gabriel; Baron-Lopez, Francisco Javier; Labajos-Manzanares, Maria Teresa; Hush, Julia; Hancock, Mark Jonathan

2014-03-01

To investigate whether kinesiotaping improves excessive foot pronation compared with sham kinesiotaping. Quasi-randomised, double-blind study. One primary care centre. One hundred and thirty participants were screened for inclusion. Sixty-eight participants with pronated feet [Foot Posture Index (FPI)≥ 6] were enrolled, and the follow-up rate was 100%. Participants were allocated into one of two groups: an experimental kinesiotaping group (KT1) and a sham taping group (KT2). Measures were collected by a blinded assessor at baseline, and 1 minute, 10 minutes, 60 minutes and 24 hours after taping. The primary outcome was total FPI score, and the secondary outcome was rear-foot FPI score. There were no significant differences in total FPI score between kinesiotaping and sham taping at any time point. Similarly, there were no significant differences in rear-foot FPI score, apart from at 60-minute follow-up when the difference between groups was significant (P=0.04) but the effect size was very small (0.85 points on the rear-foot FPI score between -6 and +6). Kinesiotaping does not correct foot pronation compared with sham kinesiotaping in people with pronated feet. Copyright © 2013 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. All rights reserved.

Effects of acute restraint-induced stress on glucocorticoid receptors and brain-derived neurotrophic factor after mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Griesbach, G S; Vincelli, J; Tio, D L; Hovda, D A

2012-05-17

We have previously reported that experimental mild traumatic brain injury results in increased sensitivity to stressful events during the first post-injury weeks, as determined by analyzing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation following restraint-induced stress. This is the same time period when rehabilitative exercise has proven to be ineffective after a mild fluid-percussion injury (FPI). Here we evaluated effects of stress on neuroplasticity. Adult male rats underwent either an FPI or sham injury. Additional rats were only exposed to anesthesia. Rats were exposed to 30 min of restraint stress, followed by tail vein blood collection at post-injury days (PID) 1, 7, and 14. The response to dexamethasone (DEX) was also evaluated. Hippocampal tissue was collected 120 min after stress onset. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) along with glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptors was determined by Western blot analysis. Results indicated injury-dependent changes in glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors that were influenced by the presence of dexamethasone. Control and FPI rats responded differentially to DEX in that GR increases after receiving the lower dose of DEX were longer lasting in the FPI group. A suppression of MR was found at PID 1 in vehicle-treated FPI and Sham groups. Decreases in the precursor form of BDNF were observed in different FPI groups at PIDs 7 and 14. These findings suggest that the increased sensitivity to stressful events during the first post-injury weeks, after a mild FPI, has an impact on hippocampal neuroplasticity. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A VARI-Based Relative Greenness from MODIS Data for Computing the Fire Potential Index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, P.; Roberts, D. A.; Kyriakidis, P. C.

2008-01-01

The Fire Potential Index (FPI) relies on relative greenness (RG) estimates from remote sensing data. The Normalized Difference Vegetation index (NDVI), derived from NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) imagery is currently used to calculate RG operationally. Here we evaluated an alternate measure of RG using the Visible Atmospheric Resistant Index (VARI) derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) data. VARI was chosen because it has previously been shown to have the strongest relationship with Live Fuel Moisture (LFM) out of a wide selection of MODIS-derived indices in southern California shrublands. To compare MODIS-based NDVI-FPI and VARI-FPI, RG was calculated from a 6-year time series of MODIS composites and validated against in-situ observations of LFM as a surrogate for vegetation greenness. RG from both indices was then compared in terms of its performance for computing the FPI using historical wildfire data. Computed RG values were regressed against ground-sampled LFM at 14 sites within Los Angeles County. The results indicate the VARI-based RG consistently shows a stronger relationship with observed LFM than NDVI-based RG. With an average R2 of 0.727 compared to a value of only 0.622 for NDVI-RG, VARI-RG showed stronger relationships at 13 out of 14 sites. Based on these results, daily FPI maps were computed for the years 2001 through 2005 using both NDVI-RG and VARI-RG. These were then validated against 12,490 fire detections from the MODIS active fire product using logistic regression. Deviance of the logistic regression model was 408.8 for NDVI-FPI and 176.2 for VARI-FPI. The c-index was found to be 0.69 and 0.78, respectively. The results show that VARI-FP outperforms NDVI-FPI in distinguishing between fire and no-fire events for historical wildfire data in southern California for the given time period.

Fabry-Perot interferometer development for rocket engine plume spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bickford, R. L.; Madzsar, G.

1990-07-01

This paper describes a new rugged high-resolution Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) designed for rocket engine plume spectroscopy, which is capable of detecting spectral signatures of eroding engine components during rocket engine tests and/or flight operations. The FPI system will make it possible to predict and to respond to the incipient rocket engine failures and to indicate the presence of rocket components degradation. The design diagram of the FPI spectrometer is presented.

Fabry-Perot interferometer development for rocket engine plume spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bickford, R. L.; Madzsar, G.

1990-01-01

This paper describes a new rugged high-resolution Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) designed for rocket engine plume spectroscopy, which is capable of detecting spectral signatures of eroding engine components during rocket engine tests and/or flight operations. The FPI system will make it possible to predict and to respond to the incipient rocket engine failures and to indicate the presence of rocket components degradation. The design diagram of the FPI spectrometer is presented.

Fluorescent Penetrant INSPECTION—CLEANING Study Update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenmann, D.; Brasche, L.

2009-03-01

Fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) is widely used in the aviation industry and other industries for surface-breaking crack detection. As with all inspection methods, adherence to the process parameters is critical to the successful detection of defects. There is variety of lubricants and surface coatings used in the aviation industry which must be removed prior to FPI. Before the FPI process begins, components are cleaned using a variety of cleaning methods which are selected based on the alloy and the soil types which must be removed. It is also important that the cleaning process not adversely affect the FPI process. From the first three phases of this project it has been found that a hot water rinse can aid in the detection process when using this nondestructive method.

Assessing patient report of function: content validity of the Functional Performance Inventory-Short Form (FPI-SF) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

PubMed

Leidy, Nancy Kline; Hamilton, Alan; Becker, Karin

2012-01-01

The performance of daily activities is a major challenge for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Functional Performance Inventory (FPI) was developed based on an analytical framework of functional status and qualitative interviews with COPD patients describing these difficulties. The 65-item FPI was reduced to a 32-item short form (SF) through a systematic process of qualitative and quantitative item reduction and formatted for greater clarity and ease of use. This study examined the content validity of the reduced, reformatted form of the instrument, the FPI-SF. Qualitative cognitive interviews were conducted with COPD patients recruited from three geographically diverse pulmonary clinics in the United States. Interviews were designed to assess respondent interpretation of the instrument, evaluate clarity and ease of completion, and identify any new activities participants found important and difficult to perform that were not represented by the existing items. Twenty subjects comprised the sample; 12 (60%) were male, 14 (70%) were Caucasian, the mean age was 63.0 ± 11.3 years, 12 (60%) were retired, the mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) was 1.5 ± 0.5 L, and the mean percent predicted FEV(1) was 48.4% ± 13.1%. Participants understood the FPI-SF as intended, including instructions, items, and response options. Two minor formatting changes were suggested to improve clarity of presentation. Participants found the content of the FPI-SF to be comprehensive, with items covering activities they felt were important and often difficult to perform. These results, together with its development history and previously tested quantitative properties, suggest that the FPI-SF is content valid for use in clinical studies of COPD.

Assessing patient report of function: content validity of the Functional Performance Inventory-Short Form (FPI-SF) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

PubMed Central

Leidy, Nancy Kline; Hamilton, Alan; Becker, Karin

2012-01-01

Purpose The performance of daily activities is a major challenge for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Functional Performance Inventory (FPI) was developed based on an analytical framework of functional status and qualitative interviews with COPD patients describing these difficulties. The 65-item FPI was reduced to a 32-item short form (SF) through a systematic process of qualitative and quantitative item reduction and formatted for greater clarity and ease of use. This study examined the content validity of the reduced, reformatted form of the instrument, the FPI-SF. Patients and methods Qualitative cognitive interviews were conducted with COPD patients recruited from three geographically diverse pulmonary clinics in the United States. Interviews were designed to assess respondent interpretation of the instrument, evaluate clarity and ease of completion, and identify any new activities participants found important and difficult to perform that were not represented by the existing items. Results Twenty subjects comprised the sample; 12 (60%) were male, 14 (70%) were Caucasian, the mean age was 63.0 ± 11.3 years, 12 (60%) were retired, the mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was 1.5 ± 0.5 L, and the mean percent predicted FEV1 was 48.4% ± 13.1%. Participants understood the FPI-SF as intended, including instructions, items, and response options. Two minor formatting changes were suggested to improve clarity of presentation. Participants found the content of the FPI-SF to be comprehensive, with items covering activities they felt were important and often difficult to perform. Conclusion These results, together with its development history and previously tested quantitative properties, suggest that the FPI-SF is content valid for use in clinical studies of COPD. PMID:22969295

Increased CD69 Expression on Peripheral Eosinophils from Patients with Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome.

PubMed

Wada, Taizo; Matsuda, Yusuke; Toma, Tomoko; Koizumi, Eiko; Okamoto, Hiroyuki; Yachie, Akihiro

2016-01-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is an uncommon, non-IgE-mediated food allergy. We recently described a significant increase in fecal eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) after ingestion of the causative food. However, little is known about the activation status of circulating eosinophils in patients with an acute FPIES reaction. Surface CD69 expression was assessed by flow cytometry on peripheral eosinophils from 5 patients with FPIES before and after ingestion of the causative food. Fecal EDN was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. No eosinophil activation was observed before ingestion; however, a significant increase in CD69 expression on eosinophils after an acute FIPES reaction was demonstrated in all of the patients. There was no significant change in absolute eosinophil counts in the peripheral blood. The levels of fecal EDN increased on the day after ingestion of the causative food in all patients. These results suggest that circulating eosinophils as well as eosinophils in the intestinal mucosal tissue are activated in acute FPIES reactions and might be associated with systemic immune events in FPIES. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Superfluid and Insulating Phases of Fermion Mixtures in Optical Lattices

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

Iskin, M.; Sa de Melo, C. A. R.

2007-08-24

The ground state phase diagram of fermion mixtures in optical lattices is analyzed as a function of interaction strength, fermion filling factor, and tunneling parameters. In addition to standard superfluid, phase-separated or coexisting superfluid-excess-fermion phases found in homogeneous or harmonically trapped systems, fermions in optical lattices have several insulating phases, including a molecular Bose-Mott insulator (BMI), a Fermi-Pauli (band) insulator (FPI), a phase-separated BMI-FPI mixture or a Bose-Fermi checkerboard (BFC). The molecular BMI phase is the fermion mixture counterpart of the atomic BMI found in atomic Bose systems, the BFC or BMI-FPI phases exist in Bose-Fermi mixtures, and lastly themore » FPI phase is particular to the Fermi nature of the constituent atoms of the mixture.« less

Laser Cooling With Ultrafast Pulse Trains

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-30

MHz] FIG. 5: Transmission spectrum of the FPI for (a) correct FPI length with p = 1, q = 2; ( b ) FPI length mismatched by - 700 ym. The transmission...signal for (a) is a factor of - 50 higher and narrower than for ( b ), and the signal-to-noise ratio is increased by a factor of - 2500. lasers. An...the positions of the laser beams with respect to the ion cloud, ( b ) adjusted the mode-locked beam waist radius to optimize total two-photon transition

Loss of tolerance for fishes previously tolerated in children with fish food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome.

PubMed

Miceli Sopo, S; Fantacci, C; Bersani, G; Romano, A; Monaco, S

We describe two case reports presenting some novel information on fish FPIES. Fish FPIES to one fish does not always start at the same time to other fish. Additionally, development of tolerance to the index fish do not necessarily imply tolerance to other reactive fish. This reflects on the best management of children with FPIES fish. Copyright © 2017 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Reliability and validity of the Microsoft Kinect for evaluating static foot posture

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The evaluation of foot posture in a clinical setting is useful to screen for potential injury, however disagreement remains as to which method has the greatest clinical utility. An inexpensive and widely available imaging system, the Microsoft Kinect™, may possess the characteristics to objectively evaluate static foot posture in a clinical setting with high accuracy. The aim of this study was to assess the intra-rater reliability and validity of this system for assessing static foot posture. Methods Three measures were used to assess static foot posture; traditional visual observation using the Foot Posture Index (FPI), a 3D motion analysis (3DMA) system and software designed to collect and analyse image and depth data from the Kinect. Spearman’s rho was used to assess intra-rater reliability and concurrent validity of the Kinect to evaluate foot posture, and a linear regression was used to examine the ability of the Kinect to predict total visual FPI score. Results The Kinect demonstrated moderate to good intra-rater reliability for four FPI items of foot posture (ρ = 0.62 to 0.78) and moderate to good correlations with the 3DMA system for four items of foot posture (ρ = 0.51 to 0.85). In contrast, intra-rater reliability of visual FPI items was poor to moderate (ρ = 0.17 to 0.63), and correlations with the Kinect and 3DMA systems were poor (absolute ρ = 0.01 to 0.44). Kinect FPI items with moderate to good reliability predicted 61% of the variance in total visual FPI score. Conclusions The majority of the foot posture items derived using the Kinect were more reliable than the traditional visual assessment of FPI, and were valid when compared to a 3DMA system. Individual foot posture items recorded using the Kinect were also shown to predict a moderate degree of variance in the total visual FPI score. Combined, these results support the future potential of the Kinect to accurately evaluate static foot posture in a clinical setting. PMID:23566934

48 CFR 8.602 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...— (1) Before purchasing an item of supply listed in the FPI Schedule, conduct market research to... assessment of price, quality, and time of delivery, based on the results of market research comparing the FPI...

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome by fish: Not necessarily a restricted diet.

PubMed

Infante, S; Marco-Martín, G; Sánchez-Domínguez, M; Rodríguez-Fernández, A; Fuentes-Aparicio, V; Alvarez-Perea, A; Cabrera-Freitag, P; Morales-Cabeza, C; Zubeldia, J M; Zapatero, L

2018-03-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food hypersensitivity usually due to cow's milk or soy. Recent researches show that fish is 1 of the most important triggers of FPIES in the Mediterranean countries. Due to the risk of multiple-food FPIES, avoiding foods in the same category or that often occur together may be reasonable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution and follow-up of FPIES related to fish over a period of 20 years. We describe the clinical features of our population, discuss different approaches to oral food challenges, and analyze the possibility of introducing the culprit fish or other nonrelated fish to avoid unnecessary restricted diets. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Preliminary Results of Cleaning Process for Lubricant Contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenmann, D.; Brasche, L.; Lopez, R.

2006-03-01

Fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) is widely used for aviation and other components for surface-breaking crack detection. As with all inspection methods, adherence to the process parameters is critical to the successful detection of defects. Prior to FPI, components are cleaned using a variety of cleaning methods which are selected based on the alloy and the soil types which must be removed. It is also important that the cleaning process not adversely affect the FPI process. There are a variety of lubricants and surface coatings used in the aviation industry which must be removed prior to FPI. To assess the effectiveness of typical cleaning processes on removal of these contaminants, a study was initiated at an airline overhaul facility. Initial results of the cleaning study for lubricant contamination in nickel, titanium and aluminum alloys will be presented.

Tunable MOEMS Fabry-Perot interferometer for miniaturized spectral sensing in near-infrared

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rissanen, A.; Mannila, R.; Tuohiniemi, M.; Akujärvi, A.; Antila, J.

2014-03-01

This paper presents a novel MOEMS Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) process platform for the range of 800 - 1050 nm. Simulation results including design and optimization of device properties in terms of transmission peak width, tuning range and electrical properties are discussed. Process flow for the device fabrication is presented, with overall process integration and backend dicing steps resulting in successful fabrication yield. The mirrors of the FPI consist of LPCVD (low-pressure chemical vapor) deposited polySi-SiN λ/4-thin film Bragg reflectors, with the air gap formed by sacrificial SiO2 etching in HF vapor. Silicon substrate below the optical aperture is removed by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching to ensure transmission in the visible - near infra-red (NIR), which is below silicon transmission range. The characterized optical properties of the chips are compared to the simulated values. Achieved optical aperture diameter size enables utilization of the chips in both imaging as well as single-point spectral sensors.

Fast Plasma Instrument for MMS: Data Compression Simulation Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrie, A.; Adrian, M. L.; Yeh, P.; Winkert, G.; Lobell, J.; Vinas, A. F.; Simpson, D. G.

2009-12-01

Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission will study small-scale reconnection structures and their rapid motions from closely spaced platforms using instruments capable of high angular, energy, and time resolution measurements. To meet these requirements, the Fast Plasma Instrument (FPI) consists of eight (8) identical half top-hat electron sensors and eight (8) identical ion sensors and an Instrument Data Processing Unit (IDPU). The sensors (electron or ion) are grouped into pairs whose 6° x 180° fields-of-view (FOV) are set 90° apart. Each sensor is equipped with electrostatic aperture steering to allow the sensor to scan a 45° x 180° fan about the its nominal viewing (0° deflection) direction. Each pair of sensors, known as the Dual Electron Spectrometer (DES) and the Dual Ion Spectrometer (DIS), occupies a quadrant on the MMS spacecraft and the combination of the eight electron/ion sensors, employing aperture steering, image the full-sky every 30-ms (electrons) and 150-ms (ions), respectively. To probe the diffusion regions of reconnection, the highest temporal/spatial resolution mode of FPI results in the DES complement of a given spacecraft generating 6.5-Mb s-1 of electron data while the DIS generates 1.1-Mb s-1 of ion data yielding an FPI total data rate of 6.6-Mb s-1. The FPI electron/ion data is collected by the IDPU then transmitted to the Central Data Instrument Processor (CIDP) on the spacecraft for science interest ranking. Only data sequences that contain the greatest amount of temporal/spatial structure will be intelligently down-linked by the spacecraft. Currently, the FPI data rate allocation to the CIDP is 1.5-Mb s-1. Consequently, the FPI-IDPU must employ data/image compression to meet this CIDP telemetry allocation. Here, we present updated simulations of the CCSDS 122.0-B-1 algorithm-based compression of the FPI-DES electron data as well as the FPI-DIS ion data. Compression analysis is based upon a seed of re-processed Cluster/PEACE electron measurements and Cluster/CIS ion measurements. Topics to be discussed include: (i) Review of compression algorithm; (ii) Data quality; (iii) Data formatting/organization; (iv) Compression optimization; (v) Investigation of pseudo-log precompression; and (vi) Analysis of compression effectiveness for burst mode as well as fast survey mode data packets for both electron and ion data We conclude with a presentation of the current base-lined FPI data compression approach.

Room-temperature, solution-processable organic electron extraction layer for high-performance planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells

DOE PAGES

Kim, Jong H.; Chueh, Chu-Chen; Williams, Spencer T.; ...

2015-09-24

Here in this work, we describe a room-temperature, solution-processable organic electron extraction layer (EEL) for high-performance planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells (PHJ PVSCs). This EEL is composed of a bilayered fulleropyrrolidinium iodide (FPI)-polyethyleneimine (PEIE) and PC 61BM, which yields a promising power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.7% with insignificant hysteresis. We reveal that PC 61BM can serve as a surface modifier of FPI-PEIE to simultaneously facilitate the crystallization of perovskite and the charge extraction at FPI-PEIE/CH 3NH 3PbI 3 interface. Furthermore, the FPI-PEIE can also tune the work function of ITO and dope PC 61BM to promote the efficient electronmore » transport between ITO and PC 61BM. Based on the advantages of room-temperature processability and decent electrical property of FPI-PEIE/PC 61BM EEL, a high-performance flexible PVSC with a PCE ~10% is eventually demonstrated. Lastly, this study shows the potential of low-temperature processed organic EEL to replace transition metal oxide-based interlayers for highly printing compatible PVSCs with high-performance.« less

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome: a review of the new guidelines.

PubMed

Leonard, Stephanie A; Pecora, Valentina; Fiocchi, Alessandro Giovanni; Nowak-Wegrzyn, Anna

2018-01-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergy that presents with delayed vomiting after ingestion primarily in infants. While the pathophysiology of FPIES is poorly understood, the clinical presentation of acute FPEIS reactions has been well characterized. The first International Consensus Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Protein-induced Enterocolitis Syndrome were published in 2017 and reviewed epidemiology, clinical presentation, and prognosis of acute and chronic FPIES. The workgroup outlined clinical phenotypes, proposed diagnostic criteria, and made recommendations on management. This article summarizes the guidelines and adds recent updates. FPIES is gaining recognition, however there continues to be delays in diagnosis and misdiagnosis due to overlap of symptoms with over conditions, lack of a diagnostic test, and because some of the common trigger foods are not thought of as allergenic. More research into disease mechanisms and factors influencing differences between populations is needed.

Differential diagnosis of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome

PubMed Central

Fiocchi, Alessandro; Claps, Alessia; Dahdah, Lamia; Brindisi, Giulia; Dionisi-Vici, Carlo; Martelli, Alberto

2014-01-01

Purpose of review To assess all the possible differential diagnosis of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), both in acute and chronic presentation, reviewing the data reported in published studies. Recent findings There is an increase of reported cases of FPIES in recent years. As the disease presents with nonspecific symptoms, it can be misunderstood in many ways. The differential diagnosis includes, in acute presentations, the following: sepsis, other infectious diseases, acute gastrointestinal episodes, surgical emergencies, food allergies. In its chronic forms, FPIES may mimic malabsorption syndromes, metabolic disorders, primary immunodeficiencies, neurological conditions, coagulation defects, and other types of non-IgE-mediated food allergy. Summary A thorough clinical evaluation, including symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings, is necessary to lead the clinicians toward the diagnosis of FPIES. The major reason for delayed diagnosis appears to be the lack of knowledge of the disease. PMID:24739227

High-temperature measurement by using a PCF-based Fabry-Perot interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Lai-Cai; Deng, Ming; Duan, De-Wen; Wen, Wei-Ping; Han, Meng

2012-10-01

A new method for fabricating a fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) for high-temperature sensing is presented. The sensor is fabricated by fusion splicing a short section of endlessly single-mode photonic crystal fiber (ESM-PCF) to the cleaved end facet of a single-mode fiber (SMF) with an intentional complete collapse at the splice joint. This procedure not only provides easier, faster and cheaper technology for FPI sensors but also yields the FPI exhibiting an accurate and stable sinusoidal interference fringe with relatively high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The high-temperature response of the FPI sensors were experimentally studied and the results show that the sensor allows linear and stable measurement of temperatures up to 1100 °C with a sensitivity of ˜39.1 nm/°C for a cavity length of 1377 um, which makes it attractive for aeronautics and metallurgy areas.

MEMS FPI-based smartphone hyperspectral imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rissanen, Anna; Saari, Heikki; Rainio, Kari; Stuns, Ingmar; Viherkanto, Kai; Holmlund, Christer; Näkki, Ismo; Ojanen, Harri

2016-05-01

This paper demonstrates a mobile phone- compatible hyperspectral imager based on a tunable MEMS Fabry-Perot interferometer. The realized iPhone 5s hyperspectral imager (HSI) demonstrator utilizes MEMS FPI tunable filter for visible-range, which consist of atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3/TiO2-thin film Bragg reflectors. Characterization results for the mobile phone hyperspectral imager utilizing MEMS FPI chip optimized for 500 nm is presented; the operation range is λ = 450 - 550 nm with FWHM between 8 - 15 nm. Also a configuration of two cascaded FPIs (λ = 500 nm and λ = 650 nm) combined with an RGB colour camera is presented. With this tandem configuration, the overall wavelength tuning range of MEMS hyperspectral imagers can be extended to cover a larger range than with a single FPI chip. The potential applications of mobile hyperspectral imagers in the vis-NIR range include authentication, counterfeit detection and potential health/wellness and food sensing applications.

Fast Plasma Instrument for MMS: Data Compression Simulation Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrie, A. C.; Adrian, M. L.; Yeh, P.; Winkert, G. E.; Lobell, J. V.; Viňas, A. F.; Simpson, D. G.; Moore, T. E.

2008-12-01

Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission will study small-scale reconnection structures and their rapid motions from closely spaced platforms using instruments capable of high angular, energy, and time resolution measurements. To meet these requirements, the Fast Plasma Instrument (FPI) consists of eight (8) identical half top-hat electron sensors and eight (8) identical ion sensors and an Instrument Data Processing Unit (IDPU). The sensors (electron or ion) are grouped into pairs whose 6° × 180° fields-of-view (FOV) are set 90° apart. Each sensor is equipped with electrostatic aperture steering to allow the sensor to scan a 45° × 180° fan about the its nominal viewing (0° deflection) direction. Each pair of sensors, known as the Dual Electron Spectrometer (DES) and the Dual Ion Spectrometer (DIS), occupies a quadrant on the MMS spacecraft and the combination of the eight electron/ion sensors, employing aperture steering, image the full-sky every 30-ms (electrons) and 150-ms (ions), respectively. To probe the diffusion regions of reconnection, the highest temporal/spatial resolution mode of FPI results in the DES complement of a given spacecraft generating 6.5-Mb s-1 of electron data while the DIS generates 1.1-Mb s-1 of ion data yielding an FPI total data rate of 7.6-Mb s-1. The FPI electron/ion data is collected by the IDPU then transmitted to the Central Data Instrument Processor (CIDP) on the spacecraft for science interest ranking. Only data sequences that contain the greatest amount of temporal/spatial structure will be intelligently down-linked by the spacecraft. Currently, the FPI data rate allocation to the CIDP is 1.5-Mb s-1. Consequently, the FPI-IDPU must employ data/image compression to meet this CIDP telemetry allocation. Here, we present simulations of the CCSDS 122.0-B-1 algorithm- based compression of the FPI-DES electron data. Compression analysis is based upon a seed of re- processed Cluster/PEACE electron measurements. Topics to be discussed include: (i) Review of compression algorithm; (ii) Data quality; (iii) Data formatting/organization; (iv) Compression optimization; and (v) Implications for data/matrix pruning. We conclude with a presentation of the base-lined FPI data compression approach.

48 CFR 8.601 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.601 General. (a) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), also referred to as UNICOR, is a self-supporting, wholly... minimize adverse impact on private industry. (d) Supplies manufactured and services performed by FPI are...

48 CFR 8.601 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.601 General. (a) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), also referred to as UNICOR, is a self-supporting, wholly... minimize adverse impact on private industry. (d) Supplies manufactured and services performed by FPI are...

48 CFR 8.601 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.601 General. (a) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), also referred to as UNICOR, is a self-supporting, wholly... minimize adverse impact on private industry. (d) Supplies manufactured and services performed by FPI are...

48 CFR 8.601 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.601 General. (a) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), also referred to as UNICOR, is a self-supporting, wholly... minimize adverse impact on private industry. (d) Supplies manufactured and services performed by FPI are...

48 CFR 8.601 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.601 General. (a) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), also referred to as UNICOR, is a self-supporting, wholly... minimize adverse impact on private industry. (d) Supplies manufactured and services performed by FPI are...

28 CFR 345.11 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... work simulation programs and training opportunities for inmates confined in Federal correctional... inmate of work safety standards. (2) Full-time work status. A work schedule for an inmate consisting of... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Definitions § 345.11 Definitions. (a) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI...

Contributions of foot muscles and plantar fascia morphology to foot posture.

PubMed

Angin, Salih; Mickle, Karen J; Nester, Christopher J

2018-03-01

The plantar foot muscles and plantar fascia differ between different foot postures. However, how each individual plantar structure contribute to foot posture has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between static foot posture and morphology of plantar foot muscles and plantar fascia and thus the contributions of these structures to static foot posture. A total of 111 participants were recruited, 43 were classified as having pes planus and 68 as having normal foot posture using Foot Posture Index assessment tool. Images from the flexor digitorum longus (FDL), flexor hallucis longus (FHL), peroneus longus and brevis (PER), flexor hallucis brevis (FHB), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) and abductor hallucis (AbH) muscles, and the calcaneal (PF1), middle (PF2) and metatarsal (PF3) regions of the plantar fascia were obtained using a Venue 40 ultrasound system with a 5-13 MHz transducer. In order of decreasing contribution, PF3 > FHB > FHL > PER > FDB were all associated with FPI and able to explain 69% of the change in FPI scores. PF3 was the highest contributor explaining 52% of increases in FPI score. Decreased thickness was associated with increased FPI score. Smaller cross sectional area (CSA) in FHB and PER muscles explained 20% and 8% of increase in FPI score. Larger CSA of FDB and FHL muscles explained 4% and 14% increase in FPI score respectively. The medial plantar structures and the plantar fascia appear to be the major contributors to static foot posture. Elucidating the individual contribution of multiple muscles of the foot could provide insight about their role in the foot posture. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Peak height of OH airglow derived from simultaneous observations a Fabry-Perot interferometer and a meteor radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Tao; Zuo, Xiaomin; Xia, Chunliang; Li, Mingyuan; Huang, Cong; Mao, Tian; Zhang, Xiaoxin; Zhao, Biqiang; Liu, Libo

2017-04-01

A new method for estimating daily averaged peak height of the OH airglow layer from a ground-based meteor radar (MR) and a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) is presented. The first results are derived from 4 year simultaneous measurements of winds by a MR and a FPI at two adjacent stations over center China and are compared with observations from the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics/Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument. The OH airglow peak heights, which are derived by using correlation analysis between winds of the FPI and MR, are found to generally peak at an altitude of 87 km and frequently varied between 80 km and 90 km day to day. In comparison with SABER OH 1.6 μm observations, reasonable similarity of airglow peak heights is found, and rapid day-to-day variations are also pronounced. Lomb-Scargle analysis is used to determine cycles of temporal variations of airglow peak heights, and there are obvious periodic variations both in our airglow peak heights and in the satellite observations. In addition to the annual, semiannual, monthly, and three monthly variations, the shorter time variations, e.g., day-to-day and several days' variations, are also conspicuous. The day-to-day variations of airglow height obviously could reduce observation accuracy and lead to some deviations in FPI measurements. These FPI wind deviations arising from airglow height variations are also estimated to be about 3-5 m/s from 2011 to 2015, with strong positive correlation with airglow peak height variation. More attention should be paid to the wind deviations associated with airglow height variation when using and interpreting winds measured by FPI.

28 CFR 345.20 - Position classification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Position classification. 345.20 Section... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Position Classification § 345.20 Position classification. (a) Inmate... the objectives and principles of pay classification as a part of the routine orientation of new FPI...

28 CFR 345.20 - Position classification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Position classification. 345.20 Section... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Position Classification § 345.20 Position classification. (a) Inmate... the objectives and principles of pay classification as a part of the routine orientation of new FPI...

28 CFR 345.20 - Position classification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Position classification. 345.20 Section... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Position Classification § 345.20 Position classification. (a) Inmate... the objectives and principles of pay classification as a part of the routine orientation of new FPI...

28 CFR 345.11 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Definitions. 345.11 Section 345.11... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Definitions § 345.11 Definitions. (a) Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI... Superintendent of Industries, also referred to as Associate Warden/Industries and Education, is responsible for...

FPI: FM Success through Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickling, Duane

2013-01-01

The APPA Facilities Performance Indicators (FPI) is perhaps one of the most powerful analytical tools that institutional facilities professionals have at their disposal. It is a diagnostic facilities performance management tool that addresses the essential questions that facilities executives must answer to effectively perform their roles. It…

28 CFR 345.20 - Position classification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Position classification. 345.20 Section... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Position Classification § 345.20 Position classification. (a) Inmate... the objectives and principles of pay classification as a part of the routine orientation of new FPI...

28 CFR 345.20 - Position classification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Position classification. 345.20 Section... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Position Classification § 345.20 Position classification. (a) Inmate... the objectives and principles of pay classification as a part of the routine orientation of new FPI...

28 CFR 345.70 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false General. 345.70 Section 345.70 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK... industry processes or safety or which conserve energy or materials consumed in FPI operations, and for...

Latest Insights on Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome: An Emerging Medical Condition.

PubMed

Vila Sexto, L

2018-01-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a type of non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food hypersensitivity characterized by profuse vomiting that is frequently associated with pallor or/and lethargy and appears within 1 to 3 hours after ingestion of the offending food. A less frequent chronic form of FPIES is characterized by protracted vomiting, diarrhea, or both accompanied by poor growth. Although FPIES is considered a rare allergic disorder, increasing reports in recent years point to a real increase in incidence, or at least an increased awareness of this condition by pediatricians. The foods most frequently implicated are cow's milk, soy formula, grains, and fish, depending on the geographic area. Diagnosis is based on clinical manifestations and requires a high index of suspicion, since we still lack a diagnostic laboratory tool. Early recognition of FPIES and removal of the offending food are mandatory. International consensus guidelines on diagnosis and management have been published. Prognosis is usually good, with most children tolerating foods before 6 years of age.

High-sensitivity and large-dynamic-range refractive index sensors employing weak composite Fabry-Perot cavities.

PubMed

Chen, Pengcheng; Shu, Xuewen; Cao, Haoran; Sugden, Kate

2017-08-15

Most sensors face a common trade-off between high sensitivity and a large dynamic range. We demonstrate here an all-fiber refractometer based on a dual-cavity Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) that possesses the advantage of both high sensitivity and a large dynamic range. Since the two composite cavities have a large cavity length difference, one can observe both fine and coarse fringes, which correspond to the long cavity and the short cavity, respectively. The short-cavity FPI and the use of an intensity demodulation method mean that the individual fine fringe dips correspond to a series of quasi-continuous highly sensitive zones for refractive index measurement. By calculating the parameters of the composite FPI, we find that the range of the ultra-sensitive zones can be considerably adjusted to suit the end requirements. The experimental trends are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. The co-existence of high sensitivity and a large dynamic range in a composite FPI is of great significance to practical RI measurements.

Family partnership and education interventions to reduce dietary sodium by patients with heart failure differ by family functioning.

PubMed

Dunbar, Sandra B; Clark, Patricia C; Stamp, Kelly D; Reilly, Carolyn M; Gary, Rebecca A; Higgins, Melinda; Kaslow, Nadine

2016-01-01

Determine if family functioning influences response to family-focused interventions aimed at reducing dietary sodium by heart failure (HF) patients. Lowering dietary sodium by HF patients often occurs within the home and family context. Secondary analysis of 117 dyads randomized to patient and family education (PFE), family partnership intervention (FPI) or usual care (UC). Dietary sodium measures were obtained from 3-day food record and 24-h urine samples. In the poor family functioning groups, FPI and PFE had lower mean urine sodium than UC (p < .05) at 4 months, and FPI remained lower than UC at 8 months (p < .05). For good family functioning groups, FPI and PFE had lower mean sodium levels by 3-day food record at 4 and 8 months compared to the UC group. Optimizing family-focused interventions into HF clinical care maybe indicated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Classification of Porcine Cranial Fracture Patterns Using a Fracture Printing Interface,^.

PubMed

Wei, Feng; Bucak, Serhat Selçuk; Vollner, Jennifer M; Fenton, Todd W; Jain, Anil K; Haut, Roger C

2017-01-01

Distinguishing between accidental and abusive head trauma in children can be difficult, as there is a lack of baseline data for pediatric cranial fracture patterns. A porcine head model has recently been developed and utilized in a series of studies to investigate the effects of impact energy level, surface type, and constraint condition on cranial fracture patterns. In the current study, an automated pattern recognition method, or a fracture printing interface (FPI), was developed to classify cranial fracture patterns that were associated with different impact scenarios documented in previous experiments. The FPI accurately predicted the energy level when the impact surface type was rigid. Additionally, the FPI was exceedingly successful in determining fractures caused by skulls being dropped with a high-level energy (97% accuracy). The FPI, currently developed on the porcine data, may in the future be transformed to the task of cranial fracture pattern classification for human infant skulls. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Fast Plasma Instrument for MMS: Data Compression Simulation Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrie, A.; Adrian, Mark L.; Yeh, P.-S.; Winkert, G. E.; Lobell, J. V.; Vinas, A.F.; Simpson, D. J.; Moore, T. E.

2008-01-01

Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission will study small-scale reconnection structures and their rapid motions from closely spaced platforms using instruments capable of high angular, energy, and time resolution measurements. To meet these requirements, the Fast Plasma Instrument (FPI) consists of eight (8) identical half top-hat electron sensors and eights (8) identical ion sensors and an Instrument Data Processing Unit (IDPU). The sensors (electron or ion) are grouped into pairs whose 6 deg x 180 deg fields-of-view (FOV) are set 90 deg apart. Each sensor is equipped with electrostatic aperture steering to allow the sensor to scan a 45 deg x 180 deg fan about its nominal viewing (0 deg deflection) direction. Each pair of sensors, known as the Dual Electron Spectrometer (DES) and the Dual Ion Spectrometer (DIS), occupies a quadrant on the MMS spacecraft and the combination of the eight electron/ion sensors, employing aperture steering, image the full-sky every 30-ms (electrons) and 150-ms (ions), respectively. To probe the results in the DES complement of a given spacecraft generating 6.5-Mbs(exp -1) of electron data while the DIS generates 1.1-Mbs(exp -1) of ion data yielding an FPI total data rate of 6.6-MBs(exp -1). The FPI electron/ion data is collected by the IDPU then transmitted to the Central Data Instrument Processor (CIDP) on the spacecraft for science interest ranking. Only data sequences that contain the greatest amount of temporal/spatial structure will be intelligently down-linked by the spacecraft. Currently, the FPI data rate allocation to the CIDP is 1.5-Mbs(exp -1). Consequently, the FPI-IDPU must employ data/image compression to meet this CIDP telemetry allocation. Here, we present simulations of the CCSDS 122.0-B-1 algorithm-based compression of the FPI-DES electron data. Compression analysis is based upon a seed of re-processed Cluster/PEACE electron measurements. Topics to be discussed include: review of compression algorithm; data quality; data formatting/organization; and, implications for data/matrix pruning. To conclude a presentation of the base-lined FPI data compression approach is provided.

PCF-based Fabry-Perot interferometric sensor for strain measurement under high-temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Ming; Tang, Chang-Ping; Zhu, Tao; Rao, Yun-Jiang

2011-05-01

We report a simple and robust all-fiber in-line Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with bubble cavity, which is fabricated by directly splicing a mutimode photonic crystal fiber to a conventional single mode fiber by using a commercial splicer. The fabrication process only involves fusion splicing and cleaving. The high-temperature strain characteristic of such a device is evaluated and experimental results shows that this FPI can be used as an ideal sensor for precise strain measurement under high temperatures of up to 750°C. Therefore, such a FPI sensor may find important applications in aeronautics or metallurgy areas.

48 CFR 8.602 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.602 Policy. (a... determine whether the FPI item is comparable to supplies available from the private sector that best meet... item to supplies available from the private sector; (3) If the FPI item is comparable, purchase the...

48 CFR 8.602 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...— (1) Before purchasing an item of supply listed in the FPI Schedule, conduct market research to... item to supplies available from the private sector; (3) If the FPI item is comparable, purchase the... for award in accordance with the item description or specifications, and evaluation factors in the...

The foot posture index in men practicing three sports different in their biomechanical gestures.

PubMed

Martínez-Nova, Alfonso; Gómez-Blázquez, Eduardo; Escamilla-Martínez, Elena; Pérez-Soriano, Pedro; Gijon-Nogueron, Gabriel; Fernández-Seguín, Lourdes María

2014-03-01

The technical gestures characteristic of certain sports may lead to one type of foot being more prevalent than the others. The Foot Posture Index (FPI) has been used as a diagnostic tool for support postures in various sports, but the differences in these postures between sports of distinct gestures in their actions are far from completely understood. The overall FPI, obtained as the sum of the scores of its six individual criteria, was determined in 90 male athletes (30 runners, 30 basketball players, and 30 handball players) in static bipedal stance and relaxed position. Analysis of variance was used to find significant differences among the three sports in the total FPI and its six criteria. The mean ± SD FPI was 2.9 ± 2.8 in runners, 3.9 ± 4.1 in basketball players, and -0.4 ± 6.9 in handball players, with significant differences among these groups (P = .008). Significant differences were also found in the talar head position and talonavicular prominence values between handball players and runners (P = .001 and P = .004, respectively) and between handball and basketball players (P = .002 and P = .006, respectively). Runners and basketball players had neutral feet, whereas handball players had supinated feet. The differences in foot posture seem to be mainly determined by two of the FPI criteria: talar head position and talonavicular prominence.

Energy Dependence of Electron-Scale Currents and Dissipation During Magnetopause Reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuster, J. R.; Gershman, D. J.; Giles, B. L.; Dorelli, J.; Avanov, L. A.; Chen, L. J.; Wang, S.; Bessho, N.; Torbert, R. B.; Farrugia, C. J.; Argall, M. R.; Strangeway, R. J.; Schwartz, S. J.

2017-12-01

We investigate the electron-scale physics of reconnecting current structures observed at the magnetopause during Phase 1B of the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission when the spacecraft separation was less than 10 km. Using single-spacecraft measurements of the current density vector Jplasma = en(vi - ve) enabled by the accuracy of the Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) electron moments as demonstrated by Phan et al. [2016], we consider perpendicular (J⊥1 and J⊥2) and parallel (J//) currents and their corresponding kinetic electron signatures. These currents can correspond to a variety of structures in the electron velocity distribution functions measured by FPI, including perpendicular and parallel crescents like those first reported by Burch et al. [2016], parallel electron beams, counter-streaming electron populations, or sometimes simply a bulk velocity shift. By integrating the distribution function over only its angular dimensions, we compute energy-dependent 'partial' moments and employ them to characterize the energy dependence of velocities, currents, and dissipation associated with magnetic reconnection diffusion regions caught by MMS. Our technique aids in visualizing and elucidating the plasma energization mechanisms that operate during collisionless reconnection.

An overview of engineering concepts and current design algorithms for probabilistic structural analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duffy, S. F.; Hu, J.; Hopkins, D. A.

1995-01-01

The article begins by examining the fundamentals of traditional deterministic design philosophy. The initial section outlines the concepts of failure criteria and limit state functions two traditional notions that are embedded in deterministic design philosophy. This is followed by a discussion regarding safety factors (a possible limit state function) and the common utilization of statistical concepts in deterministic engineering design approaches. Next the fundamental aspects of a probabilistic failure analysis are explored and it is shown that deterministic design concepts mentioned in the initial portion of the article are embedded in probabilistic design methods. For components fabricated from ceramic materials (and other similarly brittle materials) the probabilistic design approach yields the widely used Weibull analysis after suitable assumptions are incorporated. The authors point out that Weibull analysis provides the rare instance where closed form solutions are available for a probabilistic failure analysis. Since numerical methods are usually required to evaluate component reliabilities, a section on Monte Carlo methods is included to introduce the concept. The article concludes with a presentation of the technical aspects that support the numerical method known as fast probability integration (FPI). This includes a discussion of the Hasofer-Lind and Rackwitz-Fiessler approximations.

Facilities Performance Indicators Report, 2006-07

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazner, Steve, Ed.

2008-01-01

The "Facilities Performance Indicators Survey" ("FPI") supersedes and builds upon the two major surveys APPA conducted in the past: the Comparative Costs and Staffing (CCAS) survey and the Strategic Assessment Model (SAM). The "FPI" covers all the materials collected in CCAS and SAM, along with some select new data points and improved survey…

28 CFR 345.65 - Inmate medical work limitation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Inmate medical work limitation. 345.65... PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.65 Inmate medical work... injury sustained by an inmate which necessitates removing the ill worker from an FPI work assignment. If...

28 CFR 345.56 - Vacation pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Vacation pay. 345.56 Section 345.56... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.56 Vacation pay. Inmate workers are granted FPI vacation pay by the SOI when their continued good work performance justifies such pay, based on...

28 CFR 345.58 - Holiday pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Holiday pay. 345.58 Section 345.58... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.58 Holiday pay. An inmate worker in FPI work status shall receive pay at the standard hourly rate, plus longevity where applicable, for all Federal...

28 CFR 345.59 - Inmate performance pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Inmate performance pay. 345.59 Section... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.59 Inmate performance pay. Inmate workers for FPI may also receive Inmate Performance Pay for participation in programs where this award is made...

Stratospheric temperature measurement with scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer for wind retrieval from mobile Rayleigh Doppler lidar.

PubMed

Xia, Haiyun; Dou, Xiankang; Shangguan, Mingjia; Zhao, Ruocan; Sun, Dongsong; Wang, Chong; Qiu, Jiawei; Shu, Zhifeng; Xue, Xianghui; Han, Yuli; Han, Yan

2014-09-08

Temperature detection remains challenging in the low stratosphere, where the Rayleigh integration lidar is perturbed by aerosol contamination and ozone absorption while the rotational Raman lidar is suffered from its low scattering cross section. To correct the impacts of temperature on the Rayleigh Doppler lidar, a high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) based on cavity scanning Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) is developed. By considering the effect of the laser spectral width, Doppler broadening of the molecular backscatter, divergence of the light beam and mirror defects of the FPI, a well-behaved transmission function is proved to show the principle of HSRL in detail. Analysis of the statistical error of the HSRL is carried out in the data processing. A temperature lidar using both HSRL and Rayleigh integration techniques is incorporated into the Rayleigh Doppler wind lidar. Simultaneous wind and temperature detection is carried out based on the combined system at Delhi (37.371°N, 97.374°E; 2850 m above the sea level) in Qinghai province, China. Lower Stratosphere temperature has been measured using HSRL between 18 and 50 km with temporal resolution of 2000 seconds. The statistical error of the derived temperatures is between 0.2 and 9.2 K. The temperature profile retrieved from the HSRL and wind profile from the Rayleigh Doppler lidar show good agreement with the radiosonde data. Specifically, the max temperature deviation between the HSRL and radiosonde is 4.7 K from 18 km to 36 km, and it is 2.7 K between the HSRL and Rayleigh integration lidar from 27 km to 34 km.

Optical fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer with pH sensitive hydrogel film for hazardous gases sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yangzi; Chen, Li Han; Chan, Chi Chiu; Dong, Xinyong; Yang, Jingyi; Tou, Zhi Qiang; So, Ping Lam

2015-09-01

An optical fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) coated with polyvinyl alcohol/poly-acrylic acid (PVA/PAA) hydrogel film for toxic gases measurement has been developed. Splicing a short section of hollow core fiber between two single mode fibers forms the FPI. Dip-coated pH-sensitive PVA/PAA hydrogel film on the fiber end performs as a receptor for binding of volatile acids or ammonia, which makes the sensing film swelling or shrinking and results in the dip wavelength shift of the FPI. By demodulating the evolution of reflection spectrum for various concentrations of volatile acids, a sensitivity of 20.8 nm/ppm is achieved with uniform linearity.

Radiosynthesis of a new PSMA targeting ligand ([18F]FPy-DUPA-Pep).

PubMed

Malik, Noeen; Machulla, Hans-Jürgen; Solbach, Christoph; Winter, Gordon; Reske, Sven N; Zlatopolskiy, Boris

2011-07-01

Due to the specificity of expression of PSMA (prostate specific membrane antigen) particularly in prostate cancer cells (e.g. LNCaP), numerous PSMA ligands have been synthesized until now. In the current study, we synthesized DUPA-Pep having 2-[3-(1,3-dicarboxypropyl)ureido]pentanedioic acid (DUPA) linked via 8-aminooctanoic acid to two phenylalanine residues and chose 6-[(18)F]fluoronicotinic acid 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl ester [(18)F]FPy-TFP as a prosthetic group for coupling. [(18)F]FPy-DUPA-Pep was obtained in a radiochemical yield of 48±0.9% (decay uncorrected) within 50 min with a chemical purity of >98%. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

28 CFR 345.51 - Inmate pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Inmate pay. 345.51 Section 345.51... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.51 Inmate pay. (a) Grade levels. Inmate workers in FPI locations receive pay at five levels ranging from 5th grade pay (lowest) to 1st grade pay...

Chronic food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome caused by cow's milk proteins passed through breast milk.

PubMed

Miceli Sopo, Stefano; Monaco, Serena; Greco, Monica; Scala, Guglielmo

2014-01-01

We describe 2 cases of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) caused by cow's milk (CM) passed through breast milk. The onset in both cases was characterized by chronic symptoms (regurgitation, colic, diarrhea, failure to thrive); in one patient, two acute episodes due to the direct consumption of CM formula by the infant were also reported. The diagnosis of FPIES through breast milk can be easily overlooked, especially in milder cases. We also discuss some important issues concerning the general management of the disease. In conclusion, (1) the diagnosis of chronic FPIES should be taken into account even in exclusively breast-fed infants who present suggestive symptoms such as persistent regurgitation, small amounts of vomiting, lethargy, failure to thrive, dehydration, diarrhea (sometimes bloody) and abdominal distention. A 2-week maternal elimination diet should be considered even in apparently mild cases. (2) CM seems to be the most frequently reported culprit food. (3) In those cases in which acute FPIES is elicited by the direct consumption of the culprit food in breast-fed infants, maternal diet may be unrestricted. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Hypersonic force measurements using internal balance based on optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometry.

PubMed

Qiu, Huacheng; Min, Fu; Zhong, Shaolong; Song, Xin; Yang, Yanguang

2018-03-01

Force measurements using wind tunnel balance are necessary for determining a variety of aerodynamic performance parameters, while the harsh environment in hypersonic flows requires that the measurement instrument should be reliable and robust, in against strong electromagnetic interference, high vacuum, or metal (oxide) dusts. In this paper, we demonstrated a three-component internal balance for hypersonic aerodynamic force measurements, using novel optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometric (FPI) strain gauges as sensing elements. The FPI gauges were fabricated using Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) surface and bulk fabrication techniques. High-reflectivity coatings are used to form a high-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity, which benefits a high resolution. Antireflective and passivation coatings are used to reduce unwanted interferences. The FPI strain gauge based balance has been calibrated and evaluated in a Mach 5 hypersonic flow. The results are compared with the traditional technique using the foil resistive strain gauge balance, indicating that the proposed balance based on the MOEMS FPI strain gauge is reliable and robust and is potentially suitable for the hypersonic wind tunnel harsh environment.

Hypersonic force measurements using internal balance based on optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Huacheng; Min, Fu; Zhong, Shaolong; Song, Xin; Yang, Yanguang

2018-03-01

Force measurements using wind tunnel balance are necessary for determining a variety of aerodynamic performance parameters, while the harsh environment in hypersonic flows requires that the measurement instrument should be reliable and robust, in against strong electromagnetic interference, high vacuum, or metal (oxide) dusts. In this paper, we demonstrated a three-component internal balance for hypersonic aerodynamic force measurements, using novel optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometric (FPI) strain gauges as sensing elements. The FPI gauges were fabricated using Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) surface and bulk fabrication techniques. High-reflectivity coatings are used to form a high-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity, which benefits a high resolution. Antireflective and passivation coatings are used to reduce unwanted interferences. The FPI strain gauge based balance has been calibrated and evaluated in a Mach 5 hypersonic flow. The results are compared with the traditional technique using the foil resistive strain gauge balance, indicating that the proposed balance based on the MOEMS FPI strain gauge is reliable and robust and is potentially suitable for the hypersonic wind tunnel harsh environment.

The effects of prolonged running on foot posture: a repeated measures study of half marathon runners using the foot posture index and navicular height

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Different foot postures are associated with alterations in foot function, kinetics and the subsequent occurrence of injury. Little is known about changes in foot posture following prolonged weightbearing exercise. This study aimed to identify changes in foot posture after running a half marathon. Methods Foot posture was measured using the Foot Posture Index (FPI-6) and navicular height in thirty volunteer participants before and after running a half marathon. FPI-6 scores were converted to Rasch logit values and means compared for these and navicular height using an ANOVA. Results There was a 5 mm drop in navicular height in both feet when measured after the half marathon (P < 0.05). The FPI-6 showed a side x time interaction with an increase in score indicating a more ‘pronated’ position in the left foot of + 2 [Rasch value + 1.7] but no change in the right foot (+ 0.4 [+ 0.76]) following the half marathon. Conclusion The apparent differences between the FPI-6 and navicular height on the right foot may be because the FPI-6 takes soft tissue contour changes into consideration whilst the navicular height focuses on skeletal changes. The changes in foot posture towards a more pronated position may have implications for foot function, and therefore risk of injury; shoe fit and comfort and also the effect of therapeutic orthoses worn during prolonged running. PMID:23705863

The biochemical properties of the Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI)-encoded proteins IglA, IglB, IglC, PdpB and DotU suggest roles in type VI secretion

PubMed Central

de Bruin, Olle M.; Duplantis, Barry N.; Ludu, Jagjit S.; Hare, Rebekah F.; Nix, Eli B.; Schmerk, Crystal L.; Robb, Craig S.; Boraston, Alisdair B.; Hueffer, Karsten

2011-01-01

The Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI) encodes proteins thought to compose a type VI secretion system (T6SS) that is required for the intracellular growth of Francisella novicida. In this work we used deletion mutagenesis and genetic complementation to determine that the intracellular growth of F. novicida was dependent on 14 of the 18 genes in the FPI. The products of the iglABCD operon were localized by the biochemical fractionation of F. novicida, and Francisella tularensis LVS. Sucrose gradient separation of water-insoluble material showed that the FPI-encoded proteins IglA, IglB and IglC were found in multiple fractions, especially in a fraction that did not correspond to a known membrane fraction. We interpreted these data to suggest that IglA, IglB and IglC are part of a macromolecular structure. Analysis of published structural data suggested that IglC is an analogue of Hcp, which is thought to form long nano-tubes. Thus the fractionation properties of IglA, IglB and IglC are consistent with the current model of the T6SS apparatus, which supposes that IglA and IglB homologues form an outer tube structure that surrounds an inner tube composed of Hcp (IglC) subunits. Fractionation of F. novicida expressing FLAG-tagged DotU (IcmH homologue) and PdpB (IcmF homologue) showed that these proteins localize to the inner membrane. Deletion of dotU led to the cleavage of PdpB, suggesting an interaction of these two proteins that is consistent with results obtained with other T6SSs. Our results may provide a mechanistic basis for many of the studies that have examined the virulence properties of Francisella mutants in FPI genes, namely that the observed phenotypes of the mutants are the result of the disruption of the FPI-encoded T6SS structure. PMID:21980115

Characterization of 18F-FPyKYNE-Losartan for Imaging AT1 Receptors.

PubMed

Hachem, Maryam; Tiberi, Mario; Ismail, Basma; Hunter, Chad R; Arksey, Natasha; Hadizad, Tayebeh; Beanlands, Rob S; deKemp, Robert A; DaSilva, Jean N

2016-10-01

Most physiologic effects of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) are mediated via the angiotensin (Ang) type 1 receptor (AT 1 R). The 18 F-FPyKYNE derivative of the clinically used AT 1 R blocker losartan exhibits high binding selectivity for kidney AT 1 R and rapid metabolism in rats. The aim of this study was to further assess the binding profile of this novel PET agent for imaging AT 1 R in rats and pigs. In vitro binding assays were performed with 18 F-FPyKYNE-losartan in rat kidneys. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to assess dosimetry, antagonistic efficacy via blood pressure measurements, and presence of labeled metabolites in kidneys. Test-retest PET imaging, blocking with AT 1 R antagonist candesartan (10 mg/kg), and plasma metabolism analysis were performed in female Yorkshire pigs. 18 F-FPyKYNE-losartan bound with high affinity (dissociation constant of 49.4 ± 18.0 nM and maximal binding of 348 ± 112 fmol/mm 2 ) to rat kidney AT 1 R. It bound strongly to plasma proteins in rats (97%), and its labeled metabolites displayed minimal interference on renal AT 1 R binding. FPyKYNE-losartan fully antagonized the Ang II pressor effect, albeit with 4-fold potency reduction (the effective dose inhibiting 50% of the Ang II-induced maximal pressor response of 25.5 mg/kg) relative to losartan. PET imaging exhibited high kidney-to-blood contrast and slow renal clearance, with an SUV of 14.1 ± 6.2. Excellent reproducibility was observed in the calculated test-retest variability (7.2% ± 0.75%). Only hydrophilic-labeled metabolites were present in plasma samples, and renal retention was reduced (-60%) at 10-15 min after blockade with candesartan. 18 F-FPyKYNE-losartan has a favorable binding profile and displays high potential for translational work in humans as an AT 1 R PET imaging agent. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

The influence of arthritis on the anthropometric parameters of the feet of older women.

PubMed

Castro, Alessandra Paiva; Rebelatto, José Rubens; Aurichio, Thaís Rabiatti; Greve, Patrícia

2010-01-01

Age-related and arthritis-related foot modifications have been described in literature, but there is a lack of references that allow shoes to be designed on the basis of specific anthropometric measurements of older women. The aim of this study was to identify the anthropometric characteristics of the feet of elderly women with and without arthritis. This is an observational transversal study. The right and left feet of 227 older women aged between 60 and 90 years (69.6 + or - 6.8 years) were evaluated, of whom 45 reported a diagnosis of arthritis (non-osteoarthritis). The anthropometric evaluation of the feet comprised the variables of width, perimeter, height, foot length, first and fifth metatarsophalangeal angles, the arch-index and the foot posture index (FPI). The data were analyzed using the analysis of probability to compare the groups (arthritic and non-arthritic women). The differences between the means were significant in the case of the FPI and some of its criteria, such as the calcaneal frontal plane position, the bulge in the region of the talo-navicular joint and the forefoot alignment. The width of the right foot was also significantly greater in the women with arthritis. These results are preliminary findings that may help direct larger studies of foot characteristics among older adults with arthritis. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Running on Foot Posture and In-Shoe Plantar Pressures.

PubMed

Bravo-Aguilar, María; Gijón-Noguerón, Gabriel; Luque-Suarez, Alejandro; Abian-Vicen, Javier

2016-03-01

Running can be considered a high-impact practice, and most people practicing continuous running experience lower-limb injuries. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of 45 min of running on foot posture and plantar pressures. The sample comprised 116 healthy adults (92 men and 24 women) with no foot-related injuries. The mean ± SD age of the participants was 28.31 ± 6.01 years; body mass index, 23.45 ± 1.96; and training time, 11.02 ± 4.22 h/wk. Outcome measures were collected before and after 45 min of running at an average speed of 12 km/h, and included the Foot Posture Index (FPI) and a baropodometric analysis. The results show that foot posture can be modified after 45 min of running. The mean ± SD FPI changed from 6.15 ± 2.61 to 4.86 ± 2.65 (P < .001). Significant decreases in mean plantar pressures in the external, internal, rearfoot, and forefoot edges were found after 45 min of running. Peak plantar pressures in the forefoot decreased after running. The pressure-time integral decreased during the heel strike phase in the internal edge of the foot. In addition, a decrease was found in the pressure-time integral during the heel-off phase in the internal and rearfoot edges. The findings suggest that after 45 min of running, a pronated foot tends to change into a more neutral position, and decreased plantar pressures were found after the run.

Ondansetron in acute food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, a retrospective case-control study.

PubMed

Miceli Sopo, S; Bersani, G; Monaco, S; Cerchiara, G; Lee, E; Campbell, D; Mehr, S

2017-04-01

Therapy for moderate to severe acute food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) typically consists of intravenous fluids and corticosteroids (traditional therapy). Ondansetron has been suggested as an adjunctive treatment. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the parenteral (intravenous or intramuscular) ondansetron vs traditional therapy to resolve the symptoms of acute FPIES. Cases of FPIES who had a positive oral food challenge (OFC) were retrospectively examined at two major hospitals over a two-year period (Rome, Italy; and Sydney, Australia). The efficacy of therapy, based on the percentage of cases who stopped vomiting, was compared in cases who received parenteral ondansetron and in cases who received traditional therapy or no pharmacological therapy. A total of 66 patients were included: 37 had parenteral ondansetron, 14 were treated with traditional therapy, and 15 did not receive any pharmacological therapy. Nineteen percentage of children treated with ondansetron continued vomiting after the administration of the therapy vs 93% of children who received traditional therapy (P < 0.05, relative risk = 0.2). Children who received ondansetron or no therapy were less likely to require an admission overnight compared with those who received traditional therapy (P < 0.05). Parenteral ondansetron is significantly more effective than traditional therapy in resolving acute symptoms of FPIES. The relative risk = 0.2 greatly reduces the bias linked to the lack of randomization. These findings suggest an effective treatment for vomiting in positive FPIES OFCs and allow for more confidence in performing OFCs. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Common input to motor units of intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles during two-digit object hold.

PubMed

Winges, Sara A; Kornatz, Kurt W; Santello, Marco

2008-03-01

Anatomical and physiological evidence suggests that common input to motor neurons of hand muscles is an important neural mechanism for hand control. To gain insight into the synaptic input underlying the coordination of hand muscles, significant effort has been devoted to describing the distribution of common input across motor units of extrinsic muscles. Much less is known, however, about the distribution of common input to motor units belonging to different intrinsic muscles and to intrinsic-extrinsic muscle pairs. To address this void in the literature, we quantified the incidence and strength of near-simultaneous discharges of motor units residing in either the same or different intrinsic hand muscles (m. first dorsal, FDI, and m. first palmar interosseus, FPI) during two-digit object hold. To extend the characterization of common input to pairs of extrinsic muscles (previous work) and pairs of intrinsic muscles (present work), we also recorded electromyographic (EMG) activity from an extrinsic thumb muscle (m. flexor pollicis longus, FPL). Motor-unit synchrony across FDI and FPI was weak (common input strength, CIS, mean +/- SE: 0.17 +/- 0.02). Similarly, motor units from extrinsic-intrinsic muscle pairs were characterized by weak synchrony (FPL-FDI: 0.25 +/- 0.02; FPL-FPI: 0.29 +/- 0.03) although stronger than FDI-FPI. Last, CIS from within FDI and FPI was more than three times stronger (0.70 +/- 0.06 and 0.66 +/- 0.06, respectively) than across these muscles. We discuss present and previous findings within the framework of muscle-pair specific distribution of common input to hand muscles based on their functional role in grasping.

Assimilation of thermospheric measurements for ionosphere-thermosphere state estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miladinovich, Daniel S.; Datta-Barua, Seebany; Bust, Gary S.; Makela, Jonathan J.

2016-12-01

We develop a method that uses data assimilation to estimate ionospheric-thermospheric (IT) states during midlatitude nighttime storm conditions. The algorithm Estimating Model Parameters from Ionospheric Reverse Engineering (EMPIRE) uses time-varying electron densities in the F region, derived primarily from total electron content data, to estimate two drivers of the IT: neutral winds and electric potential. A Kalman filter is used to update background models based on ingested plasma densities and neutral wind measurements. This is the first time a Kalman filtering technique is used with the EMPIRE algorithm and the first time neutral wind measurements from 630.0 nm Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) are ingested to improve estimates of storm time ion drifts and neutral winds. The effects of assimilating remotely sensed neutral winds from FPI observations are studied by comparing results of ingesting: electron densities (N) only, N plus half the measurements from a single FPI, and then N plus all of the FPI data. While estimates of ion drifts and neutral winds based on N give estimates similar to the background models, this study's results show that ingestion of the FPI data can significantly change neutral wind and ion drift estimation away from background models. In particular, once neutral winds are ingested, estimated neutral winds agree more with validation wind data, and estimated ion drifts in the magnetic field-parallel direction are more sensitive to ingestion than the field-perpendicular zonal and meridional directions. Also, data assimilation with FPI measurements helps provide insight into the effects of contamination on 630.0 nm emissions experienced during geomagnetic storms.

Food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome caused by rice beverage.

PubMed

Caminiti, Lucia; Salzano, Giuseppina; Crisafulli, Giuseppe; Porcaro, Federica; Pajno, Giovanni Battista

2013-05-14

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is an uncommon and potentially severe non IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergy. It is usually caused by cow's milk or soy proteins, but may also be triggered by ingestion of solid foods. The diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical history and symptoms. Management of acute phase requires fluid resuscitation and intravenous steroids administration, but avoidance of offending foods is the only effective therapeutic option.Infant with FPIES presented to our emergency department with vomiting, watery stools, hypothension and metabolic acidosis after ingestion of rice beverage. Intravenous fluids and steroids were administered with good clinical response. Subsequently, a double blind placebo control food challenge (DBPCFC) was performed using rice beverage and hydrolyzed formula (eHF) as placebo. The "rice based formula" induced emesis, diarrhoea and lethargy. Laboratory investigations reveal an increase of absolute count of neutrophils and the presence of faecal eosinophils. The patient was treated with both intravenous hydration and steroids. According to Powell criteria, oral food challenge was considered positive and diagnosis of FPIES induced by rice beverage was made. Patient was discharged at home with the indication to avoid rice and any rice beverage as well as to reintroduce hydrolyzed formula. A case of FPIES induced by rice beverage has never been reported. The present case clearly shows that also beverage containing rice proteins can be responsible of FPIES. For this reason, the use of rice beverage as cow's milk substitute for the treatment of non IgE-mediated food allergy should be avoided.

Distinct Effect of Impact Rise Times on Immediate and Early Neuropathology After Brain Injury in Juvenile Rats

PubMed Central

Jayakumar, Archana; Pfister, Bryan J.; Santhakumar, Vijayalakshmi

2015-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur from physical trauma from a wide spectrum of insults ranging from explosions to falls. The biomechanics of the trauma can vary in key features, including the rate and magnitude of the insult. Although the effect of peak injury pressure on neurological outcome has been examined in the fluid percussion injury (FPI) model, it is unknown whether differences in rate of rise of the injury waveform modify cellular and physiological changes after TBI. Using a programmable FPI device, we examined juvenile rats subjected to a constant peak pressure at two rates of injury: a standard FPI rate of rise and a faster rate of rise to the same peak pressure. Immediate postinjury assessment identified fewer seizures and relatively brief loss of consciousness after fast-rise injuries than after standard-rise injuries at similar peak pressures. Compared with rats injured at standard rise, fewer silver-stained injured neuronal profiles and degenerating hilar neurons were observed 4-6 hr after fast-rise FPI. However, 1 week postinjury, both fast- and standard-rise FPI resulted in hilar cell loss and enhanced perforant path-evoked granule cell field excitability compared with sham controls. Notably, the extent of neuronal loss and increase in dentate excitability were not different between rats injured at fast and standard rates of rise to peak pressure. Our data indicate that reduced cellular damage and improved immediate neurological outcome after fast rising primary concussive injuries mask the severity of the subsequent cellular and neurophysiological pathology and may be unreliable as a predictor of prognosis. PMID:24799156

In-line open-cavity Fabry-Pérot interferometer formed by C-shaped fiber fortemperature-insensitive refractive index sensing.

PubMed

Wu, Chuang; Liu, Zhengyong; Zhang, A Ping; Guan, Bai-Ou; Tam, Hwa-Yaw

2014-09-08

We report an open-cavity optical fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometer (FPI) capable of measuring refractive index with very low temperature cross-sensitivity. The FPI was constructed by splicing a thin piece of C-shaped fiber between two standard single-mode fibers. The refractive index (RI) response of the FPI was characterized using water-ethanol mixtures with RI in the range of 1.33 to 1.36. The RI sensitivity was measured to be 1368 nm/RIU at the wavelength of 1600 nm with good linearity. Thanks to its all-glass structure, the FPI exhibits very low temperature cross-sensitivity of 3.04 × 10⁻⁷ RIU/°C. The effects of cavity length on the performance of the sensor were also studied. A shorter cavity gives rise to broader measurement range while offering larger detection limit, and vice versa. What's more, the effect of material dispersion of analyte on the sensitivity of open-cavity FPIs was identified for the first time. The sensor is compact in size and easy to fabricate. It is potentially useful for label-free optical sensing of chemical and biological samples.

Micro-pulse upconversion Doppler lidar for wind and visibility detection in the atmospheric boundary layer.

PubMed

Xia, Haiyun; Shangguan, Mingjia; Wang, Chong; Shentu, Guoliang; Qiu, Jiawei; Zhang, Qiang; Dou, Xiankang; Pan, Jianwei

2016-11-15

For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, a compact, eye-safe, and versatile direct detection Doppler lidar is developed using an upconversion single-photon detection method at 1.5 μm. An all-fiber and polarization maintaining architecture is realized to guarantee the high optical coupling efficiency and the robust stability. Using integrated-optic components, the conservation of etendue of the optical receiver is achieved by manufacturing a fiber-coupled periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide and an all-fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). The double-edge technique is implemented by using a convert single-channel FPI and a single upconversion detector, incorporating a time-division multiplexing method. The backscatter photons at 1548.1 nm are converted into 863 nm via mixing with a pump laser at 1950 nm. The relative error of the system is less than 0.1% over nine weeks. In experiments, atmospheric wind and visibility over 48 h are detected in the boundary layer. The lidar shows good agreement with the ultrasonic wind sensor, with a standard deviation of 1.04 m/s in speed and 12.3° in direction.

Reliability and Creep/Fatigue Analysis of a CMC Component

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murthy, Pappu L. N.; Mital, Subodh K.; Gyekenyesi, John Z.; Gyekenyesi, John P.

2007-01-01

High temperature ceramic matrix composites (CMC) are being explored as viable candidate materials for hot section gas turbine components. These advanced composites can potentially lead to reduced weight and enable higher operating temperatures requiring less cooling; thus leading to increased engine efficiencies. There is a need for convenient design tools that can accommodate various loading conditions and material data with their associated uncertainties to estimate the minimum predicted life as well as the failure probabilities of a structural component. This paper presents a review of the life prediction and probabilistic analyses performed for a CMC turbine stator vane. A computer code, NASALife, is used to predict the life of a 2-D woven silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC) turbine stator vane due to a mission cycle which induces low cycle fatigue and creep. The output from this program includes damage from creep loading, damage due to cyclic loading and the combined damage due to the given loading cycle. Results indicate that the trends predicted by NASALife are as expected for the loading conditions used for this study. In addition, a combination of woven composite micromechanics, finite element structural analysis and Fast Probability Integration (FPI) techniques has been used to evaluate the maximum stress and its probabilistic distribution in a CMC turbine stator vane. Input variables causing scatter are identified and ranked based upon their sensitivity magnitude. Results indicate that reducing the scatter in proportional limit strength of the vane material has the greatest effect in improving the overall reliability of the CMC vane.

Positioning oneself within an epistemology: refining our thinking about integrative approaches.

PubMed

Dickerson, Victoria C

2010-09-01

Integrative approaches seem to be paramount in the current climate of family therapy and other psychotherapies. However, integration between and among theories and practices can only occur within a specific epistemology. This article makes a distinction between three different epistemologies: individualizing, systems, and poststructural. It then makes the argument that one can integrate theories within epistemologies and one can adopt practices and some theoretical concepts across theories and across epistemologies, but that it is impossible to integrate theories across epistemologies. It further states that although social constructionism has influenced much of contemporary psychological thinking, because of the divergence between a structural and a poststructural approach, constructionism looks different depending upon one's epistemological stance. Examples of integration within epistemologies and of what looks like integration across epistemologies (but is not) further illustrate these important distinctions. The conclusions reached here are crucial to our philosophical considerations, our pedagogical assumptions, and implications for both research and a reflexive clinical practice. 2010 © FPI, Inc.

77 FR 4648 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-535 Series Turbofan Engine

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-31

... inspections (FPI) of the low-pressure (LP) turbine stage 1, 2, and 3 discs to detect cracks in the discs. This... turbine stage 1, 2, and 3 discs, which could result in an uncontained release of LP turbine blades and... require performing an initial FPI on the LP turbine stage 1, 2, and 3 discs at the next engine shop...

Determining the 630nm emission altitude using modelling and observations from a tristatic configuration of Fabry-Perot Interferometers and EISCAT radars.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aruliah, Anasuya; Kosch, Michael

Anasuya Aruliah, a.aruliah@ucl.ac.uk University College London, London, United Kingdom Michael Kosch, m.kosch@lancaster.ac.uk Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom Tristatic team Anasuya Aruliah,Ho-Ching Iris Yiu,Ian McWhirter, Michael Kosch,Kazuo Shiokawa,Shin-ichiro Oyama,Satonori Nozawa,Vikki Howells,Ian McCrea During early February 2010 a tristatic FPI-EISCAT experiment was run in order to investigate the peak emission altitude of the 630nm airglow and auroral emission in the region of the auroral oval. Two UCL Fabry-Perot Interferometers and a new STEL FPI have been located close to the three EISCAT radars at Tromsø, Kiruna and Sodankylü. The radars were pointed a at a common volume seen by all three FPIs, on assuming a peak emission height of 235km. This altitude is generally assumed to be fairly steady for FPI studies probing the behaviour of the upper atmosphere, though the height is a little different at other latitudes. The smoothing effect of the large viscosity of the upper thermosphere is invoked as a reason why the actual altitude is not too important, and there has been little investigation of the appropriateness of this assumption. However, mesoscale variability in the ionosphere has now been identified as producing a similar quantity of heating as does steady state convection; and FPIs and the CHAMP satellite have shown mesoscale structure in the high-latitude thermosphere. This indicates a need to revisit old assumptions that were based on the premise of thermospheric variability being large-scale. The STEL FPI at Ramfjord has a fully variable pointing direction mechanism and was programmed to point rapidly at successive volumes that would overlap the UCL KEOPS/Kiruna FPI look direction if the emission volume was 195km, 215km, 235km and 255km. Cross-correlation of the temperatures and intensity measurements would then identify the peak emission height. The EISCAT radar provided ionospheric parameters to model the 630nm emission profile for comparison with the FPI observations.

Ionosonde and optical determinations of thermospheric neutral winds over the Antarctic Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foppiano, A. J.; Won, Y.-I.; Torres, X. A.; Flores, P. A.; Veloso, A. Daniel; Arriagada, M. A.

2016-11-01

Ionosonde observations have been made at Great Wall station (62.22°S; 58.97°W), King George Island, and at further south Vernadsky station (65.25°S; 64.27°W), Argentine Islands, for many years. For several days at the two locations the magnetic meridional component of the thermospheric neutral wind has also been derived using three different algorithms with ionosonde data input. At King Sejong station (62.22°S; 58.78°W), close to Great Wall, almost simultaneous thermospheric winds were measured with a Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) during a few days in 1997. All days correspond to intervals of low solar and geomagnetic activity levels and for different seasons. Here, the geographic meridional FPI winds measured at the geographic south pointing location are compared with the magnetic meridional component of the wind derived from ionosonde observations at Vernadsky. Also, the magnetic meridian FPI winds measured using all four cardinal pointing locations are compared with the magnetic meridional component of the wind derived from ionosonde observations at Great Wall. The patterns of the diurnal variations of the magnetic meridional component of ionosonde derived winds using the three different techniques are similar in most cases. However, the amplitudes of these variations and some individual values can differ by more than 150 m/s depending on season, particularly during daytime. Comparison of the autumn FPI with the ionosonde winds for Vernadsky and Great Wall shows that they coincide within observation uncertainties. Results for other seasons are not so good. Some of the discrepancies are discussed in relation to the hour-to-hour variability of ionosonde based winds and the latitudinal gradients of ionospheric characteristics. Other discrepancies need to be further explained. Recently reported FPI mean winds for tens of days in different seasons for Palmer (64.77°S; 64.05°W), Anvers Island, are found to be particularly close to ionosonde derived mean winds for Argentine Islands station (former Vernadsky), albeit observations are for different time intervals. Unless comprehensive FPI winds for the Antarctic Peninsula longitude sector become available, ionosonde based winds seem to be reliable enough for several purposes.

Mapping wildfire susceptibility in Southern California using live and dead fractions of vegetation derived from Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis of MODIS imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, P.; Roberts, D. A.

2008-12-01

Wildfire is a significant natural disturbance mechanism in Southern California. Assessing spatial patterns of wildfire susceptibility requires estimates of the live and dead fractions of vegetation. The Fire Potential Index (FPI), which is currently the only operationally computed fire susceptibility index incorporating remote sensing data, estimates such fractions using a relative greenness measure based on time series of vegetation index images. This contribution assesses the potential of Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) for deriving such fractions from single MODIS images without the need for a long remote sensing time series, and investigates the applicability of such MESMA-derived fractions for mapping dynamic fire susceptibility in Southern California. Endmembers for MESMA were selected from a library of reference endmembers using Constrained Reference Endmember Selection (CRES), which uses field estimates of fractions to guide the selection process. Fraction images of green vegetation, non-photosynthetic vegetation, soil, and shade were then computed for all available 16-day MODIS composites between 2000 and 2006 using MESMA. Initial results indicate that MESMA of MODIS imagery is capable of providing reliable estimates of live and dead vegetation fraction. Validation against in situ observations in the Santa Ynez Mountains near Santa Barbara, California, shows that the average fraction error for two tested species was around 10%. Further validation of MODIS-derived fractions was performed against fractions from high-resolution hyperspectral data. It was shown that the fractions derived from data of both sensors correlate with R2 values greater than 0.95. MESMA-derived live and dead vegetation fractions were subsequently tested as a substitute to relative greenness in the FPI algorithm. FPI was computed for every day between 2000 and 2006 using the derived fractions. Model performance was then tested by extracting FPI values for historical fire events and random no-fire events in Southern California for the same period and developing a logistic regression model. Preliminary results show that an FPI based on MESMA-derived fractions has the potential to deliver similar performance as the traditional FPI but requiring a greatly reduced data volume and using an approach based on physical rather than empirical relationships.

Remote sounding of tropospheric minor constituents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drayson, S. Roland; Hays, Paul B.; Wang, Jinxue

1993-01-01

The etalon interferometer, or Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI), with its high throughput and high spectral resolution was widely used in the remote-sensing measurements of the earth's atmospheric composition, winds, and temperatures. The most recent satellite instruments include the Fabry-Perot interferometer flown on the Dynamics Explorer-2 (DE-2) and the High Resolution Doppler Imager (HRDI) to be flown on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). These instruments measure the Doppler line profiles of the emission and absorption of certain atmospheric species (such as atomic oxygen) in the visible spectral region. The successful space flight of DE-FPI and the test and delivery of UARS-HRDI demonstrated the extremely high spectral resolution and ruggedness of the etalon system for the remote sensing of earth and planetary atmospheres. Recently, an innovative FPI focal plane detection technique called the Circle-to-Line Interferometer Optical (CLIO) system was invented at the Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL). The CLIO simplifies the FPI focal plane detection process by converting the circular rings or fringes into a linear pattern similar to that produced by a conventional spectrometer, while retaining the throughput advantage of the etalon interferometer. CLIO makes the use of linear array detectors more practical and efficient with FPI, the combination of FPI and CLIO represents a very promising new technique for the remote sensing of the lower atmospheres of Earth, Mars, Venus, Neptune, and other planets. The Multiorder Etalon Spectrometer (MOES), as a combination of the rugged etalon and the CLIO, compares very favorably to other spaceborne optical instruments in terms of performance versus complexity. The feasibility of an advanced etalon spectrometer for the remote sensing of tropospheric trace species, particularly carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) was discussed. The etalon atmospheric spectroscopy techniques are described, instrument design and related technical issues are discussed. The primary objective is to establish the concept of atmospheric spectroscopy with the CLIO and etalon system and its applications for the measurements of tropospheric trace species analyze system requirements and performance, determine the feasibility of components and subsystem implementation with available technology, and develop inversion algorithm for retrieval simulation and data analysis.

Rehabilitation modality and onset differentially influence whisker sensory hypersensitivity after diffuse traumatic brain injury in the rat.

PubMed

Thomas, Theresa Currier; Stockhausen, Ellen Magee; Law, L Matthew; Khodadad, Aida; Lifshitz, Jonathan

2017-01-01

As rehabilitation strategies advance as therapeutic interventions, the modality and onset of rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are critical to optimize treatment. Our laboratory has detected and characterized a late-onset, long-lasting sensory hypersensitivity to whisker stimulation in diffuse brain-injured rats; a deficit that is comparable to visual or auditory sensory hypersensitivity in humans with an acquired brain injury. We hypothesize that the modality and onset of rehabilitation therapies will differentially influence sensory hypersensitivity in response to the Whisker Nuisance Task (WNT) as well as WNT-induced corticosterone (CORT) stress response in diffuse brain-injured rats and shams. After midline fluid percussion brain injury (FPI) or sham surgery, rats were assigned to one of four rehabilitative interventions: (1) whisker sensory deprivation during week one or (2) week two or (3) whisker stimulation during week one or (4) week two. At 28 days following FPI and sham procedures, sensory hypersensitivity was assessed using the WNT. Plasma CORT was evaluated immediately following the WNT (aggravated levels) and prior to the pre-determined endpoint 24 hours later (non-aggravated levels). Deprivation therapy during week two elicited significantly greater sensory hypersensitivity to the WNT compared to week one (p < 0.05), and aggravated CORT levels in FPI rats were significantly lower than sham levels. Stimulation therapy during week one resulted in low levels of sensory hypersensitivity to the WNT, similar to deprivation therapy and naïve controls, however, non-aggravated CORT levels in FPI rats were significantly higher than sham. These data indicate that modality and onset of sensory rehabilitation can differentially influence FPI and sham rats, having a lasting impact on behavioral and stress responses to the WNT, emphasizing the necessity for continued evaluation of modality and onset of rehabilitation after TBI.

Chronology of Fabry-Perot Interferometer Fiber-Optic Sensors and Their Applications: A Review

PubMed Central

Islam, Md. Rajibul; Ali, Muhammad Mahmood; Lai, Man-Hong; Lim, Kok-Sing; Ahmad, Harith

2014-01-01

Optical fibers have been involved in the area of sensing applications for more than four decades. Moreover, interferometric optical fiber sensors have attracted broad interest for their prospective applications in sensing temperature, refractive index, strain measurement, pressure, acoustic wave, vibration, magnetic field, and voltage. During this time, numerous types of interferometers have been developed such as Fabry-Perot, Michelson, Mach-Zehnder, Sagnac Fiber, and Common-path interferometers. Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) fiber-optic sensors have been extensively investigated for their exceedingly effective, simple fabrication as well as low cost aspects. In this study, a wide variety of FPI sensors are reviewed in terms of fabrication methods, principle of operation and their sensing applications. The chronology of the development of FPI sensors and their implementation in various applications are discussed. PMID:24763250

Automatic firearm class identification from cartridge cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamalakannan, Sridharan; Mann, Christopher J.; Bingham, Philip R.; Karnowski, Thomas P.; Gleason, Shaun S.

2011-03-01

We present a machine vision system for automatic identification of the class of firearms by extracting and analyzing two significant properties from spent cartridge cases, namely the Firing Pin Impression (FPI) and the Firing Pin Aperture Outline (FPAO). Within the framework of the proposed machine vision system, a white light interferometer is employed to image the head of the spent cartridge cases. As a first step of the algorithmic procedure, the Primer Surface Area (PSA) is detected using a circular Hough transform. Once the PSA is detected, a customized statistical region-based parametric active contour model is initialized around the center of the PSA and evolved to segment the FPI. Subsequently, the scaled version of the segmented FPI is used to initialize a customized Mumford-Shah based level set model in order to segment the FPAO. Once the shapes of FPI and FPAO are extracted, a shape-based level set method is used in order to compare these extracted shapes to an annotated dataset of FPIs and FPAOs from varied firearm types. A total of 74 cartridge case images non-uniformly distributed over five different firearms are processed using the aforementioned scheme and the promising nature of the results (95% classification accuracy) demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach.

Development of Ultrasonic and Fabry-Perot Interferometer for Non-Destruction Inspection of Aging Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Alphonso C.

1998-01-01

Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) sensor detection system was continued and refined modifications were made in the data acquisition and evaluation process during the last year. The ultrasonic and FPI detection system was improved from one to multiple sensor detectors. Physical models were developed to understand the physical phenomenon of this work. Multilayered flawed samples were fabricated for inspection by a prototype ultrasonic and FPI detection. Experimental data was verified with simulated results. Undergraduate students that were associated with this research gained valuable knowledge from this experience. This was a learning process helping students to understand the importance of research and its application to solve important technological problems. As a result of our students exposure to this research two and planning to continue this type of research work in graduate school. A prototype instrument package was laboratory tested an actual airframe structure for documentation purposes.

Thermal-to-visible transducer (TVT) for thermal-IR imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flusberg, Allen; Swartz, Stephen; Huff, Michael; Gross, Steven

2008-04-01

We have been developing a novel thermal-to-visible transducer (TVT), an uncooled thermal-IR imager that is based on a Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI). The FPI-based IR imager can convert a thermal-IR image to a video electronic image. IR radiation that is emitted by an object in the scene is imaged onto an IR-absorbing material that is located within an FPI. Temperature variations generated by the spatial variations in the IR image intensity cause variations in optical thickness, modulating the reflectivity seen by a probe laser beam. The reflected probe is imaged onto a visible array, producing a visible image of the IR scene. This technology can provide low-cost IR cameras with excellent sensitivity, low power consumption, and the potential for self-registered fusion of thermal-IR and visible images. We will describe characteristics of requisite pixelated arrays that we have fabricated.

Pressure sensing of Fabry-Perot interferometer with a microchannel demodulated by a FBG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yongqin; Chen, Xue; Huang, Quandong; Du, Chenlin; Ruan, Shuangchen

2015-07-01

A novel and compact fiber-probe pressure sensor was demonstrated based on micro Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). The device was fabricated by splicing both ends of a short section simplified hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (SHCPCF) with single mode fibers (SMFs), and then a micro channel was drilled by femtosecond laser micromachining in the SHC-PCF to significantly enhance the pressure sensitivity. The pressure sensing characteristics based on micro-FPI have been investigated by measuring the signals through the demodulation of phase since the external signal imposing on the interferometer will induce the phase change of interference signal. Then a FBG was cascaded to demodulate the signal. A micro FPI demonstrates a maximum pressure sensitivity of 32 dB/MPa, while a low temperature cross-sensitivity of 0.27 KPa/°C. Hence it may have potential for pressure applications in harsh environment.

A comparison of quiet time thermospheric winds between FPIs and models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, G.; Xu, J.; Wang, W.; Yuan, W.; Zhang, S.; Yu, T.; Zhang, X.; Huang, C.; Liu, W.; Li, Q.

2017-12-01

Abstract:The Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) instruments installed at Xinglong, (geog.: 40.2oN, 117.4oE; geom.: 35oN), Kelan (geog.: 38.7oN, 111.6oE; geom.: 34oN) and Millstone Hill (geog.: 42.6oN, 71.5oW; geom.: 52oN) started to measure the thermosphere neutral winds near 250 km since April 2010, March 2010 and November 2011, respectively. In this work, the joined comparison of FPI observed winds and two models during geomagnetic quiet time are processed for the study of mid-latitudinal thermosphere. The years of FPI wind data we use are from 2010 to 2014. The two models we use are NCAR TIE-GCM (Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model of National Center for Atmospheric Research) and HWM07 (Horizontal Wind Model, version 2007). The real solar and geomagnetic conditions were applied to the models.

CIV VUV FPI Interferometer for Transition Region Magnetography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gary, G. A.

2005-01-01

Much in the same way photonics harnesses light for engineering and technology applications, solar physics harnesses light for the remote sensing of the sun. In photonics the vacuum ultraviolet region offers shorter wavelength and higher energies per photon, while in solar physics the VUV allows the remote sensing of the upper levels of the solar atmosphere where magnetic fields dominate the physics. Understanding solar magnetism is a major aim for astrophysics and for understanding solar-terrestrial interaction. The poster is on our instrument development program for a high-spectral-resolution, high-finesse, Vacuum Ultraviolet Fabry-Perot Interferometer (VUV FPI) for obtaining narrow-passband images, magnetograms, and Dopplergrams of the transition region emission line of CIV (155nm). The poster will cover how the V W interferometer will allow us to understand solar magnetism, what is special about the MSFC VUV FPI, and why the University of Toronto F2 eximer has been of particular value to this program.

WE-E-18A-01: Large Area Avalanche Amorphous Selenium Sensors for Low Dose X-Ray Imaging

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

Scheuermann, J; Goldan, A; Zhao, W

2014-06-15

Purpose: A large area indirect flat panel imager (FPI) with avalanche gain is being developed to achieve x-ray quantum noise limited low dose imaging. It uses a thin optical sensing layer of amorphous selenium (a-Se), known as High-Gain Avalanche Rushing Photoconductor (HARP), to detect optical photons generated from a high resolution x-ray scintillator. We will report initial results in the fabrication of a solid-state HARP structure suitable for a large area FPI. Our objective is to establish the blocking layer structures and defect suppression mechanisms that provide stable and uniform avalanche gain. Methods: Samples were fabricated as follows: (1) ITOmore » signal electrode. (2) Electron blocking layer. (3) A 15 micron layer of intrinsic a-Se. (4) Transparent hole blocking layer. (5) Multiple semitransparent bias electrodes to investigate avalanche gain uniformity over a large area. The sample was exposed to 50ps optical excitation pulses through the bias electrode. Transient time of flight (TOF) and integrated charge was measured. A charge transport simulation was developed to investigate the effects of varying blocking layer charge carrier mobility on defect suppression, avalanche gain and temporal performance. Results: Avalanche gain of ∼200 was achieved experimentally with our multi-layer HARP samples. Simulations using the experimental sensor structure produced the same magnitude of gain as a function of electric field. The simulation predicted that the high dark current at a point defect can be reduced by two orders of magnitude by blocking layer optimization which can prevent irreversible damage while normal operation remained unaffected. Conclusion: We presented the first solid state HARP structure directly scalable to a large area FPI. We have shown reproducible and uniform avalanche gain of 200. By reducing mobility of the blocking layers we can suppress defects and maintain stable avalanche. Future work will optimize the blocking layers to prevent lag and ghosting.« less

An MRI-Guided Telesurgery System Using a Fabry-Perot Interferometry Force Sensor and a Pneumatic Haptic Device.

PubMed

Su, Hao; Shang, Weijian; Li, Gang; Patel, Niravkumar; Fischer, Gregory S

2017-08-01

This paper presents a surgical master-slave teleoperation system for percutaneous interventional procedures under continuous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. The slave robot consists of a piezoelectrically actuated 6-degree-of-freedom (DOF) robot for needle placement with an integrated fiber optic force sensor (1-DOF axial force measurement) using the Fabry-Perot interferometry (FPI) sensing principle; it is configured to operate inside the bore of the MRI scanner during imaging. By leveraging the advantages of pneumatic and piezoelectric actuation in force and position control respectively, we have designed a pneumatically actuated master robot (haptic device) with strain gauge based force sensing that is configured to operate the slave from within the scanner room during imaging. The slave robot follows the insertion motion of the haptic device while the haptic device displays the needle insertion force as measured by the FPI sensor. Image interference evaluation demonstrates that the telesurgery system presents a signal to noise ratio reduction of less than 17% and less than 1% geometric distortion during simultaneous robot motion and imaging. Teleoperated needle insertion and rotation experiments were performed to reach 10 targets in a soft tissue-mimicking phantom with 0.70 ± 0.35 mm Cartesian space error.

Energy Dependence of Fission Product Yields from 235U, 238U and 239Pu for Incident Neutron Energies Between 0.5 and 14.8 MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gooden, M. E.; Arnold, C. W.; Becker, J. A.; Bhatia, C.; Bhike, M.; Bond, E. M.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Fallin, B.; Fowler, M. M.; Howell, C. R.; Kelley, J. H.; Krishichayan; Macri, R.; Rusev, G.; Ryan, C.; Sheets, S. A.; Stoyer, M. A.; Tonchev, A. P.; Tornow, W.; Vieira, D. J.; Wilhelmy, J. B.

2016-01-01

Fission Product Yields (FPY) have historically been one of the most observable features of the fission process. They are known to have strong variations that are dependent on the fissioning species, the excitation energy, and the angular momentum of the compound system. However, consistent and systematic studies of the variation of these FPY with energy have proved challenging. This is caused primarily by the nature of the experiments that have traditionally relied on radiochemical procedures to isolate specific fission products. Although radiochemical procedures exist that can isolate all products, each element presents specific challenges and introduces varying degrees of systematic errors that can make inter-comparison of FPY uncertain. Although of high importance in fields such as nuclear forensics and Stockpile Stewardship, accurate information about the energy dependence of neutron induced FPY are sparse, due primarily to the lack of suitable monoenergetic neutron sources. There is a clear need for improved data, and to address this issue, a collaboration was formed between Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) to measure the energy dependence of FPY for 235U, 238U and 239Pu. The measurements have been performed at TUNL, using a 10 MV Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator to produce monoenergetic neutrons at energies between 0.6 MeV to 14.8 MeV through a variety of reactions. The measurements have utilized a dual-fission chamber, with thin (10-100 μg/cm2) reference foils of similar material to a thick (100-400 mg) activation target held in the center between the chambers. This method allows for the accurate determination of the number of fissions that occurred in the thick target without requiring knowledge of the fission cross section or neutron fluence on target. Following activation, the thick target was removed from the dual-fission chamber and gamma-ray counted using shielded HPGe detectors for a period of 1-2 months to determine the yield of various fission products. To the extent possible all irradiation and counting procedures were kept the same to minimize sources of systematic errors. FPY have been determined at incident neutron energies of 0.6, 1.4, 2.4, 3.5, 4.6, 5.5, 8.9 and 14.8 MeV.

Towards eye-safe standoff Raman imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glimtoft, Martin; Bââth, Petra; Saari, Heikki; Mäkynen, Jussi; Näsilä, Antti; Östmark, Henric

2014-05-01

Standoff Raman imaging systems have shown the ability to detect single explosives particles. However, in many cases, the laser intensities needed restrict the applications where they can be safely used. A new generation imaging Raman system has been developed based on a 355 nm UV laser that, in addition to eye safety, allows discrete and invisible measurements. Non-dangerous exposure levels for the eye are several orders of magnitude higher in UVA than in the visible range that previously has been used. The UV Raman system has been built based on an UV Fabry-Perot Interferometer (UV-FPI) developed by VTT. The design allows for precise selection of Raman shifts in combination with high out-of-band blocking. The stable operation of the UV-FPI module under varying environmental conditions is arranged by controlling the temperature of the module and using a closed loop control of the FPI air gap based on capacitive measurement. The system presented consists of a 3rd harmonics Nd:YAG laser with 1.5 W average output at 1000 Hz, a 200 mm Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, UV-FPI filter and an ICCD camera for signal gating and detection. The design principal leads to a Raman spectrum in each image pixel. The system is designed for field use and easy manoeuvring. Preliminary results show that in measurements of <60 s on 10 m distance, single AN particles of <300 μm diameter can be identified.

Proceedings of the 1987 Aircraft/Engine Structural Integrity Program (ASIP/ENSIP) Conference Held in the Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel, San Antonio, Texas 1-3 December 1987

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

upgrading of the depot’s FPI inspection facility, In the forme- case, a realistic projection based while augmenting it with enhanced inspection systems...number of models, powers the twin engined F-15 and the single engined F-16 fighter aircraft. It is an augmented turbofan engine in the 25,000 pound...move from an idea in 1972 to reality today for military gas turbine engines. Special acknowledgement is accorded to the Materials Laboratory of the Air

Nicotine-induced Conditional Place Preference is Affected by Head Injury: Correlation with Dopamine Release in the Nucleus Accumbens Shell.

PubMed

Yuan-Hao, Chen; Kuo, Tung-Tai; Huang, Eagle Yi-Kung; Hoffer, Barry J; Kao, Jen-Hsin; Chou, Yu-Ching; Chiang, Yung-Hsiao; Miller, Jonathan

2018-06-14

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is known to impact dopamine-mediated reward pathways, but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully established. Nicotine-induced conditional place preference (CPP) was used to study rats exposed to a 6-psi fluid percussion injury (FPI) with and without prior exposure to nicotine. Preference was quantified as a score defined as (C1-C2) / (C1+C2), where C1 is time in the nicotine-paired compartment and C2 is time in the saline-paired compartment. Subsequent fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) was used to analyze the impact of nicotine infusion on dopamine release in the shell portion of the nucleus accumbens (NAc). To further determine the influence of brain injury on nicotine withdrawal, nicotine infusion was administered to the rats after FPI. The effects of FPI on CPP after prior exposure to nicotine and abstinence or withdrawal from nicotine were also assessed. After TBI, dopamine release was reduced in the NAc shell, and nicotine-induced CPP preference was significantly impaired. Preference scores of control, sham-injured, and FPI groups were 0.1627 ± 0.04204, 0.1515 ± 0.03806, and -0.001300 ± 0.04286, respectively. Nicotine-induced CPP was also seen in animals after nicotine pre-treatment, with a CPP score of 0.07805 ± 0.02838. Nicotine pre-exposure substantially increased tonic dopamine release in sham-injured animals, but it did not change phasic release; nicotine exposure after FPI enhanced phasic release, though not to the same levels seen in sham-injured rats. Conditioned preference was related not only to phasic dopamine release (r= 0.8110) but also to the difference between tonic and phasic dopamine levels (r= 0.9521). TBI suppresses dopamine release from the shell portion of the NAc, which in turn significantly alters reward-seeking behavior. These results have important implications for tobacco and drug use after TBI.

Inflammatory events during food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome reactions.

PubMed

Pecora, Valentina; Prencipe, Giusi; Valluzzi, Rocco; Dahdah, Lamia; Insalaco, Antonella; Cianferoni, Antonella; De Benedetti, Fabrizio; Fiocchi, Alessandro

2017-08-01

An increasing number of infants are diagnosed with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), a non-IgE-mediated food allergy. Until now, T-cell, food-specific mechanisms have been hypothesized. Sixteen children (11M, 5F), affected by FPIES from cow's milk, wheat, fruit, rice, and others, experienced 25 acute episodes managed at our emergency department (ED) and eight FPIES reactions during oral food challenges (OFC). We compared the laboratory data in resting conditions, in the absence of infectious diseases, with data collected during the 25 acute ED episodes (blood samples drawn at 2-12 hours) and the eight positive OFCs (three samples at 2, 6, and 12 hours). The onset of symptoms was used as a reference time point. In basal conditions, total IgE, WBC, neutrophil and eosinophil count, CRP, and SGPT were found normal. LDH and SGOT values were high (627.81±97.88 and 45.75±10.26 UI/L, respectively). During ED reactions, LDH and SGOT increased to 794.21±247.28 (P=.028) and 51.08±16.99 UI/L (P=.14) and neutrophils count and CRP to 8.44±3.82×10 3 /μL (P=.0009) and 3.27±5.73 mg/dL (P=.0014), respectively. During positive OFC, LDH and SGOT did not vary significantly; CRP increased from 0.14±0.18 to 2.49±3.65 mg/dL (P=.00189) and neutrophil count from 2.79±1.42 to 7.10±3.98×10 3 /μL (P=.00096). FPIES reactions are characterized by neutrophilia and by a time-dependent, significant increase in CRP, indicating that inflammatory mechanisms are in place. This suggests new directions for research on FPIES pathogenesis. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Clinical and immunological characteristics of a pediatric population with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) to fish.

PubMed

González-Delgado, Purificación; Caparrós, Esther; Moreno, M Victoria; Clemente, Fernando; Flores, Emilio; Velásquez, Laura; Rubio, Gonzalo; Fernández, Javier

2016-05-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis (FPIES) is an uncommon, non-IgE-mediated food allergy that usually debuts in infancy with profuse vomiting, lethargy, and pallor 2-4 h following ingestion of the offending food. Its immune mechanism is not known. We aimed to describe the clinical features and outcome of children with fish-FPIES as well as to investigate on cellular immune response implicated. Prospective and follow-up clinical study of children with FPIES by fish over a period between 2004 and 2013 was conducted. Measurement in vitro of both cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and expression of HLA-DR in monocyte-derived dendritic cells stimulated with fish extracts. Sixteen children (seven male and nine female) were included, with a mean age of onset at 10 months. Diagnosis was established after a median of 4 reactions. Twelve patients were treated in emergency room, and two were admitted in intensive care. Patch tests were positive in six patients. Skin prick tests (SPTs) and specific IgE to all fish tested were negative. Only three children reached tolerance at a mean age of 4.5 years. Eight children avoided fish because of positive oral food challenge (OFC) after 6 years of age. Other patients have not been challenged because of parent refusal to OFC or a recent diagnosis. TNF-α was increased in patients, and a significant elevation of the HLA-DR marker was also observed in these patients vs. control donors. FPIES caused by fish in many cases presents with severe clinical manifestations. Patch test has poor diagnostic value, and OFC is the gold standard to test tolerance. The cytokine TNF-α may be implicated in the clinical symptoms. Higher expression of HLA-DR in dendritic cells has also been detected in our patients. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improved Thermal-Vacuum Compatible Flat Plate Radiometric Souce for System-Level Testing of Optical Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarz, Mark A.; Kent, Craig J.; Bousquet, Robert; Brown, Steven W.

2015-01-01

This work describes the development of an improved vacuum compatible flat plate radiometric source used for characterizing and calibrating remote optical sensors, in situ, throughout their testing period. The original flat plate radiometric source was developed for use by the VIIRS instrument during the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP). Following this effort, the FPI has had significant upgrades in order to improve both the radiometric throughput and uniformity. Results of the VIIRS testing with the reconfigured FPI are reported and discussed.

Development of Metal-Ceramic Coaxial Cable Fabry-Pérot Interferometric Sensors for High Temperature Monitoring

PubMed Central

Trontz, Adam; Cheng, Baokai; Zeng, Shixuan; Xiao, Hai; Dong, Junhang

2015-01-01

Metal-ceramic coaxial cable Fabry-Pérot interferometric (MCCC-FPI) sensors have been developed using a stainless steel tube and a stainless steel wire as the outer and inner conductors, respectively; a tubular α-alumina insulator; and a pair of air gaps created in the insulator along the cable to serve as weak reflectors for the transmitting microwave (MW) signal. The MCCC-FPI sensors have been demonstrated for high temperature measurements using MW signals in a frequency range of 2–8 GHz. The temperature measurement is achieved by monitoring the frequency shift (Δƒ) of the MW interferogram reflected from the pair of weak reflectors. The MW sensor exhibited excellent linear dependence of Δƒ on temperature; small measurement deviations (±2.7%); and fast response in a tested range of 200–500 °C. The MCCC has the potential for further developing multipoint FPI sensors in a single-cable to achieve in situ and continuous measurement of spatially distributed temperature in harsh environments. PMID:26404280

Development of Metal-Ceramic Coaxial Cable Fabry-Pérot Interferometric Sensors for High Temperature Monitoring.

PubMed

Trontz, Adam; Cheng, Baokai; Zeng, Shixuan; Xiao, Hai; Dong, Junhang

2015-09-25

Metal-ceramic coaxial cable Fabry-Pérot interferometric (MCCC-FPI) sensors have been developed using a stainless steel tube and a stainless steel wire as the outer and inner conductors, respectively; a tubular α-alumina insulator; and a pair of air gaps created in the insulator along the cable to serve as weak reflectors for the transmitting microwave (MW) signal. The MCCC-FPI sensors have been demonstrated for high temperature measurements using MW signals in a frequency range of 2-8 GHz. The temperature measurement is achieved by monitoring the frequency shift (Δƒ) of the MW interferogram reflected from the pair of weak reflectors. The MW sensor exhibited excellent linear dependence of Δƒ on temperature; small measurement deviations (±2.7%); and fast response in a tested range of 200-500 °C. The MCCC has the potential for further developing multipoint FPI sensors in a single-cable to achieve in situ and continuous measurement of spatially distributed temperature in harsh environments.

Does the type of sport practised influence foot posture and knee angle? Differences between footballers and swimmers.

PubMed

Lopezosa-Reca, Eva; Gijon-Nogueron, Gabriel; Garcia-Paya, Irene; Ortega-Avila, Ana Belen

2018-03-04

This aim of this study is to observe the differences in foot posture and the angle of the knee according to different physical activities. Seventy-eight football players and 72 swimmers were recruited, and in each case a foot posture analysis, based on the foot posture index (FPI), was conducted and the Q angle of the knee was determined. The following mean values were obtained for the lower extremities: in the swimmers, FPI 6.45 ± 2.04 and Q angle 15.38º ± 3.79º. In the footballers, FPI 2.23 ± 1.72 and Q angle 13.16º ± 1.36º. There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) between the two groups. The swimmers presented a foot posture with a tendency towards pronation, and a Q angle with a tendency towards valgus, while the results for the footballers were within the normal range.

A causality between fund performance and stock market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ho-Yong; Kwon, Okyu; Oh, Gabjin

2016-02-01

We investigate whether the characteristic fund performance indicators (FPI), such as the fund return, the Net asset value (NAV) and the cash flow, are correlated with the asset price movement using information flows estimated by the Granger causality test. First, we find that the information flow of FPI is most sensitive to extreme events of the Korean stock market, which include negative events such as the sub-prime crisis and the impact of QE (quantitative easing) by the US subprime and Europe financial crisis as well as the positive events of the golden period of Korean Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), except for the fund cash flow. Second, both the fund return and the NAV exhibit significant correlations with the KOSPI, whereas the cash flow is not correlated with the stock market. This result suggests that the information resulting from the ability of the fund manager should influence stock market. Finally, during market crisis period, information flows between FPI and the Korean stock market are significantly positively correlated with the market volatility.

Relationship between foot posture and dental malocclusions in children aged 6 to 9 years

PubMed Central

Marchena-Rodríguez, Ana; Moreno-Morales, Noelia; Ramírez-Parga, Edith; Labajo-Manzanares, María Teresa; Luque-Suárez, Alejandro; Gijon-Nogueron, Gabriel

2018-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the association, if any, between foot posture and dental malocclusions in the anteroposterior plane, in children. The study population consisted of 189 children (95 boys and 94 girls) aged 6 to 9 years. In every case, previous informed consent was requested and obtained from the parent/guardian and the study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Málaga (CEUMA 26/2015H). This observational, descriptive, cross-sectional analysis is based on a study population (STROBE). Qualified personnel conducted a podiatric and dental examination of each child, recording the Clarke angle and the foot posture index (FPI) as an outcomes measure in the feet, and also dental malocclusions, according to Angle classification. A significant correlation was observed for the FPI scores (for right foot) as well as the Clarke angle (for right foot), in relation to dental malocclusions as determined by Angle classification (P < .001). Of all the supinated feet analyzed, 38.46% were Class II according to Angle classification, and none were Class III. Of the pronated feet, 48.57% were Class III, 42.85% were Class I, and 8.57% were Class II. The Clarke angle decreases with the progression from Class I to III, whereas the FPI increases with that from Class I to III. These findings suggest there is a relation between the Clarke angle and FPI, on the one hand, and dental malocclusion on the other. PMID:29742725

A BEHAVIORAL AND HISTOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF FLUID PERCUSSION INJURY AND CONTROLLED CORTICAL IMPACT INJURY TO THE RAT SENSORIMOTOR CORTEX

PubMed Central

Peterson, Todd C.; Maass, William R.; Anderson, Jordan R.; Anderson, Gail D.; Hoane, Michael R.

2015-01-01

Our primary goal was to evaluate the behavioral and histological outcome of fluid percussion injury (FPI) and cortical contusion injury (CCI) to the sensorimotor cortex (SMC). The SMC has been used to evaluate neuroplasticity following CCI, but has not been extensively examined with FPI. In both the CCI and FPI models, a mechanical force of 4 mm in diameter was applied over the SMC, allowing for a direct comparison to measure the relative rates of histology and recovery of function in these models. Gross behavioral deficits were found on the sensory task (tactile adhesive removal task) and multiple motor assessments (forelimb asymmetry task, forelimb placing task, and rotorod). These sensorimotor deficits occurred in the absence of cognitive deficits in the water maze. The CCI model creates focal damage with a localized injury wheras the FPI model creates a more diffuse injury causing widespread damage. Both behavioral and histological deficits ensued following both models of injury to the SMC. The neuroplastic changes and ease at which damage to this area can be measured behaviorally make this an excellent location to assess traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatments. No injury model can completely mimic the full spectrum of human TBI and any potential treatments should be validated across both focal and diffuse injury models. Both of these injury models to the SMC produce severe and enduring behavioral deficits, which are ideal for evaluating treatment options. PMID:26275924

Molecular recognition of DNA base pairs by the formamido/pyrrole and formamido/imidazole pairings in stacked polyamides.

PubMed

Buchmueller, Karen L; Staples, Andrew M; Uthe, Peter B; Howard, Cameron M; Pacheco, Kimberly A O; Cox, Kari K; Henry, James A; Bailey, Suzanna L; Horick, Sarah M; Nguyen, Binh; Wilson, W David; Lee, Moses

2005-01-01

Polyamides containing an N-terminal formamido (f) group bind to the minor groove of DNA as staggered, antiparallel dimers in a sequence-specific manner. The formamido group increases the affinity and binding site size, and it promotes the molecules to stack in a staggered fashion thereby pairing itself with either a pyrrole (Py) or an imidazole (Im). There has not been a systematic study on the DNA recognition properties of the f/Py and f/Im terminal pairings. These pairings were analyzed here in the context of f-ImPyPy, f-ImPyIm, f-PyPyPy and f-PyPyIm, which contain the central pairing modes, -ImPy- and -PyPy-. The specificity of these triamides towards symmetrical recognition sites allowed for the f/Py and f/Im terminal pairings to be directly compared by SPR, CD and DeltaT (M) experiments. The f/Py pairing, when placed next to the -ImPy- or -PyPy- central pairings, prefers A/T and T/A base pairs to G/C base pairs, suggesting that f/Py has similar DNA recognition specificity to Py/Py. With -ImPy- central pairings, f/Im prefers C/G base pairs (>10 times) to the other Watson-Crick base pairs; therefore, f/Im behaves like the Py/Im pair. However, the f/Im pairing is not selective for the C/G base pair when placed next to the -PyPy- central pairings.

Relationship between foot posture and dental malocclusions in children aged 6 to 9 years: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Marchena-Rodríguez, Ana; Moreno-Morales, Noelia; Ramírez-Parga, Edith; Labajo-Manzanares, María Teresa; Luque-Suárez, Alejandro; Gijon-Nogueron, Gabriel

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the association, if any, between foot posture and dental malocclusions in the anteroposterior plane, in children.The study population consisted of 189 children (95 boys and 94 girls) aged 6 to 9 years. In every case, previous informed consent was requested and obtained from the parent/guardian and the study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Málaga (CEUMA 26/2015H).This observational, descriptive, cross-sectional analysis is based on a study population (STROBE). Qualified personnel conducted a podiatric and dental examination of each child, recording the Clarke angle and the foot posture index (FPI) as an outcomes measure in the feet, and also dental malocclusions, according to Angle classification.A significant correlation was observed for the FPI scores (for right foot) as well as the Clarke angle (for right foot), in relation to dental malocclusions as determined by Angle classification (P < .001). Of all the supinated feet analyzed, 38.46% were Class II according to Angle classification, and none were Class III. Of the pronated feet, 48.57% were Class III, 42.85% were Class I, and 8.57% were Class II.The Clarke angle decreases with the progression from Class I to III, whereas the FPI increases with that from Class I to III. These findings suggest there is a relation between the Clarke angle and FPI, on the one hand, and dental malocclusion on the other.

Energy dependence of fission product yields from 235U, 238U and 239Pu for incident neutron energies between 0.5 and 14.8 MeV

DOE PAGES

Gooden, M. E.; Arnold, C. W.; Becker, J. A.; ...

2016-01-06

In this study, Fission Product Yields (FPY) have historically been one of the most observable features of the fission process. They are known to have strong variations that are dependent on the fissioning species, the excitation energy, and the angular momentum of the compound system. However, consistent and systematic studies of the variation of these FPY with energy have proved challenging. This is caused primarily by the nature of the experiments that have traditionally relied on radiochemical procedures to isolate specific fission products. Although radiochemical procedures exist that can isolate all products, each element presents specific challenges and introduces varyingmore » degrees of systematic errors that can make inter-comparison of FPY uncertain. Although of high importance in fields such as nuclear forensics and Stockpile Stewardship, accurate information about the energy dependence of neutron induced FPY are sparse, due primarily to the lack of suitable monoenergetic neutron sources. There is a clear need for improved data, and to address this issue, a collaboration was formed between Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) to measure the energy dependence of FPY for 235U, 238U and 239Pu. The measurements have been performed at TUNL, using a 10 MV Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator to produce monoenergetic neutrons at energies between 0.6 MeV to 14.8 MeV through a variety of reactions. The measurements have utilized a dual-fission chamber, with thin (10-100 μg/cm2) reference foils of similar material to a thick (100-400 mg) activation target held in the center between the chambers. This method allows for the accurate determination of the number of fissions that occurred in the thick target without requiring knowledge of the fission cross section or neutron fluence on target. Following activation, the thick target was removed from the dual-fission chamber and gamma-ray counted using shielded HPGe detectors for a period of 1-2 months to determine the yield of various fission products. To the extent possible all irradiation and counting procedures were kept the same to minimize sources of systematic errors. FPY have been determined at incident neutron energies of 0.6, 1.4, 2.4, 3.5, 4.6, 5.5, 8.9 and 14.8 MeV.« less

Energy Dependence of Fission Product Yields from {sup 235}U, {sup 238}U and {sup 239}Pu for Incident Neutron Energies Between 0.5 and 14.8 MeV

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

Gooden, M.E., E-mail: m_gooden@lanl.gov; Arnold, C.W.; Becker, J.A.

2016-01-15

Fission Product Yields (FPY) have historically been one of the most observable features of the fission process. They are known to have strong variations that are dependent on the fissioning species, the excitation energy, and the angular momentum of the compound system. However, consistent and systematic studies of the variation of these FPY with energy have proved challenging. This is caused primarily by the nature of the experiments that have traditionally relied on radiochemical procedures to isolate specific fission products. Although radiochemical procedures exist that can isolate all products, each element presents specific challenges and introduces varying degrees of systematicmore » errors that can make inter-comparison of FPY uncertain. Although of high importance in fields such as nuclear forensics and Stockpile Stewardship, accurate information about the energy dependence of neutron induced FPY are sparse, due primarily to the lack of suitable monoenergetic neutron sources. There is a clear need for improved data, and to address this issue, a collaboration was formed between Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) to measure the energy dependence of FPY for {sup 235}U, {sup 238}U and {sup 239}Pu. The measurements have been performed at TUNL, using a 10 MV Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator to produce monoenergetic neutrons at energies between 0.6 MeV to 14.8 MeV through a variety of reactions. The measurements have utilized a dual-fission chamber, with thin (10-100 μg/cm2) reference foils of similar material to a thick (100-400 mg) activation target held in the center between the chambers. This method allows for the accurate determination of the number of fissions that occurred in the thick target without requiring knowledge of the fission cross section or neutron fluence on target. Following activation, the thick target was removed from the dual-fission chamber and gamma-ray counted using shielded HPGe detectors for a period of 1-2 months to determine the yield of various fission products. To the extent possible all irradiation and counting procedures were kept the same to minimize sources of systematic errors. FPY have been determined at incident neutron energies of 0.6, 1.4, 2.4, 3.5, 4.6, 5.5, 8.9 and 14.8 MeV.« less

Modelling Detailed-Chemistry Effects on Turbulent Diffusion Flames using a Parallel Solution-Adaptive Scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, Pradeep Kumar

Capturing the effects of detailed-chemistry on turbulent combustion processes is a central challenge faced by the numerical combustion community. However, the inherent complexity and non-linear nature of both turbulence and chemistry require that combustion models rely heavily on engineering approximations to remain computationally tractable. This thesis proposes a computationally efficient algorithm for modelling detailed-chemistry effects in turbulent diffusion flames and numerically predicting the associated flame properties. The cornerstone of this combustion modelling tool is the use of parallel Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) scheme with the recently proposed Flame Prolongation of Intrinsic low-dimensional manifold (FPI) tabulated-chemistry approach for modelling complex chemistry. The effect of turbulence on the mean chemistry is incorporated using a Presumed Conditional Moment (PCM) approach based on a beta-probability density function (PDF). The two-equation k-w turbulence model is used for modelling the effects of the unresolved turbulence on the mean flow field. The finite-rate of methane-air combustion is represented here by using the GRI-Mech 3.0 scheme. This detailed mechanism is used to build the FPI tables. A state of the art numerical scheme based on a parallel block-based solution-adaptive algorithm has been developed to solve the Favre-averaged Navier-Stokes (FANS) and other governing partial-differential equations using a second-order accurate, fully-coupled finite-volume formulation on body-fitted, multi-block, quadrilateral/hexahedral mesh for two-dimensional and three-dimensional flow geometries, respectively. A standard fourth-order Runge-Kutta time-marching scheme is used for time-accurate temporal discretizations. Numerical predictions of three different diffusion flames configurations are considered in the present work: a laminar counter-flow flame; a laminar co-flow diffusion flame; and a Sydney bluff-body turbulent reacting flow. Comparisons are made between the predicted results of the present FPI scheme and Steady Laminar Flamelet Model (SLFM) approach for diffusion flames. The effects of grid resolution on the predicted overall flame solutions are also assessed. Other non-reacting flows have also been considered to further validate other aspects of the numerical scheme. The present schemes predict results which are in good agreement with published experimental results and reduces the computational cost involved in modelling turbulent diffusion flames significantly, both in terms of storage and processing time.

VTT's Fabry-Perot interferometer technologies for hyperspectral imaging and mobile sensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rissanen, Anna; Guo, Bin; Saari, Heikki; Näsilä, Antti; Mannila, Rami; Akujärvi, Altti; Ojanen, Harri

2017-02-01

VTT's Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPI) technology enables creation of small and cost-efficient microspectrometers and hyperspectral imagers - these robust and light-weight sensors are currently finding their way into a variety of novel applications, including emerging medical products, automotive sensors, space instruments and mobile sensing devices. This presentation gives an overview of our core FPI technologies with current advances in generation of novel sensing applications including recent mobile technology demonstrators of a hyperspectral iPhone and a mobile phone CO2 sensor, which aim to advance mobile spectroscopic sensing.

Disk Residual Life Studies. Part 1. F100 1st-Stage Turbine Disk (IN100)

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

mag- nifying lens Static FPI was augmented by wink FPI while phase II specimens were installed in the fatigue test machine. This form of inspection...Failure at thermocouple tack weld. Fractography : no cracks in bolthole BR-3 Test Temperatu,-e, = 10000F, o,,, 90 kIoBR- Pretest - No No No Hole honed and... Fractography no cracks in bolthole 44! ! ’ Ai N3Wp IOLTHOLE SPECIMEN Vt 4; TABLESS FATIGUE TEST INSPEC’rIoN RECORDS (Confiilued) Specimen ks.oecoon

CEDAR/TIMED: Thermospheric Vertical Wind Observations from Three Sites in the Northern Auroral Zone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lummerzheim, D.

2005-01-01

The objective of this project was to operate ground based Fabry-Perot Interferometers at several points under the auroral zone to analyze and quantify the vertical wind in the thermosphere. These measurements were made in conjunction with TIMED, especially GUVI data, to relate the observed wind to the resulting mixing and compositional changes in the thermosphere. The ground based wind measurements were obtained from a scanning Doppler imager (SDI) in Poker Flat, and a vertically aligned Fabry Perot Imager (FPI) in Inuvik. A third FPI at Eagle, Alaska, was operated for a brief overlapping period as well. The SDI at Poker Flat had been in operation for several years, and was continued to run with little support from this grant. The much more expensive operation, maintenance, and data acquisition of the remote Inuvik FPI was made possible with funds from this project. During the 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 seasons, we operated the Inuvik FPI from September to April during hours of darkness. Two trips to service the instrument were required per year, and a local caretaker was funded to help keep the instrument going during the winter seasons. The data were transfered via modem and phone line to Poker Flat and were then analyzed to obtain wind and temperature at the altitude of the auroral green line OI(557.7 nm). The final data product was archived and transferred to the GEDDS system at Poker Flat were it is available on the web: http://gedds.pfrr.alaska.edu/. The data set is also available from the CEDAR data base: http://cedarweb.hao.ucar.edu/.

Cytokine profile after oral food challenge in infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

PubMed

Kimura, Mitsuaki; Ito, Yasunori; Shimomura, Masaki; Morishita, Hideaki; Meguro, Takaaki; Adachi, Yuichi; Seto, Shiro

2017-07-01

Although food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is supposed to be caused by inflammation, the role of cytokines has not yet been clarified. To elucidate the role of cytokines in the development of symptoms and abnormal laboratory findings at an oral food challenge (OFC), changes in serum cytokine levels were analyzed for 6 OFCs in 4 patients with FPIES. The result of OFC was judged positive if any gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, or bloody stool) were induced. Among 11 cytokines profiled, serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-5, and IL-8 were clearly increased in all 4 positive OFCs in which elevations of the serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP) and peripheral blood neutrophilia were also seen. The level of serum IL-10 also rose in 2 positive OFCs. Remarkable increases in the serum level of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IL-6, and IL-12 were observed in a positive OFC where the serum level of CRP rose markedly (6.75 mg/dL). The serum levels of IL-5 were also elevated in 2 negative OFCs. No apparent specific correlations were found between cytokines and GI symptoms. These results suggest that IL-2 and IL-8 are involved in the antigen-specific immune responses in most patients with FPIES. Further studies are needed to elucidate the significance of these cytokine in the pathogenesis of FPIES. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fish Is Food - The FAO’s Fish Price Index

PubMed Central

Tveterås, Sigbjørn; Asche, Frank; Bellemare, Marc F.; Smith, Martin D.; Guttormsen, Atle G.; Lem, Audun; Lien, Kristin; Vannuccini, Stefania

2012-01-01

World food prices hit an all-time high in February 2011 and are still almost two and a half times those of 2000. Although three billion people worldwide use seafood as a key source of animal protein, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations–which compiles prices for other major food categories–has not tracked seafood prices. We fill this gap by developing an index of global seafood prices that can help to understand food crises and may assist in averting them. The fish price index (FPI) relies on trade statistics because seafood is heavily traded internationally, exposing non-traded seafood to price competition from imports and exports. Easily updated trade data can thus proxy for domestic seafood prices that are difficult to observe in many regions and costly to update with global coverage. Calculations of the extent of price competition in different countries support the plausibility of reliance on trade data. Overall, the FPI shows less volatility and fewer price spikes than other food price indices including oils, cereals, and dairy. The FPI generally reflects seafood scarcity, but it can also be separated into indices by production technology, fish species, or region. Splitting FPI into capture fisheries and aquaculture suggests increased scarcity of capture fishery resources in recent years, but also growth in aquaculture that is keeping pace with demand. Regionally, seafood price volatility varies, and some prices are negatively correlated. These patterns hint that regional supply shocks are consequential for seafood prices in spite of the high degree of seafood tradability. PMID:22590598

High-resolution Observations of Hα Spectra with a Subtractive Double Pass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, C.; Rezaei, R.; Choudhary, D. P.; Gosain, S.; Tritschler, A.; Louis, R. E.

2018-02-01

High-resolution imaging spectroscopy in solar physics has relied on Fabry-Pérot interferometers (FPIs) in recent years. FPI systems, however, become technically challenging and expensive for telescopes larger than the 1 m class. A conventional slit spectrograph with a diffraction-limited performance over a large field of view (FOV) can be built at much lower cost and effort. It can be converted into an imaging spectro(polari)meter using the concept of a subtractive double pass (SDP). We demonstrate that an SDP system can reach a similar performance as FPI-based systems with a high spatial and moderate spectral resolution across a FOV of 100^'' ×100^' ' with a spectral coverage of 1 nm. We use Hα spectra taken with an SDP system at the Dunn Solar Telescope and complementary full-disc data to infer the properties of small-scale superpenumbral filaments. We find that the majority of all filaments end in patches of opposite-polarity fields. The internal fine-structure in the line-core intensity of Hα at spatial scales of about 0.5'' exceeds that in other parameters such as the line width, indicating small-scale opacity effects in a larger-scale structure with common properties. We conclude that SDP systems in combination with (multi-conjugate) adaptive optics are a valid alternative to FPI systems when high spatial resolution and a large FOV are required. They can also reach a cadence that is comparable to that of FPI systems, while providing a much larger spectral range and a simultaneous multi-line capability.

Increased C-reactive protein and fever in Japanese infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

PubMed

Kimura, Mitsuaki; Ito, Yasunori; Tokunaga, Fumika; Meguro, Takaaki; Shimomura, Masaki; Morishita, Hideaki; Seto, Shiro

2016-09-01

Increased C-reactive protein (CRP) and fever are observed in some infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) in Japan, but the reproducibility of these findings has not yet been confirmed on oral food challenge (OFC). Fourteen infants with FPIES induced by cow's milk (CM) formula were enrolled. OFC using CM formula was performed on each infant once or repeatedly (total 18 tests), with a stepwise incremental protocol in an infection-controlled setting. CRP was measured 24 h after the last ingestion of the CM formula. Increased CRP was observed in 11 of the 18 OFC conducted (median, 2.60 mg/dL; range, 0.22-4.84 mg/dL). Fever was induced in six occasions during OFC. Serum CRP in the patients with fever increased to median 3.76 mg/dL (range, <0.7-4.84 mg/dL), which was significantly higher than that of the patients without fever (median <0.1 mg/dL; range, <0.1-2.6 mg/dL; P < 0.001). CRP during OFC significantly correlated with that at disease onset (rs = 0.62, P < 0.02). Three of the four patients with fever at disease onset also had fever during OFC. Increased CRP and fever are reproducible during OFC in some infants with FPIES, suggesting that these are not accidental phenomena, but instead are associated with FPIES itself in Japanese patients. © 2016 The Authors. Pediatrics International published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Pediatric Society.

Fish is food--the FAO's fish price index.

PubMed

Tveterås, Sigbjørn; Asche, Frank; Bellemare, Marc F; Smith, Martin D; Guttormsen, Atle G; Lem, Audun; Lien, Kristin; Vannuccini, Stefania

2012-01-01

World food prices hit an all-time high in February 2011 and are still almost two and a half times those of 2000. Although three billion people worldwide use seafood as a key source of animal protein, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations-which compiles prices for other major food categories-has not tracked seafood prices. We fill this gap by developing an index of global seafood prices that can help to understand food crises and may assist in averting them. The fish price index (FPI) relies on trade statistics because seafood is heavily traded internationally, exposing non-traded seafood to price competition from imports and exports. Easily updated trade data can thus proxy for domestic seafood prices that are difficult to observe in many regions and costly to update with global coverage. Calculations of the extent of price competition in different countries support the plausibility of reliance on trade data. Overall, the FPI shows less volatility and fewer price spikes than other food price indices including oils, cereals, and dairy. The FPI generally reflects seafood scarcity, but it can also be separated into indices by production technology, fish species, or region. Splitting FPI into capture fisheries and aquaculture suggests increased scarcity of capture fishery resources in recent years, but also growth in aquaculture that is keeping pace with demand. Regionally, seafood price volatility varies, and some prices are negatively correlated. These patterns hint that regional supply shocks are consequential for seafood prices in spite of the high degree of seafood tradability.

Molecular recognition of DNA base pairs by the formamido/pyrrole and formamido/imidazole pairings in stacked polyamides

PubMed Central

Buchmueller, Karen L.; Staples, Andrew M.; Uthe, Peter B.; Howard, Cameron M.; Pacheco, Kimberly A. O.; Cox, Kari K.; Henry, James A.; Bailey, Suzanna L.; Horick, Sarah M.; Nguyen, Binh; Wilson, W. David; Lee, Moses

2005-01-01

Polyamides containing an N-terminal formamido (f) group bind to the minor groove of DNA as staggered, antiparallel dimers in a sequence-specific manner. The formamido group increases the affinity and binding site size, and it promotes the molecules to stack in a staggered fashion thereby pairing itself with either a pyrrole (Py) or an imidazole (Im). There has not been a systematic study on the DNA recognition properties of the f/Py and f/Im terminal pairings. These pairings were analyzed here in the context of f-ImPyPy, f-ImPyIm, f-PyPyPy and f-PyPyIm, which contain the central pairing modes, –ImPy– and –PyPy–. The specificity of these triamides towards symmetrical recognition sites allowed for the f/Py and f/Im terminal pairings to be directly compared by SPR, CD and ΔTM experiments. The f/Py pairing, when placed next to the –ImPy– or –PyPy– central pairings, prefers A/T and T/A base pairs to G/C base pairs, suggesting that f/Py has similar DNA recognition specificity to Py/Py. With –ImPy– central pairings, f/Im prefers C/G base pairs (>10 times) to the other Watson–Crick base pairs; therefore, f/Im behaves like the Py/Im pair. However, the f/Im pairing is not selective for the C/G base pair when placed next to the –PyPy– central pairings. PMID:15703305

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome: a challenging diagnosis.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Andreia; Moreira, Diana; Costa, Cristina; Pinto Pais, Isabel

2018-02-08

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food hypersensitivity triggered by food proteins. It may present acutely, with repetitive vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy leading to dehydration and eventually shock or insidiously with intermittent emesis, chronic diarrhoea or failure to thrive. We describe a paediatric male patient with recurrent sepsis-like episodes of fever, lethargy, ashen-grey skin colouration and vomiting followed by diarrhoea. These episodes were triggered by cow's milk formula and grains. Laboratory tests revealed leucocytosis, thrombocytosis, metabolic acidosis and elevated C reactive protein. After exclusion of other differential diagnoses, the diagnosis of FPIES was established on clinical improvement with withdrawal of the offending food and positive oral food challenge. FPIES diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion and is frequently delayed, which contributes to an increased morbidity. This is due to the wide spectrum of clinical presentations and due to the absence of specific diagnostic tests. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

MOEMS FPI sensors for NIR-MIR microspectrometer applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akujärvi, A.; Guo, B.; Mannila, R.; Rissanen, A.

2016-03-01

This paper presents near- and mid- infrared (NIR-MIR) wavelength range optical MEMS Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) developed for automotive and multi-gas sensing applications. MEMS FPI platform for NIR-range consist of LPCVD (low-pressure chemical vapour) deposited polySi-SiN λ/4-thin film Bragg reflectors, with the air gap formed by sacrificial SiO2 etching in HF vapour. Characterization results for the NIR MFPI devices for λ = 1.5 - 2.0 μm show resolution of 15 nm at the optimization wavelength of 1750 nm. We also present a MIR-range MEMS FPI for λ = 2.5 - 3.5 μm, which utilizes silicon and air in within the Bragg reflector structure to provide a high contrast for improved resolution. Characterization results show a FWHM (Full Width Half Maximum) of 20 nm in comparison to the 50 nm resolution provided by earlier MEMS FPIs realized for hydrocarbon sensing with conventional CVD-thin film materials. The improved resolution and the extended operation region shows potential to enable simultaneous sensing of CO2 and multiple hydrocarbons.

Self-gauged fiber-optic micro-heater with an operation temperature above 1000°C.

PubMed

Liu, Guigen; Sheng, Qiwen; Dam, Dustin; Hua, Jiong; Hou, Weilin; Han, Ming

2017-04-01

We report a fiber-optic micro-heater based on a miniature crystalline silicon Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) fusion spliced to the endface of a single-mode fiber. The silicon FPI, having a diameter of 100 μm and a length of 10 or 200 μm, is heated by a 980 nm laser diode guided through the lead-in fiber, leading to a localized hot spot with a temperature that can be conveniently tuned from the ambient temperature to >1000°C in air. In the meantime, using a white light system operating in the 1550 nm wavelength window where the silicon is transparent, the silicon FPI itself also serves as a thermometer with high resolution and high speed for convenient monitoring and precise control of the heater temperature. Due to its small size, high temperature capability, and easy operation, the micro-heater is attractive for applications in a variety of fields, such as biology, microfluidics system, mechanical engineering, and high-temperature optical sensing. As an example, the application of this micro-heater as a micro-boiler and micro-bubble generator has been demonstrated.

Development of metal-ceramic coaxial cable Fabry-Pérot interferometric sensors for high temperature monitoring

DOE PAGES

Trontz, Adam; Cheng, Baokai; Zeng, Shixuan; ...

2015-09-25

Metal-ceramic coaxial cable Fabry-Pérot interferometric (MCCC-FPI) sensors have been developed using a stainless steel tube and a stainless steel wire as the outer and inner conductors, respectively; a tubular α-alumina insulator; and a pair of air gaps created in the insulator along the cable to serve as weak reflectors for the transmitting microwave (MW) signal. The MCCC-FPI sensors have been demonstrated for high temperature measurements using MW signals in a frequency range of 2–8 GHz. The temperature measurement is achieved by monitoring the frequency shift (Δƒ) of the MW interferogram reflected from the pair of weak reflectors. The MW sensormore » exhibited excellent linear dependence of Δƒ on temperature; small measurement deviations (±2.7%); and fast response in a tested range of 200–500 °C. The MCCC has the potential for further developing multipoint FPI sensors in a single-cable to achieve in situ and continuous measurement of spatially distributed temperature in harsh environments.« less

Two Dual Ion Spectrometer Flight Units of the Fast Plasma Instrument Suite (FPI) for the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Mitzi

2014-01-01

Two Dual Ion Spectrometer flight units of the Fast Plasma Instrument Suite (FPI) for the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) have returned to MSFC for flight testing. Anticipated to begin on June 30, tests will ensue in the Low Energy Electron and Ion Facility of the Heliophysics and Planetary Science Office (ZP13), managed by Dr. Victoria Coffey of the Natural Environments Branch of the Engineering Directorate (EV44). The MMS mission consists of four identical spacecraft, whose purpose is to study magnetic reconnection in the boundary regions of Earth's magnetosphere.

Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome.

PubMed

Bingemann, Theresa A; Sood, Puja; Järvinen, Kirsi M

2018-02-01

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated food allergy that usually presents in infancy. Cow's milk, soy, and grains are the most common food triggers. FPIES can present as a medical emergency with symptoms including delayed persistent emesis or diarrhea that can lead to severe dehydration and hemodynamic instability with abnormal laboratory markers. Diagnosis can often be made based on clinical history and noted improvement in symptoms once the suspected triggers have been removed from the diet, with oral food challenge as the gold standard for confirmation of diagnosis in unclear cases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two-years of In-flight Spectrometer Calibration Results for the Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) on the Magmetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiff, C.; Gershman, D. J.; Avanov, L. A.; Giles, B. L.; Paterson, W. R.; Kriesler, S.; Barrie, A. C.; Rand, D. K.; Gliese, U.; Burch, J.

2017-12-01

Scientifically accurate measurements depend on careful calibration of in-flight instrumentation. We review two years of calibration results for the Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) electron and ion spectrometers over the MMS fleet. We focus on the operating point calibration by which the operating voltage on each of the 64 spectrometers is set to best balance between gain, signal loss, and anode-to-anode cross talk. In addition, we map the calibration and housekeeping telemetry to infer charge extracted evolution from the microchannel plates and, subsequently, the project lifetime of the instrumentation.

Fast Plasma Investigation for MMS: Simulation of the Burst Triggering System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrie, A. C.; Dorelli, J. C.; Winkert, G. E.; Lobell, J. V.; Holland, M. P.; Adrian, M. L.; Pollock, C. J.

2011-01-01

The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission will study small-scale reconnection structures and their rapid motions from closely spaced platforms using instruments capable of high angular, energy, and time resolution measurements. To meet these requirements, the Fast Plasma Instrument (FPI) consists of eight (8) identical half top-hat electron sensors and eight (8) identical ion sensors and an Instrument Data Processing Unit (IDPU). The sensors (electron or ion) are grouped into pairs whose 6 degree x 180 degree fields-of-view (FOV) are set 90 degrees apart. Each sensor is equipped with electrostatic aperture steering to allow the sensor to scan a 45 degree x 180 degree fan about the its nominal viewing (0 deflection) direction. Each pair of sensors, known as the Dual Electron Spectrometer (DES) and the Dual Ion Spectrometer (DIS), occupies a quadrant on the MMS spacecraft and the combination of the eight electron/ion sensors, employing aperture steering, image the full-sky every 30-ms (electrons) and 150-ms (ions), respectively. To probe the diffusion regions of reconnection, the highest temporal/spatial resolution mode of FPI results in the DES complement of a given spacecraft generating 6.5-Mb (raised dot) per second of electron data while the DIS generates 1.1-Mb (raised dot) per second of ion data yielding an FPI total data rate of 6.6-Mb (raised dot) per second. The FPI electron/ion data is collected by the IDPU then transmitted to the Central Data Instrument Processor (CIDP) on the spacecraft for science interest ranking. Only data sequences that contain the greatest amount of temporal/spatial structure will be intelligently down-linked by the spacecraft. This requires a data ranking process known as the burst trigger system. The burst trigger system uses pseudo physical quantities to approximate the local plasma environments. As each pseudo quantity will have a different value, a set of two scaling factors is employed for each pseudo term. These pseudo quantities are then combined at the instrument, spacecraft, and observatory level leading to a final ranking of data based on expected scientific interest. Here, we present simulations of the fixed point burst trigger system for the FPI. A variety of data sets based on previous mission data as well as analytical formulations are tested. Comparisons of floating point calculations versus the fixed point hardware simulation are shown. Analysis of the potential sources of error from overflows, quantization, etc. are examined and mitigation methods are presented. Finally a series of calibration curves are presented, showing the expected error in pseudo quantities based solely on the scale parameters chosen and the expected data range. We conclude with a presentation of the current base-lined FPI burst trigger approach.

Diffuse traumatic axonal injury in mice induces complex behavioural alterations that are normalized by neutralization of interleukin-1β.

PubMed

Ekmark-Lewén, Sara; Flygt, Johanna; Fridgeirsdottir, Gudrun A; Kiwanuka, Olivia; Hånell, Anders; Meyerson, Bengt J; Mir, Anis K; Gram, Hermann; Lewén, Anders; Clausen, Fredrik; Hillered, Lars; Marklund, Niklas

2016-04-01

Widespread traumatic axonal injury (TAI) results in brain network dysfunction, which commonly leads to persisting cognitive and behavioural impairments following traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI induces a complex neuroinflammatory response, frequently located at sites of axonal pathology. The role of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β has not been established in TAI. An IL-1β-neutralizing or a control antibody was administered intraperitoneally at 30 min following central fluid percussion injury (cFPI), a mouse model of widespread TAI. Mice subjected to moderate cFPI (n = 41) were compared with sham-injured controls (n = 20) and untreated, naive mice (n = 9). The anti-IL-1β antibody reached the target brain regions in adequate therapeutic concentrations (up to ~30 μg/brain tissue) at 24 h post-injury in both cFPI (n = 5) and sham-injured (n = 3) mice, with lower concentrations at 72 h post-injury (up to ~18 μg/g brain tissue in three cFPI mice). Functional outcome was analysed with the multivariate concentric square field (MCSF) test at 2 and 9 days post-injury, and the Morris water maze (MWM) at 14-21 days post-injury. Following TAI, the IL-1β-neutralizing antibody resulted in an improved behavioural outcome, including normalized behavioural profiles in the MCSF test. The performance in the MWM probe (memory) trial was improved, although not in the learning trials. The IL-1β-neutralizing treatment did not influence cerebral ventricle size or the number of microglia/macrophages. These findings support the hypothesis that IL-1β is an important contributor to the processes causing complex cognitive and behavioural disturbances following TAI. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using the tabulated diffusion flamelet model ADF-PCM to simulate a lifted methane-air jet flame

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

Michel, Jean-Baptiste; Colin, Olivier; Angelberger, Christian

2009-07-15

Two formulations of a turbulent combustion model based on the approximated diffusion flame presumed conditional moment (ADF-PCM) approach [J.-B. Michel, O. Colin, D. Veynante, Combust. Flame 152 (2008) 80-99] are presented. The aim is to describe autoignition and combustion in nonpremixed and partially premixed turbulent flames, while accounting for complex chemistry effects at a low computational cost. The starting point is the computation of approximate diffusion flames by solving the flamelet equation for the progress variable only, reading all chemical terms such as reaction rates or mass fractions from an FPI-type look-up table built from autoigniting PSR calculations using complexmore » chemistry. These flamelets are then used to generate a turbulent look-up table where mean values are estimated by integration over presumed probability density functions. Two different versions of ADF-PCM are presented, differing by the probability density functions used to describe the evolution of the stoichiometric scalar dissipation rate: a Dirac function centered on the mean value for the basic ADF-PCM formulation, and a lognormal function for the improved formulation referenced ADF-PCM{chi}. The turbulent look-up table is read in the CFD code in the same manner as for PCM models. The developed models have been implemented into the compressible RANS CFD code IFP-C3D and applied to the simulation of the Cabra et al. experiment of a lifted methane jet flame [R. Cabra, J. Chen, R. Dibble, A. Karpetis, R. Barlow, Combust. Flame 143 (2005) 491-506]. The ADF-PCM{chi} model accurately reproduces the experimental lift-off height, while it is underpredicted by the basic ADF-PCM model. The ADF-PCM{chi} model shows a very satisfactory reproduction of the experimental mean and fluctuating values of major species mass fractions and temperature, while ADF-PCM yields noticeable deviations. Finally, a comparison of the experimental conditional probability densities of the progress variable for a given mixture fraction with model predictions is performed, showing that ADF-PCM{chi} reproduces the experimentally observed bimodal shape and its dependency on the mixture fraction, whereas ADF-PCM cannot retrieve this shape. (author)« less

Large-aperture MOEMS Fabry-Perot interferometer for miniaturized spectral imagers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rissanen, Anna; Langner, Andreas; Viherkanto, Kai; Mannila, Rami

2015-02-01

VTT's optical MEMS Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) are tunable optical filters, which enable miniaturization of spectral imagers into small, mass producible hand-held sensors with versatile optical measurement capabilities. FPI technology has also created a basis for various hyperspectral imaging instruments, ranging from nanosatellites, environmental sensing and precision agriculture with UAVs to instruments for skin cancer detection. Until now, these application demonstrations have been mostly realized with piezo-actuated FPIs fabricated by non-monolithical assembly method, suitable for achieving very large optical apertures and with capacity to small-to-medium volumes; however large-volume production of MEMS manufacturing supports the potential for emerging spectral imaging applications also in large-volume applications, such as in consumer/mobile products. Previously reported optical apertures of MEMS FPIs in the visible range have been up to 2 mm in size; this paper presents the design, successful fabrication and characterization of MEMS FPIs for central wavelengths of λ = 500 nm and λ = 650 nm with optical apertures up to 4 mm in diameter. The mirror membranes of the FPI structures consist of ALD (atomic layer deposited) TiO2-Al2O3 λ/4- thin film Bragg reflectors, with the air gap formed by sacrificial polymer etching in O2 plasma. The entire fabrication process is conducted below 150 °C, which makes it possible to monolithically integrate the filter structures on other ICdevices such as detectors. The realized MEMS devices are aimed for nanosatellite space application as breadboard hyperspectral imager demonstrators.

Optimization Testbed Cometboards Extended into Stochastic Domain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patnaik, Surya N.; Pai, Shantaram S.; Coroneos, Rula M.; Patnaik, Surya N.

2010-01-01

COMparative Evaluation Testbed of Optimization and Analysis Routines for the Design of Structures (CometBoards) is a multidisciplinary design optimization software. It was originally developed for deterministic calculation. It has now been extended into the stochastic domain for structural design problems. For deterministic problems, CometBoards is introduced through its subproblem solution strategy as well as the approximation concept in optimization. In the stochastic domain, a design is formulated as a function of the risk or reliability. Optimum solution including the weight of a structure, is also obtained as a function of reliability. Weight versus reliability traced out an inverted-S-shaped graph. The center of the graph corresponded to 50 percent probability of success, or one failure in two samples. A heavy design with weight approaching infinity could be produced for a near-zero rate of failure that corresponded to unity for reliability. Weight can be reduced to a small value for the most failure-prone design with a compromised reliability approaching zero. The stochastic design optimization (SDO) capability for an industrial problem was obtained by combining three codes: MSC/Nastran code was the deterministic analysis tool, fast probabilistic integrator, or the FPI module of the NESSUS software, was the probabilistic calculator, and CometBoards became the optimizer. The SDO capability requires a finite element structural model, a material model, a load model, and a design model. The stochastic optimization concept is illustrated considering an academic example and a real-life airframe component made of metallic and composite materials.

Wide field of view spectroscopy using solid Fabry-Perot interferometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikoleyczik, Jonathan; Kutyrev, Alexander; Moseley, Harvey; Veilleux, Sylvain

2016-08-01

We present a high resolution spectrometer consisting of dual solid Fabry-Perot Interferometers (FPI). Each FPI is made of a single piece of L-BBH2 glass which has a high index of refraction n 2.07. Each is then coated with partially reflective mirrors to achieve a spectral resolution of R 30,000. Running the FPIs in tandem reduces the overlapping orders and allows for a much wider free spectral range and higher contrast. Tuning of the FPIs is achieved by adjusting the temperature and thus changing the FPI gap and the refractive index of the material. The spectrometer then moves spatially in order to get spectral information at every point in the field of view. We select spectral lines for further analysis and create maps of the line depths across the field. Using this technique we are able to measure the fluorescence of chlorophyll in plants and observe zodiacal light. In the chlorophyll analysis we are able to detect chlorophyll fluorescence using the line depth in a plant using the sky as a reference solar spectrum. This instrument has possible applications in either a cubesat or aerial observations to measure bulk plant activity over large areas.

Mechanistic Insight into the Biosynthesis and Detoxification of Fumonisin Mycotoxins.

PubMed

Burgess, Kevin M N; Renaud, Justin B; McDowell, Tim; Sumarah, Mark W

2016-09-16

Fumonisins, notably FB1, FB2, FB3, and FB4, are economically important mycotoxins produced by a number Fusarium sp. that occur on corn, rice, and sorghum as well as by Aspergillus sp. on grapes. The fumonisin scaffold is comprised of a C18 polyketide backbone functionalized with two tricarballylic esters and an alanine derived amine. These functional groups contribute to fumonisin's ability to inhibit sphingolipid biosynthesis in animals, plants, and yeasts. We report for the first time the isolation and structure elucidation of two classes of nonaminated fumonisins (FPy and FLa) produced by Aspergillus welwitschiae. Using a Lemna minor (duckweed) bioassay, these new compounds were significantly less toxic in comparison to the fumonisin B mycotoxins, providing new insight into the mechanism of fumonisin toxicity. Time course fermentations monitoring the production of FB4, FPy4, and FLa4, as well as (13)C and (15)N stable isotope incorporation, suggest a novel postbiosynthetic oxidative deamination process for fumonisins. This pathway was further supported by a feeding study with FB1, a fumonisin not produced by Aspergillus sp., which resulted in its transformation to FPy1. This study demonstrates that Aspergillus have the ability to produce enzymes that could be used for fumonisin detoxification.

Coherence-length-gated distributed optical fiber sensing based on microwave-photonic interferometry.

PubMed

Hua, Liwei; Song, Yang; Cheng, Baokai; Zhu, Wenge; Zhang, Qi; Xiao, Hai

2017-12-11

This paper presents a new optical fiber distributed sensing concept based on coherent microwave-photonics interferometry (CMPI), which uses a microwave modulated coherent light source to interrogate cascaded interferometers for distributed measurement. By scanning the microwave frequencies, the complex microwave spectrum is obtained and converted to time domain signals at known locations by complex Fourier transform. The amplitudes of these time domain pulses are a function of the optical path differences (OPDs) of the distributed interferometers. Cascaded fiber Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) fabricated by femtosecond laser micromachining were used to demonstrate the concept. The experimental results indicated that the strain measurement resolution can be better than 0.6 µε using a FPI with a cavity length of 1.5 cm. Further improvement of the strain resolution to the nε level is achievable by increasing the cavity length of the FPI to over 1m. The tradeoff between the sensitivity and dynamic range was also analyzed in detail. To minimize the optical power instability (either from the light source or the fiber loss) induced errors, a single reflector was added in front of an individual FPI as an optical power reference for the purpose of compensation.

Using Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis of MODIS Data for Computing the Fire Potential Index in Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, P.; Roberts, D. A.

2007-12-01

The Fire Potential Index (FPI) is currently the only operationally used wildfire susceptibility index in the United States that incorporates remote sensing data in addition to meteorological information. Its remote sensing component utilizes relative greenness derived from a NDVI time series as a proxy for computing the ratio of live to dead vegetation. This study investigates the potential of Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) as a more direct and physically reasonable way of computing the live ratio and applying it for the computation of the FPI. A time series of 16-day reflectance composites of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data was used to perform the analysis. Endmember selection for green vegetation (GV), non- photosynthetic vegetation (NPV) and soil was performed in two stages. First, a subset of suitable endmembers was selected from an extensive library of reference and image spectra for each class using Endmember Average Root Mean Square Error (EAR), Minimum Average Spectral Angle (MASA) and a count-based technique. Second, the most appropriate endmembers for the specific data set were selected from the subset by running a series of 2-endmember models on representative images and choosing the ones that modeled the majority of pixels. The final set of endmembers was used for running MESMA on southern California MODIS composites from 2000 to 2006. 3- and 4-endmember models were considered. The best model was chosen on a per-pixel basis according to the minimum root mean square error of the models at each level of complexity. Endmember fractions were normalized by the shade endmember to generate realistic fractions of GV and NPV. In order to validate the MESMA-derived GV fractions they were compared against live ratio estimates from RG. A significant spatial and temporal relationship between both measures was found, indicating that GV fraction has the potential to substitute RG in computing the FPI. To further test this hypothesis the live ratio estimates obtained from MESMA were used to compute daily FPI maps for southern California from 2001 to 2006. A validation with historical wildfire data from the MODIS Active Fire product was carried out over the same time period using logistic regression. Initial results show that MESMA-derived GV fraction can be used successfully for generating FPI maps of southern California.

The anchoring function: parental authority and the parent-child bond.

PubMed

Omer, Haim; Steinmetz, Sarit G; Carthy, Tal; von Schlippe, Arist

2013-06-01

Descriptions of parental authority and of the formation of a secure parent-child bond have remained unconnected in conceptualizations about parenting and child development. The parental anchoring function is here presented as an integrative metaphor for the two fields. Parents who fulfill an anchoring function offer a secure relational frame for the child, while also manifesting a stabilizing and legitimate kind of authority. The anchoring function enriches the two fields by: (1) adding a dimension of authority to the acknowledged functions of the safe haven and the secure base that are seen as core to a secure parent-child bond, and (2) adding considerations about the parent-child bond to Baumrind's classical description of authoritative parenting. © FPI, Inc.

Fission product yield measurements using monoenergetic photon beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishichayan; Bhike, M.; Tonchev, A. P.; Tornow, W.

2017-09-01

Measurements of fission products yields (FPYs) are an important source of information on the fission process. During the past couple of years, a TUNL-LANL-LLNL collaboration has provided data on the FPYs from quasi monoenergetic neutron-induced fission on 235U, 238U, and 239Pu and has revealed an unexpected energy dependence of both asymmetric fission fragments at energies below 4 MeV. This peculiar FPY energy dependence was more pronounced in neutron-induced fission of 239Pu. In an effort to understand and compare the effect of the incoming probe on the FPY distribution, we have carried out monoenergetic photon-induced fission experiments on the same 235U, 238U, and 239Pu targets. Monoenergetic photon beams of Eγ = 13.0 MeV were provided by the HIγS facility, the world's most intense γ-ray source. In order to determine the total number of fission events, a dual-fission chamber was used during the irradiation. These irradiated samples were counted at the TUNL's low-background γ-ray counting facility using high efficient HPGe detectors over a period of 10 weeks. Here we report on our first ever photofission product yield measurements obtained with monoenegetic photon beams. These results are compared with neutron-induced FPY data.

Mission Oriented Support and Theory (MOST) for MMS—the Goddard Space Flight Center/University of California Los Angeles Interdisciplinary Science Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, Melvyn L.; Ashour-Abdalla, Maha; Viñas, Adolfo F.; Dorelli, John; Wendel, Deirdre; Klimas, Alex; Hwang, Kyoung-Joo; El-Alaoui, Mostafa; Walker, Raymond J.; Pan, Qingjiang; Liang, Haoming

2016-03-01

The MOST IDS team was tasked with focusing on two general areas: The first was to participate with the Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) team in the development of virtual detectors that model the instrument responses of the MMS FPI sensors. The virtual instruments can be "flown through" both simulation data (from magnetohydrodynamic, hybrid, and kinetic simulations) and Cluster and THEMIS spacecraft data. The goal is to determine signatures of magnetic reconnection expected during the MMS mission. Such signatures can serve as triggers for selection of burst mode downloads. The chapter contributed by the FPI team covers that effort in detail and, therefore, most of that work has not been included here. The second area of emphasis, and the one detailed in this chapter, was to build on past and present knowledge of magnetic reconnection and its physical signatures. Below we describe intensive analyses of Cluster and THEMIS data together with theoretical models and simulations that delineate the plasma signatures that surround sites of reconnection, including the effects of turbulence as well as the detailed kinetic signatures that indicate proximity to reconnection sites. In particular, we point out that particles are energized in several regions, not only at the actual site of reconnection.

Mission Oriented Support and Theory (MOST) for MMS -- The Goddard Space Flight Center/University of California Los Angeles Interdisciplinary Science Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, Melvyn L.; Ashour-Abdalla, Maha; F. Vinas, Adolfo; Dorelli, John; Wendel, Deirdre; Klimas, Alex; Hwang, Kyoung-Joo; El-Alaoui, Mostafa; Walker, Raymond J.; Pan, Qingjiang;

Differential effects of voluntary and forced exercise on stress responses after traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Griesbach, Grace S; Tio, Delia L; Vincelli, Jennifer; McArthur, David L; Taylor, Anna N

2012-05-01

Voluntary exercise increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) after traumatic brain injury (TBI) when it occurs during a delayed time window. In contrast, acute post-TBI exercise does not increase BDNF. It is well known that increases in glucocorticoids suppress levels of BDNF. Moreover, recent work from our laboratory showed that there is a heightened stress response after fluid percussion injury (FPI). In order to determine if a heightened stress response is also observed with acute exercise, at post-injury days 0-4 and 7-11, corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release were measured in rats running voluntarily or exposed to two daily 20-min periods of forced running wheel exercise. Forced, but not voluntary exercise, continuously elevated CORT. ACTH levels were initially elevated with forced exercise, but decreased by post-injury day 7 in the control, but not the FPI animals. As previously reported, voluntary exercise did not increase BDNF in the FPI group as it did in the control animals. Forced exercise did not increase levels of BDNF in any group. It did, however, decrease hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors in the control group. The results suggest that exercise regimens with strong stress responses may not be beneficial during the early post-injury period.

Sodium selenate treatment mitigates reduction of bone volume following traumatic brain injury in rats.

PubMed

Brady, R D; Grills, B L; Romano, T; Wark, J D; O'Brien, T J; Shultz, S R; McDonald, S J

2016-12-14

Administration of sodium selenate to rats given traumatic brain injury (TBI) attenuates brain damage and improves long-term behavioural outcomes. We have previously provided evidence that TBI causes bone loss in rats, however the effect of sodium selenate treatment on bone quantity following TBI is unknown. Rats were randomly assigned into sham injury or fluid percussion injury (FPI) groups and administered saline or sodium selenate for 12 weeks post-injury. Femora were analysed using histomorphometry, peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and biomechanical testing. Distal metaphyseal trabecular bone volume fraction of FPI-selenate rats was higher than FPI-vehicle rats (41.8%; p<0.01), however, femora from selenate-treated groups were shorter in length (4.3%; p<0.01) and had increased growth plate width (22.1%; p<0.01), indicating that selenate impaired long bone growth. pQCT analysis demonstrated that distal metaphyseal cortical thickness was decreased in TBI rats compared to shams (11.7%; p<0.05), however selenate treatment to TBI animals offset this reduction (p<0.05). At the midshaft we observed no differences in biomechanical measures. These are the first findings to indicate that mitigating TBI-induced neuropathology may have the added benefit of preventing osteoporosis and associated fracture risk following TBI.

Single tapered fiber tip for simultaneous measurements of thickness, refractive index and distance to a sample.

PubMed

Moreno-Hernández, Carlos; Monzón-Hernández, David; Hernández-Romano, Iván; Villatoro, Joel

2015-08-24

We demonstrate the capability of an air cavity Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI), built with a tapered lead-in fiber tip, to measure three parameters simultaneously, distance, group refractive index and thickness of transparent samples introduced in the cavity. Tapering the lead-in fiber enhances the light coupling back efficiency, therefore is possible to enlarge the air cavity without a significant deterioration of the fringe visibility. Fourier transformation, used to analyze the reflected optical spectrum of our FPI, simplify the calculus to determine the position, thickness and refractive index. Samples made of 7 different glasses; fused silica, BK7, BalF5, SF2, BaF51, SF15, and glass slides were used to test our FPI. Each sample was measured nine times and the results for position, thickness and refractive index showed differences of ± 0.7%, ± 0.1%, and ± 0.16% respectively. The evolution of thickness and refractive index of a block of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer due to temperature changes in the range of 25°C to 90°C were also measured. The coefficients of the thermal expansion and thermo-optic estimated were α = 4.71x10(-4)/°C and dn/dT = -4.66 x10(-4) RIU/°C, respectively.

Correct, fake and absent pre-information does not affect the occurrence and magnitude of the bilateral force deficit.

PubMed

Donath, Lars; Siebert, Tobias; Faude, Oliver; Puta, Christian

2014-05-01

The present study examined whether different pre-information conditions could lead to a volitional modulation of the occurrence and magnitude of the bilateral force deficit (BFD) during isometric leg press. Twenty trained male adults (age: 24.5 ± 1.7 years; weight: 77.5 ± 7.1 kg; height: 1.81 ± 0.05 m) were examined on three days within a week. Isometric leg press was performed on a negatively inclined leg press slide. Each participant completed three maximal isometric strength test sessions with different pre-information conditions given in a graphical chart: no pre-information (NPI; first day), false pre-information (FPI; bilateral force > sum of unilateral forces; second or third day) and correct pre-information (CPI; bilateral force < sum of unilateral forces; second or third day) during bilateral, unilateral-left and unilateral-right leg-press. The sum of left- and right-sided force values were calculated for bilateral (FBL = FBL_left + FBL_right) and unilateral (FUL = FUL_left + FUL_right) analyses. Force data for NPI revealed: Mean (SD): FUL_NPI = 3023 N (435) vs. FBL_NPI = 2812 (453); FPI showed FUL_FPI = 3013 N (459) vs. FBL_FPI = 2843 (446) and the CPI revealed FUL_CPI = 3035 (425) vs. FBL_CPI = 2844 (385). The three (no, false, correct) x 2 (FUL, FBL) rANOVA revealed a high significant main effect of Force (F = 61.82, p < 0.001). No significant main effect of the factor Condition and no significant interaction between Force x Condition was observed. The BFD does not rely on the trueness of the given pre-information (no, false, correct). Cognition-based volitional influences on the BFD on supra-spinal level seem negligible. Key pointsBFD is reliable occurring phenomenonAvailable theoretical knowledge does not affect the BFDAlternating sport should include alternating strength exercises.

FPI observations of nighttime mesospheric and thermospheric winds in China and their comparisons with HWM07

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Wei

2015-04-01

We analyzed the nighttime horizontal neutral winds in the middle atmosphere (˜87 and ˜98 km) and thermosphere (˜250 km) derived from a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI), which was installed at Xinglong station (40.2◦ N, 117.4◦ E) in central China. The wind data covered the period from April 2010 to July 2012. We studied the annual, semiannual and terannual variations of the midnight winds at ˜87 km, ˜98 km and ˜250 km for the first time and compared them with Horizontal Wind Model 2007 (HWM07). Our results show the following: (1) at ˜ 87 km, both the observed and model zonal winds have similar phases in the annual and semiannual variations. However, the HWM07 amplitudes are much larger. (2) At ˜98 km, the model shows strong eastward wind in the summer solstice, resulting in a large annual variation, while the observed strongest component is semiannual. The observation and model midnight meridional winds agree well. Both are equatorward throughout the year and have small amplitudes in the annual and semiannual variations. (3) There are large discrepancies between the observed and HWM07 winds at ˜250 km. This discrepancy is largely due to the strong semiannual zonal wind in the model and the phase difference in the annual variation of the meridional wind. The FPI annual variation coincides with the results from Arecibo, which has similar geomagnetic latitude as Xinglong station. In General, the consistency of FPI winds with model winds is better at ˜87 and ˜98 km than that at ˜250 km. We also studied the seasonally and monthly averaged nighttime winds. The most salient features include the following: (1) the seasonally averaged zonal winds at ˜87 and ˜98 km typically have small variations throughout the night. (2) The model zonal and meridional nighttime wind variations are typically much larger than those of observations at ˜87 km and ˜98 km. (3) At ˜250 km, model zonal wind compares well with the observation in the winter. For spring and autumn, the model wind is more eastward before ˜ 03:00 LT but more westward after. The observed nighttime zonal and meridional winds on average are close to zero in the summer and autumn, which indicates a lack of strong stable tides. The consistency of FPI zonal wind with model wind at ˜250 km is better than the meridional wind.

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

Li, Wenfang; Du, Jinjin; Wen, Ruijuan

We have investigated the transmission spectra of a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with squeezed vacuum state injection and non-Gaussian detection, including photon number resolving detection and parity detection. In order to show the suitability of the system, parallel studies were made of the performance of two other light sources: coherent state of light and Fock state of light either with classical mean intensity detection or with non-Gaussian detection. This shows that by using the squeezed vacuum state and non-Gaussian detection simultaneously, the resolution of the FPI can go far beyond the cavity standard bandwidth limit based on the current techniques. Themore » sensitivity of the scheme has also been explored and it shows that the minimum detectable sensitivity is better than that of the other schemes.« less

European training network on full-parallax imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Corral, Manuel; Saavedra, Genaro

2017-05-01

Current displays are far from truly recreating visual reality. This requires a full-parallax display that can reproduce radiance field emanated from the real scenes. The develop-ment of such technology will require a new generation of researchers trained both in the physics, and in the biology of human vision. The European Training Network on Full-Parallax Imaging (ETN-FPI) aims at developing this new generation. Under H2020 funding ETN-FPI brings together 8 beneficiaries and 8 partner organizations from five EU countries with the aim of training 15 talented pre-doctoral students to become future research leaders in this area. In this contribution we will explain the main objectives of the network, and specifically the advances obtained at the University of Valencia.

Preliminary results of the PREFER FP7 Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fusilli, Lorenzo; Laneve, Giovanni; De Bonis, Roberto; Sebastian, Ana; Ferrucci, Fabrizio; Oliveira, Sandra

2014-05-01

The need to improve the information and intelligence support for forest fire prevention is widely recognized. Fire prevention is still the most cost-effective strategy when compared to firefighting and extinguishing that are costly, local, and triggered only in response to already ongoing crises. PREFER project, funded under the EU FP7 (G.A. 312931), intends to contribute at responding to such a pragmatic need of southern Europe's forests by: providing timely information products based on the exploitation of all available spacecraft sensors, offering a portfolio of products focused on pre- and post-crisis forest fire emergency, suitable for the users in the different countries of the European Mediterranean area. The PREFER Service portfolio consists of two main services: 1. Information Support to Fire Preparedness/Prevention Phase" (ISP) Service 2. Information Support to Fire Recovery/Reconstruction Phase" (ISR) Service This service is already at an advanced stage having completed the first year of activity. During this time several products have been consolidated: seasonal fuel maps; daily and seasonal fire hazard maps; seasonal risk maps; prescribed fire maps. This paper aims at presenting the preliminary results of the research activity carried out in the framework of the PREFER project, focusing, in particular, on these recalled above. As for Fire Risk and Hazard assessment, many indexes have been developed in the last years. Hardly any of them uses data derived from satellite images. The FPI index is an exception to this rule which, in addition, makes use of meteorological data. In spite of being a very complete index, the FPI still allows room for improvement which justify the interest of PREFER in it. PREFER's innovative approach to FPI will allow taking into account the effect of solar illumination conditions in determining the humidity present in the dead vegetation, and therefore its proneness to burn. PREFER innovation also focus in allowing the index to take into account the influence of water present in the alive vegetation (relevant in determining the fire regime) through the Equivalent Water Thickness. PREFER will use daily FPI forecasts to produce a seasonal fire hazard index by introducing in the model the human factor as captured by the fire occurrence statistics. PREFER will produce also seasonal fire risk maps by combining the seasonal hazard data with vulnerability and exposure maps. Finally, Prescribed Burning (PB) represents the controlled application of fire to vegetation under specific environmental conditions to attain planned resource management objectives. The main objective of the PREFER service for PB is to support the user in the identification of the areas and the time, that is where and when, the PB practice is applicable in a secure way. The main innovation, taking into account the results previously obtained in the frame work of other European projects (FIREPARADOX), will be the integration of the advanced remote sensing techniques that have not yet been developed for the problem under study, aiming at developing an index capable to provide the right time to intervene with the PB in the area of interest.

28 CFR 345.80 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... with business and industry courses or vocational training. (a) An applicant for FPI-funded training programs should be evaluated to determine sufficient interest and preparation to successfully complete the...

A fiber-optic water flow sensor based on laser-heated silicon Fabry-Pérot cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Guigen; Sheng, Qiwen; Resende Lisboa Piassetta, Geraldo; Hou, Weilin; Han, Ming

2016-05-01

A hot-wire fiber-optic water flow sensor based on laser-heated silicon Fabry-Pérot interferometer (FPI) has been proposed and demonstrated in this paper. The operation of the sensor is based on the convective heat loss to water from a heated silicon FPI attached to the cleaved enface of a piece of single-mode fiber. The flow-induced change in the temperature is demodulated by the spectral shifts of the reflection fringes. An analytical model based on the FPI theory and heat transfer analysis has been developed for performance analysis. Numerical simulations based on finite element analysis have been conducted. The analytical and numerical results agree with each other in predicting the behavior of the sensor. Experiments have also been carried to demonstrate the sensing principle and verify the theoretical analysis. Investigations suggest that the sensitivity at low flow rates are much larger than that at high flow rates and the sensitivity can be easily improved by increasing the heating laser power. Experimental results show that an average sensitivity of 52.4 nm/(m/s) for the flow speed range of 1.5 mm/s to 12 mm/s was obtained with a heating power of ~12 mW, suggesting a resolution of ~1 μm/s assuming a wavelength resolution of 0.05 pm.

Dual Ion Spectrometers and Their Calibration for the Fast Plasma Investigation on NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coffey, V. N.; Chandler, M. O.

2017-01-01

The scientific target of NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission is to study the fundamentally important phenomenon of magnetic reconnection. Theoretical models of this process predict a small size, on the order of hundred kilometers, for the ion diffusion region where ions are demagnetized at the dayside magnetopause. This region may typically sweep over the spacecraft at relatively high speeds of 50 km/s, requiring the fast plasma investigation (FPI) instrument suite to have an extremely high time resolution for measurements of the 3D particle distribution functions. As part of the FPI on MMS, the 16 dual ion spectrometers (DIS) will provide fast (150 ms) 3D ion velocity distributions, from 10 to 30,000 eV/q, by combining the measurements from four dual spectrometers on each of four MMS spacecraft. For any multispacecraft mission, the response uniformity among the spectrometer set assumes an enhanced importance. Due to these demanding instrument requirements and the effort of calibrating more than 32 sensors (16 × 2) within a tight schedule, a highly systematic and precise calibration was required for measurement repeatability. To illustrate how this challenge was met, a brief overview of the FPI DIS was presented with a detailed discussion of the calibration method of approach and implementation. Finally, a discussion of DIS performance results, their unit-to-unit variation, and the lessons learned from this calibration effort are presented.

Efficacy, Dosage, and Duration of Action of Branched Chain Amino Acid Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Elkind, Jaclynn A.; Lim, Miranda M.; Johnson, Brian N.; Palmer, Chris P.; Putnam, Brendan J.; Kirschen, Matthew P.; Cohen, Akiva S.

2015-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in long-lasting cognitive impairments for which there is currently no accepted treatment. A well-established mouse model of mild to moderate TBI, lateral fluid percussion injury (FPI), shows changes in network excitability in the hippocampus including a decrease in net synaptic efficacy in area CA1 and an increase in net synaptic efficacy in dentate gyrus. Previous studies identified a novel therapy consisting of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which restored normal mouse hippocampal responses and ameliorated cognitive impairment following FPI. However, the optimal BCAA dose and length of treatment needed to improve cognitive recovery is unknown. In the current study, mice underwent FPI then consumed 100 mM BCAA supplemented water ad libitum for 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 days. BCAA therapy ameliorated cognitive impairment at 5 and 10 days duration. Neither BCAA supplementation at 50 mM nor BCAAs when dosed 5 days on then 5 days off was sufficient to ameliorate cognitive impairment. These results suggest that brain injury causes alterations in hippocampal function, which underlie and contribute to hippocampal cognitive impairment, which are reversible with at least 5 days of BCAA treatment, and that sustaining this effect is dependent on continuous treatment. Our findings have profound implications for the clinical investigation of TBI therapy. PMID:25870584

Soy Allergy

MedlinePlus

... most allergic responses, including a runny nose, itchy eyes, dry throat, rashes and hives, nausea, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and anaphylactic shock. Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) A food allergen can also cause what's ...

Assessing infertility-related stress: the factor structure of the Fertility Problem Inventory in Italian couples undergoing infertility treatment.

PubMed

Donarelli, Zaira; Gullo, Salvatore; Lo Coco, Gianluca; Marino, Angelo; Scaglione, Piero; Volpes, Aldo; Allegra, Adolfo

2015-01-01

The factor structure of the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) and its invariance across gender were examined in Italian couples undergoing infertility treatment. About 1000 subjects (both partners of 500 couples) completed two questionnaires prior to commencing infertility treatment at a private Clinic in Palermo, Italy. Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that the original factor structure of the FPI was partially confirmed. Two correlated factors (Infertility Life Domains and Importance of Parenthood) were obtained via a post hoc Exploratory Factor Analysis. Finally, the invariance of this factor structure across gender was confirmed. The study supported the relevance of two interrelated factors specific to infertility stress which could help clinicians to focus on the core infertility-related stress domains of infertile couples.

Multiorder etalon sounder (MOES) development and test for balloon experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hays, Paul B.; Wnag, Jinxue; Wu, Jian

1993-01-01

The Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI), with its high throughput and high spectral resolution has been used in the remote-sensing measurements of the earth's atmospheric composition, winds, and temperatures. The most recent satellite instruments include the Fabry-Perot interferometer flown on the Dynamics Explorer-2 (DE-2), the High Resolution Doppler Imager (HRDI), and the Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Spectrometer (CLAES) flown on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). These instruments measure the Doppler line profiles of the emission and absorption of certain atmospheric species (such as atomic oxygen) in the visible and infrared spectral region. The successful space flight of DE-FPI, HRDI, and CLAES on UARS demonstrated the extremely high spectral resolution and ruggedness of the etalon system for the remote sensing of earth and planetary atmospheres. Recently, an innovative FPI focal plane detection technique called the Circle-to-Line Interferometer Optical (CLIO) system was invented at the Space Physics Research Laboratory. The CLIO simplifies the FPI focal plane detection process by converting the circular rings or fringes into a linear pattern similar to that produced by a conventional spectrometer, while retaining the throughput advantage of the etalon interferometer. The combination of FPI and CLIO allows the development of more sensitive Fabry-Perot interferometers in the infrared for the remote sensing of the lower atmospheres of Earth and possibly other planets. The Multiorder Etalon Sounder (MOES), a combination of the rugged etalon and the CLIO, compares very favorably to other space-borne optical instruments in terms of performance versus complexity. The new instrument is expected to be rugged, compact, and very suitable for an operational temperature and moisture sounder. With this technique, the contamination of radiance measurements by emissions of other gases is also minimized. At the Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL), the MOES concept and laboratory experiments were worked on for the past several years. Both theoretical studies and laboratory prototype experiments showed that MOES is very competitive compared with other high resolution sounders in terms of complexity and performance and has great potential as a compact and rugged high resolution atmospheric temperature and trace species sounder from the polar platform or the geostationary platform. The logical next step is to convert our laboratory prototype to a balloon instrument, so that field test of MOES can be carried out to prove the feasibility and capability of this new technology. Some of the activities related to the development of MOES for a possible balloon flight demonstration are described. Those research activities include the imaging quality study on the CLIO, the design and construction of a MOES laboratory prototype, the test and calibration of the MOES prototype, and the design of the balloon flight gondola.

48 CFR 8.605 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.605 Exceptions... determination that the FPI item of supply is not comparable to supplies available from the private sector that...

48 CFR 8.605 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.605 Exceptions... determination that the FPI item of supply is not comparable to supplies available from the private sector that...

48 CFR 8.605 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.605 Exceptions... determination that the FPI item of supply is not comparable to supplies available from the private sector that...

48 CFR 8.605 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.605 Exceptions... determination that the FPI item of supply is not comparable to supplies available from the private sector that...

48 CFR 8.605 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition From Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 8.605 Exceptions... determination that the FPI item of supply is not comparable to supplies available from the private sector that...

The Feasibility of Tropospheric and Total Ozone Determination Using a Fabry-perot Interferometer as a Satellite-based Nadir-viewing Atmospheric Sensor. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larar, Allen Maurice

1993-01-01

Monitoring of the global distribution of tropospheric ozone (O3) is desirable for enhanced scientific understanding as well as to potentially lessen the ill-health impacts associated with exposure to elevated concentrations in the lower atmosphere. Such a capability can be achieved using a satellite-based device making high spectral resolution measurements with high signal-to-noise ratios; this would enable observation in the pressure-broadened wings of strong O3 lines while minimizing the impact of undesirable signal contributions associated with, for example, the terrestrial surface, interfering species, and clouds. The Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) provides high spectral resolution and high throughput capabilities that are essential for this measurement task. Through proper selection of channel spectral regions, the FPI optimized for tropospheric O3 measurements can simultaneously observe a stratospheric component and thus the total O3 column abundance. Decreasing stratospheric O3 concentrations may lead to an increase in biologically harmful solar ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth's surface, which is detrimental to health. In this research, a conceptual instrument design to achieve the desired measurement has been formulated. This involves a double-etalon fixed-gap series configuration FPI along with an ultra-narrow bandpass filter to achieve single-order operation with an overall spectral resolution of approximately .068 cm(exp -1). A spectral region of about 1 cm(exp -1) wide centered at 1054.73 cm(exp -1) within the strong 9.6 micron ozone infrared band is sampled with 24 spectral channels. Other design characteristics include operation from a nadir-viewing satellite configuration utilizing a 9 inch (diameter) telescope and achieving horizontal spatial resolution with a 50 km nadir footprint. A retrieval technique has been implemented and is demonstrated for a tropical atmosphere possessing enhanced tropospheric ozone amounts. An error analysis assessing the impact on retrieved O3 amounts of the most significant uncertainties associated with this particular measurement has been performed for several different types of atmospheres. Results show the proposed instrumentation to enable a good measurement of absolute ozone amounts and an even better determination of relative changes, with a range of accuracy to within 7.55 to 20.6 percent for integrated tropospheric amounts (and 1.99 to 4.02 percent for total O3 column abundance) and a corresponding range in precision to within 7.73 to 10.4 percent (and 3.30 to 3.95 percent for total O3 column abundance), for the atmospheric conditions considered.

A responder analysis of the effects of yoga for individuals with COPD: who benefits and how?

PubMed

Donesky, DorAnne; Melendez, Michelle; Nguyen, Huong Q; Carrieri-Kohlman, Virginia

2012-01-01

We previously reported that a twice-weekly, modified Iyengar yoga program was a safe and viable self-management strategy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 1 The primary purpose of this exploratory analysis was to classify yoga participants into 1 of 3 responder categories by using minimum clinically important difference (MCID) criteria for each of 3 variables: 6-minute walk distance (6MW), distress related to dyspnea (shortness of breath; DD), and functional performance (FPI). Changes in health-related quality of life (HRQL) and in psychological well-being (anxiety and depression), and participants' self-reported improvements by responder category were also examined. A secondary goal was to identify baseline participant characteristics, including initial randomization assignment that might predict response to treatment. Participants were randomly assigned to either an initial yoga (IY) or an enhanced wait-list control (WLC) group. Those in the WLC group were offered the yoga program immediately following the IY group's participation. Individuals from both groups who completed at least 18 of 24 yoga classes were categorized as responders, partial responders, or non-responders for each of the 3 outcome variables (6MW, DD, FPI) on the basis of MCID criteria. Baseline characteristics and changes in HRQL and psychological well-being were also analyzed. None of the participants demonstrated MCIDs for all 3 outcomes; however, 6 were classified as responders for 2 out-come variables and 4 were classified as non-responders for all 3 outcome variables. Two-thirds of the female participant group and one-third of the male participant group completed the yoga program. DD responders showed increased anxiety levels, whereas anxiety levels of the DD non-responders remained unchanged. FPI responders reported significant improvements in physical function, whereas partial and non-FPI responders noted declined function. Participants assigned to the IY group demonstrated greater benefit from yoga than did those in the W LC group. Although this modified Iyengar yoga program appears to have benefited some individuals with COPD, further studies are required to assess who the intervention works for and under what conditions.

28 CFR 345.55 - Longevity pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... factories or shops. An inmate qualifies for longevity pay raises as provided in the table below: Length of.... An inmate who leaves FPI to enter education, vocational training, or drug abuse treatment programs...

28 CFR 345.55 - Longevity pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... factories or shops. An inmate qualifies for longevity pay raises as provided in the table below: Length of.... An inmate who leaves FPI to enter education, vocational training, or drug abuse treatment programs...

28 CFR 345.55 - Longevity pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... factories or shops. An inmate qualifies for longevity pay raises as provided in the table below: Length of.... An inmate who leaves FPI to enter education, vocational training, or drug abuse treatment programs...

28 CFR 345.55 - Longevity pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... factories or shops. An inmate qualifies for longevity pay raises as provided in the table below: Length of.... An inmate who leaves FPI to enter education, vocational training, or drug abuse treatment programs...

28 CFR 345.55 - Longevity pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... factories or shops. An inmate qualifies for longevity pay raises as provided in the table below: Length of.... An inmate who leaves FPI to enter education, vocational training, or drug abuse treatment programs...

28 CFR 345.33 - Waiting list hiring exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... placed in segregation, or voluntarily left the FPI work assignment for non-program reasons (i.e. for some reason other than formal education, vocational training, drug abuse or similar formal programs). For...

High-Frequency Fiber-Optic Ultrasonic Sensor Using Air Micro-Bubble for Imaging of Seismic Physical Models.

PubMed

Gang, Tingting; Hu, Manli; Rong, Qiangzhou; Qiao, Xueguang; Liang, Lei; Liu, Nan; Tong, Rongxin; Liu, Xiaobo; Bian, Ce

2016-12-14

A micro-fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) is proposed and demonstrated experimentally for ultrasonic imaging of seismic physical models. The device consists of a micro-bubble followed by the end of a single-mode fiber (SMF). The micro-structure is formed by the discharging operation on a short segment of hollow-core fiber (HCF) that is spliced to the SMF. This micro FPI is sensitive to ultrasonic waves (UWs), especially to the high-frequency (up to 10 MHz) UW, thanks to its ultra-thin cavity wall and micro-diameter. A side-band filter technology is employed for the UW interrogation, and then the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) UW signal is achieved. Eventually the sensor is used for lateral imaging of the physical model by scanning UW detection and two-dimensional signal reconstruction.

A fiber air-gap Fabry-Pérot temperature sensor demodulated by using frequency modulated continuous wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Wanfu; Xie, Jianglei; Li, Yi; Xu, Ben; Kang, Juan; Shen, Changyu; Wang, Jianfeng; Jin, Yongxing; Liu, Honglin; Ni, Kai; Dong, Xinyong; Zhao, Chunliu; Jin, Shangzhong

In this study, a fiber in-line air-gap Fabry-Pérot interferometer (FPI) is fabricated by HF acid etching. For a low-cost and higher precise measurement, a demodulation system based on frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) technique is build up and demonstrated in this air-gap FPI. In temperature measurements, the temperature sensitivity is about 1.75 rad/°C by phase shift detection. We also test the long term performance of the system and the RMS error is about 0.04 rad, which corresponds to the temperature resolution of ~0.02 °C. It is much higher than the measurement resolution by using the traditional wavelength shift detection method. Our experiments show that the FMCW can provide a low-cost, high resolution and high speed interrogation solution to the fiber FPIs.

Velocity and Temperature Measurement in Supersonic Free Jets Using Spectrally Resolved Rayleigh Scattering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panda, J.; Seasholtz, R. G.

2004-01-01

The flow fields of unheated, supersonic free jets from convergent and convergent-divergent nozzles operating at M = 0.99, 1.4, and 1.6 were measured using spectrally resolved Rayleigh scattering technique. The axial component of velocity and temperature data as well as density data obtained from a previous experiment are presented in a systematic way with the goal of producing a database useful for validating computational fluid dynamics codes. The Rayleigh scattering process from air molecules provides a fundamental means of measuring flow properties in a non-intrusive, particle free manner. In the spectrally resolved application, laser light scattered by the air molecules is collected and analyzed using a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). The difference between the incident laser frequency and the peak of the Rayleigh spectrum provides a measure of gas velocity. The temperature is measured from the spectral broadening caused by the random thermal motion and density is measured from the total light intensity. The present point measurement technique uses a CW laser, a scanning FPI and photon counting electronics. The 1 mm long probe volume is moved from point to point to survey the flow fields. Additional arrangements were made to remove particles from the main as well as the entrained flow and to isolate FPI from the high sound and vibration levels produced by the supersonic jets. In general, velocity is measured within +/- 10 m/s accuracy and temperature within +/- 10 K accuracy.

A Collaborative Assessment Among 11 Pharmaceutical Companies of Misinformation in Commonly Used Online Drug Information Compendia.

PubMed

Randhawa, Amarita S; Babalola, Olakiitan; Henney, Zachary; Miller, Michele; Nelson, Tanya; Oza, Meerat; Patel, Chandni; Randhawa, Anupma S; Riley, Joyce; Snyder, Scott; So, Sherri

2016-05-01

Online drug information compendia (ODIC) are valuable tools that health care professionals (HCPs) and consumers use to educate themselves on pharmaceutical products. Research suggests that these resources, although informative and easily accessible, may contain misinformation, posing risk for product misuse and patient harm. Evaluate drug summaries within ODIC for accuracy and completeness and identify product-specific misinformation. Between August 2014 and January 2015, medical information (MI) specialists from 11 pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies systematically evaluated 270 drug summaries within 5 commonly used ODIC for misinformation. Using a standardized approach, errors were identified; classified as inaccurate, incomplete, or omitted; and categorized per sections of the Full Prescribing Information (FPI). On review of each drug summary, content-correction requests were proposed and supported by the respective product's FPI. Across the 270 drug summaries reviewed within the 5 compendia, the median of the total number of errors identified was 782, with the greatest number of errors occurring in the categories of Dosage and Administration, Patient Education, and Warnings and Precautions. The majority of errors were classified as incomplete, followed by inaccurate and omitted. This analysis demonstrates that ODIC may contain misinformation. HCPs and consumers should be aware of the potential for misinformation and consider more than 1 drug information resource, including the FPI and Medication Guide as well as pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies' MI departments, to obtain unbiased, accurate, and complete product-specific drug information to help support the safe and effective use of prescription drug products. © The Author(s) 2016.

Advanced Interrogation of Fiber-Optic Bragg Grating and Fabry-Perot Sensors with KLT Analysis

PubMed Central

Tosi, Daniele

2015-01-01

The Karhunen-Loeve Transform (KLT) is applied to accurate detection of optical fiber sensors in the spectral domain. By processing an optical spectrum, although coarsely sampled, through the KLT, and subsequently processing the obtained eigenvalues, it is possible to decode a plurality of optical sensor results. The KLT returns higher accuracy than other demodulation techniques, despite coarse sampling, and exhibits higher resilience to noise. Three case studies of KLT-based processing are presented, representing most of the current challenges in optical fiber sensing: (1) demodulation of individual sensors, such as Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) and Fabry-Perot Interferometers (FPIs); (2) demodulation of dual (FBG/FPI) sensors; (3) application of reverse KLT to isolate different sensors operating on the same spectrum. A simulative outline is provided to demonstrate the KLT operation and estimate performance; a brief experimental section is also provided to validate accurate FBG and FPI decoding. PMID:26528975

Advanced Interrogation of Fiber-Optic Bragg Grating and Fabry-Perot Sensors with KLT Analysis.

PubMed

Tosi, Daniele

2015-10-29

The Karhunen-Loeve Transform (KLT) is applied to accurate detection of optical fiber sensors in the spectral domain. By processing an optical spectrum, although coarsely sampled, through the KLT, and subsequently processing the obtained eigenvalues, it is possible to decode a plurality of optical sensor results. The KLT returns higher accuracy than other demodulation techniques, despite coarse sampling, and exhibits higher resilience to noise. Three case studies of KLT-based processing are presented, representing most of the current challenges in optical fiber sensing: (1) demodulation of individual sensors, such as Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) and Fabry-Perot Interferometers (FPIs); (2) demodulation of dual (FBG/FPI) sensors; (3) application of reverse KLT to isolate different sensors operating on the same spectrum. A simulative outline is provided to demonstrate the KLT operation and estimate performance; a brief experimental section is also provided to validate accurate FBG and FPI decoding.

BPM analysis of all-optical fiber interferometric sensor based on a U-shape microcavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hongbin; Yuan, Lei; Wang, Sumei; Zhao, Longjiang; Cao, Zhitao

2014-02-01

Reflectivity spectrum of beam propagation method (BPM), for the first time to the best of our knowledge, is realized and utilized to model all-optical fiber interferometric sensor formed by a U-shape microcavity embedded in a single mode optical fiber and illustrate the principle of sensor structures varied by the length and the depth of U-shape microcavity. BPM analysis gives a constructive guideline to get a high interferometric fringe visibility which is most important for sensing application. The simulated results are completely in agreement with the interferometric sensor principle of Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) theory. With the conclusion of FPI sensor, refractive index (RI) sensitivity and temperature sensitivity are then simulated and obtained as 1049+/-5.2nm/RIU (refractive index unit) within RI range of solutions and 1.04+/-0.03pm/°C respectively.

Implication of surgical procedure in the induction of headache and generalized painful sensation in a fluid percussion injury model in rats.

PubMed

da SilvaFiorin, Fernando; do Espírito Santo, Caroline Cunha; Santos, Adair Roberto Soares; Fighera, Michele Rechia; Royes, Luiz Fernando Freire

2018-06-13

This study demonstrated the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and each step of the surgical procedure for a fluid percussion injury (FPI) model on periorbital allodynia. Adult male Wistar rats were divided in naive, incision, scraping, sham-TBI and TBI groups. Periorbital allodynia was evaluated using von Frey filaments, and heat hyperalgesia of the hindpaws was evaluated by a Plantar Test Apparatus. The statistical analyses revealed that the surgical procedure decreased von Frey filaments thresholds twenty-four hours after the surgery in all groups when compared to the naive group (p < 0.0001). Scraping, sham-TBI and TBI groups showed a decrease in the periorbital mechanical threshold for 35 days compared with the naive and incision groups (p < 0.0001). Only the TBI group demonstrated a significant difference in periorbital allodynia at 45 and 60 days after the injury (p < 0.01). A significant decrease in the thermal withdrawal latency of the hindpaw contralateral to the lesion was observed in the TBI group compared with the naïve group at 7 days and 28 days after the lesion (p < 0.05). This study presented in detail the effects of each stage of the surgical procedure for a FPI model on periorbital allodynia over time and characterized the TBI model for this evaluation. The FPI model is relevant for the study of headache and generalized pain in both acute and chronic phases after an injury. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Performance of a Space-Based Wavelet Compressor for Plasma Count Data on the MMS Fast Plasma Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrie, A. C.; Smith, S. E.; Dorelli, J. C.; Gershman, D. J.; Yeh, P.; Schiff, C.; Avanov, L. A.

2017-01-01

Data compression has been a staple of imaging instruments for years. Recently, plasma measurements have utilized compression with relatively low compression ratios. The Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) on board the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission generates data roughly 100 times faster than previous plasma instruments, requiring a higher compression ratio to fit within the telemetry allocation. This study investigates the performance of a space-based compression standard employing a Discrete Wavelet Transform and a Bit Plane Encoder (DWT/BPE) in compressing FPI plasma count data. Data from the first 6 months of FPI operation are analyzed to explore the error modes evident in the data and how to adapt to them. While approximately half of the Dual Electron Spectrometer (DES) maps had some level of loss, it was found that there is little effect on the plasma moments and that errors present in individual sky maps are typically minor. The majority of Dual Ion Spectrometer burst sky maps compressed in a lossless fashion, with no error introduced during compression. Because of induced compression error, the size limit for DES burst images has been increased for Phase 1B. Additionally, it was found that the floating point compression mode yielded better results when images have significant compression error, leading to floating point mode being used for the fast survey mode of operation for Phase 1B. Despite the suggested tweaks, it was found that wavelet-based compression, and a DWT/BPE algorithm in particular, is highly suitable to data compression for plasma measurement instruments and can be recommended for future missions.

Is Xanthine oxidase activity in polycystic ovary syndrome associated with inflammatory and cardiovascular risk factors?

PubMed

Isık, Hatice; Aynıoglu, Oner; Tımur, Hakan; Sahbaz, Ahmet; Harma, Muge; Can, Murat; Guven, Berrak; Alptekin, Husnu; Kokturk, Furuzan

2016-08-01

The aim of this study is to examine women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to determine the relationship between xanthine oxidase (XO) and oxidative stress, inflammatory status, and various clinical and biochemical parameters. In this cross-sectional study a total of 83 women including 45 PCOS patients and 38 healthy women were enrolled. We collected blood samples for XO and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, hormone levels, cholesterol values, and inflammatory markers. Body mass index (BMI) , waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and blood pressure were assessed. Blood samples were taken for hormonal levels, cholesterol levels, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting plasma insulin (FPI), homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell and neutrophil counts, XO and SOD activities. The basal hormone levels, triglyceride (TG) levels, TG/HDL-C (high density lipoprotein-cholesterol) ratios FPG, FPI and HOMA-IR levels were higher in PCOS patients compared to controls (p<0.05). Platelet and plateletcrit (PCT) values, CRP, and XO activity were significantly increased, however SOD activity was decreased in PCOS patients (p<0.001). XO activity was positively correlated with LH/FSH and TG/HDL ratios, CRP, PCT, FPG, FPI, and HOMA-IR, and negatively correlated with QUICKI levels. In conclusion, XO is a useful marker to assess oxidative stress in PCOS patients. Positive correlations between XO and inflammatory markers and cardiovascular disease risk factors suggest that XO plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PCOS and its metabolic complications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficiencies of Rotational Raman, and Rayleigh Techniques for Laser Remote Sensing of the Atmospheric Temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivanova, I. D.; Gurdev, L. L.; Mitev, V. M.

1992-01-01

Various lidar methods have been developed for measuring the atmospheric temperature, making use of the temperature dependant characteristics of rotational Raman scattering (RRS) from nitrogen and oxygen, and Rayleigh or Rayleigh-Brillowin scattering (RS or RBS). These methods have various advantages and disadvantages as compared to each other but their potential accuracies are principal characteristics of their efficiency. No systematic attempt has been undertaken so far to compare the efficiences, in the above meaning, of different temperature lidar methods. Two RRS techniques have been compared. Here, we do such a comparison using two methods based on the detection and analysis of RS (RBS) spectra. Four methods are considered here for measuring the atmospheric temperature. One of them (Schwiesow and Lading, 1981) is based on an analysis of the RS linewidth with two Michelson interferometers (MI) in parallel. The second method (Shimisu et al., 1986) employs a high-resolution analysis of the RBS line shape. The third method (Cooney, 1972) employs the temperature dependance of the RRS spectrum envelope. The fourth method (Armstrong, 1974) makes use of a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) as a comb filter for processing the periodic RRS spectrum of the nitrogen. Let us denote the corresponding errors in measuring the temperature by sigma(sub MI), sigma(sub HR), sigma(sub ENV), and sigma(sub FPI). Let us also define the ratios chi(sub 1) = sigma(sub MI)/sigma(sub ENV), chi(sub 2) = sigma(sub HR)/sigma(sub ENV), and chi(sub 3) = sigma(sub FPI)/sigma(sub ENV) interpreted as relative errors with respect to sigma(sub ENV).

Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury Induces Bone Loss in Rats.

PubMed

Brady, Rhys D; Shultz, Sandy R; Sun, Mujun; Romano, Tania; van der Poel, Chris; Wright, David K; Wark, John D; O'Brien, Terence J; Grills, Brian L; McDonald, Stuart J

2016-12-01

Few studies have investigated the influence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on bone homeostasis; however, pathophysiological mechanisms involved in TBI have potential to be detrimental to bone. The current study assessed the effect of experimental TBI in rats on the quantity and quality of two different weight-bearing bones, the femur and humerus. Rats were randomly assigned into either sham or lateral fluid percussion injury (FPI) groups. Open-field testing to assess locomotion was conducted at 1, 4, and 12 weeks post-injury, with the rats killed at 1 and 12 weeks post-injury. Bones were analyzed using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), histomorphometric analysis, and three-point bending. pQCT analysis revealed that at 1 and 12 weeks post-injury, the distal metaphyseal region of femora from FPI rats had reduced cortical content (10% decrease at 1 week, 8% decrease at 12 weeks; p < 0.01) and cortical thickness (10% decrease at 1 week, 11% decrease at 12 weeks p < 0.001). There was also a 23% reduction in trabecular bone volume ratio at 1 week post-injury and a 27% reduction at 12 weeks post-injury in FPI rats compared to sham (p < 0.001). There were no differences in bone quantity and mechanical properties of the femoral midshaft between sham and TBI animals. There were no differences in locomotor outcomes, which suggested that post-TBI changes in bone were not attributed to immobility. Taken together, these findings indicate that this rat model of TBI was detrimental to bone and suggests a link between TBI and altered bone remodeling.

In Flight Calibration of the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission Fast Plasma Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrie, Alexander C.; Gershman, Daniel J.; Gliese, Ulrik; Dorelli, John C.; Avanov, Levon A.; Rager, Amy C.; Schiff, Conrad; Pollock, Craig J.

2015-01-01

The Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) on the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) combines data from eight spectrometers, each with four deflection states, into a single map of the sky. Any systematic discontinuity, artifact, noise source, etc. present in this map may be incorrectly interpreted as legitimate data and incorrect conclusions reached. For this reason it is desirable to have all spectrometers return the same output for a given input, and for this output to be low in noise sources or other errors. While many missions use statistical analyses of data to calibrate instruments in flight, this process is insufficient with FPI for two reasons: 1. Only a small fraction of high resolution data is downloaded to the ground due to bandwidth limitations and 2: The data that is downloaded is, by definition, scientifically interesting and therefore not ideal for calibration. FPI uses a suite of new tools to calibrate in flight. A new method for detection system ground calibration has been developed involving sweeping the detection threshold to fully define the pulse height distribution. This method has now been extended for use in flight as a means to calibrate MCP voltage and threshold (together forming the operating point) of the Dual Electron Spectrometers (DES) and Dual Ion Spectrometers (DIS). A method of comparing higher energy data (which has low fractional voltage error) to lower energy data (which has a higher fractional voltage error) will be used to calibrate the high voltage outputs. Finally, a comparison of pitch angle distributions will be used to find remaining discrepancies among sensors.

Development of Silicon-substrate Based Fabry-Perot Etalons for far-IR Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stacey, Gordon

We propose to design, construct and test silicon-substrate-based (SSB) mirrors necessary for high performance Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) to be used in the 25-40 um mid-IR band. These mirrors will be fabricated from silicon wafers that are anti-reflection coated (ARC) by micromachining an artificial dielectric meta-material on one side, and depositing optimized gold-metalized patterns on the other. Two mirrors with the metalized surfaces facing one-another form the Fabry-Perot cavity, also known as the FPI etalon. The exterior surfaces of the silicon mirrors are anti-reflection coated for both good transmission in the science band, and to prevent unwanted parasitic FPI cavities from forming between the four surfaces (one anti-reflection coated, one metalized for each mirror) of the FPI etalon. The mirrors will be tested within a Miniature Cryogenic Scanning Fabry-Perot (MCSF) that we have designed through support of a previous NASA grant (NNX09AB95G). This design is based on our long experience in constructing and using scanning FPI in the mid-IR to submm range, and fits within test-beds we have on hand that are suitable for both warm and cold tests. The key technologies are the ARC and tuned mirrors that are enabled by silicon nano-machining techniques. The creation of these SSB mirrors promises greatly improved performance over previous versions of mid-IR to submm-band FPIs that are based on mirrors made from free-standing metal mesh stretched over support rings. Performance is improved both structurally and in terms of sensitivity, and is measured as the product of the cavity finesse times transmission. Our electromagnetic modeling suggests that SSB mirrors will improve this product by a factor of 2 over the best free standing mesh etalons available. This translates into a factor of sqrt(2) improvement in sensitivity per etalon, or a full factor of 2 when used in a tandem (dual etalon) FPI spectrometer. The SSB improvements are due to both the stiff (~ 0.8 mm thick) silicon substrate and the silicon nanofabrication techniques and include the effects of (1) precisely tuned reflective surfaces, (2) very smooth mirror surfaces leading to greater cavity efficiency, (3) reduced susceptibility to vibrations due the silicon support structures, (4) reduced susceptibility to defect finesse due to reduced mounting stress, and (5) greatly improved mechanical robustness that could result in space-qualified hardware. These improvements are enabled by the combination of silicon-based technologies and our sophisticated electromagnetic modeling. The finished products have many science applications. For example, the SSB mirrors within an MCSF would convert the FORCAST or HAWC+ cameras on SOFIA into imaging spectrometers capable of widescale mapping of the mid to far-IR fine structure lines from the Galactic Center, Galactic star formation regions and external galaxies. In fact, this new etalon technology could be used in any mid to far-IR camera, converting the camera into a moderate (100 to 4000) to high resolving power (~100,000) imaging spectrometer at modest cost. A particularly interesting application could be a large format (~10 cm diameter) FPI that could deliver resolving powers in excess of 5000 for a 10 m space telescope, which might be the incarnation of the next major far-IR space mission (see NASA Cosmic Origins Newsletter, V4, No. 1, March 2015). Our program addresses NASA's Strategic goal 1: "Expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunity in space."; Objective 1.6: "Discover how the Universe works, explore how it began and evolved, and search for life on planets around other stars,"• specifically "Technology development and demonstration."• It also addresses Strategic Goal 2 via Objective 2.4: "Advance the Nation's STEM education and workforce pipeline by working collaborative with other agencies to engage students, teachers, and faculty in NASA's missions and unique assets."•

[Identification of pathologic alcohol use and its prevention. Results of employee interviews in a clinic].

PubMed

Ennenbach, M; Soyka, M

2007-05-01

After a short review of the literature about addiction in the working place, a study is presented that evaluates the alcohol use of all employees (n=301) in a clinic. The readiness to cooperate was very strong (72%). The openness (investigated with the FPI subscale for openness) was also satisfactory. Results showed a surprisingly high proportion of notable alcohol use by employees (26%). Especially the group of young female employees showed a high range of stress indicators: alcohol use (28.6%), nicotine (24.2%) and eating disorders (22.9%), and moderate-to-strong consumption of medication (12.1%). A sex-specific model of the development of addiction will be suggested based on these study results. A program of preventive measures was implemented integrating well-known components of established successful preventive measures and considering the special environment of the clinic.

A socio-emotional approach to couple therapy: linking social context and couple interaction.

PubMed

Knudson-Martin, Carmen; Huenergardt, Douglas

2010-09-01

This paper introduces Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy (SERT), an approach designed to intervene in socio-cultural processes that limit couples' ability to develop mutually supportive relationships, especially within heterosexual relationships. SERT integrates recent advances in neurobiology and the social context of emotion with social constructionist assumptions regarding the fluid and contextual nature of gender, culture, personal identities, and relationship patterns. It advances social constructionist practice through in-session experiential work focused on 4 conditions foundational to mutual support--mutual influence, shared vulnerability, shared relationship responsibility, and mutual attunement. In contrast to couple therapy models that mask power issues, therapist neutrality is not considered possible or desirable. Instead, therapists position themselves to counteract social inequalities. The paper illustrates how empathic engagement of a socio-culturally attuned therapist sets the stage for new socio-cultural experience as it is embodied neurologically and physically in the relationship and discusses therapy as societal intervention. 2010 © FPI, Inc.

The Anatomy of American Football: Evidence from 7 Years of NFL Game Data

PubMed Central

Papalexakis, Evangelos

2016-01-01

How much does a fumble affect the probability of winning an American football game? How balanced should your offense be in order to increase the probability of winning by 10%? These are questions for which the coaching staff of National Football League teams have a clear qualitative answer. Turnovers are costly; turn the ball over several times and you will certainly lose. Nevertheless, what does “several” mean? How “certain” is certainly? In this study, we collected play-by-play data from the past 7 NFL seasons, i.e., 2009–2015, and we build a descriptive model for the probability of winning a game. Despite the fact that our model incorporates simple box score statistics, such as total offensive yards, number of turnovers etc., its overall cross-validation accuracy is 84%. Furthermore, we combine this descriptive model with a statistical bootstrap module to build FPM (short for Football Prediction Matchup) for predicting future match-ups. The contribution of FPM is pertinent to its simplicity and transparency, which however does not sacrifice the system’s performance. In particular, our evaluations indicate that our prediction engine performs on par with the current state-of-the-art systems (e.g., ESPN’s FPI and Microsoft’s Cortana). The latter are typically proprietary but based on their components described publicly they are significantly more complicated than FPM. Moreover, their proprietary nature does not allow for a head-to-head comparison in terms of the core elements of the systems but it should be evident that the features incorporated in FPM are able to capture a large percentage of the observed variance in NFL games. PMID:28005971

28 CFR 345.41 - Performance appraisal for inmate workers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... inmate's skills, abilities, qualifications, and work performance are sufficiently developed to enable the... FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Worker Standards and Performance Appraisal § 345.41 Performance appraisal for inmate workers. Work supervisors should complete a performance...

28 CFR 345.41 - Performance appraisal for inmate workers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... inmate's skills, abilities, qualifications, and work performance are sufficiently developed to enable the... FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Worker Standards and Performance Appraisal § 345.41 Performance appraisal for inmate workers. Work supervisors should complete a performance...

28 CFR 345.41 - Performance appraisal for inmate workers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... inmate's skills, abilities, qualifications, and work performance are sufficiently developed to enable the... FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Worker Standards and Performance Appraisal § 345.41 Performance appraisal for inmate workers. Work supervisors should complete a performance...

28 CFR 345.41 - Performance appraisal for inmate workers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... inmate's skills, abilities, qualifications, and work performance are sufficiently developed to enable the... FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Worker Standards and Performance Appraisal § 345.41 Performance appraisal for inmate workers. Work supervisors should complete a performance...

28 CFR 345.41 - Performance appraisal for inmate workers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Worker Standards and Performance Appraisal § 345.41 Performance appraisal for inmate workers. Work supervisors should complete a performance... inmate's skills, abilities, qualifications, and work performance are sufficiently developed to enable the...

28 CFR 345.31 - Recruitment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Recruitment. 345.31 Section 345.31 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Recruitment and Hiring Practices § 345.31 Recruitment. Inmate workers for...

Probability Distribution Estimated From the Minimum, Maximum, and Most Likely Values: Applied to Turbine Inlet Temperature Uncertainty

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, Frederic A., Jr.

2004-01-01

Modern engineering design practices are tending more toward the treatment of design parameters as random variables as opposed to fixed, or deterministic, values. The probabilistic design approach attempts to account for the uncertainty in design parameters by representing them as a distribution of values rather than as a single value. The motivations for this effort include preventing excessive overdesign as well as assessing and assuring reliability, both of which are important for aerospace applications. However, the determination of the probability distribution is a fundamental problem in reliability analysis. A random variable is often defined by the parameters of the theoretical distribution function that gives the best fit to experimental data. In many cases the distribution must be assumed from very limited information or data. Often the types of information that are available or reasonably estimated are the minimum, maximum, and most likely values of the design parameter. For these situations the beta distribution model is very convenient because the parameters that define the distribution can be easily determined from these three pieces of information. Widely used in the field of operations research, the beta model is very flexible and is also useful for estimating the mean and standard deviation of a random variable given only the aforementioned three values. However, an assumption is required to determine the four parameters of the beta distribution from only these three pieces of information (some of the more common distributions, like the normal, lognormal, gamma, and Weibull distributions, have two or three parameters). The conventional method assumes that the standard deviation is a certain fraction of the range. The beta parameters are then determined by solving a set of equations simultaneously. A new method developed in-house at the NASA Glenn Research Center assumes a value for one of the beta shape parameters based on an analogy with the normal distribution (ref.1). This new approach allows for a very simple and direct algebraic solution without restricting the standard deviation. The beta parameters obtained by the new method are comparable to the conventional method (and identical when the distribution is symmetrical). However, the proposed method generally produces a less peaked distribution with a slightly larger standard deviation (up to 7 percent) than the conventional method in cases where the distribution is asymmetric or skewed. The beta distribution model has now been implemented into the Fast Probability Integration (FPI) module used in the NESSUS computer code for probabilistic analyses of structures (ref. 2).

77 FR 57007 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-17

... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... turbofan engines. That AD currently requires initial and repetitive fluorescent penetrant inspections (FPI... applies to the following Pratt & Whitney Division (Pratt & Whitney) turbofan engines: (1) PW4000-94...

FPI Cohort Reports: Canada/CAUBO

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dew, George

2013-01-01

CAUBO--the Canadian Association of University Business Officers--is a volunteer-driven organization that represents the administrative function of virtually all Canadian universities (CAUBO is the Canadian counterpart to NACUBO in the United States). Member committees provide direction and subject matter expertise, with each committee typically…

28 CFR 345.62 - Inmate accident compensation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Inmate accident compensation. 345.62... PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.62 Inmate accident... assignments) as specified by the Inmate Accident Compensation Program (28 CFR part 301). ...

28 CFR 345.62 - Inmate accident compensation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Inmate accident compensation. 345.62... PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.62 Inmate accident... assignments) as specified by the Inmate Accident Compensation Program (28 CFR part 301). ...

76 FR 76697 - Appointments to Performance Review Board for Senior Executive Service

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-08

... Executive Service employees: Perry E. Anthony, Ph.D., Deputy Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Department of Education. James M. Kesteloot, Private Citizen. J. Paul M. Laird, Assistant Director, Industries, Education and Vocational Training and Chief Operating Officer/FPI. All appointments...

Viscoelastic behavior and microstructure of protein solutions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Twenty percent solutions of calcium caseinate (CC), egg albumin (EA), fish protein isolate (FPI), soy protein isolate (SPI), wheat gluten (WG), and whey protein isolate (WPI) were examined during heating by small amplitude oscillatory shear measurements, which provided an indication of protein behav...

Factors affecting metabolic cost of transport during a multi-stage running race.

PubMed

Lazzer, Stefano; Taboga, Paolo; Salvadego, Desy; Rejc, Enrico; Simunic, Bostjan; Narici, Marco V; Buglione, Antonio; Giovanelli, Nicola; Antonutto, Guglielmo; Grassi, Bruno; Pisot, Rado; di Prampero, Pietro E

2014-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate: (1) the role of , the fraction of (F) and the metabolic cost of transport (CoT) in determining performance during an ultra-endurance competition and (2) the effects of the race on several biomechanical and morphological parameters of the lower limbs that are likely to affect CoT. Eleven runners (aged 29-54 years) participated in an ultra-endurance competition consisting of three running stages of 25, 55 and 13 km on three consecutive days. Anthropometric characteristics, body composition, morphological properties of the gastrocnemius medialis, maximal explosive power of the lower limb and were determined before the competition. In addition, biomechanics of running and CoT were determined, before and immediately after each running stage. Performance was directly proportional to (r=0.77) and F (r=0.36), and inversely proportional to CoT (r=-0.30). Low CoT values were significantly related to high maximal power of the lower limbs (r=-0.74) and vertical stiffness (r=-0.65) and low footprint index (FPI, r=0.70), step frequency (r=0.62) and external work (r=0.60). About 50% of the increase in CoT during the stages of the competition was accounted for by changes in FPI, which represents a global evaluation of medio-lateral displacement of the foot during the whole stance phase, which in turn is associated with the myotendinous characteristics of the lower limb. Thus, lower CoT values were related to greater muscular power and lower FPI, suggesting that a better ankle stability is likely to achieve better performance in an ultra-endurance running competition.

Increased serum cortisol on oral food challenge in infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

PubMed

Shimomura, Masaki; Ito, Yasunori; Tanaka, Hiroki; Meguro, Takaaki; Kimura, Mitsuaki

2018-01-01

An increase in absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is seen after oral food challenge test (OFC) in patients with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES). Although it has been suggested that interleukin (IL)-8 is involved in this phenomenon, a possible role for cortisol has not yet been studied. Six positive OFC in five patients with FPIES due to cows' milk (CM) proteins, and two negative OFC in two patients with suspected FPIES were analyzed. Absolute neutrophil count, serum IL-8, and serum cortisol were measured before OFC, 6 and 24 h after the ingestion of CM formula. For the positive OFC, ANC measured 6 h after the ingestion of CM formula was significantly higher than that measured before the OFC (median, 8,761 versus 2,297/μL; P < 0.05). Significant increases in serum cortisol and IL-8 were observed 6 h after OFC (cortisol, median 1,119 pg/mL before versus 2,141 pg/mL after, P < 0.05; IL-8, median 15.5 pg/mL before versus 165.3 pg/mL after, P < 0.05). The change ratio (i.e. ratio of that after OFC to that before OFC) of ANC was significantly correlated not only with that of serum IL-8 (r = 0.90, P < 0.01) but also with that of serum cortisol (r = 0.76, P < 0.05). Moreover, the serum cortisol change ratio was significantly higher in subjects with vomiting than in those without (median, 2.5 versus 1.0, P < 0.05). Serum cortisol, in combination with IL-8, affects the increase in ANC after OFC. © 2017 Japan Pediatric Society.

Blocking leukotriene synthesis attenuates the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury and associated cognitive deficits

PubMed Central

Corser-Jensen, Chelsea E.; Goodell, Dayton J.; Freund, Ronald K.; Serbedzija, Predrag; Murphy, Robert C.; Farias, Santiago E.; Dell'Acqua, Mark L.; Frey, Lauren C.; Serkova, Natalie; Heidenreich, Kim A.

2014-01-01

Neuroinflammation is a component of secondary injury following traumatic brain injury (TBI) that can persist beyond the acute phase. Leukotrienes are potent, pro-inflammatory lipid mediators generated from membrane phospholipids. In the absence of injury, leukotrienes are undetectable in brain, but after trauma they are rapidly synthesized by a transcellular event involving infiltrating neutrophils and endogenous brain cells. Here, we investigate the efficacy of MK-886, an inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP), in blocking leukotriene synthesis, secondary brain damage, synaptic dysfunction, and cognitive impairments after TBI. Male Sprague Dawley rats (9-11 weeks) received either MK-886 or vehicle after they were subjected to unilateral moderate fluid percussion injury (FPI) to assess the potential clinical use of FLAP inhibitors for TBI. MK-886 was also administered before FPI to determine the preventative potential of FLAP inhibitors. MK-886 given before or after injury significantly blocked the production of leukotrienes, measured by reverse-phase liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (RP LC-MS/MS), and brain edema, measured by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MK-886 significantly attenuated blood-brain barrier disruption in the CA1 hippocampal region and deficits in long-term potentiation (LTP) at CA1 hippocampal synapses. The prevention of FPI-induced synaptic dysfunction by MK-886 was accompanied by fewer deficits in post-injury spatial learning and memory performance in the radial arms water maze (RAWM). These results indicate that leukotrienes contribute significantly to secondary brain injury and subsequent cognitive deficits. FLAP inhibitors represent a novel anti-inflammatory approach for treating human TBI that is feasible for both intervention and prevention of brain injury and neurologic deficits. PMID:24681156

The effect of fertility stress on endometrial and subendometrial blood flow among infertile women.

PubMed

Dong, Yuezhi; Cai, Yanna; Zhang, Yu; Xing, Yurong; Sun, Yingpu

2017-03-04

To investigate the effect of fertility stress on endometrial and subendometrial blood flow among infertile women. This case-control study was conducted in The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. The fertility problem inventory (FPI) was adopted to evaluate fertility stress. Three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasonography (3D PD-US) was performed during the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle (days 5-11) to measure endometrial thickness, pattern, endometrial and subendometrial volume (V), the vascularization index (VI), the flow index (FI) and the vascularization-FI (VFI) index. Then, 300 infertile women were separated into two groups (high-score group and low-score group) based on total FPI scores and 80 healthy women were selected as controls. No differences were found among all three groups with regard to general characteristics, endometrial thickness, pattern, endometrial and subendometrial V, VI and VFI. The endometrial and subendometrial FIs associated with different stress levels significantly differed among the three groups (F = 33.95, P < 0.001; F = 44.79, P < 0.001, respectively). The endometrial and subendometrial FIs in the control group were significantly higher than those in the high-score group and low-score groups. The endometrial and subendometrial FIs in the low-score group were significantly higher than those in the high-score group. The total FPI score was closely related to the endometrial and subendometrial FIs (r = -0.304, P < 0.001; r = -0.407, P < 0.001, respectively). Fertility stress was associated with endometrial and subendometrial flow index. Whether fertility stress might affect pregnancy outcome by reducing endometrial and subendometrial blood flow requires further research.

Effect of intravenous plasma transfusion on granulocyte and monocyte oxidative and phagocytic activity in dairy calves with failure of passive immunity.

PubMed

Yang, Victoria C; Rayburn, Maire C; Chigerwe, Munashe

2017-12-01

Plasma administration has been recommended in calves older than 48h with failure of passive immunity (FPI) to provide immunity consistent with adequate colostral ingestion. However, the protective serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations (≥1000mg/dL) of plasma derived IgG only lasts up to 12h. In addition to IgG, maternally derived colostral cells also confer immunity. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of intravenous plasma transfusion on granulocyte and monocyte oxidative and phagocytic activity in calves with FPI. Twenty-seven, one day-old, Jersey calves were assigned into 3 groups. The colostral (CL, N=9) group received 3L of colostrum once by oroesophageal tubing. Two other groups of calves received 1L of colostrum once by oroesophageal tubing and were assigned based on their health status (sick or non-sick) at 4days of age, as the sick-group (SG, N=7) or the non-sick (NG, N=11) groups. At 4days of age, the SG and NG groups were administered plasma intravenously at 30mL/kg. Granulocyte and monocyte oxidative and phagocytic activity was determined by flow cytometry. There was no significant difference in the granulocyte and monocyte oxidative or phagocytic activity among the 3 groups (P>0.05). Plasma administration had no significant effect on the oxidative or phagocytic activity of granulocytes or monocytes. In clinical practice, plasma administration for enhancing oxidative or phagocytic activity of granulocytes or monocytes, alone, might not be justified in calves with FPI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Updated neutronics analyses of a water cooled ceramic breeder blanket for the CFETR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiaokang, ZHANG; Songlin, LIU; Xia, LI; Qingjun, ZHU; Jia, LI

2017-11-01

The water cooled ceramic breeder (WCCB) blanket employing pressurized water as a coolant is one of the breeding blanket candidates for the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR). Some updating of neutronics analyses was needed, because there were changes in the neutronics performance of the blanket as several significant modifications and improvements have been adopted for the WCCB blanket, including the optimization of radial build-up and customized structure for each blanket module. A 22.5 degree toroidal symmetrical torus sector 3D neutronics model containing the updated design of the WCCB blanket modules was developed for the neutronics analyses. The tritium breeding capability, nuclear heating power, radiation damage, and decay heat were calculated by the MCNP and FISPACT code. The results show that the packing factor and 6Li enrichment of the breeder should both be no less than 0.8 to ensure tritium self-sufficiency. The nuclear heating power of the blanket under 200 MW fusion power reaches 201.23 MW. The displacement per atom per full power year (FPY) of the plasma-facing component and first wall reach 0.90 and 2.60, respectively. The peak H production rate reaches 150.79 appm/FPY and the peak He production reaches 29.09 appm/FPY in blanket module #3. The total decay heat of the blanket modules is 2.64 MW at 1 s after shutdown and the average decay heat density can reach 11.09 kW m-3 at that time. The decay heat density of the blanket modules slowly decreases to lower than 10 W m-3 in more than ten years.

Serological cross-reactions between four polyomaviruses of birds using virus-like particles expressed in yeast.

PubMed

Zielonka, Anja; Gedvilaite, Alma; Reetz, Jochen; Rösler, Uwe; Müller, Hermann; Johne, Reimar

2012-12-01

Polyomaviruses are aetiological agents of fatal acute diseases in various bird species. Genomic analysis revealed that avian polyomavirus (APyV), crow polyomavirus (CPyV), finch polyomavirus (FPyV) and goose hemorrhagic polyomavirus (GHPyV) are closely related to each other, but nevertheless form separate viral species; however, their serological relationship was previously unknown. As only APyV can be grown efficiently in tissue culture, virus-like particles (VLPs) were generated by expression of the genomic regions encoding the major structural protein VP1 of these viruses in yeast; these were used to elicit type-specific antibodies in rabbits and as antigens in serological reactions. For increased VLP assembly, a nuclear-localization signal was introduced into APyV-VP1. VLPs derived from the VP1 of the monkey polyomavirus simian virus 40 served as control. APyV-, GHPyV- and CPyV-VLPs showed haemagglutinating activity with chicken and human erythrocytes. CPyV- and GHPyV-specific sera showed slight cross-reactions in immunoblotting, haemagglutination-inhibition assay and indirect ELISA. The FPyV-specific serum inhibited the haemagglutination activity of APyV-VLPs slightly and showed a weak cross-neutralizing activity against APyV in cell-culture tests. Generally, these data indicate that the four polyomaviruses of birds are serologically distinct. However, in accordance with genetic data, a relationship between CPyV and GHPyV as well as between APyV and FPyV is evident, and grouping into two different serogroups may be suggested. The haemagglutinating activity of APyV, CPyV and GHPyV may indicate similar receptor-binding mechanisms for these viruses. Our data could be useful for the development of vaccines against the polyomavirus-induced diseases in birds and for interpretation of diagnostic test results.

SAPHIRE (scintillator avalanche photoconductor with high resolution emitter readout) for low dose x-ray imaging: Spatial resolution

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

Li Dan; Zhao Wei

2008-07-15

An indirect flat panel imager (FPI) with programmable avalanche gain and field emitter array (FEA) readout is being investigated for low-dose and high resolution x-ray imaging. It is made by optically coupling a structured x-ray scintillator, e.g., thallium (Tl) doped cesium iodide (CsI), to an amorphous selenium (a-Se) avalanche photoconductor called high-gain avalanche rushing amorphous photoconductor (HARP). The charge image created by the scintillator/HARP (SHARP) combination is read out by the electron beams emitted from the FEA. The proposed detector is called scintillator avalanche photoconductor with high resolution emitter readout (SAPHIRE). The programmable avalanche gain of HARP can improve themore » low dose performance of indirect FPI while the FEA can be made with pixel sizes down to 50 {mu}m. Because of the avalanche gain, a high resolution type of CsI (Tl), which has not been widely used in indirect FPI due to its lower light output, can be used to improve the high spatial frequency performance. The purpose of the present article is to investigate the factors affecting the spatial resolution of SAPHIRE. Since the resolution performance of the SHARP combination has been well studied, the focus of the present work is on the inherent resolution of the FEA readout method. The lateral spread of the electron beam emitted from a 50 {mu}mx50 {mu}m pixel FEA was investigated with two different electron-optical designs: mesh-electrode-only and electrostatic focusing. Our results showed that electrostatic focusing can limit the lateral spread of electron beams to within the pixel size of down to 50 {mu}m. Since electrostatic focusing is essentially independent of signal intensity, it will provide excellent spatial uniformity.« less

Effect of static foot posture on the dynamic stiffness of foot joints during walking.

PubMed

Sanchis-Sales, E; Sancho-Bru, J L; Roda-Sales, A; Pascual-Huerta, J

2018-05-01

The static foot posture has been related to the development of lower limb injuries. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic stiffness of foot joints during gait in the sagittal plane to understand the role of the static foot posture in the development of injuries. Seventy healthy adult male subjects with different static postures, assessed by the Foot Posture Index (FPI) (30 normal, 20 highly pronated and 20 highly supinated), were recruited. Kinematic and kinetic data were recorded using an optical motion capture system and a pressure platform, and dynamic stiffness at the different stages of the stance was calculated from the slopes of the linear regression on the flexion moment-angle curves. The effect of foot type on dynamic stiffness and on ranges of motion and moments was analysed using ANOVAs and post-hoc tests, and linear correlation between dynamic stiffness and FPI was also tested. Highly pronated feet showed a significantly smaller range of motion at the ankle and metatarsophalangeal joints and also a larger range of moments at the metatarsophalangeal joint than highly supinated feet. Dynamic stiffness during propulsion was significantly greater at all foot joints for highly pronated feet, with positive significant correlations with the squared FPI. Highly supinated feet showed greater dynamic stiffness than normal feet, although to a lesser extent. Highly pronated feet during normal gait experienced the greatest decrease in the dorsiflexor moments during propulsion, normal feet being the most balanced regarding work generated and absorbed. Extreme static foot postures show greater dynamic stiffness during propulsion and greater absorbed work, which increases the risk of developing injuries. The data presented may be used when designing orthotics or prostheses, and also when planning surgery that modifies joint stiffness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

28 CFR 345.84 - The FPI scholarship fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... disciplinary record, custody level). (4) The inmate is accepted by the institution of higher learning offering... institution providing instruction, or to the Education Department for transfer of funds to the college... courses without penalty for medical or non-disciplinary administrative reasons such as transfer, writ...

28 CFR 345.84 - The FPI scholarship fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... disciplinary record, custody level). (4) The inmate is accepted by the institution of higher learning offering... institution providing instruction, or to the Education Department for transfer of funds to the college... courses without penalty for medical or non-disciplinary administrative reasons such as transfer, writ...

28 CFR 345.84 - The FPI scholarship fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... disciplinary record, custody level). (4) The inmate is accepted by the institution of higher learning offering... institution providing instruction, or to the Education Department for transfer of funds to the college... courses without penalty for medical or non-disciplinary administrative reasons such as transfer, writ...

28 CFR 345.84 - The FPI scholarship fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

.... disciplinary record, custody level). (4) The inmate is accepted by the institution of higher learning offering... institution providing instruction, or to the Education Department for transfer of funds to the college... courses without penalty for medical or non-disciplinary administrative reasons such as transfer, writ...

28 CFR 345.84 - The FPI scholarship fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... disciplinary record, custody level). (4) The inmate is accepted by the institution of higher learning offering... institution providing instruction, or to the Education Department for transfer of funds to the college... courses without penalty for medical or non-disciplinary administrative reasons such as transfer, writ...

Facilities Performance Indicators Report, 2008-09

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hills, Christina, Ed.

2010-01-01

This paper features another expanded Web-based Facilities Performance Indicators Report (FPI). The purpose of APPA's Facilities Performance Indicators is to provide a representative set of statistics about facilities in educational institutions. The 2008-09 iteration of the Web-based Facilities Performance Indicators Survey was posted and…

77 FR 30926 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-24

... Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed... turbofan engines. The existing AD currently requires initial and repetitive fluorescent penetrant... turbofan engines. That AD requires initial and repetitive FPI for cracks in the blade locking and loading...

75 FR 10789 - Appointments to Performance Review Board for Senior Executive Service

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-09

... Executive Service employees: Perry E. Anthony, Ph.D., Deputy Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Department of Education. Abram Claude, Jr., Private Citizen Paul M. Laird, Assistant Director, Industries, Education and Vocational Training and Chief Operating Officer/FPI, Department of Justice. All...

Using temperature sweeps to investigate rheology of bioplastics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As part of research on extrusion of proteins for food fortification, the viscoelastic properties and microstructure of 20 percent solutions of calcium caseinate (CC), egg albumin (EA), fish protein isolate (FPI), soy protein isolate (SPI), wheat gluten (WG), and whey protein isolate (WPI) were deter...

Facilities Performance Indicators Report 2013-14: Tracking Your Facilities Vital Signs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

APPA: Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, 2015

2015-01-01

This paper features an expanded Web-based "Facilities Performance Indicators (FPI) Report." The purpose of APPA: Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (APPA's) Facilities Performance Indicators is to provide a representative set of statistics about facilities in educational institutions. "The Facilities Performance…

28 CFR 345.40 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... or others. (2) Quality assurance—ensuring that work is done as directed by the supervisor in an... Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK... establishment of minimum work standards for inmate workers assigned to the Industries program at all field...

28 CFR 345.40 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... or others. (2) Quality assurance—ensuring that work is done as directed by the supervisor in an... Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK... establishment of minimum work standards for inmate workers assigned to the Industries program at all field...

48 CFR 808.603 - Purchase priorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Purchase priorities. 808... Industries, Inc. (FPI) 808.603 Purchase priorities. Contracting officers may purchase supplies and services... small businesses, in accordance with procedures set forth in subpart 819.70, without seeking a waiver...

Fast Plasma Investigation for Magnetospheric Multiscale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pollock, C.; Moore, T.; Coffey, V.; Dorelli J.; Giles, B.; Adrian, M.; Chandler, M.; Duncan, C.; Figueroa-Vinas, A.; Garcia, K.;

Non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergies in children.

PubMed

Caubet, Jean-Christoph; Szajewska, Hania; Shamir, Raanan; Nowak-Węgrzyn, Anna

2017-02-01

Non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergic disorders (non-IgE-GI-FA) including food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), food protein-induced enteropathy (FPE), and food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP) are relatively uncommon in infants and young children, but are likely under-diagnosed. Non-IgE-GI-FA have a favorable prognosis, with majority resolving by age 3-5 years. Diagnosis relies on the recognition of symptoms pattern in FPIAP and FPIES and biopsy in FPE. Further studies are needed for a better understanding of the pathomechanism, which will lead eventually to the development of diagnostic tests and treatments. Limited evidence supports the role of food allergens in subsets of constipation, gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and colic. The immunologic pathomechanism is not fully understood and empiric prolonged avoidance of food allergens should be limited to minimize nutrient deficiency and feeding disorders/food aversions in infants. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Characterization of the pathogenicity island protein PdpA and its role in the virulence of Francisella novicida

PubMed Central

Schmerk, Crystal L.; Duplantis, Barry N.; Wang, Diana; Burke, Robert D.; Chou, Alicia Y.; Elkins, Karen L.; Ludu, Jagjit S.; Nano, Francis E.

2009-01-01

Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent, intracellular pathogen that causes the disease tularaemia. A research surrogate for F. tularensis is Francisella novicida, which causes a tularaemia-like disease in mice, grows similarly in macrophages, and yet is unable to cause disease in humans. Both Francisella species contain a cluster of genes referred to as the Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI). Pathogenicity determinant protein A (PdpA), encoded by the pdpA gene, is located within the FPI and has been associated with the virulence of Francisella species. In this work we examined the properties of PdpA protein expression and localization as well as the phenotype of a F. novicida pdpA deletion mutant. Monoclonal antibody detection of PdpA showed that it is a soluble protein that is upregulated in iron-limiting conditions and undetectable in an mglA or mglB mutant background. Deletion of pdpA resulted in a strain that was highly attenuated for virulence in chicken embryos and mice. PMID:19372153

Variation of Equatorial F-region Vertical Neutral Wind and Neutral Temperature during Geomagnetic Storms: Brazil FPI Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheng, C.; De La Garza, J. L.; Deng, Y.; Makela, J. J.; Fisher, D. J.; Meriwether, J. W.; Mesquita, R.

2015-12-01

An accurate description of vertical neutral winds in the thermosphere is essential to understand how the upper atmosphere responds to the geomagnetic storms. However, vertical wind measurements are difficult to obtain and there are still limited data. Recent observation deployments now permit substantial progress on this issue. In this paper, neutral vertical wind data from Brazil FPI observations at around 240 km altitude during 2009 to 2015 are used for the study of the equatorial vertical wind and neutral temperature variation during geomagnetic activity times. First, the observations during several particular storm periods will be analyzed. Secondly, Epoch analysis will be used to bin all the observed events together to investigate the climatological features of vertical wind and temperature during storms. The results will give us an unprecedented view of the nighttime vertical wind and neutral temperature variations at low latitudes, which is critical to specify the dynamics of the upper atmosphere.

AMCC casting development. Volume 1: Executive Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The Advanced Combustion Chamber Casting (AMCC) has been a technically challenging part due to its size, configuration, and alloy type. The height and weight of the wax pattern assembly necessitated the development of a hollow gating system to ensure structural integrity of the shell throughout the investment process. The complexity in the jacket area of the casting required the development of an innovative casting technology that PCC has termed 'TGC' or Thermal Gradient Control. This method, of setting up thermal gradients in the casting during solidification, represents a significant process improvement for PCC and has been successfully implemented on other programs. Metallurgical integrity of the final four castings was very good. Only the areas of the parts that utilized 'TGC Shape & Location System #2' showed any significant areas of microshrinkage when evaluated by non-destructive tests. Alumina oxides detected by FPI on the 'float' surfaces (top sid surfaces of the casting during solidification) of the part were almost entirely less than the acceptance criteria of .032 inches in diameter. Destructive chem mill of the castings was required to determine the effect of the process variables used during the processing of these last four parts (with the exception of the 'Shape & Location of TGC' variable).

Facilities Performance Indicators Report 2012-13: Tracking Your Facilities Vital Signs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

APPA: Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, 2014

2014-01-01

This paper features an expanded Web-based "Facilities Performance Indicators (FPI) Report." The purpose of APPA's Facilities Performance Indicators is to provide a representative set of statistics about facilities in educational institutions. "The Facilities Performance Indicators Report" is designed for survey…

28 CFR 345.67 - Retention of benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Retention of benefits. 345.67 Section 345.67 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.67 Retention of benefits. (a) Job...

Long-Term Valve Performance of TAVR and SAVR: A Report From the PARTNER I Trial.

PubMed

Daubert, Melissa A; Weissman, Neil J; Hahn, Rebecca T; Pibarot, Philippe; Parvataneni, Rupa; Mack, Michael J; Svensson, Lars G; Gopal, Deepika; Kapadia, Samir; Siegel, Robert J; Kodali, Susheel K; Szeto, Wilson Y; Makkar, Raj; Leon, Martin B; Douglas, Pamela S

2016-12-08

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term performance of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) through longitudinal echocardiographic analysis. The long-term performance of the SAPIEN TAVR is not well-described. Therefore, we examined the hemodynamic and valvular profile of the SAPIEN TAVR over 5 years. All patients receiving TAVR or SAVR with first post-implant (FPI) and 5-year echoes were analyzed for aortic valve (AV) peak velocity, AV mean gradient, AV area, peak left ventricular (LV) outflow tract and in-stent velocities, Doppler velocity index, aortic regurgitation (AR), LV mass index, stroke volume index, and cardiac index. The FPI and 5-year data were compared using a paired t test or McNemar's analyses. There were 86 TAVR and 48 SAVR patients with paired FPI and 5-year echocardiograms. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. The AV area did not change significantly 5 years after TAVR (p = 0.35). The AV mean gradient also remained stable: 11.5 ± 5.4 mm Hg at FPI to 11.0 ± 6.3 mm Hg at 5 years (p = 0.41). In contrast, the peak AV and LV outflow tract velocities decreased (p = 0.03 and p = 0.008, respectively), as did in-stent velocity (p = 0.015). Correspondingly, the TAVR Doppler velocity index was unchanged (p = 0.07). Among TAVR patients, there was no change in total AR (p = 0.40), transvalvular AR (p = 0.37), or paravalvular AR (p = 0.26). Stroke volume index and cardiac index remained stable (p = 0.16 and p = 0.25, respectively). However, there was a significant regression of LV mass index (p < 0.0001). The longitudinal evaluation among SAVR patients revealed similar trends. There was a low rate of adverse events among TAVR and SAVR patients alive at 5 years. Longitudinal assessment of the PARTNER I trial (THE PARTNER TRIAL: Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valve Trial) demonstrates that valve performance and cardiac hemodynamics are stable after implantation in both SAPIEN TAVR and SAVR in patients alive at 5 years. (THE PARTNER TRIAL: Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valve Trial; NCT00530894). Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

28 CFR 345.67 - Retention of benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... retention. Ordinarily, when an inmate is absent from the job for a significant period of time, the SOI will... place that inmate within the top ten percent of the FPI waiting list. (b) Longevity and vacation credit... vacation credit with the following exceptions: (1) The inmate retains longevity and vacation credit when...

28 CFR 345.10 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Purpose and Scope § 345.10 Purpose and scope. It is the policy of the Bureau of Prisons to provide work to all inmates (including inmates with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodations, can perform the essential tasks of the work assignment) confined in a federal...

28 CFR 345.35 - Assignments to FPI.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., color, religion, ethnic origin, age, or disability. (b) The SOI ordinarily makes assignments based on... course in pre-industrial training or on-the-job training (as available) before promotion to pay grade four. (2) An inmate who has not successfully completed pre-industrial or on-the-job training remains at...

28 CFR 345.65 - Inmate medical work limitation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Inmate medical work limitation. 345.65... PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.65 Inmate medical work limitation. In addition to any prior illnesses or injuries, medical limitations also include any illness or...

28 CFR 345.65 - Inmate medical work limitation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Inmate medical work limitation. 345.65... PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.65 Inmate medical work limitation. In addition to any prior illnesses or injuries, medical limitations also include any illness or...

28 CFR 345.53 - Piecework rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Piecework rates. 345.53 Section 345.53... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.53 Piecework rates. Piecework rates are... rates may be of two major types: individual piecework (in which an individual's pay goes up or down...

28 CFR 345.53 - Piecework rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Piecework rates. 345.53 Section 345.53... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.53 Piecework rates. Piecework rates are... rates may be of two major types: individual piecework (in which an individual's pay goes up or down...

28 CFR 345.53 - Piecework rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Piecework rates. 345.53 Section 345.53... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.53 Piecework rates. Piecework rates are... rates may be of two major types: individual piecework (in which an individual's pay goes up or down...

28 CFR 345.53 - Piecework rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Piecework rates. 345.53 Section 345.53... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.53 Piecework rates. Piecework rates are... rates may be of two major types: individual piecework (in which an individual's pay goes up or down...

28 CFR 345.53 - Piecework rates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Piecework rates. 345.53 Section 345.53... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.53 Piecework rates. Piecework rates are... rates may be of two major types: individual piecework (in which an individual's pay goes up or down...

Decision Profiles of Mexican-Descent Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Georgianne

An exploratory study of decision-making in families of Mexican heritage was carried out in Phoenix, Arizona. A Normative model of decision rationality and measurement (Family Problem Instrument-FPI) was adapted from previous research. Tape-recorded data were provided by 27 families. Husbands and wives responded separately to family decision…

28 CFR 345.57 - Administrative pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Administrative pay. 345.57 Section 345.57... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.57 Administrative pay. An inmate excused from a job assignment may receive administrative pay for such circumstances as a general recall for an...

28 CFR 345.52 - Premium pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Premium pay. 345.52 Section 345.52... (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.52 Premium pay. Payment of premium pay to... inmates at a location. (a) Eligibility. Inmates in first grade pay status may be considered for premium...

28 CFR 345.67 - Retention of benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.67 Retention of benefits. (a) Job retention. Ordinarily, when an inmate is absent from the job for a significant period of time, the SOI will... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Retention of benefits. 345.67 Section 345...

Facilities Performance Indicators Report 2011-12: Tracking Your Facilities Vital Signs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

APPA: Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, 2013

2013-01-01

This paper provides an expanded Web-based "Facilities Performance Indicators (FPI) Report." The purpose of APPA's Facilities Performance Indicators is to provide a representative set of statistics about facilities in educational institutions. APPA's Information and Research Committee's goal for this year was to enhance the…

28 CFR 345.42 - Inmate worker dismissal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... worker dismissal. The SOI may remove an inmate from Industries work status in cooperation with the unit team. (a) The SOI may remove an inmate from FPI work status according to the conditions outlined in the pay and benefits section of this policy and in cooperation with the unit team. (b) An inmate may be...

FPI Cohort Reports: California State University System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quirk, Robert J.

2013-01-01

The California State University (CSU) system is the largest higher educational system in the United States. The system has physical assets valued at more than $20 billion (current replacement value) on the "State" side of the house alone. With over 1,200 buildings, and 50 million square foot of mixed-use space, the CSU facility managers…

28 CFR 345.81 - Pre-industrial training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... training is available and the worker has not completed both the skill training and orientation phases of... pre-industrial training is not available, new FPI assignees will receive on-the-job training in pre-industrial pay status for a period of at least 30 days before being promoted into available fourth grade jobs. ...

APPA Promotes Leadership in Energy and Sustainability with New FPI Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyce, Darryl K.

2012-01-01

Although sustainability best practices for buildings are generally well understood, campuses face unique challenges because they are developed to support a diverse community with a variety of facilities. From academic facilities and labs to residences and sports facilities, all operate under one organizational umbrella. This can make it difficult…

MMS Observations of Vorticity Near Sites of Magnetic Reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paterson, W. R.; Giles, B. L.; Avanov, L. A.; Boardsen, S. A.; Dorelli, J.; Gershman, D. J.; Mackler, D. A.; Moore, T. E.; Pollock, C. J.; Schiff, C.; Shuster, J. R.; Viñas, A. F.; Russell, C. T.; Strangeway, R. J.; Burch, J. L.; Torbert, R. B.

2017-12-01

With highly capable plasma instruments on four spacecraft flown in tetrahedral formation, it is possible for MMS investigators to approximate spatial derivatives of the plasma parameters observed. Here, we examine vorticity of the electron and ion components of the plasma computed from the curl of velocity as measured by the Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI). Vorticity of magnetospheric plasma has not previously been studied on scales of tens-of-km to less than 10 km, which are the typical inter-spacecraft separations for MMS. Nor has it been explored on time scales of 30 ms for electrons and 150 ms for ions, which are the burst data rates for the FPI spectrometers. Review of observations from the magnetopause and magnetotail phases of the mission finds increases in vorticity associated with near encounters with the electron diffusion region, with nearby regions of measurable current, and with elevated electron and ion temperatures. These are suggestive of a possible role for turbulence in magnetic reconnection. In this presentation we provide an assessment of the quality of these measurements and discuss their potential significance.

Numerical simulation of turbulent stratified flame propagation in a closed vessel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruselle, Catherine; Lartigue, Ghislain; Pepiot, Perrine; Moureau, Vincent; D'Angelo, Yves

2012-11-01

Reducing pollutants emissions while keeping a high combustion efficiency and a low fuel consumption is an important challenge for both gas turbine (GT) and internal combustion engines (ICE). To fulfill these new constraints, stratified combustion may constitute an efficient strategy. A tabulated chemistry approach based on FPI combined to a low-Mach number method is applied in the analysis of a turbulent propane-air flame with equivalence ratio (ER) stratification, which has been studied experimentally by Balusamy [S. Balusamy, Ph.D Thesis, INSA-Rouen (2010)]. Flame topology, along with flame velocity statistics, are well reproduced in the simulation, even if time-history effects are not accounted for in the tabulated approach. However, these effects may become significant when exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is introduced. To better quantify them, both ER and EGR-stratified two-dimensional flames are simulated using finite-rate chemistry and a semi-detailed mechanism for propane oxidation. The numerical implementation is first investigated in terms of efficiency and accuracy, with a focus on splitting errors. The resulting flames are then analyzed to investigate potential extensions of the FPI technique to EGR stratification.

Wavelength-switchable C-band erbium-doped fibre laser incorporating all-fibre Fabry-Perot interferometer fabricated by chemical etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Wei; Zhu, Lianqing; Dong, Mingli; Lou, Xiaoping; Luo, Fei

2018-04-01

A switchable and stable triple-wavelength, ring-cavity, erbium-doped fibre laser incorporating an all-fibre Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) is designed and experimentally demonstrated. In the proposed fibre laser, the all-fibre FPI is fabricated using the chemical etching method and is used to generate the filter effect. The laser threshold is 88 mW. Switchable single-wavelength lasing at 1529.9, 1545.1 and 1560.2 nm can be realized with a power fluctuation less than 0.64 dB under 20 min of scanning time at room temperature. In addition, the wavelength-switchable dual-wavelength lasers can be tuned by changing the polarization state in the experiment, and the maximum power fluctuations for the 1545.1 and 1560.2 nm lasers are less than 1.19 and 1.57 dB at 26 °C, respectively. Furthermore, a triple-wavelength laser is obtained by adjusting the polarization controller. The results demonstrate that switchable single-, dual-, or triple-wavelength lasers can be generated through the proposed fibre laser.

Influence of fiber bending on wavelength demodulation of fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometric sensors.

PubMed

Liu, Guigen; Sheng, Qiwen; Hou, Weilin; Han, Ming

2016-11-14

In practical applications of fiber optic sensors based on Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs), the lead-in optical fiber often experiences dynamic or static bending due to environmental perturbations or limited installation space. Bending introduces wavelength-dependent losses to the sensors, which can cause erroneous readings for sensors based on wavelength demodulation interrogation. Here, we investigate the bending-induced wavelength shift (BIWS) to sensors based on FPIs. Partially explicit expressions of BIWSs for the reflection fringe peaks and valleys have been derived for sensors based on low-finesse FPI. The theoretical model predicts these findings: 1) provided that a fringe peak experiences the same modulation slope by bending losses with a fringe valley, BIWSs for the peak and valley have opposite signs and the BIWS for the valley has a smaller absolute value; 2) BIWS is a linear function of the length of the bending section; 3) a FPI with higher visibility and longer optical path length is more resistant to the influence of bending. Experiments have been carried out and the results agree well with the theoretical predictions.

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

Loehle, Stefan; Lein, Sebastian

A revised scientific instrument to measure simultaneously kinetic temperatures of different atoms from their optical emission profile is reported. Emission lines are simultaneously detected using one single scanning Fabry-Perot-interferometer (FPI) for a combined spectroscopic setup to acquire different emission lines simultaneously. The setup consists in a commercial Czerny-Turner spectrometer configuration which is combined with a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer. The fast image acquisition mode of an intensified charge coupled device camera allows the detection of a wavelength interval of interest continuously while acquiring the highly resolved line during the scan of the FPI ramp. Results using this new setup are presentedmore » for the simultaneous detection of atomic nitrogen and oxygen in a high enthalpy air plasma flow as used for atmospheric re-entry research and their respective kinetic temperatures derived from the measured line profiles. The paper presents the experimental setup, the calibration procedure, and an exemplary result. The determined temperatures are different, a finding that has been published so far as due to a drawback of the experimental setup of sequential measurements, and which has now to be investigated in more detail.« less

A Francisella novicida pdpA mutant exhibits limited intracellular replication and remains associated with the lysosomal marker LAMP-1

PubMed Central

Schmerk, Crystal L.; Duplantis, Barry N.; Howard, Perry L.; Nano, Francis E.

2009-01-01

Several genes contained in the Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI) encode proteins needed for intracellular growth and virulence of Francisella tularensis. The pdpA gene is the first cistron in the larger of the two operons found in the FPI. In this work we studied the intracellular growth phenotype of a Francisella novicida mutant in the pdpA gene. The ΔpdpA strain was capable of a small amount of intracellular replication but, unlike wild-type F. novicida, remained associated with the lysosomal marker LAMP-1, suggesting that PdpA is necessary for progression from the early phagosome phase of infection. Strains with in cis complementation of the ΔpdpA lesion showed a restoration of intracellular growth to wild-type levels. Infection of macrophages with the ΔpdpA mutant generated a host-cell mRNA profile distinct from that generated by infection with wild-type F. novicida. The transcriptional response of the host macrophage indicates that PdpA functions directly or indirectly to suppress macrophage ability to signal via growth factors, cytokines and adhesion ligands. PMID:19372155

Increased CD147 (EMMPRIN) expression in the rat brain following traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Wei, Ming; Li, Hong; Shang, Yanguo; Zhou, Ziwei; Zhang, Jianning

2014-10-17

The extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), or CD147, has been known to play a key regulatory role in vascular permeability and leukocyte activation by inducing the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The effects of traumatic brain injury on the expression of EMMPRIN remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated changes in EMMPRIN expression in a rat model of fluid percussion injury (FPI) and examined the potential association between EMMPRIN and MMP-9 expression. Adult male rats were subjected to FPI. EMMPRIN expression was markedly up-regulated in the brain tissue surrounding the injured region 6-48 h after TBI, as measured by immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. EMMPRIN expression was localized to inflammatory cells. The increase in EMMPRIN expression was temporally correlated with an increase in MMP-9 levels. These data demonstrate, for the first time, changes in CD147 and MMP-9 expression following TBI. These data also suggest that CD147 and MMP-9 may play a role in vascular injuries after TBI. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reliability-Based Design Optimization of a Composite Airframe Component

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patnaik, Surya N.; Pai, Shantaram S.; Coroneos, Rula M.

2009-01-01

A stochastic design optimization methodology (SDO) has been developed to design components of an airframe structure that can be made of metallic and composite materials. The design is obtained as a function of the risk level, or reliability, p. The design method treats uncertainties in load, strength, and material properties as distribution functions, which are defined with mean values and standard deviations. A design constraint or a failure mode is specified as a function of reliability p. Solution to stochastic optimization yields the weight of a structure as a function of reliability p. Optimum weight versus reliability p traced out an inverted-S-shaped graph. The center of the inverted-S graph corresponded to 50 percent (p = 0.5) probability of success. A heavy design with weight approaching infinity could be produced for a near-zero rate of failure that corresponds to unity for reliability p (or p = 1). Weight can be reduced to a small value for the most failure-prone design with a reliability that approaches zero (p = 0). Reliability can be changed for different components of an airframe structure. For example, the landing gear can be designed for a very high reliability, whereas it can be reduced to a small extent for a raked wingtip. The SDO capability is obtained by combining three codes: (1) The MSC/Nastran code was the deterministic analysis tool, (2) The fast probabilistic integrator, or the FPI module of the NESSUS software, was the probabilistic calculator, and (3) NASA Glenn Research Center s optimization testbed CometBoards became the optimizer. The SDO capability requires a finite element structural model, a material model, a load model, and a design model. The stochastic optimization concept is illustrated considering an academic example and a real-life raked wingtip structure of the Boeing 767-400 extended range airliner made of metallic and composite materials.

In Flight Calibration of the Magnetospheric Multisale Mission Fast Plasma Investigation: Initial Flight Result

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrie, A.; Gliese, U.; Gershman, D. J.; Avanov, L. A.; Rager, A. C.; Pollock, C. J.; Dorelli, J.

2015-12-01

The Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) on the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) combines data from eight spectrometers, each with four deflection states, into a single map of the sky. Any systematic discontinuity, artifact, noise source, etc. present in this map may be incorrectly interpreted as legitimate data and incorrect conclusions reached. For this reason it is desirable to have all spectrometers return the same output for a given input, and for this output to be low in noise sources or other errors. While many missions use statistical analyses of data to calibrate instruments in flight, this process is difficult with FPI for two reasons: 1. Only a small fraction of high resolution data is downloaded to the ground due to bandwidth limitations and 2: The data that is downloaded is, by definition, scientifically interesting and therefore not ideal for calibration. FPI uses a suite of new tools to calibrate in flight. A new method for detection system ground calibration has been developed involving sweeping the detection threshold to fully define the pulse height distribution. This method has now been extended for use in flight as a means to calibrate MCP voltage and threshold (together forming the operating point) of the Dual Electron Spectrometers (DES) and Dual Ion Spectrometers (DIS). A method of comparing higher energy data (which has low fractional voltage error) to lower energy data (which has a higher fractional voltage error) will be used to calibrate the high voltage outputs. Finally, a comparison of pitch angle distributions will be used to find remaining discrepancies among sensors. Initial flight results from the four MMS observatories will be discussed here. Specifically, data from initial commissioning, inter-instrument cross calibration and interference testing, and initial Phase1A routine calibration results. Success and performance of the in flight calibration as well as deviation from the ground calibration will be discussed.

The flashing right turn signal with pedestrian indication : human factors studies to understand the potential of a new signal to increase awareness of and attention to crossing pedestrians.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

The flashing pedestrian indicator (FPI) is intended to alert turning drivers to the potential presence of : pedestrians in the roadway, facilitate scanning in the likely direction of pedestrians, and encourage caution and : yielding behavior in respo...

Systems Biology Approaches for Discovering Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

injury (FPI), in which injury is produced by the impact of a pendulum onto a fluid reservoir, or controlled cortical impact (CCI), in which a rigid...algorithm, and the MSigDB Web site in Table 3 allows users to run GSEA on up- loaded data. One drawback to GSEA and the hypergeometric test is that

76 FR 30573 - Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company (GE) GE90-110B1 and GE90-115B Turbofan Engines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-26

...) stages 2-5 spools installed. This proposed AD would require eddy current inspection (ECI) or spot... on the static seal. This proposed AD would require ECI or spot FPI of the stages 1-2 rotating seal... part 39 continues to read as follows: [[Page 30575

Methods Improvement of the Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection (FPI) Process.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

also affect his ability. There has bieen recetnt eff’o to automiate V14. unfo~rtunatelyv, the humnan factors of’ F14I currentl lv cannot be replaced liY...control, and (6) human factors like variability of training, experience, and job interest. TECHNICAL APPROACH The objective of’ Phase II was to evaluate

Probability theory, not the very guide of life.

PubMed

Juslin, Peter; Nilsson, Håkan; Winman, Anders

2009-10-01

Probability theory has long been taken as the self-evident norm against which to evaluate inductive reasoning, and classical demonstrations of violations of this norm include the conjunction error and base-rate neglect. Many of these phenomena require multiplicative probability integration, whereas people seem more inclined to linear additive integration, in part, at least, because of well-known capacity constraints on controlled thought. In this article, the authors show with computer simulations that when based on approximate knowledge of probabilities, as is routinely the case in natural environments, linear additive integration can yield as accurate estimates, and as good average decision returns, as estimates based on probability theory. It is proposed that in natural environments people have little opportunity or incentive to induce the normative rules of probability theory and, given their cognitive constraints, linear additive integration may often offer superior bounded rationality.

The Relationship with Balance, Foot Posture, and Foot Size in School of Physical Education and Sports Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irez, Gonul Babayigit

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of foot posture and foot size with balance. A hundred and thirteen healthy volunteers were recruited from undergraduate students (Male = 74, Female = 37, age range 18-22). The Foot Posture Index (FPI-6), anthropometric measurements, dynamic balance and static balance measurements were done…

A Parent-Mediated Intervention that Targets Responsive Parental Behaviors Increases Attachment Behaviors in Children with ASD: Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siller, Michael; Swanson, Meghan; Gerber, Alan; Hutman, Ted; Sigman, Marian

2014-01-01

The current study is a randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of Focused Playtime Intervention (FPI) in a sample of 70 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This parent-mediated intervention has previously been shown to significantly increase responsive parental communication (Siller et al. in "J Autism Dev Disord"…

78 FR 16479 - Acquisition of Items for Which Federal Prison Industries Has a Significant Market Share

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-15

... Federal Prison Industries Has a Significant Market Share AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION... Industries' share of the DoD Market is greater than five percent. DATES: Effective Date: April 5, 2013. FOR... list of product categories for which FPI's share of the DoD market was greater than five percent, based...

Dual-fission chamber and neutron beam characterization for fission product yield measurements using monoenergetic neutrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatia, C.; Fallin, B.; Gooden, M. E.; Howell, C. R.; Kelley, J. H.; Tornow, W.; Arnold, C. W.; Bond, E. M.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Fowler, M. M.; Moody, W. A.; Rundberg, R. S.; Rusev, G.; Vieira, D. J.; Wilhelmy, J. B.; Becker, J. A.; Macri, R.; Ryan, C.; Sheets, S. A.; Stoyer, M. A.; Tonchev, A. P.

2014-09-01

A program has been initiated to measure the energy dependence of selected high-yield fission products used in the analysis of nuclear test data. We present out initial work of neutron activation using a dual-fission chamber with quasi-monoenergetic neutrons and gamma-counting method. Quasi-monoenergetic neutrons of energies from 0.5 to 15 MeV using the TUNL 10 MV FM tandem to provide high-precision and self-consistent measurements of fission product yields (FPY). The final FPY results will be coupled with theoretical analysis to provide a more fundamental understanding of the fission process. To accomplish this goal, we have developed and tested a set of dual-fission ionization chambers to provide an accurate determination of the number of fissions occurring in a thick target located in the middle plane of the chamber assembly. Details of the fission chamber and its performance are presented along with neutron beam production and characterization. Also presented are studies on the background issues associated with room-return and off-energy neutron production. We show that the off-energy neutron contribution can be significant, but correctable, while room-return neutron background levels contribute less than <1% to the fission signal.

Personality, depression, and premorbid lifestyle in twin pairs discordant for Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Heberlein, I.; Ludin, H.; Scholz, J.; Vieregge, P.

1998-01-01

Present personality traits (Freiburg personality inventory, FPI-R), depression (von Zerssen's depression scale), and self assessed state of health were evaluated in 15 twin pairs (six monozygotic and nine dizygotic; mean age 62.5 years) discordant for idiopathic Parkinson's disease and in 17 unrelated healthy control subjects. The twins had additional questionnaire based interviews on premorbid lifestyle.
For disability, twins with Parkinson's disease scored lower on FPI-R than controls in "achievement orientation" and "extraversion", higher in "inhibitedness", "somatic complaints", and "emotionality". They scored higher for depression and for state of health than unaffected twins and controls. For zygosity, monozygotic twins scored lower than dizygotic twins in "achievement orientation", "aggressiveness", and "strain". Monozygotic twins had less "achievement orientation" and "extraversion" and more "somatic complaints" than controls. Monozygotic twins had a lower within pair difference than dizygotic twins in "social orientation". During premorbid times the affected twin with later Parkinson's disease was estimated to have been "less often the leader" in the twin pair.
Although small in sample size, this twin study indicates a genetic impact for some personality features beyond the Parkinson's disease motor syndrome.

 PMID:9489545

Widely tunable laser frequency offset lock with 30 GHz range and 5 THz offset.

PubMed

Biesheuvel, J; Noom, D W E; Salumbides, E J; Sheridan, K T; Ubachs, W; Koelemeij, J C J

2013-06-17

We demonstrate a simple and versatile method to greatly extend the tuning range of optical frequency shifting devices, such as acousto-optic modulators (AOMs). We use this method to stabilize the frequency of a tunable narrow-band continuous-wave (CW) laser to a transmission maximum of an external Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with a tunable frequency offset. This is achieved through a servo loop which contains an in-loop AOM for simple radiofrequency (RF) tuning of the optical frequency over the full 30 GHz mode-hop-free tuning range of the CW laser. By stabilizing the length of the FPI to a stabilized helium-neon (HeNe) laser (at 5 THz offset from the tunable laser) we simultaneously transfer the ~ 1 MHz absolute frequency stability of the HeNe laser to the entire 30 GHz range of the tunable laser. Thus, our method allows simple, wide-range, fast and reproducible optical frequency tuning and absolute optical frequency measurements through RF electronics, which is here demonstrated by repeatedly recording a 27-GHz-wide molecular iodine spectrum at scan rates up to 500 MHz/s. General technical aspects that determine the performance of the method are discussed in detail.

Analytical Modelling of a Refractive Index Sensor Based on an Intrinsic Micro Fabry-Perot Interferometer

PubMed Central

Vargas-Rodriguez, Everardo; Guzman-Chavez, Ana D.; Cano-Contreras, Martin; Gallegos-Arellano, Eloisa; Jauregui-Vazquez, Daniel; Hernández-García, Juan C.; Estudillo-Ayala, Julian M.; Rojas-Laguna, Roberto

2015-01-01

In this work a refractive index sensor based on a combination of the non-dispersive sensing (NDS) and the Tunable Laser Spectroscopy (TLS) principles is presented. Here, in order to have one reference and one measurement channel a single-beam dual-path configuration is used for implementing the NDS principle. These channels are monitored with a couple of identical optical detectors which are correlated to calculate the overall sensor response, called here the depth of modulation. It is shown that this is useful to minimize drifting errors due to source power variations. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of a refractive index sensing setup, based on an intrinsic micro Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) is described. Here, the changes over the FPI pattern as the exit refractive index is varied are analytically modelled by using the characteristic matrix method. Additionally, our simulated results are supported by experimental measurements which are also provided. Finally it is shown that by using this principle a simple refractive index sensor with a resolution in the order of 2.15 × 10−4 RIU can be implemented by using a couple of standard and low cost photodetectors. PMID:26501277

Relationship between static foot posture and foot mobility

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background It is not uncommon for a person's foot posture and/or mobility to be assessed during a clinical examination. The exact relationship, however, between static posture and mobility is not known. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of association between static foot posture and mobility. Method The static foot posture and foot mobility of 203 healthy individuals was assessed and then analyzed to determine if low arched or "pronated" feet are more mobile than high arched or "supinated" feet. Results The study demonstrated that those individuals with a lower standing dorsal arch height and/or a wider standing midfoot width had greater mobility in their foot. In addition, those individuals with higher Foot Posture Index (FPI) values demonstrated greater mobility and those with lower FPI values demonstrated less mobility. Finally, the amount of foot mobility that an individual has can be predicted reasonably well using either a 3 or 4 variable linear regression model. Conclusions Because of the relationship between static foot posture and mobility, it is recommended that both be assessed as part of a comprehensive evaluation of a individual with foot problems. PMID:21244705

Analytical modelling of a refractive index sensor based on an intrinsic micro Fabry-Perot interferometer.

PubMed

Vargas-Rodriguez, Everardo; Guzman-Chavez, Ana D; Cano-Contreras, Martin; Gallegos-Arellano, Eloisa; Jauregui-Vazquez, Daniel; Hernández-García, Juan C; Estudillo-Ayala, Julian M; Rojas-Laguna, Roberto

2015-10-15

In this work a refractive index sensor based on a combination of the non-dispersive sensing (NDS) and the Tunable Laser Spectroscopy (TLS) principles is presented. Here, in order to have one reference and one measurement channel a single-beam dual-path configuration is used for implementing the NDS principle. These channels are monitored with a couple of identical optical detectors which are correlated to calculate the overall sensor response, called here the depth of modulation. It is shown that this is useful to minimize drifting errors due to source power variations. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of a refractive index sensing setup, based on an intrinsic micro Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) is described. Here, the changes over the FPI pattern as the exit refractive index is varied are analytically modelled by using the characteristic matrix method. Additionally, our simulated results are supported by experimental measurements which are also provided. Finally it is shown that by using this principle a simple refractive index sensor with a resolution in the order of 2.15 × 10(-4) RIU can be implemented by using a couple of standard and low cost photodetectors.

An information diffusion technique to assess integrated hazard risks.

PubMed

Huang, Chongfu; Huang, Yundong

2018-02-01

An integrated risk is a scene in the future associated with some adverse incident caused by multiple hazards. An integrated probability risk is the expected value of disaster. Due to the difficulty of assessing an integrated probability risk with a small sample, weighting methods and copulas are employed to avoid this obstacle. To resolve the problem, in this paper, we develop the information diffusion technique to construct a joint probability distribution and a vulnerability surface. Then, an integrated risk can be directly assessed by using a small sample. A case of an integrated risk caused by flood and earthquake is given to show how the suggested technique is used to assess the integrated risk of annual property loss. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Low Latitude Aeronomy Study in Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-09

In our first attempt, we went to Cape Verde Atmospheric Observatory, which is a British and German joint atmospheric research facility. The...facility has reliable power and internet link. The project PI went to Cape Verde and deployed the instrument at the observatory (Figure 3). However...After careful consideration, we decide to take the instrument back to NCAR. Figure 3. The small FPI (left) and Cape Verde Atmospheric

77 FR 40479 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Corporation Turboshaft Engines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-10

... inspection (FPI) on certain 3rd and 4th stage turbine wheels for cracks in the turbine blades. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of 3rd or 4th stage turbine wheel blades which could cause engine failure... certain 3rd and 4th stage turbine wheels for cracks in the turbine blades. Comments We gave the public the...

Women in water management: the need for local planning.

PubMed

Bhatt, M R

1995-08-01

This article on women's role in water resource management is based on a paper delivered at a seminar organized at the Water and Land Management Institute in Anand, India, in 1994. The article reflects Family Planning International's (FPI) experience in community-based water resource development. Most analyses of village and household water management data exclude women's role. The reasons are identified as the lack of inclusion of women's thinking in land-development research and planning, the dominance of males in planning and consequent male assumptions made about women's work and use of water, the lack of valuation of the nonmonetary nature of women's relationship to water, and the ease of ignoring women. Women's roles that are obstacles to inclusion in research and planning are identified as the lack of effective women's lobbies, the undervaluation by women of their work, and the lack of professional recognition of women as potential users of water or spokespersons for more than their own self-interests as women. National water policies are shifting to community-based management because local authorities are in daily contact with users, of whom about 50% are women. Historically national policy shifted from attention to distribution of investments in the water sector to reorganization of water agencies and to building up the capacity of private or voluntary agencies. The local context allows for more efficient and effective responses to local conditions. Local institutions and groups are better equipped to solicit local participation. One primary lesson learned by FPI is that local water resource planning is very important in strengthening the economic and individual capacity of poor people in underdeveloped areas. FPI's experience in Mahesana, Banaskantha, and Sabarkantha in Gujarat state supports this lesson learned. Water resource development policies resulted in mixed outcomes, and national control has been inefficient and disrespectful to local authorities. Another obstacle in Gujarat to water resource development is identified as increased demand for public water services and inadequate provision of services due to remoteness of the area and financial limitations of central agencies. Infrastructure is poorly maintained.

Identification of Francisella novicida mutants that fail to induce prostaglandin E2 synthesis by infected macrophages

PubMed Central

Woolard, Matthew D.; Barrigan, Lydia M.; Fuller, James R.; Buntzman, Adam S.; Bryan, Joshua; Manoil, Colin; Kawula, Thomas H.; Frelinger, Jeffrey A.

2013-01-01

Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of tularemia. We have previously shown that infection with F. tularensis Live Vaccine Strain (LVS) induces macrophages to synthesize prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Synthesis of PGE2 by F. tularensis infected macrophages results in decreased T cell proliferation in vitro and increased bacterial survival in vivo. Although we understand some of the biological consequences of F. tularensis induced PGE2 synthesis by macrophages, we do not understand the cellular pathways (neither host nor bacterial) that result in up-regulation of the PGE2 biosynthetic pathway in F. tularensis infected macrophages. We took a genetic approach to begin to understand the molecular mechanisms of bacterial induction of PGE2 synthesis from infected macrophages. To identify F. tularensis genes necessary for the induction of PGE2 in primary macrophages, we infected cells with individual mutants from the closely related strain F. tularensis subspecies novicida U112 (U112) two allele mutant library. Twenty genes were identified that when disrupted resulted in U112 mutant strains unable to induce the synthesis of PGE2 by infected macrophages. Fourteen of the genes identified are located within the Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI). Genes in the FPI are required for F. tularensis to escape from the phagosome and replicate in the cytosol, which might account for the failure of U112 with transposon insertions within the FPI to induce PGE2. This implies that U112 mutant strains that do not grow intracellularly would also not induce PGE2. We found that U112 clpB::Tn grows within macrophages yet fails to induce PGE2, while U112 pdpA::Tn does not grow yet does induce PGE2. We also found that U112 iglC::Tn neither grows nor induces PGE2. These findings indicate that there is dissociation between intracellular growth and the ability of F. tularensis to induce PGE2 synthesis. These mutants provide a critical entrée into the pathways used in the host for PGE2 induction. PMID:23403609

Think tanks and influence on US foreign policy: The people and the ideas

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-26

Strategic and International Studies CSP Center for Security Policy DLC Democratic Leadership Council FPI Foreign Policy Initiative IISS International...1977) followed in the same vein. The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI)(1989), established as the research element of the Democratic Leadership Council...President of the United States, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) was established as a think tank for the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC). It

76 FR 65997 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-535 Series Turbofan Engines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-25

... (FPI) of the low-pressure (LP) turbine stage 1, 2, and 3 discs to detect cracks in the discs. Since we... detect cracks in the LP turbine stage 1, 2, and 3 discs, which could result in an uncontained release of... inspection of the LP turbine stage 1, 2, and 3 discs. That AD resulted from several findings of cracking at...

Air Force Intelligence Role in Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction (Maxwell Paper, Number 39)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

Zielinski , National Counterproliferation Center chief of staff, interview by the author, 3 February 2006. 42...Col Joe Pridotkas, NASIC/CC, interview by the author, 28 Febru- ary 2006. 29 78. Report to the President, 6. 79. Sandi Zielinski , National...Force C-CBRNE Master Plan, 30 June 2004, 5. 84. Dave Coffey, Air Combat Command IS/FPI, interview by the author, 2 February 2006. 85. Col

The Influence of Plantar Short Foot Muscle Exercises on Foot Posture and Fundamental Movement Patterns in Long-Distance Runners, a Non-Randomized, Non-Blinded Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Sulowska, Iwona; Oleksy, Łukasz; Mika, Anna; Bylina, Dorota; Sołtan, Jarosław

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of two kinds of plantar short foot muscles exercise on foot posture and fundamental movement patterns in long-distance runners. A parallel group non-blinded trial with 6-week follow-up. Twenty five long-distance runners aged 22-35 years. They were divided into two groups. In group 1 (n = 13) subjects performed the exercise "Vele's Forward Lean" and "Reverse Tandem Gait" and in Group 2 (n = 12) the "Short Foot Exercise." The runners performed the exercises daily for 6 weeks. The Foot Posture Index (FPI-6) and The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) tests were performed twice: at baseline and after 6 weeks of the exercise. A significant improvement was observed in FPI -6 (talar head palpation in Group 1, and inversion/eversion of the calcaneus in Group 2). Also in Group 1 a significant improvement was noted in FMS tests: deep squat, active straight leg raise and in total score. Short foot muscles strengthening exercises have beneficial effect on functional movement patterns and on foot posture, therefore they should be included as a part of daily training program of runners. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615001200572.

Evaluation of safety and efficacy of a fixed olmesartan/amlodipine combination therapy compared to single monotherapies.

PubMed

Derosa, Giuseppe; Cicero, Arrigo Francesco Giuseppe; Carbone, Anna; Querci, Fabrizio; Fogari, Elena; D'Angelo, Angela; Maffioli, Pamela

2013-09-01

Hypertension is known to be one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a fixed olmesartan/amlodipine (Olme/Amlo) combination in improving blood pressure control, lipid profile, insulin sensitivity and some inflammatory and insulin resistance markers. Two hundred and seventy-six hypertensive patients were randomly assigned to olmesartan 20 mg, amlodipine 10 mg or a single pill containing an Olme/Amlo combination 20/5 mg for 12 months. We evaluated after 6 and 12 months: body weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting plasma insulin (FPI), lipid profile, vaspin, visfatin, interleukins 8 and 10 (IL-8 and IL-10, respectively). Patients also underwent an euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamp. Olme/Amlo combination was more effective in decreasing SBP, and DPB compared to single monotherapies after 12 months. Olme/Amlo combination, but not amlodipine, decreased FPG after 12 months. FPI and HOMA index were decreased, and M value increased by Olme/Amlo combination compared to olmesartan monotherapy, and to amlodipine monotherapy. Olme/Amlo significantly decreased IL-8 and IL-10 better than each monotherapy. Olme/Amlo single pill combination can be a safe and effective option to reduce blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity and decrease inflammatory markers.

Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission Examination of Stress Balance in FTE-Type Flux Ropes at the Earth's Magnetopause

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhavan-Tafti, M.; Slavin, J. A.; Le, G.; Eastwood, J. P.; Strangeway, R. J.; Russell, C. T.; Nakamura, R.; Baumjohann, W.; Torbert, R. B.; Giles, B. L.; Gershman, D. J.; Burch, J. L.

2016-12-01

Determining the magnetic field structure, electric currents, and plasma distribution within flux transfer event (FTE)-type flux ropes is critical to the understanding of their origin, evolution, and dynamics. We analyze FTEs observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission in the vicinity of the sub-solar magnetopause, i.e. 12 ± 22.5' Local Time and XGSM > 7 RE. High-resolution data from the Fluxgate Magnetometer (FGM) and Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) are used to determine and compare the extent to which large (> 1 RE) and small (ion scale) diameter FTEs are force-free, i.e. J×B=0, or non-force-free, i.e. J×B= gradP. Three independent methods are used: i) current density parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field derived from the plasma measurements or magnetic field using the curlometer technique; ii) direct measurement of the plasma pressure gradient by FPI; and iii) fitting magnetic field to force-free (J=αB) flux rope models. Our initial results indicate that the plasma content of the ion-scale FTEs often exceeds that of larger FTEs. This results in higher plasma pressure gradients inside smaller FTEs and a magnetic field that is less force-free than the larger flux ropes.

The Impact of Personality Traits on the Outcome of Total Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Giurea, A; Fraberger, G; Kolbitsch, P; Lass, R; Schneider, E; Kubista, B; Windhager, R

2016-01-01

Ten to twenty percent of patients with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are dissatisfied with their clinical outcome. Aim of this study was to investigate the impact of personality traits on the subjective outcome of TKA. We investigated 80 patients with 86 computer navigated TKAs. We asked for patients satisfaction and divided patients into two groups (satisfied or dissatisfied). 12 personality traits were tested by the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI-R). Postoperative examination included Knee Society Score (KSS), Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Radiologic investigation was done in all patients. 84% of our patients were satisfied, while 16% were not satisfied. The FPI-R showed statistical significant influence of four personality traits on patient satisfaction: life satisfaction (p = 0.006), performance orientation (p = 0.015), somatic distress (p = 0.001), and emotional stability (p = 0.002). All clinical scores (VAS, WOMAC, and KSS) showed significantly better results in the satisfied patient. Radiological examination showed optimal alignment of all TKAs. There were no complications requiring revision surgery. The results of our study show that personality traits may influence patients satisfaction and clinical outcome after TKA. Therefore patients personality traits may be a useful predictive factor for postoperative satisfaction after TKA.

Characterization of Two Novel Polyomaviruses of Birds by Using Multiply Primed Rolling-Circle Amplification of Their Genomes

PubMed Central

Johne, Reimar; Wittig, Walter; Fernández-de-Luco, Daniel; Höfle, Ursula; Müller, Hermann

2006-01-01

Polyomaviruses are small nonenveloped particles with a circular double-stranded genome, approximately 5 kbp in size. The mammalian polyomaviruses mainly cause persistent subclinical infections in their natural nonimmunocompromised hosts. In contrast, the polyomaviruses of birds—avian polyomavirus (APV) and goose hemorrhagic polyomavirus (GHPV)—are the primary agents of acute and chronic disease with high mortality rates in young birds. Screening of field samples of diseased birds by consensus PCR revealed the presence of two novel polyomaviruses in the liver of an Eurasian bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula griseiventris) and in the spleen of a Eurasian jackdaw (Corvus monedula), tentatively designated as finch polyomavirus (FPyV) and crow polyomavirus (CPyV), respectively. The genomes of the viruses were amplified by using multiply primed rolling-circle amplification and cloned. Analysis of the FPyV and CPyV genome sequences revealed a close relationship to APV and GHPV, indicating the existence of a distinct avian group among the polyomaviruses. The main characteristics of this group are (i) involvement in fatal disease, (ii) the existence of an additional open reading frame in the 5′ region of the late mRNAs, and (iii) a different manner of DNA binding of the large tumor antigen compared to that of the mammalian polyomaviruses. PMID:16537620

The Impact of Personality Traits on the Outcome of Total Knee Arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Giurea, A.; Fraberger, G.; Kolbitsch, P.; Lass, R.; Schneider, E.; Kubista, B.; Windhager, R.

2016-01-01

Ten to twenty percent of patients with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are dissatisfied with their clinical outcome. Aim of this study was to investigate the impact of personality traits on the subjective outcome of TKA. We investigated 80 patients with 86 computer navigated TKAs. We asked for patients satisfaction and divided patients into two groups (satisfied or dissatisfied). 12 personality traits were tested by the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI-R). Postoperative examination included Knee Society Score (KSS), Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Radiologic investigation was done in all patients. 84% of our patients were satisfied, while 16% were not satisfied. The FPI-R showed statistical significant influence of four personality traits on patient satisfaction: life satisfaction (p = 0.006), performance orientation (p = 0.015), somatic distress (p = 0.001), and emotional stability (p = 0.002). All clinical scores (VAS, WOMAC, and KSS) showed significantly better results in the satisfied patient. Radiological examination showed optimal alignment of all TKAs. There were no complications requiring revision surgery. The results of our study show that personality traits may influence patients satisfaction and clinical outcome after TKA. Therefore patients personality traits may be a useful predictive factor for postoperative satisfaction after TKA. PMID:26989686

Kinetic-scale fluctuations resolved with the Fast Plasma Investigation on NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gershman, D. J.; Figueroa-Vinas, A.; Dorelli, J.; Goldstein, M. L.; Shuster, J. R.; Avanov, L. A.; Boardsen, S. A.; Stawarz, J. E.; Schwartz, S. J.; Schiff, C.; Lavraud, B.; Saito, Y.; Paterson, W. R.; Giles, B. L.; Pollock, C. J.; Strangeway, R. J.; Russell, C. T.; Torbert, R. B.; Moore, T. E.; Burch, J. L.

2017-12-01

Measurements from the Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) on NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission have enabled unprecedented analyses of kinetic-scale plasma physics. FPI regularly provides estimates of current density and pressure gradients of sufficient accuracy to evaluate the relative contribution of terms in plasma equations of motion. In addition, high-resolution three-dimensional velocity distribution functions of both ions and electrons provide new insights into kinetic-scale processes. As an example, for a monochromatic kinetic Alfven wave (KAW) we find non-zero, but out-of-phase parallel current density and electric field fluctuations, providing direct confirmation of the conservative energy exchange between the wave field and particles. In addition, we use fluctuations in current density and magnetic field to calculate the perpendicular and parallel wavelengths of the KAW. Furthermore, examination of the electron velocity distribution inside the KAW reveals a population of electrons non-linearly trapped in the kinetic-scale magnetic mirror formed between successive wave peaks. These electrons not only contribute to the wave's parallel electric field but also account for over half of the density fluctuations within the wave, supplying an unexpected mechanism for maintaining quasi-neutrality in a KAW. Finally, we demonstrate that the employed wave vector determination technique is also applicable to broadband fluctuations found in Earth's turbulent magnetosheath.

Three-dimensional photoacoustic imaging of vascular anatomy in small animals using an optical detection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Edward Z.; Laufer, Jan; Beard, Paul

2007-02-01

A 3D photoacoustic imaging instrument for characterising small animal models of human disease processes has been developed. The system comprises an OPO excitation source and a backward-mode planar ultrasound imaging head based upon a Fabry Perot polymer film sensing interferometer (FPI). The mirrors of the latter are transparent between 590 - 1200nm but highly reflective between 1500-1600nm. This enables nanosecond excitation laser pulses in the former wavelength range, where biological tissues are relatively transparent, to be transmitted through the sensor head into the tissue. The resulting photoacoustic signals arrive at the sensor where they modulate the optical thickness of the FPI and therefore its reflectivity. By scanning a CW focused interrogating laser beam at 1550nm across the surface of the sensor, the spatial-temporal distribution of the photoacoustic signals can therefore be mapped in 2D enabling a 3D photoacoustic image to be reconstructed. To demonstrate the application of the system to imaging small animals such as mice, 3D images of the vascular anatomy of the mouse brain and the microvasculature in the skin around the abdomen were obtained non invasively. It is considered that this system provides a practical alternative to photoacoustic scanners based upon piezoelectric detectors for high resolution non invasive small animal imaging.

Ultrafast High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Finger Pore Imaging in Latent Finger Prints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsner, Christian; Abel, Bernd

2014-11-01

Latent finger prints (LFPs) are deposits of sweat components in ridge and groove patterns, left after human fingers contact with a surface. Being important targets in biometry and forensic investigations they contain more information than topological patterns. With laser desorption mass spectrometry imaging (LD-MSI) we record `three-dimensional' finger prints with additional chemical information as the third dimension. Here we show the potential of fast finger pore imaging (FPI) in latent finger prints employing LD-MSI without a classical matrix in a high- spatial resolution mode. Thin films of gold rapidly sputtered on top of the sample are used for desorption. FPI employing an optical image for rapid spatial orientation and guiding of the desorption laser enables the rapid analysis of individual finger pores, and the chemical composition of their excretions. With this approach we rapidly detect metabolites, drugs, and characteristic excretions from the inside of the human organism by a minimally-invasive strategy, and distinguish them from chemicals in contact with fingers without any labeling. The fast finger pore imaging, analysis, and screening approach opens the door for a vast number of novel applications in such different fields as forensics, doping and medication control, therapy, as well as rapid profiling of individuals.

Milk yield, quality, and coagulation properties of 6 breeds of goats: Environmental and individual variability.

PubMed

Vacca, Giuseppe M; Stocco, Giorgia; Dettori, Maria L; Pira, Emanuela; Bittante, Giovanni; Pazzola, Michele

2018-05-09

Goat milk and cheese production is continuously increasing and milk composition and coagulation properties (MCP) are useful tools to predict cheesemaking aptitude. The present study was planned to investigate the extension of lactodynamographic analysis up to 60 min in goat milk, to measure the farm and individual factors, and to investigate differences among 6 goat breeds. Daily milk yield (dMY) was recorded and milk samples collected from 1,272 goats reared in 35 farms. Goats were of 6 different breeds: Saanen and Camosciata delle Alpi for the Alpine type, and Murciano-Granadina, Maltese, Sarda, and Sarda Primitiva for the Mediterranean type. Milk composition (fat, protein, lactose, pH; somatic cell score; logarithmic bacterial count) and MCP [rennet coagulation time (RCT, min), curd-firming time (k 20 , min), curd firmness at 30, 45, and 60 min after rennet addition (a 30 , a 45 , and a 60 , mm)] were recorded, and daily fat and protein yield (dFPY g/d) was calculated as the sum of fat and protein concentration multiplied by the dMY. Data were analyzed using different statistical models to measure the effects of farm, parity, stage of lactation and breed; lastly, the direct and the indirect effect of breed were quantified by comparing the variance of breed from models with or without the inclusion of linear regression of fat, protein, lactose, pH, bacterial, somatic cell counts, and dMY. Orthogonal contrasts were performed to compare least squares means. Almost all traits exhibited high variability, with coefficients of variation between 32 (for RCT) and 63% (for a 30 ). The proportion of variance regarding dMY, dFPY, and milk composition due to the farm was moderate, whereas for MCP it was low, except for a 60 , at 69%. Parity affected both yield and quality traits of milk, with least squares means of dMY and dFPY showing an increase and RCT and curd firmness traits a decrease from the first to the last parity class. All milk quality traits, excluding fat, were affected by the stage of lactation; RCT and k 20 decreased rapidly and a 30 was higher from the first to the last part of lactation. Alpine breeds showed the highest dMY and dFPY but Mediterranean the best percentage of protein, fat, and lactose and a shorter k 20 and a greater a 30 . Among the Mediterranean goats, Murciano-Granadina goats had the highest milk yield, fat, and protein contents, whereas Maltese, Sarda, and Sarda Primitiva were characterized by much more favorable technological properties in terms of k 20 , a 30 , and a 45 . In conclusion, as both the farm and individual factors highly influenced milk composition and MCP traits, improvements of these traits should be based both on modifying management and individual goat factors. As expected, several differences were attributable to the breed effect, with the best milk production for the Alpines and milk quality and coagulation for the Mediterranean goats. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Project Management and Systems Engineering Guide. Second Edition

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-30

depend on the type of requirement. In general, opera- tional requirements will fall into one of the following categories : 1. Replacement of an existing...Warranty service and maintenance contracts also fall into this support category . The planning for phase-in type support must be accomplished during the...fixed-price incentive (FPI). The second general category of contracts is cost reimbursement. Under a cost- type contract, the product is not paid for on

Fiber-Optic Anemometer Based on Silicon Fabry-Perot Interferometer

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-05

finding vast applications in all kinds of industrial processes, such as process control, food quality surveillance, wind turbines , environment...stronger flow ( wind ), which induces a decrease in the optical path of the silicon FPI, which lead to blueshifts the output spectrum. A higher wind ...Experimental results demonstrate that a wavelength shift -0.574 nm was observed for a wind speed of 4 m/s. Better sensitivity is to be expected when

FAA Air Traffic Activity, Fiscal Year 1979,

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-09-30

266 43631 I6UIUALL OR M 189 60697 SANTA MAkTA PUBLIC CA N 269 93128 MCIthk IL 5 190 60510 TEXARKANA AR N 710 ,3099 TULLU KAFALSS OH 5 191 6976 ALION...TMAN.DAO CO FPI5 2119 1221 LAFAVEllt LA I-SI 206 4003 VALUE I AK CS/I 206 At𔃺 LOBBOCK IIS *SS 2017 3959 iNN DALLA S OM P55 2B9 Ills BRUNSWICK bAINi

Reducing the Risk of Human Space Missions with INTEGRITY

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry W.; Dillon-Merill, Robin L.; Tri, Terry O.; Henninger, Donald L.

2003-01-01

The INTEGRITY Program will design and operate a test bed facility to help prepare for future beyond-LEO missions. The purpose of INTEGRITY is to enable future missions by developing, testing, and demonstrating advanced human space systems. INTEGRITY will also implement and validate advanced management techniques including risk analysis and mitigation. One important way INTEGRITY will help enable future missions is by reducing their risk. A risk analysis of human space missions is important in defining the steps that INTEGRITY should take to mitigate risk. This paper describes how a Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) of human space missions will help support the planning and development of INTEGRITY to maximize its benefits to future missions. PRA is a systematic methodology to decompose the system into subsystems and components, to quantify the failure risk as a function of the design elements and their corresponding probability of failure. PRA provides a quantitative estimate of the probability of failure of the system, including an assessment and display of the degree of uncertainty surrounding the probability. PRA provides a basis for understanding the impacts of decisions that affect safety, reliability, performance, and cost. Risks with both high probability and high impact are identified as top priority. The PRA of human missions beyond Earth orbit will help indicate how the risk of future human space missions can be reduced by integrating and testing systems in INTEGRITY.

Impulsive synchronization of Markovian jumping randomly coupled neural networks with partly unknown transition probabilities via multiple integral approach.

PubMed

Chandrasekar, A; Rakkiyappan, R; Cao, Jinde

2015-10-01

This paper studies the impulsive synchronization of Markovian jumping randomly coupled neural networks with partly unknown transition probabilities via multiple integral approach. The array of neural networks are coupled in a random fashion which is governed by Bernoulli random variable. The aim of this paper is to obtain the synchronization criteria, which is suitable for both exactly known and partly unknown transition probabilities such that the coupled neural network is synchronized with mixed time-delay. The considered impulsive effects can be synchronized at partly unknown transition probabilities. Besides, a multiple integral approach is also proposed to strengthen the Markovian jumping randomly coupled neural networks with partly unknown transition probabilities. By making use of Kronecker product and some useful integral inequalities, a novel Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional was designed for handling the coupled neural network with mixed delay and then impulsive synchronization criteria are solvable in a set of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, numerical examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and advantages of the theoretical results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

All-optical non-mechanical fiber-coupled sensor for liquid- and airborne sound detection.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohringer, Wolfgang; Preißer, Stefan; Fischer, Balthasar

2017-04-01

Most fiber-optic devices for pressure, strain or temperature measurements are based on measuring the mechanical deformation of the optical fiber by various techniques. While excellently suited for detecting strain, pressure or structure-borne sound, their sensitivity to liquid- and airborne sound is so far not comparable with conventional capacitive microphones or piezoelectric hydrophones. Here, we present an all-optical acoustic sensor which relies on the detection of pressure-induced changes of the optical refractive index inside a rigid, millimeter-sized, fiber-coupled Fabry-Pérot interferometer (FPI). No mechanically movable or deformable parts take part in the signal transduction chain. Therefore, due to the absence of mechanical resonances, this sensing principle allows for high sensitivity as well as a flat frequency response over an extraordinary measurement bandwidth. As a fiber-coupled device, it can be integrated easily into already available distributed fiber-optic networks for geophysical sensing. We present characterization measurements demonstrating the sensitivity, frequency response and directivity of the device for sound and ultrasound detection in air and water. We show that low-frequency temperature and pressure drifts can be recorded in addition to acoustic sensing. Finally, selected application tests of the laser-based hydrophone and microphone implementation are presented.

Advances in miniature spectrometer and sensor development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinen, Jouko; Rissanen, Anna; Saari, Heikki; Karioja, Pentti; Karppinen, Mikko; Aalto, Timo; Tukkiniemi, Kari

2014-05-01

Miniaturization and cost reduction of spectrometer and sensor technologies has great potential to open up new applications areas and business opportunities for analytical technology in hand held, mobile and on-line applications. Advances in microfabrication have resulted in high-performance MEMS and MOEMS devices for spectrometer applications. Many other enabling technologies are useful for miniature analytical solutions, such as silicon photonics, nanoimprint lithography (NIL), system-on-chip, system-on-package techniques for integration of electronics and photonics, 3D printing, powerful embedded computing platforms, networked solutions as well as advances in chemometrics modeling. This paper will summarize recent work on spectrometer and sensor miniaturization at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) tunable filter technology has been developed in two technical versions: Piezoactuated FPIs have been applied in miniature hyperspectral imaging needs in light weight UAV and nanosatellite applications, chemical imaging as well as medical applications. Microfabricated MOEMS FPIs have been developed as cost-effective sensor platforms for visible, NIR and IR applications. Further examples of sensor miniaturization will be discussed, including system-on-package sensor head for mid-IR gas analyzer, roll-to-roll printed Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) technology as well as UV imprinted waveguide sensor for formaldehyde detection.

PUMA: the first results of a nebular spectrograph for the study of the kinematics of interstellar medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langarica, Rosalia; Bernal, Abel; Rosado, Margarita; Cobos Duenas, Francisco J.; Garfias, Fernando; Gutierrez, Leonel; Le Coarer, Etienne; Tejada, Carlos; Tinoco, Silvio J.

1998-07-01

The kinematics of the interstellar medium may be studied by means of a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer (SFPI). This allows the coverage of a wider field of view with higher spatial and spectral resolution than when a high-dispersion classical spectrograph is used. The system called PUMA consists of a focal reducer and a SFPI installed in the 2.1 m telescope of the San Pedro Martir National Astronomical Observatory (SPM), Mexico, in its f/7.5 configuration. It covers a field of view of 10 arcmin providing direct images as well as interferograms which are focused on a 1024 X 1024 Tektronix CCD, covering a wide spectral range. It is considered the integration of other optical elements for further developments. The optomechanical system and the developed software allow exact, remote positioning of all movable parts and control the FPI scanning and data acquisition. The parallelism of the interferometer plates is automatically achieved by a custom method. The PUMA provides spectral resolutions of 0.414 Angstrom and a free spectral range of 19.8 Angstrom. Results of high quality that compete with those obtained by similar systems in bigger telescopes, are presented.

[New aspects of complex chronic tinnitus. II: The lost silence: effects and psychotherapeutic possibilities in complex chronic tinnitus].

PubMed

Goebel, G; Keeser, W; Fichter, M; Rief, W

1991-01-01

"Complex tinnitus" is a diagnostic term denoting a disturbance pattern where the patient hears highly annoying and painful noises or sounds that do not originate from a recognisable external source and can be described only by the patient himself. It seems that the suffering mainly depends upon the extent to which the tinnitus is experienced as a phenomenon that is beyond control. Part I reports on an examination of the treatment success achieved with 28 consecutive patients who had been treated according to an integrative multimodal behavioural medicine concept. This resulted--despite continual loudness--in a decrease in the degree of unpleasantness of the tinnitus, by 17% (p less than 0.01) with corresponding normalisation of decisive symptom factors in Hopkins-Symptom-Check-List (SCL-90-R) and Freiburg Personality-Inventary (FPI-R). On the whole, 19 out of the total of 28 patients showed essential to marked improvement of the disturbance pattern. Part II presents a multidimensional tinnitus model and the essential psychotherapeutic focal points of a multimodal psychotherapy concept in complex chronic tinnitus, as well as the parallel phenomena in the chronic pain syndrome.

[New aspects of complex chronic tinnitus. I: Assessment of a multi-modality behavioral medicine treatment concept].

PubMed

Goebel, G; Keeser, W; Fichter, M; Rief, W

1991-01-01

"Complex tinnitus" is a diagnostic term denoting a disturbance pattern where the patient hears highly annoying and painful noises or sounds that do not originate from a recognisable external source and can be described only by the patient himself. It seems that the suffering mainly depends upon the extent to which the tinnitus is experienced as a phenomenon that is beyond control. Part I reports on an examination of the treatment success achieved with 28 consecutive patients who had been treated according to an integrative multimodal behavioural medicine concept. This resulted--despite continual loudness--in a decrease in the degree of unpleasantness of the tinnitus, by 17% (p less than 0.01) with corresponding normalisation of decisive symptom factors in Hopkins Symptom-Check-List (SCL-90-R) and Freiburg Personality-Inventary (FPI-R). On the whole, 19 out of the total of 28 patients showed essential to marked improvement of the disturbance pattern. Part II presents a multidimensional tinnitus model and the essential psychotherapeutic focal points of a multimodal psychotherapy concept in complex chronic tinnitus, as well as the parallel phenomena in the chronic pain syndrome.

A data-driven approach to {{\\rm{\\pi }}}^{0},{\\rm{\\eta }} and {{\\rm{\\eta }}}^{\\prime} single and double Dalitz decays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escribano, Rafel; Gonzàlez-Solís, Sergi

2018-01-01

The dilepton invariant mass spectra and integrated branching ratios of the single and double Dalitz decays {\\mathscr{P}}\\to {{{l}}}+{{{l}}}-{{γ }} and {\\mathscr{P}}\\to {{{l}}}+{{{l}}}-{{{l}}}+{{{l}}}- ({\\mathscr{P}}={{{π }}}0,{{η }},{{{η }}}\\prime; {{l}}={{e}} or {{μ }}) are predicted by means of a data-driven approach based on the use of rational approximants applied to {{{π }}}0,{{η }} and {{{η }}}\\prime transition form factor experimental data in the space-like region. Supported by the FPI scholarship BES-2012-055371 (S.G-S), the Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya under grant 2014 SGR 1450, the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación under grant FPA2011-25948, the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad under grants CICYT-FEDER-FPA 2014-55613-P and SEV-2012-0234, the Spanish Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Program CPAN (CSD2007-00042), and the European Commission under program FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2011-1 (283286) S.G-S also Received Support from the CAS President’s International Fellowship Initiative for Young International Scientist (2017PM0031)

Neural Mechanisms for Integrating Prior Knowledge and Likelihood in Value-Based Probabilistic Inference

PubMed Central

Ting, Chih-Chung; Yu, Chia-Chen; Maloney, Laurence T.

2015-01-01

In Bayesian decision theory, knowledge about the probabilities of possible outcomes is captured by a prior distribution and a likelihood function. The prior reflects past knowledge and the likelihood summarizes current sensory information. The two combined (integrated) form a posterior distribution that allows estimation of the probability of different possible outcomes. In this study, we investigated the neural mechanisms underlying Bayesian integration using a novel lottery decision task in which both prior knowledge and likelihood information about reward probability were systematically manipulated on a trial-by-trial basis. Consistent with Bayesian integration, as sample size increased, subjects tended to weigh likelihood information more compared with prior information. Using fMRI in humans, we found that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) correlated with the mean of the posterior distribution, a statistic that reflects the integration of prior knowledge and likelihood of reward probability. Subsequent analysis revealed that both prior and likelihood information were represented in mPFC and that the neural representations of prior and likelihood in mPFC reflected changes in the behaviorally estimated weights assigned to these different sources of information in response to changes in the environment. Together, these results establish the role of mPFC in prior-likelihood integration and highlight its involvement in representing and integrating these distinct sources of information. PMID:25632152

Rat Models and Identification of Candidate Early Serum Biomarkers of Battlefield Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-31

brain injury) All surgeries were performed using aseptic technique. Animals were checked for pain /distress immediately prior to anesthesia/surgery... Pain /distress checks were performed at 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours post-injury. Fluid Percussion Injury (FPI) For animals in the...NIH), and Neurobehavioral Scale (NBS). The criteria used to obtain the scores are detailed in Tables 2 and 3. As an additional endpoint, we also

DURIP - Upgrade of the Meridian ACAS-470 for Toxicological Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-18

Flow Cytometry and Fluorescence Recovery After PhotobleachIng. Scanningi Microscopy. 2 14) 21 53 -2163. Li~j. Z-Y, YMEL Sanders. and V W Hu. (1989...riinn’I.~ - correlation with increasing tumorigenicity. Northern an- alysis showed reduced levels of connexin 43 in ce!1 lines Fpi~m~iIisFP - exhibiting...cells to the curcinogenic process", In: Mouse Liver CarcinoQgnesis; 3 Mechanisms and Species Comrarisons, T.J. Slaga, Ed., Alan R. Liss, Inc., New

Prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus in the first trimester: comparison of C-reactive protein, fasting plasma glucose, insulin and insulin sensitivity indices.

PubMed

Ozgu-Erdinc, A Seval; Yilmaz, Saynur; Yeral, M Ilkin; Seckin, K Doga; Erkaya, Salim; Danisman, A Nuri

2015-11-01

To develop a predictive index based on high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and fasting plasma insulin (FPI) measurements for early diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Healthy pregnant women who were screened for GDM during their first antenatal visit were included in this retrospective cohort study. FPG, FPI and serum hs-CRP concentrations were measured between weeks 11 and 14. A two-step glucose challenge test was carried out between gestational weeks 24 and 28. Fasting glucose/insulin ratio (FIGR), Homeostatic Model Assessment Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), HOMA-β indices and Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) were used to estimate insulin sensitivity and β-cell function. Of the 450 women who were eligible for the study, 49 (11.2%) were diagnosed with GDM at weeks 24-28. The median FPG and hs-CRP levels were higher in the GDM diagnosed women compared to the others. Comparison of accuracy measures resulted in the highest specificity (87.2%; 95% CI 83.5-90.1) and diagnostic odds ratio (3.9; 95% CI 2.1-7.6) for hs-CRP. FPG and hs-CRP in the first trimester are correlated with later development of GDM in the pregnancy. In our study, FPG provided a better sensitivity while hs-CRP exhibited a better specificity for prediction of GDM.

Thermospheric nighttime wind and temperature analysis from some 2014 stormy nights monitored at Oukaimeden Observatory by RENOIR instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bounhir, Aziza; Benkhaldoun, Zouhair; Kaab, Mohamed; Makela, Jonathan J.; Harding, Brian; Fisher, Daniel J.; Lagheryeb, Amine; Khalifa, Malki; Lazrek, Mohamed; Daassou, Ahmed

2015-08-01

In this paper we report on the thermospheric winds and temperatures over Oukaimeden Observatory in Morocco in some stormy nights during the year 2014. These results are based on Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) measurements of Doppler shifts and Doppler broadenings of the 630.0nm spectral emission and pertain to the lower thermosphere region, near 250km altitude. This FPI is a part of RENOIR experiment installed thanks to scientific cooperation program with university of Illinois Urbana (USA).The storm energy input modify the global circulation in the thermosphere resulting in significant changes in the ionospheric plasma properties. Thermospheric and ionospheric storms are closely connected.We first set up the climatological behavior of the thermospheric winds and temperature during quiet nights. These results will be presented in this session in a separate abstract (M. Kaab & Z. Benkhaldoun et al) . Then we investigate the departure of the winds and the temperatures from their climatological behavior during some magnetic storms. The winds present many features. We can notice westward winds and an enhancement of the equatorward winds with sometimes an appearance of a poleward component. We also notice a significant increase of the temperature that last several hours. By looking trough the geomagnetic indices we investigate the delay of thermospheric storm time in our region and its effects on the winds and temperature patterns.

Changes in foot posture during pregnancy and their relation with musculoskeletal pain: A longitudinal cohort study.

PubMed

Vico Pardo, Francisco Javier; López Del Amo, Andres; Pardo Rios, Manuel; Gijon-Nogueron, Gabriel; Yuste, Cristina Castro

2018-04-01

To examine foot posture changes during the three trimesters of pregnancy and to determine whether there is a relationship between these changes and the pain experienced in this period. The study sample consisted of 62 pregnant women who attended the Gynaecology Service at Hospital ​Santa María del Puerto (Cádiz, Spain), between January 2013 and May 2014. In their first visit, the following sociodemographic and anthropometric data were recorded: age, weight, height and foot size. In addition, information was obtained regarding pain in the lower back, knees, ankles and feet. In this first visit, too, the Foot Posture Index (FPI) was assessed, and three subsequent controls were performed during the first, second and third months of pregnancy (termed Stages 1, 2 and 3, respectively). In Stage 1, the average foot size (i.e., shoe size) was 38.3 (SD 1.5). This size did not change between Stages 1, 2 and 3. However, body weight and BMI did present statistically significant changes during this period (p<0.0001). The FPI varied during pregnancy but no relation was observed between these changes and the onset of pain. During pregnancy, pronation increases but this does not appear to influence the onset of pain in the lower limbs. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THOR Turbulence Electron Analyser: TEA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fazakerley, Andrew; Moore, Tom; Owen, Chris; Pollock, Craig; Wicks, Rob; Samara, Marilia; Rae, Jonny; Hancock, Barry; Kataria, Dhiren; Rust, Duncan

2016-04-01

Turbulence Heating ObserveR (THOR) is the first mission ever flown in space dedicated to plasma turbulence. The Turbulence Electron Analyser (TEA) will measure the plasma electron populations in the mission's Regions of Interest. It will collect a 3D electron velocity distribution with cadences as short as 5 ms. The instrument will be capable of measuring energies up to 30 keV. TEA consists of multiple electrostatic analyser heads arranged so as to measure electrons arriving from look directions covering the full sky, i.e. 4 pi solid angle. The baseline concept is similar to the successful FPI-DES instrument currently operating on the MMS mission. TEA is intended to have a similar angular resolution, but a larger geometric factor. In comparison to earlier missions, TEA improves on the measurement cadence. For example, MMS FPI-DES routinely operates at 30 ms cadence. The objective of measuring distributions at rates as fast as 5 ms is driven by the mission's scientific requirements to resolve electron gyroscale size structures, where plasma heating and fluctuation dissipation is predicted to occur. TEA will therefore be capable of making measurements of the evolution of distribution functions across thin (a few km) current sheets travelling past the spacecraft at up to 600 km/s, of the Power Spectral Density of fluctuations of electron moments and of distributions fast enough to match frequencies with waves expected to be dissipating turbulence (e.g. with 100 Hz whistler waves).

Diimine triscarbonyl Re(I) of isomeric pyridyl-fulvene ligands: an electrochemical, spectroscopic, and computational investigation.

PubMed

Chartrand, Daniel; Castro Ruiz, Carlos A; Hanan, Garry S

2012-12-03

The synthesis and characterization of a novel family of positively charged fac-[Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(L)]PF(6) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) complexes are reported, where L is a pyridine functionalized in para or meta position with a fulvene moiety, namely, 4-fluoren-9-ylidenemethyl-pyridine (pFpy) and 3-fluoren-9-ylidenemethyl-pyridine (mFpy). The complexes were prepared in high yield (86%) by direct addition at room temperature of the corresponding pyridine to the tetrahydrofuran (THF) adduct fac-[Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(THF)][PF(6)] precursor. Both ligand and complex structures were fully characterized by a variety of techniques including X-ray crystallography. The complexes did not exhibit the expected triplet mixed metal-ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (MLLCT) emission, because of its deactivation by the non-emissive triplet excited state of fulvene. The absorption profile shows that the MLLCT is overshadowed by the fulvene centered π-π* transition of higher molar absorptivity as shown by time dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. The position of the fulvene on the pyridyl ring has a large effect on this transition, the para position displaying a much higher absorption coefficient (21.3 × 10(3) M(-1) cm(-1)) at lower energy (364 nm) than the meta position (331 nm, 16.0 × 10(3) M(-1) cm(-1)).

Integrated-Circuit Pseudorandom-Number Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steelman, James E.; Beasley, Jeff; Aragon, Michael; Ramirez, Francisco; Summers, Kenneth L.; Knoebel, Arthur

1992-01-01

Integrated circuit produces 8-bit pseudorandom numbers from specified probability distribution, at rate of 10 MHz. Use of Boolean logic, circuit implements pseudorandom-number-generating algorithm. Circuit includes eight 12-bit pseudorandom-number generators, outputs are uniformly distributed. 8-bit pseudorandom numbers satisfying specified nonuniform probability distribution are generated by processing uniformly distributed outputs of eight 12-bit pseudorandom-number generators through "pipeline" of D flip-flops, comparators, and memories implementing conditional probabilities on zeros and ones.

Metabolic effect of repaglinide or acarbose when added to a double oral antidiabetic treatment with sulphonylureas and metformin: a double-blind, cross-over, clinical trial.

PubMed

Derosa, Giuseppe; Salvadeo, Sibilla A T; D'Angelo, Angela; Ferrari, Ilaria; Mereu, Roberto; Palumbo, Ilaria; Maffioli, Pamela; Randazzo, Sabrina; Cicero, Arrigo F G

2009-03-01

To compare the metabolic effects of acarbose and repaglinide in type 2 diabetic patients who are being treated with a sulphonylurea-metformin combination therapy. The primary endpoint of the study was to evaluate which add-on treatment between acarbose and repaglinide is more efficacious in reducing PPG. The second endpoint was to evaluate which of these two treatment is more efficacious in the global management of glucose homeostasis in the enrolled patients. After a 4-week run-in period with a sulphonylurea-metformin combination, 103 patients were randomised to receive in addition either repaglinide, up to 6 mg/day (2 mg three times a day) or acarbose, up to 300 mg/day (100 mg three times a day) with forced titration (independently of their glycaemic control, unless side-effects developed due to the drug dosage) for 15 weeks. The treatment was then crossed-over for further 12 weeks until the 27th week. We assessed body mass index (BMI), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), postprandial plasma glucose (PPG), fasting plasma insulin (FPI), postprandial plasma insulin (PPI), homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (Tg), at baseline and at 1, 2, 15 and 27 weeks of treatment. Seven patients did not complete the study, comprising one patient who was lost to follow-up and a further six through side-effects (two in week 1, one in week 15 and three after cross-over) Side-effects were classified as nausea (one in acarbose group), gastrointestinal events (four in acarbose group), and hypoglycaemia (one in repaglinide group). After 15 weeks of therapy, the repaglinide-treated patients experienced a significant decrease in HbA(1c) (-1.1%, p < 0.05), FPG (-9.5%, p < 0.05), and PPG (-14.9%, p < 0.05), when compared to the baseline values. However, the same treatment was associated with a significant increase in body weight (+2.3%, p < 0.05), BMI (+3.3%, p < 0.05) and FPI (+22.5%, p < 0.05); The increase was reversed during the cross-over phase. After 15 weeks of therapy, the acarbose-treated patients experienced a significant decrease in body weight (-1.9%, p < 0.05), BMI (-4.1%, p < 0.05), HbA(1c) (-1.4%, p < 0.05), FPG (-10.7%, p < 0.05), PPG (-16.2%, p < 0.05), FPI (-16.1%, p < 0.05), PPI (-26.9%, p < 0.05), HOMA index (-30.1%, p < 0.05), when compared to the baseline values. All these changes were reversed during the cross-over study phase, except those relating to HbA(1c), FPG and PPG. The only changes that significantly differed when directly comparing acarbose- and repaglinide-treated patients were those relating to FPI (-16.1% vs. +22.5%, respectively, p < 0.05) and HOMA index (-30.1% vs. +2.7%, p < 0.05). In addition from having a similar effect to repaglinide on PPG, acarbose appeared to have a more comprehensive positive effect on glucose metabolism compared to repaglinide in this relatively small sample of type 2 diabetic patients when used as add-on therapy to sulphonylureas and metformin.

Some New Twists to Problems Involving the Gaussian Probability Integral

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Marvin K.; Divsalar, Dariush

1997-01-01

Using an alternate form of the Gaussian probability integral discovered a number of years ago, it is shown that the solution to a number of previously considered communication problems can be simplified and in some cases made more accurate(i.e., exact rather than bounded).

Neural Encoding and Integration of Learned Probabilistic Sequences in Avian Sensory-Motor Circuitry

PubMed Central

Brainard, Michael S.

2013-01-01

Many complex behaviors, such as human speech and birdsong, reflect a set of categorical actions that can be flexibly organized into variable sequences. However, little is known about how the brain encodes the probabilities of such sequences. Behavioral sequences are typically characterized by the probability of transitioning from a given action to any subsequent action (which we term “divergence probability”). In contrast, we hypothesized that neural circuits might encode the probability of transitioning to a given action from any preceding action (which we term “convergence probability”). The convergence probability of repeatedly experienced sequences could naturally become encoded by Hebbian plasticity operating on the patterns of neural activity associated with those sequences. To determine whether convergence probability is encoded in the nervous system, we investigated how auditory-motor neurons in vocal premotor nucleus HVC of songbirds encode different probabilistic characterizations of produced syllable sequences. We recorded responses to auditory playback of pseudorandomly sequenced syllables from the bird's repertoire, and found that variations in responses to a given syllable could be explained by a positive linear dependence on the convergence probability of preceding sequences. Furthermore, convergence probability accounted for more response variation than other probabilistic characterizations, including divergence probability. Finally, we found that responses integrated over >7–10 syllables (∼700–1000 ms) with the sign, gain, and temporal extent of integration depending on convergence probability. Our results demonstrate that convergence probability is encoded in sensory-motor circuitry of the song-system, and suggest that encoding of convergence probability is a general feature of sensory-motor circuits. PMID:24198363

Navy Shipbuilding: Need to Document Rationale for the Use of Fixed-Price Incentive Contracts and Study Effectiveness of Added Incentives

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

NAVY SHIPBUILDING Need to Document Rationale for the Use of Fixed-Price Incentive Contracts and Study Effectiveness of Added...Use of Fixed-Price Incentive Contracts and Study Effectiveness of Added Incentives What GAO Found Over 80 percent of the Navy’s shipbuilding...mackinm@gao.gov. Why GAO Did This Study DOD encourages the use of FPI contracts because they allow for equitable sharing of costs savings and risk

An Analysis of Cost Growth in the F/A-18 Airplane Acquisition Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

is all we are doing--involves weighing the utility or benefit to be gained against the cost which must be incurred . Why is that so? It is so because...inherent penalty for overruns and a reward for underruns. On the other hand, cost plus fixed fee con- tracts should have the highest overruns since there...variation of an FPI type contract where buyer and seller agree beforehand on a tentative fee based on estimated cost . If the seller can reduce costs

Study of the Capability of the United States Textile and Apparel Industries to Support National Defense. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

Effective Date of Supply FAR - Federal Acquisition Regulation FIT -’ Fashion Institute of Technology FORSCOM - Forces Command FPI - Federal. Prison...sufficient quantity t’a avoid substitutions is 3 major concern. These and other areas remain for future studies to define fully the capability of...Industry Focus 174 1. Cost of Equity 177 2. Return on Equity 178 C. R. & D Performance 180 I. Large Textile Companies 180 D. Technology Trends 183 1

Modernizing Information Technology in the Office of Economic Adjustment

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-07-01

AD-A286 036 l 1 ( )HTj% i ll Ntll1.1 flCil i I odit Ut Modernizing Information Technology in the Office of Economic Adjustment FPI IOR1 ~ DG...Jeffrey S. Frost Michael P. McEwen 94-34585 ’> DTC J . -94 11 7 074 July 1993 Modernizing Information Technology in the Office of Economic Adjustment...Road "Bethesda, Maryland 20817-5886 FPIIOR1/JuIy 1993 LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE Modernizing Information Technology in the Office of Economic

Novel Genetic Models to Study the Role of Inflammation in Brain Injury-Induced Alzheimer’s Pathology

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

REPORT TYPE Annual 3. DATES COVERED 30 Sep 2012 – 29 Sep 2013 4 . TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Novel Genetic Models to Study the Role...infiltration and activation of monocytes due to disruption of the blood-brain barrier [ 4 -6]. Assessing the exact roles of these cells in AD pathogenesis...paradigm of TBI Statement of Work: Task 1. Generate animals required for studies (timeframe, months 2- 4 ) Task 2. Perform FPI (timeframe, months 4 -8

Reinforcement Probability Modulates Temporal Memory Selection and Integration Processes

PubMed Central

Matell, Matthew S.; Kurti, Allison N.

2013-01-01

We have previously shown that rats trained in a mixed-interval peak procedure (tone = 4s, light = 12s) respond in a scalar manner at a time in between the trained peak times when presented with the stimulus compound (Swanton & Matell, 2011). In our previous work, the two component cues were reinforced with different probabilities (short = 20%, long = 80%) to equate response rates, and we found that the compound peak time was biased toward the cue with the higher reinforcement probability. Here, we examined the influence that different reinforcement probabilities have on the temporal location and shape of the compound response function. We found that the time of peak responding shifted as a function of the relative reinforcement probability of the component cues, becoming earlier as the relative likelihood of reinforcement associated with the short cue increased. However, as the relative probabilities of the component cues grew dissimilar, the compound peak became non-scalar, suggesting that the temporal control of behavior shifted from a process of integration to one of selection. As our previous work has utilized durations and reinforcement probabilities more discrepant than those used here, these data suggest that the processes underlying the integration/selection decision for time are based on cue value. PMID:23896560

A Tomographic Method for the Reconstruction of Local Probability Density Functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1993-01-01

A method of obtaining the probability density function (PDF) of local properties from path integrated measurements is described. The approach uses a discrete probability function (DPF) method to infer the PDF of the local extinction coefficient from measurements of the PDFs of the path integrated transmittance. The local PDFs obtained using the method are compared with those obtained from direct intrusive measurements in propylene/air and ethylene/air diffusion flames. The results of this comparison are good.

Approximating Integrals Using Probability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maruszewski, Richard F., Jr.; Caudle, Kyle A.

2005-01-01

As part of a discussion on Monte Carlo methods, which outlines how to use probability expectations to approximate the value of a definite integral. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on this technique and then to show several examples using visual basic as a programming tool. It is an interesting method because it combines two branches of…

Hough transform for clustered microcalcifications detection in full-field digital mammograms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanizzi, A.; Basile, T. M. A.; Losurdo, L.; Amoroso, N.; Bellotti, R.; Bottigli, U.; Dentamaro, R.; Didonna, V.; Fausto, A.; Massafra, R.; Moschetta, M.; Tamborra, P.; Tangaro, S.; La Forgia, D.

2017-09-01

Many screening programs use mammography as principal diagnostic tool for detecting breast cancer at a very early stage. Despite the efficacy of the mammograms in highlighting breast diseases, the detection of some lesions is still doubtless for radiologists. In particular, the extremely minute and elongated salt-like particles of microcalcifications are sometimes no larger than 0.1 mm and represent approximately half of all cancer detected by means of mammograms. Hence the need for automatic tools able to support radiologists in their work. Here, we propose a computer assisted diagnostic tool to support radiologists in identifying microcalcifications in full (native) digital mammographic images. The proposed CAD system consists of a pre-processing step, that improves contrast and reduces noise by applying Sobel edge detection algorithm and Gaussian filter, followed by a microcalcification detection step performed by exploiting the circular Hough transform. The procedure performance was tested on 200 images coming from the Breast Cancer Digital Repository (BCDR), a publicly available database. The automatically detected clusters of microcalcifications were evaluated by skilled radiologists which asses the validity of the correctly identified regions of interest as well as the system error in case of missed clustered microcalcifications. The system performance was evaluated in terms of Sensitivity and False Positives per images (FPi) rate resulting comparable to the state-of-art approaches. The proposed model was able to accurately predict the microcalcification clusters obtaining performances (sensibility = 91.78% and FPi rate = 3.99) which favorably compare to other state-of-the-art approaches.

Direct Reflectance Measurements from Drones: Sensor Absolute Radiometric Calibration and System Tests for Forest Reflectance Characterization.

PubMed

Hakala, Teemu; Markelin, Lauri; Honkavaara, Eija; Scott, Barry; Theocharous, Theo; Nevalainen, Olli; Näsi, Roope; Suomalainen, Juha; Viljanen, Niko; Greenwell, Claire; Fox, Nigel

2018-05-03

Drone-based remote sensing has evolved rapidly in recent years. Miniaturized hyperspectral imaging sensors are becoming more common as they provide more abundant information of the object compared to traditional cameras. Reflectance is a physically defined object property and therefore often preferred output of the remote sensing data capture to be used in the further processes. Absolute calibration of the sensor provides a possibility for physical modelling of the imaging process and enables efficient procedures for reflectance correction. Our objective is to develop a method for direct reflectance measurements for drone-based remote sensing. It is based on an imaging spectrometer and irradiance spectrometer. This approach is highly attractive for many practical applications as it does not require in situ reflectance panels for converting the sensor radiance to ground reflectance factors. We performed SI-traceable spectral and radiance calibration of a tuneable Fabry-Pérot Interferometer -based (FPI) hyperspectral camera at the National Physical Laboratory NPL (Teddington, UK). The camera represents novel technology by collecting 2D format hyperspectral image cubes using time sequential spectral scanning principle. The radiance accuracy of different channels varied between ±4% when evaluated using independent test data, and linearity of the camera response was on average 0.9994. The spectral response calibration showed side peaks on several channels that were due to the multiple orders of interference of the FPI. The drone-based direct reflectance measurement system showed promising results with imagery collected over Wytham Forest (Oxford, UK).

Direct Reflectance Measurements from Drones: Sensor Absolute Radiometric Calibration and System Tests for Forest Reflectance Characterization

PubMed Central

Hakala, Teemu; Scott, Barry; Theocharous, Theo; Näsi, Roope; Suomalainen, Juha; Greenwell, Claire; Fox, Nigel

2018-01-01

Drone-based remote sensing has evolved rapidly in recent years. Miniaturized hyperspectral imaging sensors are becoming more common as they provide more abundant information of the object compared to traditional cameras. Reflectance is a physically defined object property and therefore often preferred output of the remote sensing data capture to be used in the further processes. Absolute calibration of the sensor provides a possibility for physical modelling of the imaging process and enables efficient procedures for reflectance correction. Our objective is to develop a method for direct reflectance measurements for drone-based remote sensing. It is based on an imaging spectrometer and irradiance spectrometer. This approach is highly attractive for many practical applications as it does not require in situ reflectance panels for converting the sensor radiance to ground reflectance factors. We performed SI-traceable spectral and radiance calibration of a tuneable Fabry-Pérot Interferometer -based (FPI) hyperspectral camera at the National Physical Laboratory NPL (Teddington, UK). The camera represents novel technology by collecting 2D format hyperspectral image cubes using time sequential spectral scanning principle. The radiance accuracy of different channels varied between ±4% when evaluated using independent test data, and linearity of the camera response was on average 0.9994. The spectral response calibration showed side peaks on several channels that were due to the multiple orders of interference of the FPI. The drone-based direct reflectance measurement system showed promising results with imagery collected over Wytham Forest (Oxford, UK). PMID:29751560

Mid-latitude thermospheric wind changes during the St. Patrick's Day storm of 2015 observed by two Fabry-Perot interferometers in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Cong; Xu, Ji-Yao; Zhang, Xiao-Xin; Liu, Dan-Dan; Yuan, Wei; Jiang, Guo-Ying

2018-04-01

In this work, we utilize thermospheric wind observations by the Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPI) from the Kelan (KL) station (38.7°N, 111.6°E, Magnetic Latitude: 28.9°N) and the Xinglong (XL) station (40.2°N, 117.4°E, Magnetic Latitude: 30.5°N) in central China during the St. Patrick's Day storm (from Mar. 17 to Mar. 19) of 2015 to analyze thermospheric wind disturbances and compare observations with the Horizontal Wind Model 2007 (HWM07). The results reveal that the wind measurements at KL show very similar trends to those at XL. Large enhancements are seen in both the westward and equatorward winds after the severe geomagnetic storm occurred. The westward wind speed increased to a peak value of 75 m/s and the equatorward wind enhanced to a peak value of over 100 m/s. There also exist obvious poleward disturbances in the meridional winds during Mar. 17 to Mar. 19. According to the comparison with HWM07, there exist evident wind speed and temporal differences between FPI-winds and the model outputs in this severe geomagnetic storm. The discrepancies between the observations and HWM07 imply that the empirical model should be used carefully in wind disturbance forecast during large geomagnetic storms and more investigations between measurements and numerical models are necessary in future studies.

RETRACTED: Acarbose on insulin resistance after an oral fat load: a double-blind, placebo controlled study.

PubMed

Derosa, Giuseppe; Maffioli, Pamela; D'Angelo, Angela; Fogari, Elena; Bianchi, Lucio; Cicero, Arrigo F G

2011-01-01

We evaluated the effects of acarbose on insulin resistance parameters in diabetic patients before and after a standardized oral fat load (OFL). Patients were assigned to take acarbose 50 mg three times a day or placebo; after the first month, acarbose was titrated to 100 mg three times a day. We evaluated body mass index, glycemic control, fasting plasma insulin (FPI), post-prandial plasma insulin (PPI), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), blood pressure, lipid profile, retinol binding protein-4 (RBP-4), adiponectin (ADN), tumor necrosis factor-α and resistin (r). Furthermore, at the baseline and at the end of the study, all patients underwent an OFL and an euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. We observed that acarbose was better than placebo in improving glycemic control and HOMA-IR and that it was also more effective in improving lipid profile, RBP-4 and ADN. Regarding FPI, PPI and r, we did not obtain any significant differences between the two groups. During the second OFL, performed after 7 months of therapy with acarbose, we observed a significant decrease of blood glucose, lipid profile and all insulin resistance parameters peaks compared with the OFL administered at baseline with acarbose, but not with placebo. Acarbose was more effective than placebo in improving glycemic and lipid profile and in reducing the post-OFL peaks of the various parameters including the insulin resistance biomarkers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of gender on foot anthropometrics in older people.

PubMed

Paiva de Castro, Alessandra; Rebelatto, Jose Rubens; Aurichio, Thais Rabiatti

2011-08-01

Some questions remain regarding the anthropometric differences between the feet of young men and women, but the gap is much greater when dealing with older adults. No studies were found concerning these differences in an exclusively older adult population, which makes it difficult to manufacture shoes based on the specific anthropometric measurements of the older adult population and according to gender differences. To identify differences between the anthropometric foot variables of older men and women. Cross-sectional. 154 older women (69.0 ± 6.8 y) and 131 older men (69.0 ± 6.5 y). The foot evaluations comprised the variables of width, perimeter, height, length, 1st and 5th metatarsophalangeal angles, the Arch Index (AI), and the Foot Posture Index (FPI). A data analysis was performed using t test and a post hoc power analysis. Women showed significantly higher values for the width and perimeter of the toes, width of the metatarsal heads, and width of the heel and presented significantly lower values for the height of the dorsal foot after normalization of the data to foot length. The 1st and 5th metatarsophalangeal angles were smaller in the men. There were no differences between men and women with respect to AI and FPI. Overall, the current study shows evidence of differences between some of the anthropometric foot variables of older men and women that must be taken into account for the manufacture of shoes for older adults.

Dynamics Explorer 2: Continued FPI and NACS instrument data analysis and associated scientific activity at the University of Michigan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, Alan; Killeen, T. L.

1993-01-01

The grant entitled 'Dynamics Explorer 2 - continued FPI and NACS instrument data analysis and associated scientific activity at the University of Michigan' is a continuation of a grant that began with instrument development for the Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) satellite. Over the years, many publications and presentations at scientific meetings have occurred under the aegis of this grant. This present report details the progress that has been made in the final three years of the grant. In these last 4 years of the grant 26 papers have been published or are in press and about 10 more are in preparation or have been submitted. A large number of presentations have been made in the same time span: 36 are listed in Appendix 2. Evidence of the high educational utility of this research is indicated by the list of Ph. D. and M. S. theses that have been completed in the last 3 years that have involved work connected with NAG5-465. The structure of this report is as follows: a brief synopsis of the aims of the grant NAG5-465 is given in the next section; then there is a summary of the scientific accomplishments that have occurred over the grant period; last, we make some brief concluding remarks. Reprints of articles that have recently appeared in refereed journals are appended to the end of this document.

Free triiodothyronine plasma concentrations are positively associated with insulin secretion in euthyroid individuals

PubMed Central

Ortega, Emilio; Koska, Juraj; Pannacciulli, Nicola; Bunt, Joy C; Krakoff, Jonathan

2008-01-01

Background Thyroid hormones (TH) may influence glucose metabolism. Hyperthyroid subjects have higher insulin secretion rates when compared with euthyroid individuals. Objective To evaluate the association between TH concentrations and insulin secretion in euthyroid, healthy Pima Indian adults (n=55, 29±7 years, females/males 36/19) with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) admitted to a Clinical Research Unit. Methods TSH, free thyroxine (FT4), 3,5,3′-L-tri-iodothyronine (FT3), and fasting plasma insulin (FPI) concentrations were measured in fasting plasma samples, percentage of body fat (%BF) by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), acute insulin response (AIR), and incremental area under the curve (AUC) of insulin in response to a 25 g intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) respectively and insulin action (M) during an euglycemic clamp. Results FT3 concentrations were associated with FPI, AIR, and insulin AUC both before (r=0.33, P=0.01; r=0.29, P=0.03; and r=0.35, P=0.008 respectively) and after adjustment for age, sex, %BF, glucose (fasting concentrations or glucose AUC), and M (β=0.09, P=0.01; β=0.16, P=0.03; and β=0.24, P=0.0007 respectively). No associations were found for TSH or FT4. Conclusion FT3 was associated with several measurements of insulin secretion in euthyroid individuals with NGT. T3 concentrations may play a role in the regulation of insulin secretion. PMID:18230829

[Performance and personality of patients with hypersomnia].

PubMed

Mayer, G; Leonhardt, E

1996-01-01

5 groups of patients with hypersomnia (narcolepsy, posttraumatic, psychophysiologic, idiopathic hypersomnia and circadian sleep-wake disorders) were tested with a battery of psychometric tests (FPI, MMPI, BVND, BIV, Benton, d2, WIP), visual vigilance test, polysomnography and MSLT in order to investigate the context between personality and performance. MSLT showed a range from clear pathologic to borderline sleep latencies among all groups, only patients with posttraumatic hypersomnia and narcolepsy displayed sleep onset REM. Correct results of vigilance tests correlated negatively with performance-motivation and orientation in patients with narcolepsy and posttraumatic hypersomnia, whereas there was positive correlation for patients with idiopathic hypersomnia. In patients with psychophysiologic hypersomnia performance orientation and false reactions correlate negatively. Patients with posttraumatic hypersomnia have better results on d2. Benton and vigilance tests than all other groups. Results of personality diagnosis are similar to those of healthy subjects, while patients with psychophysiologic hypersomnia are more sensible than all other groups with high social fears and the highest disposition among all groups toward somatic complaints. Patients with idiopathic hypersomnia show strong introversion and inhibition. Patients with circadian sleep-wake disorders display the most striking personality disorders, which are most probably sequelae of their strong disease-dependent impairment. The degree of personality disorder seems to be strongly dependent on the duration of the hypersomnias. The assessment of the whole set of tests can only be recommended for patients with psychophysiologic hypersomnia and circadian sleep-wake disorders, a few tests suffice to describe the other groups.

Opioids with abuse-deterrent properties: A regulatory and technological overview.

PubMed

Haddox, J David

Three concurrent public health problems coexist in the United States: endemic nonmedical use/misuse of opioid analgesics, epidemic overdose fatalities involving opioid analgesics, and endemic chronic pain in adults. These intertwined issues comprise an opioid crisis that has spurred the development of formulations of opioids with abuse-deterrent properties and label claims (OADP). To reduce abuse and misuse of prescription opioids, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a formal Guidance to drug developers that delineates four categories of testing to generate data sufficient for a description of a product's abuse-deterrent properties, along with associated claims, in its Full Prescribing Information (FPI). This article reviews the epidemiology of the crisis as background for the development of OADP, summarizes the FDA Guidance for Industry regarding abuse-deterrent technologies, and provides an overview of some technologies that are currently employed or are under study for incorporation into OADP. Such technologies include physical and chemical barriers to abuse, combined formulations of opioid agonists and antagonists, inclusion of aversive agents, use of delivery systems that deter abuse, development of new molecular entities and prodrugs, and formulation of products that include some combination of these approaches. Opioids employing these novel technologies are one part of a comprehensive intervention strategy that can deter abuse of prescription opioid analgesics without creating barriers to the safe use of prescription opioids. The maximal public health contribution of OADP will probably occur only when all opioids have FDA-recognized abuse-deterrent properties and label claims.

Rosiglitazone and Cognitive Stability in Older Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes and Mild Cognitive Impairment

PubMed Central

Abbatecola, Angela M.; Lattanzio, Fabrizia; Molinari, Anna M.; Cioffi, Michele; Mansi, Luigi; Rambaldi, Pierfrancesco; DiCioccio, Luigi; Cacciapuoti, Federico; Canonico, Raffaele; Paolisso, Giuseppe

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE Studies have suggested that insulin resistance plays a role in cognitive impairment in individuals with type 2 diabetes. We aimed to determine whether an improvement in insulin resistance could explain cognitive performance variations over 36 weeks in older individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 97 older individuals (mean ± SD age 76 ± 6 years) who had recently (<2 months) started an antidiabetes treatment of metformin (500 mg twice a day) (n = 30) or metformin (500 mg/day)+rosiglitazone (4 mg/day) (n = 32) or diet (n = 35) volunteered. The neuropsychological test battery consisted of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Rey Verbal Auditory Learning Test (RAVLT) total recall, and Trail Making Tests (TMT-A and TMT-B) performed at baseline and every 12 weeks for 36 weeks along with clinical testing. RESULTS At baseline, no significant differences were found between groups in clinical or neuropsychological parameters. Mean ± SD values in the entire population were as follows: A1C 7.5 ± 0.5%, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) 8.6 ± 1.3 mmol/l, fasting plasma insulin (FPI) 148 ± 74 pmol/l, MMSE 24.9 ± 2.4, TMT-A 61.6 ± 42.0, TMT-B 162.8 ± 78.7, the difference between TMT-B and TMT-A [DIFFBA] 101.2 ± 58.1, and RAVLT 24.3 ± 2.1. At follow-up, ANOVA models tested changes in metabolic control parameters (FPI, FPG, and A1C). Such parameters improved in the metformin and metformin/rosiglitazone groups (Ptrend < 0.05 in both groups). ANCOVA repeated models showed that results for the metformin/rosiglitazone group remained stable for all neuropsychological tests, and results for the diet group remained stable for the MMSE and TMT-A and declined for the TMT-B (Ptrend = 0.024), executive efficiency (DIFFBA) (Ptrend = 0.026), and RAVLT memory test (Ptrend = 0.011). Results for the metformin group remained stable for the MMSE and TMTs but declined for the RAVLT (Ptrend = 0.011). With use of linear mixed-effects models, the interaction term, FPI × time, correlated with cognitive stability on the RAVLT in the metformin/rosiglitazone group (β = −1.899; P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS Rosiglitazone may protect against cognitive decline in older individuals with type 2 diabetes and MCI. PMID:20435794

New results on the mid-latitude midnight temperature maximum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mesquita, Rafael L. A.; Meriwether, John W.; Makela, Jonathan J.; Fisher, Daniel J.; Harding, Brian J.; Sanders, Samuel C.; Tesema, Fasil; Ridley, Aaron J.

2018-04-01

Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) measurements of thermospheric temperatures and winds show the detection and successful determination of the latitudinal distribution of the midnight temperature maximum (MTM) in the continental mid-eastern United States. These results were obtained through the operation of the five FPI observatories in the North American Thermosphere Ionosphere Observing Network (NATION) located at the Pisgah Astronomic Research Institute (PAR) (35.2° N, 82.8° W), Virginia Tech (VTI) (37.2° N, 80.4° W), Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) (37.8° N, 84.3° W), Urbana-Champaign (UAO) (40.2° N, 88.2° W), and Ann Arbor (ANN) (42.3° N, 83.8° W). A new approach for analyzing the MTM phenomenon is developed, which features the combination of a method of harmonic thermal background removal followed by a 2-D inversion algorithm to generate sequential 2-D temperature residual maps at 30 min intervals. The simultaneous study of the temperature data from these FPI stations represents a novel analysis of the MTM and its large-scale latitudinal and longitudinal structure. The major finding in examining these maps is the frequent detection of a secondary MTM peak occurring during the early evening hours, nearly 4.5 h prior to the timing of the primary MTM peak that generally appears after midnight. The analysis of these observations shows a strong night-to-night variability for this double-peaked MTM structure. A statistical study of the behavior of the MTM events was carried out to determine the extent of this variability with regard to the seasonal and latitudinal dependence. The results show the presence of the MTM peak(s) in 106 out of the 472 determinable nights (when the MTM presence, or lack thereof, can be determined with certainty in the data set) selected for analysis (22 %) out of the total of 846 nights available. The MTM feature is seen to appear slightly more often during the summer (27 %), followed by fall (22 %), winter (20 %), and spring (18 %). Also seen is a northwestward propagation of the MTM signature with a latitude-dependent amplitude. This behavior suggests either a latitudinal dependence of thermosphere tidal dissipation or a night-to-night variation of the composition of the higher-order tidal modes that contribute to the production of the MTM peak at mid-latitudes. Also presented in this paper is the perturbation on the divergence of the wind fields, which is associated with the passage of each MTM peak analyzed with the 2-D interpolation.

Invariance of separability probability over reduced states in 4 × 4 bipartite systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovas, Attila; Andai, Attila

2017-07-01

The geometric separability probability of composite quantum systems has been extensively studied in the recent decades. One of the simplest but strikingly difficult problem is to compute the separability probability of qubit-qubit and rebit-rebit quantum states with respect to the Hilbert-Schmidt measure. A lot of numerical simulations confirm the P{rebit - rebit}=\\frac{29}{64} and P{qubit-qubit}=\\frac{8}{33} conjectured probabilities. We provide a rigorous proof for the separability probability in the real case and we give explicit integral formulas for the complex and quaternionic case. Milz and Strunz studied the separability probability with respect to given subsystems. They conjectured that the separability probability of qubit-qubit (and qubit-qutrit) states of the form of ≤ft(\\begin{array}{@{}cc@{}} D1 & C \\ C* & D2 \\end{array}\\right) depends on D=D1+D2 (on single qubit subsystems), moreover it depends only on the Bloch radii (r) of D and it is constant in r. Using the Peres-Horodecki criterion for separability we give a mathematical proof for the \\frac{29}{64} probability and we present an integral formula for the complex case which hopefully will help to prove the \\frac{8}{33} probability, too. We prove Milz and Strunz’s conjecture for rebit-rebit and qubit-qubit states. The case, when the state space is endowed with the volume form generated by the operator monotone function f(x)=\\sqrt{x} is also studied in detail. We show that even in this setting Milz and Strunz’s conjecture holds true and we give an integral formula for separability probability according to this measure.

AMCC casting development, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

PCC successfully cast and performed nondestructive testing, FPI and x-ray, on seventeen AMCC castings. Destructive testing, lab analysis and chemical milling, was performed on eleven of the castings and the remaining six castings were shipped to NASA or Aerojet. Two of the six castings shipped, lots 015 and 016, were fully processed per blueprint requirements. PCC has fully developed the gating and processing parameters of this part and feels the part could be implemented into production, after four more castings have been completed to ensure the repeatability of the process. The AMCC casting has been a technically challenging part due to its size, configuration, and alloy type. The height and weight of the wax pattern assembly necessitated the development of a hollow gating system to ensure structural integrity of the shell throughout the investment process. The complexity in the jacket area of the casting required the development of an innovative casting technology that PCC has termed 'TGC' or thermal gradient control. This method of setting up thermal gradients in the casting during solidification represents a significant process improvement for PCC and has been successfully implemented on other programs. The alloy, JBK75, is a relatively new alloy in the investment casting arena and required our engineering staff to learn the gating, processing, and dimensional characteristics of the material.

Methemoglobinemia and Failure to Thrive as a Result of FPIES to Soy Formula with Resolution on Amino Acid Based Formula

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-01

the hopes of improving recognition and treatment . C ase P resentation A 1 month old male infant who was born at term to a GBS-negative mother...mixing formula with bottled spring water . The parents denied sick contacts, rash, blood o r mucus in stools, delayed passage of meconium, constipation...or use of teething gels. In the ED he was grey in color and lethargic. Initial vital signs were: weight 2 .9kg, rectal temp 96.SF, pulse 132bpm

The role of family institutes in promoting the practice of family therapy.

PubMed

Rampage, Cheryl

2014-09-01

Much of the development of family therapy as a discipline was an outcome of the clinical, training, and theory-building activities conducted at family institutes around the United States. Beginning in the 1960s, these institutes were the crucibles in which the concepts and practices of family therapy flourished. The author, a leader at one of the largest family institutes in the United States, discusses the role of family institutes in promoting the practice of family therapy, as well as the challenges of doing so. © 2014 FPI, Inc.

Transducer Workshop (17th) Held in San Diego, California on June 22-24, 1993

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

weight in a drop tower, such as the primer tester shown in figure 1. The calibration procedure must be repeated for each lot of copper inserts, and small...force vs. time curve (i.e impulse = area unxer the curve). The FPyF can be used in the primer tester (shown in figure 1) as well as in a weapon...microphones. Plstonphone Output 124 dB, 250 Hz DEAD WEIGHT TESTIER USED AS A PRESSURE RELEASE CALIBRATOR The dead weight tester is designed and most

Fusion of Scores in a Detection Context Based on Alpha Integration.

PubMed

Soriano, Antonio; Vergara, Luis; Ahmed, Bouziane; Salazar, Addisson

2015-09-01

We present a new method for fusing scores corresponding to different detectors (two-hypotheses case). It is based on alpha integration, which we have adapted to the detection context. Three optimization methods are presented: least mean square error, maximization of the area under the ROC curve, and minimization of the probability of error. Gradient algorithms are proposed for the three methods. Different experiments with simulated and real data are included. Simulated data consider the two-detector case to illustrate the factors influencing alpha integration and demonstrate the improvements obtained by score fusion with respect to individual detector performance. Two real data cases have been considered. In the first, multimodal biometric data have been processed. This case is representative of scenarios in which the probability of detection is to be maximized for a given probability of false alarm. The second case is the automatic analysis of electroencephalogram and electrocardiogram records with the aim of reproducing the medical expert detections of arousal during sleeping. This case is representative of scenarios in which probability of error is to be minimized. The general superior performance of alpha integration verifies the interest of optimizing the fusing parameters.

Predicting the probability of slip in gait: methodology and distribution study.

PubMed

Gragg, Jared; Yang, James

2016-01-01

The likelihood of a slip is related to the available and required friction for a certain activity, here gait. Classical slip and fall analysis presumed that a walking surface was safe if the difference between the mean available and required friction coefficients exceeded a certain threshold. Previous research was dedicated to reformulating the classical slip and fall theory to include the stochastic variation of the available and required friction when predicting the probability of slip in gait. However, when predicting the probability of a slip, previous researchers have either ignored the variation in the required friction or assumed the available and required friction to be normally distributed. Also, there are no published results that actually give the probability of slip for various combinations of required and available frictions. This study proposes a modification to the equation for predicting the probability of slip, reducing the previous equation from a double-integral to a more convenient single-integral form. Also, a simple numerical integration technique is provided to predict the probability of slip in gait: the trapezoidal method. The effect of the random variable distributions on the probability of slip is also studied. It is shown that both the required and available friction distributions cannot automatically be assumed as being normally distributed. The proposed methods allow for any combination of distributions for the available and required friction, and numerical results are compared to analytical solutions for an error analysis. The trapezoidal method is shown to be highly accurate and efficient. The probability of slip is also shown to be sensitive to the input distributions of the required and available friction. Lastly, a critical value for the probability of slip is proposed based on the number of steps taken by an average person in a single day.

Option volatility and the acceleration Lagrangian

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baaquie, Belal E.; Cao, Yang

2014-01-01

This paper develops a volatility formula for option on an asset from an acceleration Lagrangian model and the formula is calibrated with market data. The Black-Scholes model is a simpler case that has a velocity dependent Lagrangian. The acceleration Lagrangian is defined, and the classical solution of the system in Euclidean time is solved by choosing proper boundary conditions. The conditional probability distribution of final position given the initial position is obtained from the transition amplitude. The volatility is the standard deviation of the conditional probability distribution. Using the conditional probability and the path integral method, the martingale condition is applied, and one of the parameters in the Lagrangian is fixed. The call option price is obtained using the conditional probability and the path integral method.

Storm-based Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Probabilities and Warnings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calhoun, K. M.; Meyer, T.; Kingfield, D.

2017-12-01

A new cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning probability algorithm has been developed using machine-learning methods. With storm-based inputs of Earth Networks' in-cloud lightning, Vaisala's CG lightning, multi-radar/multi-sensor (MRMS) radar derived products including the Maximum Expected Size of Hail (MESH) and Vertically Integrated Liquid (VIL), and near storm environmental data including lapse rate and CAPE, a random forest algorithm was trained to produce probabilities of CG lightning up to one-hour in advance. As part of the Prototype Probabilistic Hazard Information experiment in the Hazardous Weather Testbed in 2016 and 2017, National Weather Service forecasters were asked to use this CG lightning probability guidance to create rapidly updating probability grids and warnings for the threat of CG lightning for 0-60 minutes. The output from forecasters was shared with end-users, including emergency managers and broadcast meteorologists, as part of an integrated warning team.

Cold Electrons as the Drivers of Parallel, Electrostatic Waves in Asymmetric Reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmes, J.; Ergun, R.; Newman, D. L.; Wilder, F. D.; Schwartz, S. J.; Goodrich, K.; Eriksson, S.; Torbert, R. B.; Russell, C. T.; Lindqvist, P. A.; Giles, B. L.; Pollock, C. J.; Le Contel, O.; Strangeway, R. J.; Burch, J. L.

2016-12-01

The Magnetospheric MultiScale mission (MMS) has observed several instances of asymmetric reconnection at Earth's magnetopause, where plasma from the magnetosheath encounters that of the magnetosphere. On Earth's dayside, the magnetosphere is often made up of a two-component distribution of cold (<< 10 eV) and hot ( 1 keV) plasma, sometimes including the cold ion plume. Magnetosheath plasma is primarily warm ( 100 eV) post-shock solar wind. Where they meet, magnetopause reconnection alters the magnetic topology such that these two populations are left cohabiting a field line and rapidly mix. There have been several events observed by MMS where the Fast Plasma Instrument (FPI) clearly shows cold ions near the diffusion region impinging upon the warm magnetosheath population. In many of these, we also see patches of strong electrostatic waves parallel to the magnetic field - a smoking gun for rapid mixing via nonlinear processes. Cold ions alone are too slow to create the same waves; solving for roots of a simplified dispersion relation shows the electron population damps out the ion modes. From this, we infer the presence of cold electrons; in one notable case found by Wilder et al. 2016 (in review), they have been observed directly by FPI. Vlasov simulations of plasma mixing for a number of these events closely reproduce the observed electric field signatures. We conclude from numerical analysis and direct MMS observations that cold plasma mixing, including cold electrons, is the primary driver of parallel electrostatic waves observed near the electron diffusion region in asymmetric magnetic reconnection.

Brain and spinal cord interaction: a dietary curcumin derivative counteracts locomotor and cognitive deficits after brain trauma.

PubMed

Wu, Aiguo; Ying, Zhe; Schubert, David; Gomez-Pinilla, Fernando

2011-05-01

In addition to cognitive dysfunction, locomotor deficits are prevalent in traumatic brain injured (TBI) patients; however, it is unclear how a concussive injury can affect spinal cord centers. Moreover, there are no current efficient treatments that can counteract the broad pathology associated with TBI. The authors have investigated potential molecular basis for the disruptive effects of TBI on spinal cord and hippocampus and the neuroprotection of a curcumin derivative to reduce the effects of experimental TBI. The authors performed fluid percussion injury (FPI) and then rats were exposed to dietary supplementation of the curcumin derivative (CNB-001; 500 ppm). The curry spice curcumin has protective capacity in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, and the curcumin derivative has enhanced brain absorption and biological activity. The results show that FPI in rats, in addition to reducing learning ability, reduced locomotor performance. Behavioral deficits were accompanied by reductions in molecular systems important for synaptic plasticity underlying behavioral plasticity in the brain and spinal cord. The post-TBI dietary supplementation of the curcumin derivative normalized levels of BDNF, and its downstream effectors on synaptic plasticity (CREB, synapsin I) and neuronal signaling (CaMKII), as well as levels of oxidative stress-related molecules (SOD, Sir2). These studies define a mechanism by which TBI can compromise centers related to cognitive processing and locomotion. The findings also show the influence of the curcumin derivative on synaptic plasticity events in the brain and spinal cord and emphasize the therapeutic potential of this noninvasive dietary intervention for TBI.

Wide field of view spectroscopy using Fabry-Perot Interferometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikoleyczik, Jonathan

We present a high resolution spectrometer consisting of dual solid Fabry-Perot Interferometers (FPIs). This work is intended to be an all inclusive documentation of the instrument including discussion of the design of this instrument, the methods used in data reduction, and the analysis of these data. Each FPI is made of a single piece of L-BBH2 glass which has a high index of refraction n 2.07 with a thickness on the order of 100 mum. Each is then coated with partially reflective mirrors to create a resonant cavity and thus achieve a spectral resolution of R 30,000. Running the FPIs in tandem reduces the overlapping orders and allows for a much wider free spectral range and higher contrast. We will also discuss the properties of the FPIs which we have measured. This includes the tuning of the FPIs which is achieved by adjusting the temperature and thus changing the FPI gap and the refractive index of the material. The spectrometer then moves spatially in order to get spectral information at every point in the field of view. We select spectral lines for further analysis and create maps of the line depths across the field. Using this technique we are able to measure the fluorescence of chlorophyll in plants and attempt to observe zodiacal light. In the chlorophyll analysis we are able to detect chlorophyll fluorescence using the line depth in a plant using the sky as a reference solar spectrum. This instrument has possible applications in either a cubesat or aerial observations to measure bulk plant activity over large areas.

THOR Turbulence Electron Analyser: TEA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fazakerley, Andrew; Samara, Marilia; Hancock, Barry; Wicks, Robert; Moore, Tom; Rust, Duncan; Jones, Jonathan; Saito, Yoshifumi; Pollock, Craig; Owen, Chris; Rae, Jonny

2017-04-01

Turbulence Heating ObserveR (THOR) is the first mission ever flown in space dedicated to plasma turbulence. The Turbulence Electron Analyser (TEA) will measure the plasma electron populations in the mission's Regions of Interest. It will collect a 3D electron velocity distribution with cadences as short as 5 ms. The instrument will be capable of measuring energies up to 30 keV. TEA consists of multiple electrostatic analyser heads arranged so as to measure electrons arriving from look directions covering the full sky, i.e. 4 pi solid angle. The baseline concept is similar to the successful FPI-DES instrument currently operating on the MMS mission. TEA is intended to have a similar angular resolution, but a larger geometric factor. In comparison to earlier missions, TEA improves on the measurement cadence. For example, MMS FPI-DES routinely operates at 30 ms cadence. The objective of measuring distributions at rates as fast as 5 ms is driven by the mission's scientific requirements to resolve electron gyroscale size structures, where plasma heating and fluctuation dissipation is predicted to occur. TEA will therefore be capable of making measurements of the evolution of distribution functions across thin (a few km) current sheets travelling past the spacecraft at up to 600 km/s, of the Power Spectral Density of fluctuations of electron moments and of distributions fast enough to match frequencies with waves expected to be dissipating turbulence (e.g. with 100 Hz whistler waves). A novel capability to time tag individual electron events during short intervals for the purposes of ground analysis of wave-particle interactions is also planned.

Investigation of Ionospheric Disturbances Using Radio and Optical Observations in South-East Asia -- The Initial Results of the ASI and FPI Observations in Chiang Mai, Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubota, M.; Nagatsuma, T.; Otsuka, Y.; Shiokawa, K.; Komonjinda, S.; Komolmis, T.; Somboon, E.; Tsugawa, T.; Maruyama, T.; Murata, K. T.

2010-12-01

For the purpose of monitoring and forecasting equatorial ionospheric disturbances, SEALION (SouthEast Asia Low-latitude IOnospheric Network) has been developed since 2003 as a cooperation project by National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) in Thailand, Chiang Mai University (CMU) in Thailand, National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) in Indonesia, Hanoi Institute of Geophysics (HIG), Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology in Vietnam, Center for Space Science and Applied Research (CSSAR), Chinese Academy of Sciences in China, Kyoto University in Japan, and Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory (STEL), Nagoya University in Japan. SEALION consists of five ionosondes, four GPS receivers, two GPS scintillation monitors, and a magnetometer. As a part of this project, we newly installed an all-sky imager (ASI) and a Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) at Sirindhorn observatory in Chiang Mai (18.8N, 98.9E, Dip lat. 13.1), Thailand. This site is located near conjugate to EAR site in Kototabang, Indonesia. One of main targets of the ASI observation is the large-scale wave structure (LSWS) with wavelengths of 100-1000 km. The LSWS is thought to be connected to the generation mechanism of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPB). The optical observations in Chiang Mai started in February 2010, and we have detected several ionospheric disturbance events with these instruments In this paper, we will show the initial results of the optical observations from Sirindhorn observatory, and discuss the features of ionospheric disturbances in Southeast Asia.

Effects of one year treatment of sibutramine on insulin resistance parameters in type 2 diabetic patients.

PubMed

Derosa, Giuseppe; Maffioli, Pamela; Ferrari, Ilaria; Palumbo, Ilaria; Randazzo, Sabrina; D'Angelo, Angela; Cicero, Arrigo F G

2010-01-01

Comparison of the effects of one year treatment with sibutramine compared to placebo on insulin resistance parameters, body weight, glycemic control, and lipid profile, in type 2 diabetic patients. Two hundred and forty-six patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus in therapy with different oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin were enrolled in this study and randomised to take sibutramine 10 mg or placebo for one year. We evaluated at baseline, and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months these parameters: homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), retinol binding protein-4 (RBP-4), resistin, visfatin, and high sensitivity-C reactive protein (Hs-CRP), body weight, body mass index (BMI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA(₁c)), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), post-prandial plasma glucose (PPG), fasting plasma insulin (FPI), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (T(g)). A faster decrease of HOMA-IR, resistin, and RBP-4 was recorded with sibutramine compared to the control group. We observed a significant decrease of Hs-CRP in both groups, and a faster improvement of HbA(₁c), FPG and PPG with sibutramine compared to the control group; furthermore we recorded a decrease of FPI, TC, LDL-C, body weight, and BMI in the sibutramine group, but not in the control group. Sibutramine gave a faster improvement of insulin resistance parameters and glycemic control compared to placebo; furthermore sibutramine gave also an improvement of lipid profile, and body weight.

Comparison of the abilities of the plasma triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and the metabolic syndrome to identify insulin resistance.

PubMed

Salazar, Martin R; Carbajal, Horacio A; Espeche, Walter G; Leiva Sisnieguez, Carlos E; March, Carlos E; Balbín, Eduardo; Dulbecco, Carlos A; Aizpurúa, Marcelo; Marillet, Alberto G; Reaven, Gerald M

2013-07-01

This study compares the ability of an elevated triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, using sex-specific cut-points, to identify insulin-resistant individuals within a population without known cardiac disease or diabetes with that obtained using the diagnostic criteria of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Measurements were made of waist circumference (WC), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, fasting plasma insulin (FPI), plasma TG and plasma HDL-C concentrations in 1102 women and 464 men. These data were used to classify subjects as being insulin resistant (FPI concentration in the upper quartile) and having the MetS or an elevated TG/HDL-C ratio (>2.5 and >3.5 for women and men, respectively). The sensitivity and specificity with which the two indices identified insulin-resistant subjects were similar (43% and 81% for TG/HDL-C ratio and 45% and 82% for MetS), as the number of individuals was found with either an elevated TG/HDL-C ratio (n = 386) or the MetS (n = 384). Eighty-one per cent of the individuals were identified concordantly. Cardio-metabolic risk profiles in 'low-risk' individuals identified by a low TG/HDL-C ratio were comparable to those who did not have the MetS, and this was also the case when comparing 'high-risk' groups identified by having the MetS or an elevated TG/HDL-C ratio. These findings suggest that TG/HDL-C concentration ratio is as adequate as MetS diagnosis to identify insulin-resistant subjects.

On the calibration and use of Dual Electron Sensors for NASA's Magnetospheric MultiScale mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avanov, L. A.; Gliese, U.; Pollock, C. J.; Barrie, A.; Mariano, A. J.; Tucker, C. J.; Jacques, A. D.; Zeuch, M.; Shields, N.; Christian, K. D.

2013-12-01

The scientific target of NASA's Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission is to study the fundamentally important phenomenon of magnetic reconnection. Theoretical models of this process predict a small (order of ten kilometers) size for the diffusion region where electrons are demagnetized at the dayside magnetopause. Yet, the region may typically sweep over the spacecraft at relatively high speeds of 50km/s. That is why Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) instrument suite must have extremely high time resolution for measurements of the 3D particle distribution functions. The Dual Electron Spectrometers (DESs) provide fast (30ms) 3D electron velocity distributions, from 10eV to 30,000 eV, as part of the Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) on NASA's Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission. This is accomplished by combining the measurements from eight different spectrometers (packaged in four dual sets) on each MMS spacecraft to produce each full distribution. This approach presents a new and challenging aspect to the calibration and operation of these instruments. The response uniformity among the spectrometer set, the consistency and reliability of their calibration in both sensitivity and their phase space selectivity (energy and angle), and the approach to handling any temporal evolution of these calibrated characteristics all assume enhanced importance in this application. In this paper, we will present brief descriptions of the spectrometers and our approach their ground calibration, trended results of those calibrations, and our plans to detect, track, and respond to any temporal evolution in instrument performance through the life of the mission.

Reliability and Confidence Interval Analysis of a CMC Turbine Stator Vane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murthy, Pappu L. N.; Gyekenyesi, John P.; Mital, Subodh K.

2008-01-01

High temperature ceramic matrix composites (CMC) are being explored as viable candidate materials for hot section gas turbine components. These advanced composites can potentially lead to reduced weight, enable higher operating temperatures requiring less cooling and thus leading to increased engine efficiencies. However, these materials are brittle and show degradation with time at high operating temperatures due to creep as well as cyclic mechanical and thermal loads. In addition, these materials are heterogeneous in their make-up and various factors affect their properties in a specific design environment. Most of these advanced composites involve two- and three-dimensional fiber architectures and require a complex multi-step high temperature processing. Since there are uncertainties associated with each of these in addition to the variability in the constituent material properties, the observed behavior of composite materials exhibits scatter. Traditional material failure analyses employing a deterministic approach, where failure is assumed to occur when some allowable stress level or equivalent stress is exceeded, are not adequate for brittle material component design. Such phenomenological failure theories are reasonably successful when applied to ductile materials such as metals. Analysis of failure in structural components is governed by the observed scatter in strength, stiffness and loading conditions. In such situations, statistical design approaches must be used. Accounting for these phenomena requires a change in philosophy on the design engineer s part that leads to a reduced focus on the use of safety factors in favor of reliability analyses. The reliability approach demands that the design engineer must tolerate a finite risk of unacceptable performance. This risk of unacceptable performance is identified as a component's probability of failure (or alternatively, component reliability). The primary concern of the engineer is minimizing this risk in an economical manner. The methods to accurately determine the service life of an engine component with associated variability have become increasingly difficult. This results, in part, from the complex missions which are now routinely considered during the design process. These missions include large variations of multi-axial stresses and temperatures experienced by critical engine parts. There is a need for a convenient design tool that can accommodate various loading conditions induced by engine operating environments, and material data with their associated uncertainties to estimate the minimum predicted life of a structural component. A probabilistic composite micromechanics technique in combination with woven composite micromechanics, structural analysis and Fast Probability Integration (FPI) techniques has been used to evaluate the maximum stress and its probabilistic distribution in a CMC turbine stator vane. Furthermore, input variables causing scatter are identified and ranked based upon their sensitivity magnitude. Since the measured data for the ceramic matrix composite properties is very limited, obtaining a probabilistic distribution with their corresponding parameters is difficult. In case of limited data, confidence bounds are essential to quantify the uncertainty associated with the distribution. Usually 90 and 95% confidence intervals are computed for material properties. Failure properties are then computed with the confidence bounds. Best estimates and the confidence bounds on the best estimate of the cumulative probability function for R-S (strength - stress) are plotted. The methodologies and the results from these analyses will be discussed in the presentation.

A "Virtual Spin" on the Teaching of Probability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beck, Shari A.; Huse, Vanessa E.

2007-01-01

This article, which describes integrating virtual manipulatives with the teaching of probability at the elementary level, puts a "virtual spin" on the teaching of probability to provide more opportunities for students to experience successful learning. The traditional use of concrete manipulatives is enhanced with virtual coins and spinners from…

Probability Theory, Not the Very Guide of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juslin, Peter; Nilsson, Hakan; Winman, Anders

2009-01-01

Probability theory has long been taken as the self-evident norm against which to evaluate inductive reasoning, and classical demonstrations of violations of this norm include the conjunction error and base-rate neglect. Many of these phenomena require multiplicative probability integration, whereas people seem more inclined to linear additive…

Laplace Transforms without Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Robert L.

2017-01-01

Calculating Laplace transforms from the definition often requires tedious integrations. This paper provides an integration-free technique for calculating Laplace transforms of many familiar functions. It also shows how the technique can be applied to probability theory.

Persistence Probabilities of Two-Sided (Integrated) Sums of Correlated Stationary Gaussian Sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aurzada, Frank; Buck, Micha

2018-02-01

We study the persistence probability for some two-sided, discrete-time Gaussian sequences that are discrete-time analogues of fractional Brownian motion and integrated fractional Brownian motion, respectively. Our results extend the corresponding ones in continuous time in Molchan (Commun Math Phys 205(1):97-111, 1999) and Molchan (J Stat Phys 167(6):1546-1554, 2017) to a wide class of discrete-time processes.

Integrating statistical and process-based models to produce probabilistic landslide hazard at regional scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauch, R. L.; Istanbulluoglu, E.

2017-12-01

We develop a landslide hazard modeling approach that integrates a data-driven statistical model and a probabilistic process-based shallow landslide model for mapping probability of landslide initiation, transport, and deposition at regional scales. The empirical model integrates the influence of seven site attribute (SA) classes: elevation, slope, curvature, aspect, land use-land cover, lithology, and topographic wetness index, on over 1,600 observed landslides using a frequency ratio (FR) approach. A susceptibility index is calculated by adding FRs for each SA on a grid-cell basis. Using landslide observations we relate susceptibility index to an empirically-derived probability of landslide impact. This probability is combined with results from a physically-based model to produce an integrated probabilistic map. Slope was key in landslide initiation while deposition was linked to lithology and elevation. Vegetation transition from forest to alpine vegetation and barren land cover with lower root cohesion leads to higher frequency of initiation. Aspect effects are likely linked to differences in root cohesion and moisture controlled by solar insulation and snow. We demonstrate the model in the North Cascades of Washington, USA and identify locations of high and low probability of landslide impacts that can be used by land managers in their design, planning, and maintenance.

Probability distribution for the Gaussian curvature of the zero level surface of a random function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hannay, J. H.

2018-04-01

A rather natural construction for a smooth random surface in space is the level surface of value zero, or ‘nodal’ surface f(x,y,z)  =  0, of a (real) random function f; the interface between positive and negative regions of the function. A physically significant local attribute at a point of a curved surface is its Gaussian curvature (the product of its principal curvatures) because, when integrated over the surface it gives the Euler characteristic. Here the probability distribution for the Gaussian curvature at a random point on the nodal surface f  =  0 is calculated for a statistically homogeneous (‘stationary’) and isotropic zero mean Gaussian random function f. Capitalizing on the isotropy, a ‘fixer’ device for axes supplies the probability distribution directly as a multiple integral. Its evaluation yields an explicit algebraic function with a simple average. Indeed, this average Gaussian curvature has long been known. For a non-zero level surface instead of the nodal one, the probability distribution is not fully tractable, but is supplied as an integral expression.

Compound risk judgment in tasks with both idiosyncratic and systematic risk: The "Robust Beauty" of additive probability integration.

PubMed

Sundh, Joakim; Juslin, Peter

2018-02-01

In this study, we explore how people integrate risks of assets in a simulated financial market into a judgment of the conjunctive risk that all assets decrease in value, both when assets are independent and when there is a systematic risk present affecting all assets. Simulations indicate that while mental calculation according to naïve application of probability theory is best when the assets are independent, additive or exemplar-based algorithms perform better when systematic risk is high. Considering that people tend to intuitively approach compound probability tasks using additive heuristics, we expected the participants to find it easiest to master tasks with high systematic risk - the most complex tasks from the standpoint of probability theory - while they should shift to probability theory or exemplar memory with independence between the assets. The results from 3 experiments confirm that participants shift between strategies depending on the task, starting off with the default of additive integration. In contrast to results in similar multiple cue judgment tasks, there is little evidence for use of exemplar memory. The additive heuristics also appear to be surprisingly context-sensitive, with limited generalization across formally very similar tasks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Chances of Success: Naive Statistics versus Kind Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogarth, Robin M.; Mukherjee, Kanchan; Soyer, Emre

2013-01-01

Additive integration of information is ubiquitous in judgment and has been shown to be effective even when multiplicative rules of probability theory are prescribed. We explore the generality of these findings in the context of estimating probabilities of success in contests. We first define a normative model of these probabilities that takes…

VizieR Online Data Catalog: GJ 1214b optical and near-IR transit phot. (Angerhausen+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angerhausen, D.; Dreyer, C.; Placek, B.; Csizmadia, Sz.; Eigmueller, P.; Godolt, M.; Kitzmann, D.; Mallonn, M.; Becklin, E.; Collins, P.; Dunham, E. W.; Grenfell, J. L.; Hamilton, R. T.; Kabath, P.; Logsdon, S. E.; Mandell, A.; Mandushev, G.; McElwain, M.; McLean, I. S.; Pfueller, E.; Rauer, H.; Savage, M.; Shenoy, S.; Vacca, W. D.; van Cleve, J. E.; Wiedemann, M.; Wolf, J.

2017-11-01

The joint US-German Cycle 2 Guest Investigator (GI) programme - US-proposal: Angerhausen (2013); Germanproposal: Dreyer (2013) - was performed on SOFIAs flight number 149 on UT February 27, 2014. Observations were simultaneously conducted in two optical HIPO channels: open blue at 0.3-0.6um and Sloan z' at 0.9-m; and one infrared FLITECAM fiter: Paschen-α cont. at 1.9um. Complementary data were also obtained with the optical focal plane guiding camera FPI+ in the Sloan i' band (0.8um). (5 data files).

Gravity Wave Dynamics and Tidal Interactions in the MLT and at the Bottomside F Layer and Their Potential Contributions to Neutral and Plasma Dynamics

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-16

Figure 1. SpreadFEx-2 instrument locations enabled by thi AFOSR contract and related effort . CERTO tomography CERTO bf’acon • • FPI 20 F...layer vector w1nd~ .,..,---:[ - I I II " I I I ’ ’ I \\ I \\ ’, rr1 ’ ’ ’ I ’I ... • An example of the initial tomography using 2 and 3...corresponding non-migrating modes, suggesting that the migrating modes must contribute at least as significantly to thermospheric and ionospheric

Multi-Instrument Study to Investigate the Formation and Growth of Equatorial Irregularities

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

located at Huancayo, Peru (geographic: 12.01 oS, 284.80 oE; geomagnetic : 0.62 oN, 356.23 oE; see Figure for the experimental geometry) [Figures 2...interferometer (FPI) located at Arequipa, Peru (geographic: 16.47 oS, 288.52 oE; geomagnetic : 3.4 oS, 0.0 oE, proposal Co-I Meriwether is the instrument PI...Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) near La Serena, Chile (geographic: 30.17 oS, 289.19 oE; geomagnetic : 16.72 oS, 0.42 oE, proposal Co-I

New results on equatorial thermospheric winds and temperatures from Ethiopia, Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesema, Fasil; Mesquita, Rafael; Meriwether, John; Damtie, Baylie; Nigussie, Melessew; Makela, Jonathan; Fisher, Daniel; Harding, Brian; Yizengaw, Endawoke; Sanders, Samuel

2017-03-01

Measurements of equatorial thermospheric winds, temperatures, and 630 nm relative intensities were obtained using an imaging Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI), which was recently deployed at Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia (11.6° N, 37.4° E, 3.7° N magnetic). The results obtained in this study cover 6 months (53 nights of useable data) between November 2015 and April 2016. The monthly-averaged values, which include local winter and equinox seasons, show the magnitude of the maximum monthly-averaged zonal wind is typically within the range of 70 to 90 ms-1 and is eastward between 19:00 and 21:00 LT. Compared to prior studies of the equatorial thermospheric wind for this local time period, the magnitude is considerably weaker as compared to the maximum zonal wind speed observed in the Peruvian sector but comparable to Brazilian FPI results. During the early evening, the meridional wind speeds are 30 to 50 ms-1 poleward during the winter months and 10 to 25 ms-1 equatorward in the equinox months. The direction of the poleward wind during the winter months is believed to be mainly caused by the existence of the interhemispheric wind flow from the summer to winter hemispheres. An equatorial wind surge is observed later in the evening and is shifted to later local times during the winter months and to earlier local times during the equinox months. Significant night-to-night variations are also observed in the maximum speed of both zonal and meridional winds. The temperature observations show the midnight temperature maximum (MTM) to be generally present between 00:30 and 02:00 LT. The amplitude of the MTM was ˜ 110 K in January 2016 with values smaller than this in the other months. The local time difference between the appearance of the MTM and a pre-midnight equatorial wind was generally 60 to 180 min. A meridional wind reversal was also observed after the appearance of the MTM (after 02:00 LT). Climatological models, HWM14 and MSIS-00, were compared to the observations and the HWM14 model generally predicted the zonal wind observations well with the exception of higher model values by 25 ms-1 in the winter months. The HWM14 model meridional wind showed generally good agreement with the observations. Finally, the MSIS-00 model overestimated the temperature by 50 to 75 K during the early evening hours of local winter months. Otherwise, the agreement was generally good, although, in line with prior studies, the model failed to reproduce the MTM peak for any of the 6 months compared with the FPI data.

Imaging trace gases in volcanic plumes with Fabry Perot Interferometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhn, Jonas; Platt, Ulrich; Bobrowski, Nicole; Lübcke, Peter; Wagner, Thomas

2017-04-01

Within the last decades, progress in remote sensing of atmospheric trace gases revealed many important insights into physical and chemical processes in volcanic plumes. In particular, their evolution could be studied in more detail than by traditional in-situ techniques. A major limitation of standard techniques for volcanic trace gas remote sensing (e.g. Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy, DOAS) is the constraint of the measurement to a single viewing direction since they use dispersive spectroscopy with a high spectral resolution. Imaging DOAS-type approaches can overcome this limitation, but become very time consuming (of the order of minutes to record a single image) and often cannot match the timescales of the processes of interest for volcanic gas measurements (occurring at the order of seconds). Spatially resolved imaging observations with high time resolution for volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions became possible with the introduction of the SO2-Camera. Reducing the spectral resolution to two spectral channels (using interference filters) that are matched to the SO2 absorption spectrum, the SO2-Camera is able to record full frame SO2 slant column density distributions at a temporal resolution on the order of < 1s. This for instance allows for studying variations in SO2 fluxes on very short time scales and applying them in magma dynamics models. However, the currently employed SO2-Camera technique is limited to SO2 detection and, due to its coarse spectral resolution, has a limited spectral selectivity. This limits its application to very specific, infrequently found measurement conditions. Here we present a new approach, based on matching the transmission profile of Fabry Perot Interferometers (FPIs) to periodic spectral absorption features of trace gases. The FPI's transmission spectrum is chosen to achieve a high correlation with the spectral absorption of the trace gas, allowing a high selectivity and sensitivity with still using only a few spectral channels. This would not only improve SO2 imaging, but also allow for the application of the technique to further gases of interest in volcanology (and other areas of atmospheric research). Imaging halogen species would be particularly interesting for volcanic trace gas studies. Bromine monoxide (BrO) and chlorine dioxide (OClO) both yield absorption features that allow their detection with the FPI correlation technique. From BrO and OClO data, ClO levels in the plume could be calculated. We present an outline of applications of the FPI technique to imaging a series of trace gases in volcanic plumes. Sample calculations on the sensitivity and selectivity of the technique, first proof of concept studies and proposals for technical implementations are presented.

How Can Histograms Be Useful for Introducing Continuous Probability Distributions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derouet, Charlotte; Parzysz, Bernard

2016-01-01

The teaching of probability has changed a great deal since the end of the last century. The development of technologies is indeed part of this evolution. In France, continuous probability distributions began to be studied in 2002 by scientific 12th graders, but this subject was marginal and appeared only as an application of integral calculus.…

Energy efficient engine: Propulsion system-aircraft integration evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owens, R. E.

1979-01-01

Flight performance and operating economics of future commercial transports utilizing the energy efficient engine were assessed as well as the probability of meeting NASA's goals for TSFC, DOC, noise, and emissions. Results of the initial propulsion systems aircraft integration evaluation presented include estimates of engine performance, predictions of fuel burns, operating costs of the flight propulsion system installed in seven selected advanced study commercial transports, estimates of noise and emissions, considerations of thrust growth, and the achievement-probability analysis.

Shrunk loop theorem for the topology probabilities of closed Brownian (or Feynman) paths on the twice punctured plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giraud, O.; Thain, A.; Hannay, J. H.

2004-02-01

The shrunk loop theorem proved here is an integral identity which facilitates the calculation of the relative probability (or probability amplitude) of any given topology that a free, closed Brownian (or Feynman) path of a given 'duration' might have on the twice punctured plane (plane with two marked points). The result is expressed as a 'scattering' series of integrals of increasing dimensionality based on the maximally shrunk version of the path. Physically, this applies in different contexts: (i) the topology probability of a closed ideal polymer chain on a plane with two impassable points, (ii) the trace of the Schrödinger Green function, and thence spectral information, in the presence of two Aharonov-Bohm fluxes and (iii) the same with two branch points of a Riemann surface instead of fluxes. Our theorem starts from the Stovicek scattering expansion for the Green function in the presence of two Aharonov-Bohm flux lines, which itself is based on the famous Sommerfeld one puncture point solution of 1896 (the one puncture case has much easier topology, just one winding number). Stovicek's expansion itself can supply the results at the expense of choosing a base point on the loop and then integrating it away. The shrunk loop theorem eliminates this extra two-dimensional integration, distilling the topology from the geometry.

An investigative study into psychological and fertility sequelae of gestational trophoblastic disease: the impact on patients' perceived fertility, anxiety and depression.

PubMed

Di Mattei, Valentina E; Carnelli, Letizia; Bernardi, Martina; Pagani Bagliacca, Elena; Zucchi, Paola; Lavezzari, Luca; Giorgione, Veronica; Ambrosi, Alessandro; Mangili, Giorgia; Candiani, Massimo; Sarno, Lucio

2015-01-01

Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (GTD) comprises a group of disorders that derive from the placenta. Even if full recovery is generally expected, women diagnosed with GTD have to confront: the loss of a pregnancy, a potentially life-threatening diagnosis and delays in future pregnancies. The aim of the study is to evaluate the psychological impact of GTD, focusing on perceived fertility, depression and anxiety. 37 patients treated for GTD at San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, took part in the study. The STAI-Y (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), the BDI-SF (Beck Depression Scale-Short Form) and the FPI (Fertility Problem Inventory) were used. Patients were grouped on the basis of presence of children (with or without), age (< or ≥35) and type of diagnosis (Hydatidiform Mole, HM, or Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia, GTN). Differences in the values between variables were assessed by a t-type test statistic. Three-way ANOVAs were also carried out considering the same block factors. The study highlights that women suffering from GTN had higher depression scores compared to women suffering from HM. A significant correlation was found between anxiety (state and trait) and depression. Younger women presented higher Global Stress scores on the FPI, especially tied to Need for Parenthood and Relationship Concern subscales. Need for Parenthood mean scores significantly varied between women with and without children too. We can conclude that fertility perception seems to be negatively affected by GTD diagnosis, particularly in younger women and in those without children. Patients should be followed by a multidisciplinary team so as to be supported in the disease's psychological aspects too.

Detecting Behavioral Deficits in Rats After Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Parsley, Margaret A.; Guptarak, Jutatip; Spratt, Heidi; Sell, Stacy L.

2018-01-01

With the increasing incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in both civilian and military populations, TBI is now considered a chronic disease; however, few studies have investigated the long-term effects of injury in rodent models of TBI. Shown here are behavioral measures that are well-established in TBI research for times early after injury, such as two weeks, until two months. Some of these methods have previously been used at later times after injury, up to one year, but by very few laboratories. The methods demonstrated here are a short neurological assessment to test reflexes, a Beam-Balance to test balance, a Beam-Walk to test balance and motor coordination, and a working memory version of the Morris water maze that can be sensitive to deficits in reference memory. Male rats were handled and pre-trained to neurological, balance, and motor coordination tests prior to receiving parasagittal fluid percussion injury (FPI) or sham injury. Rats can be tested on the short neurological assessment (neuroscore), the beam-balance, and the Beam-Walk multiple times, while testing on the water maze can only be done once. This difference is because rats can remember the task, thus confounding the results if repeated testing is attempted in the same animal. When testing from one to three days after injury, significant differences are detected in all three non-cognitive tasks. However, differences in the Beam-Walk task were not detectable at later time points (after 3 months). Deficits were detected at 3 months in the Beam-Balance and at 6 months in the neuroscore. Deficits in working memory were detected out to 12 months after injury, and a deficit in a reference memory first appeared at 12 months. Thus, standard behavioral tests can be useful measures of persistent behavioral deficits after FPI. PMID:29443022

Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Heparan Sulfate Negative Ions: Sulfate Loss Patterns and Chemical Modification Methods for Improvement of Product Ion Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Xiaofeng; Huang, Yu; Mao, Yang; Naimy, Hicham; Zaia, Joseph

2012-09-01

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a polysaccharide modified with sulfation, acetylation, and epimerization that enable its binding with protein ligands and regulation of important biological processes. Tandem mass spectrometry has been employed to sequence linear biomolecules e.g., proteins and peptides. However, its application in structural characterization of HS is limited due to the neutral loss of sulfate (SO3) during collisional induced dissociation (CID). In this report, we studied the dissociation patterns of HS disaccharides and demonstrate that the N-sulfate (N-S) bond is especially facile during CID. We identified factors that influence the propensities of such losses from precursor ions and proposed a Free Proton Index (FPI) to help select ions that are able to produce meaningful backbone dissociations. We then investigated the thermodynamics and kinetics of SO3 loss from sulfates that are protonated, deprotonated, and metal-adducted using density functional theory computations. The calculations showed that sulfate loss from a protonated site was much more facile than that from a deprotonated or metal-adducted site. Further, the loss of SO3 from N-sulfate was energetically favored by 3-8 kcal/mol in transition states relative to O-sulfates, making it more prone to this process by a substantial factor. In order to reduce the FPI, representing the number of labile sulfates in HS native chains and oligosaccharides, we developed a series of chemical modifications to selectively replace the N-sulfates of the glucosamine with deuterated acetyl group. These modifications effectively reduced the sulfate density on the HS oligosaccharides and generated considerably more backbone dissociation using on-line LC/tandem MS.

An Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric Sensor using Intermodal Phase Shifting and Demultiplexing of the Propagating Modes in a Few-Mode Fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, Julius

This dissertation demonstrates a fiber-optic phase shifted Fabry-Perot interferometer (PS-FPI) as a sensor using modal demultiplexing. Single wavelength Fabry-Perot interferometers suffer from fringe ambiguity and loss of sensitivity at fringe extremes. These hindrances cause it to be a secondary choice when being selected for a measurement task at hand, and more often than not, white light based sensors are selected in favor of the single wavelength Fabry-Perot sensors. This work aims to introduce a technique involving the demultiplexing of the propagating linearly polarized (LP) modes in few mode fibers to obtain two fringe systems from the same sensing cavity. This results in a few-mode interferometer that effectively has two to three orders of magnitude higher perturbation sensitivity than a conventional few mode interferometer for the same sensing region. In this work, two different modal demultiplexing techniques (MD) are used to demodulate the propagating modes and to obtain two fringe sets. These output fringe sets are shifted in phase with respect to each other by a phase shift due to the propagation of the modes in the fiber-optic layout. A method of controlling this phase shift by straining a length of a two mode fiber located separate from the PS-FPI cavity is demonstrated and corresponding changes in phase shifts are shown. The results show a controllable phase shift for both the MD techniques, which is useful in sensing by permitting quadrature demodulation of interferometric fringes and also results in a novel few-mode sensing system having more than two orders of magnitude sensitivity than conventional few-mode devices.

Need of a consistent and convenient nucleus identification in ENDF files for the automatic construction of the depletion chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosca, Pietro; Mounier, Claude

2016-03-01

The automatic construction of evolution chains recently implemented in GALILEE system is based on the analysis of several ENDF files : the multigroup production cross sections present in the GENDF files processed by NJOY from the ENDF evaluation, the decay file and the fission product yields (FPY) file. In this context, this paper highlights the importance of the nucleus identification to properly interconnect the data mentioned above. The first part of the paper describes the present status of the nucleus identification among the several ENDF files focusing, in particular, on the use of the excited state number and of the isomeric state number. The second part reviews the problems encountered during the automatic construction of the depletion chains using recent ENDF data. The processing of the JEFF-3.1.1, ENDF/B-VII.0 (decay and FPY) and the JEFF-3.2 (production cross section) points out problems about the compliance or not of the nucleus identifiers with the ENDF-6 format and sometimes the inconsistencies among the various ENDF files. In addition, the analysis of EAF-2003 and EAF-2010 shows some incoherence between the ZA product identifier and the reaction identifier MT for the reactions (n, pα) and (n, 2np). As a main result of this work, our suggestion is to change the ENDF format using systematically the isomeric state number to identify the nuclei. This proposal is already compliant to a huge amount ENDF data that are not in agreement with the present ENDF format. This choice is the most convenient because, ultimately, it allows one to give human readable names to the nuclei of the depletion chains.

Personality profiles and risk diet behaviors--a case-control study on teenagers from Timis County, Romania.

PubMed

Petrescu, Cristina; Vlaicu, Brigitha

2014-01-01

In the study we conducted we aimed at investigating the relation between personality profiles and risk diet behaviors in teenagers. This study was a case-control one and we applied 2 questionnaires (Freiburg Personality Inventory--FPI with 212 items) and CORT 2004 (items Q94-Q116 of diet behavior) on a sample of 2908 teenagers (51.5% girls and 48.5% boys). Cronbach's alpha index was 0.802 for FPI and 0.730 for items Q101-Q109 of CORT. Personality profiles were built by an Excel 2003 Program. Statistical analysis was realized with SPSS 16 program applying Chi square (chi2) and gamma (gamma) correlation. Personality features of teenagers with high and without risk diet behavior were analyzed. Results obtained: personality profiles and statistical results indicated the existence of a significant statistical difference of aggressiveness and domination between teenagers with high and no consumption of butter and/or lard (Q103) (chi2 = 6.872, Sig. 0.032 and chi2 = 6.922, Sig. 0.031 respectively), of juices from the market (Q106) (chi2 = 9.055, Sig. 0.011 and chi2 = 14.571, Sig. 0.001 respectively). Aggressiveness correlated with consumption of fried potatoes (Q109) (chi2 = 6.144, Sig. 0.046) too. Correlation gamma indicated direct proportional relations of aggressiveness with: Q103 (gamma = 0.215, Sig. 0.017), Q106 (gamma = 0.224, Sig. 0.004), Q109 (gamma = 0.242, Sig. 0.012); and of domination with: Q103 (gamma = 0.234, Sig. 0.008), Q106 (gamma = 0.073, Sig. 0.000). In conclusion, there is a direct proportional relation between consumption of: butter/lard, juices from the market and teenagers' aggressiveness, domination; and a similar relation between consumption of fried potatoes and aggressiveness.

Sibutramine and L-carnitine compared to sibutramine alone on insulin resistance in diabetic patients.

PubMed

Derosa, Giuseppe; Maffioli, Pamela; Salvadeo, Sibilla A T; Ferrari, Ilaria; Gravina, Alessia; Mereu, Roberto; D'Angelo, Angela; Palumbo, Ilaria; Randazzo, Sabrina; Cicero, Arrigo F G

2010-01-01

To evaluate the effects of one year of treatment with sibutramine plus L-carnitine compared to sibutramine on body weight, glycemic control, and insulin resistance state in type 2 diabetic patients. Two hundred and fifty-four patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [glycated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) >8.0%] in therapy with different oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin were enrolled in this study and randomised to take sibutramine 10 mg plus L-carnitine 2 g or sibutramine 10 mg in monotherapy. We evaluated at baseline, and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months these parameters: body weight, body mass index (BMI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), post-prandial plasma glucose (PPG), fasting plasma insulin (FPI), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (Tg), retinol binding protein-4 (RBP-4), resistin, visfatin, high sensitivity-C reactive protein (Hs-CRP). There was a decrease in body weight, BMI, HbA(1c), FPI, HOMA-IR, and RBP-4 in both groups, even when the values obtained with sibutramine plus L-carnitine were lower than the values obtained in sibutramine group. There was a faster decrease of FPG, PPG, TC, LDL-C, resistin and Hs-CRP with sibutramine plus L-carnitine even when no differences between the two groups were obtained. Furthermore, only sibutramine plus L-carnitine improved Tg, and visfatin. Sibutramine plus L-carnitine gave a faster improvement of lipid profile, insulin resistance parameters, glycemic control, and body weight compared to sibutramine.

Nutraceutical Effects on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Patients with Impaired Fasting Glucose: A Pilot, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial on a Combined Product.

PubMed

Cicero, Arrigo Francesco Giuseppe; Fogacci, Federica; Morbini, Martino; Colletti, Alessandro; Bove, Marilisa; Veronesi, Maddalena; Giovannini, Marina; Borghi, Claudio

2017-09-01

A number of natural compounds have individually demonstrated to improve glucose and lipid levels in humans. To  evaluate the short-term glucose and lipid-lowering activity in subjects with impaired fasting glucose. To assess the effects of a combination of nutraceuticals based on Lagerstroemia speciosa, Berberis aristata, Curcuma longa, Alpha-lipoic acid, Chrome picolinate and Folic acid, we performed a double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial in 40 adults affected by impaired fasting glucose (FPG = 100-125 mg/dL) in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. After a period of 2 weeks of dietary habits correction only, patients continued the diet and began a period of 8 weeks of treatment with nutraceutical or placebo. Data related to lipid pattern, insulin resistance, liver function and hsCRP were obtained at the baseline and at the end of the study. No side effects were detected in both groups of subjects. After the nutraceutical treatment, and compared to the placebo-treated group, the enrolled patients experienced a significant improvement in TG (-34.7%), HDL-C (+13.7), FPI (-13.4%), and HOMA-Index (-25%) versus the baseline values. No significant changes were observed in the other investigated parameters in both groups (Body Mass Index, LDL-C, hsCRP). The tested combination of nutraceuticals showed clinical efficacy in the improvement of TG, HDL-C, FPI and HOMA-Index, with an optimal tolerability profile. Further confirmation is needed to verify these observations on the middle and long term with a larger number of subjects.

Acute over-the-counter pharmacological intervention does not adversely affect behavioral outcome following diffuse traumatic brain injury in the mouse.

PubMed

Harrison, Jordan L; Rowe, Rachel K; O'Hara, Bruce F; Adelson, P David; Lifshitz, Jonathan

2014-09-01

Following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), patients may self-treat symptoms of concussion, including post-traumatic headache, taking over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics. Administering one dose of OTC analgesics immediately following experimental brain injury mimics the at-home treated population of concussed patients and may accelerate the understanding of the relationship between brain injury and OTC pharmacological intervention. In the current study, we investigate the effect of acute administration of OTC analgesics on neurological function and cortical cytokine levels after experimental diffuse TBI in the mouse. Adult, male C57BL/6 mice were injured using a midline fluid percussion (mFPI) injury model of concussion (6-10 min righting reflex time for brain-injured mice). Experimental groups included mFPI paired with either ibuprofen (60 mg/kg, i.p.; n = 16), acetaminophen (40 mg/kg, i.p.; n = 9), or vehicle (15% ethanol (v/v) in 0.9% saline; n = 13) and sham injury paired OTC medicine or vehicle (n = 7-10 per group). At 24 h after injury, functional outcome was assessed using the rotarod task and a modified neurological severity score. Following behavior assessment, cortical cytokine levels were measured by multiplex ELISA at 24 h post-injury. To evaluate efficacy on acute inflammation, cortical cytokine levels were measured also at 6 h post-injury. In the diffuse brain-injured mouse, immediate pharmacological intervention did not attenuate or exacerbate TBI-induced functional deficits. Cortical cytokine levels were affected by injury, time, or their interaction. However, levels were not affected by treatment at 6 or 24 h post-injury. These data indicate that acute administration of OTC analgesics did not exacerbate or attenuate brain-injury deficits which may inform clinical recommendations for the at-home treated mildly concussed patient.

Extending the language of DNA molecular recognition by polyamides: unexpected influence of imidazole and pyrrole arrangement on binding affinity and specificity.

PubMed

Buchmueller, Karen L; Staples, Andrew M; Howard, Cameron M; Horick, Sarah M; Uthe, Peter B; Le, N Minh; Cox, Kari K; Nguyen, Binh; Pacheco, Kimberly A O; Wilson, W David; Lee, Moses

2005-01-19

Pyrrole (Py) and imidazole (Im) polyamides can be designed to target specific DNA sequences. The effect that the pyrrole and imidazole arrangement, plus DNA sequence, have on sequence specificity and binding affinity has been investigated using DNA melting (DeltaT(M)), circular dichroism (CD), and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) studies. SPR results obtained from a complete set of triheterocyclic polyamides show a dramatic difference in the affinity of f-ImPyIm for its cognate DNA (K(eq) = 1.9 x 10(8) M(-1)) and f-PyPyIm for its cognate DNA (K(eq) = 5.9 x 10(5) M(-1)), which could not have been anticipated prior to characterization of these compounds. Moreover, f-ImPyIm has a 10-fold greater affinity for CGCG than distamycin A has for its cognate, AATT. To understand this difference, the triamide dimers are divided into two structural groupings: central and terminal pairings. The four possible central pairings show decreasing selectivity and affinity for their respective cognate sequences: -ImPy > -PyPy- > -PyIm- approximately -ImIm-. These results extend the language of current design motifs for polyamide sequence recognition to include the use of "words" for recognizing two adjacent base pairs, rather than "letters" for binding to single base pairs. Thus, polyamides designed to target Watson-Crick base pairs should utilize the strength of -ImPy- and -PyPy- central pairings. The f/Im and f/Py terminal groups yielded no advantage for their respective C/G or T/A base pairs. The exception is with the -ImPy- central pairing, for which f/Im has a 10-fold greater affinity for C/G than f/Py has for T/A.

Quantifying avian predation on fish populations: integrating predator-specific deposition probabilities in tag-recovery studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hostetter, Nathan J.; Evans, Allen F.; Cramer, Bradley M.; Collis, Ken; Lyons, Donald E.; Roby, Daniel D.

2015-01-01

Accurate assessment of specific mortality factors is vital to prioritize recovery actions for threatened and endangered species. For decades, tag recovery methods have been used to estimate fish mortality due to avian predation. Predation probabilities derived from fish tag recoveries on piscivorous waterbird colonies typically reflect minimum estimates of predation due to an unknown and unaccounted-for fraction of tags that are consumed but not deposited on-colony (i.e., deposition probability). We applied an integrated tag recovery modeling approach in a Bayesian context to estimate predation probabilities that accounted for predator-specific tag detection and deposition probabilities in a multiple-predator system. Studies of PIT tag deposition were conducted across three bird species nesting at seven different colonies in the Columbia River basin, USA. Tag deposition probabilities differed significantly among predator species (Caspian ternsHydroprogne caspia: deposition probability = 0.71, 95% credible interval [CRI] = 0.51–0.89; double-crested cormorants Phalacrocorax auritus: 0.51, 95% CRI = 0.34–0.70; California gulls Larus californicus: 0.15, 95% CRI = 0.11–0.21) but showed little variation across trials within a species or across years. Data from a 6-year study (2008–2013) of PIT-tagged juvenile Snake River steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss (listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act) indicated that colony-specific predation probabilities ranged from less than 0.01 to 0.17 and varied by predator species, colony location, and year. Integrating the predator-specific deposition probabilities increased the predation probabilities by a factor of approximately 1.4 for Caspian terns, 2.0 for double-crested cormorants, and 6.7 for California gulls compared with traditional minimum predation rate methods, which do not account for deposition probabilities. Results supported previous findings on the high predation impacts from strictly piscivorous waterbirds nesting in the Columbia River estuary (i.e., terns and cormorants), but our findings also revealed greater impacts of a generalist predator species (i.e., California gulls) than were previously documented. Approaches used in this study allow for direct comparisons among multiple fish mortality factors and considerably improve the reliability of tag recovery models for estimating predation probabilities in multiple-predator systems.

The transition probability and the probability for the left-most particle's position of the q-totally asymmetric zero range process

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

Korhonen, Marko; Lee, Eunghyun

2014-01-15

We treat the N-particle zero range process whose jumping rates satisfy a certain condition. This condition is required to use the Bethe ansatz and the resulting model is the q-boson model by Sasamoto and Wadati [“Exact results for one-dimensional totally asymmetric diffusion models,” J. Phys. A 31, 6057–6071 (1998)] or the q-totally asymmetric zero range process (TAZRP) by Borodin and Corwin [“Macdonald processes,” Probab. Theory Relat. Fields (to be published)]. We find the explicit formula of the transition probability of the q-TAZRP via the Bethe ansatz. By using the transition probability we find the probability distribution of the left-most particle'smore » position at time t. To find the probability for the left-most particle's position we find a new identity corresponding to identity for the asymmetric simple exclusion process by Tracy and Widom [“Integral formulas for the asymmetric simple exclusion process,” Commun. Math. Phys. 279, 815–844 (2008)]. For the initial state that all particles occupy a single site, the probability distribution of the left-most particle's position at time t is represented by the contour integral of a determinant.« less

Are there common mathematical structures in economics and physics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mimkes, Jürgen

2016-12-01

Economics is a field that looks into the future. We may know a few things ahead (ex ante), but most things we only know, afterwards (ex post). How can we work in a field, where much of the important information is missing? Mathematics gives two answers: 1. Probability theory leads to microeconomics: the Lagrange function optimizes utility under constraints of economic terms (like costs). The utility function is the entropy, the logarithm of probability. The optimal result is given by a probability distribution and an integrating factor. 2. Calculus leads to macroeconomics: In economics we have two production factors, capital and labour. This requires two dimensional calculus with exact and not-exact differentials, which represent the "ex ante" and "ex post" terms of economics. An integrating factor turns a not-exact term (like income) into an exact term (entropy, the natural production function). The integrating factor is the same as in microeconomics and turns the not-exact field of economics into an exact physical science.

Switching probability of all-perpendicular spin valve nanopillars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzoufras, M.

2018-05-01

In all-perpendicular spin valve nanopillars the probability density of the free-layer magnetization is independent of the azimuthal angle and its evolution equation simplifies considerably compared to the general, nonaxisymmetric geometry. Expansion of the time-dependent probability density to Legendre polynomials enables analytical integration of the evolution equation and yields a compact expression for the practically relevant switching probability. This approach is valid when the free layer behaves as a single-domain magnetic particle and it can be readily applied to fitting experimental data.

Detecting the Reconnection Electron Diffusion Regions in Magnetospheric MultiScale mission high resolution data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimoda, E.; Eriksson, S.; Ahmadi, N.; Ergun, R.; Wilder, F. D.; Goodrich, K.

2017-12-01

The Magnetospheric Multi-Scale (MMS) mission resolves the small-scale structure of the Reconnection Electron Diffusion Regions (EDRs) using four spacecraft. We have surveyed two years of MMS data to find the candidates for the EDRs. We searched all the high-resolution segments when Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) instrument was on. The search criteria are based on measuring the dissipation rate, agyrotropy, a reversal in jet velocity and magnetic field. Once these events were found for MMS1 data, the burst period for the other spacecraft was analyzed. We present our results of the best possible EDR candidates.

A Fabry-Perot Spectrometer for High-Resolution Observation of the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kneer, F.; Hirzberger, J.

Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) are powerful instruments for spectro-polarimetry of the Sun with high spatial resolution. They allow easy image reconstruction of two-dimensional narrow-band fields of view. Some examples of high quality results obtained with the ``Göttingen'' FPI spectrometer, mounted in the Vacuum Tower Telescope at the Observatorio del Teide/Tenerife, are presented in a poster to this workshop. We thus concentrate on the design of a new instrument for the 1.5 m GREGOR solar telescope. We discuss the pros and cons of telecentric and collimated mounting and describe the expected performance, especially the spectral resolution, of our design.

A Fabry-Perot spectrometer for high-resolution observation of the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kneer, F.; Hirzberger, H.

2001-12-01

Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) are powerful instruments for spectro-polarimetry of the Sun with high spatial resolution. They allow easy image reconstruction of two-dimensional fields of view. Some examples of high quality results obtained with the ``Göttingen'' FPI spectrometer, mounted in the Vacuum Tower Telescope at the Observatorio del Teide/Tenerife, are presented in a poster to this workshop. We thus concentrate on the design of a new instrument for the 1.5 m GREGOR solar telescope. We discuss the pros and cons of telecentric and collimated mounting and describe the expected performance, especially the spectral resolution, of our design.

Determining probability distribution of coherent integration time near 133 Hz and 1346 km in the Pacific Ocean.

PubMed

Spiesberger, John L

2013-02-01

The hypothesis tested is that internal gravity waves limit the coherent integration time of sound at 1346 km in the Pacific ocean at 133 Hz and a pulse resolution of 0.06 s. Six months of continuous transmissions at about 18 min intervals are examined. The source and receiver are mounted on the bottom of the ocean with timing governed by atomic clocks. Measured variability is only due to fluctuations in the ocean. A model for the propagation of sound through fluctuating internal waves is run without any tuning with data. Excellent resemblance is found between the model and data's probability distributions of integration time up to five hours.

Maximizing Information Diffusion in the Cyber-physical Integrated Network †

PubMed Central

Lu, Hongliang; Lv, Shaohe; Jiao, Xianlong; Wang, Xiaodong; Liu, Juan

2015-01-01

Nowadays, our living environment has been embedded with smart objects, such as smart sensors, smart watches and smart phones. They make cyberspace and physical space integrated by their abundant abilities of sensing, communication and computation, forming a cyber-physical integrated network. In order to maximize information diffusion in such a network, a group of objects are selected as the forwarding points. To optimize the selection, a minimum connected dominating set (CDS) strategy is adopted. However, existing approaches focus on minimizing the size of the CDS, neglecting an important factor: the weight of links. In this paper, we propose a distributed maximizing the probability of information diffusion (DMPID) algorithm in the cyber-physical integrated network. Unlike previous approaches that only consider the size of CDS selection, DMPID also considers the information spread probability that depends on the weight of links. To weaken the effects of excessively-weighted links, we also present an optimization strategy that can properly balance the two factors. The results of extensive simulation show that DMPID can nearly double the information diffusion probability, while keeping a reasonable size of selection with low overhead in different distributed networks. PMID:26569254

The Effect of Scattering and Absorption on Noise from a Cavitating Noise Source in the Subsurface Ocean Layer.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

for a de- tection probability of PD and associated false alarm probability PFA (in dB). 21 - - - II V. REFERENCE MODEL A. INTRODUCTION In order to...space for which to choose HI . PFA = P (wI 0o)dw = Q(---) (26) j 0 Similarity, the miss probability=l-detection probability is obtained by integrating...31) = 2 (1+ (22 [()BT z] ~Z The input signal-to-noise ratio: S/N(input) - a2 (32) The probability of false alarm: PFA = Q[ tB(j-I) 1 (33) The

Evaluation of Mean and Variance Integrals without Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joarder, A. H.; Omar, M. H.

2007-01-01

The mean and variance of some continuous distributions, in particular the exponentially decreasing probability distribution and the normal distribution, are considered. Since they involve integration by parts, many students do not feel comfortable. In this note, a technique is demonstrated for deriving mean and variance through differential…

Melissa's Year in Sixth Grade: A Technology Integration Vignette.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemmer, Jeanie

1998-01-01

In 1995, rather than require seventh-grade computer literacy classes, Texas allowed school districts to integrate technology skills into curricula. This article, the first of three, describes technology integration for sixth grade. Includes unit ideas on nations; the Holocaust; Olympic diving; Christmas; probability; organisms; Antarctica;…

Origin of the enhancement of tunneling probability in the nearly integrable system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanada, Yasutaka; Shudo, Akira; Ikeda, Kensuke S.

2015-04-01

The enhancement of tunneling probability in the nearly integrable system is closely examined, focusing on tunneling splittings plotted as a function of the inverse of the Planck's constant. On the basis of the analysis using the absorber which efficiently suppresses the coupling, creating spikes in the plot, we found that the splitting curve should be viewed as the staircase-shaped skeleton accompanied by spikes. We further introduce renormalized integrable Hamiltonians and explore the origin of such a staircase structure by investigating the nature of eigenfunctions closely. It is found that the origin of the staircase structure could trace back to the anomalous structure in tunneling tail which manifests itself in the representation using renormalized action bases. This also explains the reason why the staircase does not appear in the completely integrable system.

The extremely metal-poor galaxy DDO 68: the luminous blue variable, Hα shells and the most luminous stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pustilnik, S. A.; Makarova, L. N.; Perepelitsyna, Y. A.; Moiseev, A. V.; Makarov, D. I.

2017-03-01

This paper presents new results from the ongoing study of the unusual Lynx-Cancer void galaxy DDO 68, which has star-forming regions of record low metallicity [12+log (O/H) ˜7.14]. The results include the following. (I) A new spectrum and photometry have been obtained with the 6-m SAO RAS telescope (BTA) for the luminous blue variable (LBV = DDO68-V1). Photometric data sets were complemented with others based on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) archive images. (II) We performed an analysis of the DDO 68 supergiant shell (SGS) and the prominent smaller Hα arcs/shells visible in the HST image coupled with kinematic maps in Hα obtained with the Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) at the BTA. (III) We compiled a list of about 50 of the most luminous stars (-9.1 mag < MV < -6.0 mag) identified from the HST images associated with the star-forming regions with known extremely low O/H. This is intended to pave the path for the current science to be investigated with the next generation of giant telescopes. We have confirmed earlier hints of significant variation of the LBV optical light, deriving its amplitude as ΔV ≳ 3.7 mag for the first time. New data suggest that in 2008-2010 the LBV reached MV = -10.5 mag and probably underwent a giant eruption. We argue that the structure of star-forming complexes along the SGS ('Northern Ring') perimeter provides evidence for sequential induced star-formation episodes caused by the shell gas instabilities and gravitational collapse. The variability of some luminous extremely metal-poor stars in DDO 68 can currently be monitored with medium-size telescopes at sites with superb seeing.

Comparison between repaglinide and glimepiride in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a one-year, randomized, double-blind assessment of metabolic parameters and cardiovascular risk factors.

PubMed

Derosa, Giuseppe; Mugellini, Amedeo; Ciccarelli, Leonardina; Crescenzi, Giuseppe; Fogari, Roberto

2003-02-01

Repaglinide and glimepiride are relatively new oral hypoglycemic agents. Few data are available concerning their effects on metabolic parameters other than measures of glycemic control. In addition to assessing the effects of repaglinide and glimepiride on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, this study also examined the effects of these agents on 3 metabolic parameters known to be cardiovascular risk factors--lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and homocysteine (Hcy). This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was conducted at a single center in Italy. Eligible patients were nonsmokers; had no hypertension or coronary heart disease; were taking no hypolipidemic drugs, diuretics, beta-blockers, or thyroxin; and had normal renal function. After an initial 4-week placebo washout period, patients were randomized to receive repaglinide 1 mg/d or glimepiride 1 mg/d. The dose of study drug was optimized over an 8-week titration period, which was followed by a 12-month treatment period. Measures of glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c], fasting plasma glucose [FPG], postprandial plasma glucose [PPG], fasting plasma insulin [FPI], postprandial plasma insulin [PPI]) and the other metabolic parameters of interest were assessed after 6 and 12 months of treatment. One hundred twenty-four patients (63 women, 61 men) completed the study, 62 in each treatment group. There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between groups. After 6 and 12 months of treatment, FPG levels and HbA1c values were significantly reduced from baseline in both groups (6 months, P < 0.05; 12 months, P < 0.01). After 6 months, PPG levels were significantly decreased only in the repaglinide group (P < 0.05 vs baseline); at 12 months, however, PPG levels were significantly reduced from baseline in both groups (P < 0.01 repaglinide, P < 0.05 glimepiride). No significant changes from baseline in FPI or PPI levels were seen in either group at 6 months, although FPI levels were significantly increased in the repaglinide group at 12 months (P < 0.05). Repaglinide significantly lowered levels of Lp(a), PAI-1, and Hcy after 12 months (all, P < 0.05 vs baseline). Glimepiride significantly lowered levels of Lp(a) and Hcy after 6 months (both, P < 0.05 vs baseline) and levels of Lp(a) (P < 0.01 vs baseline), Hcy (P < 0.01 vs baseline), and PAI-1 (P < 0.05 vs baseline) after 12 months. Repaglinide and glimepiride improved glycemic control and reduced levels of other metabolic parameters of interest in this population of patients with type 2 diabetes. It is possible that the reductions in Lp(a), PAI-1, and Hcy were the result of improved glucose metabolism; however, the possibility that repaglinide and glimepiride may have a direct effect on these parameters should not be excluded.

Statistic inversion of multi-zone transition probability models for aquifer characterization in alluvial fans

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Lin; Dai, Zhenxue; Gong, Huili; ...

2015-06-12

Understanding the heterogeneity arising from the complex architecture of sedimentary sequences in alluvial fans is challenging. This study develops a statistical inverse framework in a multi-zone transition probability approach for characterizing the heterogeneity in alluvial fans. An analytical solution of the transition probability matrix is used to define the statistical relationships among different hydrofacies and their mean lengths, integral scales, and volumetric proportions. A statistical inversion is conducted to identify the multi-zone transition probability models and estimate the optimal statistical parameters using the modified Gauss–Newton–Levenberg–Marquardt method. The Jacobian matrix is computed by the sensitivity equation method, which results in anmore » accurate inverse solution with quantification of parameter uncertainty. We use the Chaobai River alluvial fan in the Beijing Plain, China, as an example for elucidating the methodology of alluvial fan characterization. The alluvial fan is divided into three sediment zones. In each zone, the explicit mathematical formulations of the transition probability models are constructed with optimized different integral scales and volumetric proportions. The hydrofacies distributions in the three zones are simulated sequentially by the multi-zone transition probability-based indicator simulations. Finally, the result of this study provides the heterogeneous structure of the alluvial fan for further study of flow and transport simulations.« less

Robust approaches to quantification of margin and uncertainty for sparse data

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

Hund, Lauren; Schroeder, Benjamin B.; Rumsey, Kelin

Characterizing the tails of probability distributions plays a key role in quantification of margins and uncertainties (QMU), where the goal is characterization of low probability, high consequence events based on continuous measures of performance. When data are collected using physical experimentation, probability distributions are typically fit using statistical methods based on the collected data, and these parametric distributional assumptions are often used to extrapolate about the extreme tail behavior of the underlying probability distribution. In this project, we character- ize the risk associated with such tail extrapolation. Specifically, we conducted a scaling study to demonstrate the large magnitude of themore » risk; then, we developed new methods for communicat- ing risk associated with tail extrapolation from unvalidated statistical models; lastly, we proposed a Bayesian data-integration framework to mitigate tail extrapolation risk through integrating ad- ditional information. We conclude that decision-making using QMU is a complex process that cannot be achieved using statistical analyses alone.« less

Integrating geological uncertainty in long-term open pit mine production planning by ant colony optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilani, Seyed-Omid; Sattarvand, Javad

2016-02-01

Meeting production targets in terms of ore quantity and quality is critical for a successful mining operation. In-situ grade uncertainty causes both deviations from production targets and general financial deficits. A new stochastic optimization algorithm based on ant colony optimization (ACO) approach is developed herein to integrate geological uncertainty described through a series of the simulated ore bodies. Two different strategies were developed based on a single predefined probability value (Prob) and multiple probability values (Pro bnt) , respectively in order to improve the initial solutions that created by deterministic ACO procedure. Application at the Sungun copper mine in the northwest of Iran demonstrate the abilities of the stochastic approach to create a single schedule and control the risk of deviating from production targets over time and also increase the project value. A comparison between two strategies and traditional approach illustrates that the multiple probability strategy is able to produce better schedules, however, the single predefined probability is more practical in projects requiring of high flexibility degree.

Exact transition probabilities in a 6-state Landau–Zener system with path interference

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

Sinitsyn, Nikolai A.

2015-04-23

In this paper, we identify a nontrivial multistate Landau–Zener (LZ) model for which transition probabilities between any pair of diabatic states can be determined analytically and exactly. In the semiclassical picture, this model features the possibility of interference of different trajectories that connect the same initial and final states. Hence, transition probabilities are generally not described by the incoherent successive application of the LZ formula. Finally, we discuss reasons for integrability of this system and provide numerical tests of the suggested expression for the transition probability matrix.

Prospect evaluation as a function of numeracy and probability denominator.

PubMed

Millroth, Philip; Juslin, Peter

2015-05-01

This study examines how numeracy and probability denominator (a direct-ratio probability, a relative frequency with denominator 100, a relative frequency with denominator 10,000) affect the evaluation of prospects in an expected-value based pricing task. We expected that numeracy would affect the results due to differences in the linearity of number perception and the susceptibility to denominator neglect with different probability formats. An analysis with functional measurement verified that participants integrated value and probability into an expected value. However, a significant interaction between numeracy and probability format and subsequent analyses of the parameters of cumulative prospect theory showed that the manipulation of probability denominator changed participants' psychophysical response to probability and value. Standard methods in decision research may thus confound people's genuine risk attitude with their numerical capacities and the probability format used. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integral transforms of the quantum mechanical path integral: Hit function and path-averaged potential.

PubMed

Edwards, James P; Gerber, Urs; Schubert, Christian; Trejo, Maria Anabel; Weber, Axel

2018-04-01

We introduce two integral transforms of the quantum mechanical transition kernel that represent physical information about the path integral. These transforms can be interpreted as probability distributions on particle trajectories measuring respectively the relative contribution to the path integral from paths crossing a given spatial point (the hit function) and the likelihood of values of the line integral of the potential along a path in the ensemble (the path-averaged potential).

Integral transforms of the quantum mechanical path integral: Hit function and path-averaged potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, James P.; Gerber, Urs; Schubert, Christian; Trejo, Maria Anabel; Weber, Axel

2018-04-01

We introduce two integral transforms of the quantum mechanical transition kernel that represent physical information about the path integral. These transforms can be interpreted as probability distributions on particle trajectories measuring respectively the relative contribution to the path integral from paths crossing a given spatial point (the hit function) and the likelihood of values of the line integral of the potential along a path in the ensemble (the path-averaged potential).

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

Zhu, Lin; Dai, Zhenxue; Gong, Huili

Understanding the heterogeneity arising from the complex architecture of sedimentary sequences in alluvial fans is challenging. This study develops a statistical inverse framework in a multi-zone transition probability approach for characterizing the heterogeneity in alluvial fans. An analytical solution of the transition probability matrix is used to define the statistical relationships among different hydrofacies and their mean lengths, integral scales, and volumetric proportions. A statistical inversion is conducted to identify the multi-zone transition probability models and estimate the optimal statistical parameters using the modified Gauss–Newton–Levenberg–Marquardt method. The Jacobian matrix is computed by the sensitivity equation method, which results in anmore » accurate inverse solution with quantification of parameter uncertainty. We use the Chaobai River alluvial fan in the Beijing Plain, China, as an example for elucidating the methodology of alluvial fan characterization. The alluvial fan is divided into three sediment zones. In each zone, the explicit mathematical formulations of the transition probability models are constructed with optimized different integral scales and volumetric proportions. The hydrofacies distributions in the three zones are simulated sequentially by the multi-zone transition probability-based indicator simulations. Finally, the result of this study provides the heterogeneous structure of the alluvial fan for further study of flow and transport simulations.« less

Evolution of thermal stress and failure probability during reduction and re-oxidation of solid oxide fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yu; Jiang, Wenchun; Luo, Yun; Zhang, Yucai; Tu, Shan-Tung

2017-12-01

The reduction and re-oxidation of anode have significant effects on the integrity of the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) sealed by the glass-ceramic (GC). The mechanical failure is mainly controlled by the stress distribution. Therefore, a three dimensional model of SOFC is established to investigate the stress evolution during the reduction and re-oxidation by finite element method (FEM) in this paper, and the failure probability is calculated using the Weibull method. The results demonstrate that the reduction of anode can decrease the thermal stresses and reduce the failure probability due to the volumetric contraction and porosity increasing. The re-oxidation can result in a remarkable increase of the thermal stresses, and the failure probabilities of anode, cathode, electrolyte and GC all increase to 1, which is mainly due to the large linear strain rather than the porosity decreasing. The cathode and electrolyte fail as soon as the linear strains are about 0.03% and 0.07%. Therefore, the re-oxidation should be controlled to ensure the integrity, and a lower re-oxidation temperature can decrease the stress and failure probability.

A Bayesian pick-the-winner design in a randomized phase II clinical trial.

PubMed

Chen, Dung-Tsa; Huang, Po-Yu; Lin, Hui-Yi; Chiappori, Alberto A; Gabrilovich, Dmitry I; Haura, Eric B; Antonia, Scott J; Gray, Jhanelle E

2017-10-24

Many phase II clinical trials evaluate unique experimental drugs/combinations through multi-arm design to expedite the screening process (early termination of ineffective drugs) and to identify the most effective drug (pick the winner) to warrant a phase III trial. Various statistical approaches have been developed for the pick-the-winner design but have been criticized for lack of objective comparison among the drug agents. We developed a Bayesian pick-the-winner design by integrating a Bayesian posterior probability with Simon two-stage design in a randomized two-arm clinical trial. The Bayesian posterior probability, as the rule to pick the winner, is defined as probability of the response rate in one arm higher than in the other arm. The posterior probability aims to determine the winner when both arms pass the second stage of the Simon two-stage design. When both arms are competitive (i.e., both passing the second stage), the Bayesian posterior probability performs better to correctly identify the winner compared with the Fisher exact test in the simulation study. In comparison to a standard two-arm randomized design, the Bayesian pick-the-winner design has a higher power to determine a clear winner. In application to two studies, the approach is able to perform statistical comparison of two treatment arms and provides a winner probability (Bayesian posterior probability) to statistically justify the winning arm. We developed an integrated design that utilizes Bayesian posterior probability, Simon two-stage design, and randomization into a unique setting. It gives objective comparisons between the arms to determine the winner.

GREGOR Fabry-Pérot interferometer and its companion the blue imaging solar spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puschmann, Klaus G.; Denker, Carsten; Balthasar, Horst; Louis, Rohan E.; Popow, Emil; Woche, Manfred; Beck, Christian; Seelemann, Thomas; Volkmer, Reiner

2013-08-01

The GREGOR Fabry-Pérot Interferometer (GFPI) is one of three first-light instruments of the German 1.5-m GREGOR solar telescope at the Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, Spain. The GFPI allows fast narrow-band imaging and postfactum image restoration. The retrieved physical parameters will be a fundamental building block for understanding the dynamic sun and its magnetic field at spatial scales down to ˜50 km on the solar surface. The GFPI is a tunable dual-etalon system in a collimated mounting. It is designed for spectrometric and spectropolarimetric observations between 530-860 nm and 580-660 nm, respectively, and possesses a theoretical spectral resolution of R≈250,000. Large-format, high-cadence charged coupled device detectors with sophisticated computer hard- and software enable the scanning of spectral lines in time-spans equivalent to the evolution time of solar features. The field-of-view (FOV) of 50″×38″ covers a significant fraction of the typical area of active regions in the spectroscopic mode. In case of Stokes-vector spectropolarimetry, the FOV reduces to 25″×38″. The main characteristics of the GFPI including advanced and automated calibration and observing procedures are presented. Improvements in the optical design of the instrument are discussed and first observational results are shown. Finally, the first concrete ideas for the integration of a second FPI, the blue imaging solar spectrometer, are laid out, which will explore the blue spectral region below 530 nm.

Measures of School Integration: Comparing Coleman's Index to Measures of Species Diversity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercil, Steven Bray; Williams, John Delane

This study used species diversity indices developed in ecology as a measure of socioethnic diversity, and compared them to Coleman's Index of Segregation. The twelve indices were Simpson's Concentration Index ("ell"), Simpson's Index of Diversity, Hurlbert's Probability of Interspecific Encounter (PIE), Simpson's Probability of…

Bayesian Probability Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von der Linden, Wolfgang; Dose, Volker; von Toussaint, Udo

2014-06-01

Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. The meaning of probability; 2. Basic definitions; 3. Bayesian inference; 4. Combinatrics; 5. Random walks; 6. Limit theorems; 7. Continuous distributions; 8. The central limit theorem; 9. Poisson processes and waiting times; Part II. Assigning Probabilities: 10. Transformation invariance; 11. Maximum entropy; 12. Qualified maximum entropy; 13. Global smoothness; Part III. Parameter Estimation: 14. Bayesian parameter estimation; 15. Frequentist parameter estimation; 16. The Cramer-Rao inequality; Part IV. Testing Hypotheses: 17. The Bayesian way; 18. The frequentist way; 19. Sampling distributions; 20. Bayesian vs frequentist hypothesis tests; Part V. Real World Applications: 21. Regression; 22. Inconsistent data; 23. Unrecognized signal contributions; 24. Change point problems; 25. Function estimation; 26. Integral equations; 27. Model selection; 28. Bayesian experimental design; Part VI. Probabilistic Numerical Techniques: 29. Numerical integration; 30. Monte Carlo methods; 31. Nested sampling; Appendixes; References; Index.

REPRESENTATIONS OF WEAK AND STRONG INTEGRALS IN BANACH SPACES

PubMed Central

Brooks, James K.

1969-01-01

We establish a representation of the Gelfand-Pettis (weak) integral in terms of unconditionally convergent series. Moreover, absolute convergence of the series is a necessary and sufficient condition in order that the weak integral coincide with the Bochner integral. Two applications of the representation are given. The first is a simplified proof of the countable additivity and absolute continuity of the indefinite weak integral. The second application is to probability theory; we characterize the conditional expectation of a weakly integrable function. PMID:16591755

Master equations and the theory of stochastic path integrals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Markus F.; Frey, Erwin

2017-04-01

This review provides a pedagogic and self-contained introduction to master equations and to their representation by path integrals. Since the 1930s, master equations have served as a fundamental tool to understand the role of fluctuations in complex biological, chemical, and physical systems. Despite their simple appearance, analyses of master equations most often rely on low-noise approximations such as the Kramers-Moyal or the system size expansion, or require ad-hoc closure schemes for the derivation of low-order moment equations. We focus on numerical and analytical methods going beyond the low-noise limit and provide a unified framework for the study of master equations. After deriving the forward and backward master equations from the Chapman-Kolmogorov equation, we show how the two master equations can be cast into either of four linear partial differential equations (PDEs). Three of these PDEs are discussed in detail. The first PDE governs the time evolution of a generalized probability generating function whose basis depends on the stochastic process under consideration. Spectral methods, WKB approximations, and a variational approach have been proposed for the analysis of the PDE. The second PDE is novel and is obeyed by a distribution that is marginalized over an initial state. It proves useful for the computation of mean extinction times. The third PDE describes the time evolution of a ‘generating functional’, which generalizes the so-called Poisson representation. Subsequently, the solutions of the PDEs are expressed in terms of two path integrals: a ‘forward’ and a ‘backward’ path integral. Combined with inverse transformations, one obtains two distinct path integral representations of the conditional probability distribution solving the master equations. We exemplify both path integrals in analysing elementary chemical reactions. Moreover, we show how a well-known path integral representation of averaged observables can be recovered from them. Upon expanding the forward and the backward path integrals around stationary paths, we then discuss and extend a recent method for the computation of rare event probabilities. Besides, we also derive path integral representations for processes with continuous state spaces whose forward and backward master equations admit Kramers-Moyal expansions. A truncation of the backward expansion at the level of a diffusion approximation recovers a classic path integral representation of the (backward) Fokker-Planck equation. One can rewrite this path integral in terms of an Onsager-Machlup function and, for purely diffusive Brownian motion, it simplifies to the path integral of Wiener. To make this review accessible to a broad community, we have used the language of probability theory rather than quantum (field) theory and do not assume any knowledge of the latter. The probabilistic structures underpinning various technical concepts, such as coherent states, the Doi-shift, and normal-ordered observables, are thereby made explicit.

Master equations and the theory of stochastic path integrals.

PubMed

Weber, Markus F; Frey, Erwin

2017-04-01

This review provides a pedagogic and self-contained introduction to master equations and to their representation by path integrals. Since the 1930s, master equations have served as a fundamental tool to understand the role of fluctuations in complex biological, chemical, and physical systems. Despite their simple appearance, analyses of master equations most often rely on low-noise approximations such as the Kramers-Moyal or the system size expansion, or require ad-hoc closure schemes for the derivation of low-order moment equations. We focus on numerical and analytical methods going beyond the low-noise limit and provide a unified framework for the study of master equations. After deriving the forward and backward master equations from the Chapman-Kolmogorov equation, we show how the two master equations can be cast into either of four linear partial differential equations (PDEs). Three of these PDEs are discussed in detail. The first PDE governs the time evolution of a generalized probability generating function whose basis depends on the stochastic process under consideration. Spectral methods, WKB approximations, and a variational approach have been proposed for the analysis of the PDE. The second PDE is novel and is obeyed by a distribution that is marginalized over an initial state. It proves useful for the computation of mean extinction times. The third PDE describes the time evolution of a 'generating functional', which generalizes the so-called Poisson representation. Subsequently, the solutions of the PDEs are expressed in terms of two path integrals: a 'forward' and a 'backward' path integral. Combined with inverse transformations, one obtains two distinct path integral representations of the conditional probability distribution solving the master equations. We exemplify both path integrals in analysing elementary chemical reactions. Moreover, we show how a well-known path integral representation of averaged observables can be recovered from them. Upon expanding the forward and the backward path integrals around stationary paths, we then discuss and extend a recent method for the computation of rare event probabilities. Besides, we also derive path integral representations for processes with continuous state spaces whose forward and backward master equations admit Kramers-Moyal expansions. A truncation of the backward expansion at the level of a diffusion approximation recovers a classic path integral representation of the (backward) Fokker-Planck equation. One can rewrite this path integral in terms of an Onsager-Machlup function and, for purely diffusive Brownian motion, it simplifies to the path integral of Wiener. To make this review accessible to a broad community, we have used the language of probability theory rather than quantum (field) theory and do not assume any knowledge of the latter. The probabilistic structures underpinning various technical concepts, such as coherent states, the Doi-shift, and normal-ordered observables, are thereby made explicit.

Study of the semileptonic charm decays D(0)-->pi(-)l(+)nu and D(0)-->K(-)l(+)nu.

PubMed

Huang, G S; Miller, D H; Pavlunin, V; Sanghi, B; Shibata, E I; Shipsey, I P J; Adams, G S; Chasse, M; Cummings, J P; Danko, I; Napolitano, J; Cronin-Hennessy, D; Park, C S; Park, W; Thayer, J B; Thorndike, E H; Coan, T E; Gao, Y S; Liu, F; Stroynowski, R; Artuso, M; Boulahouache, C; Blusk, S; Butt, J; Dambasuren, E; Dorjkhaidav, O; Menaa, N; Mountain, R; Muramatsu, H; Nandakumar, R; Redjimi, R; Sia, R; Skwarnicki, T; Stone, S; Wang, J C; Zhang, K; Mahmood, A H; Csorna, S E; Bonvicini, G; Cinabro, D; Dubrovin, M; Bornheim, A; Lipeles, E; Pappas, S P; Weinstein, A J; Briere, R A; Chen, G P; Ferguson, T; Tatishvili, G; Vogel, H; Watkins, M E; Adam, N E; Alexander, J P; Berkelman, K; Cassel, D G; Duboscq, J E; Ecklund, K M; Ehrlich, R; Fields, L; Galik, R S; Gibbons, L; Gittelman, B; Gray, R; Gray, S W; Hartill, D L; Heltsley, B K; Hertz, D; Hsu, L; Jones, C D; Kandaswamy, J; Kreinick, D L; Kuznetsov, V E; Mahlke-Krüger, H; Meyer, T O; Onyisi, P U E; Patterson, J R; Pedlar, T K; Peterson, D; Pivarski, J; Riley, D; Rosner, J L; Ryd, A; Sadoff, A J; Schwarthoff, H; Shepherd, M R; Sun, W M; Thayer, J G; Urner, D; Wilksen, T; Weinberger, M; Athar, S B; Avery, P; Breva-Newell, L; Patel, R; Potlia, V; Stoeck, H; Yelton, J; Rubin, P; Cawlfield, C; Eisenstein, B I; Gollin, G D; Karliner, I; Kim, D; Lowrey, N; Naik, P; Sedlack, C; Selen, M; Thaler, J J; Williams, J; Wiss, J; Edwards, K W; Besson, D; Gao, K Y; Gong, D T; Kubota, Y; Li, S Z; Poling, R; Scott, A W; Smith, A; Stepaniak, C J; Urheim, J; Metreveli, Z; Seth, K K; Tomaradze, A; Zweber, P; Ernst, J; Arms, K; Gan, K K; Severini, H; Skubic, P; Asner, D M; Dytman, S A; Mehrabyan, S; Mueller, J A; Savinov, V; Li, Z; Lopez, A; Mendez, H; Ramirez, J

2005-01-14

We investigate the decays D(0)-->pi(-)l(+)nu and D(0)-->K(-)l(+)nu, where l is e or mu, using approximately 7 fb(-1) of data collected with the CLEO III detector. We find R(0) identical with B(D(0)-->pi(-)e(+)nu)/B(D(0)-->K(-)e(+)nu)=0.082+/-0.006+/-0.005. Fits to the kinematic distributions of the data provide parameters describing the form factor of each mode. Combining the form factor results and R(0) gives |f(pi)(+)(0)|(2)|V(cd)|(2)/|f(K)(+)(0)|(2)|V(cs)|(2)=0.038(+0.006+0.005)(-0.007-0.003).

Breaking the links in intergenerational violence: an emotional regulation perspective.

PubMed

Siegel, Judith P

2013-06-01

The saying "violence begets violence" is an apt descriptor of the cycle of family violence, as children who witness parental violence are at high risk for repeating family violence in their own adult intimate relationships. Neuroscience research suggests that emotional regulation may be an important link in the heritability of family violence, and promotes awareness of the importance of internalizing as well as externalizing responses to stress, neglect, and abuse. This study argues for a trauma-informed approach to identifying children and parents whose symptoms of emotional dysregulation may be otherwise overlooked, and for an expanded approach to treatment that incorporates family systems and emotional regulation strategies. © FPI, Inc.

A Micro Bubble Structure Based Fabry–Perot Optical Fiber Strain Sensor with High Sensitivity and Low-Cost Characteristics

PubMed Central

Yan, Lu; Gui, Zhiguo; Wang, Guanjun; An, Yongquan; Gu, Jinyu; Zhang, Meiqin; Liu, Xinglin; Wang, Zhibin; Wang, Gao; Jia, Pinggang

2017-01-01

A high-sensitivity, low-cost, ultrathin, hollow fiber micro bubble structure was proposed; such a bubble can be used to develop a high-sensitivity strain sensor based on a Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI). The micro bubble is fabricated at the fiber tip by splicing a glass tube to a single mode fiber (SMF) and then the glass tube is filled with gas in order to expand and form a micro bubble. The sensitivity of the strain sensor with a cavity length of about 155 μm and a bubble wall thickness of about 6 μm was measured to be up to 8.14 pm/με. PMID:28282960

Optical fiber sensors for high temperature harsh environment applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Hai; Wei, Tao; Lan, Xinwei; Zhang, Yinan; Duan, Hongbiao; Han, Yukun; Tsai, Hai-Lung

2010-04-01

This paper summarizes our recent research progresses in developing optical fiber harsh environment sensors for various high temperature harsh environment sensing applications such as monitoring of the operating conditions in a coal-fired power plant and in-situ detection of key gas components in coal-derived syngas. The sensors described in this paper include a miniaturized inline fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) fabricated by one-step fs laser micromachining, a long period fiber grating (LPFG) and a fiber inline core-cladding mode interferometer (CMMI) fabricated by controlled CO2 laser irradiations. Their operating principles, fabrication methods, and applications for measurement of various physical and chemical parameters in a high temperature and high pressure coexisting harsh environment are presented.

Metal-Matrix Composites and Porous Materials: Constitute Models, Microstructure Evolution and Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-02-23

eonomical to rotate the stress and the c strain once rather than having to rotate 4th order tensors like c Amat, Bmat , MHS etc. whose...nu2,sigyO real*8 deps(3,3),eps_plastic,dep_plas,dumd(6,6) real*8 det,kll,dphidf,phil,phi2,ftest real*8 el212,e2323,el313,pil212,pi2323,pil313, bmat ...pi2323-f*pi2323 el313=pil313-f*pil313 spath=.true. call Btensor(a,b,c,ad,bd,cd,f,mul,kl,mu2,k2, Bmat ) do 41 i=l,3 do 42 j=l,6 Bmat (i,j)=0.0 42

A Micro Bubble Structure Based Fabry-Perot Optical Fiber Strain Sensor with High Sensitivity and Low-Cost Characteristics.

PubMed

Yan, Lu; Gui, Zhiguo; Wang, Guanjun; An, Yongquan; Gu, Jinyu; Zhang, Meiqin; Liu, Xinglin; Wang, Zhibin; Wang, Gao; Jia, Pinggang

2017-03-09

A high-sensitivity, low-cost, ultrathin, hollow fiber micro bubble structure was proposed; such a bubble can be used to develop a high-sensitivity strain sensor based on a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). The micro bubble is fabricated at the fiber tip by splicing a glass tube to a single mode fiber (SMF) and then the glass tube is filled with gas in order to expand and form a micro bubble. The sensitivity of the strain sensor with a cavity length of about 155 μm and a bubble wall thickness of about 6 μm was measured to be up to 8.14 pm/μϵ.

Psychotherapy and transsexualism.

PubMed

Seikowski, K

2007-12-01

We questioned whether transsexuals always require the psychotherapy demanded by the health insurance system in Germany. For this purpose, we examined 430 transsexuals who came to our facility between 1988 and 2006. At the first consultation after the history was taken, they filled out standardised questionnaires, which are needed for proper diagnosis of psychotherapeutic treatment. These questionnaires included the Complaint Questionnaire (BFB), the Behaviour Questionnaire (VFB) and the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI-A). It was found that two-thirds of all transsexuals do not require deeper psychotherapy. However, there was evidence of personality deficits in a subgroup of transsexuals for whom supportive psychotherapy should be recommended. The conditions under which psychotherapy and other forms of support are successful are discussed.

Dangerous "spin": the probability myth of evidence-based prescribing - a Merleau-Pontyian approach.

PubMed

Morstyn, Ron

2011-08-01

The aim of this study was to examine logical positivist statistical probability statements used to support and justify "evidence-based" prescribing rules in psychiatry when viewed from the major philosophical theories of probability, and to propose "phenomenological probability" based on Maurice Merleau-Ponty's philosophy of "phenomenological positivism" as a better clinical and ethical basis for psychiatric prescribing. The logical positivist statistical probability statements which are currently used to support "evidence-based" prescribing rules in psychiatry have little clinical or ethical justification when subjected to critical analysis from any of the major theories of probability and represent dangerous "spin" because they necessarily exclude the individual , intersubjective and ambiguous meaning of mental illness. A concept of "phenomenological probability" founded on Merleau-Ponty's philosophy of "phenomenological positivism" overcomes the clinically destructive "objectivist" and "subjectivist" consequences of logical positivist statistical probability and allows psychopharmacological treatments to be appropriately integrated into psychiatric treatment.

Probabilistic Integrated Assessment of ``Dangerous'' Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastrandrea, Michael D.; Schneider, Stephen H.

2004-04-01

Climate policy decisions are being made despite layers of uncertainty. Such decisions directly influence the potential for ``dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.'' We mapped a metric for this concept, based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment of climate impacts, onto probability distributions of future climate change produced from uncertainty in key parameters of the coupled social-natural system-climate sensitivity, climate damages, and discount rate. Analyses with a simple integrated assessment model found that, under midrange assumptions, endogenously calculated, optimal climate policy controls can reduce the probability of dangerous anthropogenic interference from ~45% under minimal controls to near zero.

Heuristics can produce surprisingly rational probability estimates: Comment on Costello and Watts (2014).

PubMed

Nilsson, Håkan; Juslin, Peter; Winman, Anders

2016-01-01

Costello and Watts (2014) present a model assuming that people's knowledge of probabilities adheres to probability theory, but that their probability judgments are perturbed by a random noise in the retrieval from memory. Predictions for the relationships between probability judgments for constituent events and their disjunctions and conjunctions, as well as for sums of such judgments were derived from probability theory. Costello and Watts (2014) report behavioral data showing that subjective probability judgments accord with these predictions. Based on the finding that subjective probability judgments follow probability theory, Costello and Watts (2014) conclude that the results imply that people's probability judgments embody the rules of probability theory and thereby refute theories of heuristic processing. Here, we demonstrate the invalidity of this conclusion by showing that all of the tested predictions follow straightforwardly from an account assuming heuristic probability integration (Nilsson, Winman, Juslin, & Hansson, 2009). We end with a discussion of a number of previous findings that harmonize very poorly with the predictions by the model suggested by Costello and Watts (2014). (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Improved Measures of Integrated Information

PubMed Central

Tegmark, Max

2016-01-01

Although there is growing interest in measuring integrated information in computational and cognitive systems, current methods for doing so in practice are computationally unfeasible. Existing and novel integration measures are investigated and classified by various desirable properties. A simple taxonomy of Φ-measures is presented where they are each characterized by their choice of factorization method (5 options), choice of probability distributions to compare (3 × 4 options) and choice of measure for comparing probability distributions (7 options). When requiring the Φ-measures to satisfy a minimum of attractive properties, these hundreds of options reduce to a mere handful, some of which turn out to be identical. Useful exact and approximate formulas are derived that can be applied to real-world data from laboratory experiments without posing unreasonable computational demands. PMID:27870846

Foundation Mathematics for the Physical Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, K. F.; Hobson, M. P.

2011-03-01

1. Arithmetic and geometry; 2. Preliminary algebra; 3. Differential calculus; 4. Integral calculus; 5. Complex numbers and hyperbolic functions; 6. Series and limits; 7. Partial differentiation; 8. Multiple integrals; 9. Vector algebra; 10. Matrices and vector spaces; 11. Vector calculus; 12. Line, surface and volume integrals; 13. Laplace transforms; 14. Ordinary differential equations; 15. Elementary probability; Appendices; Index.

Student Solution Manual for Foundation Mathematics for the Physical Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, K. F.; Hobson, M. P.

2011-03-01

1. Arithmetic and geometry; 2. Preliminary algebra; 3. Differential calculus; 4. Integral calculus; 5. Complex numbers and hyperbolic functions; 6. Series and limits; 7. Partial differentiation; 8. Multiple integrals; 9. Vector algebra; 10. Matrices and vector spaces; 11. Vector calculus; 12. Line, surface and volume integrals; 13. Laplace transforms; 14. Ordinary differential equations; 15. Elementary probability; Appendix.

The description of two-photon Rabi oscillations in the path integral approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biryukov, A. A.; Degtyareva, Ya. V.; Shleenkov, M. A.

2018-04-01

The probability of quantum transitions of a molecule between its states under the action of an electromagnetic field is represented as an integral over trajectories from a real alternating functional. A method is proposed for computing the integral using recurrence relations. The method is attached to describe the two-photon Rabi oscillations.

A Most Probable Point-Based Method for Reliability Analysis, Sensitivity Analysis and Design Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hou, Gene J.-W; Newman, Perry A. (Technical Monitor)

2004-01-01

A major step in a most probable point (MPP)-based method for reliability analysis is to determine the MPP. This is usually accomplished by using an optimization search algorithm. The minimum distance associated with the MPP provides a measurement of safety probability, which can be obtained by approximate probability integration methods such as FORM or SORM. The reliability sensitivity equations are derived first in this paper, based on the derivatives of the optimal solution. Examples are provided later to demonstrate the use of these derivatives for better reliability analysis and reliability-based design optimization (RBDO).

A method to deconvolve stellar rotational velocities II. The probability distribution function via Tikhonov regularization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christen, Alejandra; Escarate, Pedro; Curé, Michel; Rial, Diego F.; Cassetti, Julia

2016-10-01

Aims: Knowing the distribution of stellar rotational velocities is essential for understanding stellar evolution. Because we measure the projected rotational speed v sin I, we need to solve an ill-posed problem given by a Fredholm integral of the first kind to recover the "true" rotational velocity distribution. Methods: After discretization of the Fredholm integral we apply the Tikhonov regularization method to obtain directly the probability distribution function for stellar rotational velocities. We propose a simple and straightforward procedure to determine the Tikhonov parameter. We applied Monte Carlo simulations to prove that the Tikhonov method is a consistent estimator and asymptotically unbiased. Results: This method is applied to a sample of cluster stars. We obtain confidence intervals using a bootstrap method. Our results are in close agreement with those obtained using the Lucy method for recovering the probability density distribution of rotational velocities. Furthermore, Lucy estimation lies inside our confidence interval. Conclusions: Tikhonov regularization is a highly robust method that deconvolves the rotational velocity probability density function from a sample of v sin I data directly without the need for any convergence criteria.

Quantum return probability of a system of N non-interacting lattice fermions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krapivsky, P. L.; Luck, J. M.; Mallick, K.

2018-02-01

We consider N non-interacting fermions performing continuous-time quantum walks on a one-dimensional lattice. The system is launched from a most compact configuration where the fermions occupy neighboring sites. We calculate exactly the quantum return probability (sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt echo) of observing the very same compact state at a later time t. Remarkably, this probability depends on the parity of the fermion number—it decays as a power of time for even N, while for odd N it exhibits periodic oscillations modulated by a decaying power law. The exponent also slightly depends on the parity of N, and is roughly twice smaller than what it would be in the continuum limit. We also consider the same problem, and obtain similar results, in the presence of an impenetrable wall at the origin constraining the particles to remain on the positive half-line. We derive closed-form expressions for the amplitudes of the power-law decay of the return probability in all cases. The key point in the derivation is the use of Mehta integrals, which are limiting cases of the Selberg integral.

Integrating modeling and surveys for more effective assessments

EPA Science Inventory

A false dichotomy currently exists in monitoring that pits sample surveys based on probability designs against targeted monitoring of hand-picked sites. We maintain that judicious use of both, when designed to be integrated, produces assessments of greater value than either inde...